Kirkland Conference: 2014
Table of Contents
John 11:1-13
Reading
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Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus unto his fellow disciple, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Then when Jesus came, he was found that he had lain in the grave for four days already. Now Bethany was not, as of Jerusalem about 15 for long gone, and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother.
Then Martha as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, whence and met him. But Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou will ask of God, God will give it thee.
Jesus stayed upon the earth. My brother shall rise again, Martha says unto him. I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at that last day.
Jesus said unto her, I in the resurrection, and the life he that lived in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believe his love is she said unto him, Gaylord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. And when she has said Co. And so said, she went her way to call Mary her sister, secretly saying, The Master is found to call it for thee.
As soon as she heard that, she arrived quickly and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but within that place where Martha met him. The Jews then, which were with her in house, and comforted her when they saw Mary, that she rose up peacefully and went out, followed her saying.
Then when Mary was gone where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, sang unto him, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother hath not died. When He therefore saw weeping, and the Jews also weeping, which came with her, he growled in his Spirit and was troubled. He said, Where have you laid him? They set up example for his feet. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, behold how he loved him.
And some of them said, Could not this man which opened the eyes to the mind, have caused that even this man could not have died? Jesus therefore, again groaning himself, cometh to grace. He must save. A stone may apply, Jesus said.
Take me away. The stolen Martha, the sister of him that was Martha, the sister of him that was dead, sayeth unto him.
Lord, by this time he stinked it, for he had been dead 4 days. Jesus saith unto her, That I not unto thee, that if I was to thee, thou should see the glory of God. Then they took away the stone from the place with a dead of blade, and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father.
I think the Thou has heard me, and I knew that now here is me always. But because of the people which stand by, I said that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he had thus spoken and cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
And heat up again. Came forward and found a family foot was very close and his face.
Yeah.
To die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad, and from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked more openly among the Jews.
Went in under a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Israel, and there continued with its disciples. And the Jews passed over his die at hand, And many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.
Then thought they were Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, was thinking that He will not come to defeat. Now both the chiefs, priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that if any man knew where he were, he could go it, that they might take him.
Well, this is one of the very tender scenes in the life of the Lord Jesus. It's a portion that sometimes is read at the funeral and at a funeral and in connection with the loss of a loved one. And what a precious scene, what a precious glimpse we're given here of the Lord Jesus and this little home in Bethany. And I had this portion on my heart. And then when our brother George read a, uh, another account of a scene in that same home.
00:05:24
I trust the Lord has this for us. Just to go back for a moment before we comment on what took place here. You know, when the Lord Jesus was here in this world, there were very few homes where the Lord Jesus was really welcome.
The boxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests, but the Son of Man had not where to lay his head. In fact, later in this very gospel we read, every man went to his own house. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
Very few homes where the Lord Jesus was really welcome, but there was one home at least where the Lord Jesus was welcome.
And a home where on a number of occasions in his pathway, he turned his weary feet and sat down in the midst of those that he loved and those that loved him. And it's precious to trace those scenes Brother George read to us the One.
Where the Lord Jesus came to that home and those sisters, Mary and Martha no doubt were working together, busy of preparing for the arrival of their divine guests. And when the Lord Jesus entered that home, Mary said, oh, this is an opportunity that can't be missed.
I'm gonna sit down now and hear what the Lord Jesus has to say. And the Lord Jesus valued it. Not that he didn't value Martha's service. We don't want to make a mistake and say that it wasn't. He was discrediting Mars's service. But.
There was one thing needful and Mary had chosen that good part and that was to sit at Jesus feet. But that was a happier scene. Martha serving Mary, sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus. But sorrow to come into our homes, don't they?
And many of us, no doubt here in recent times have experienced real sorrows of one sort or another that come into our homes, you know, just because we seek to have a Christian home and a life and testimony in our neighborhood and community.
Doesn't mean we're immune to problems and difficulties and sorrows. We're in a world of sin. We suffer the same things as perhaps our ungodly neighbors, those down the street and those we work with and go to school with and so on.
But the wonderful thing is this, the sisters, Mary and Martha, who had enjoyed the Lord Jesus at happier times in their home. Now they knew where to turn when the sorrow came.
They had developed a relationship with the Lord Jesus so that when the sorrow came, they knew where to turn.
They weren't completely overwhelmed by it. And really, brethren, I know there's much in this chapter and there's the context we need to consider, but just by way of introduction, it's all our brethren have been going through and what we've heard this weekend, what is taking place at a funeral, it's perhaps this very moment. And it's wonderful that if we develop a relationship with the Lord Jesus and He is, as it were, an invited divine guest in our homes every day.
Then when the sorrows come, we don't need to be overwhelmed either. We have one that we can turn to. We're not to our heavenly home yet, brethren. We're not to the Father's house yet. But God has given us families and homes here on earth, and He desires that through the presence of the Lord Jesus, He would be an intricate part of those homes that He has established for our blessings while we wait so we're all safe in the Father's house.
It's important to see, just to get the context here a little bit, that by the end of the 10th chapter of John's Gospel, the Lord Jesus is the rejected 1.
He has been now fully rejected by those He had come to bless. It's the fulfillment of what we have in the first chapter. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not, and it confirmed by the end of this 10th the 10th chapter.
That this is the reality of the situation. But it's interesting as you go on now in John's gospel, you find that God makes sure that though his Son has been outwardly rejected, there are individuals who have seen him for who he is, the Son of God, and that there is going to be glory brought to him in spite of the rejection of the Jewish nation as a nation.
00:10:18
And I say that not to skip over, but just to get the a little outline. In these two chapters, 11:00 and 12:00, we have His glory brought before us in three different ways as to His person.
If we were to just go down to the fourth verse for a moment, he speaks. When Jesus heard that, he heard that, he said this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God. And then notice it that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now we can make some further comments on this later on, but here we find that there's going to be glory brought to Him in connection with His being the Son of God. But then just skip over to the 12Th chapter for a moment.
And verse 12.
On the next day, much people that were come to the feast when they heard that Jesus.
Was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him.
And cried Hosanna, blessed is the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
This is really glory brought to him recognized as to his title as Son of David. And uh, there's going to be a day coming when it will be fully recognized here. It was very temporary and the Lord had to say, this generation draws nigh unto me and praises me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But nevertheless, God made sure that this testimony of the one who had been rejected by the nation is, is brought, is brought out and then just dropped down again in the same chapter of the 23rd chapter.
Verse 23, I'm sorry, the 12Th chapter and verse 23. And Jesus answered them, saying the hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. So here it is in connection with His title as the Son of Man.
And it's the subject that could be developed. But God, again I say.
Made sure that there was glory going to be brought to the Lord Jesus in these three different characters in spite of the fact that He was rejected. And This is why the great reason why He had allowed Lazarus.
Not only to be sick, but in his absence to pass away, so that in the going there and raising him from the dead, eventually there was going to be glory brought to himself as the Son of God.
I one time asked a brother what's the difference between the title Son of God and Son of Man and he answered me shortly. He said the title Son of God is what he was as God for man. The title Son of Man is what he was as a man for God.
That was a help to me.
The chapter before.
The shepherd dies for the sheep.
But not only did he die for them, he's going to raise them. A thinking of the 6th chapter of John. Just turn there for a minute.
And the 40th verse. The 39th verse.
And this is the Father's will which has sent me that of all which He has given me. I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. He's not just going to.
And we're just going to be there in spirit, but we'll be there body, soul and spirit, the next verse. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life, And I will raise him up in the last day, and then down.
In the 44th verse No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me. Draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day, 54.
Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood.
Hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. I remember rather having a funeral, and he pointed to the coffin.
And he said our dear sister here lies in his coffin and is going to be lowered into the grave, but she's not gonna stay there. God's gonna raise her up again.
00:15:10
Now this is a wonderful thing.
Opens in a very touching way. Lazarus was sick and.
The Lord looks down today on this planet, and he knows everyone of his own, and he knows everyone that's sick.
And maybe there's someone here and you weren't prayed for in the prayer meeting because your sicknesses wasn't such to keep you from coming to these meetings. But maybe there's someone here and you're suffering. Not a lot of people know about it, but you're sick. The Lord knows about it. He looks down and he knows you're down sittings and uprisings. He knows what's going on with you internally. And so Lazarus was sick. And where was Lazarus from?
Well, he was from Bethany. Bethany's interesting place to trace through the, uh, Word of God, but wasn't a place of any great significant politically or economically.
But it was a little town that is mentioned several times, and one of the reasons it's mentioned is because it was the home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus. You know, I often think of this as I look around a crowd like this.
You know, there's some here from some very insignificant little towns, towns I would have never known of. They never heard of it if it hadn't been that you were from that town where there was a little assembly gathered to the Lord's name.
Probably never would have heard of Marysville, WA or Lowry, Minnesota, or some of the other little towns. Perhaps you would have never heard of Smith Falls, Ontario. You came to Smith Falls. If you've never been there, it's a very insignificant little town of eight or 9000 people. But we love those towns, those areas. We're familiar with them. Why? Because there are those we know and love there. There are those of like precious faith.
Those that we have concern and, and care for, and that's what makes those places geographically. Well, here with the little town of Bethany, here was this little home, as we've been saying, that the Lord loved to visit, and now there was a difficulty in that home. Did the Lord Jesus know about that difficulty before they came and told him? Yes, He did. Did He know how he was going to take care of the difficulty and bring comfort? Yes, he did. But as we go through these verses, we're going to see an unfolding of the ways and purposes of the Father and the Son.
As to a timetable that was perfect, Perfect as to bring out the glory of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God, and perfect as to the comfort and the lessons that the Lord had for this little family as well as those that were there and knew them. And in their end, we find that there were many who believed as a result of how not only this event, but how the Father and the Son caused it to unfold.
And brethren, He causes things to unfold in our lives, not as quickly as we would like, not in the way we would often like, but if we're content and willing to submit, it will be, in the end, for His glory, for our comfort.
I suppose there's a number of things that we learned from this chapter.
One is that God's timetable is not necessarily ours.
We may make a prayer or an appeal to God for a particular trial or circumstance that we go through.
We learned anything from Martha. We learned what it is to be impatient. We learn anything from Mary. We learn what it is to be patient.
If we see the end result of the trial, we find that God is behind it and it's for His glory, it's for our blessing, for our encouragement, and He's not far from it. He feels it, He's identified with it. The Lord Jesus knows what it is to feel what we're going through as our high priest. He suffered and He knows what it is to suffer. So we really see all these things in this chapter, don't we?
00:20:19
It's certainly at the dispensational picture.
But it's really there's these practical things that as we follow through this chapter, we can learn to understand and to trust God and to realize He is in full control.
We are blessed people to be able to look at a picture where we can see that the things that were done in the order that they were done is not necessarily the way that we would have wanted them to be done, but they were the way that they were done in order that lessons would be learned. We would learn something about the heart of God and still He would accomplish what what his what was on his heart and what was for the glory of God.
Nature didn't control the Lord. Didn't look like the Lord didn't love Lazarus.
Like he said he did because he didn't move and he could have prevented it.
And.
But the Lord is waiting for a word from his Father. Of course, if we had that power, we'd have been down there and, uh, prevented him from dying.
It's also instructive, is it not, that when they sent word, they didn't send word for the Lord to come, nor did nor did they send word on the basis of what they had done or their love for the Lord. They just simply sent word to say, he whom thou lovest is sick. And they just left it at that. And I think that beautiful face, you know, sometimes the tendency of our hearts is perhaps to plead for some blessings.
Perhaps some healing of a loved one or in our own life on the basis of, well, Lord, look what I've done.
Or Lord, I've I've tried to love you and I've tried to serve you and I've tried to honor you. It's true they did love the Lord. They loved him very much. It's true they had entertained him as a divine guest in their in their home.
But that had no basis now for, for their for with their message they just sent. Lord, the one you love who he whom thou lovest is sick. Because they realized, I believe, that his love for them was far, far more than any response that had been by grace in their hearts. And that if there was going to be any blessing, it didn't depend on their response. And brethren, I believe that's a good lesson for all of us to learn. It's good for myself. Perhaps I better only point the finger at myself.
But again, to realize how much He loves us, He does desire our blessing and our good.
Not because of anything in us. Now, thank God He delights in our response, and He wants that response. My son, give me thine heart and so on. But look, when we come to the Lord in any difficulty or situation, how thankful we are should be that we can come with a sense of His love for us. If I come with a sense of my own love, that's going to discourage me because that's feeble at best. But if I come with a sense of His love toward me.
And toward my family and my brethren, that makes all the difference. That gives me confidence.
Hezekiah did that, didn't he? And the Lord allowed a test to him, and it turned out to be a wreck.
If we have the power of God, we would probably change a lot of circumstances, but if we had the wisdom of God, we'd change nothing.
I think it is good to consider this one hallmark of inspiration is that it's homely, if I can use that in a proper sense, that is. It does touch our affections, doesn't it? And we certainly can read this on that level. And yet it also has a broader scope. And so it has been briefly mentioned there is a dispensational picture here as well. Both are characteristic of the divine, divine inspiration, aren't they?
00:25:06
And so just to give a brief, uh, outline here, the 1St 11 Chapters of John.
In the 1St 11 Chapters we have the Lord in a certain sense in controversy with that which is Jewish.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. And so one thing after another, whether it's the failing waters of chapter four, he replaces it with the living waters of himself. Whether it's the tap piece of tabernacles, which was a dead feast to the Jews, he replaces with himself. One thing after another that was Jewish, He sets aside and replaces with that which is eternal in himself.
And when we get to the 11Th chapter, we get to the climax of that first section, and we see that as Martha says, Lord, if thou hast been here, he wouldn't, he wouldn't have died. But the fact is that man is seen as bankrupt. There's no hope. The only hope for men is in death and resurrection. And that's what we have here, isn't it? And it's good to keep that in perspective.
Uh, remember, uh, some years ago we had several funerals in our local area in Spokane. Several brothers passed away.
Just within, uh, three, actually just within a few months of each other. And we went to, uh, the same, uh, Funeral Home each time. It was a Christian man that some had known that was the funeral director there. And after seeing him the third time in just a couple of months, they said, uh, well, you see an awful lot of funerals. I said, I don't go to many non Christian funerals, frankly, I said, but there must be a difference between a Christian funeral and a non Christian funeral.
And he looked me right in the eye and he said it just like night and day.
Because for the Christian's resurrection, isn't it absent from the body present with the Lord?
What a wonderful truth that is. How could we? How could we want anyone back? That's in the Lord's presence.
And yet for the unbeliever, what is it? A leap into the dark. I remember where I grew up in Columbus, there was a Catholic Bishop that passed away. And those were his last words, a leap into the dark. He had no idea what lay ahead. And so as I say, the 1St 11 Chapters really give us that. Our brother Eric Smith, Bob, maybe you can give me the exact verses on this, but he used to mention that John can be divided into three parts. Life.
Light and love and I believe the 1St 11 Chapters are life, aren't they? But it's not continuation of our natural life but it's a resurrection life, new creation.
And that's the great truth that we have. Again, I just mentioned this because we like this look at the, the, umm, the, uh, affectionate side. And that's good. It has a place, but it's also good to get the scope of Scripture, isn't it? So I believe the 1St 11 Chapters we have life, but it's resurrection life and it's in the person of Christ. And then the next chapters through chapter 17, perhaps it's light. It's what's often called the upper room ministry. Some started with chapter 12, some with chapter 13, but.
Nonetheless, it's light. It's the budding of Christianity as it's often been mentioned.
And then in the last chapters we have the Lord Jesus accomplishing that work that makes it all possible. That's love.
Beautiful to see here and these verses to the different, uh, persons that it's talking about Lazarus, Mary and Martha and we are individuals, brother, and we're all different.
God has an appreciation for us in the way we are. Sometimes we don't like the way we are and we try to be somebody else. Don't do that.
Let the Lord work on you just where you are. And I, I find it very beautiful here at the Lazarus. I don't think we have any record of anything he said in life, do we? Don't remember anything.
That lies with a step.
And yet he is pretty prominent in this chapter.
Then it says the town was the town of and gets very first.
And her sister Martha. Why's that? I don't know for sure, but we learned, like it was said earlier, that in, uh, Luke chapter 10, the house was Marvin's house. She received him into her house. She had a sister called Mary. But there's no doubt rather than that, Mary was more.
00:30:19
Sensitive and understanding of the Lord's teaching in Martha. It was a matter of personality. Like he said, she was restless.
Like we are too.
But Mary, I don't know if I'm insinuating things, but.
It seemed like Mary understood the Lord's words, that he was going to be rejected and rise again because Mary listened to his words. And when it came to the cross or the tomb, you don't see Mary of Bethany there. She came beforehand to anoint his body to the burial.
Intelligence with that woman more so than even the 12 apostles. They didn't seem to capture what the Lord was saying and so often we listen to Scripture and we don't get it. And here is a woman who seemed to.
Understand. And I think it's beautiful the town of Mary and her sister Martha, but then notice in verse five it says now Jesus loves Martha. Isn't that beautiful?
Is there is love any different towards Martha because she was a little bit more restless in in Luke 10? She was the one that was not very happy with the fact that Mary was just sitting there.
Jesus loved Martin. I think that's beautiful. And her sister and.
And it's beautiful to me to see how God picks up each one of us and works out with us like we are and develops. Everyone is different. And so it's it's a beautiful.
Thing to contemplate how the Lord picks up each way and works with it.
I think this is the.
7th Miracle or sign that the Lord Jesus does.
There's seven of them, total of eight if you want to take in.
Chapter 21 But it's, it's very uniquely connected with Israel and their, uh, restoration and their salvation. And so we, we see that if we, we see how the Lord Jesus looks at us, you might say, when, when we were sick or looked at Israel when they were sick and he saw the end of what was going to happen and he loved them.
I was loved before I was ever saved. I was loved when I was sick and I was loved when I was dead in trespasses and sins. Jesus loved me and he died for me and the resurrection which was brought out is is the end result that I have life through his death and resurrection. He loves me, He loves Lazarus.
So when I got saved, did I always walk in a way that pleased the Lord Jesus? No, I don't. I'm sorry, I don't. But he still loves me. And I think that's the way it is with Martha. He says, Martha, thou art troubled about many things, but Mary has found the best, best part. And you should be here because it's it's there that you learn what is in the heart of Jesus. And that's where Mary learns.
And so, but he still loves her. He still loves me even though I, I, maybe I'm not what I should be, but I, is there those times when, uh, when maybe I am enjoying communion and I'm in the stream of God's thoughts, I'm thankful that that happened to me. I'm thankful to know he loves me then too. And so it's, it's really, it's, it's a comfort to me that, that during these times when there's trials and there's difficulties.
00:35:18
And I don't always enter into the stream of his thoughts that he loves me and he's still acting in a way that's consistent with his will and for my blessing.
It's different how each one of them.
Received this and Martha felt you know the Lord should have been there she kind of rebuked him and.
I I suppose that many of these thoughts are going through the minds of the Colemans.
I remember, and you're not supposed to use personal experiences, but I remember when, uh, I had a boy who's nine years old and we were on an island and, uh, where it was all right to, right, He had to step through, uh, Honda and I allowed him to, uh, ride that thing and we had people coming over. And so I thought I'd put this up and not allow them, but he wanted to go down and get his friend and bring him and he came down around the corner and he smashed into the back of a.
Of a vehicle.
And they had to carry him off in a helicopter. And that night they called and they said, we don't think he's going to make it. You need to come down to the hospital in Olympia.
Well, you, you can understand how one would feel. Uh, he didn't, uh, die that night. And I remember I was off that time and I was laying out in the, in the lawn thinking, I have to take this from the hand of a loving father.
And so I think that's what Mary learned. She learned to trust, not question God or Father. And and then she perhaps didn't know God as her father at that time, but there is that trust there. And we have to believe that it's coming from, even though it may seem that God doesn't love us, but it is all things work together for good. And I believe, you know, I can look back.
You can look back on that scene and know why the Lord allowed it.
But it does comes from the hand of a loving Father. This did, although it looked like, you know that the Lord Jesus just didn't care.
We see two with the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. He wouldn't do anything apart from a word from His Father either. And in the chapter before when he addressed those who spoke of stoning Him and so on, He brought out very clearly, I and my Father are one, and He worked the works of the Father and and so on. And He could not move without a word from the Father. He did always those things that pleased the Father. He did the Father's will perfectly.
And so why did he remain 2 days? Why did he allow Lazarus to die?
Well, he hadn't had a word from the Father to go when he received that word, and it was the Father's time then He did go in obedience. And there was as a result, as we said, glory brought to him as to the Father and to the Lord Jesus as the Son of God.
So wonderful to see the perfect submission of the Lord Jesus to the will of His Father. And as we understand this in our souls, then doesn't it help us to carry out in a practical way what you have just said, Brother Byrne? And that is for us to submit to the will of the Father in our lives, to see that He has not only circumstances lined out in our lives but has been said a perfect timetable.
And you know, this is the day, brethren, when perhaps this is more needful for us to be reminded of than ever. Why? Because this is a day of instant answers and remedies to everything.
And there's an 800 number and a penicillin and this and that to answer every question and help every malady.
And again, I'm not saying those things are wrong, where I'm thankful for medications when we're sick, I'm thankful for an 800 number we can call when there's a problem and get some advice, but sometimes we forget that God doesn't work instantaneously.
The Lord Jesus doesn't work as quickly as we see men would like Him to work, or as things sometimes work at school and in the office, the office, and so on. And one of the great lessons I believe God seeks to teach us, especially in the day in which we live, is submission and waiting his time.
00:40:18
The question of faith isn't it in.
I don't know. I have pondered over that too. Remember when we lived in Bolivia, we helped to bury a lot more children than adults?
There's just a lot of infant mortality, and I found that the people down there don't.
I wonder why do we question the lawyer? And I think it's because we're taught to have confidence in ourselves. And if something goes wrong, then you analyze it and you figure it out and you try to come to some conclusions. But when we're dealing with God and his purposes and his ways.
Brother, we need to bow to his hand, recognize he understands everything. He's not only head of his church, the body he has had over all things to the church, in other words, everything that affects them. He is in full control of that circumstance.
As dear and I think we can understand all the purposes and ways of God, we can't. And so like we say, like it was insensitive to the Lord to wait two days. There was the news that classes was sick, but there was another purpose. He was not going to move simply because there was a need.
He was going to waste the direction of his Father, and as a result, there was much more glory brought to God than the way it took place in this chapter.
We have. We don't know whether he lives with Mary and Martha in the same house.
I didn't mention here that he lived in the same town, the town of Maryland.
And her sister Martha. Now these two women were special.
Mary had in a spiritual way, significantly because she spiritually understood to the Lord Jesus or what He was going to do.
Because she was the one who had an eye for her speed and tried to speed with her hair.
Martha was also special because he had a spiritual understanding of the Lord's miserable because she acknowledged that.
Personally, he lost the Christ, the Son of the living God.
That is at that time a very special because they were very few who acknowledged to acknowledge that.
Even his brother's head with who grew up with him in the same family.
Were not disciples.
Also or Jesus after his death.
Acknowledged by the Spirit who he was, but these two women they acknowledge by the Spirit already who is lost.
Before he died.
And it makes in Las Vegas.
And what the Juan did.
00:45:03
That made her worry strangely, because she acknowledged that he was going to die for them.
And of Lazarus, we know another Lazarus.
Whether the rich man's gazed and he wrecked.
The head of the crumbs that fell from the richness table.
Was said Isaiah, and this dark lift his feet.
And of the rich men, we are not told to be lost.
His mind, but he had an inesco relaxed through his name and also.
That he, when he died, was an Abraham's also.
A special place also, and he was a poor man.
So it is significant here that.
What these people were and what they did for the producers.
That was getting especially drawn out and then also what they received a special technology.
Lazarus is 6/9.
Our friend Lazarus sleepeth. Well, that's a term that has a technical meaning, doesn't it? If we can put it that way, in the New Testament, it refers to the state of the of soul of the believers after death. Now that doesn't mean that the soul sleeps per SE, but it's rather the thought that they passed into a different condition. And again, it's used over and over of.
Believers, we shall not all all sleep. We're not all going to pass through the throughout the article.
But it's only a believers, isn't it that it speaks of as sleeping? But then I wanted to mention in verse.
Umm verse 15 he states plainly that Lazarus dead in verse 14. And I am glad for your sake that I was not there to the intent ye may believe. Nevertheless, let us.
Go unto him. Why does he say that to the intent that she may believe? Well, the grand issue here is that mankind is not only sex, but is terminal. And the only solution, the only remedy is death and resurrection in Christ. And that's such an important point for us to get a hold of, isn't it? Law keeping in a sense, was the desire to see if man was sick, not only that he was sick, but if he could cure himself.
And so the Lord let men undergo the articles of the law. That's part of what he waited for. But ultimately the conclusion is just what we have here. Man is not merely sick, but he's dead and trespasses and sins.
We need new life and that life is in resurrection and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it's so important that we get a hold of this. This is Christianity, it it differs fundamentally from what went before.
There's many people today that want to mix up Christianity and Judaism, and that squad isn't it.
Because under Judaism the question is whether man is only sick or not, but under Christianity the issue is that man is not only sex, that's plain, I think to most people, but man is dead in trespasses and sins.
Just a little word on sleep because I think it's important to see it in the context you mentioned. And sleep is really taken up in three different ways in Scripture. There's physical sleep, of course, the Lord Jesus as a man was weary when he was in the back of the disciples boat on one occasion and he caught a few moments of sleep of natural physical rest of before, before he rose and rebuked the storm. And so there's there's physical slate.
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And then if we were to go to another aspect, there's that which it has to do with being spiritually lethargic or asleep. And so in the end of Romans, he says it is high time to awake out of sleep for now. Is our salvation nearer than when we believe the night is far spent, the day is at hand. It's neither physical sleep or physical night he's talking about there. It's in a spiritual sense.
We can get into AI suppose a Laodicean, uh, spirit and attitude where we become indifferent or asleep to, uh, that which is ours in our heavenly calling and, and so on. And so this is a, there's a spiritual night darkness over this world and it's deepening every hour. And we want to be careful as believers, we don't become spiritually indifferent and asleep to those things. But then, as you say here, it's a little different.
And it's really in connection with the body that slates, isn't it? Sleep is a temporary state of things when we go to bed tonight.
We're going to lie down and sleep and in the natural course of things, it's only a temporary state of things. After a few hours, we're going. We have every expectation that we're going to rise up out of our beds, get ready and come back to the meetings tomorrow. It's temp, it's temporary. And I believe that's why those who died in faith are referred to as being asleep, because it's temporary. I remember when it first really hit me was when my father passed away some years ago.
And we stood at the grave, and I had the privilege and responsibility to speak at my father's grave side. But as I stood there and they lowered that coffin into the ground, what really swept over my soul and was a great comfort to me was that this is a temporary state of things. We're going to lay this body in the grave, as we say, asleep in Jesus. But this body is not going to remain in the grave. This body is going to rise again.
There's going to be a moment when everybody that has fallen asleep in Jesus from the beginning of time, from Abel down, is going to be raised, not with the same body that they went into the grave. Well, it's the same body, but not in the same condition, but it's going to be a changed body. Not necessarily a new body, but a changed body. And it's going to be a body of glory, like under His body of glory. But what a comfort that was then, and it's been a real comfort to me.
As I have stood by many grave sites of loved ones, family, brethren and loved ones. Everyone from a child still born to someone who was nigh unto 100 years of age. But it doesn't matter.
That person dies a believer in Christ or before the age of responsibility, like little Daniel they are. It's a temporary state of things. But again, I want to stress what brother Eric said, because we never want to give the impression there's such a thing as soul sleep. When a person draws their last breath, they are in a place of consciousness, either absent from the body and present with the Lord my Father and little Daniel. They are in the enjoyment of the Lord's presence now.
Or they are in a place of conscious torment. They neither one have their bodies yet, but they are in a place of either conscious bliss or conscious torment. There is no such thing as some have tried to propagate down through the ages that when we die there's an unconscious state of things until the resurrection or whatever other events are going to take place. No, everyone who's dead is conscious.
In one place or another, but those who died in faith is that the body is a temporary state of things and so it's referred to as sleep.
In fact, the believer and even the unbeliever is far more conscious on the other side of them. I think that we tend to look at their bodies and we think they are unconscious that we have that.
That impression, but it is true that far more conscious without the impediments of that we experience here in this life and Bob, they wouldn't want to come back. Those who are asleep in Jesus for 5 minutes even if they had opportunity when Samuel was called up, he said why is thou disquieted me to bring me up from the dead. And those who who are in the conscious sense of the Lord's presence if they had any opportunity, they wouldn't want to come back and if we had one inkling of what they're enjoying now.
00:55:11
We wouldn't wish them back for one moment if we could just understand what they are enjoying. They are in a better waiting place. They're waiting for the same thing we are. They're waiting for the resurrection and the glorification of the body and so on. But the change of the body. But rather they're in a far better waiting place than than we are. And we ought to be thankful for them. Yes, we sorrow, we feel it, but for them we ought to be thankful that they're there, waiting for that moment.
I wish you had said something about what that was like. I always wondered, you know, he came back, but he didn't say anything about it. I wish he had.
Yeah, I have a question about that that I hope some can shed some light on. What do we say about all these books that are being written on afterlife experiences, people that come back? I think there's some spiritual wisdom that we should apply to that, but I'd like to hear what others have to say on that.
Is there a danger there?
The danger of our imagination.
Insinuating things and impressions and we have to submit, subject everything to the word of God and the word of God does speak about the other side, but uh, we need to submit what is said to that.
That's good. We know that there are other supernatural powers besides God, aren't there? And we know that they act on the semi and unconscious state oftentimes. And so we have to be very careful, as you're saying, George, we don't look to people that come back out in the afterlife experiences or near death experiences for authority, do we? We have to be very careful about that. The word of God is our authority. Men are curious as to what lies on the other side.
But why don't they go to the word of God? That's just what you were Speaking of, weren't you? And I believe that's the path of wisdom because again, the, uh, demon powers certainly can act on the semi conscious and unconscious state and they do do that. And so we have to be very careful about these many books that are being written. They do not have the authority of God. The Word of God is written with God's authority.
01:00:05
Just one other comment on this too. Our time is gone, but the Lord Jesus when he was here.
Realizing the awful reality of a lost eternity, he did give some description and warning concerning it. You have to realize in the 16th of Luke, he's speaking to Jews and he speaks of things in a character that they could understand.
And when he speaks of Abraham being carried or Lazarus being, I'm sorry, the yes, Lazarus being carried into the bosom of Abraham, that was Jewish in character. But it's interesting when it speaks of the departed Saints in Christianity.
When Paul speaks of it, he says absent from the body and present with the Lord. That's all he says about it.
And I have sometimes wondered that though, with those who write books and pages on having gone to heaven temporarily and all that and give you these wonderful descriptions, I don't think, as we've been saying, there's any scriptural authority for that. I believe when my father got one glimpse of the Lord Jesus that eclipsed everything else. He is now enjoying the presence of the Lord Jesus. What else?
May be enjoying who else he may be enjoying. The scripture doesn't tell us and to imagine beyond that we are, as you say, simply using our imagination and it simply becomes fanciful things that we do not have the authority for the of the word of God. Those who died in faith in the Christian era are absent from the body and present with the Lord period. They are in the enjoyment of the Lord's presence. What else beyond that?
Is only our imagination.
Well, it wasn't really rich in hell, but he could see Abraham and Lazarus and Abraham's bosom and.
Rich man, and I take it rather than that it is so overwhelming glory that is before a person of his departure to be with Christ, that other things just stayed into the distance in comparison.
Uh, he little realized the glory that's there and I love to hear those that get close to the end and.
And when they're conscious and see something beyond them, the glory that shines on their face as they bath from this light into the other, it's it's beautiful to hear those those experiences. And there are experiences, brethren, and sometimes the experiences that are written about are not contrary to Scriptures. So let's not discount that either.
77 in the back. Speaking of the third stand up.
Emmanuel Mansion.
John 11:14-20
Reading
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I suggest we to pick up the thoughts start at verse 14 on John 11.
John, Chapter 11.
Verse 14.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
And I am glad for your sakes, that I was not there to the intent you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus unto his fellow disciples. Let us go also, that we may die with him.
Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about 15 furlongs off.
00:05:01
And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother.
Then Martha said, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him. But Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
But I know that even now, whatsoever thou would ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day Jesus said unto her eye, and the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Believe us style this she saith unto him, Yeah, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister, secretly, saying, The masters, come and call it for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place.
Where Martha met him, the Jews then, which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth under the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping, which came with her.
In the Spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have you lain him? They said unto him, Lord, Come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him. And some of them said, Could not this man which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Jesus said, Take you away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days.
Jesus saith unto her, said I not unto thee, that if thou it's believed, thou should see the glory of God. Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I think thee that thou served me, and I knew that thou hearest me always. But because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he had thus, when he thus had spoken, he cried the loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
And he that was dead came forth, found hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus had done. Should we continue to the ender? Yeah.
We spoke of it a little this morning, but I'd like to just.
Go back to a thought in connection with why trials and difficulties are allowed in our lives.
Because I think sometimes the tendency is when something comes into our life, that the trial, the difficulty of sorrow, the tendency of our hearts is to think that it's the chastening hand of God upon us.
And it may be, I'm not saying it isn't. Sometimes when we get into the presence of the Lord, we find that there needs to be chastening and correcting, and no chastening, for the time seemeth to be joyous but grievous, and so on. And whom the Lord loves, He chastens and scourges every son that he receiveth. But that isn't the only reason why God allows things in our lives and in the family circle. Sometimes, too, the tendency of our hearts is.
When we see a trial in another person's life to say, oh, the Lord is chastening that person, there must be some sin in that person's life. And brethren, I believe we need to be very careful of that if we were to back up a couple of chapters.
We would find that the disciples did that in the 9th chapter. They brought the blind man to the Lord, and they said, Who hath sinned, this man or his parents? And the Lord immediately told them that neither this man nor his parents, but that the works of God might be manifested in him.
00:10:09
Again, there was going to be glory brought to the Lord Jesus, glory brought to God, and blessing for the man.
Through a circumstance that seemed otherwise hopeless. And so there are a number of reasons why God allows these things. It may be chastening. It may be in his schooling. It may be so that we there will be fruit produced in our lives and more fruit. We get that in the 15th chapter of John. It may be simply because he's going to bring glory to himself through the trial so that either we or others may see the glory of his person. It may be simply so that there's more faith and trust.
Developed in in our souls and it's good in our Christian pathway when the Lord allows something in our lives to be exercised as to why he allowed it. Not only that when, but when he allows something in another's life that we know that we might be exercised, why he allowed it for us, not so much for them. They ought to be exercised in their own soul. But Lord, why have you allowed this in our little assembly?
Why have you allowed this in my The family circle might be not our immediate household, but some other relative. Why have you allowed this in my with my Christian acquaintance at work or whatever it might be? What do you have for me? The tendency is to look at someone else. But I believe, brethren, we get the blessing when we look at our own souls. We get into the presence of the Lord individually and say, Lord, what are you teaching me in this?
What do you have in this for me? That's when the blessing is going to arise or going to take hold. And so we find here in this chapter. Again, we alluded to it this morning, but the Lord allowed this for a reason. It wasn't necessarily that there was sin in that home or with those sisters or with Lazarus, but there was going to be glory brought to himself as the Son of God, as we said earlier.
And they're at the end of it. We're going to find there were a great many who believed when they saw the faith, particularly of Mary, but of these two sisters, and saw the power of the Lord Jesus to raise this one from the dead.
Yeah.
And, uh, sometimes when I read that, I think, uh, Paul, this flash is no better than ours.
And this trial here in this chapter was for the disciples as well. It wasn't just for Mary and Martha. It wasn't just for those who were their acquaintances there in Bethany. But if you notice the verse we are in verse 15 to the intent that ye may believe he had something to teach the disciples in this as well. And that's why I say the disciples might appointed to this and that and thought the the trial and the experience was for somebody else.
But it was also for them as well, and I say we need to examine our own hearts whenever we are in a situation or brought into contact with some trial or difficulty in our acquaintances.
Some people have suggested that there's at least four reasons for, for, uh, trials, aren't there? And one way to remember that is the four PS, Right? I think we've mentioned a couple. Maybe we should mention the others. Bob, you mentioned preventative in the case of the apostle Paul. Jim, you mentioned purgative in the case of John 15, that we might bring forth fruit, more fruit and much fruit. And then there's some others too, aren't there?
There's preparative. We get that in Second Corinthians chapter one. Just read a verse there.
Speaking of the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Well, there was prepared of He was, He was.
Preparing them through a certain trial so they could comfort another one down the road. And then there is the last. We often speak up. That would be punitive, wouldn't it? We get that in First Corinthians 11 for this reason. Summer sick and weekly and some sleep. There is such a thing in our lives and we particularly need to examine it in connection with our own lives, don't we? Uh, brother Ernie, you've mentioned a number of times how the chapter Brown used to say the older correctly, if I'm not getting it right.
00:15:22
The older I get the more I fear the government of God and there are those that say well it's not punishment but its chastisement. But one thing we do know there are consequences of.
Disobeying God and going our own way. So that much we do know.
So there's four peas that are easy to remember.
Purgative, preventative, uh, punitive, as we mentioned, and uh, pardon, preparatory, preparatory.
Hebrews, chapter 2.
And verse 14 for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death for all their lifetimes subject to ******* barely. He took not on him the nature of angels, but He put on him the seed of Abraham.
Therefore in all things, that if you fooled him to be made like unto his brethren, he might be merciful and faithful high priest, and thanks for pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted or tried, he is able to sucker them that are tempted.
2nd place uh, chapter 4 towards the end.
Let us therefore come boldly after the tone of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of peace.
Well, that's others of you comments on that either.
So just as the sisters had the Lord Jesus come to their home to sympathize and emphasize with them in their trials, well, we don't know the Lord Jesus on earth as they did. We have one, as these verses that Brother Darrell has just read to us show that he still sympathizing and empathizing with us as a man.
As our high priest at the right hand of God and I've taken great comfort from the scriptures that Brother Darryl read in realizing that the Lord Jesus in becoming a man sin a part of course, but becoming a man and remaining a man.
He fully enters into what each of us passed through and when it says he was in all points. Tempted like as we are, there isn't anything that you and I pass through.
In the path of faith and service that the Lord Jesus as a man doesn't feel. You say nobody knows what I'm going through, nobody understands me. Oh, there's one that does. As far as some other earthly person, maybe there isn't anyone that really feels it, no one that shares it with you. But just look up, come to the throne of grace. There's one who was in all points tempted like as we are. He knew what it was to be a child here in this world.
He knew what it was to be a young person, to suffer reproach, to be in contact with death, to see him. He whom thou lovest is dead. He. He felt this very keenly. There's a him in the little flock that perhaps sums this up as good as anything.
281 And I think it's the second verse says he, in the days of feeble flesh, poured out his cries and tears. And though ascended, feels afresh what every member bears. And so just as he felt it with these two sisters, he feels it keenly with you and me. He empathizes with the family that lost the little one. He knows what they're what they're going through. Maybe they feel like no one else understands.
00:20:20
They can look up and there's one whose arms of love are about them, and one who fully understands. And isn't it nicer, brethren, to have someone with us in a trial who's gone through a similar circumstance than one who can come and maybe sympathize?
But can't really empathize. You can't empathize with someone if you haven't gone through it yourself. A brother who lost his wife was telling me one time he said, Jim, you wouldn't believe. But he said after my wife passed away, more people called up and said, I know what you're going through. He said that was no comfort to me until a brother called up who'd lost his wife in a similar situation. And that brother called up and said, I know what you're going through.
He said that was a tremendous help to me because he did understand, and he said we had a wonderful talk together and comforted one another in the Lord. Well, we have one who as Darryl read to us, He was made like his brethren. He understands in all points, and his hands are uplifted with forest and sympathy and love. Is it necessary to say with this verse that it's infirmities, not sins, because not sympathize with our sins, infirmities He was.
He was hungry, He was he, he need to sleep. Those things are infirmities. He does not sympathize with your sins. Some have read that into this verse. He was tempted in all points like we are even our sins. No, it's not right. That's why and Darryl read, he's faithful and merciful when it comes to our high priest in sympathizing with our infirmities and our weaknesses in first John where it's a question of sin and his advocacy.
I'd like to just add one more verse in Hebrews to what we've read in Hebrews 11 and verse UH-12 and verse 5. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, my son, despise not the chapter thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.
So some people have suggested that anytime we have a trial, we should know immediately or figure out why we're having that trial. But I think that's going too far, isn't it? Sometimes we do know. Sometimes there's something in our lives that we need to deal with and we know it. But more often I think we don't know. But these are two things that we're encouraged to about, aren't we? One is there's a danger of despising the chastening of the Lord. The Lord brings something into our lives we need to.
Get on our knees before the Lord about it. It's a daily occurrence, isn't it? Sometimes bigger than others. But we need to be careful not to despise the chastening of the Lord. And then secondly, there's a danger of feigning under the chasing of the Lord. We say, like Cain, my burdens more than I can bear. I just can't do it. Well, the Lord won't give us a trial if He doesn't give us the strength to bear Him.
00:25:28
He went up to Jerusalem that he might get killed, right? So they thought that perhaps, I suppose they thought that's the reason he didn't go up there because, uh, he was afraid. They just stoned him. They say here, seventh verse. And after that, saith he to his disciples, let us go unto Judy again, his disciples saying to him, Master, the Jews of late sought to Stony and ghost. Thou hit her again.
And then when he decided to go, when they decide to go, then Thomas says, well, let's go and we'll die with him. So there was a lack of faith on the part of Thomas and a lack of understanding. But there was devotion. Sometimes we sometimes we shake our heads. But he was willing. But he really didn't understand. Thomas is a person who seemed to not always have the faith he ought to have had.
Because he's the one that later on said, we know not whether thou goest and how can we know the way in the 14th chapter and then at the, in the, in, uh, resurrection, he said to the disciples after they'd seen the Lord, he said, except I see, I will not believe. You know, we need to be careful, brethren, that in the trials and difficulties and circumstances of life, we don't allow our hearts to become full of unbelief.
When I was growing up, I used to hear from ministry of an older brother. It's possible to be unbelieving believers. What did he mean? Well, we speak about being believers in the Lord Jesus and we're thankful that there was a work of God in our souls. Some of us many years ago, some here a few years ago or a little time ago when we came to know the Lord Jesus. But while we have put our trust in him for salvation, so often there can if we are not watchful.
Be that sin of unbelief that comes into our lives. We often talk about doubting Thomas, but it was really more than doubt with Thomas. Except I see I will not believe. That's a pretty strong language and it seems to have started back earlier in the the Lord's pathway or his pathway with the Lord here. There's really a lack of, they might have been devotion, we'll go and die with them, but there was a lack of understanding and a lack of real trust.
In the power of the Lord. And that can creep into our lives when bitter circumstances are allowed if we're not careful.
And we need to mention that Thomas did die for the Lord, didn't he? History tells us that all of the apostles saved one were martyrs. That one was John. They through history says they threw him into a VAT of boiling oil one time and he was miraculously saved from it. But, uh, so they tried to murder him.
But all the apostles were murdered for the Lord's sake.
John.
And the 44th 41St verse says Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee without 30. I was thankful.
Well, if we look at the broad scope of this chapters, we have some again. Perhaps there's a hint there in that verse, UH-17 When Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
Perhaps that's a hint that man had been on the earth for 4000 years. And then we have what Martha says to him in verse 21. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died. Well, that was the great issue. That was a question, wasn't it? Was man only sick, or was man dead in God's sight? That was a great question.
And so we know as we find out soon that he was indeed dead and he needed a resurrection life, a new creation, part of a new creation. That's a fundamental truth of Scripture and we need to get a hold of that. I just was mentioning to some between meetings about some fairly well known preachers have denied that, even though they're sound in many other ways, but they say that the gospel, the Kingdom, the Lord and and the apostles taught.
Before the Lord's death is the same as the gospel of the grace of God we have now. That's not true.
The gospel of the Kingdom, the Lord taught was a gospel that was really preaching to sick men. If they could respond, they would respond. But they didn't, and it proved that they were no longer sick, but dead. The gospel of the grace of God is preached to men who are dead in a certain sense and need a Savior.
And they stun he stunt is that man is natural moral state you stink of.
And you have to face that issue and it's not what it stakes.
And to deal with that is so important. And I really think in our gospel preaching, it's important to deal with that issue of sin because sometimes it's just glossed over. I have been rather impressed in Latin America where they don't embalm people when they die. They have to be in their grades about 24 hours later.
It's.
Beautiful odors in the room, though nothing fixed up on the body.
We we tend to try to make death not so awful bad as it really is. It is bad.
Is that and that's why we.
I was just wondering is that why today we always feel celebration of life? It's not a celebration of life is to take the edge off death that people do that it should not be.
00:35:37
14 Or as much then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.
10 Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death is I think the word is a null to hit that aknow that and that brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Death is swallowed up in victory, so he that had the power of death, as they don't know, death itself has been annulled, and death will be in that coming day in resurrection. Swallow thy wonderful, but you don't enjoy that if you don't face the reality of what it what it really is.
The wages of sin is death. That's a solemn thing. And we have to be reminded that every founder of every religion in this world except one is still in the grave. There's only one who's triumphed over the grave, and that's our living Lord Jesus. Everyone else has been defeated by death.
I was gonna say that we've we're we're looking at this in a little bit di different character than we did the first meeting. First meeting, we looked at Lazarus as though he was one who has died, knew the Lord Jesus is enjoying his presence. And there's a suffering of of knowing that Lazarus has died and there's a missing of them and being thankful for the resurrection that will happen in the future day. But this is taking up a little different character that we're talking about now, isn't it? It's it's we're talking about someone with that we love.
Someone that's valuable to us. Brother. A sister.
Water and so on we work with and they don't know Christ as their savior and they're hurting and they're talking about the condition that Lazarus is in or mankind is in that for 4000 years that man has proven even though God worked with him to see if was there anything in man that God could accept.
And in the end, what did they do? They crucified God silent, they stink, they're in wrap in in filthy garment. And so this is this is really it's the emotions of of two people and others that love someone that is dead, not just asleep, but dead.
00:40:07
In trespasses and sins.
And so we, we see that, that Christ identified his heart in connection with those who are sorrowing and praying and longing and looking for that, that time. This is not a gospel meeting, but I believe that this, this is a gospel message. And I think it's a good opportunity for, uh, to at least touch on it in this aspect because there may be somebody in this room that is lost and there are those that, that.
Person that's lost.
One of the hardest things I've ever done, and I've had to do it on more than one occasion, is take the funerals of unbelievers.
And I still remember a man in his 80s who had hardened his heart to the very end, and his ten children asked me to take his funeral. They were all on the front row and they were all the Lords. Every last one of them were the Lords.
But they had no illusions as to where their Father was. But what they wanted was that the dead in trespasses and sins that were going to be attending that funeral was spiritually dead, would hear the gospel and that through it the Spirit of God would work. And they would hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that were dead would live. That's the spiritually dead who hear the Word of God. The voice of God through His Word and in divine life is imparted to them.
But what I've done in those cases in connection with what we've said is I've always turned to the book of Ecclesiastes, to the 7th chapter, where it says it is better to go into the House of mourning than to the House of feasting. For this is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. That is the physical living. And I've stressed in those cases that the person who's dead, this funeral is not for them. They're dead. They're beyond anything now, hearing my voice or any other voice.
Their eternal destiny is now fixed.
But we are brought into the presence of death, or, as Scripture says, the House of mourning.
To solemnize our hearts as to the reality of eternal issues.
And when we come to a funeral, that funeral is for two things, to comfort those who mourn if the person was the Lord, and to warn those who are still alive if they don't know the Lord. Whether the person in the coffin was the Lords or not, there still should be a warning. We talked about a celebration of life. It's a way of trying to gloss over the reality of death. We go out to a memorial garden instead of a cemetery or a graveyard. Again, it's man's attempt.
To gloss over things, to make things nice, to put a nice veneer over things. But God brings us into the presence of death. Just as he brought this family and those who came to mourn with them, He brought them into the presence of death for a very specific reason. He wanted them, on the one hand, to understand the reality of what sin had brought into the world.
I think Eric Prep quoted the verse the wages of sin is death. That's the consequences of sin having come into the world. We forget that sometimes. I need that reminder as a believer, I need that reminder when I go into the presence of, of, of death, when I go to a, a funeral. And certainly the unbeliever, the law needs that solemn warning and reminder as well. So that was one reason, not the only reason, but that was one reason why he had allowed this to take place.
And this not only affected the little household, but we find it affected the community as well in verse 19. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Again, we kind of lose the sense of this in our fast-paced, Western style, cold formality society we've we've are immersed in. But you know, when I go down to the Caribbean and South America and other places, when someone passes away, it's a community event.
Brother Kent Clawson, who's here, he was with me at a funeral couple of years ago. And that funeral was, most of the community was at that funeral. And that funeral went on at the, uh, building where the funeral was for probably 2 1/2 hours and another hour at the grave. We were brought into the presence of death. It's a reality. And the whole community, uh, uh, knew it. And so this too, was really in a sense, a community event. It was to speak.
Not only for Martha and Mary to learn some lessons, but this was to speak to the community as well. And God often allows this in communities and circles of perhaps work and school acquaintances and and neighbors and so on. And we need to be faithful brethren when those opportunities arise. We need to be faithful in presenting the realities of life and death.
00:45:29
Just say this too, about this nineteenth verse.
And I I know there's different thoughts and mourners in those days were sometimes paid and so on. But let's just take this little verse that face value the way it appears many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them. Aren't we thankful at times of loss and sorrow for the comfort of family and and loved ones? Thankful for the comfort of brethren? You know, sometimes we attend a funeral and maybe we come away and say, well, maybe they didn't even hardly know I was there or whatever.
But that's a comfort. I I've been in situations where people have come to my dad's funeral, my mom's funeral, other loved ones. And it's just the fact that they made that trip and the effort to maybe take the afternoon off work or whatever it was, that has meant a lot to me. To know that they cared and sympathized. And I'm sure those who had friends and family and brethren around them this morning appreciated. Jeff and Heidi no doubt appreciated everyone. We've missed some here because they were there.
I'm glad they were there. I'm very thankful. I commend them for that. That will be more of a comfort in the days to come to the family than they or we realize. And when there are those losses, brethren.
I think it's very good for us to be exercised to go and seek to be a comfort. Yes, it's the Lord who can reach down in the soul and give that real soul. It's in comfort. But I believe even if we haven't been through the similar circumstance, it is a comfort to be with one another and to share the scriptures.
He fell deeply because rather than we should never feel it lightly, we too should feel it deeply and wet. And a little later on in verse 38, Jesus therefore again roaming in himself, comes to the grave. He groaned. He felt the awful consequences of sin. You look around in the world, brethren, and see what's going on in the world. We really need to feel it. Thank you.
Over in Syria over 100,000 people slaughtered. I don't mean men, but women and children.
Well, there's a contrast then in verse 20 between Martha and Mary. Let me just read the verse again. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet him, but Mary sat still in the house. I love that.
You know, Martha is a person that seems a bit like me, always seems to need to be doing something. Maybe we consider her a multitasker. Maybe it's the kind that always had to be trying to help the situation. And what can I do to make things better?
And let's get on with life, that kind of thing. And as soon as she heard that the Lord Jesus was approaching Bethany, she ran to meet him. But I love what it says about Mary. And Mary sat still in the house. Was Mary indifferent to the situation? Not for one bit. She loved her brother just as deeply as Martha. She felt the loss just as deeply as her sister. But as we mentioned this morning, Mary had learned first of all, to sit at the feet of Jesus as a learner.
00:50:07
And having sat at his feet as a learner, she entered in more in a deeper way to his thoughts and purposes, and with perfect confidence that the Lord would come in his own time and in His own way.
And would take care of the situation. She even at a difficult time, could sit still in the house. We won't do it, but I'll just give you a little homework. Go through the scriptures sometimes and look at the various expressions such as be still, stand still, and sit still.
They're very instructive. Again, for us, in the day in which we live, the busyness and activity of life, there doesn't seem to be much time to stand still, be still.
And to sit still. But if we're going to learn the lessons in the trials and sorrows of life that we spoke of earlier.
We're going to have to learn, brethren, to do those three things. And again, I haven't arrived. It speaks to my own soul.
But there's a very beautiful verse about another lady in the Old Testament and the encouragement she got in connection with sitting still.
It's Naomi's words to Ruth. There was a difficult situation, and Naomi, who had learned some, began to learn some lessons. She said to her daughter-in-law. Ruth, sit still, my daughter, until they'll see how the matter will fall, for the man will not be in rest until he accomplished the thing this day. How could Naomi encourage Ruth to sit still at such a difficult time?
Because she knew there was a man in control, her Boaz, a picture of Christ was in control. She says Boaz is going to work it all out. He's going to bring it to fruition according to his purposes. And brethren, if I could just learn that in my own soul a little more.
It would help me to sit still even at difficult times. Now it is true. When they came and Martha came, and whether it was right or not, she came and said, The master called. There was immediate obedience. As soon as Mary heard those words, she rose up.
And she goes and falls down at his feet, but until she gets that word that the master call.
She sat still in the house and I believe it was a tremendous testimony to those who were in the house. I don't want to jump ahead, but I do want to notice in verse 45 what it says.
It says that many of the Jews. I want you to notice that which came to Mary.
And had seen the things which Jesus did believed on him. Now in verse 19, it was the Jews that came to Martha and Mary to both of them. But not in verse 45, it was the Jews that came to Mary that believed. I want to make this little suggestion, brethren.
That those who came when they saw the quiet testimony of Mary.
Sitting still at such a difficult time, that had more effect. That was more testimony to those who came and observed than Martha rushing about and trying to help the situation.
And I know in my own life, as I have observed, dear Saints of God, brothers and sisters in Christ.
Who'd gone through tremendous circumstances, things I've never been called on to pass through in the path of faith and service. And I have seen their quiet testimony, not so much what they said or even what they did, but as I have seen their quiet testimony of faith waiting on the Lord. That's what's been a blessing to my soul. That's what has taught me, at least in some measure, to learn to trust the Lord a little more. And so it was not only a blessing to Mary.
It really doesn't say that the Lord pulled Martha that called from here. It seemed to me that Martha fence that Mary could understand a little bit better and that's probably what I should say calls for varying. Another thing that's interesting here is when Martha went to meet the Lord doesn't say that the Jews followed her, but in verse 31 The Jews then.
As people were married.
00:55:15
When the 20th verse can, would it be surmising too much to say when Mary sat still in the house that she was praying in the Holy Spirit that she was? And sometimes we feel like that's treading water. You know, if one can speak for others, but you know to do something. And Martha, if you're going to do something. But you know, sometimes prayer is the most profitable thing we can do, but we kinda.
If if I'm just saying, if one can speak for others, you kind of feel you're treading water. I don't wanna spend too much time here. So. So, Barnes, sometimes we say all we can do is pray. Yeah, but the best thing we can do is pray. It's not just all we can do. It's the best thing. Whatever Mary was doing, one thing's for certain, she was trusting. And cast not away. Therefore thy confidence for us. Such as great recompense of reward.
But do we have platinums enough for?
We sang 252 five Oh.
From various cares are part 3/5.
The deep and bound and very deeply.
With no good 1.
Heavy for me shall fall.
With him in all our business now.
And all that.
When these are happy, long and kind.
Of our world, desert run and ways.
Weather.
Probably.
Have to find a place.
I'd find me all over there.
Oh my God.
Away.
And forth and prevalent.
By the day.
And.
01:00:02
Distracted me.
Ours always.
Do safely.
Now our God and our Father, that's so nice of thee to, uh, feed us these, uh, thoughts about the Lord Jesus. And so we thank thee for it. We think of what an encouragement it is and the day in which we live to have the word of God opened and to learn more about him in his less ways. So we do thank thee, our Father, and we just ask that thou would continue to bless us and.
You know, have when we have the word of God open, and may we take these things to heart. And we do thank you that we have thee in this wilderness to go with us. We thank you for this. Thank thee too, Lord Jesus, for the work that has brought us in to all the blessing that thou hast won as a man. And they're going to share it all with us.
We thank thee and thy name. Amen. Amen.
The Love of God
Address—Bruce Anstey
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Let's begin singing.
#200.
And.
290 Four 294 Come, oh, come, thou stricken Lamb of God, who sheds for us thine own life blood, and teaches all thy love. Then pain in life were sweet.
294.
Oh come thou stricken.
For us.
And they shall fall by love and pain.
Our God and our Father, we look up to Thee with thankful hearts for the Lamb of God, of whom we have been singing and addressing this little prayer hymn. And our God we thank Thee that what He has accomplished at Calvary has made it possible for us to have a relationship with thee and to be brought into a place of Northeast. Nearest possible relationship that could be given to a creature Muggles our minds and we can hardly.
We asked you this afternoon that thou would teach us all thy love. As we've been singing, we pray that thou would enlarge our scanty thoughts.
00:05:06
Our capacity to enjoy Thy love, we pray would be deepened through reading Thy scriptures this afternoon and now we look up to Thee. We ask Thy help on the subject that is before us and pray a blessing upon each person that is here and remembering the Coleman family in Canada, and ask their God that our Minister to them is out to see fit to comfort.
Ten piece. Will you give the our thanks?
In the name of our Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.
I'd like to speak this afternoon on the deepest subject in the whole Bible.
No, that's not prophecy.
No, that's not the mystery.
I want to speak on the subject of the love of God.
Let's turn.
Ephesians chapter One.
Verse 345 and six Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us to the adoption of sons that should read our sonship.
By Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved wonderful verses here. And it tells us that God has supremely blessed us as believers on the Lord Jesus Christ Christ. He has put us in the highest possible place that His love could provide. He has put us in. What is known here in this chapter is sonship.
As I read there in verse 5, which is the Son's place before God?
And we find, as we read here, that this was all a result of the love of God.
And so you and I as Christians, believers on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are very favored creatures, above all the creatures that God has made. We only as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have been said in this very wonderful place. We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings and heavenly places in Christ. There is not one blessing that God could give us more that He hasn't already bestowed upon us.
And one of the greatest blessings of all is that of sonship, which simply means Son's place.
And that's the highest conferred blessing that we have in relation to the Father.
What an privilege it is to be a son of God, and you know not only sons of God, but loved of God. For it was the love of God that actually formed the whole plan to bring us into this place of nearness and blessing and favor. To be loved of God is a privilege that belongs only to one, uh, class of creatures, mankind. The Bible doesn't tell us that God loves his animals that he made. He cares for them, makes sure they get food when they run in the wild.
But it doesn't say that he loves them. In fact, the angels too.
You know, they're the highest form of creatures that God has made. They're faster, stronger, smarter than we are.
But it doesn't say that they love or that they are loved of God. They are creatures.
That obey God, work for God, serve God, do their will, and do his will. But there is one class of creatures that God loves, and I want to speak a little bit about that. That's men. Not just redeemed men, but all mankind. For the Bible says for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. It is a privilege to be a man and to be loved.
Of God. And this place of sonship to which we have been set, as I say, is the highest conferred place, a blessing that God could give us in relation to the Father. He could have lifted us to a lofty place of being one of the elect angels. That would have been wonderful, I suppose, or even to be an Archangel. But he didn't do that. He chose to put us in a place far higher than that. He put us in his own Son's place, with all the favor that rests on his Son now rests on us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:10:08
And it was all because he loved us. And I want to speak a little bit about the love of God and what it has accomplished. First of all, the incredible, incredible privilege of being loved of God. Then secondly the things that divine love.
Produces in its objects and then lastly what the way that Divine love takes to secure a deeper place in our hearts.
You know God loves in two ways.
Did you know that there are two words in the Greek that are translated love in our English version? And we kind of lose the sense of what the each of these two aspects of his love are? We're thankful for critical translations like Jan Darby's, which makes a footnote and tells you which one it is, but let me just demonstrate that a little bit here with a few verses in the UH in our Bibles. So let's turn over here to John's Gospel and Chapter 3.
John 3 and verse 35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
Well, this word love here in the original language, the Greek is Agapeo and that is the love of a settled disposition, a love of choice. It is a love that he has, as we says here for his son. He loves his son in this way. But if you turn over to chapter 5, you'll find similar words, but it's a different word for love. Let's look at chapter 5 and verse 20.
For the Father loveth the son and shows him all things that he himself doeth. But the word love, there is another word in the original language, and that is filio, which is a love of affection and emotion and of sentiment and so on. And so we find that God loves his Son in both these ways. Wonderful. Let's look a little further now we'll find that the Father loves us in both those two ways. So turn to chapter 14.
Chapter 14.
Verse 23.
Jesus said, answered, and said unto him, If a man loved me?
He will keep my words, and my father will love him, and we will make our come to him and make our boat with him. But there the Father will love him is Agapeo, same love that he loves his son with. He loves us.
Chapter 16. We find that he God loves us in that other way as well.
Chapter 16 and verse 27 For the Father love himself loveth you because you love me, and I believe that I came out from the Father. So there is the Father not only loving his Son with the Agapeo love, and also with that love of affection and emotion, and so on and sentiment and Filio. But he loves you, and he loves me just the same. And if we were to turn over to the 17th chapter of John's Gospel.
I think it's verse 23. It tells you that he wants the whole world to know that he loves the Father Loves us.
Just as much as he loves his own son. Now let me read that for you 'cause this is mind boggling.
Chapter 17 and verse 23. I and them, and thou and me, that they may be perfect in one, that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.
So just in the same way in which he loves the Son, he loves us. Think of this now.
God loves you and me just as much as He loves his own Son.
Now, if we didn't have that written in the Bible, I'd say I don't know about that one.
But I can stand here with all the authority that I can because I have the word of God open. It tells me that God loves you just as much as he loves his own Son. He has set his love upon us in the Agapeo love. That's what you get in Deuteronomy Chapter 7. Although it's not Greek, there is Hebrew. He has set his love upon them.
Yes, but he also has a love of affection for us as well. I won't, uh, go any farther with this, but I'll just give you a couple thoughts. I jotted down where uh yesterday. And that is, if you turn over to UH again John 15 and John 11, you'll find, which I understand the chapter that you're reading is on today. You'll find that the Son loves us just uh in those two ways as well. The Lord Jesus loves us with that agape of love and also with the filial love more than that.
00:15:21
It tells us in first John 4:00 and also in Titus chapter three that we are to love one another with that love.
Agape and also with a filial love. But now this gets interesting. God loves lost men, but he only loves them with the agapio love, not with the filial love interesting. And more than that, John 14 No, it's Romans 14. Oh no man, Anything but love that word Love. There the word owed to all men is agapeo. We are to love the world as God loves sinners.
But not with the filial of.
And I think I can see a lesson there. Why? Because we can get emotionally wrapped up in their lives very easily and get carried along with wherever they're going on with it. We try to reach out and help them, but if we love them with the agape of love, as God tells us in His word, it's with a settled disposition without the emotion involved, but with the care of the individual involved, and so on. There you can see how that we are to reach out with the gospel, to the lost world, but not with the filial love many have and got affectionately attached to those objects that they are trying to reach the gospel with.
And I've gone into the path of sin that they're into, and all kinds of problems have happened as a result of it.
So we have to be very careful as it says here that we're going to Oh no man, anything but love, John Romans 14 but love, but that is Agapeo love. Now another thing you find in John 15 that lost men love each other with the filial love but not the agapea.
You know the world loveth its own John 15. That's a that's a filial.
So there's natural affection. There's emotion among men. A man marries a wife and he loves his best friend and all this kind of thing. But then John, 5 and 42, says the love of the father is not in you. Now that's the adoption of this world knows nothing about that kind of a love, a love. But loves because he sets his love. He chooses to love not because there's anything lovable in the object. That's what agape love, uh, does.
And so you know, we are loved in an incredible way that no other creatures in this vast universe.
Is and we experience that love on a day-to-day basis. Whether we appreciate it or enjoy it, that's another thing we're gonna talk about in a minute.
I don't know about you, but I Daydream a lot and some of my daydreams are a little far fetched. But anyway, one of them is not so far fetched really when I tell you.
And that is, I sometimes think of someday I'm gonna run into an Angel and I'm gonna sit down and talk to him. We're gonna compare notes to what is like to be an Angel, what it's like to be a redeemed man. And that's not so far fetched really. I don't think it's gonna happen. But you know when you think of it, it says in Hebrews that they're sent forth to be ministering spirits to them that are called errors of salvation. And we know that they come where and take human form sometimes and then have talked to angels. John talked to angels, the angels didn't he? I'm not expecting to necessarily, but I just thought about what would that be like.
Can you imagine sitting down like that and talking?
So, do you know the Lord? Yes, I know the Lord. But you know him as your savior. Oh, no, no, not at all. How do you know the Lord, then? Well, I have a relationship with him. Well, what kind of a relationship are you having if you're not saved? Oh, I'm not saved.
You're not safe, but you have a relationship with them.
Yes, God has redeemed you, but he's never redeemed me. I never sinned like men have. You've never sinned. You can just see how this picture would go.
No, and I don't need to be redeemed, but I'm in a relationship with God.
Do you love God? No.
You don't. You love me? No, I can understand that one.
I obey. I do the will of God. I use my power, strength and and energy and so on to do what God tells me to do.
But they don't have the capacity to love and I we may explain that a little bit later.
But what an incredible thing.
And when we are found and we are of all mankind now I'm now dividing the human race into two parts, the saved and the lost, and those with whom have God has wrought. And there has been a work of redemption, and life is in the soul. We now have a capacity to do something more than just be loved of God, but to enjoy we have that love we have been capacitated to enjoy the love of God. It's conditional as we get in John 14 that we have to walk in obedience and in holiness.
00:20:17
But nevertheless, we have a capacity to enjoy the love of God. And when we do, incredible things take place in the life of the believer. And I'd like to just talk about that here this afternoon, what divine love produces in its objects. OK, let's turn first of all to Isaiah.
Chapter 38.
Isaiah 38.
Isaiah 38, verse 1718 and 19.
Behold, for peace I had great bitterness.
But thou hast in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption.
For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
For the grave cannot praise Thee. Death cannot celebrate the day that go down into the pit, cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, shall praise Thee as I do this day. So the first great thing that Divine loves does and produces in its objects is an appreciation for what Divine love has done in connection with our sins, and putting our sins away, and delivering us and saving us. It produces what?
Well, it says right here, praise. Yes, That's the first thing that divine love would like to produce in the hearts of its objects. And that is praise and Thanksgiving for what the Lord Jesus has done for us is just what he says there in verse 19. The living. The living. He shall praise thee as I do this day. And it's something for us to do every single day of our lives. And I think that it's only fitting that we should, every single day of our Christian life, thank the Lord Jesus for dying for us on the cross. Thank the Father for sending the Son to be the Savior of the world.
And to be brought into this place a blessing and favor that we never even dreamt that God would even do.
As I said, we stand in his own son's place. You couldn't find a higher place than that.
He lifted us up out of the pit of corruption and saved us. You know, I have a a business associate, Paul Woo, and he's a Chinese, uh, Christian man. I have many Christian friends, Uh, like him, but he's uh, dear to me, my wife. He's been at our house many times. Well, not many times, but few times with with his wife Susan. And one time I asked him, Paul, how did you turn away from Eastern religion and so on and uh, become a Christian.
He said. Well, I got to a place in my life.
Well, I felt like I was just down in a pit.
A slimy, cold, miserable pit.
With mud. And it was cold. And I realized it was the pit of my sins. And I tried to climb up that pit so many times. And every time I did climb up the face of that pit, I'd get you up a little bit. And I slipped back down into it and I could not get out. No matter how many times I tried to get out of that pit, I could not get out. And he said, one day a man came walking along and the man said to me, I said to him, who are you? And he said, I'm Confucius. And I said to him, Confucius, Confucius, can you help me get out of this pit? He said, well, let's see.
How did you get into that pit? And he said, well, I wasn't watching where I was going and I fell in. He said, well, if you would have followed my sayings, you would have never fallen in, he says. But can you Get Me Out of this pit? He says, Well, I tell you one thing, if you ever do get out of the pit and you follow my sayings, I can guarantee you that you won't fall in again.
That didn't help, so he said. UH wasn't very long after that another man came along.
And he said, who are you? He said I'm Buddha and she probably would have noticed that that stomach on him, but whatever.
He said Buddha, Buddha, can you help me get out of this pit?
And he said, oh, don't worry about that. You just fold your hands and close your eyes and lean back and just imagine that you're on a beach somewhere where the hot sun shining on you, and just let that feel of the sun come fake. Bake through your skin and the hot sand and just imagine that you're at peace and the wind is just breezing over your body and you'll feel a lot better where you are, he said. Well, that may be good for you, but I'm in this pit and I need to get out, he says. Don't worry about it, just keep meditating. That'll help.
00:25:02
And then he said to me, it wasn't very long after that another man came along and I said, who are you? He said I'm Jesus.
He said, Lord Jesus, can you help me get out of this ****? And he got down into that pit with me and he lifted me out, set my feet upon a rock and put a song in my mouth, even praised unto my God. The Lord Jesus can do what no Eastern religion can do. He can bring us up out of that horrible pit. And that's what we get here. In this verse he delivered me from the pit of corruption and cast all our sins behind his back. Yes. Doesn't that deserve that our hearts having received?
In any sense of understood that love, that it would produce praise naturally, as he says here, let's look at another one.
2nd Corinthians chapter five. We might mow through these at higher speed.
2nd Corinthians chapter 5.
Verse 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us, because that we thus judge that if one died for all, then all have died, and that he died for all that they which lived should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Now this verse is talking about something else that love produces, and that is.
It produces a change and altering of the course of the life of an individual.
You see, there's two ways in which we can live our Christian lives, and it's mentioned in verse 15. And one, the first one is we can live unto ourselves, and the other is we can live unto him. It's as simple as that. But there's a force that is at work in the lives of individual Christians that makes us transition from unto us, unto ourselves and unto him. And that is the love of Christ constrains us. It brings before us the thought of devotion and dedication to the cause of Christ. And this is an amazing thing to me.
To see how the power of the love of God and the love of Christ works in the lives of individuals whom he has saved.
And create an incredible change in the course of one's life.
And I know I'm looking into the faces of many who have experienced that transition. And I you all know that it's the love of God, the love of Christ, which constrains us to do so.
And it's an amazing thing, really, because it makes persons disciples of the Lord. Jesus makes us willing to lose our life in this world and to deny ourselves and to be willing to suffer and to accept persecution and hardship. And all the rest of it goes along with following Christ as a disciple, and so on.
And you know, it's interesting because such things as discipleship and putting Christ in the place of Lord in our lives has got nothing to do with securing a better place for us in heaven, because there is no better place than we have, nor does it add to our spiritual blessings. We've been blessed with all spiritual blessings, but yet thousands of people are throwing their lives away for the cause of Christ, and many are still doing it to this day.
And why? What advantage is it? No, it doesn't secure any better place in heaven. As I said, you're not more saved.
Well, I tell you, it's the love of Christ that constrains us to live not unto ourselves, but unto him who died for us and rose again. There is a mighty power in the love of Christ, and the closer we get to it, the more it will work in our lives. We're going to speak about that in a little bit.
Powerful love. Let's turn to John 15.
John 15 verses 8 and 9. Herein is my Father. Glorify that you bear much fruit. So shall you be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye Abide in my love. Abide in my love. So when we abide in the love of Christ, we enjoy that love.
Is another thing takes place, and that is fruit in our lives, Fruit bearing. That's what he says in my Father's, glorified by it. Now what is fruit? Fruit is not service. It is not serving the Lord, doing things for him.
Fruit bearing is the reproduction. Fruit is the reproduction of the moral features of Christ in the life of the believer. In other words, when we become more Christ like in our manner, in our character, in our ways, and so on, that is fruit in our lives.
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OK, So what the enjoyment of the love of Christ does in our souls as it produces fruit. And there is a moral change that takes place in the life of believers who take time to enjoy Christ's love. Let's turn to 2nd Thessalonians.
2nd Thessalonians.
Chapter 3. Second Thessalonians, Chapter 3.
Verse 3 The Lord is faithful.
2nd Thessalonians Chapter 3, verse three. Who shall establish you and keep you from the Evil One? And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will.
Do the things which we command you and the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God.
And the patient waiting for Christ Or the patient waiting patience of Christ?
Here we have another thing that divine love effects in its objects, and that is a preserving character preserve a preservation to our souls. He's faithful to keep us from the evil one, and how he does it is he directs our hearts into the love of God.
And to the patient waiting of the Lord Jesus. And well, we enjoy His love, and we are preserved and kept from the evil one, because the evil one can do nothing to one who lives in the presence of the Lord and in the enjoyment of His love. And uh, if we give up the uh this, this, and don't take time to uh, to enjoy the love of God, as he mentions here, we will get impatient with regard to his coming, the Lord's coming.
And begin to settle down into this world first of all. And then we have in the latter part of this chapter an example of the disorderly walk that comes as one who comes from one or in the life of one who is careless about this and has lost sight of the patients of Christ and his coming. And so it's can very important if we're gonna be preserved from sinking into the ways of this world and get away from the Lord, get into the hands of the evil one that we be found in every single day of our lives.
Enjoying the love of God and the love of Christ. First John chapter two. First John, chapter 2.
Verse 5 But whoso keepeth his word in him, verily is the love of God perfected, whereby hereby know we that we are in him.
And so here we find the idea of keeping His word, which is the idea of obedience. And so, uh, enjoying the love of Christ produces obedience in the life of the believer. Another wonderful and important feature that we want to see first John, chapter 3.
Turn over to Chapter 3.
And verse.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoso hath this world's good, and see if his brother and have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? And so he brings before us another feature in which the love of God produces, and that is love for our brethren, and it's proved by self sacrifice and care for their brother, and not only for the brethren, but even for any person that is in need.
So the love of God produces love in his children.
That's well, I won't read anymore here. We'll just pass on because we wanna get to another stage here and that is.
Uh, it does produce assurance in the heart because you get in chapter 4. Let's read that real quick. Chapter 4, verse 17. Hereby is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is No Fear in love. The perfect love casts out fear because fear has torment.
He that Feareth has not been made perfect in love. We love him or love because he first loved us. So it gives us a sense of our acceptance and assurance and cast out fear, not just of judgment but also fears that we may have in the Christian pathway. So the enjoyment of God's love does a lot of things. I'll give you one more and that's in Jeremiah 31, Jeremiah 31, and we'll make some applications here.
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Jeremiah 31.
And verse 2 Thus saith the Lord, the people which are left of the sword found grace in the wilderness, even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest, the Lord hath appeared of old to me, saying, Yeah, I have loved thee with everlasting love, Therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Now the context of this chapter is the repentance.
And the restoration of the 10 tribes of Israel under the heading Ephraim.
And it's interesting to me. It's remarkable that you find that it does not begin with them repenting, but it begins with them finding grace and love. Notice verse two. They which were left of the sword, found grace. That's then verse three. Yeah, it's lovely, but an everlasting. Love, grace and love are what affect repentance in the hearts of God's people.
And the 10 tribes, as we know, need restoration. And we as Christians can get away from the Lord and may need restoration.
And it's not the law that's going to restore any person or judgment even.
It's grace and it's love. And So what you find throughout the chapter, the returning of the 10 tribes bemoaning themselves and in repentance we find God going before them when the reality of it sinks into their souls that he puts up signposts in the way so that they can't miss the way back. He sort of paves the way back as we speak in our terms today. But what starts it the sense of love and grace sweeping over the souls of the tribes of Israel.
In that coming day, this is a promise by the prophet, by the Lord given to us in the prophet Jeremiah, Second Corinthians chapter 13. I need to turn to it, but it produces a communion of love and unity amongst God's people. These are all good things. I don't know how many I've got to hear. Maybe 10. Think of it. Praise, dedication, fruit bearing in our lives, preservation from the wicked one and so on down through the line. These are Christian features that will build our Christian characters.
How are they built? By law? Keeping by legality? By all kinds of things we place upon ourselves. Is that we're going to do better and become better, Christians and all that? No. It is produced by the enjoyment of the love of God in our souls and the appreciation of what Christ has done. And it works out in all these wonderful things in our lives and capacitates us for the theme of praise that's before us in heaven now.
Divine Love produces these great things in our hearts. But you know, I also said I wanted to speak about the way that Divine Love takes to secure a deeper place in our hearts. He's not satisfied that we enjoy a snippet here and there of His love. He's not satisfied that we would enjoy His love in some superficial way. He wants to deepen that work because these things are so valuable to him, and he's looking for these things in our lives.
And so we need to have a deeper sense of that love in our souls, and divine love undertakes to operate that as well. He has thought of everything. So return to John 13. We'll read a few verses there as to one way in which he deepens our appreciation.
Verse one.
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come, and that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end or through everything.
There was no object that could stop the mighty love of Christ for his people, even the cross.
Then supper being ended, and the Devil having put now into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things unto his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God.
He rises from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel and girded himself. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet and to wipe them with a towel or with he was girded.
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Then cometh he to Simon Peter, And Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? And Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do now?
Knowest thou not, but what thou shalt know hereafter? Peter said unto him.
Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered and said, If I washed thee not, thou shalt thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter then said, Lord, not my feet, but my hands, and feet only, but my hands and my feet. Jesus said unto him, He that is washed all over needeth not to be washed his feet, but it's clean every wit a year clean but not all this he spake of Judas. The point that I'm getting at here is the subject of foot washing.
And uh, you know the story here, of course, that this is near the end of the life of the Lord Jesus. He was about to go to Calvary. He's about to go to the cross to.
Pay the price of our sins, and he took his own aside into the upper room here to have a quiet time with them. He wanted to be alone with them, and he wanted to be alone for them with them for a reason. He wanted to tell them all his love. His heart was full of love toward them. And uh, so we find that uh. He begins by not uh Speaking of his love to them, but by undertaking to wash their feet so that they would be in a state to enjoy his love.
But the chapter does start with mentioning his love. But this is the narrative.
Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And he knew that if they were going to have a deeper understanding and appreciation and enjoyment of that love, it would need to have the foot washing. And foot washing is a figurative thing. It just means that he would like to cleanse our souls from the defilement that we pick up from the ways of the world and so on that we pass through so that there be nothing between our souls and himself to enjoy his love more deeply, more purely. It is necessary.
And and he knows that it's necessary. The fact that Peter would resist this action shows that we can resist it too. And Peter was warned there by the Lord that if he didn't wash his feet, he was going to miss having part with him, not part in him. Part in him is relationship That was not the subject here, but part with him is to do with communion. To have part with him enjoying his love required that he would have to have his feet washed. And it's just the same with us. We can enjoy communion with the Lord Jesus. We can enjoy the love of the Lord Jesus if we have dirty feet.
And we pick up dirty feet by getting our feet in the wrong place in dirty places. And we have to be careful where we walk. But sometimes we cannot help but go through this world being actions, with uh, interaction with work and with so on. And we pick up the file and unawares even sometimes you have to things on our feet we don't even know. And they need to be washed away by taking time to be alone with the Lord Jesus. His great desire is that his people, his disciples here.
Would enjoy His love while he was away. And every chapter that we have in John's Gospel that pertained to the Upper room mentions His love. And so he knows that we need to abide in His love and to continue in His love, but we need to take time to let Him wash our feet. And this I say, dear young people to you especially, but to all of us really, we need to let the Lord and hear the Lord's voice calling us aside to take time to be alone with Him in our lives, what we often call the quiet time.
We all need to have a quiet time with the Lord every day. A little time when we can just let Him wash our feet and let Him tell us how much He loves us, let us enjoy His love and to enjoy communion with him. It's going to be the engine of driving force of all these things to do with Christian character. It'll be that which will preserve us in this world. It'll be that which will produce praise in our lives and all the rest of it that we've been reading about.
If we neglect to take time to be with the Lord, we are going to miss the enjoyment of His love. It's not going to change our standing in heaven. It's not going to erase some of our spiritual blessings that we have in Christ. But we're going to be the losers because we're going to miss out on the enjoyment of His love. And it's a dangerous thing because it's so easy to get into a habit of not taking time as we ought to.
So I was just saying that this is the first great way in which the Lord would work to deepen His love in our hearts, and that is to wash our feet. But it requires us, hearing His voice, to come into, come aside and to spend some time alone with the Lord.
00:45:13
Now let's look at another way in which he the 2nd way I wanna speak of.
In which he deepens his.
Job job 23.
Job 23 verse 16.
For God maketh my heart soft.
And the almighty troubleth me.
Romans chapter 5.
And verse 3-4 and five.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience and experience, hope and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which he hath given unto us. I'm sure you can see what I I'm going with these next two verses. And that is the Lord has another way of deepening our appreciation of His love.
In our souls, and that is through trial.
Through trouble as we read.
And often times the Lord takes this way because He wants us to have a deeper sense of His love. Notice what it said there. In Job, it says that God softens our hearts. Our hearts are oftentimes hardened because of the ways the world we get walking and just.
Mundane things of life as we go through and slightly callous maybe, whatever the case is, but uh, the Lord knows how to soften up our hearts to make them more, uh, receptive and responsive to his love.
And it's not something that he's he likes to do, but he knows it's necessary if there's going to be a deepening of our of his love and our affections. And so he brings trouble sometimes into our lives. And every one of us have experienced trouble in one way or another, trial in one way or another, maybe a disappointment. It may be a sorrow, it may be a a sickness. It could be a financial problems, it could be a marital problem, it could be a one of 100 different things that the Lord may allow to test and touch our lives.
But we know that anything that does touch our lives is because it came from a hand and a heart that loves us, you know, it says all things work together for them that love God or called according to his purpose.
And uh.
All things may not be good, but all things do work together for good.
And so we know that God has a divine end, and he oftentimes uses trials and tribulations of the way.
And this is faith talking here in Romans chapter five, he says, we we, we glory or we rejoice in tribulations.
Now you have to be in the right state of soul to be able to rejoice in tribulations. But he's Speaking of the normal Christian experience here as one who is in communion with God, and he's able to rejoice and give thanks to God for the tribulations that he may be passing through because he knows something. And this no here. As you know in other places in the New Testament, there's two words used for no, just like 2 words used for love. And this is. And we're thankful again for the critical translations to give us the.
Details as to which aspect of know it is two different words in the Greek. One is a wider and the other is Genosko, A wider is a which is the one that's here. It has to do with a deep conscious love, each conscious knowledge through experience having experienced something. Whereas genosko is more of an objective knowledge that you know some certain things because of certain facts have been taught you are to you, you, you've laid hold of it.
But isn't it interesting that it's owed here?
So we have glory and tribulations because we know something. We know from experience that it produces certain things in our souls that she mentions here. A chain of them actually. Patience, experience, hope. And then also it leads out to the end, which is that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. It has a larger place in our lives, Mr. Darby said. Trial itself cannot confer grace, but under God's hand it can break the will and detect hidden and unsuspected evils.
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And if judged, the new life has more fully developed, and God has a larger place in the heart.
Also buy it. Lowly dependence is taught, and as a result there is more distrust of self and the flesh and a consciousness that the world is nothing and what is eternally true and divine has a larger place in the soul. I realize that's a mouthful. That's why I read it, because I don't think I could quote that. But what an incredible statement. And true as it is, God is interested in your soul. He's picked you up. He's paid a price to redeem you. The blood of his own son has been shedded. Calvary for the.
To to prove the cost. And he is not going to let us go our own way and have just a simple, elementary understanding of his love. He wants to deepen that work in our souls, and he's willing to put us into situations where there's trials and difficulties to do that. And it's because he wants to have a deeper place in our hearts.
So we must understand that every time something comes in that is adverse, there is a purpose of love behind it. It's often been said that there's a.
I I in every There's a need to be behind every trial that we come into.
That God can sustain us at the time. And at such times those of us who are at the funeral of little Daniel can see that with Jeff and Heidi sustained remarkably at such a time because of the grace of God. And nothing happens by chance, you know. Nothing happens by chance.
You know, when that little child was born, the Lord sent an Angel or angels. I don't know how many look after him. The Bible tells us that they're sent forth to be ministers to those who are heirs of salvation.
And those angels looked after him every step of the way. Many times that little child probably was in danger. The Angel watched out, maybe alerted somebody to get that child out of the way for this and that, or maybe exerted some force on his own power. Whatever. And I know so because in our parking lot, immediately back out and there's children running behind your car never to see anyone get hurt. The angels kept that little boy every day.
Until the day came.
When that Angel saw him climb that little ladder and plunge into that jacuzzi.
And God said to that Angel.
Don't save them. Let them go. I want him to drown.
And the Angel obeyed.
Emotionally involved with the lives of those to whom they have been cared for, No creature could, with half the power of love, ever stand by with the power to save and leave it to die. But the Angel, he did exactly what he was told to do. God told him don't save him this time.
And he didn't. He obeyed God. And how is it that God would have to choose that as a trial for Jeff and Heidi and for all of us to look on?
Because he's interested in deepening his love in our hearts, and he knows how to make our hearts soft. So we would receive that love and respond to it in a deeper and appreciate it more, more, more profoundly. What an incredible God we have that would place us in the highest possible place that his own son is in, and then begin to work with us down here until we come to appreciate that more deeply in our lives. And he takes us through many, many souls and troubles. I don't suppose there's one person in this room, young person, old person.
That hasn't experienced A sorrow or trouble problem in your life, that it's been very bitter and to have the Lord Jesus comfort your troubled heart and help you, he's a great God, dear Sister Bev here told me years ago before a conference meeting in LA. She said. Bruce, I want to tell you something because before I got up on the speaking, I think she wanted me to just to touch my heart and it did and it's still to this day, she said, you know, Bruce?
Well, the Lord saved me.
50 years or 60 years, whatever it was years ago at that time.
I knew he loved me. I knew it because look at the cross, there's a proof of his love. What a demonstration, she said. I knew he loved me, but having walked with him for these 50 or 60 years, I didn't know that he loved me this much. You know, I can say the same thing.
00:55:04
He loves you so much. Dear young people and everybody in this audience, he loves you so much. He's not going to.
Stop at deepening the sense of His love and our souls because he wants us to learn all His love as we've been singing. Teach us now all thy love then Pain in life were sweet and death were gain. You know there are lessons that we can learn down here that we cannot learn in heaven. There are things that we can only learn here in this world that we cannot learn in heaven. You know He is called the God of all grace.
But you will not learn him in that way as far as experience is concerned.
When we get to heaven, we need to go through circumstances down here and to learn that he supplies grace. He giveth more grace and grace to help in time of need is found down here. And when we He touches our lives and He gives us grace to go through things, there's where we learn what he is to be the God of all grace. He's also called the God of all comfort. We'll never need any comfort in heaven with all our tears are going to be washed away then. But we need it down here and we learn Him as the God of all comfort down here. He's the God of all mercy.
And we know it because of the things that he has done for us down here. And so there are things that we do pass through down here that are for His glory and for our uh perfecting as far as our our uh.
Experience with with the Lord and it's worth it all. We may not be able to say that now, but when we get on the other side, we're going to thank God for His love that would also work in our lives to deepen its our hearts and and find a deeper place in our souls.
In the desert God shall teach thee what the God that thou hast found, patient, gracious, powerful, holy all his grace shall thereabound.
Let's stand in Thing #23.
Stand and sing #23.
Our God and our Father, We thank Thee that Thou art a great God and a good God. We thank Thee for thy power and thy grace, and for thy love. Of course we thank you for all the things that thy love rocks in our souls, all those good things, things that make us more like thy Son and form Christian character. And we thank you for Thy ways and grace that are past finding out.
That that was taken with each one of us.
Varied, indifferent for every individual. But we thank thee that thou art faithful, and we thank you for thy ways in working with us. May it be that our appreciation, our capacity to enjoy that love of thine, would be deepened as a result of all these things. Now we expand ourselves to Thee, praying for the family in Canada. Again, ask it now in the name and for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.
The Blind Man
Gospel—George Cook
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Good evening and welcome to the Gospel Meeting.
The directions to the No Offense day, but the directions were a little difficult for me to understand, to retain. But the directions here tonight for what we have to tell are very simple. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Can we sing #13 in our hymnal, our little hymn sheet #13?
Man of sorrows. What a name for the Son of God.
Who came what a contrast man of sorrows to this one, who is the darling of the Father, the one in whom he found his delight. Please start that for us, please.
Cortana.
Everything.
And all day.
Till my heart.
Wisdom.
First Peter One talks about.
The suffering of Christ and after that the glory is an order.
He suffered. Man of sorrows. What a name for the Son of God who came ruined sinners to reclaim Hallelujah. That means praise the Lord. What a savior. You know, tonight I wonder if you recognize that you're in that class called Sinner.
A man moving in independence of God without any respect for God and his authority over your soul.
But if you have.
Hallelujah. What a savior. And we're going to talk tonight, Lord willing, about blindness.
You know, when they asked me a couple of weeks ago what I should to take the Gospel meeting tonight, I asked the Lord what I should take up and.
It came very clear, and I've enjoyed the passage before John 9 and here are readings are in John 11. So it's to me, it was just kind of another encouragement that this is what the Lord has before us, a blind man. And I wonder tonight if there's someone here that's a blind man or a blind woman or a blind boy or a blind girl that doesn't realize that before a holy God, before the Son of God.
You're a Sinner.
And God is a just God, but he's also a savior God.
They're in shame and scoffing root in my place. Have you seen that? Has your eyes been open to see that He took your place? He was judged. He who knew no sin. He was made sin for us. He that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Seal my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah. What a Savior. Guilty, vile, and helplessly spotless lamb.
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Of God was he. What a contrast man of sorrows.
Son of God.
Vile and helpless, spotless lamb, full atonement can it be? Hallelujah. What a savior. Let's look to him. Lord Jesus, we thank thee that we have this good news to talk about. We have thee to present to blind eyes. Father. Lord Jesus, we have thee the sent one of the Father to present to our hearts. And so we pray thy blessing and liberty of thy spirit.
And working in each one's heart the speaker as well as the hearer, And let us know the different state of each one here, and the need of each soul. So we pray our Father, that thou would give thy spirit to work in accordance with that need for eternal blessing. And for thy glory, our Father and the glory of thy Son, the Lord Jesus, we ask in his name. Amen.
Let's look at John 9.
Start actually back up a few verses in John 8 and it's interesting.
At the end of John 8 and John 8 the Lord is presented as the light, but at the at the end of John eight he presents himself as the I am.
Jehovah come.
Verse 58 Verily, verily say unto you, Before Abraham was I am, you know, in John one It says he came into his own the Jew, but his own receiver not. But as many as received him to them became. I better read it to them became the sons of God, even those that believe on his name. I'm gonna read it through again, because I wanna get the correct, uh, words on that John one. Verse 11.
He came into his own, his own receipt, and not but as many as received him.
To them gave he power our authority to become.
The children of God should read even to them that believe on His name. You see how simple the gospel is.
The Lord Jesus died on the cross of Calvary. He took your punishment. He took your place. He was your substitute. You just see him that he died for me.
You believe it, and you thank God for it.
Hallelujah. What a savior.
You know, in the book of John it presents the Lord Jesus as the Son of God.
In Matthew, he's the king, the Messiah, Mark, he's the perfect servant. Luke, he's the son of man. But in John he's the son of God. In John there's no genealogy, no ascension. He's tabernacling with men. He became flesh. The Word, the eternal word. The word was with God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God a distinct person.
The sun.
Was and he was God.
And he became flesh and dwelt among us, the Father tells us in First John 414, the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. And all through John, the Gospel of John, even in the epistle we have the expression sent. He's the sentence of the Father. Why? Because of God's love to you. He wants you to know that the Father sent the Son. He is a just God. He's a holy God. He cannot allow sin in his PR presence. He must judge sin. He's a just God.
But he's a savior, God. He's a God that have you to know his love for. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life. God wants you to enter into that sphere of life tonight. He wants your eyes to be open. Before we begin Chapter 9. Uh, let's look at UH John 16 and verse 27 and 28.
Umm, I don't know if you've read that book by Mr. Hawking called The Son of His Love.
It it shares truths regarding the eternal sonship of the Lord Jesus. And I've. I've just started to read it, but I tell you I've really enjoyed it so far. And then Mr. Bellitz, on the Son of God, I encourage you to pick up the Son of God by Mr. Belly. So sweet.
00:10:09
Verse chapter 16 and verse 27 for the Father himself loveth you.
I believe a brother brought that before us during the Reading meetings because ye have loved me.
You know we can't exalt the Lord Jesus too high.
He is all the fullness of the Godhead.
Colossians tells us that he is a preeminent 1 The first born of creation. Not that He was created, but that he created all things. They were created by him for him, through him. He's the first born from among the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. This is the delight of the Father. The Father in a past eternity we read in Proverbs 8 was that he was a delight.
Of God.
As he was there in eternity.
There as he was born in Luke 2, the angels proclaimed that there is delight in men, delight in the sun, the Lord Jesus in his introduction, his incarnation into this world.
And then as he begins his public ministry at the baptism by John the Baptist.
The Father again says, This is my beloved Son in whom I found my delight.
And then that picture of his, of his being in the glory, Transfiguration. Again the Father's voice. This is my beloved Son. Hear ye him. Hear ye him tonight exalt Christ. He is God, become man, the creator of the universe.
Hebrews one says, God, who had diversed times, diverse manners, taken time, passed into the Father through the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us in Son. Another way to say that leaving out some preposition, God has spoken in Son, God has become man.
John 16 verse 27.
And have believed that I came out from God. He was always eternal, always with the Father. The Father again sent the Son. John 1628 I came forth from the Father.
That was before he became Incarnate, pre Incarnate.
And I'm coming to the world now he's incarnation born.
To us.
A. A child is born.
Became a man.
The son always decided given.
And again I leave the world and go to the Father.
This person.
Is the one who wants you to have that blind, those blind eyes open to behold John 9 and verse one. And Jesus passed as Jesus passed by, because they picked up stones to stone him at the last verse of John John 8 and he hid himself.
And went out into the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. And as he passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And the disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, or he was, that he was born blind?
You know, we we want to come up with answers for difficult things that happen in our lives, and we're finite. We don't have the answers. He has the answers. We look for causes. We think it's maybe God's government did this, or because of this, God's foreknowledge would know that perhaps we leave that with the Lord. And the Lord says, neither has this man sinned nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, is that word.
Sent one.
I must work the works of him that sent me while for his day. The night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and and said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam, Stop there for a moment.
Now wait a minute. This man is blind.
The Lord spit on the ground.
Reached down and made clay of the spittle.
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And then he placed it on his eyes.
What was that all about?
I say that reverently because we know.
The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
He had a purpose and he tells them to go to the pool of Siloam, which is interpreted scent. Interesting. There's that word again, scent. So he goes to the pool.
He went his way, therefore, and washed and came seeing.
You think of this.
The presentation of the Lord Jesus to man.
He becomes He's God become man.
And then he comes into his own but his own will.
Receive not.
But as many as received him. Have you seen this one? You know the clay often speaks of what we are by nature.
Our humanity. But here's a holy humanity, that holy thing within the.
The Angel speaks to Mary but.
Here he becomes a man.
And he is sent in the water. He is sent to the pool of Siloam.
And there he washes.
And I would suggest to you, as we re read and take up the word of God that presents the sent one to our soul, we see him become a man, that he died for me. And that pool is open and available to everyone. The pool of Siloam, the scent. 1 And so this man, there's no question, no questioning. He obeys. He went his way, therefore, and washed and came seeing that Simple.
The gospel is simple. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And thou shalt be saved.
So the first there are several groups of people that he comes into contact with now.
The neighbors verse 8 therefore when they which had before had seen him that he was blind said is not this he that sat and begged. Some said this is he, others said well he's like him but he said I'm he. You know when you imagine just I can't imagine but imagine this a man blind and I don't think he wore dark glasses like some that have that.
Situation today do, but he's sat and his eyes perhaps disfigured. I don't know if born blind.
Uh, not having any normal look appearance to him.
Umm, and all of a sudden now?
His eyes are open. He's bright. He's changed. He's completely different.
But there's something else, not just externally but internally it's been a work.
In his soul. And so he has to say I'm he, you know and uh, Romans 10/9. I just thought about that. Maybe we should turn to it. I think it's an important and applicable verse right here.
It says if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved for the for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. It's interesting in our lives how that Christianity is salvation is by faith, by grace. You're saved through faith and.
That and not of works that any man should vote so salvage.
By faith. And that none of yourself is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.
It's interesting that God uses the mouth as well.
Not to cause a soul to be any more saved, but as far as their eternal destiny, but I believe to help them in the pathway of faith.
And so it's good at the grocery store, at school, at where you work to let your colors, to fly your colors, to let folks know that you're his, that you belong to the Lord Jesus.
00:20:03
I am he therefore said a unto him, How are thine eyes? Opened? He answered, and said, a man, So he he has this realization. He's a man that is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam and watch. And I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I I know not. He was blind when the Lord healed him. He was blind when the Lord sent him to the pool of Siloam. I don't know how he got there, but he got there. He made sure he got there.
And he he washed. He came seeing.
But he hadn't seen the Lord, he said, I don't know, I know not. Verse 13 They brought to him the ferret they brought to the Pharisees. Him that aforetime was blind and it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay. Uh oh.
Here's something for the religious man to get a hold of the Sabbath day.
It was Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Little did the Pharisee realize this was the Lord of the Sabbath. And then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and do see, And therefore said some of the Pharisees, this man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. You think of it the Son of God.
In the presence you think of his expression in John 11.
In Matthew 11.
28 Come unto me, all you that labor.
And the invitation this evening is just that come unto me, he says, All ye that labor and heavy laden.
And I will give you rest.
God wants you to enter into that rest.
To enjoy your sins forgiven and learn of me I'm meek and lowly. Just think of it. The God of the universe. The Creator of the universe. The The preeminent 1 here.
And being talked about saying this man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day, Others said How can a man that is a Sinner?
Do such miracles, oh some thoughts, and there was a division among them. And they said unto the blind man again, What saith thou of him? That he hath opened thine eyes? And he said, He's a prophet.
So there's begins to be this growth, this growth in this blind man. I say blind man because I I don't know his name, but you know at this time he's not blind anymore. He sees Hallelujah. Have your eyes open to see he's a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received and received his sight until he called the parents of him that he received his sight. So they're they're still trying to understand how this miracle could happen.
So they, they asked him. They brought the parents.
And they asked him, saying, Is this your son?
Who you say was born blind. How then does he now see his parents answered and said, We know not that this is we know that this is our son, that he was born blind. But by what means he now see it we know not. Or who opened his eyes, We know not. He's of age. Ask him. We he shall speak of himself. And and we get a little glimpse of the fear that was in the ju and jewelry at that time, the fear of anyone that would suggest that Jesus was the Christ.
The Son of God.
Today, you know, it's interesting in this land we have so-called religious freedom.
But there's an oppression now more than there was when I was growing up as a child. That name.
That name is rejected of men.
But how sweet and precious that name is to the Father.
So they backpedal and they say, well, you'll have to ask for him for himself. These words fake his parents because they feared the Jews. For the Jews had agreed already that any man did confess that he was a Christ. He should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, said his parents, He's of age, Ask him.
Then again call they the man that was blind, and said unto him.
Give God the praise. We know that this man is the Sinner.
He answered and said whether he be a Sinner or no, I know not. One thing. I know that where is I was blind. Now I see and I I don't wanna be light here, but I almost think of the expression. Well, hello.
I was blind. Now I see.
He's, you know, he's bold. Before these religious men here, he was a blind beggar a little while ago and now he's bold and says hello. I was blind. Now I see.
00:25:17
And then he says.
Then said they to him again, What did he today? How open he thine eyes, How many times had he given this testimony? But he gives it again.
I told you already and you did not hear.
Wherefore would you hear it again? Would you also be his disciples? I mean this. This man, this blind man, has insight.
That these men, he def.
He didn't tell the story again. He didn't need to. But he asked him, if I told it again, would you become his disciples? Just think of the religious pride and I wonder sometimes.
If my heart, maybe your heart.
Is guilty of that a religious pride that keeps you from really confessing what you are? You know, that's just what the gospel is.
You tell God what you already what he already knows. He knows you are a Sinner, that you need a savior telling that.
On to him.
That what the Bible says, that all has sinned and come short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
They reviled him and said, Thou art his disciple. What we are Moses disciple.
I believe if Moses had been alive right then he'd say no, I've been over the house, but he's the son of the house. This is the Lord, This is God the Son.
We know that God spake unto Moses As for this fellow.
This is Jehovah's fellow. We know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto him, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is? And yet he opened my eyes.
You know, unbelief.
Is so irrational.
You know, evolution is an example of man's crowning explanation.
Of reasoning that there is no God. You know what God says.
The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.
Nabel.
You read about naval in First Samuel 25 fool rich man received much re received protection from David and his men.
Four, God has said it, and this man has had his eyes open and his heart open and his intellect open to think clearly. And he says to these men that were religious men that could have put him out.
And we'll find out. They do put him out here, and there's a marvelous thing that you know not from whence he is. And yet he opened my knife. Now we know that God heareth not Sinner sinners, but if any man be a worshipper of a God and doeth his will him he heareth it so he's growing. He's a man. He's a prophet, one who do does his will.
Since the world began, it has it was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. Now who's speaking? The beggar, The blind man, The one that was blind? Now he has his eyes open and he's teaching. These religious man, these doctorates, PhDs in divinity. They're teaching. He's teaching them.
That they need to have their eyes open too.
They couldn't take it.
They say, they all. They answered, and said unto him, Thou was altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out. And when they had found him, he said unto them, Do thou believe on the Son of God?
That tremendous they cast him out, but they had already rejected the Lord. And when they cast him out, there was the Lord to meet him, and he had the privilege of following.
Human rejection. You know, it reminds me we're going through First Samuel in our assembly.
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And we noticed in John with Jonathan, he had a good start. He had a love for David, he gave his all to David. But he didn't follow the Lord Jesus in the path of rejection.
This is a word to those that are Christians. You've had your eyes open. You've seen the loveliness of Christ. You've seen that he died for you. He's your He's your savior.
You need to follow him. You need to be earnest in your life.
You know, I just, umm.
A few months ago I spoke on and studied the thought of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I was remarking to her brother during prayer for the gospel how something sometimes something so simple.
And it's in this expression can be so sublime.
The Son of God.
Son of God. And as we looked at and thought about these different scriptures about who this person is.
The glory of the sun. And as we give honor to the sun, we honor the Father.
If we do not honor the Son, we do not honor the Father.
The Son of God.
He thought of not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation. He became a man.
And he went to the cross.
For me, the Son of God.
What was his motive? The person, the Son of God? The motive. And I think Don Lamb for that suggestion, he gave me this thought.
Who loved me? It was his motive. You ever thought about that? The Son of God who loved me?
And gave himself. That's his work.
This person, the Son of God, his motive, who loved me.
Gave himself the motive, the object for me.
Put yourself in that thought. That's a verse at the end of Galatians 220. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live. I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me.
And gave himself could not give any more for me.
I know it's the work on Calvary.
Was the greatest, highest thought is the burnt offering.
He gave. He did that, for the Father gave glory to the Father.
But we can enjoy.
That the Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. I'm one of his sheep. Are you one of his sheep? Are you wandering, still lost and undone in your sins?
Are you still blind?
Since verse 32 again, since the world began, was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind? If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said, Dost thou thou dost altogether born in sin? Were they not?
Well, wait a minute, 'cause the Bible says all have sinned.
And come short of the glory of God, does thou teach us. And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out. And when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered, and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou has both seen him, Yeah, wonderful, this one whose eyes were blind, as now seeing him.
And it is he that talketh with thee.
He went from a man to a prophet.
To one who was a worshiper of God.
To the Son of God.
God's desire is that we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus.
The Apostle Paul says that I may know him. Oh wait a minute. I thought Paul was already a Christian. Yes, he was. I thought he already knew him. Yes, he did.
That I may know him.
We need to have this desire in our souls, in the word of God, to know Him.
The Son of God, who loved me, gave himself for me.
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And he worshipped him, he said, Lord, I believe, And he worshipped him.
Isn't that wonderful? The normal course when the soul comes into the good of Christianity believing on the Lord Jesus.
We then become worshippers.
And Jesus said for judgment, I am coming to this world, that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
That's amazing. There were those of the Pharisees.
That were still there during this conversation. In chapters 9 and 10 continue on, we find out that this man was one of his sheep that the Lord had found, the Lord had given himself for.
But some of the Pharisees which were there heard these words and said, are we blind also?
And Jesus said unto them, If you were blind, you should have no sin.
Have you owned before a holy God that you need?
Sight that you are blind, that you are in your sins, that except he work in your soul, That you'll remain blind and apart from God and are destined for a lost eternity. Sin is a terrible thing.
Sin. God cannot.
Allow In his presence he must judge sin. He is a just God, a holy God, but he's also a savior God. If you were blind, you should have no sin. But now you say we see, therefore your sin remaineth.
The Son of God.
Love me.
You know and I in Ezekiel 36, nine it says, Behold.
This is Jehovah speaking to his people, Israel, but I like to apply it to myself.
Behold, I am for you, Ezekiel 36 nine.
You should be tilled and sown. We don't like the tilling.
Tilling in our lives. We don't like that. But he tills so that he can sew, that he can bring forth fruit in our lives that we had before us in the address.
Psalm 56 nine says God is for me.
You can put emphasis on any one of those words and it's true and it's beautiful. God, the one who is God is for me. God is. It's a definite thing. God is for me.
God is for me.
God is for me.
Take it in. Behold, I am for you.
And then we realize God is for me.
In Romans 831 Says If God be what forest, who can be against us?
What a sphere, What a pool of Siloam. We can go to that pool. We can take that water of the Word applied by the Spirit of God to present to our eyes Christ become a man. God become a man, the Son of God.
Who love me and gave himself for me. Let's sing again that hymn #13 man of sorrows. What a name for the Son of God who came. Let me start that, please.
Harry can have.
The room.
In my.
Lake.
Heal my pardon.
William.
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Wow. Savior.
Kill. Evaluate.
Lamb of God was he. Oh, let me see.
Our God and Father.
Let me thank you for sending that thou hast sent thy son, the Lord Jesus.
We thank thee, our Father, that thou art interested in each and every heart in this room this evening.
We pray, Father, that thou would just bless us.
With a further knowledge of this one who loved me and gave himself for me, Father, we pray that there's anyone in this room that yet has her eyes closed.
Habits
YP Talk—Caleb James
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Let's start with the word of prayer.
Our God and our Father, we give thanks for this day and for what we have been given from Thy Word already in the readings and in the address and the gospel as well. And so we ask Thy help as we open up Thy word one more time.
And we pray that there would be something for us that we can all relate to and be helped by. So we commit thy word to thee and ask for thy help in Jesus name, Amen.
Well, the other day I, uh, read an article online and the title of that article was Where are they now?
It just said where are they now question mark and the article was about some of the more.
Prominent professional athletes of the 90s, uh, who at that time were, uh, pinnacles of society, They were looked up to as celebrities, but their time has come and gone and now they're just kind of nobody.
Umm. It's kind of nostalgic, kind of sad, but kind of intriguing at the same time to see where these people are now, now that they're no longer stars.
Umm, but I was thinking about that question a little bit. Where are they now? And that's a question that can be turned around and, uh, pointed at us as young people, a group of young people here in Kirkland today. Where are we now?
You know, you think about it, and we all know each other pretty well.
We've, uh, more or less been raised together. We're peers, one of another. Umm, we've been raised in a Christian home and, uh, we've been saved the majority of our lives. We've had a tremendous amount of exposure to the word of God. But where are we now in our Christian life and our Christian growth and in our Christian character? Where are we now? I have a little adage.
That I wrote at the front of my Bible once. I'll read it if I can find it here.
It says this.
Thoughtfully to actions. Actions develop into habits, and habits form our character. Habits form our character. It's our daily habits that's gonna determine where we are now and where we're gonna be down the road from now. And, uh, by way of introduction, let's just read a verse and Proverbs chapter 12.
Proverbs 12 and verse 27.
It says the thoughtful man roasteth not that which he took as hunting took in hunting, but the substance of a diligent man is precious. The substance of a diligent man is precious. You know, a person whose diligent is marked by their good habits. And again, it's those habits that form our our moral character as Christians. And so just in the next maybe 5 or 10 minutes, I wanted to.
Just consider a few things that should be habits in our lives as Christians.
Let's turn to Hebrews chapter 5.
These are things, by the way, that I need to be encouraged by just as much as anyone else.
Hebrews, chapter 5.
And uh.
Let's read verses.
1213 and 14 Hebrews 5, verse 12. For when the time ye ought to have.
In futures you have needs that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk.
And not of strong meat, for everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even by those who by reason of use or another translation says.
On account of habit, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Well, here's one thing that we're encouraged to make a habit and that's to use the word of God. Use what we glean from the word of God. It says strong meat or solid food belongs to those who are of full age. We're told to study, to show ourselves approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, the word of God. We oftentimes hear that it's it's complete. It has everything that we need. We're told that it's profitable for.
00:05:16
Doctrine for reproof, for correction, destruction and righteousness, I think, etc. It's a complete whole in and of itself, and it has what we need.
Umm, but it takes time to get a handle on the Word of God, especially for those of us who are younger. It takes time to, uh, become skillful in the Word of righteousness, to use the language of these verses here. And that's where that diligent study comes in.
Daily habitual study of the Scriptures, umm, we heard in the address this afternoon about how important it is to, to have that quiet time each day with the Lord, uh, when it's just the Lord and us. And it's probably good to have that time in the morning. And, uh, we're told, uh, in the scriptures that the Lord, who is our perfect example, got up each morning to gather fresh instructions from his father.
So that's what we get when we study the Word of God individually. But it's good to study the Word of God as a group too, not just as individuals.
Umm, a few of us back home in Spokane have, uh, gotten together in recent years for a weeknight Bible study. It's actually down in a little town called Pullman, which, uh, for those who aren't familiar with the geography of that area, Pullman is a little town that's probably about an hour and a half South of Spokane. And there's a couple of universities there and a number of the, the local young people are studying at universities.
And.
They made it a routine to get together and study the scriptures and when we come together to study the scriptures, we.
Oftentimes run into questions that come up and those questions really expose our lack of knowledge in the Word of God. But we all have a little part. We know in part and we prophecy in part, we're told.
And so we bounce those things around off each other and try to come up with an answer that has a scriptural backing. And sometimes that takes maybe two to three weeks or so, but it's worth it in the end.
As time goes on, I I become more and more convinced that the truth that we're being taught in our home assemblies and the truth that we're being taught in conferences like this really is.
The truth according to God's mind.
My train of thought here, I believe that the truth is according to God's mind, that we've been taught. We've been taught that, umm, once a Christian is saved, he's always saved and he's never lost.
And there's a lot of people that see that differently. We've been taught that Christians aren't going to go through the tribulation, they're going to be raptured home 1St. And I found out recently that it's just the minority of Christians that believe in the rapture these days. We've been taught about how the Christian is not under the law, the Christian is under grace, the Christian is not saved by works, the Christian is saved by grace. We've been taught about.
The truth of the one body and the.
Truth of the Lord's table and things like that. And I believe that that really is the truth according to God's mind. It's not just what you would say that the brethren slant on the Scriptures. It's backed by the Scriptures, so.
We're told an act that the Bereans received the word with all readiness of mind, and then they searched the Scriptures to see that those things were so.
Were taught precious truth in the meetings and I don't, I don't want to make it sound like we have all the answers and and that we have arrived. That's that's not the case at all. But the truth that we were being taught, like I said, I believe it is backed up by scripture, supported by Scripture.
Let's turn over to uh.
First Thessalonians, chapter 5.
For another habit that we should have in our life.
1St Thessalonians 5 and verse 17. This is umm, almost the short, shortest verse in the Bible. It says pray without ceasing. Pray without ceasing. Someone has said that studying the word of God makes us knowledgeable Christians, but praying makes us devoted Christians. And here we're told to pray without ceasing. And I've heard it said that that means to always be in the the instantaneous attitude of prayer throughout the day.
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If we're faced with something, it should just automatically elicit a response of prayer out of us. That's what it means to umm.
Pray without ceasing.
Someone has said that we should have prayer hooks in our life, which are certain points throughout the day where we're just accustomed to praying. Maybe it's when we're doing a tour of some kind or brushing our teeth or when we're driving to work or something like that. That can be a prayer hook. You make it a habit to pray during that time. I've enjoyed a few verses in Mark's Gospel that show us that prayer is really the expression of our faith in God. The Lord himself says have faith in God. And then from there he talks about.
How important it is to pray and to have faith in God When we pray, if we do have faith in God, we're going to pray to him and pour out our hearts to him, like the psalmist says. And the more we pray, the less confident we are in ourselves.
I heard a story recently that I thought was kind of interesting. It was about two guys that that had a pretty fancy wristwatch, a Rolex or whatever, and as they were comparing their watches, they realized that there was a time difference of 10 seconds between the two watches. They kind of looked at each other well, got these nice watches, but someone's watch is probably wrong.
And just then a guy comes walking by and.
He's got a cheap watch. And they said, well, let's ask him what what his watch says. So they asked him and his watch was like 15 minutes off and they kind of laughed at him. And he said, well, this watch has never let me down, not even once because I don't trust this watch.
So Paul talks about having no confidence in the flash, and I have to admit that's something that I really struggle with. We naturally just have confidence in this rather than in God. That's where our confidence should be. Let's turn just to one other portion in, uh, Hebrews 10.
Hebrews, chapter 10.
And uh, let's read verse.
24 and verse 25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love.
And to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another. And so much the more as you see the day approaching these verses seem to.
Tell us that we should take advantage of every opportunity that we have to enjoy Christian fellowship. It's times like that that we can really encourage one another and be encouraged ourselves. And the Lord always loves it when people get together for His glory, which is what we intend to do this weekend. So these are just a few.
Things that we could incorporate into our lives as habits, and hopefully most of us have already done this.
And if so, then we should not be weary in, well, doing just one other.
Portion umm reading closing in first Peter chapter one using second Peter chapter one.
Kind of cap this off 2 verses in second Peter chapter one.
Versus 10 and 11. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, he shall never fall, for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly.
In the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I just like that phrase there in verse 10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. And the next verse goes on to say that if we do that and we're going to have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God, let's close with prayer.
God and our Father, we give thanks again for thy word and for the treasures that we have in it. We give thanks that we could open it now for a couple minutes. We pray that these things would be precious to our hearts, Lord Jesus, that we would follow after thee with purpose of hearts. And so we give thanks for thy thy mercies that have been bestowed on us this day. And we just pray that they would be extended into the next two days of this conference. We could thanks again for the exercise of our.
00:15:25
Brethren here in Kirkland, I have a conference. We pray for blessing to their hearts. We commit this evening into thy hands in Jesus name.
Amen.
John 11:21-35
Reading
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Uh, see well.
No.
I don't know.
If you.
We.
Are.
And well.
00:05:21
We pray that I fear without liberty, teachers more of thyself. More teachers like what?
I realize we made some comments on some of these verses in John 11, but I'm gonna suggest that this morning we start reading at verse 21.
The Book of John, Chapter 11, verse 21.
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet.
Shall he live, And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this she saith unto him, Yay, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister, secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
The Jews then, which were with her in the house, and comforted her when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily, and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth under the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet.
Saying unto him, Lord, If thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping, which came with her, he groaned in the Spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have you laid him? And they said unto him, Lord, Come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, behold how he loved him. And some of them said, Could not this man which opened the eyes of the blind have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take away the stone.
Martha the Son, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh, for you have been dead four days.
Jesus saith unto her, said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst believe, thou should see the glory of God. Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.
And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me, and I knew that Thou hearest me always, but because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice. Lazarus come forth. And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. And many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the chief priests, and the Pharisees, the council, and said, What do we for this man do with many miracles? If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, You know nothing at all, nor consider that it it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
And this faking on himself but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation.
And not for that nation only, so that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered, scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples and the Jews. Passover was not at hand, and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves, Then sought they for Jesus.
And speak among themselves as they stood in the temple. What think ye that he will not come to the beast? Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that if any man knew where he were, he should show it that they might take him.
00:10:10
Well, at the end of the last reading, we mentioned how that we have Martha and Mary in the previous verse, the 9, the, uh, 20th verse, and how when the Lord Jesus was eventually approaching Bethany, Martha runs to meet him and Mary sat still in the house. And you know, we want to realize in our souls that while Martha had many lessons to learn, many things to learn in her life from the Lord Jesus and through these circumstances.
Yeah, Martha did love the Lord. They both loved the Lord. The Lord loved them, as we've been saying, but they both did love the Lord and they knew where to turn in their extremity. It's true, as we said, that Mary with perfect confidence and an understanding of the heart of her Lord, perhaps beyond Martha, because she had been at his feet on a previous occasion, she was able to sit still in the house and the blessing that came from that and so on.
But I think it's beautiful to see that Martha does know where to turn, and she rises up and she goes to to her Lord and brother. And that's the only place to turn in our sorrows. That's the only place to turn when the trials and difficulties come in life. We're thankful again, as we said yesterday, for those who come to comfort us in our sorrow, just as there were those who had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them.
But where is our real soul is going to come from, brethren? It's going to come from being in the presence of the Lord Jesus. It's going to come from going and telling him all about it. But I would like to just make another little contrasting connection with Martha and Mary before we pass on. I think it was alluded to, but it's interesting and instructive to find that when Martha comes to the Lord Jesus, she says to him, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died.
Later on, we're going to notice in the 32nd verse that when Mary comes, she says exactly the same thing. Now, I don't want to read more into Scripture than is there, but there is one thing we don't always get from the pages of the written word, and that is the intonation and the tone and the spirit in which things are sometimes said. And again, I don't want to go too far with applications and illustrations.
But I have wondered at trying to listen in to both sisters as they said these words, if while they both said the same thing, they weren't said with a little bit different intonation of the voice or in a little different spirit and attitude. Martha was right. If the Lord had been there, her brother wouldn't have died. But perhaps she said it in a little different way than Mary did I I don't want to accuse Martha of something that we're not told in in the Word of God.
But I do want to just make this little application for my own heart, and perhaps it will speak to yours as well. And that is yesterday we spoke of the different reasons that God allows trials in our life, and we had them enumerated. And Eric brought before us the different words that start with P. And that's very helpful. I would say too, that often the Lord allows circumstances in our lives to test our spirit and our attitude.
What is going to be the way we respond to himself and to others? You know, Moses had a number of tests in the wilderness in his leadership and care for the people of God. It finally got to him. They provoked his spirit and he spoke against the people of God and called them rebels. Daniel had a number of tests in his pathway and it was said of him that there was found an excellent spirit in him.
Caleb had some tests in his past pathway and it says my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him. He had the proper spirit and attitude in the in the circumstances. And so as we go through the trials and difficulties, the sorrows of life, it's often, I believe to bring out our spirit and attitude. How are we going to respond to the Lord? How are we going to respond to one another?
If we are truly walking in communion and taking our trials and tests from the hand of a loving Father and a loving Savior, then I believe our spirit will be preserved, that we might have an excellent spirit like Daniel.
00:15:11
There are two general lessons that we can get from this chapter. It may have been touched on yesterday, but uh, I just make mention of them now. And that is first of all, when trials overtake God's people, they become occasions for God to display His glory and the way in which He helps his people through them. Many people have been converted by word, watching one of the Lord's people go through diff difficulties and see how God sustains them in it and it brings glory to God.
Through it. And that's we have an earlier verse where it says this death is not but for the glory of God. But there's another thing too that we should get from this, and that is that when trials sweep over the Lord's people, God uses them for their profit and blessing and to bring them into a deeper understanding of the ways of God and the heart of God. So there's great profit for the sisters through this and there's great glory for God as a result of this.
Sometimes we sing that him our our times are in thy hands, Father, we wish them there. Sometimes you have to sing that as a prayer because sometimes we don't wish them there because we think maybe the Father has some different plans for us than what we have.
And I was thinking of that burn in the verses that follow with Martha here, because again, in practical application, she said, I know he'll rise in the last day and so on at the resurrection, but she wasn't counting on something happening right then. And sometimes there's two sides to it. Sometimes we want things to happen sooner, quicker than the Lord has planned or our Father has planned, not realizing he has a perfect timetable for us. And sometimes we don't see things happen because.
We don't ask in faith. We don't expect Him to work. And as Bruce said, a situation like this in our lives is often the time when He can show His power and His glory. Not just to sit a trial or a situation, but a hopeless situation. You know, God brings us not only to trials and difficulties in our lives, but to those things that are humanly impossible, humanly speaking, hopeless. This was a humanly impossible situation.
For their brother to ever combat be restored to them in this life. But this was the very opportunity where as we said yesterday, glory was going to be brought to God and glory to the Lord Jesus. And as we noticed yesterday, and we'll notice it again perhaps today if we get when we get on with the chapter, Many of the Jews that came to marry believed on him when they saw the power of the Lord Jesus to raise one from the dead.
There's a lovely verse that supports that point that you make in Job. If you turn to Job 37, and I believe it's verse seven, it says he sealeth up the hand of all men that all might know His word. He puts us in a position or a situation where it is humanly impossible, as you've been saying. Then he comes in and unravels the whole problem and he gets the glory.
She kind of rebuked the Lord here, though, didn't she? She said. If you would have been here, you know?
It wouldn't have happened. Why weren't you here?
Umm hum.
Raspberry, perhaps the information was, Lord, that thou hast been here, my brother had not died. And it makes a big difference. But mm-hmm, mm-hmm. I don't know. It's like instead of we can't really say, but I've enjoyed that rather than it's to me, it seems like with Martha, she wasn't so focused on the Lord as Mary was.
And so when she says, I know that you will rise again at the resurrection of the last day, the Lord Jesus, his response is to present himself as the resurrection and the right, a brother and his person that we need to become enraptured with every situation, every circumstance he is allowed to happen so that we might prune the fullness.
00:20:30
That is in him so this time.
I am the reservation in my life.
Is it gonna be at the last day? You knew it would happen then?
But was there? Was this the last day or now it was the Lord Jesus that was going?
As we said, what they said was true. And I thought of it in connection with recently reading something of the life of Dwight Al Moody when he was a young man just starting out as a gospel preacher, and the first time he was ever asked to take a funeral, he wasn't sure what to say. And so he thought, well, I'll find a funeral sermon that the Lord Jesus preached when he was here.
Well, he searched the four gospels and he realized that the Lord Jesus never preached a funeral sermon.
How could death last in the presence of the Lord Jesus, when the widow of named Son was coming out being carried in his coffin?
I touched the coffin and raised him from the dead when he entered the house where the 12 year old girl was lying dead while he took her by the hand and raised him up. When He comes to the tomb of Lazarus, could death exist? No Lazarus come forth. Mr. Moody said all. I realized that the Lord of life, death could not exist in the presence of the Lord of life. He never preached a funeral sermon. Many of us have preached many funeral sermons waiting for a coming day of resurrection. But here the Lord has something for these sisters right now then, and that was the restoration to them of their brother in resurrection.
No doubt the center of attention here in that story's last service.
And he's giving us in the first verse of a certain man, and his name is mentioned.
But we don't hear anything about Lazarus that he called for Jesus or that he called for medicine and and that he said anything.
The whole story through Lazarus doesn't say a word.
And that puzzles.
All the answers are speaking. The women are speaking.
The Lord Jesus is speaking.
The disciples are speaking. Have something to say.
The Bathurst before he is dead, he said nothing.
After his resurrection, he didn't say a word.
This thing couldn't have happened today to be overwhelmed by the news media.
I had to tell her it's great to go anything and everybody else, and there were many people coming to see Lazarus.
I've been resurrected.
Is very present in life after his resurrection was a powerful message to the power of the Lord's resurrection.
Which is that the power of the Lord is resurrected in such a death.
When my father-in-law got saved near the end of his life, my father-in-law was a very quiet man. He was not a dynamic person. He was not a person who would, if I can speak reverently, jump up and down and say I'm saved. In fact, when my wife called me to say that her father had accepted the Lord, I thought, well I hope it's true, I'll wait and see. The Lord had brought my father-in-law to what seemed like the brink of eternity, saved his soul.
And then pulled him back for four years and though he was not a dynamic man and set a man of very few words, said no more than was absolutely necessary than to convey a thought for four years in the village of in the out port of your harbor, Newfoundland. He was a tremendous testimony. And I have heard since his passing about 11 months ago, nine months ago, I have heard multitudes of people say.
00:25:27
Your father-in-law had a wonderful testimony, just his quiet presence.
There in that village where he had spent most of his life, everyone that entered that home and passed that house knew that Gerald Byrne was now the Lord. And we find that, and with Lazarus in the next chapter, he's not saying anything again. He's just sitting in fellowship and quiet communion with his Lord. But what a testimony. And little did Lazarus realize when he came forth from the tomb, when he sat at meat later on with the Lord, little did he realize.
That his quiet testimony would be recorded in law's eternal record, not only for the encouragement of those at the time, but for the encouragement and blessing of you and me today to read of this man coming forth in resurrection, to read of him sitting at the table later on in communion. What a testimony. He didn't need to say anything. His quiet testimony has been a blessing to, I dare say, multitudes and multitudes.
Who have read this down through the ages?
It would be that she had a knowledge of the general resurrection.
But he did not realize that the Lord was going to.
Raise Lazarus very shortly.
And, and I, I just, uh, oftentimes haven't you noticed that when we read scripture, we read and we get the full story, we get the history, but in the meantime, these Martha and Mary.
Now, often times when our loved ones are laid aside, we try out.
We have one by all means his will fourteen knows what is best for that One of the joints of the trial that may not even be able to be raised a prayer help and we're next to them and we realized that the one who is able does not at that moment.
But here we read the rest of the story and Lazarus is raised from among the dead. I say from among the dead because there are others that perhaps that the Lord hadn't called him by name under the Arisen as well. But but the point is that when we go through a trial, when we go through and we're in the middle of it, it's difficult for us to look beyond but to be reminded. And this is such, so wonderful. I understand the election and the life.
He is the one that.
00:30:02
Had risen victoriously from a moment ahead and he's at the father's right hand and he is that a man in glory and the first fruit of resurrection and and what a promise we have and to realize that and I'm thinking of in Jeremiah 32 it says behold verse 27. Behold I am the Lord I am Jehovah God of all flesh. Is there anything to hard.
We have to take that place.
And able in his mind to answer his prayer according to his will. And that's what we have to learn. And so Mark and Mary are taking through that and each one different personality, different ways in which the Lord is dealing with them. Feeling so sweetly is less of this. So I just wonder, uh, in answer to your question too, if it says.
Uh.
My brother what the Lord said, and her 23 My brother's arrived again, Martha said. I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
The Lord has been reminded that I have the resurrection on the life.
Either believe us in me, though you are dead yet till he lives. So we know that sort of raises laughter.
And I I enjoy this climate. Therefore, in the ministry that it's just a little more case, little encouragement to the disciples that when any time of their own.
Masters or pass through time of suffering and death, and laid aside as he is misdirected from life.
It is quite possible that she had that in mind, because this is at the very close of the Lord's life, and she would have known and heard that Jihad's daughter had been raised by him, and she would have known and heard that the widow of Sinane's son had been raised.
But she does not go so far as to to command or ask the Lord's choice. She shows a spirit of submission.
And he tests her faith by saying, your brother shall rise again. And then they speak about the resurrection of the last day. We must remember that this resurrection of the last day, the, the, the resurrection that he's referring to here is a resurrection, what we call the first resurrection to, to glory.
Lazarus was not going to be raised in this chapter in that character of resurrection. It was a resuscitation really, more than a resurrection to glory. He would have to die again.
So it was quite a little different, but quite possible, brother Steve, that what you say?
Could be true. Yeah. I was thinking exactly the same thing. But even if she had heard that, she didn't seem to have much faith that the Lord would do it, did she? She immediately just thinks of the future resurrection. But as we were speaking yesterday, there is a double meaning to resurrection here, isn't there? It's not only resurrection in the last day which she had, which she understood at least in part. Perhaps she only understood a general resurrection, perhaps.
And the Lord gives us further teaching on that. But again, if we look at the dispensational outline here, the real point here is that man is dead and that the only blessing for mankind is in new creation, which is based on death and resurrection. That's the great secret here, isn't it? If we look at it from a broader standpoint. So she didn't, she wasn't looking so much at the future resurrection. But the lesson here is.
The short term resurrection again, that's what John gives us. He gives us the final failure of mankind and the only means of blessing for mankind, not just in the future resurrection, true as that is, but in new creation which we have in Christianity.
It's interesting too, in connection with what Bruce has said, and I was thinking of it, that.
A man like Lazarus raised from the dead. He entered the grave again later on, as did the others who were raised by the Lord, including those that were raised at the resurrection when the two the graves were open and many came out of the holy city and appeared to many. And it's interesting that apart from those, there the three specific individuals that are raised by the Lord Jesus in his pathway, where all the oldest was a man, Lazarus in his prime.
00:35:30
They were younger, a 12 year old girl, the widow of named son Lazarus. I have no doubt a man in his prime. The Lord never we read. I've raised an elderly person from the dead. Why it really wouldn't have been merciful to raise an elderly person from the dead who if the aches and pains of life and the limitations of old age or about to go through those things. And so it was always those who were were younger in those three specific cases.
Because, and I think it's important to realize it was more of a resuscitation. It was a temporary thing and it was those who would have had a life before them, naturally speaking, that he raised.
This is really changing things, isn't it? It's, it's, uh, it gives the Lord the opportunity to set aside the law as it were, and to present himself as the one the I am.
He is God and as God, he has the power and source of both resurrection and life. But now it's a change condition, isn't it? It's not on what you can do by keeping the law. It's it's by faith, isn't it? So he finishes it by saying, uh, in verse 25, Jesus saith unto her, I am the resurrection and the life and he that believeth in me. Now that's different, isn't it? It's different than what it was before because this is taking up a whole change of things.
Uh, as to man in his lost condition, unable to pro to, to do anything in himself to please God, he's failed in every way. And now there's a new source for this life and it's through Christ. And it says he that believeth in me, though he were dead.
Yet so he lived and so it's, it's developing something, umm, a greater than what Martha could have ever understood, uh, as to what was going to happen through Christ finished work. And so we mentioned yesterday I think it's uh, perhaps I think it's a help. I know a number weren't here yesterday, but.
Brother Eric Smith used to mention that John's Gospel can be divided into three parts quite easily.
And we remember from the very first chapter, he came unto his own and his own received him not. And So what we have rather in the 1St 11 Chapters is imparting of new life. This is the climax of the first section. And that the, uh, the theme there is life. And as we can see, ultimately it's life and resurrection in new creation. And then secondly, as we see beginning in chapter 12 is more or less.
Transitional, but in chapters 13 through 17 we have the so-called Upper Room ministry.
And there he's giving them light as to their new position, which we know of course would be Christianity. And then of course, in the last chapters, 18 to the end, we have love There the Lord demonstrated his love in the most absolute way possible and some, and, and he also demonstrated it in restoring Peter too, didn't he, in the last chapter? So again, uh, we have those three things.
A A simple Outline of the Book of John. Life, Light and Love.
The epistle is divided that way as well. John's epistle. There are some 10 different incidences like this in Scripture.
There are some 10 different incidences like this in scripture. Help me now.
Elijah raised the son of the woman of Surrepta. Elisha raised the woman's son that was with son and the son he died.
Umm he they cast the bones of of a man into Elijah Elijah's grave, and he man was revived and lived.
Then you have the three cases that Jim mentioned in the life of the Lord Jesus. That would be 6. There's the 727th chapter of Matthew when in his resurrection the grace were open some rays. There was darkest Peter raised Dorcas, and there was Utica's.
00:40:01
So I don't know if I got them all, but uh, there is a number of incidences like this in Scripture. None of them are to do with the resurrect, first resurrection of glory. And the first resurrection to glory has three phases to it. Christ, the first fruits and they which are his that is coming is the second, which will be what we're looking for, waiting for the rapture.
And then at the end of the tribulation period, after all the martyred Saints in the tribulation, the number reaches the total that God would have, then they are raised just at the period of Christ. All are partake in what we call the first resurrection, which is a resurrection of glory.
Yes, and that's what distinguishes the first resurrection. Everyone involved in the first resurrection has a heavenly portion. Those tribulation martyrs, they go directly to to to heaven. I used to ponder why they had their part in the first resurrection when it was after the rapture and so on. But Eve, I say again, everyone that has their part in the first resurrection has a heavenly portion for eternity. Mm-hmm.
Is there any different help on uh non 529?
Well, there's 1000 years plus between these two events, isn't there? Because those that come forth onto damnation are going to be raised to stand at the Great White Throne Judgment. And they're going to stand there in their sins. They're going to be naked before God, so to speak. And they're going to be, the books are going to be opened and they're going to be judged and they're going to be taken and cast hand and foot into the lake of fire. It's called the second death.
It's eternal separation from God.
So we're looking for an event to take place now, the rapture, the coming of Christ. Then after the dead in Christ arise and we with them rise to meet the Lord in the air, then we know there's going to be a number of events, including the tribulation. There's going to be the Millennium and so on, and then the great White Throne. Judgment is the last great act of time and the first great act of eternity. It really is what bridges time and eternity. They're raised to stand there.
And the reason they're there is because they've rejected God's testimony, whatever it was, in the age in which they lived, they rejected God's testimony. And they're there for that, for that final judgment. And it will be a very solemn thing. If there's someone here today and you're not saved and you're not looking forward to the momentary return of the Lord Jesus, which may be before this meeting is concluded, then you will be raised too. But let me just say this a little different.
You know, we talk about life and those of us who know Christ, we have eternal life and we're going to live with Christ forever. But I've often said in commenting about the wicked dead that are raised, they are going to exist in a lost eternity with a body that has feelings and emotions. They'll be tormented, they'll feel, I believe, thirst and they'll have a conscience to gnaw at them for all eternity.
But rather than say they live for eternity, I prefer to say they exist for eternity because life has to do with those who are, who are in Christ, those who are associated with Christ. It's heath light. He's not just the giver of life, He's life himself. The resurrection and the life. I am the way, the truth and the life. It's John's ministry. And so we're going to live with Christ for all eternity.
Where the possessors of eternal life, Now we're going to the same life we're going to have for eternity. The wicked dead are going to exist. Perhaps it's better to say than to live. They're going to exist for all eternity. But it will be eternal separation. And so awful will it be that it's called the second death. It's eternal separation from God, his love, and from Christ. Believers that have died live, live again, don't they? Yeah, but it says in Revelation.
When they stood before the great white throne, I saw the dead, small and great stand before. God never says they live again. That doesn't mean, of course, soul death. As we said yesterday, they're fully conscious. We know that for all eternity. But nonetheless, they're spiritually dead. That's the second death.
00:45:05
Debt is separation. Yeah, they're separated from God forever. Thank.
You, Vern, and we said that sleep is taken up in three different ways yesterday and death is as well. And death always denotes the separation of two things. Physical death is in James. The body without the spirit is dead. You know, we talked yesterday about near death experiences and so on. Only God knows when the spirit leads the body. And so the spirit it's the separation of the body and the spirit. The body without the spirit is dead. Spiritual death. We're born we're we're dead in trespasses and sin. Why?
Because your iniquities have separated between you and your God, sin has separated. You see that immediately in the garden. Sin separated Adam from the communion and fellowship he enjoyed with his, with his creator God. So sin separates. And then the second death, as we said, it's referred to as death because it's eternal separation from God. So what we have here is, is the development of a deeper relationship that will go on forever.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. So it says here, it says umm. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. It's just the opposite of what we're talking about, of those who will never enjoy the presence of God ever. For us, it's just the opposite. We will never die. We will always enjoy the presence of God and his love forever.
Now it's interesting, isn't it, that as the Lord brings this out to Martha, he seems to be talking about things that she doesn't understand. And I've wondered, brethren, if that isn't why she goes and calls for Mary. You know, we mentioned yesterday that Mary of Bethany speaks to us of divine intelligence and divine things, having sat at the feet of the Lord Jesus as a learner in Luke 10.
She seemed to enter into things more. And let me repeat what somebody else said yesterday. But I think it's helpful that that's why you never see Mary later on, either at the foot of the cross or at the empty tomb. You see other Mary's there like Mary Magdalene, because she's a picture of divine affection, of affection and divine things. And it was right and proper in her character to be both at the foot of the cross and at the empty tomb. But Mary, Speaking of divine intelligence, is not there.
And I wonder if Martha didn't realize this at that point. And here the Lord is talking about some pretty deep things, some things that really she hasn't been able to grasp and enter into. So to me, it's just as if Martha's I, I'm gonna call Mary, she'll understand. Mary will know what the Lord is talking about. Now, it's true, as we said yesterday, that we don't read of the Lord telling her to go and call for Mary. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Again, we don't want to read in more than is there.
But nevertheless, I suggest that Martha goes and calls for Mary, and one reason at least is because she realizes that Mary has more intelligence in these things than she did. And isn't there a little practical lesson for us? You know, I'm thankful for brethren that I can go to, and I know they're going to give me a script and an answer from the Word of God to some question or enigma I have that I haven't been perhaps close enough to the Lord or sitting at his feet enough to enter into. But I say, oh, that brother's been sitting at the feet of Jesus. That brother's been studying the Word of God.
I know that brother will give me an answer that's according to Scripture. Martha seemed to recognize that in Mary. And I'm thankful for sisters who've been a help to me in that regard, too. Not just some brothers, but I've had some Marys in my life who've been a tremendous help when it comes to the truth of God.
Might we say though, in the end of verse 26?
Martha has just been given a tremendous revelation and he says believe us thou. This verse 27 is a pretty deep thing to say.
He saith unto him, Yeah, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which cometh into the world. That's a tremendous thing to say. And she's learned this by going through a great trial, that Christ has identified himself with her and has instructed her in a more perfect way, in a more rich and wonderful way, and she seems to acknowledge it.
00:50:04
Am I? Am I is that wrong?
Yes, she does. But yet I wonder if she really understood even what she says by faith here. What do you think, Bruce? Yeah, could be.
But it is a tremendous, it's a tremendous statement to make. Like Peter, who had said, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Found again, it is the budding of Christianity, isn't it? That's the real theme here. We can talk about resurrection and we can bring that in here, but the real theme, she understood the resurrection in the future days. She didn't understand the two resurrections. Think that's Christian truth only, isn't it? But she did, she did under.
She did understand the future resurrection, but that wasn't the issue and what the Lord is bringing before her in that verse she mentioned that I believe is that.
There's going to be a new creation, and that's Christianity. And that again why? That's again why John's gospel is often called the budding of Christianity. They're slowly being brought in to the fundamental truths of Christianity.
Would this have any, uh, bearing on Romans one and the fourth verse? Not how it reads in the King James, but just look at that verse it says.
The Son of God, he declared the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection. Now if you read in the margin, it says of such as we're just this was a proof.
That he was the son of God, not just his resurrection, but that he raised people and, and, and like, uh, Bruce has just said it wasn't. It was just raising them up and giving them life, but they were gonna die again. But it was a proof that he could do that. So it showed that he was the son of God. Is that what that first means? Yes. And that word dead. Yeah. That you just read to the resurrection.
From the dead, a resurrection of the dead. The word dead there in the original language is in the plural, so it should be in the resurrection of dead ones. Yeah. Including his own resurrection. Yeah. So this would be referring to the widow's name, Son, this daughter Lazarus, and so on.
It was resurrection, wasn't it? You mentioned the word resuscitation. I think resurrection was a better way, don't you think? Because people talk about people being re resuscitated. It wasn't that he did raise him from the dead. What you mean, I think is that he was, he raised them to that natural life that was switched to his diet reference to. But it was resurrection. Yeah, not yet necessary. Good. Kind of like that. And we know that because he's been dead 4 days. There was no doubt.
And he said, uh, he was starting to dictate the body was starting to break down. And I believe the Lord allowed those four days. I know there's a prophetic character, dispensational character, as we mentioned yesterday. But I believe the Lord allowed those four days in the beginning of the deterioration of the body to make it very clear that this was res indeed resurrection. He'd been dead four days.
Well, it's interesting too, that when Mary rises up to go to meet the Lord, the Jews follow her. As we said yesterday, Mary had a great testimony, but they thought they were going to follow her to the grave. That's not where Mary was going. Mary was going to the feet of Jesus. It wasn't to go to the grave, but it was to go to the one who was the resurrection and the life, the one she knew could comfort her and her her sorrow.
And it's interesting too, as you go through this account, we find that Martha, she talks to the Lord, but not Mary. She goes beyond that. She weeps with the Lord, she weeps at the feet of Jesus. But it's interesting too, that when Martha goes, it doesn't say she goes to the feet of Jesus, but when Mary goes, she not only goes to the Lord, but she goes to his feet. Now, why? Well, again, and I don't want to sound mundane or repetitive, but it is interesting that there are only three times in the Gospels.
That Mary of Bethany is mentioned by name. Now I stress by name because I think there's other times she's alluded to, but not by name. And in all, on all three occasions, she's at the feet of Jesus. She's at the feet of Jesus, as we said earlier, as a learner in Luke chapter 10, she sat at His feet and heard His word. If we were to go ahead to the 12Th chapter of John, she's at his feet again, and there she's at his feet as a worshipper.
00:55:24
Here she's out of his feet in sorrow in connection with the death of his brother. Brethren, where do we go when there are trials and difficulties? Do we go to the feet of Jesus? That's where we're going to find the real comfort. That's where we're going to find the strength for the the situation. That's where we can truly weep and find solace. And so going to having sat at his feet as a learner, she entered into his heart.
And now she knew where to turn in her sorrow, and she goes and falls at her feet.
You know she wet his feet with tears, as a Sinner perhaps, but now she wept his feet as in her tears as a St. As a St. And brethren, we can do that and just think of the Lord of life and glory standing there.
In the town of Bethany.
And that woman weeping at his feet must have really touched his heart. Think of how his heart was touched and how it must have meant to him to have one he loved so much.
Come to him, knowing what he was going to do, but allowing her to weep at his feet and to find her soul is there before he comes to the grave and rat razors her brother. We can understand why she would weep.
But why did the Lord weep when He had the solution right at hand?
Because He had a heart of sympathy, and He entered into their difficulty, their trouble, and sorrowed with them, even though He had right at hand and He was about to exercise the remedy and raised Lazarus. This is the Lord that we have as a Savior, and I wouldn't trade Him for anything. What a wonderful Savior we have. He's a comforter as well. Is this Isaiah 53?
Where he bore our greens and carried our sorrows.
What a commentary that is.
The Lord Jesus walking through the creation that he had made.
And seeing it in the condition that it was, how he felt it.
Brethren, it's not wrong to groan.
Burlington is not complaining.
Raise a complaint.
Saying I'm not.
An agreement with what's happening here. The groaning is recognizing that things are not the way God mentioned to be. They had fallen into such a state of decay that when the Lord looked at it, he groaned.
He was troubled.
It's not amazing to think about brother in 2000 John 14 last night your heart be troubled.
He was troubled.
He spelled it completely everything that.
This world is going through now he feels that God is not insensitive, healed equally.
Could we say there's a difference between uh, where it says he groaned and wept, the identification with the sufferings and the feelings of those that are suffering? But when it says later in verse 2038, it says Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. That seems more personal.
It's the groaning that you have in verse 38 is a groaning over the hardness of the heart of man and the unbelief.
And him because you look at the floor that it's verse 37. Some of them said, could this man which opened the eyes of a blind could have caused even this dead man to have died. There was no faith there in that statement. And Jesus therefore connecting it again, groaning in himself. And so the Lord the mighty Savior groans over the hardness and the unbelief that sin has affected in his creatures that they could be so blind when the light was shining at full day strength in the daytime.
01:00:11
Right in their faces, they were standing in the presence of him who was like, they couldn't see it, couldn't see it. And he groaned. You get it again in chapter 13 in connection with the, uh, Judas turn to chapter 13 and verse umm.
21.
Verse 20. To pick up the connection. Verily, verily, I stay unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send it now of.
Umm, verse 18. I speak not of you all, I know whom I have chosen, but the Scripture saith that it may be fulfilled. Edith with me, bread with me, hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it comes, that when it is come to pass, that ye may believe that I am he, verily, verily I say unto you, he that receiveth in whomsoever I send receiveth me, and whosoever he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.
When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and that could be translated. He was groaned in spirit and said, verily, and testified, saying, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray Me, and so on. And so this was the groaning that he had in connection with what sin and Satan had done in the heart of this poor S poor Sinus Judas, that he would turn against the Lord and betray him. At that time. He felt that keenly in his soul. These are what we call.
That the sufferings of a martyr, not just suffer in his body being beaten by a man and so on, and eventually crucified, but he suffered the reproach and the rejection. It goes along with martyrdom, and he felt it keenly. In fact, his heart and soul flashed forward at this moment, right down through the long range of time to the tribulation period when the Jewish remnant will suffer at the hands of Antichrist. And he entered into the sufferings of the remnant at this time.
And empathize with regard to their situation as well. And it's beautiful, isn't it, to see that before you have his groaning as to what we've just been saying. He groans and weeps in sympathy with these two sisters. He felt it. I'd like to go back to Ed's comment a moment ago about Isaiah 53, verse four, because that has been a very misapplied verse.
But let's read it in Matthew's Gospel when the Lord when it's quoted in connection with the Lord Jesus in his pathway in Matthew chapter 8, because there you really get the context. That verse in Isaiah 53 does not refer to his atoning sufferings at the cross as it has been misapplied. But we find in Matthew chapter 8 and verse 16 when the even when the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils.
And he cast out spirits with his word and healed all that were sick, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying, now he's going to quote the verse himself, took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses, showing that as the Lord Jesus went about and as he came in contact and touched the leper, put his eyes hand on the eyes of the blind, touched the ear of the deaf, he felt with that person very keenly.
What they were going through and the effects that sin had brought into this to this world. And so we find now at the grave of Lazarus, at the end of his pathway, he's still feeling this very keenly. Now what I want to say next, I want to say very, very carefully, brother, but I do believe this, that after 30 some years of life in this world, the Lord Jesus never became insensitive or indifferent to sin and its effect.
Not beautiful to realize.
He felt it just as keenly at the end of his pathway. And I say that because you and I tend to get used to sin and its effects. We mentioned it the other day, but not just in connection with sin, but just the trials and difficulties of life. You know, we, we go through something, maybe we lose several loved ones in a row or family or friends. And you know, we kind of get callous. We built up, build up some scales and we kind of become callous and maybe even a little indifferent to it.
01:05:01
We go through some sickness or trial and after a while we kind of slide into neutral and, and, and, and we, we, we become a little insensitive to it. But the Lord Jesus never did. And as we mentioned yesterday and let me re quote the verse of a hymn we quoted yesterday. He in the days of feeble flesh poured out his cries and tears. And though ascended feels afresh what every member bears 2000 years plus since he's ascended, if he still feeling it as keenly as he felt it.
At the grave of Lazarus. Did he feel the sorrow of Jeff and Heidi as keenly yesterday as they stood by the grave, as he did when he stood by the grave of Lazarus? Indeed he did. And thou ascended fields afresh. What every member bears. How wonderful, brethren, do you and I really appreciate and enjoy this precious truth that He's there with us in the trial. He's living for us as our high priest. He's not only sympathizing, but he's empathizing with us.
So we've said already there's nothing you and I passed through in the path of faith and service that He doesn't feel keenly himself. He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He felt their infirmities and sicknesses when he was here, and he feels them afresh with you and with me. Oh, you say nobody knows what I'm going through. Just look up. There's one on the right hand of God that does. There's a.
Good luck. Dairy, domestic. We becoming we become insensitive sometimes. And sometimes I and I'm sad to say I've even said it to my girls. Well, deal with it. We gotta get on with life. Just grit your teeth and de and deal with it. The Lord never became insensitive to what any of his own pass through when he was here. And he'll never be insensitive to anything we passed through. But you were gonna say something, Bruce.
Well I was just gonna say there is 1/3 occasion when the Lord Jesus groaned.
This is at the cross.
It says and I no, it says in Psalm 22, My God, my God.
Why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou silent from the the roaring of my words? The word roaring is groaning. The words of my groaning if you check that.
I didn't quote diverse property, but from the words of my roaring should be translated from the words of my groaning.
So in this Tabernacle we groan, and the whole creation groan. Every level of creation feels the effects of sin. And so again, it's not wrong to groan. The Lord groaned, as you say in his pathway. He groaned at the cross and we groan, but He fully understands.
How someone could help us with this thought? But very interesting that when it says Jesus wept and it's the only time I believe in scripture that this word web is referred to.
He weeps in loop 19 but it's a different word for weekly and it's carries with the thought of a *** or a audible moaning or feeling. But here when he wept.
It's a silent thing. It's just simply the shedding of tears without feeling any sound, and it shows, perhaps.
The sympathy that he had in his heart. We've often been in a situation where if the.
Silent tears that comes forth, nothing said, but it's a tender feeling. I'll grab someone to compromise. I thought it was remarkable. But it's the only time we can be first and then always a particular way.
I was going to mention that myself, but the whaling is what the other word is in Luke 19. He, he was a weeping out laudably, but here it is weeping of silent tears. That's the actual meaning of the word.
01:10:01
There's another occasion when we find that the Lord web that's the Garden of Gethsemane.
Hebrews chapter 5 says that he prayed to him who was able to save him from death with strong crying and tears.
So you have another example there.
So our blessed Savior was truly a man. As uh, umm, brother, sister has been mentioning, He is indeed a man. He feels things that all men feel. That's the point I'm sure that we're making here.
And he's a savior that enters into every trial and every problem that we have. But he likes us to bring the problem to him. And that's what the your sisters did, and they got a blessing from it.
I know the.
First divisions aren't inspired, but it's often been pointed out the contrast of the two shortest V verses in our English Bible. In the New Testament, the first divisions are very helpful, but this is perhaps the shortest verse in our English version. Well, I'd say perhaps it is. Jesus wept what volumes it speaks. But if we go over to 1St Thessalonians 5, we have the second shortest verse, at least as far as English letters are concerned.
Rejoice evermore. And what a contrast that is. Rather than the one who groaned and wept as he walked through this world is now the one who, as the man of patience, is living for us at the right hand of God and waiting for the moment when he's going to have us with himself. And he says, in the meantime, rejoice evermore. That doesn't mean we don't weep. It doesn't mean we become insensitive to the things we pass through. But I think Paul summed it up rather succinctly. He said sorrowful.
Yet always rejoicing, Paul felt very keenly what he and his brethren were going through. Paul no doubt shed many tears. In fact, he says to the Ephesian elders serving the Lord with many tears. And those tears were no doubt, at least in part, for the difficulties and circumstances that many he knew were going through. And he says sorrowful, yet always rejoice things through the sorrow. Brethren, we can rejoice evermore. We don't just have a lot to rejoice in, we have everything to rejoice in.
In Romans 8 we have 3 groanings. In Romans 8 there are three groanings.
Time's up, maybe we can take it up next time we're together. But there's three groanings in Romans 8. Very instructive.
225.
01:15:42
Nsnoise I still haven't done.
My.
Lawn and by never.
Taking.
The forecast.
Whom Jesus Loved
Address—Jim Hyland
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Let's stand and sing #2 in the appendix and if someone will please start it.
Yes, my Love's on changing.
And.
Three call my heart.
To joy in all its brightness.
Love it deemed them part, yes.
More familiar, it's brighter.
Glorious.
Perfections.
Much better, should I know?
Discover.
If clouds have dimmed my.
Sight.
When past eternal lover.
RC answer The Art of Art Bright.
OK.
And Jesus.
Providing.
Still.
With it.
And if I.
Wander teach me soon back to.
The to play.
Gracious.
Favor.
Way to my soul be.
Myself shall crown.
Let's ask God's help and blessing our blessed God and Father how thankful we are this afternoon for the Lord Jesus Christ. And we thank Thee for that great love that we have been brought into the sunshine of. We thank Thee that we enjoy that love now, and that we're going to enjoy it for all eternity unhindered. There in the Father's house. We thank thee now for this happy day we've been enjoying together. And as we have Thy word before us once again, we pray.
00:05:13
That there might be that which would encourage us, edify it, build us up, whatever the need might be, stir us up. We do pray, speak to our consciences, touch our hearts. We pray that these things might be real and that they might get down into our feet and have a practical effect on our lives. So we ask by help and blessing, we pray that that will help us to stay alert and to take in what thou has to say to us. So we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for his glory.
Have it on my heart this afternoon to really take up the same line of things that our brother Bruce brought before us yesterday afternoon, and that is to speak a little further concerning the love of God and the love of the Lord Jesus. It's a vast subject. It's the subject that we cannot exhaust here, and it's that which we will enjoy in a far deeper way when the hindrances are removed and we're safe home in the Father's house.
We're going to, in a little while, look at 5 expressions in the book of John and take them up in their context, their expression. They're an expression that we are all very familiar with, an expression that has been spoken on many times before. And that is the expression that John uses in connection with referring to himself in the last part of his gospel, the gospel. He was used to pen by inspiration, and that is the expression.
The disciple whom Jesus loved. But before we do that, I'd like to connect three other scriptures in the Gospel of John. The first one is in John's Gospel chapter 3.
Johns Gospel chapter 3.
And just the first clause of verse 35.
The father loveth the son. Now turn to the 17th chapter.
Chapter 17 and verse 23.
I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hath loved them as thou hast loved me. And then back in the 15th chapter.
Chapter 15 and verse 9 As the Father hath loved me.
So have I loved you. Continue ye in my love. And then one further verse again in the 15th chapter, this time the 12Th verse. This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Well, we often speak of the love of God, the love of the Lord Jesus, And we often begin with ourselves, don't we? We often think of how God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.
We often quote, and rightly so, the apostle Paul's words in Galatians, the Son of God, who loved me.
And gave himself for me and brother, that's wonderful young people. That's wonderful to be able to have in our souls an appreciation of the love of God in sending his Son for us and the Lord Jesus in coming and giving himself. I love to quote that verse. The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me heard of a young couple and they had just got married and moved into a new home. And someone had given them for a wedding gift, that text, and they hung it in the front room of their home. The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
And someone came in to do some business with them. And while they were out of the room, he was sitting there reading that verse over and over again to himself. And when they came back in the room, they said, no wonder you're happy if you really believe that. And we really do believe it. We can stand if we know Christ. We can stand with the apostle Paul and echo those glorious words, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. But I really believe that to understand and appreciate the love of God for for us.
And the love of the Lord Jesus. For us, we need to start with God and His Son, and that relationship between the Father and the Son that has existed for a past from a past eternity. And that's why I connected these verses in John's Gospel, because we find here where we started. It's not so much the Father's love for His children or the Lord's love for his own, but the Father loveth the Son.
00:10:25
You have these this confirmation three times in John's Gospel. You have it in the 5th chapter, I believe it's verse 20. And you have it again in the 10th chapter. I believe you can look it up. I believe it's verse 17.
3 Confirmations as to the love of the Father. For the Son, Always think of the eternal Son of God, the Lord Jesus, the one who was daily the delight of the Father.
You know when it says he was, I was daily his delight. That's not referring exclusively to his incarnation. In fact, it takes us back if we read that portion in Proverbs. In its context, it takes us back to a past eternity. It's true that the sun was daily the delight of the Father as he walked here on earth and heaven would open up and a voice declare, this is my beloved Son.
In whom I am well pleased, there was an object in this world that finally commended the place, and the Father in all heaven delighted to look down at that blessed One walking here in this world in incarnation. But I say He was daily the delight of the Father from a past eternity. He was the love of the Father from a past eternity. And so the Father loveth the Son. Oh, think of this again, I say. It's hard to not begin with ourselves.
But to begin with this, because until we understand the love of the Father for the Son, we cannot have a real appreciation in our souls of his love for us. And so the Father loveth the Son. But then isn't it tremendous to go from that point to the 17th of John? And there we realize that as the Lord expressed it, the Father loves his own.
With the same love that He loves His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and that tremendous to think about, brethren, to think of that love. You see, again, as I say, we can't appreciate His the Father's love for His children unless we understand in some measure the Father's love for his well beloved Son. Because the Lord Jesus will remain the only Begotten of the Father for all eternity. There's a special relationship.
So, Well, when we get to heaven, it's true we're all going to be as the children of God, like Christ, but we will never take the place of the only begotten of the Father, the one that he loved from a past eternity, but nevertheless the love that he is showered upon you and me. The love we're with the Father loves each of his children, is the same love that he has for his well beloved Son. Oh, just to stop and think about it.
I just offer offer you a little exercise that has been good for my own soul and that is to sometimes just get alone in the presence of God the Father and the Lord Jesus and let them love you. Not saying you pray you don't read your Bible. Yes, we do those things, of course, but just try it sometime. Just get a loan. Just sit quietly and have a sense of his presence and those everlasting arms that are about you. You know when there are two individual who love one another.
Sometimes they may go a long time without actually saying words. They may drive in their car together, they may sit in their home together, and there may not be necessarily words ex exchanged, but they just sit in the enjoyment of one another's presence, in the enjoyment of one another's love. And I believe that it's a good exercise for all of us to just sit down quietly and let the Father love us.
Enjoy the love.
Of the Lord Jesus. Because as we have in first in John chapter 15, we find that we are loved by the same love. First of all, that the Father loves the Son is the same love he has for His children. And the love that the Lord Jesus has for you and me is the same love. For with His love of His Father, it's no less love we are loved within it in with the intensity.
00:15:05
Of a divine love. It's the same love that the Father has for the Son is the same love that the Son that and and has for his children is. The same love that the Lord Jesus loves each of His of His own. It's remarkable to realize that when you go back to the beginning of what we often refer to as the upper room ministry, we have a confirmation of the Lord's love for His own, for the disciples.
I know it's often been pointed out, but I'm going to take a moment.
To rehearse some scriptures in our ears once again that I trust will touch our hearts. They've touched mine. But it's often been pointed out that when you have in Scripture, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, a confirmation of God's love or the love of the Lord Jesus, it's usually at a time when the people of God were going on poorly. Isn't that interesting? Lest we be mistaken and think that He only loves us.
When we're going on, Well, because divine love has been already pointed out in these meetings, well, it delights in a response from its object, and it does delight in a response. My son, give me thine heart. He wants that response.
But it's not dependent on it. Natural love, to a very large degree, is dependent on two things, something lovable in the object and a response from that object. How often have we seen a young man who showed some interest or affection to towards a young lady? And there was no response, And eventually those affections waned and perhaps they were directed somewhere else. But divine love is consistent in its outflow and its outpour. And so we find in the Old Testament the very thing we're Speaking of.
It's remarkable when you go to the history of the children of Israel. But it says, yeah, he loved all the people. That statement is not made at the beginning of the history of the children of Israel when they were singing people on the banks of the Red Sea. If it's said in the 15th chapter of Exodus, he loved all the people, you'd say, oh, I can understand that They were in the freshness of redemption and deliverance. They were a singing people rejoicing in what the Lord had done for them. Did he love them there? Of course he did. But at the end of the wilderness journey is when it says.
Yeah, he loved all the people. After those 40 years or so, was his love for them any less? And what kind of a people had they been? Why, every page of their history from the banks of the Red Sea on was stained with murmuring and complaining and fault finding and sin and the governmental hand of God upon them in one way or another. But I say he loved them just as intensely.
With the same love on the banks of the Jordan as he had loved them on the banks of the Red Sea. Then we come over a little further on in their history. We find that after they're in the land and established, there's further failure to such a degree that by the time Jeremiah comes on the scene, God has allowed in his governmental ways that the people of God to be taken captive. He has accused them of adultery because.
He had espoused them to himself, and they had divided affections. They'd gone after false gods, and it was a very serious thing. But did he love them any less than when they had crossed the the Red Sea or the Jordan? Not for one moment, he says in Jeremiah. I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Yay, with loving kindness have I drawn they. And then we come to the 13th chapter of John. And it isn't at the beginning of the history of the disciples, in following the Lord during their His public ministry, no.
It's at the end of their pathway with the Lord Jesus, just before he's about to go to the cross and then return to the Father.
It says, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. There had been plenty of failure, and there was plenty more to follow. Judas was going to betray him. Peter was going to deny him. All the disciples were going to forsake him and flee. Did he love them any less than when he had first chosen them? Not for one moment. And then, just to round out the picture, when we come over to the Book of Revelation, we find that John writes to seven assemblies in Asia Minor at that time.
00:20:07
Assemblies carefully chosen by the Spirit of God according to their condition.
Do you know there's only two assemblies of those seven that he confirms his love to one is Philadelphia. And you say, oh, I can understand why he confirmed his love to Philadelphia. They were seeking to keep his word and not deny his name. I understand that. But then you come to Laodicea. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Did he love them in The Assembly and Laodicea any less than he loved them in Philadelphia? No. There was much wanting in Philadelphia.
Their hearts weren't going out to the person of Christ like they should have been. They were. There was complete indifference to his claims. There was lukewarmness, but he loved them just the same. And so we find where we further read in John 15. Then the Lord Jesus gives a little exhortation to his own in light of the three previous scriptures that we have noted. Because again, let me recap. We found first of all.
That's the Father loves the Son. And that same love that the Father loves the Son is the same love wherewith he loves all of his children. And that same love that the Father loves the Son and his children is the same love that the Lord Jesus loves each of his own. And then he says where we where we read in the 12Th verse, this is my commandment that you love one another. And he doesn't stop there. Notice what he says.
As I have loved you, you know, this might my own conscience and my own heart. We are not told in Christianity to simply love one another or to love our neighbor as ourselves. No, it goes far, far beyond that. We are to love the people of God with the same love that the Father loves the Son. We are to love the people of God with the same love that the Father loves his children.
We are to love the people of God with the same love that the Lord Jesus loves us personally with. There is no less standard for love amongst the people of God than that divine love that we heard about from our brother Bruce yesterday. Isn't that searching, brother? How much is it true in your life and mine that we love one another with that same divine love?
Because our love, displayed practically 1 to another, is a testimony to the world, the Lord Jesus said on this very occasion. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one with another. And so may we by seek by grace, to enjoy and enter into more the love of the Father and the Son, that the love of God might be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, that there might be not on the basis of compromise.
But that there might be that love shone forth in a practical way amongst the people of God. But now, as I say, I'd like to look at the five times in John's Gospel where John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. It's interesting that he never refers to himself in this way until after the confirmation of the Lord's love at the beginning of the 13th chapter.
After it's confirmed that having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. Then five times subsequent to that, John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. The first time is in the 13th chapter. Let's read it.
Chapter 13 and we'll begin reading at verse 21.
When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified and said.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one to another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus breast, said unto him, Lord, who is it? Before I comment specifically on this particular portion, I would just say that as we go through these five times that John refers to himself in this way. We're going to notice that in all but one of these occasions Peter and John are very closely connected, because we are taught sometimes in Scripture by contrast, and we're going to see a little bit of a contrast with these two men.
00:25:20
Peter seems to style himself as the disciple who loved Jesus.
And I believe he did love the Lord. He loved the Lord very much. When Peter said, though I'll deny thee, yet will not I deny thee, I don't think that was just an idle boast. But Peter had to learn by bitter experience the truth of the verse that says he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. If we're going to trust in our own hearts as to our love for the Lord, we're going to find that we're going to fail.
We can't trust our love. Perhaps I should just say this too, that I believe, brethren, that the way our love for God and the love for Christ grows is not so much in occupation with ourselves and our love for the Father and the Son, but as we've been saying to enter in more to His love for us. That's what's really going to deepen our love for him. Again, it's often been pointed out, but we find with the Bride and the Song of Solomon.
That as she enumerates the qualities and beauties and glories of her bridegroom, it opens up to her. It opens up in her affections that perhaps had never been awakened in that way before.
And the more she goes over the qualities and glories of himself, the less she's occupied with herself, her failure and her love for him. And yet, at the end, there's no doubt that her affection has deepened. He's all together, lovely. She's entered in, in a deeper way to his love for her, simply because she's been occupied with him, with himself and that and that great love. And so I believe it's vital in our Christian lives for growth of affection, love for himself.
To be occupied with his love for us. But as I say, Peter styled himself as the disciple who loved Jesus. And it's interesting, there are three individuals in this scene. There's Peter who really loved the Lord but styles himself in that way. There was Judas who had no love for the Lord. Judas was an unregenerate man and remained as such and finally went out and took his own life and as it says, went to his own place.
But then there was the Apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. Now I suppose we've all in our mind pictured this little scene in the upper room. The Lord Jesus has, uh, conducted the eaten with the disciples, the Passover supper. He's washed their feet and there's a cloud hanging over this little company gathered around the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus knew what was in the hearts of each one of his disciples.
He knew that their hearts were troubled and afraid. He knew that Peter was going to deny him. He knew that Judas was going to betray him. The Lord Jesus knew these these things. But we find here that as he brings this out, there's these questions arise in the disciples minds and what do they do? They start to look one to another. I want to make a very, very practical comment in this regard.
Because isn't that what we often do when problems arise? You know, sometimes problems arise collectively amongst the people of God and we have a brother's meeting. And that's right. Scripture gives us the authority in the acts and so on to take these matters up that affect the local assembly in the local brothers meeting. But I have to hang my head and say that I have sat in many brothers meetings where questions have come up.
And we've looked one to another and we've hashed it over and we're no further ahead. It hasn't solved the problem. And as the disciples looked one to another here, it didn't solve the problem. It didn't answer the question. And Peter looks down the table and he sees the Lord Jesus down the table. And John leaning on Jesus bosom John's feet shortly before had been in the loving hands of the Lord Jesus.
Now he's leaning on his loving bosom.
And you know, Peter wasn't close enough at this time to ask the Lord Jesus the question that was disturbing this little company because, you know, there was already a point of departure taking place with Peter. It might be helpful to just say that when we get away from the Lord and our affections become dull and cold, it's never that we're warm one minute and cold the next. You know, when you watch a fire dying, it isn't blazing at one moment and completely out the other.
00:30:33
Of course, unless you use a fire extinguisher, doused some water on it. But in the natural course of things, that is not the way it works. And I don't believe that's the way it works with the dulling and cooling of our affections for Christ. No, it's a process of things. And Peter's heart had been full of self-confidence. We read Peter Fault later on that Peter followed afar off. He followed the Lord, but he followed afar off. You know, sometimes I do that.
There's things I wanna keep for myself, things I don't want to let go. I wanna follow the Lord, but I follow afar off. We know the sad re result of it, but what he really wants, brethren, is he wants us to have effect, fervent affection for uh for uh for himself. He wants us to be in the enjoyment of what John later refers to in Revelation as First love. I realize that collectively the church will never return to that position of first love, but it is possible.
Individually.
To be in the fervency of first love, and everyone of us ought to be in the fervency of of first love. And if we are walking close to himself, our head on his bosom, enjoying his love for us, then it will generate that fervency of first love in in our souls. And so Peter, his heart is being, is slowly getting away. Now he's sitting down the table and he's not close enough to ask the Lord this question.
But he recognizes that there's one that is. You know, I've been thankful in my experience that sometimes when I haven't been close enough to the Lord to discern his mind in something, I've been able to recognize others who are in the enjoyment of the Lord walking close to him. And I've been able to go to them. And it's been a tremendous blessing to my own soul. And so, thank God, Peter, he looks down, he looks in the right direction. He sees the Lord, but he sees the disciple. And this is the first time John refers to himself in this way.
The disciple whom Jesus loved, and he's leaning on his bosom and emotions to John to ask the Lord. And John was close enough to the Lord Jesus that he was able to look from his bosom into his face and say Lord, who is it? John wasn't trusting his love for the Lord, He was trusting in the Lord's love for for him. And you know, it's interesting that John didn't stand aside and say which of the other disciples is it?
No, John didn't even trust his own heart. I think that's precious. Because the more you enjoy the Lord's love for you, and the more your affections deepen for him, the more you realize that you can't trust your own heart. You can't trust your own love. Love for the Lord. I wanna, just before we pass on, say a little word, uh, in a uh, to to any who do not know the Lord here. Because we find, as I say, there was also Judas here.
And Judith had no love for the Lord. And I've often been reading this account, wondered, well, wouldn't the disciples have some of the disciples, or at least one of them, recognized? Who was it was that the Lord was Speaking of? Here were 12 men who had lived together and walked with the Lord Jesus in close proximity with him and with one another for over three years. You know, I've had the opportunity and privilege to travel, sometimes for several weeks at a time.
With fellow laborers, you get to know that person pretty well. After three or four weeks, the veneer begins to come off and you get to know one another pretty good. I I know there's those in this room who know me pretty well because they've had the opportunity to travel with me. But here were these 12 men who had traveled together for all these years. And so careful was Judas in his cover up that he never gave himself away. All the disciples looked at one another and said, is it I? Is it I? You think someone of the two of them would have said, well, I saw a little slip with Judas back a couple of years ago.
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No, Judas was very careful in his cover up. But the other side of it is the Lord never treated Judas in any way that would give him away. The Lord loved Judas too, and he never gave Judas away. In fact, when Judas came to betray him in the garden, he said friend in fulfillment of that scripture which says my own familiar friend which hath eaten bread at my table, has lifted up his heel against me.
And it's a very solemn warning and appeal to anyone who passes as a believer amongst the Lord's people and is not real. You might fool mom and dad, you might fool the other, but the believers that the local assembly where you attend from week to week. But you cannot fool God, you cannot fool the Lord Jesus. He loves you very much. He desires your blessing. There was a young man came to the Lord Jesus on another occasion.
And Jesus beholding him, loved him. Very unique language to the word of God.
Lord the Lord Jesus loves that man, desired his blessing. As far as we read, he went away and never entered into the blessing, never tasted of that love that the Lord Jesus had. And it would be a very solemn thing for anyone here who has passed, perhaps for years as a believer, to go out of this this room today still in their sins like Judas. Judas Eventually I say, went to a lost eternity. And so we find here this first incident.
Where John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. But now let's go to the 19th chapter.
Chapter 19.
And verse 25.
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister.
Mary the wife of Cleophus, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciples, standing by whom standing by whom he loved, he Seth unto his mother woman, Behold thy son Then said he to his to the disciple, Behold thy mother. And from that hour that disciple took her into his own home. I mentioned earlier that there is one of the five occasions when Peter is absent, and it's here at the foot of the cross.
And to my own soul he's conspicuous by his absence. Why was Peter absent on this occasion? Well, between what we had in the 13th chapter and what we have here, Peter had indeed denied the Lord Jesus three times with oaths and curses. He had stood without and warmed himself. He had gone in and sat down at that fire, associating with those who had no love for the Lord Jesus.
And it led to that sad event where he denied the Lord three times with those and curses. You know, our friends affect us, our associates can and those we are closest to will either warm us in our affections for Christ or draw our hearts away. I say Peter associated with a little company that night that had no love for the Lord Jesus, who are our closest associates and friends.
Someone has said that our friends are like the buttons of an elevator. They take us either up or down, and that's true. They take us either up or down. You know, when I was going to school, I had a godly mother, and I doubt there were many mornings that I went off to school without her quoting to us as we went out the door. Remember evil communications, corrupt good manners. I'm thankful for those exhortation. Sad to say, I didn't always take it to heart, but as I've got a little older, I realized that those that we make are closest companions.
Either draw our hearts away, or encourage our hearts toward the Lord Jesus. We need to be like the Psalmist who said, I am a companion of all them that fear thee and that keep thy precepts. Well. We find here now at the a scene at the foot of the cross, and it's striking too, that not only is Peter absent on this occasion, but none of the disciples, except the Apostle John are, are mentioned as being at the foot of the cross.
Here's John, the one who had leaned on Jesus bosom, the one who refers to himself as the disciple and Jesus love and he.
00:40:02
Of all the disciples is the one that set the foot of the cross, and as the Lord Jesus looked down in his suffering, hanging there as a spectacle between heaven and earth.
As he looked down, and as he heard the mocking and saw others passing by and reviling him, and others sitting down. To watch him in his suffering, how it must have touched his heart to see not only those women that were there in their affection and devotion to himself, but to see that one who had a short time before leaned on his bosom at supper. It must have meant a great deal to the Lord Jesus, and here is a fit vessel now.
To take care of his earthly mother. I don't think we can imagine what that must have passed through Mary's soul. You know what have been prophesied that a sword would Pierce her soul, and it did. You can imagine what must have gone through her heart as she looked out. Here was the one that she had wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a Manger. There was the one that later on, she had presented to the wise men when they came with their gifts from the East.
It was the sun that she had traveled with up to the temple at 12 years of age.
Here was the sun that she had seen at the marriage of Canaan of Galilee, when he turned the water to wine, and no doubt on many other occasions.
I I I don't want to cheapen things and I don't, again, I don't want to be fanciful, but I've often thought of Mary as the Lord Jesus was growing up. Because, you know, subsequent to the birth of the Lord Jesus and the marriage of Mary and Joseph, there were other children born into that home, natural children.
Children who must have been disobedient, children who must have sometimes had a bad attitude, and so on. But here was the Lord Jesus, growing up in that home in Nazareth, never had a bad attitude toward his earthly parents, never talked back to his mother. He was the sinless son of God growing up here in this world. And then to see him falsely accused, let outside, after being so abused, let outside the walls of Jerusalem.
And nailed to a Roman cross.
Oh, what must have gone through her mind, her soul, and what must have gone through the soul of the Lord Jesus?
As he looked down at the one who had so tenderly cared for him in his youth.
He loved his mother.
And then he looks, and he sees John there. And how it must have comforted the Lord's soul to see that disciple who was in the enjoyment of his love. And this was a vessel ready to take care of his earthly mother. The Lord Jesus could commend his mother to the care of John and John, living in the love of the Lord Jesus, and there at the foot of the cross.
Was already and a willing vessel to take Mary into his home and take care of her from that hour on. But I just wanna say to all of us, I believe what we learned from this is that what makes us fit for service for Christ is a is in the enjoyment of His love for us. If I'm worried about my love for the Lord, I'll never do anything because that can be feeble at best and that goes up and down like the mercury on the old fashioned thermometer.
But if I am living in the enjoyment of being the disciple whom Jesus loves, that makes us a fit and ready vessel for service for himself. Because where the heart is, then the feet will follow, the hands are ready in service, and whatever he asks us to do, be it great or small, is going to be done with joy if the true motivation for it is love for himself. Now let's go to the 20th chapter.
Chapter 20 And verse One the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark under the sepulchre, and see if the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runeth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them. They have taken away the lo the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth in that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
00:45:04
So they ran, both of them. They ran both together. And the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the Sepulchre. Well, we have another individual here in relationship to our subject, and that is Mary Magdalene. She's a picture of devotion to Christ. And Mary you find here on this occasion, had a heart so attracted to the person of Christ that she desired to be close to him.
Even if it meant being close to his dead body. She didn't have intelligence as to what was going on, like Mary of Bethany that we spoke of earlier, but she had a heart attracted to himself. In fact, we won't don't have time to read it. But if we were to go on and read further in this account, we find that when Peter and John come and they see the empty sepulchre and they see the linen clothes lying neatly wrapped up and so on, they're content with that.
They're content to know that the work is accomplished. He's risen and everything's in order. But nothing but the person would content Mary her heart so went out. But when the Lord did appear to her and she thought he was the gardener, she said, if you've taken him away, show me where you've laid and I'll, I'll, I'll take him. I'll take him away. I want to be close to him. So what we find here, and the reason I wanted to read this portion is because, again, John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Now you notice Peter is back in association with John Nell because there was a work already begun in Peter's soul. We're going to see in a moment that it's not quite complete. It will be complete.
Before the gospel is, is, is finished. But it wasn't complete. But there was a process of restoration taking place. It began when the Lord turned and looked at Peter after he had denied the Lord and he went out and wept bitterly and so on. And then there was a personal private interview, and we'll speak of that in a in a moment. But we find here that these two men, they when they get the news that the sepulchre is empty, they run and they start out together.
But what happens? John outruns Peter. Now, I suggest that we learn more from this than just the fact that perhaps John was in better shape than Peter. That's not the lesson that God has for us to learn in this. I believe the spiritual lesson we learn is that when the heart is engaged, a man and in a woman whose heart is engaged with Christ is the one that's going to eventually lead the way.
In any spiritual endeavor or enterprise, one of ardent fervor like Peter, Peter was it. Peter was a a man of of energy, and we appreciate that in Peter and we see it later on in the book of the Acts and so on. Wonderful trait. But his heart still hadn't been fully restored here. And so John is the one Peter leads the way to begin with, but John is the one that eventually outruns.
And if you're going to be preserved in some service or endeavor for Christ, your heart must be engaged again. It's the heart that he looks for. That's the energy. The love of Christ constraineth us. I've seen many sincere believers with a desire to serve the Lord start out well, but they ended up like Demas. Dimas hath forsaken me, having loved this present age.
Doesn't say he didn't love the Lord, but something came in that took his heart away from following with the apostle. Paul divided his affections. He didn't forsake the Lord. But it isn't enough to continue on in the path of service with just natural energy. That's not going to work in divine things. Natural ener energy can be channeled and used by God, but it's going to take a heart of that is drawn out to himself, because in the measure in which you, you seek to serve the Lord.
The enemy's gonna be right there to draw your heart away and to discourage you. And if your heart is not right, if you're not leaning on Jesus bosom, if you're not enjoying the fact that you're the disciple that Jesus loves, you're going to find that the Lord is going to have others to step in and take the lead and to carry on the work that he has. But now let's go on to the 21St chapter. There are two times here in this chapter. We'll notice them briefly in closing.
00:50:04
Chapter 21 And verse one. After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples that the sea of Tiberias. And on this wise shoddy himself there were together Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus and Nathaniel, and of Canaan and Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples, Simon Peter, Seth Unto them I go fishing, they say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship.
Immediately and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore. But the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find they cast therefore. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter, It is the Lord.
Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he gird his Fisher's coat unto him, for he was naked and he cast himself into the to the sea. You know what's interesting in this incident That Peter, when he says I go fishing, he didn't ask the other disciples to go with him, he just simply made the statement I go fishing. But Peter was in a been in a place of leadership amongst the other disciples, and such was his influence that he simply had to make the statement without requesting it.
And several other of the disciples said, we also go with thee. Now we might well question what's wrong with going fishing. Why was it wrong for Peter to go fishing? Fishing is a very noble profession. I know a number of fishermen who are the Lords, and they make a good living at at fishing. Well, Peter had been told when he was called by the Lord originally that he would be made fishers of men. He had been called to a different calling.
A calling by the Lord Jesus and to go back to that which he had left. And what had he left? Why he left a boat and a broken net. And to go back to that was not according to the mind of God. And so he says, I go fishing. His influence was that others said, we'll go with thee. But you know, in their endeavor, apart from the Lord, they caught nothing. They toiled all night and caught nothing. And then we find that in the morning the Lord Jesus stands on the shore.
And who is it that first discerns who it is that's standing on the shore? It's the disciple whom Jesus loved. I'm thankful because you know John joined the others in going fishing. John ought not to have joined the others as well. You know none of us are immune. We have to seek grace in every situation just because we're preserved through one situation, because of our enjoyment of the Lord's love for us.
Doesn't mean if we're not careful, we'll be preserved in the next situation. We can never say in Christianity that we're home free, that we've arrived and so John had joined the others. But thank God when the Lord appears here on the the shore.
John is the one who recognizes who the Lord is. In other words, in the measure in which your heart and mind enjoy His love for us, there will be a quickness of discernment and perception.
In the Lord's dealings with us in the circumstances of life, even when we get into things we ought not to.
Then the Lord can come and reveal himself to us, and I say.
If there's that love and affection that is generated out of his love and affection for us, may it be so? Well, just very quickly then I want to notice the last incident. It's in this chapter again, of course, verse 20. Then Peter turning about, see if the disciple whom Jesus loved following, which also leaned on his breast at supper and said Lord, Lord and said and said Lord, which is He that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing himself Jesus.
Says to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
Jesus said unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Now we don't have time to take up the verses that precede here, but we find that well, it's true. There had been an earlier interview with Peter privately where his conscience was reached and where there was private restoration. Now on the banks of the sea, there had been a public restoration.
00:55:02
In one case it was the conscience, perhaps, that was reached, but the heart had to be reached as well, and if Peter was going to go on and have a prominent place in the early church, there had to be public restoration.
And so we find that this restoration takes place. His heart is drawn out, and he's no longer. If we read the verses carefully, he's no longer trusting in his love for the Lord. In fact, he says, Lord, you know everything. You know you know it all. I'm not going to boast. The Lord said you love me more than than these, than the other disciples. Peter had boasted of that, though all deny the yet will not I deny thee? But now Peter's not trusting in his love for the Lord. He's resting wholly on the Lord's love for him.
And now where we read the Lord is telling Peter something of the pathway that Peter is going to have in following the Lord. There are three again. We can't go back. We don't have time. But there are three things you'll notice that the Lord brings before Peter in connection with that which was ahead for him. He was going to feed his sheep. He was going to glorify God, and he was going to fall. He was to follow the Lord. And, you know, it's interesting, I wish we had time to develop this, but it is significant and interesting that the Lord does not turn to John and say follow thou me, He didn't have to.
He didn't have to tell John to follow him. John's heart was attracted to the person of Christ. And I say again, a heart attracted to the person of Christ needs no exhortation to follow him, because that's where the heart desires to be, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also if Christ is our treasure, if his love is filling our hearts and our souls.
Where there's going to be without any command, without any bitten bridal, there's going to be the feet following as closely as possible. Oh, wouldn't it be so in your life and mine? We've looked at these scriptures very quickly. We've just skimmed the surface in connection with the love of God. First of all, the love of the Father for the Son, the love of the Father for his children.
The love of the sun for his own, The love that he desires that we would exhibit one to another. But all I say, may each one of us be so in the enjoyment of the love of the Father and the Son that we might seek as we realize that we are so loved that we might then seek grace to walk in the sunshine of that love and to follow on Brethren. The day is coming and it's not far off. We're going to sit down unhindered in the sunshine of His love and the Father's house.
And as it grips our souls, perhaps in a way it's never gripped our souls before. As we sit down there, oh, we're gonna only wonder why we didn't seek to enjoy that love more here, why it didn't more grip our souls here, why it didn't more fill us and cause us to follow on here. Oh, what a day that's going to be. But, brethren, he doesn't want us to have to wait that day to enjoy his love and to walk in the good of hi of it and the and the joy of communion with himself. He desires that for each of his children now.
May it be so in your life and mine. Let's pray our God and Father. We ask blessing on my word now.
We pray that we might have more in our souls ascent of that wonderful divine love that has been showered upon us and made known to us. We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for his glory. Amen.
John 11:35-57
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Our living God and our Father, we thank Thee for the reminder of thy love to us. Thank Thee that we can lift up our voices and sing that his lips believers well, we thank you too, that we can open up your precious word once again and be encouraged by by it and by the demonstration of Thy love. Lord Jesus to.
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Die, people, when I will now walk upon this earth, we thank you for it. We thank Thee that we can know that thou lovest thus. The same we thank Thee and I alone, worthy and precious name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
The book of John, Chapter 11. We'll start with verse 35.
Jesus wept, then said the Jews, behold how he loved him.
And some of them said, Could not this man which opened the eyes of the blind have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take the away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh, we have been dead 4 days. Jesus saith unto her, said, I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst believe, thou should see the glory of God.
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me, and I know that Thou hearest me always. But because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice. Lazarus come forth, And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
And many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees at council, and said, What do we for this man do with many miracles? If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them named Kiifis, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, You know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
And this fake He not of himself, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that He should gather together in one the children of God that are scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but he went since unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples and the Jews. Passover was not at hand, and many went out of the country.
Up to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves, then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves as they stood in the temple. What think ye that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that if any man knew where he were, he should show it, that they might take him.
Romans, chapter 8.
And uh, couple verses there in the.
First of all, you have the creation itself growing the lower creation, which would include the animals and so on.
And then you have the believers groaning, who are the first fruits of the spirit groaning within ourselves, waiting for the adoption to it, the redemption of our bodies. That's verse 23. And then you have in verse 26, the Spirit of God also making groanings that, uh, for us in our intercession that cannot be uttered. And so while the whole lore creation is groaning because of what sin has done in the creation.
The animals suffer as we suffer. They cannot articulate it or do they're not exactly intelligent as to it, but they grown. But as believers having the first fruits of the Spirit, we can intelligently articulate these things before God in prayer and bring it to him. But there are some circumstances that are so difficult to understand, even believer can't put a a mark on it. As young people say, can't get your head around it. We have to just leave it to God.
00:10:07
And the Spirit of God can articulate these things, making groanings that cannot be uttered, because the Spirit of God searches everything and knows. But one thing we do know. He goes on to say in 28th verse, is that all things work together for the good to them, that love God, and are called according to His purpose, so we can commit it to Him and leave it with Him.
Free Groanings.
In fact, I believe as those who know the Lord Jesus, we often sorrow deeper than the unbeliever, because our affections have already been awakened in a way that the unbelievers have not been awakened.
But while we GR we sorrow in a deeper way, we don't sorrow with despair. We weep, we sorrow. But it says, it doesn't say in First Thessalonians we sorrow not, it says we sorrow not as others that hath no hope. And so it's good sometimes to let the tears flow, stand at the grave of a loved one, let the tears flow. And the Lord Jesus here, he wept at the grave, O of Lazarus, in sympathy with the with the sisters.
But isn't it wonderful that we don't sorrow? We don't we with despair? There's a day coming when the creation is not going to have the effect of tears the way it does. It does now. But until then there are those sorrows and they're very real. And as we said this morning, the Lord Jesus himself never became callous or indifferent to the effects of sin and the sorrows that came in amongst those he loved and so on. And we never want to become callous or indifferent to those things either.
And so whether it's a personal loss, whether it's the loss of, uh, family member of someone we know in Christ, a brother or sister and they've lost their loved one, it's not wrong to weep with them. But we don't we with despair, we have a wonderful hope. So Jesus wept, even though he knew that in a moment or two he was going to say, Lazarus come forth.
You might ponder a moment is seeing that Jesus walks up to this grave.
It's a cave. There's a man in it. He's been dead for four days and he stinks.
And there's a great stone rolled in front of the opening.
That, uh, perhaps with typical, uh, be typical of the law locks him in place, it condemns him from having any kind of freedom at all. And that's the scene that, uh, that the Lord Jesus is looking at. It's the scene of the condition of man in this world. They've been 4000 years. God proved them and they had proved to, uh, have no way.
To be able to please God in the flesh. And the number 4 might be characteristic of the universal number. It characterizes that nobody escapes. Everybody's included those in the north and in the South and in the east and the West. So it depicts every man. Nobody is excluded from this scene. And it's it speaks to the, the condition of, of man.
In left to himself.
And now the heart of God, the love of Christ, is going to shine out to give light to this dead man.
00:15:05
I'm, I'm sorry, I asked the question. I, I didn't understand. Well, why does it say resurrection and the light? I am the resurrection and the life? Uh, is there, is there a difference? If you're resurrected? Don't you have life?
Have new life and new creation, did he? But again, the picture here, as we've spoken often, is that it's man come to the end. There's no hope for man apart from resurrection and new creation. And it's the Lord Jesus that gives that, not only resurrection.
That was really the life he had before, right?
But the picture again is that it's new creation. That's Christianity. Is that what it means?
Thank you. Yeah, that's good exclamation.
Absolutely.
From then on, we enjoy that life. We have that life right now, but then we have a life that death cannot touch.
That's definitely touch our bodies because they're connected still with the first creation effect, the life we have, and it's wonderful to enjoy that. I've been thinking the.
Apostles, when they went out to preach the gospel and the power by the Spirit of God that they manifested was something that just baffled the earthly authorities. And you can threaten, I suppose the most serious threat you can give to a person is I'll kill you. But here were men who had a life that was beyond that. So those threats have absolutely no effect because they were living in the power of resurrection life.
Beautiful. That was not the case yet here in case of, uh, Lazarus wasn't he was raised back to the natural, normal life that we have in this world.
It really baffled Paul's enemies later on, didn't it? They wanted to kill him. Paul says That's all right. For me to die is game only. Only a person in with that life could could say that. And it really, it really baffled them. Mm-hmm.
I wonder if this is the same life that we have in John chapter 20. I know it's been an enigma to many, but remember when the Lord grows from the dead.
Umm, I'll just read it there. John 20 and verse 19 Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said.
He showed unto them his hands on his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you.
As my father has sent me, Even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost. Is that that new life? Yes, it had to be a different life from what they had before, didn't it? Before his death and resurrection. So it was a new life. And it's in contrast with, uh, what we have in Genesis chapter 2, where God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul.
For there the Lord Jesus in resurrection.
Communicates resurrection life to his disciples. You look at that first Corinthians 15. I think you see it there in verse 45. It says and so does written. The 1St man Adam was made a living soul. The last Adam was made a quickening spirit or a life giving spirit. So he breathed on them. He communicated resurrection life to to disciples.
Ray Lazarus from the dead.
And so we find he comes to the grave and he asked them to take away the stone. My question is why he was going to do such an incredible miracle as raised Liza from the dead? Why didn't he just include rolling the stone away with that great work? Would have been just as easy for him to do that, but he didn't.
00:20:14
Why?
OK.
Or exhausting the scriptures here he uses.
Uh, his, the answer is he loves to associate his people with the work that he is about to do and he gives them something to do in that work and we have something to do too. What was it to expose the rottenness of the man that was in that tomb? And surely the gospel starting at Romans chapter one, two and three, we got the exposing of the rottenness of man in the flesh, But then it makes way for the Son of God to speak.
And when he speaks, life is commanded, and life is given, And here we have a soul passes from death unto life.
It's a picture of that, isn't it? And you'll find again later in the chapter when he is now risen from the grave, he turns to the disciples and says to them, loose him and let him go. Why? Why couldn't he have, with the power of his voice just allowed that to happen. With it he could have.
But he didn't because he wanted to socialate his people with the work that he was doing, and he gave them something to do with this newly, uh, resurrected man. And it brings before a shepherding work with the taking away the stone brings before his gospel work, the taking away of the clothes that were that would impede his walk is shepherding work. And these are things that he gives us to do as we work with souls that here he passes from death unto life.
Society which individually and the whole job that starts now in verse 4 where it's laid out the Lazarus, what's gonna take place with him is gonna be for God's Lord when God does something with each one of us in our own individual walk. You all have a purpose and his purpose is not just a linear one, but he's a spherical 1.
A linear one I would imagine, to explain it in the sense that you have a leg and you throw a Pebble in it.
And then you see the ripple effect goes in One Direction, but the spherical one would be one that would be able to have a multiplication all around in a spherical way. And that's the way God works with individuals. And that's what we're studying here today, is this aspect of how God works with individuals for His honor and glory. That's why He created us and was mentioned in the Garden of Eden.
That's where the separation authorities at the cross. That's where we are reunited here with Lazarus.
God not only tells his besides the Lord Jesus tells his disciples that's what's going to take place in Lazarus is to be able to magnify God's Lord.
That's in verse 40, Verse 15. He goes on to explain that.
The app that's going to take place with Lazarus.
Yes, to carve the disciples.
So now here to the Lord to believe, to see His work. That's not the worst word when He allows somebody to take place in the individual's life. Then we have in verse 19 Mary and Martha.
They are probably the ones that we have the most focus here as the one that the board is working with. But Mary and Martha, what we see is the family that is who gets affected the most.
When the Lord would take somebody like Lazarus from their midst. Now Lazarus was asked earlier why we don't hear anything about him. Well, I would just like to offer the fact that if Lazarus was able to see the glory that awaits those, that those being the company of the Lord, what exactly was he going to ask when he was concerned?
00:25:26
What? What can you say?
And then we have in verse 31 The Jews.
Family outage for 47, the priest and Pharisees. This is a religious system. It's affected by one individual by ladders and the work that's being done with them. And then we have in verse 48, the Romans, the political system is affected by one individual is that the Lord is working. So each one of us as I look at this and those as the five that perhaps have lost a loved one.
It worked our hearts as we think about it.
Because when the Lord works and takes home a loved one, he doesn't deal with the one that's been fixing home, but it deals with the ones that are left behind.
That's what the Lord is speaking to, speaking to Mary and Mark. That's the exercise of the family. But yet the result, it encourages the brethren, the disciples, it brings those from among the Jews to salvation. They believe. And it's a testimony for the religious system. It's a testimony for the political system. So everything that happens to an individual when the Lord decides to take one of his own home.
As a greater ramification than justice, those immediate families.
It has one that encompasses the whole nature of creation.
Wasn't blessed to take away the stone with it and I think.
It is something that is necessary in our gospel preaching.
The breach about sin, and it's awful of that. God takes sin extremely seriously and in the world we live in, it just is relative. That's your idea. But we need to preach it and to take away that stone and to show the awful corruption within that tomb. It's not an easy task.
But it's necessary.
Only when we realized the awful ruin that we have the basis for appreciation of God's wonderful grace and his salvation. And I think that is extremely important. It was necessary to take away the stone and then the Lord could speak his life giving earth. It's been wonderful to stand there and see him pray and as he prayed.
He said I do. You heard me always, Father, but.
How do you walk out of that too? Because the Son of God has said come forward. And when the Son of God keep the dead here, wonderful, wonderful.
I don't know rather than I'm sure he's had the experience perhaps in our relationships with those who are not delivers, but to give their word and to deceive that word penetrating. Remember a man, honey, is the gospel too. And he simply sat there and looked at me. He didn't say a word.
But in my own estimation, it seems that this, the word was penetrated to his soul and afterwards he made a clear confession to say he was. That's what God uses is his word. And if you go back to John five, it's beautiful. It's speaking about spiritual death. But what we apply and figure here in our story.
00:30:23
1525.
Very, very nice to hear the hour is coming now is.
The death shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that fear shall live.
How does God communicate through life to death? Souls prove his word. It's the Son of God speaking just like someone here preach the word.
To see it happen, well, here we have the physical resurrection of lashes. That must have been wonderful to stand there and to see and say Lazarus come forward. And they said this morning, I think it's true, if you hadn't put that qualifying name latter, you would have emptied the whole cemetery.
So we have in Peter it says we're born again, not a corruptible thing, but incorruptible by the word of God that liveth abide us forever. And that's why, as Bob said, and I just want to echo it again because I think it's vital when we present the gospel to the lost, whether it's in one-on-one or whether it's in a setting like we're going to have this evening. We need to quote and read the word of God. My telling a story about someone who almost drowned isn't going to save a soul. It might help to make a point.
Tell a story, the stories are helpful, illustrations are helpful, but what is it that God is going to use to impart divine life to soul? It's the Word of God, because it's the Word of God that lives and abideth forever. I don't want to take away from the need for preaching. And you find in the Acts there was preaching and they so spake that a great multitude believed and so on. And there's room for explanation of the word of God and so on.
But in the final analysis, it's the Word in all its living power. And brethren, I find great comfort in that because when we present the gospel, if blessing depended on our ability to explain things, that's a burden we couldn't carry around. The gospel preacher, when he stands, sits down from the podium tonight. If he, if he had any thought that the blessing of souls depended on what he had just said, the way he had just presented things, I think he would be so burdened and discouraged he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
But the comfort is it doesn't depend on our explanation, but it does depend on the Word of God in all its power. And so quote the Word of God. I encourage young gospel preachers. You're just starting out.
Memorize Scripture, turn to the word of God, read it quote it yes give some explanation as the Spirit of God leads yes seek to be as simple. I'd rather speak 5 words. Paul said that by my understanding I might teach others also and so and so on but remember the comfort is it's the living word of God and brethren, this is the only book in the on planet earth that's living. That's why you'll never exhaust it. That's why it's exceeding broad that's why God can use the most unusual scriptures and.
I'm sure we've all heard stories and perhaps there's individuals here and you were saved by some unusual or what we would think of as an obscure scripture. But it was the Word of God applied in the power of the Spirit that God used to impart divine life to everyone of us here who know the Lord Jesus.
I'd like to go back to this stone for a moment for just a little different thought on it because in John's gospel we have 2 stones that are rolled away from two different graves and for two different reasons. Now the stone was rolled away here because Lazarus came out with the same physical body that he went into the grave and there was something standing between him and coming out. And so the Lord instructed them to roll away the stone and as a result, then Lazarus, at the voice and command of the Lord, was able to come forth.
00:35:20
And resurrection life. Later on, there's a stone rolled away at another tomb.
That's the tomb of the Lord Jesus. But that stone was rolled away not so that the Lord Jesus could come out in resurrection, but so that there could be the, the, the difficulty that the they anticipated was gonna be there even as they came along. But who's gonna roll away the stone so the difficulty could be removed, and so there would be ample and complete testimony as to the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
But we know with the Lord Jesus that He had a body and resurrection that wasn't subject to physical hindrances. He could have come out of the tomb without the stone being rolled away. Later on, when the doors were shut for fear of the Jews, the Lord Jesus came and stood in the midst of the disciples. Those closed doors and those four walls were not a hindrance to Him. But I say the stone was rolled away so that the the disciples and those who were early at the sepulchre could see that He had bodily risen from the dead.
It's interesting too, that at the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, it says very specifically the graves were opened and the bodies of those Saints which slept arose and came into the holy city and so on. Why were those graves open again? They needed to be open so that the Saints could come out in those physical bodies that are we we have that are subject to physical hindrances. But it is interesting, brother, that at the Rapture it never speaks of the graves being open. Why?
Because they won't need to be. The dead in Christ are going to be raised with glorified bodies, with changed bodies. And not only that, but when they come out of the tomb and whether it's those fathoms of water or a city built long, built over that graveyard or 6 feet of earth or whatever, not gonna be a hinder. So they're gonna rise with those glorified bodies. Then it says we which are alive and remain are gonna have a change in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.
And it's interesting that the moment the twinkling of an eye is actually in connection directly with the change of the body. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall be changed. Now we talk about the rapture, and I have no doubt the whole thing will be quick, but it's actually the change of the body. Why? Because here we sit in this building this afternoon. If the Lord Jesus were to give the shout this afternoon before we leave this building, there is something between US and the cloud.
To hinder our bodies in the condition they are now from rising to meet the Lord in the air.
But there's going to be an instantaneous change of the body so that just like those who are raised from the tomb, that roof, that ceiling and that roof is not going to be a hindrance to us in rising to meet the Lord in the air. If we're going to have bodies of glory like unto his body of glory. And so we're going to rise in a moment and we're going to be going to go right up to meet him in the air. So whether it's the dead in Christ raised with the with the glorified body or we who get the instantaneous change.
Whether it's the tomb or whatever is between US and the cloud, no problem. And we're going to have change. Not new bodies. It never says new bodies, but change bodies. The Lord had the same body and resurrection that He had when He walked here as a man, when he was wrapped in swaddling clothes, when he sat on sight cars. Well, but I say it was a body and resurrection that wasn't subject to physical hindrances. And that's the body that the dead are going to receive, the dead in Christ, and that we are going to receive as well.
It's called a spiritual body, isn't it? Because.
In resurrection, he said a spirit has not flesh and bone as you see me have. So it wasn't blood the life of the body. It was spirit was the light. And I honestly think Jim, that he did rise before the stone was rolled away because.
It was just rolled away to let the people see that he wasn't there any longer. The grave clothes were there. Lane he just begging me for those wave clothes.
00:40:04
They were lying there, just as they had been around him, since there was all those heavy spices that had settled down. But there were. There were evidence to the power of his resurrection.
And there was order, as you say, and I believe too that there God always does things orderly. And just like with Lazarus, there was an order. They rolled away the stone, He came forth, they were told to take the grave clothes off him, just as the Lord, when he rose from the dead, everything was wrapped up properly and.
The napkin from around his head separate and so on. And I suggest, brethren, that when the rapture takes place, it's gonna be very orderly as well. It's gonna be a quiet, orderly exodus. We're not told what's gonna happen, but God is a God of order. You know, when the children of Israel left Egypt, it was such an orderly, quiet exodus. That night, it says not even a dog lifted its tongue. And if you've ever been in Egypt, that's more of a miracle than we in the Western world realize.
That must have been the silence. Must have been deafening the night every dog shut up. But it was a quiet, orderly exodus. Later on, they realized that they'd gone, and they started chasing after them. But God is a God of order.
Perhaps someone could umm.
Uh, kind of, uh, expand on, on the idea of the grave clothes that, that had wrapped, uh, his feet and his hands and, and umm, also the napkin over his mouth. What, what, what do we understand this to mean that the shepherds would be a help to him in losing them? What's, what's so significant about that other than the fact they're grave clothes? They're grave clothes of Judaism.
To keep the context the the as you said, the stone would be the law. The law kills every person that comes in contact with you know.
And produces nothing but death tells us that in Romans chapter 4.
But now here the Son of God, his life is given to him. And it's an illustration, as we've been saying from John 5, how a soul passes from death unto life. But there is such a thing as helping a soul get established in true liberty of Christianity and to be bound like this. This man was not at liberty. He was alive, but he wasn't at liberty. So there's a work to set him free. And that is really what you see in the what we call the Hebrew Christian epistles. Or is it OK? That would be Hebrews.
James and 1St and second Peter. Those epistles are predominantly written for the help of setting free Jewish converts from the old grapefruit clothes of Judaism, but we can apply it to other great clothes that a person may have if they're saved out of Gentile heathen them, and so on.
You wouldn't exclude romance with your brother because you find our position as dead, buried and risen again there, and the practical application of it is very important, isn't it?
Households to understand their.
OK.
And there is that too, which today is a copy of Judaism. We see it and Christendom today. And sometimes when souls have been brought up in those organizations and then they get truly saved, there's a lot of things they have to leave behind that they were taught that really smack of Judaism, the old order of things. And we need to be exercised to be able to point them to the Scriptures and as we've been said, the liberty that we have now.
In Christianity, true Christian position and what it is.
One point in verse 40 I'd like to just mention, it's interesting how the Lord instructs there and He says that if thou wouldst believe, thou should see the glory of God. So the glory of God was going to be on display, but you need faith to see it and if you believe, you'll see it. Now isn't this interesting, the order to believe and then you shall see. So it tells us that there were many people that were there who I guess saw the incident. The man was raised from the dead, but they didn't see the glory of God. It didn't do them any good in their souls. They're still unbelievers. They were not converted through it then they got no blessing out of it.
Which would be the Jews that were there, they plot to put them to death as we find later in the chapter. But you find in Mark's Gospel chapter 14 the exact reverse of that. I just point that out. Now turn to Mark chapter 14.
00:45:02
And you'll find the Lord Jesus on the cross to chapter 15. Rather he's on the cross. And the unbelieving chief priests and Pharisees and so on mocked the Lord Jesus. And they say to him in verse 31. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross that he that we may see and believe.
They turn it around the other way. They want to see something before they'll believe. And that's where the unbelieving man of this world is seeing is believing as they say. But the Lord Jesus said if you believe, you shall see. And many people though they witnessed something to that day or Lazarus rising from the grave, they did not see, they missed the glory of God because there was not mixed with faith. How important it is to get a blessing from God. It always has to be.
By faith.
Another comment of Mr. Darby's regarding that is that miracles never did produce solid conviction.
Conviction is a matter of the Spirit of God working in the heart to convict.
Can you help us to understand the versus 45 and 46 where where you see those who did see and did believe and those who did see and didn't believe?
46 But so some of them went their way to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus had done.
Nothing else the question because they they saw and believed where they did, they really believe.
I'm I'm asking you the question.
It does seem that the window 45 did yes that.
I, I just say that because there, there are those who you know, in, in, in their lives have seen changes in, in, in what Christ has done in the lives of different ones. And they have been moved by looking and seeing that they know this man. They know what he was before.
Why? That guy was corrupt, but today he's living for the glory of God. Christ has done a work, but it's moved them to be exercised.
They want that kind of life and so I'm I'm just asking if that's not kind of a picture of, of this where they where they see and, and they believe what Christ has done and they embrace it.
Not everybody does, but you know sometimes that.
John chapter 2 you have that.
Verse 23 says Now when He was in Jerusalem at the past, many believed in His name when they saw the miracles which He did, but Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because He knew all men and needed not that He should testify of man, for He knew what was in man wasn't sufficient just to see there needed to be.
Of further work and so immediately you come to chapter 3 and talking about new verse communication of life by the word of God, by the water and the Spirit of God very important.
Chapter 3 and John actually starts with the word. But doesn't it? It's a contrast between those who weren't serious with God and one who was Nicodemus. We also have a similar thought, I think. Not to get too far off, but in Luke chapter thir, uh, 13.
The Lord says verse 24, Strive to enter in at the straight gate for many. I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able. Well, those who strive are serious with God, aren't they? There's many who seek, but it's just a passing moment and then it's then it's over.
00:50:09
Well, the Jews completely missed this, didn't they? And so Isaiah said there's no beer when we shall see him. There is no beauty that we should desire him. And so they saw him as a good man. They saw the miracle, they were told by those that observed it what had taken place. But they completely missed who the Lord Jesus really was. They saw him just as another man. Some saw him as a prophet and so and so on. And I suppose the that there are a number of reasons why.
But the bottom line was spiritual blindness, wasn't it? There was also the fact that he didn't come from a distinguished family. There was no, I can speak reverently Halo around his head as the Aurora as he walked through this world. It was to faith that the beauty shone out. It was to the eye of faith, not to the natural eye or the natural man. And so we find now at the end of the chapter, they take this report and they.
Speak now of getting rid of the Lord Jesus. They speak against Him. It again confirms that there was spiritual blindness drawn over the eyes of the religious leaders at this time because of their rejection of Him.
Now is this prophecy of Caiaphas? Is that God-given?
That's like asking the question, did Balaam speak by himself or was it God who helped him? I I mean that in seriousness.
God can speak in any way he pleads.
So it was God-given, but we see the twisted application they make of it. That's a sad thing, isn't it?
Interesting, isn't it, that God, if you go through the Gospels, God used various individuals to say things that were so profound and true in themselves, but they didn't necessarily have faith. The person didn't necessarily have faith themselves. Just as an another example is completely out of context. This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. You know, that was said in absolute derision, but aren't we thankful for a statement like that? That statement's been used much in the gospel and he saved others himself he cannot save that was said.
Five one who didn't have faith said in in in duration in that one a wonderful statement. We sing it in our hymn himself he could not save he on the cross must die. And so here we have this prophecy, yes, from God himself through a very what we might think is a very unusual mouthpiece. But you know the Lord said, I know it's a little different. He said when the children gave glory to him when he entered Jerusalem. He said if they held their peace, the stones would cry out.
And when there were those who perhaps should have been giving testimony to the Lord Jesus when he was here, and they didn't, the Lord used perhaps very unusual, uh, mouthpieces. But he made sure that that, that which he desired to say. And whether it was in prophetic prophecy or giving glory to himself, it was said, even though it wasn't said, perhaps by those who had real faith. Yeah. It's important to understand, isn't it? The truth is received in the conscience.
By that we mean it's received in God's presence, not only in the intellect. Too often we exalt the intellect so much in this world, but truth may be received in the intellect without being received in the conscience, and it falls to the ground.
And that's why in the, uh, in the 8th chapter of, of John, the Lord says, why do you not understand my speech even because you cannot hear my word. In other words, they were not in God's presence. They weren't accepting it in the conscience. And so they couldn't understand the simple words that he was using. I understand the book of John. Remember when I was, uh, going to college at a Christian friend there at school who was studying the original languages?
And he says, you know, we're actually studying the book of John.
And I said, well, why are you studying the book of John? He said, well, they, they tell us it's got some of the simplest Greek and all the New Testament, and yet it has some of the most profound thoughts, doesn't it? So it's, uh, truth is received in the conscience. It must be received in God's presence. If it's only received in the intellect, it'll fall to the ground that it may be completely wrong.
00:55:18
So these men entirely pervert this, uh, God-given prophecy, sad as it is.
In our chapter here, yes, it's important to get a hold of the, uh, the, the background as to what was being said here in these latter verses of the chapter beginning at verse 47. They had gathered together and they were worried because they said, what should we do this man do as many miracles if we leave him alone to all the nation and people are going to go after him and there's going to be a great disturbance in the land because there's going to be a renovation of Judaism as we have it to something new. And the Romans are going to come and kill us and wipe this out because the Romans kept their subjects under control. And if there was ever uprising, they would go in and, and level the place. And so for their, uh, hi and his thinking.
His fleshly, selfish, worldly, wicked way of thinking was it would be better if we got rid of this man and then then to let him go free because he's gonna convert the nation and we're gonna lose our place in this nation. We won't be ourselves. So to protect ourselves and the nation, I suggest we kill him and get rid of him. And it was quickly passed by the elders of the nation.
And they go ahead from that point onward. Verse they're 53. Then from that day forth, they took counsel together to put him to death.
But how do we reconcile verse 51 with that?
Verses 51 and 52 were spoken by John himself, aren't they? Yes, this is the narrative. The the actual quote begins in the end of verse 4749 at the word ye, ye, no, not nothing at all. And it goes on nor consider it that this expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should perish. Not now that ends the quote. Now the narrative by John himself, led by the Spirit of God.
Comes in and explains some further details in verses 51 and 52.
I helped I to help myself to remember that I put a little mark in my Bible before ye the little quotes that you have. You know what 2 little Ditto Marks and then I put it at the end of the quote at the end of verse 50. Just marking it in my Bible for future reference.
So you need expiration I you guys kinda lost me there. Umm what is the end of verse 51? That Jesus, he prophesied Jesus died of that nature.
Well, because the intents are different. What is what Caiaphas is in intent is is that we need to get Jesus out of the way so that that Rome doesn't come in and and take over the nation. We lose our place.
But God's intention is, and he actually goes further because he goes he goes not only is he dying for this nation, but for the 10 tribes as well in chapter in in verse 52. So he's giving an interpretation of what God's thoughts are in Christ dying. And then we're looking at what Caiaphas purpose and reasoning behind why he wants to get Jesus out of the way, right? Is that correct? Yeah. Does that make sense?
OK.
But it is wonderful to see that it applies. And sometimes we say, like Eric had said, the buddies of Christianity. And you really?
Have it here.
01:00:00
The children of God should be scattered that, that, uh, to gather together and 1:00 the children of God that are scattered abroad. And so we can apply it in principle to what we have today.
He was worried that the nation would get scattered and just.
1St And so we find here what comes in in verse 52 That the God comes in and explains that he really.
Was doing going to do exactly the opposite. He was going to gather the children of God who were scattered abroad and bring them into a new thing all together, which we know as this Christianity. But he was a selfish thing altogether, because all he was trying to do was to save the nation from getting dispersed. Let the man get killed.
So take him out of the picture by by by death. And that's why they plot to put the Lord Jesus to death.
I've read that that 52 is the key to the book of Acts. Is that right?
Well, it's that it says not that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God. That's the book of Acts.
That were scattered abroad.
And so the book of Acts is accomplishing that, isn't it?
The Lord Jesus had said in the previous chapter, two other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and there shall be one shepherd and one flock. So there was going to be a gathering together rather than a scattering as a result of the death of the Lord Jesus. I suppose it will have its ultimate fulfillment in the coming day when he will all all will be gathered around in both in heaven and in earth. And that's not what's here, but that's going to be the.
Fulfillment in the coming day, isn't it, when he has his rightful place and all, But that's not, not what it's here, I realize, but there's a, he's a gatherer, not a scatterer. And you get the, it opens to the Jew in the second chapter of Acts. And in the 10th chapter, he brings in the Gentiles. So didn't he, uh, tell, uh, the apostle Paul that he took him out from among the Jews and the Gentiles?
To bring them all together in the Church of God.
In the he had, he had said, how often would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her brood under her wing and you would not the work of, of the, of God through the spirit is to gather, not to scatter. The Saints of God today are scattered, but that's not a work of the Spirit of God. And so he's a gatherer, not a scatterer. And uh, as you say, we see that in the, in the book of the acts developed in both in, in not only in the second chapter and 10th chapter, but the 8th chapter two, he brings in the Samaritan.
Uh, as well and very careful in the Acts to guard that. There's only one gathering center and one church formed, not a Jewish church and a Gentile church or a Jewish church in a Samaritan church and a Gentile church, not even a Jewish hyphen Gentile church. It's a what's established at the beginning. Then those are who are later brought in, are brought in and gathered to that which God had, which the Lord had already established on the day of Pentecost.
And the oneness that he's referring to here to gather together in one is not the one body. No, he's talking about Christians, believers of the Lord Jesus, yes, but he's talking about the one flock. That's the subject from chapter 10 onward. Now it's showing, John, you have the oneness of the family of God, but Paul brings out the oneness of the body. It's, uh, Speaking of the same company of persons, but from two different aspects and two different angles and so on. And so he would have the Lord's people.
God's objective is to have the Lord's people one.
Mm-hmm.
Well, just as our time is winding down here, just the comments that's often been made about the book of John and verse 55 and the Jews Passover was nigh at hand. We mentioned earlier how that in the first chapter it tells us he came unto his own and his own received him, not the Lord Jesus in the book of John is seen as rejected from the very beginning. And so that's why we get the budding of Christianity as we've often heard. And a note here too, it's the Jews Passover. Notice when we turn to Leviticus 23.
01:05:11
We read about the feast of Jehovah, but it had become an empty form. And that again, is, is, is, uh, is what we've been speaking about all all along. It's no longer that which, uh, God is doing, uh, in man. Man is not just sick, but he's terminal. He's dead. And so this form that God had given man under their responsibility, it's over now. This is the final Test of man.
As a race, and so the Jews, Passover had become an empty shell, not the Passover of Jehovah, not the Feast of Jehovah. It was just the last vestiges of an empty shell. And again, that's the whole theme of what we've had not only in this chapter, but in the whole book, that it's over with man now he's not merely sick and in need of a doctor, but he's dead, in need of a Savior.
Yes, and we wanna be very clear that Christianity is not a remake or makeover of Judaism. And so the Lord said, do men sow new cloth on old garments? Do they put new wine in old bottles? The Lord Jesus was introducing something brand new. You know that it's helpful to see in the ways of God that God never at the end of a dispensation gave new life.
Or, and I know there's sometimes overlap, but what when man failed under the test that God gave him, he always at the end brought in judgment and introduced something brand new, not try to remake or when go back to what what was was previous man failed under that test. Something new was brought in and that's true with the test under the law was the last great test for man to show what man was in himself that he did stink. He'd been dead 4 days. The Old Testament 4000 years of man's history, he was dead.
And there was no hope. It was a hopeless situation. And so now something brand new is introduced. And that's why I believe it's a very serious thing to go back and try to mix Judaism, what was given under the law right and proper as it was in its place. But to mix it with Christianity is very dangerous and very wrong, and it's not understanding the ways and purposes of God.
We should not expect the miracles that were performed at the beginning of that distance.
To authenticate the word of God and expect those things at the end of the dispensation. But everything is confusing and that's what's been happening today. Charismatic are going back and say we should be able to perform all these miracles where in the end of the district station and God is not authenticating all of the disorder and the separation, the different denominations. And anybody that comes along and tells you they have fresh light at the end of the Christian age, it's a red light. It's a warning because what is God going to do?
He's going to bring in judgment. We're going to be raptured out of here and then he's going to bring in judgment. He does not give fresh light at the end of an age. There's recovered light during an age, and that's another subject, but not fresh light. But rather than just our time is gone. And I just want to for a moment cap the that which we've had in this chapter because again, as we said at the beginning of these meetings, there are many trials and difficulties, many sorrows amongst the people of God.
As we are well aware, 1 by 1 The Lord is calling different ones home to himself. No doubt everyone of us here can think of some family member, someone close to us who has gone through the article of death and we felt it and we've we've shed tears that more than one grave. No, no doubt. But brethren, isn't it wonderful as we've had in this chapter, to find that the Lord Jesus not only knew the sorrow.
Of these two sisters who had lost their brother, these two sisters that he loved so very much and Lazarus. But he fully emphasized with them, He came in his own time and way. He was fully able for the situation.
And how good it is for us to keep this in view as we go through the trials of life. We're not home yet. We don't have our glorified bodies yet, but we have one who's living for us, as we've mentioned during these meetings. Sympathizing, yes. But more than that, he's empathizing with us because he could weep and and groan here in this world. And as we've been saying, he was in all points tempted like as we are, and then to see that he was well able for the situation. Now, brethren.
01:10:31
He doesn't always intervene in the same way in our situations, and there are many things we're not going to see the fruition of until we get home to glory. Many things we're not going to understand, many tears that perhaps aren't going to be fully dried this side of heaven. But can't we count on Him? We see His ways and purposes with this little family that He loved there in Bethany and are His ways and purposes of love in your life and mine.
Any different and I I was thinking of a verse that perhaps caps what we've said in connection with the practical aspect of things in this chapter.
In the 37th Psalm, David records there. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass rather than It may not always be to pass in the way that we had hoped or thought. It may not always be to pass as quickly as we thought. But if you and I are willing to commit our way to the Lord. As Mary was sitting still in the house, and so on.
He will bring it to pass in a way that will bring glory to himself and to God the Father and to pass in the very in the way and time that will be the very best for us. Brethren, do we really real. Do we really believe that he's working the best in our lives? Do we really believe that his timetable is the best for us? If we really believe that if we can really get a hold of that in our souls, then I believe, brethren, it will give us.
Confidence to go on in our Christian life quietly like Mary, to go quietly on to waste his time. And rather than there is a day, it may not be this side of glory, but there is a day when in resurrection every tear is going to be dried. And what are we going to do when we see it all in retrospect? Are we going to question His ways and dealings with us there? Not for one moment. We're gonna fall at His feet and realize the perfection of all His ways with us.
And we're going to praise him for those ways, for those ways for all eternity. And He's going to forever dry every tear from every eye.
Google the MasterCard. We shall behold him. We shall be with him. He shall be like him.
Is now to set Jesus be our choice.
218.
A righteousness.
May rise.
We shall be with him.
01:15:06
Who we long to see.
When I'll be.
Our joy.
How will?
Grow it.
254 and #254.
Our 1St result of the.
Resurrection.
Is written from the Dome.
Now we.
Stand in the creation.
He's a Sinner.
Without him.
Bury him his grave way land.
One way.
Resurrection.
Where?
10 Heavens Bright Day.
Our Father would thank Thee that Thou hast made us fit to be partakers of the Saints and light, and is transferred from the Kingdom of.
Exactly. And my name is Jesus. Amen.
Romans 1
Gospel—Dan Liening
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
I'll lay me God fear.
When joy lay now my hair.
Yeah, there is room.
Done. Yeah, there is room.
Umm, gas will be all my.
Yeah.
I'm in the room.
There is room.
Unless it's gone.
And our father.
No, I stay here, God.
We thank Thee for this open door to preach the gospel of Thy grace.
Tell them heaven's beloved 1.
Deny claims upon them that they would consider this ever so deeply and seriously.
And turn from their wicked way or from their self righteousness.
And believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. We pray for this. We earnestly pray for this honor.
But we know that the end of the age has come upon us.
The coming of the Lord has run nigh, and all the time is short, and so we just grave her precious souls, unless it's gone. Our Father. Do we ask for this and for their salvation in the worthy name of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen. Amen.
You know, some of the things that were said today, this afternoon.
Crazy touched my heart.
Because some of the things that were actually ministered were taken right out of my mouth.
00:05:03
But especially in connection with the Holy Scriptures.
You know, I was raised in a Christian system.
That didn't say anything to me about the living Word and would have the living word of God in their hands. Now listen to this.
They're talking about something that the world is, you might say, has cast out of their society.
The word of God.
They don't want it in the schools.
They don't want it in businesses, they don't want to have a remnant of it put up on a on a billboard anywhere.
But listen to what the translator said.
They said. But among all our joys.
There was no one that more filled our hearts.
Then the blessed continuance of the preaching of God's sacred Word among us.
Which is that inestimable treasure?
Which excel us all the riches of the earth.
Because the fruit thereof extendeth itself.
Not only to the time spent in this transitory world.
But directed and dispose of men unto that eternal happiness which is above in heaven.
Have you heard anything more glorious?
To describe what we are going to be talking from tonight, this book.
There's a preacher out in the United States, and when he closes his little piece of ministry.
He says please tune in with me tomorrow and we will read some more from this blessed old book. I like that.
This blessed old book.
It's the word of God that liveth and abideth forever.
And when Peter was talking about this being born again, that we heard about today.
That all flashes is grass.
And all the glory of man is as the flower of the grass.
The flower faded and the Gray and the grass withereth.
But the Word of God lives and abides forever.
And then Peter says, And this is the gospel. This is the word by which the gospel is preached unto you.
To experience a change in your life.
Because, you know, if you're here tonight.
As an unsaved person.
I believe your conscience witnesses to you.
Whether you're saved or you're lost.
And above all, even though you may be feeding on ashes tonight and have a deceived heart.
God knows your heart besides.
So whether you fooled your brother or your sister.
Whether you've been able to deceive your father and your mother?
God knows your heart.
And he has us here tonight.
Preaching this blessed, blessed old book with the thoughts of God in it to tell you.
That God is not willing that you should perish in that state.
He does not want you to pass from time to eternity.
In your sin.
We were admonished this afternoon.
That the old idea of man being a Sinner is old fashioned anymore.
But this word teaches the contrary.
There are many, many stories of the Lord Jesus in the Gospels.
That are vivid pictures of man in his natural estate.
When you think of a leper.
When you think about blind man.
When you think about paralytic.
And as we've had in our meetings, when you think of a dead man.
Those are the objects that God has set his heart on.
And through the Lord Jesus.
He would have us to tell you tonight, be reconciled to God.
You are at enmity with him.
I know I'm looking in the faces of quite a few young people.
And it may be that you have not learned very much.
About what you are by nature.
But the Bible tells us when we were enemies in our minds.
By Wicked Works.
God sent forth his Son.
00:10:01
And you know, I can remember, brethren, and little did I realize what it meant.
But when I was in high school.
For whatever reason.
This English teacher said, you know.
It would be good if we could discuss religion in this class.
Now who would like to raise their hand for it?
Who would like to raise their hand against it?
Up went my hand.
You know, I was a professing Christian at the time.
But I didn't realize and as I thought it back, thought about that.
There was a little indication of what was abiding in my soul.
That by nature I didn't want to commit.
To one who loved me so.
And there were those praise the Lord's name for them in high school that tried to get me involved and say we're having some Bible studies.
You know my little world.
Was too much to say yes.
And I was afraid. I know I was afraid.
That I would have to give up something in my natural thinking.
That I would have to give up something if I committed myself to this way of life.
Oh, what wonderful grace tonight.
That God is not willing that you should perish.
And perish you will.
If you die in your sin.
It was just a week ago.
Three young people in the city of Walla Walla, WA.
One of the boys, 17 years old.
He said to his mom. Mom, some of us are gonna go out for a ride. We'll be back in a little while.
Before the night was over, they three were dead.
Had no intention of going out and as far as we know I haven't heard all of the details yet, but it doesn't sound like they were going out to have a bash.
They just wanted to go out for a ride.
You know young people, my wife said later. And how it struck me and speaking to some people on our way over here, she said to him, A man you know, you may put your shoes on in the morning.
But you don't know who's gonna take him off at night.
Where will you spend eternity?
Now if you can say, Christ is my savior.
Praise the Lord for that.
Praise the Lord that I can say that.
You know this precious old book.
I'm going to read a couple of verses here.
Princess, you don't need to turn. Princess have persecuted me without a cause.
But my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil.
I hate an abhor lying, but by law do I love.
Well, I just thought here is a person that valued that esteemed the word of God. In fact, that speaks about some.
Who esteemed the word even more than their necessary food.
Why is that?
Because it's the Word of God that lives and abides forever.
And I would like to turn now to Romans chapter one.
It was interesting that that was turned to today.
And it's not that we're going to try to necessarily teach the gospel.
Although this is what the Apostle Paul's desire was when he wrote this letter.
It was a view with a view that.
That he wanted to come and preach this gospel to them.
So let's start with verse chapter one and verse one.
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.
Call to be an apostle.
Separated unto the Gospel of God, verse 3.
Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be.
The Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection.
Of the dead as we learn today.
00:15:03
Now the first thing that the writer of this epistle.
Is he speaking about the Gospel of God?
And what I want to just shall I say, capitalize on as we go through this chapter.
Has to look at these expression expressions that tell us what God is like.
And we?
Indebted.
To the inspiration of Scripture to understand these things, The revelation that God has made in His Word.
Holy Prophet speak as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and when he says in verse 2 which he had promised before by his prophets in the Holy scriptures, where did they get those?
They got them because God instituted these lips of these holy prophets to speak about His beloved Son.
You know, I think it was one of the early writers that said the whole object of this book is to make Christ great.
He is the theme of our song.
He is the one tonight that is the only Savior of sinners.
He is the only one.
We heard in the first address today and or uh, yesterday.
About.
A Buddhist or about a Hindu person.
And how that all they had as they took refuge in these religions.
Was to find out that they were still in the pit.
Still there.
Not redeemed, not delivered from it.
But we are indebted to the great mercy of God to give us this inspired volume that we might know the Gospel of God.
Now, it's often been said that the book of Romans is like.
A courtroom drama.
And God is the Judge.
But have you ever heard of a judge that is for you?
I think that verse was quoted to this. I know that God is for me.
And even though you may be tonight in your sin.
God is for you.
He wants to deliver you from the condemnation.
That is over your head.
As the one who is part of those, it says in chapter three that the whole world may become guilty before God.
There is none righteous.
No, not one.
And we know that the Jewish people this very day are plagued with this one thing.
That they go about to establish their own righteousness.
And being ignorant of the righteousness of God.
How are they ever gonna understand?
Not until they say Jesus is Lord.
To the glory of God the Father.
But this gospel is from the heart of God himself to you.
And this one who is going to judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained.
He's sending you tonight. Glad tidings, good news.
That he has a savior that he sent into this world.
Who died for our sins according to these very scriptures? Who was buried?
And who was raised again the 3rd day according to the scriptures and by his own glory, because he accomplished a redemption.
That was totally suitable to the nature of God, and raised him by his own glory, and set him at his right hand.
That your faith and your hope might be in God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
What a story, what a gospel.
And it's for you tonight, this Gospel of God.
But it's all about the Son of God.
You know, there was a woman.
Who? I guess it was during the days when.
Mr. Bush, not then the president, but he was the governor of the state of Texas.
And.
There was a young woman that committed a crime. Her name was Carla Faye Tucker, perhaps son of a. You have read or heard of her?
But she was involved in a most terrible murder.
And was indicted for murder and eventually sentenced to die in the state of Texas.
00:20:00
This woman.
I saw the picture of her as she came into the courtroom.
And I wanna tell you, if there was anybody who had the look of one who was under the dominion of Satan, it was her.
The rebellion, the hatred.
The lack of the fear of God was written all over her face.
Someone.
Sometime while she was in there, told her about the gospel of God.
And she was saved.
Through the Lord Jesus.
And just prior to her death, there was a Christian journalist who had access to Carla.
And she took opportunity as she was able when they allowed her to.
To stand Beto, of course, there was a wall between her and this woman.
And they were talking back and forth.
And she said this journalist said, well, Carla.
If you were able to send the message to the people of this of this United States, she said. What would your message be for them?
You know what? She said. It's not about me.
She said it's all about him.
She wanted the people to know.
She was worthless.
But she was a child of God.
And that everything she had was bound up in this one.
His son, Jesus Christ.
The Son of God with power.
And so I say tonight, dear friend.
There is only one person that can deliver you.
From the path of sin that you may be on tonight.
For by grace are we saved through faith.
And that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.
None of works.
Lest any man should boast.
Not of works.
You know, it's it's resident in the heart of man. You talk to anybody.
Especially that they haven't come to Christ yet.
And as soon as you begin to tell them something about the Lord Jesus.
They'll begin to talk to you about attending church.
They'll talk about, well you know, I know I'm not what I should be, but I would like to dot dot dot.
It's there somehow we think that God is the kind of person that as long as I just turned over a new leaf, somehow he would receive me. After all, I'm doing the best I can.
You know the prophet Isaiah.
He had an estimation of man the Sinner.
And he said from the crown of the head.
To the sole of the foot. Maybe I've got it the other way around. Or it's the other way from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head.
There is only bruises and wounds.
And putrefying sores all, could we ever?
Have an estimation like that and realize that that's me as God looks through my soul.
And he knows. He knows everything about me. He knows everything about you.
Are you trying to cover up tonight?
Are you trying to live a double life?
Maybe at this point.
My wife and I just started reading a book. Fact we finished it.
It's about a young man who at the beginning of World War 2.
1943.
He would have been, I guess, 17 years old at the time.
17 or 18?
And he began to feel, as most young men in this United States, that if there was a war, he certainly would have an obligation to serve in the whatever.
And as he got to thinking about it.
He started thinking about the fact that if he did go into the service.
He may be facing death.
Now, the thing that's so, so salient about this is that he was raised in the Bible Belt, as we say, quote, UN quote, and he was one who went to church all the time.
He knew what the Bible said.
He knew that there was salvation in Christ.
But you know what? He didn't have peace.
This is what he said.
00:25:00
Growing up, I was absolutely convinced that God existed.
But before reporting to boot camp, the reality of war and likelihood of my death.
Began to grip my soul.
I asked myself questions like why was I placed upon this earth?
What is the real meaning of life?
What if I don't make it back?
Am I ready to stand before God and give account for my life?
Just think of those questions, dear friends.
Are you ready?
To give an account for your life.
Is your record stained?
With the sins of your youth.
Despite my church going ways and other religious practices highly acceptable.
And expected in my Bible Belt culture, I realized I had no real relationship with God.
Does this describe anyone in this room?
He was distant.
Not personal.
He was.
Not personal.
I guess he was 19. As a 19 year old, I really had no faith.
No passion to glorify God.
No real hunger to hear the sound of his voice in the scripture.
And obediently serve him.
No real desire to commune with him in prayer.
I realized my best efforts fell far short of his standards.
I was SER scared. Excuse me, I was scared.
My fear of death and war suddenly paled in insignificance.
My sin condemned me to an eternal hell.
And I knew it.
I need it mercy.
I needed forgiveness.
I needed a savior.
Let me tell you.
This savior that he realized that he needed.
Is alive forevermore and he's living in the glory of God tonight, waiting.
For you to receive Him as your savior.
What a savior.
This man.
Took the Lord at that time.
He ended up as a Marine.
On a battleship called the USS Indianapolis.
There's a lot of details I won't go into, but is it ended up they were shot or they were hit by three torpedoes?
And of the 39 men that were in the Marine Corps that were on board that ship with the Navy men only night of his.
39 lived.
But what happened was the ship went down in 14 minutes.
They were totally, totally surprised by that attack.
And for 4 1/2 days they were in shark infested waters.
You know, it's one thing to be in shark infested waters on a life raft.
It's another thing to have your legs dangling in the water.
And these man eating creatures are coming to take a leg off.
It it was horrible.
But you know that man because he had peace with God.
Because he had faith in the Lord Jesus, he had peace with God.
And in God's great mercy, he and 317 men made it through.
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth.
And let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth.
And walk thou on the side of thy, or walk thou in the ways of thine heart.
And in the side of thine eyes.
But know thou for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Do you think that the God that made you.
Looks slightly on the fact that you despise his claims.
Or indifferently think, well, what difference does it make?
If you knew there was but a step between you and death, would it make a difference?
00:30:06
I know.
That if you were faced with the Grim Reaper tonight.
If you had to give an answer to God.
And you pass through this through death as a Sinner, not saved.
I'm telling you, you ought to fear.
It's a fearful thing.
To know about these things.
And not to receive Christ as Savior.
Yeah, it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Verse 7 says to all that be in Rome, beloved of God.
I'm just gonna go ahead because of time. I wanna just call attention to these expressions beloved of God.
Verse 10 The will of God.
Verse 16 The power of God.
Verse 17, the righteousness of God, and we're going to stop there.
You know, where would it put you if you were to see receive the Lord Jesus tonight?
You know one thing that you would gain? You would gain a whole new set of friends, I'll tell you that.
And those old cronies that maybe you kick around with.
As soon as you tell them you belong to this one who gave his life a ransom for many. As soon as you tell them that.
They're no longer your close friends anymore.
And you will have the children of God for your companions.
And you will be in a physician of being beloved of God. That's what it says here to all that be in Rome, beloved of God.
And then he speaks about the will of God in verse 10.
You know.
I don't know what to say about this particular one, but I do know there's a number of scriptures that tell us what the will of God is. It's one thing to have a desire to be in the way of that will, but for our purposes tonight, what is the will of God?
Well, number one, we can say that God will have all men to be saved.
And to come to the knowledge of the truth.
To come to the knowledge of the truth.
He is also willing, shall I say not willing.
That any should perish.
But that all should come to repentance.
And the one who exemplified this will.
The Lord Jesus, the Son of God.
He said Father, I will.
That they who must given me, be with me where I am.
Yes. Now to come from darkness into light is to partake of a heavenly calling.
To have a portion beyond the heavens.
You know, one of the writers one time said that this call of God that he's making to us.
Speaks of an hour when the world is forever gone.
Ponder that, dear friend.
This little world that is your little world.
The inhabitants of it, which are really just little men.
It's all gonna be over.
Just as we sat for breakfast these last two days.
They have a television going up there showing the different accidents and all kinds of things that they broadcast.
I just thought.
Maybe this morning.
Somebody is gonna say to the moderator, uh Sir, we have a message.
Something very mysterious has happened.
We don't know what it is, but all of a sudden.
Thousands upon thousands of people are gone.
Washington, DC has been bereft of a number of politicians.
You know what that means?
That means Christ had come.
And I, I, I can't even begin to imagine.
What it will be like at that moment.
And make sure that you're not among that company that has said tomorrow.
00:35:06
Tomorrow might be too late.
Now is the day of salvation.
Now is the day to come.
And the very one that paid for your debt. So great, so deep.
So red, like Crimson.
He is the one that went to the cross for you.
Gave his life in love for your soul.
What a savior. What a wonderful savior.
The will of God.
And the Lord Jesus also said that it was not the will of his Father that.
Anyone should perish.
But if they died in this world, he would raise them up at the last day.
Everyone that receives Christ is a child of resurrection.
And should you pass into that region beyond?
You're marked for glory.
And we who are alive and remain.
Shall be caught up together with them in the clouds.
Verse 18 says now we're going to come to another portion of this chapter where it's going to talk about and it's going to enumerate the the sins of the heathen world.
This judge who is writing this, or shall I say Paul, who is writing this in in the character of a judge in a courtroom scene, he's now going to present his case.
And he's gonna look at the he's going to survey.
The the children of men in three different ways. And the first one, and this is all we're going to do tonight, is to look at the world of heathen.
The darkened men.
So he speaks about the wrath of God.
The wrath of God.
Is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteous of men. Righteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Now in the Old Testament.
Those that were in relationship with God, they called to him, and when some foreign enemy came in, he worked on their behalf and governmentally removed them so that his own people would be saved.
It was to call the government of his hand over his people.
So that he dealt in different ways. He also dealt with his own people.
Because God is light.
But now, since the Lord Jesus has come, it tells us that the wrath of God is revealed, and we have the whole of the New Testament to tell us, not just the fact that God may put his hand in a governmental way in the affairs of men.
I don't say he doesn't do that.
No, the landslide.
Note the Hurricanes. Note the winds.
God is not winking at men's sins.
But tonight, the wrath of God has been revealed and the intrinsic holiness of who He is has been revealed.
So do you do well like Felix?
If we talk about righteousness and temperance and judgment about to come, you do well to tremble.
I'm thankful I'm saved.
I remember the first time I've said this before, but first time I went to a gospel meeting, to my memory, to a conference.
I sat in the front row with our brother Dave Whitaker.
And for the first half hour, our brother Albert.
Shall I say lowered the boom on the center?
And I was already a Christian, but I remember him. Oh, he was pressing that thought.
That man was a total wreck.
Could never reach the shore.
And he delineated all the different ways that men, boys and girls.
Needed that precious savior.
And by the time he was done?
I just turned to Dave and I said, oh brother, aren't you glad you're safe?
And so it is.
Would anyone here tonight?
Would you leave your deadly doing thinking that coming to meeting?
Behaving, doing good things is enough for God.
00:40:03
The wrath of God has been revealed against all unrighteousness and all the sins that are resident in this world.
And then we finally come down.
To the last one, first 32 and we're going to close with this.
After he tells all the different things that characterize the heathen world.
Verse 32 Who?
Knowing the judgment of God.
That they which commit such things are worthy of death.
Not only do the same.
But have pleasure in them that do them.
What can we say to that?
There is coming a moment.
When the dad that are in their graves.
Shall hear the voice of the Son of God.
And they will be raised.
To stand before the Great White Throne.
And there to be judged for their works.
And then to be cast.
Into the Lake of Fire.
And as we heard during these meetings.
There to exist.
For an eternity.
Having their conscience.
Stirred and not be able to do anything about it.
In that condition forever.
Oh dear friends, I ask you tonight.
Where will you spend eternity?
The Lord Jesus, as a man in the glory tonight, is saying, Come unto me.
And I will give you rest. You don't have rest if you're in your sin tonight, I can tell you that. I know that you do not have peace like this young man that I read about.
And you won't have.
Until you receive the one that made peace through the blood of His cross.
When he gave himself to redeem your soul.
And shed his blood, that you might have your sins forgiven. Blessed is the man.
Whose sins are forgiven?
And whose iniquities are covered, shall we sing #6?
Number six.
Maybe we can just sing the uh first and the last verses please.
God and mercy sent his Son.
To a world by sin undone.
Repay blessed God our Father.
We thank thee that thou hast come into this world.
00:45:01
In the person of the Lord Jesus as a savior God.
And thou hast come, that all men might hear and believe.
And to know that thou art, through the Lord Jesus, reconciling the world to thyself.
That as they come, leaving their works, their dead works.
Leaving their self righteousness.
Receiving the Savior of sinners, the Lord Jesus.
Well, we thank thee for those footsteps of that Savior God.
As he passed through this world.
And received sinful men.
Eating with him.
Speaking with them.
And telling them that the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
Well, we thank thee, Father, for the richness of this grace and love.
And we do pray that by thy constraining power.
That there would be some in this room tonight that would realize.
That they are in jeopardy.
They are on the brink of eternity.
The coming of the Lord is at hand.
And so we do pray, Father, that by the richness of that grace, they might come and receive the Lord Jesus as their Savior. We ask this, Father, as we bless thee, for this open door to preach the Son of God.
And we bless thee and thank thee for the many in this room.
That know that they are heaven born and they are heaven bound.
To be with Christ forever and ever. Oh Father, we rejoice in the thought.
Pray and give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen. Amen.
Trials
YP Talk—Nate Brown
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Maybe before we start, we'll just ask Lord for his help.
The God and Father, we just thank each knight that we can sing these songs by love to us. We thank You that we can open that word for a few minutes and read more of Thy loves. We thank You that Thou hast sent Thy Son into this world to die for us and to bring us into a relationship with Thee. And we would just pray tonight that we would all be encouraged to enjoy that relationship.
Just a little bit more. And so we're just asking now as we look into Thy word for thy help, we pray that the speaker might be clear and understandable and that thy word might be what is remembered tonight and through just commit this time into thy care in Jesus name, Amen.
It's interesting to me tonight that.
Of all the songs that were given out, it seems to me that we started with a few songs that talked about our trials and our difficulties and how the Lord can help us in them when we take take our problems to the Lord.
And then the next few songs spoke of the Lord's love to us.
And there's another song in there about the endurance power of God's word. And then it seems to be near the end that we started singing again about the struggles and the fact that we can be happy in spite of them. And that's kind of what was on my heart to talk about tonight. So maybe we can start in, uh, first Peter chapter one.
Been mentioned a few times at this conference.
The circumstance of the death of a a little child and how it would be a trial to the parents, to the grandparents, to all the family. And for all those looking on, it's a it's a burden for each one.
But it was also mentioned that that the parents had a joyful spirit about it all, and it's something that I think we can all benefit from looking at them as an example of taking a difficult situation, taking it from the Lord and rejoicing in it. So I just read in first Peter chapter one.
And I was thinking about verse six, but maybe we'll start with verse 2.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you and peace you multiply. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled.
And that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be.
Ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your face being much more precious than of gold that perishes though it be tried to fire, might be found, and to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
So in these verses, from 2:00 to 5:00 or so, we have all these things that that God has given us, and it's in His sovereignty that we have these things. There's nothing in these verses that is dependent on you and I.
He left according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.
According to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God.
And then we have in verse 6 here what I was thinking of says wherein you greatly rejoiced, though now for a season if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.
And so these temptations are testing the trials things that.
00:05:03
Test our faith and whether we will put into practice what we profess.
UMM says that we ought to greatly rejoice so now for a season. And that word, those words for a season, tells me that these trials and difficulties are temporary. They they don't last forever.
There's another time for a season is used, and that's in Hebrews Chapter 11 where it's talking about Moses and he says, umm, choosing rather to suffer. Umm, I might have to turn to it. Hebrews 11 and verse 26 or 25, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
And so there again we have.
That word for a season. And so the pleasures of sin don't last either.
But turning back to our verse in first Peter.
Our trials and difficulties, they don't last forever and it says if need be. And so these difficulties that come into our life from time to time.
They're necessary and they're ordained of God-given to us because he wants to form us to be more like Christ.
Says if need be here in heaviness through manifold temptations.
That word manifold is a word that comes up in our King James Bible a few times and I don't know why, but I, I kind of like that word just because it's, it's a little bit different. We don't always use it. Umm, but the word manifolds.
Some other words for it could be numerous or various or many.
Uh, it could also be, uh, translated sometimes as great or mighty. Umm, So these, these trials, they're, we, we have a lot of them in our lives. And I think it's safe to say that, that every person here has gone through difficult times, whether it's umm, you know, maybe feeling a sense of loneliness or maybe, umm.
You know, a lot of us are in a, a younger age group and, and we don't have all the life experiences that those that are older have. Umm, And so we, we have great hopes for our life maybe. And sometimes we can see that maybe things aren't going to turn out the way that we had planned or that we had hoped. And that could be a trial as well. That could be a discouragement.
It can get us down. Umm.
Section 2.
You know, there's, there are many that would like to grow up and get married, get a good job and it doesn't always happen the way that we hope it will.
But despite all of that, every difficulty says if need be. And so we all have difficulties and just thinking again of of Jeff and Heidi and the loss of their child.
It says if need be so it was necessary that that child would die.
We don't always understand why the Lord brings trials into our life, but we can trust Him and know that it's for our benefit. We can read in Romans chapter 8 is mentioned before that we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose. And it goes on to talk about his love and how nothing could separate us from his love.
I was just thinking of this word manifold and I thought maybe we could just take a few minutes and look at some other verses that talk that use that word.
Umm, so we may as well start in first Peter here again. And if we turn over to Chapter 4.
First Peter, chapter 4.
It says.
Verse 11.
Verse 10 sorry, as every man has received the gift, Even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. So not only do we receive manifold temptations and trials, but we're also recipients of the manifold grace of God. And that's that's an encouragement.
00:10:26
In the midst of a trial that.
That word manifold, that's not the trials are not the only thing that we have manifold versions of. We we have the manifold grace of God that has been given to us.
And so now we can turn over to Nehemiah Chapter 9.
And in these verses, I think it's dealing more with Israel's history, but there's principles in Israel's history that we can apply to ourselves, the ways of God with his people.
So Nehemiah Chapter 9.
And he's talking about all their their waywardness and their forgetfulness of God and how they had gone after idols and false gods.
So maybe we'll just start in verse 18.
Nehemiah 918 Yeah, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and hath wrought and had wrought great provocations, yet thou and thy manifold mercies forsook them not in the wilderness.
The pillar of cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way, neither the pillar of fire by night to show them light, and the way wherein they should go. So not only are we recipients of the manifold grace of God, but here God gives out His manifold mercies, and we we have that word again in verse 27. Therefore thou delivered them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them, and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee.
Thou heardest them from heaven, and according to thy manifold mercies, thou gavest them Saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
So again.
This time Israel cried out for help, and it was the same manifold mercies that he granted in in, says he, he gave them saviors who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. So we have manifold temptations, but we can be thankful that God has given to us his manifold grace, and here he's given manifold mercies.
Maybe we can turn over again to Daniel Chapter 9.
Daniel, Chapter 9.
And umm, verse 18.
This is a prayer of Daniel as he's confessing all the sins of Israel to the Lord. He says, Oh my God, incline thine here and here, open thine eyes, and behold our desolations and the city which is called by thy name. For we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. That word great in the Darby translation is.
Manifold mercies.
So again we have this manifold mercies and and when we come to the Lord for help like like Daniel is doing here in Chapter 9.
He's saying, I know that we've sinned. I know we don't deserve any blessing at all. And so we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness. Because he knew that they didn't really have any. They deserved every bit of judgment that they were getting.
But he appeals to the Lord on the basis of His great mercies, His manifold mercies.
So we can maybe turn over now to.
Uh, book of Psalms.
Psalm 10-4.
In this song he seems to be going over some of the the beauties of creation. He talks about, uh, the trees, the Cedars, the birds, the high hills, uh, the moon, the seasons, the sun, the Young Lions, the sun rising.
00:15:16
But then in verse 24 he says.
O Lord, how manifold are Thy works in wisdom? Hast Thou made them all?
The earth is full of thy riches.
So the Lord in creation displays his manifolds.
Works. And in those manifold works we see his wisdom and his riches, and that's something that is on display for all to see. We all can see creation. We all have a part in it.
And there's many things in creation that we don't understand, but we can understand that his wisdom and his riches in creation are manifold their various. And I understand this word manifold in this chapter here in in verse 24. It has the thought of not only numerous and mighty and great and and various, but it's it's a thought of increasing.
So you might say that.
Every morning that those manifold works of God in creation are shown out just a little bit more.
Now maybe we could turn over to Ephesians chapter 3.
Ephesians chapter 3.
And.
Maybe we could start with verse 8, Ephesians 3:00 and 8:00.
And to me, who am less than the least of All Saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hidden? God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church.
The manifold wisdom of God.
So not only in creation do we see wisdom and riches and the manifold works of God on display, but now today, through the church, through you and I, as the body of Christ and his ways with us, we see his manifold wisdom is on display again.
And he uses trials.
In his wisdom to display that those riches and that wisdom in verse eight we have the unsearchable riches of Christ.
And verse 10.
To the intent, that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church to manifold wisdom of God.
And so that's something that.
I think when when the words, the principalities and powers are used that that often has reference to the angels that are looking on. And so God's wisdom is on display through you and I as believers who are.
Recipients of His grace and His mercy, we've been brought into his riches and He's shown us His wisdom. His ways with us are on display, and the angels are looking on.
And when we are called to pass through a trial or a difficulty.
The angels are looking on and can see the spirit in which we take that and.
Our natural heart does not want to take it from the Lord. Our natural heart is going to be angry with God when we have trials, especially when we admit that they come from God, and we can get really discouraged and down on ourselves.
But that new nature that we have wants to please God, and it recognizes those mercies and those that grace that comes from God. And that spirit, that joyful spirit that we can have even in the middle of a trial is on display. It's on display to the angels and it's on display to one another. And it can be an encouragement when we see.
00:20:17
A fellow believer in a very difficult situation, but they have a smile on their face.
I know of many who are going through trials even today.
Some even confined to their home. Confined to a wheelchair maybe.
And.
Their prayer, and I've heard this for myself, they've told me their prayer is that the Lord would use that difficult circumstance, that he would use it for the salvation.
There's someone looking around.
And that's something that.
Lots of exercise each one of us that when we have problems in our life, maybe we.
Failure class, maybe we.
Don't have the friends that we want to have.
Maybe we're feeling lonely and and by ourselves.
It's nice to know that.
That the Lord understands He can show sympathy to us. We had in John 11 how the Lord could weep at the grave.
He didn't have to weep. He could have just said, well, I can fix the problem and here we go, I'm going to do it. But he entered into those those sorrows that that were at the tomb there and said, maybe we could turn to it in Hebrews chapter 4.
MMM Because the points of all our, our trials that that the Lord sends our way is to draw us closer to him. And it says, umm, we ready first, Peter, wherein you greatly rejoice. And so he wants us to rejoice in our trials, to take our trials to him. And we can count on him for support, for guidance, for direction, for health.
And so I was just reading Hebrews chapter 4.
Uh, we can start in verse 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest that has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. Let us hold fast, fast our profession, for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly enter the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy.
And find grace to help in time of need.
That time of need is when we are in trial.
And we've read from God's Word that he gives us manifold mercies and his manifold grace.
And he wants us to come to him in communion with him and to ask him for help. He wants us to take our trials and our problems to him. He wants to share in us with our with everything about us in our life. And if it has to be a trial that draws us closer to him.
Then praise God for the trial. He wants to show us mercy. He wants to show us grace. But He wants, He desires that response from our heart that would cause us to turn to Him in prayer to be found in His presence.
And that's where we find true joy.
We can read and Psalm 16.
Maybe I'll I'll end with this verse.
Psalm 16.
And just the last verse, verse 11.
Thou show me the path of life.
In thy presence is fullness of joy.
At thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
So if it takes a trial to get us into his presence.
Then praise God for it again. In thy presence is fullness of joy. He wants you and I to be happy.
00:25:03
And again, if it takes a trial to produce that happiness and that joy that we've turned to him.
And receive those manifold mercies, manifold grace of God, and we see His manifold wisdom in all of it.
We can honestly say.
Even if we don't enter into the fullness of it, we don't maybe can't explain it as well as we should or could.
We can understand in our hearts. In Thy presence is fullness of joy.
And I was just thinking of a a a hymn in the little flock. I don't know if if many have it with them, but I was wondering if we could sing it together.
Number, uh.
42 in the appendix.
I'll just read the last verse. In thy presence we are happy. In thy presence we are secure. In thy presence all afflictions we can easily endure. In thy presence we can conquer, we can suffer, we can die wandering from the We are feeble. Let thy love Lord, keep us nigh that nearness to Christ that produces that joy in our hearts.
And so maybe if someone could start with him? 42 in the appendix please.
In thy presence we are high.
And my sisters, take care.
And my friends and all that.
Turn.
We can hear, we can answer the love of the life.
Maybe we can just pray.
Our God and Father, we just thank Thee for thy word which we can open. We thank Thee for all Thy mercy, Thy grace, Thy goodness to us. We thank Thee for Thy manifold wisdom in our lives. And we would just confess that we hardly enter into all that Thou just have for us. But one thing we know is that when we are close to Thee that we're happy. And so we were just praying out.
Draws nearer to thee and and so we were just asking out for the rest of the evening and we just pray for each one that will help us to be an encouragement 1 to another that we might be able to .1 another to Christ. And we just pray that our fellowship might be happy and our enjoyment of thee might might be something that that really has an effect on each one of us. And so we just.
Think two of our time together and eating the snacks that had been prepared to and we just thank you for them and we would just even thank you for everything in our life without us. Allow we know that we're told to rejoice evermore and to pray without ceasing in everything. Give thanks and this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
And so we would just pray that we might have that thankful spirit.
And that joyful spirit and a spirit that wants to go on happy with these who are just, ask thee for thy continued care for each one of us, in thy name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
A Hearing Test
Children—Dan Brimlow
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
This is a children's meeting, that's what the schedule says, and I'm glad to see so many young men, but I don't see very many young women. I don't see any girls on this side. If we could have, please, I'd really appreciate it, especially for children this morning. Could you please?
Younger children, if you could come to the front row, I'd appreciate it. I'm going to need some volunteers this morning and I I would like.
We're kind of spread out and and it would be nice if we could fill up the front rows.
Yeah, why why don't we have all the boys come over here too and we if we can fill up both sides, that would be good. Maybe even though through this row here too. Thank you. Thank you very much. Well, the more children are coming, we have, especially on the backside, children's hymns, but you can choose the ones off the back or off the any part of this book and if there's something that you would like.
Just saying that's not in the book that you think we know. Let's sing that because I think we're gonna sing it. At least I'm thinking of a song that's not in the book that most of you know.
Why don't you boys come over here?
This is good.
Thank you very much. Thanks, Dave, who has a song they like to sing this morning. Please raise your hand and I'll pick you if you have one. Yes.
11.
Is it this 11 or a different 11? This 11 OK?
#11
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life when the clouds unfold, their wings of strife when the strong tides lift and the cable strings, will your anchor drift or firm remains?
We have an anchor that keeps us so steadfast and sure, while the pillows roll fasten to the rock which can.
Let's save yours long.
Well, your anchor hold in the straits of fear.
While the streakers roar and the reef is near.
Would you girls like to come down a little bit farther? That would be helpful. Thank you. Glad you came over here is good.
Then you're.
Number 11.
Steadfast and pure while the pillows roll.
Fasten.
00:05:25
Sometimes we sing these songs and.
They're fun to sing.
But sometimes, especially, children aren't listening very good. Or they are listening good.
And they get the wrong message.
What is this song about?
Jasper, what is this song about?
What were you gonna say?
I was gonna say that it tells us that we have God to hold us together and that he helps our soul to be together and not to drift away. That's very good. I thought they they were gonna say it's about an anchor and a ship. And my brother used to sing fasten to the rocket that cannot move. Well, he didn't know what he was singing about.
This this is talking about.
It's using the example about an anchor for our souls. How many have been out in the ocean in a boat where you don't know how deep it is underneath you and felt afraid? Raise your hand. I've been out in the ocean and I've you know, it's pretty scary, especially if the wind starts to blow.
And it's dark or it's foggy and you can be crashed into the rocks and everybody drowned.
My grandfather, he was on a ship like that one time he was Umm.
It was a terrible storm and the ship got stuck in the sand and the waves took and smashed the boat, broke the boat apart, took the parts of the boat and smashed it against the ship. What do you think he should have done?
He thought he was gonna die.
What should he have done?
What do you think? Get off, get off the ship, Get off the ship. That's the best thing if there's land around. But it was in the middle of the ocean. It was pretty far from land and.
He needed help.
He got down on his knees and he remembered one verse when he was in Sunday school. Like you, children call upon me in the day of trouble.
And thou and I will answer you, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me well, to tell you the truth, he said. Lord, if you will, you please save my soul?
I wanna be saved because if I die, I'm not ready to go. He learned about the Lord when he was a little boy and he forgot him for years and he said, and if you if you.
Save me so I can live on earth a little bit longer. I'll spend the rest of my life and tell others about the Lord.
Do you know what happened? One of his friends took their shirt, dipped it in umm oil and he climbed to the very highest, highest, highest part of the boat, up the mast, and he lit it on fire.
What do you think that was for?
What was it signal? A signal for what? Help. It was calling for help. Calling for help. Someone far away on the shore that couldn't see it. The ship saw a light out in the storm. They sent lifeboats out and they saved him.
And he spent the rest of his life saved from his sins and telling others about the Lord. This is about if you don't know the Lord as your savior, it's like you have no anchor, and sooner or later you'll be dashed against the the rocks and you'll lose not only your life here on earth.
00:10:21
But the judgment to come after we're going to say the verse. How many people? I just like to know how many people are ready to say their verse this morning? Either the one in the Sunday School paper or another verse. Raise your hand if you remember.
The verse that was in the Sunday school paper last week.
OK. We've got a few. I'd like to give you an opportunity. Good, good. Thank you. Umm, give you an opportunity to say that in a few minutes. Let's sing a few more songs.
Raise your hand if you have a song you'd like to sing.
Yes.
#5
No, that's good. Oh, happy day. That fixed my choice.
My name is $1000 and there's a lot of problems. I don't know because you're gonna have to take it. Umm, do you get anything where I can? Speaking to the last one, that's my name is a very.
Good one.
Nsnoise.
Nsnoise.
Somebody I was talking to a lady this morning and she said.
It just spoke to my heart at the conference. Somebody said it's good when you get up in the morning to thank the Lord for washing your sins away every day.
You know, it's just you're not, Uh, There's no more judgment.
You've passed from judgment to life.
Umm.
00:15:01
The verse just escaped me.
Help me out with that verse. Pass not into judgment. Umm, not condemned, but passed from judgment to life.
Passed from death unto life. What's the first part?
Sorry, it's a senior moment for both of us.
He hears my word, and believeth on him that sent me.
Half ever lasting life and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life. We're gonna read.
Some the verses that some of the children will say this morning, and it's a scary thing when you know you're guilty.
And you deserve Punishment, Judgment. Let's sing in two more songs, then we'll say the verses yes.
#8 please.
Yes, every soul by sin oppressed. That means it's it's like press pressing down on you. There's mercy with the Lord if there's no mercy.
There's no hope.
I'm. I'm sorry. Eight. Shall we gather this coming? Thank you for helping me out.
Shall we gather at his coming?
Through.
We'll talk about everything else.
Nsnoise.
Nsnoise.
Maybe we can sing one or two more later, but right now let's look to the Lord for help and then we're going to say the verses.
Close your eyes and look to the Lord.
Our loving God and our Father.
To give thanks for the time this morning with the children and the adults here where we can sing about a happy day that fixed my choice.
And now we've just finished singing. Yes, we'll gather at his coming if cleansed or if washed by the Savior's blood. And Lord, we're concerned this morning that there may be some children here this morning that still.
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Have not listened to to thy voice.
They don't love thy voice because they've never come to have their sins forgiven.
We do pray that they would be washed in the Savior's blood.
We do pray for a clear message this morning for each one of us that we would hear.
And obey.
Thy words our God and Father and the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for the children of learned the verses that have got them in their minds and can save them out of their mouths. We do pray that they would believe them in their hearts and be saved and trust the and go on their way. Rejoice, date telling others, pray for help for them to remember their verses this morning in the name, and pray for the the talk to Lord did it.
The message would be simple and clear.
The name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.
You do not have to say a verse this morning, but I'd like to give you an opportunity. If you do have a verse, just raise your hand. I'll just start at this side and.
Only the people that wanna raise their hands have to say the verse or can say the verse.
Please raise your hand on this side of the room if you'd like to. Would you please stand up and say your verse?
Come now, let us reading together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 118 Thank you.
Now let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as red, as comes in scarlet, they shall be as snow. So you shouldn't be as Crimson, They shall be as wool, Isaiah.
118.
You wanna see your verse? Raise your hand.
Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins be.
As scarlet they shall be as white as snow, though they be as red, as red, as Crimson they shall be as wool. Isaiah 118 Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord, Sell your sins, be like scarlet, They shall be white as snow, though ye are sins be wet as Crimson.
They shall be wide as well. Isaiah 118.
Anymore here on this side? Got some more boys over here? Good.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though you sins be Crimson, they shall be as well as wool. No they be.
They like something. They shall be as where it is war. Isaiah 118.
No, Your sins via scarlet, They shall be as or just. Know that they be red, light, Crimson, they shall be as well. Umm.
Isaiah 1/8, Thank you anymore here.
Come now Loves reading together. Face slower, though you can speak like.
Like.
So you shouldn't be speaking they should be as what? What is snow that you shouldn't be.
Lettuce, cream, and they should be.
As as white as whole as a 118. Thank you.
Girls, do you have any any you want to say the verse?
Good.
You you all helped me out because I can't see all the hands.
Come down, let us reason together, saith the Lord, though since he read it, Though your sins be a scarlet, they will be as white as snow, though you sins be as friends, and they shall be as as wool, as they are. 118.
Thank you.
Anyone else will come down this way? Help me out if we have some other ones.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins.
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Be like scarves, but they shall be as wide as snow, though your sin be as Crimson, they shall be as whole.
01/18.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 118.
What's that? Very well, let's umm, that's a pretty long verse. A pretty hard version for little children.
It it is, kind of, I'm gonna say.
Kind of hard to understand what's the problem in the verse and what and what is the solution in the verse? Do you know what the problem is the verse is?
Is there a problem people have?
The problem is that.
Earthen is like red, like Crimson. Yes, the problem is sin.
Sin.
Is there anyone here that?
Doesn't have.
Sin.
Sin is any bad thing against God or man.
Has is there anyone here that has never done anything against God or man?
I think it's very clear. The Bible says there is no difference. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
But God doesn't want people to have to be punished for their sin. The wages of sin is death.
You and I are sinners, and this is talking in Isaiah's time, before the Lord Jesus came. Isaiah is warning these people. He says Listen people, please listen to me. You got to get right with God.
God wants to have a meeting with you. This is a children's meeting. Sometimes we go to the meeting. Who do we go to meet?
We go to meet Jesus, the one who came to this earth to pay for sins with his own blood. What Clean sends away?
If you believe on the Lord that he'll wash your sins away, yes, whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. The sins are gone. The blood of Jesus Christ, Godson, cleans us from all sin.
Now I'm going to read a few verses here in Isaiah.
There, put my glasses on.
Isaiah 118.
Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord. Let's have a meeting.
Why don't you think about it is what it's saying. Though your sins be as scarlet, that's a color of red, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like Crimson, that's the color for WSU they shall be as wool.
If you'd be willing and obedient any the good of the land. If you'd be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. If you listen to what God says, it'll go well with you.
But if you refuse?
And rebel you shall be devoured with the sword.
You know, they didn't have guns or bombs in those days.
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But they all understood what to be devoured With disorders you'd be you'd lose your life if you rebel refuse, and rebel you shall be devoured with the sword. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Let's umm.
God is using Isaiah to call the people to repent. Think about it. God wants you to think about it with him. What are you gonna do about your sins? You know, I meet a lot of people. Some of them are very religious, and I ask them, well, what are you gonna do? How do you get rid of your sins?
And many of them have these plans. Well, from now on you can do this or that. But what are you gonna do about that? God requires that which is passed. What are you gonna do about your sins?
How do you get rid of your sins? They've already been committed. You're already guilty.
God says I want to talk about it. There's a way. There's always been a way for people to repent, and there is a way that people can be saved. I'm going to.
Read the verses at the beginning of the chapter.
Isaiah 1, verse 2.
Hear, O heavens, give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken.
I've nourished and brought up children. They've rebelled against me. Rebellion means they say no, I don't want to, whatever it is, No. You've even seen kids. Their parents say their name and they they put their fingers like this in both errors. What does that mean?
What does that mean?
You know what that means when people put their fingers in their ears?
What do you think it means?
They're not listening. Yeah, it means that not only are they're not listening, they're not wanting to listen. That is rebellion. So.
I've nursed and brought up children and they've rebelled against me. The ox knows his own owner.
The *** or the donkey? His master's crib but Israel.
Does not know my people. Does not consider they won't even. They don't even want to think about it.
Sinful nation of people laden with iniquity or sins.
A seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters. They've forsaken the Lord. They have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger and have gone away backward.
That's what that was the beginning of this chapter.
I have a.
I have cows over at our house and I say here boss, what do you think the cows do? They may have their head down, they're eating grass and say here boss, what do you think they do?
Have any idea? Do you have an idea? You have an idea? I haven't. I haven't. Some of you haven't answered. What do you think they do? They walk over to you? Yes. They put their head up, they look back and forth and then they start coming.
They know my voice if other kids are playing around.
They don't necessarily listen.
But God, our creator, our owner is calling out to men and women and it says even children. He's brought up children and they don't want to listen. I'd like to do a little test this morning to see how good you children are listening. I'd like at least 4 volunteers for a listening test. OK, we've got one.
I'll, I'll, I'll take you. What's your name?
Joseph, what's your name?
Joseph. OK, You stand right. You stand. Stand up right here. Your name, please. Amber. Amber, can you stand up next to him?
OK.
Then yeah. Ben, please come up here.
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And what's your name? Kylie. Kylie. OK, you stand, Kylie. You stand on this side.
All right, we're going to see.
This is a test.
I want somebody on this side of the room.
I want you to call out Kylie's name.
And I want her to test if she knows who you are. You don't have to know her, but you can know her. Would anyone on this side of the room like to call Kylie's name?
We have two people here. We've got three people. OK, Would you stand up, please, and don't look. Oh, did you look?
OK.
Did you know? Did you know that? Who is that? My dad.
Dad, she's got good hearing. You may go sit down. You're gonna get a reward afterwards.
Umm, on this side we'd like, umm, some people. Now Ben is is standing here, and again, you don't have to know Ben. Umm, he doesn't have to know you. But would anyone like to call out Ben's name?
Ah, I see some over here. I see what I'm gonna ask this man over here. Oh, I didn't say if it was a manner. I wouldn't wanna say if it was a woman or a manner or a girl or what Would you please say call his name? Yes.
Do you know who that is?
Yeah, You wanna guess or you you don't know?
I don't know. OK, well, we'll try somebody else. Maybe someone from this side.
I think I'll try.
This big one over here.
Ben, tell us something else.
Did you recognize that voice? Who is it?
Emma. Is that what your name is, Emma?
Thank you. You've got a good hearing.
Now, again, your name. Amber. Amber. Would someone here? Oh, there's a a man. Sorry, I wasn't gonna say who it is. Would you please, California, call out her name?
You know that that.
Seth Palmer, you got it. Good job. OK, you may sit down.
What's your name? Joseph. Joseph. I'm going to have someone on this side.
Call out his name.
I think I'm gonna have you calling out.
Joseph, what is that?
Joshua. Joshua. Good. You may sit down.
The reason I I, I did that is God has spoken. God has called.
And we.
We know there was a time in Joseph's umm in uh, Samuel's life. He didn't know the Lord yet, but sooner or later.
God speaks once, yeah, twice. And man perceiveth it not. But when God speaks, we want to listen.
And what does he have to say?
Sorry about that.
God in this verse in Isaiah says.
Though your sins be a scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wool.
If ye be willing and obedient.
You shall eat the good of the land.
Do you know God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent? That means think about it, turn around and take God's way.
What do you think we should repent about?
What's the message this morning? What's the problem with man? What does man need to think about and go to God about?
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Yes, then.
Fishing your sins.
I am afraid as you children are growing up, some of you don't understand much about sins to start off with. But one day you're going to realize you have sins and what are you going to do about them? Have you ever?
Gone to the Lord and said I have sins. Can you please forgive me? I'm going to just quote some verses in John 10.
John, Chapter 10.
I'm the Good Shepherd. John 1011.
The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Verse 14. I'm the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and am known of mine.
At verse 15, as the Father knoweth me, Even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.
The Lord Jesus had to come.
To pay for sins because we couldn't do it ourselves.
When the Lord Jesus was.
They're in the garden. The night before they came and captured the Lord Jesus. He kneeled down and he prayed. Father, if it if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. I as a man I don't want to have to go to the cross. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done if there was any other way to forgive our sins.
God would have taken care of it, but there was no other way. It had been prophesied that without the shedding of blood there would be no remission of sins, and it had to be holy.
Spotless. Perfect. Lamb of God, we can't. The place people pay for their own sins is in hell, and it goes on and on and on and on. But the Lord Jesus didn't have any of his own sins to pay for.
And that's why when he died and his blood came out, that blood can cleanse us or clean us from all sin. We can be made white as snow on the inside.
Holy in God's presence and that's why we can sing Happy Day when Jesus washed my sins away.
I was gonna.
Read some other verses in Luke and some other places. There's one that says he that.
Here's my I'll just read it. Yeah, we have two minutes left. This is.
Why call you me, Lord, Lord, And do not the things that I say. Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my things and doeth them I'll show you to whom he's like. He's like a man which built a house. Dig deep, laid the foundation upon a rock. It's like the first song we song we sang fast into the rock that can't move.
And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and it could not shake it, for it was founded on a rock.
You know they're in John 10 it says, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them. They follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand, my Father, which gave them the greater than I. Neither can any man pluck them out of my father's hand. In other words, it's better than a rock. It's in the hands of God. You're safe, and you'll know.
The voice of the Lord you'll want to hear. The voice of the Lord you'll want to obey. The Holy Spirit will want you to. If you don't feel like it and you don't want to, and there's no love in your heart for the one that died to save you for your sins, you're probably still lost and need to be saved.
Come to the Lord. If you're understanding this, please come to the Lord before it's too late.
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Umm, let's just close in prayer. And then I'd like those that came up and and helped me with the listening test.
Uh, to come for reward. You heard you, you knew the voice and you. Each one knows when God is calling and He wants you not only to listen and but He wants you to obey and do and you'll be like that man that built his house on the rock. Let's pray.
Our loving God and our Father. We thank you for sending the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to be the Savior of the world. Our God and Father thank you for sending.
Profits and just normal people to bring your words so that people could hear your word, to hear and obey. Lord, we take your word and thank you that we have it.
We do pray for any that is still in their sins, that they would come because of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
They would confess their sin and receive forgiveness of sins forever.
We pray for those of us that do know, Thee Lord, that we would hear thy voice and not be rebellious children, but that we would trust and obey.
We pray these things, pray for the rest of the day and for the remembrance of our Lord that's to follow, that we would truly enter into thy thoughts for us the great salvation that's been wrought and the honor and glory that's gone to Thee, our God. We pray it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Spirit of God
Address—Bob Thonney
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Every ton confessed his name.
Ryan Samiri.
Oregon, who endures us inner shame?
From the glory, From the glory.
God doth now his worth proclaim.
From the glory, From the glory.
God does now his worth proclaim.
Men across to him awarded.
Man, the Savior crucified.
This world's glory times recorded God's unjust.
This fight.
By thy glory. By the glory.
Christ was claimed on earth. Who died?
By the glory. By the glory.
Christ was claimed on earth. Who died?
Son of Man is incarnation.
Open first, the tale of grace.
Son of Man into creation.
Leader of our chosen race.
Well may glory. Well may glory.
Crown him in the ordered place.
Well make glory. Well make glory.
Crown him in the OR for their place.
Let's pray, Father.
What a tremendous joy it is to our hearts to look up into the glory and to see Thy beloved Son.
The one who hung on that shameful cross.
In the highest position of the whole universe.
Lord Jesus, we bow, we worship, we praise thee for who thou art, for what thou hast done.
This afternoon here we are again, just a few of thy people, but with the desire to open thy word and to speak a little bit from it. And we confess our own complete insufficiency. But we're looking up, Lord Jesus to thee, that thou it's overrule and give according to thy heart, not according to our thoughts. We pray and ask for.
The liberty of Thy Spirit in speaking and hearing. In the name, Father of our Lord Jesus, we ask, Amen.
Like to start by reading.
In John Chapter 7.
Verse 37.
In the 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 hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit.
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Which they that believe on him should receive.
For the Holy Ghost was not yet given.
Because that Jesus was not yet glorified.
In our meetings we've been talking in the readings of the Lord Jesus and the power of resurrection that was evident in Him, that death could not exist in His presence. He was the Lord of life. He was that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested into us. Wonderful, wonderful person.
I'd like to speak a little bit beyond what we had.
And what is referred to here are two cardinal truths of the present era in which we live.
Number one.
There was gonna be a man at the glory at the right hand of the glory of God #2 The Spirit would be given.
And it's speaking here in this verse, anticipating what was going to happen and did happen, as we will see in the book of the Acts.
I know, brother, and I've spoken on this before, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoy these two things, and my desire is not to speak anything new here this afternoon, but to present it for the enjoyment of our hearts. To me it is most wonderful to think that there was a man who walked through this world.
A perfect man.
A man who was God manifest in the flesh.
Wonderful to think about it unrecognized in the main, a few did recognize him, like we had of Martha's confession of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God which should come into the world. Wonderful that a few did recognize him, but in the main, not recognized, not seen, no beauty that we should desire Him.
And he was condemned to the most awful death possible in the cross. That was man's estimation of God's beloved Son.
There he hung on those that cross, brethren.
For those six hours, 3 hours. The object of man's ridicule in the last three hours.
The object.
Of this storm of God's wrath.
It fell in all its fury on his blessed head. The waves and billows of divine judgment rolled over him for three hours.
And he bore at all, and the exhausted it, and he cried at his finished, and he died and shed his blood.
And God raised him from the dead the third day.
God has been fully vindicated in His holy character by the work of the Lord Jesus. And so God, when He raised him from the dead, did not quit raising him until Jesus as a man was far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come. Another beautiful thing, brother, and by faith to be able to look up into the glory, and to see.
There's one of the human race in the glory of God.
Our Lord Jesus Christ and Ephesians, it says he's far above all heavens. So in the heavens you want to think about he's far above all heavens. Wonderful wonderful church, but not any less is the wonderful truth too that goes along with it that in that place.
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He has sent the Holy Spirit into this world to unite a redeemed people to Himself.
As members of his body, so intimate is that relationship between.
The Lord Jesus and us, that he called to Saul of Tarsus out of heaven to say, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Well, this is in anticipation. I'd like to go over to the book of the Acts just to show you the actual facts, these actual 2 happenings in the history of the Word of God.
In chapter one we have the first part.
A man going into the glory of God.
Verse nine of chapter one and when he that's the Lord Jesus had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. There is his ascension into glory. What was it on the other side of that cloud? It's wonderful to think about it rather than there are a few suggestions in Scripture.
Of the glory of that moment.
The Lord Jesus.
Good as he did in John chapter 17, present himself in the glory saying, Father, I have finished the work which thou gave us me to do wonderful, wonderful, glorious moment. Any according to uh, Hebrews chapter one, it says he sat himself down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Because of the dignity of his person and the sufficiency of his work, he had the right to go right into the presence of God and set himself down at God's right hand. What a glorious person. Who here would dare to go into the Oval Office and sit down by his own instigation at the right hand of the president of the United States? No one would dare do such a thing. But here's a man who goes right into the presence of God.
And sits himself down at the right hand of God. Wonderful truth. Now the second truth is in chapter 2 and let's begin by reading the first verses of that chapter. And when the day of Pentecost and the I think we all know is 5050 days after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, He was 40 days here in this world showing himself by many infallible proofs.
That he was alive. He ate and drank with those that were witnesses.
He was seen at one time of about 500 brethren at one time, so there is no question that he rose bodily from the dead. He said handle me and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see me have. The Lord Jesus was here for 40 days.
And then he was received up in the glory, and 10 days after that, on the day of Pentecost, 50 days when it was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Isn't that interesting? Oh, with one accord in one place. That's a characteristic of Christianity. 1 Oneness, unity. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing.
Mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. So here we have that second part, the Spirit of God coming from heaven.
And according to chapter one, it's called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a collective thing. Never given a scripture that I understand as an individual thing. It is a collective thing. It was to form the body of Christ. It says in first Corinthians chapter 12. For by 1 Spirit are we all baptized into one body.
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So this baptism of the Holy Spirit was to form the body of Christ. And that is the truth of the matter from that day till this, even though the public testimony in our days is greatly divided. And if I would ask here in Kirkland, where are these people that they call themselves Christians? They would say, well, one place and another place and another place, it doesn't appear.
That there was one body, but it is still the truth, because the Spirit of God unites to the body of Christ every true believer in the Lord Jesus. So this is the coming of the Spirit of God. Now the book of the Acts is often been called, and I think rightly so, the Acts of the Holy Spirit. And it is interesting, brethren, to see how the Spirit of God moves through this book in one way or another.
Uh, working as a person here in this world and constantly expanding the sphere of the gospel to include those who have believed in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so we have the gospel going out first of all to the Jews. And that's what we have here in this chapter. Notice a little further.
Down it says, verse 37 Now when they heard this, that was Peter's, uh, preaching, they were all pricked in the heart and said unto Peter into the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
What he's talking to here is the Jewish people, the ones who were guilty of the rejection and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. They had governmentally judgment hanging over their heads for what they had done, and it was necessary for them to get remission of sins or forgiveness of sins that they be baptized and that way they would receive to the gift of the Holy Ghost.
And so there was about 3000 souls added, verse 41. And verse 42 Says they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.
The apostles doctrine is the basis of the apostles fellowship. We don't establish the norms of fellowship. It is already established by the apostles doctrine and we have here in the New Testament.
The apostles doctrine and if we are in agreement with the apostles doctrine, then we enjoy what is called the apostles fellowship. It says in first John chapter one and truly our fellowship says the apostle John and the plural is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. Wonderful that fellowship, but how do we show that fellowship says in the breaking.
Of bread so this morning we had one loaf on the table representing one body. Because there is no more than one body just one body. And how do we express it? Each one that partakes of it is showing that they are in part a member of that one body. Wonderful way to show that precious truth and prayers. Well, we go on and we find that the testimony is going out to the.
People of Israel with signs and wonders, with tongues, and that was proper in that time, because God had always given to His earthly people Israel signs. It was a tremendous sign when they went out of Egypt, how Moses split the Red Sea and they went across on dry ground to the other side. And then he held his rod out over the Red Sea again, and the Red Sea closed over the Egyptians. Wonderful signs.
So God gives signs here too at the beginning of the Christian era. They didn't have the word of God complete at that time, and God gave them signs to show that this, yes, was a work of God. But in chapter 4, I'd like to read a verse that is, Precious says.
00:20:22
And verse 32.
The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul. Neither said any of them that ought that the things which he possessed were his own, but they had all things common.
That wonderful one heart, one soul. There in the beginning of the crit of the church's history, the Lord's Prayer for unity was answered. Wonderful, wonderful. But the very next chapter we have the first sin coming into the church. What was it? Something gross? It was a lie. Maybe we don't think a lie is that serious.
But it was serious.
And we'll find if you read that portion, we're not going to read it for lack of time. But Ananias who lied didn't tell a lie. He acted a lie. He sold a property for so much and he brought a part of what he sold and put it to the apostles feet as if it were everything when it wasn't.
If he would have said to the apostle Peter and giving that money, we sold the property for so much and we're giving this to the Lord, this part of it to the Lord, I don't think there would have been any problem. But he made it look like he was being more sacrificial than he actually was.
Brethren, it is serious, even a little lie, that we might think sometimes we accommodate those things, but if we're going to enjoy fellowship with God.
That cannot have any place. His wife entered in a little later and she told the lie. Peter said, did you sell the property for so much? She said yes, and she and he were both taken out. I really believe they may have been real believers, but through the government of God they were taken out. I suppose we could say it was a sin unto death in that case.
Not always the same, but it was serious enough in the beginning of the Church's history that they were both taken away in death. Serious. Well, we go on. In chapter 6 we have introduced the.
Seven deacons that were chosen to administrate the material goods of the assembly and.
Help the widows and those that were in need.
And one of them was Steven. Oh man, it says.
Full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. Wonderful expression. Full of faith and the Holy Ghost beautiful.
In Chapter 7, Stephen is accused of blasphemy, but he doesn't answer really the accusations that they had against him a blasphemy.
But he simply lays to their charge those that Jewish Sanhedrin, that responsible body of Jewish leaders, that they were resisting the Holy Spirit. Let's go down in Chapter 7.
To verse 51.
Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears.
You do always resist the Holy Ghost. As your Father's dead, so do ye.
Verse UH-55 It says, But he, that's Steven, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord.
00:25:07
And cast him out of the city, and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit. And he kneeled down, cried with a loud voice. Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. When he had said this, he fell asleep. So here is a testimony to the Jewish leaders.
Of the Lord Jesus, and we have here an example of a Christian.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, occupied with that man in the glory. Oh brother, And that's the purpose of the Spirit of God. He comes to occupy us with Christ. You know, sometimes we have to be occupied with ourselves, to judge ourselves. But we need, brethren, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, to be occupied with that glorious man, that God's right hand, and we have it here. Steven wasn't occupied with the stones that they were thrown at him.
And we're killing them with he was occupied with that man in God's right hand. May the Lord help us because that's what Christianity really is like to make one more comment about the Spirit of God in this present age. You know, in the Old Testament he did come upon people. He even came on a man that was supposedly unregenerate saw the first king of Israel.
But he came.
And he went. They never were indwelled. He could not indwell on a permanent basis until redemption had been accomplished. When the Lord Jesus shed his blood, then the grounds were laid so that the Spirit of God could dwell in US forever. And the Spirit of God never goes from a true believer in the Lord Jesus. He's always there.
Wonderful.
Truth to think about. You remember in the Old Testament it was figured, but at the consecration of the priests.
First they had the blood put on their right earlobe and on their right thumb and on their big toe of their right foot. And then on those three places as well was put the oil, which is a figure of the Spirit of God only could be put there when the blood was there first. And so when the Lord Jesus had accomplished redemption on the cross, the basis was laid so that God.
Could send His Spirit on a permanent basis down into this world to unite God's people together to that man in the glory of God. Brethren, let's just stop and let these things sink into our hearts. To me it is most wonderful, these things. And I find that because we don't stop to enjoy them in our souls, we let slip the truth.
Of His presence with us today, little by little by little, we see it happening. I'm not talking about any other group. I'm talking about us. And we need to be exercised, brother, about this. The Spirit of God continues to work here. But immediately after Steven's death, after the rejection of this messenger.
Why doesn't gospel starts to spread out into a wider sphere?
Philip goes down to Samaria and there's great blessing in the gospel. In the end of chapter 8 we have the Ethiopian Munich, a Gentile brought into the number. And then in Chapter 9, God saves the apostle who is going to be the apostle to the Gentiles.
Beautiful. And then in chapter 10, we have Peter.
Sent by the Lord through the Spirit of God to preach to Cornelius and his household. Cornelius was a centurion, he was a Gentile. And it's interesting at the end of chapter 10 when Peter is preaching.
These people don't need to be baptized to receive.
Forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. How does it happen here? Notice Peter is preaching at the end of chapter 10, and it says in verse 43 to him, to the Lord Jesus, give all the prophets witness that through His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins. That's the end of Peter's preaching. At least he just got that far.
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When something happened while Peter but yet spoke these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word and they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter, because that on the holy on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. So they didn't have to be baptized first, they were baptized afterwards. Notice in verse 48 he says Peter.
He commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. So baptism came afterwards, and that's the order. It is because we today are Gentiles. Well, the work continues. And Peter, the last time he really appears in a real public way is in chapter 12. He does appear again in chapter 15 once, but chapter 12.
Really ends his activity as an apostle because the Spirit of God was leading the work to go out into a wider sphere to the Gentiles. And so the apostle to the Gentiles had been saved. And we have perhaps in chapter 12 a little prophetic picture. I won't go into that right now, but notice chapter 13.
Says now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Serene and.
Manette, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch and Saul. There's five in the gathering there at Antioch, and they ministered to the Lord and fasted.
The Holy Ghost said, how did he say it? It really doesn't say. Maybe he used a human mouth. Perhaps he said separate me, Barnabas and Saul for the work we're into. I have called them when they had fasted and prayed. They laid their hands on them. They sent them away. It says here really should be they let them go so they.
Being sent forth.
By the Holy Ghost departed into Seleuccia. So here's the first missionary journey of the Apostle Paul, Paul and Barnabas. Two were sent out not by the assembly because the assembly does not send out laborers. It is the Lord who sends out the laborers. So they are sent out by the Holy Spirit and they preaching the gospel and we have the.
Way things went, but from that time on it was first of all it was Barnabas and Saul. A little later on in the chapter it's Saul or Paul and Barnabas. And so Paul became the main figure through the whole of the rest of the book. Like I say, chapter 15, there was a question about the law and circumcision that had to be settled, and Peter was there and was a help.
In the way it was settled, but it's interesting how the Lord carries his work on and I just like to go on. I'm going to have to curtail this part of it, but just like to make a comment. Getting over to chapter. Well, I'm not gonna speak about it either in chapter 22.
Paul.
Is the prisoner, and he is a prisoner for the rest of the book.
In chapter 28, the end of the book, notice the way the book of the Acts reads or finishes.
Verse 30 All dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came unto him, preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence.
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No man forbidding him.
Remember Brother Clem Buchanan making this comment that I enjoy? He says. It was just like the tape recorder ran out there.
And the work goes on and it goes on today. And it is such a tremendous privilege, brother, to see what God continues to do in this world, here in the United States, yes, but in other lands too. I just have to say I, I found it a tremendous blessing just to witness, observe what the Lord is doing. I don't think he's used me so much, but he's used individuals.
In those countries to the South, when I first went with brother Eric Smith to South America in 1967, there was only, I think, 2 gatherings in Peru and there were gatherings in Bolivia. Now there are gatherings scattered almost all across Latin America, brethren, And it's the native people themselves. God working in his body, through his body.
And carrying the blessing on beautiful, wonderful to witness and to be. To realize that we're part of it.
The body of Christ embraces all those brethren. We need to enjoy the truth of the one body. And I want to encourage any that have opportunity to go visit your brethren in Latin America. Do it. It's a blessing some have here. You know what they tell? Ask me in Bolivia when I go, they say how? How come brother, brother, go to Peru and Argentina and Chile to visit. They don't come much to Bolivia.
And frankly, I don't know what to tell them.
I just say that to encourage you, to stir you up, even if you don't know Spanish Scripture provides for translation. So there is a way to go visit your brother and to confirm the truth that even though you're Americans and they're Bolivians, that we are one body in Christ. It is a wonderful, wonderful experience. So may the Lord encourage us in this. Well, that's the book of the Acts I want to use the rest of my time.
About speaking.
Of the Spirit of God in our lives in an individual way, and then as well in a collective way. Let's go to Ephesians chapter one to begin with.
To see some of the ways that the Spirit of God works in the believer in this present day, notice the last verse. The last word of verse 12 is Christ.
Verse 13 in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believe ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. So the Spirit of God in the life of each believer is the seal of God. He puts his seal upon us to Marcus as his the Spirit of God, wonderful, wonderful truth. But not only that verse 14 which is the.
Earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the.
Purchase possession unto the praise of His glory. The redemption of the purchased possession is when the Lord Jesus liberates this whole creation from the domination and the of sin and its corruption, and He's going to redeem it. He's going to set it free. At that time we're going to receive the inheritance with the Lord Jesus, but in the meantime He gives us the earnest of the inheritance.
I remember Brother Gordon Hayhole making a illustration of it and he said supposing there was a property out in the country and the price on it was $10,000. So I go and I want to buy that property. And I say to the owner, I say, Sir, I would like to buy that property and I'm going to give you a down payment of $1 million.
But, brethren, which is greater, the inheritance or the furnace of the inheritance? The Spirit of God is far, far greater. Do we understand? Do we grasp, brethren, the import that the Spirit of God dwells in this body? Wonderful, wonderful truth, wonderful truth.
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Well.
In Second Corinthians chapter one we have another thing that the Spirit of God does.
The ceiling is for security, the earnest is for enjoyment and here in first Corinthians or second Corinthians chapter one and it says here in verse 21. Now he which establishes in with you in Christ.
And has anointed us is God, who has also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. So there we have one more thing that the Spirit of God does. He is the anointing, and the anointing is for intelligence and power in service. The Lord Jesus is spoken of as having been anointed with the Spirit of God when he went out into his.
Public service.
I'll go over to the 4th chapter and we have some practical reflections too.
In the end of the chapter, verse 29, these are things that you might think, wow, I didn't know that Christians could be involved in these kind of things, lying and stealing.
Brother, we have the flesh in us, and we need to always walk in self judgment, says verse 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for the use of edifying, that it may minister grace into the hearers, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Yes, we're see you, but we're not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. And then he says, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be a kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you.
Bitterness.
I'm afraid that does a lot more damage against God's people than we realize.
And re listening to some of old brother Harry Hayhoe's meetings recently.
And he says a number of times in them, never entertain a hard thought about any of your brethren in the Lord Jesus. Never, never let that happen. Are we doing that, brother, or do we have some hard feelings?
Towards some brother it's going to be a hindrance. It's going to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Don't let that be case says be kind one to another. Sometimes when I hear the complaints I say, brother, are we putting these things into practice or is this just something we read over and wish that we could we need to put it into practice. Be kind one to another that brother that maybe has spoken something hard about you.
Crossover and embrace him and show him love Scripture speaks about.
Provoking to love and to good works. How do you provoke to love?
Love is what provokes to love. Lord help us in this, brethren.
They want to go back to the first part of this chapter.
To uh, verse two and three says where with all loneliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. That's capital S It's the unity, the spirit of God.
Has formed and we need to endeavor to keep it in the bond of peace. It is a unity that is maintained by the Spirit of God by acting the flesh. I'm not keeping that unity, but the unity is still there and I need to walk and exercise with all loneliness and meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.
Brethren, may the Lord help us to put these things into effect. I love to think of that verse in Matthew Chapter 11 That says the Lord Jesus says, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me.
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I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest into your souls. Oh, to walk in meekness and lowliness with the Lord Jesus. How are you going to learn that, brother? You're going to learn that in the yoke with the Lord Jesus. I think I've told it before, but I'll tell it again for some that may not have heard it. Some years ago I was out in the country, Hill Country of Bolivia. We were.
On foot and going from house to house, spreading the gospel. And we came upon this place where they were, uh, I don't know if it was a fair or what it was. They were a lot of people together. And I noticed to one side somebody was training a new ox for the yoke. And what they do is they put an old ox in one side of the yoke and they put the new ox in the other side. And of course that new ox isn't used to that yoke and he doesn't like it.
And he throws his head in the air, he shakes it and rushes forward, charges back. And just for several hours, that ox, that new ox was fighting the yoke.
I looked at that and I said, Lord Jesus.
How I must make you suffer when I have my fits of blessliness, but that's where you're going to learn the yoke. Meekness and loneliness in the yoke with him. The Lord give us to learn those qualities. So important to be able to walk in the truth of the one body if you're not gonna learn those qualities.
You're not going to walk in the truth of the precious truth that there is one body and keep the unity of the Spirit. In chapter 5, notice another detail about the Spirit of God. It says in verse 818.
Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but the filled with the spirit. Here is an exhortation.
Be not drunk with wine. If a person is drunk with wine, you'll know it by the way they walk, by the way they talk. You know that they're under the influence.
By the way, you can be drunk with other things other than wine.
Anything that you get under the influence of could be sports, it could be music, whatever it is. Things that in themselves are not wrong, but if you get under the influence of them, you're not going to walk as a Christian on a walk. But he says be filled with the Spirit. This is an exhortation. This is what you and I need to be exercised about. Sometimes I say if I have a glass and I want to fill with water, but it's half full of dirt.
How can I fill that with water? I gotta empty out that dirt in there first. And sometimes there's stuff in our lives that don't allow the Spirit of God to fill us. He wants to fill us. He wants us to be completely as His disposal. Brethren, my experience, I don't know, I don't feel like I'm a very good judge of the matter, but I have met a few people that I felt were filled with the Spirit and it was a beautiful experience for me just to be with Him.
Occupied with the Lord Jesus, not occupied with themselves. But this is an exhortation, brethren, are you listening? Be filled with the Spirit.
The Lord help us person drunk with wine, you know it by the way they walk, by the way they talk. Same way with the being filled with the Spirit. You'll know it by the way they walk, by the way they talk.
Uh, one other, uh, thing I want to mention in connection with the individual side and and 1St Corinthians chapter 6 please.
Here we have.
In verse.
19 It says, What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own, or you're bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are gods. This body the Lord Jesus has bought with his bud. He is sanctified by the Spirit of God.
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He set it apart for a specific purpose. He wants to use you. It does me good to see you young men.
And young sisters here learning the scriptures. Oh wonderful. May the Lord encourage you to go forward in that.
But remember, you are not here for your own purposes. Sometimes we get the idea. I have the purpose to do this in my life.
And sometimes it doesn't work out. You know why? Because the Lord may have a different purpose for you. He has saved you. He has sanctified you for a specific purpose. Let me encourage you, young people don't live for the brief moments of time. I can't believe I've gotten up to 70 years. Can't believe it wasn't that long ago.
And I was a young person and.
And seems like yesterday.
Time is short. Scripture says make use of it because you may not have much more time down here. Make use of it for God's eternal day. Make use of it for what's gonna last forever. And in this chapter, it's warning about sexual sins. Be careful of that because it will hinder you from being an instrument that the Lord can use.
If you've fallen into it, repent and seek restoration with the Lord. But and don't get discouraged, get back on track. But I want to encourage those.
Keep thyself pure. Flee fornication. Wherever there's a suggestion of impropriety, sexual impropriety, get out of there. Don't even stick around. And if there are other young people that want to stick around, you, get going.
I must say young, a young brother was a great help to me in the right direction when I was a young person and help each other. You young people don't go in that direction. These bodies belong to him and we're going to give an account for him. I want to use the last few minutes to speak of the Spirit of God dwelling in this in a collective way. Go back to the third chapter of First Corinthians you have.
The temple used in a collective way. Notice verse 16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Look at Ephesians chapter 2.
And.
Verse.
20 and our build upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together growth into an holy temple in the Lord. That's future. But present is verse 22, in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. God dwells in his people collectively.
And what is he there for? It is like it says in John's Gospel chapter 16. It is to guide us into all truth. And I'd like to go over for the remainder of our time to 1St Corinthians chapter 14, where we have what we call a meeting of the assembly notice.
Actually I'd like to just point out before we read the verses, I have in mind that in verse one of chapter 14 it says follow after charity and desire spiritual. And you'll notice that gifts is an italics which means it wasn't there in the original. Mr. Darby's translation puts spiritual manifestation. In other words, God manifests his presence in spirit through the members of his body.
Through the gifts.
And go down now to verse, uh, 23.
Notice what it says here. If therefore the whole church be coming together into one place, not interesting, the whole church be gathered together into one place and then people complain at the one place is not in the New Testament. Well, I see it here, but I want to say a word of caution, brother, in the way we speak of that sometimes we make ourselves the reference point.
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In connection with that, and I think we do a disservice and we stumble people because they look at us and you're not going to see these precious truths by looking at people. You look at you see them by looking at Christ and that is precious word. We need to point to that. I sometimes say, if I say to a young brother, this is the right place, he's going to act not on Scripture, but when I say about Scripture is that faith?
No.
Faith is based on the Word of God, and what we need to do to establish our young people is to point them to the precious principles of Scripture.
Brother, there's one Spirit and He's going to guide us in unity, not in divergent. May the Lord help us to appreciate the things and to remember that the focus point is not us, it's Christ and His precious Word.
But I'd like to just mention here that it says in verse.
26 How is it then, brethren, when you come together, there's a meeting of the assembly. Everyone of you have a Psalm, have a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done into edifying, so that the purpose of whatever is taken up should be edification that should regulate it, and so may the Lord help us.
All these things are good things in themselves, a doctrine, a revelation, an interpretation, all good things. But what regulates it should be that it be done to edification. And here, brethren, I want to say that as we are together in assembly, we need to be sensitive as to the presence of the Spirit of God in our midst collectively and.
Give place to him collectively. I have to confess, brethren, that at times I have quenched the Spirit in my brethren by speaking too much, and we who take part have to be exercised about that. But there's another error, and it's on the part of those who sit there and sometimes just have decided not to say anything when the Spirit of God is touching you to say something, or to give out a hand, or to give up and give and praise the Lord.
Those are important things.
Just wanted to tell you what happened in Oaxaca, Mexico a number of years ago, and I was there with Brother Eller Cohn and Doug Buchanan. We would go from assembly to assembly, having meetings in the afternoon, need to have a reading meeting in the evening. He would have a gospel meeting and generally he's being the senior brother would get up and he was a tremendous gospel preacher. Brother Ramon was, he would preach first. This particular place he preached first.
And then Doug followed on. And then when Doug sat down.
People were kind of looking at me.
Frankly, I didn't have anything. I just didn't have it. I looked around, looking at me. I guess I better get up and say something.
I finally got up and said something.
I don't remember what it was because it certainly wasn't the Spirit of God that was guiding me. It was just pressure, my apprehension of what they were thinking. And while I was speaking, I noticed another native brother go over and whisper in Ramon's ear.
And went back and sat down and Ramon was very prompt. It's closing the meeting at the hour. When I got done, the hour was over.
Ramon said afterwards, too bad Brother on Hill had something to say and there wasn't any time.
Imagine how I felt.
Awful I had quenched that brother, expressing what the Lord had given him by speaking when I really wasn't led by the Spirit. May the Lord help us, brethren. And I say that in two ways to be exercised, those of us who take part, to be sensitive to the fact that there are others there, and that there are gifts among each one of them that need to be exercised in the ministry, in the assembly.
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And.
On your part, those that are sitting there perhaps coming on the exercise that the Lord wants to use you to be an instrument ready for his use. Don't you sit down and say I'm not saying anything tonight. I'm gonna be completely quiet. That will quench the spirit too. The Lord help us more thing I'd like to say is that when there is real gift. Remember brother Albert. Hey Jose, and to me and it's been an exercise to me.
He says if a brother that has prominent gift.
Remains too much in his own local assembly, he will ruin the assembly. And I think that's something that we need to be exercised about too. God gives a prominent gift. It's to be used and it's given to the whole body of Christ. May the Lord guide us in the use and be brethren. Most of all, I just want to encourage that we be exercised as to what the Lord is guiding. There's a man at the glory at the right hand of the glory of God.
And the Spirit of God unites us to that man, and he's looking down at us this afternoon, and he wants to guide us so that there will be blessing, and he's going to use whomsoever he will. And sometimes he uses instruments that we least expect. The Lord help us to be exercised. Brethren, let's pray. Father, we have spoken briefly about the wonderful truth of the Lord Jesus, his present position.
And are being united to him by Thy Spirit. Help us, Lord Jesus, keep us, guide us, direct us, help us to be exercised. Encourage our dear young people, young men, and especially, but our young sisters as well. Commend ourselves to thee for the rest of the afternoon. And the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
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A Way of Escape
Gospel—Ernie Munck
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And think that he can be his own savior. Oh, you know, the grace of God is preached, the love of God is preached, the work of Christ is preached. But what is it that man wants to do?
He wants to do something so that he knows that he can be brought into favor with God.
Hear this man, he lay there thirty of eight years. It's much like Israel of old. You know, there were two years they that they went through the wilderness.
But there were 30 and eight years that they were wandering around.
Wandering dining hall.
How solemn it is. This world is a place where people die.
And they are estranged from God.
And is there no hope? Is there no help?
You you made this statement here.
When Jesus saw him lie and knew that he had now been a long time in that case.
Wilt thou be made whole?
Oh, you know, there's a longing created in the heart when he doesn't have peace, when he's estranged from God, and he knows that God is a holy God and he has to do with him.
The question is, wilt thou be made whole? Will you lower yourself to be made whole?
The important man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool.
But while I am coming another step down before me.
You know, it kind of reminds me of a friend that I had when I was a boy. I spoke to him and I said, Roland, why aren't you saved? He and I were raised in the same Sunday school. He and I had the same privileges.
I'd like to have you turn with me to phone 142 and we'll read a little bit about this flight.
I thought I was loud enough.
142, please.
Read the song.
I cried unto the Lord with my voice. With my voice unto the Lord did I make supplication. I poured out my complaint before Him. I showed before Him my trouble when my spirit was overwhelmed within me. Then thou knewest my path in the way wherein I walked. Have they privately laid a snare for me?
I looked on my right hand and behold, there was number man that would know it. Know me. Refuge failed me. No man cared for my soul. All here tonight we'd like to tell you there is one who cares for your soul. Even if you don't care for your own soul, there's one who does care for your soul.
That's God, you know, it's a very interesting person in first Peter chapter 4.
We read these words that those that have believed and have committed their souls unto the keeping of him as unto a faithful Creator. Do you know God didn't bring man into this world and then just say, well I don't care about him. Even though he knew man would fall, He had a care for man. I read the verse.
First, Peter.
419 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God?
Commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
You know, in the time of of Nineveh, when Jonah was sent to Nineveh.
There when Jonah didn't have the satisfaction of pronouncing a curse upon that city, you know, God told Jonah, he says there's a city of so many 1000 people and also some so many thousand that didn't know their right hand from their left hand. God had a care for those people and God has a care for your soul too.
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You know he's made a provision for it.
Thank God there's a provision made for our souls in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Roland, he said, No man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord, I said, Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry form brought very low.
Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise Thy name. The righteous shall compass me about, for Thou shalt deal bountifully with me. You know Roland, he got cancer. He was dying, and he called for somebody to preach the gospel to him, and he got saved. Oh, you know, what is it that would call a man 'cause a man?
To want to have his soul saved, it's the eminence of judgment that that's ahead of him. It's not love for God that would cause him to do that. So I'd like to have you sing with me number 42 in in the back here.
No. Pardon me.
#34 in the hymn book, we can sing that together. You know, that's the story of a lady by the name of Francis Ridley Havergall. She was raised in a Christian home and she said she didn't know how to be saved. She didn't know what her father was a preacher, you know, like that person, uh, Second Corinthians 4 says. And if our Gospel be hid.
It is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine in unto them. How solemn it is to be blind, to be blind.
To your sin to be blind to your.
Enmity toward God to be blind to the grace of God.
So she composed this little hymn after she found that there is a way. There is an ample provision for you tonight.
And here we'll think about it.
34 Precious, Precious.
Calvary.
And then dependent on that bad bed to lift it up and carry it off. You know that made the Jews unhappy. Man likes to be see men in trials and troubles and burden. But you know God would like to set you free. You know, there was a man dying one time and he said he sure wanted to be saved, but he said he didn't want God to do anything wrong.
In saving him. So the preacher turned to Romans chapter 3. We'll read that verse together.
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But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And here's the verse.
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Oh, that means being justified without a cause in US. You know, we're saved. God's charges. God is the one who's undertaken our cause to save us. God is the one who sent the Lord Jesus Christ into this world.
And you know the cross of Christ has a twofold side to it. One of them is man's side. Man's side was to take the Lord Jesus Christ and hang him there and set away with this man. We will not have this man to reign over us. You know there are 7 sayings in the gospel about the Lord Jesus.
That we're said about him and they were derogatory.
Except for one, the thief that was dying next to the Lord Jesus Christ, he said of him, This man hath done nothing amidst. Do you know today, tonight, if you're going to be saved, it's going to have to be on the account of the obedience of one. Through one man's disobedience, many were brought.
Read it.
One Mens disobedience, many were made sinners.
So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Oh, that's one side of the cross. The other side of the cross was a voluntary side of where the Lord Jesus gave himself as a ransom for our souls. Oh, thank God he went there. He shrank from being made sin. He could say to his Father, Father, if it'd be possible.
Let this cup pass for me.
But no, it had to be God's righteousness, God's holiness had to be satisfied. There had to be a sacrifice. You know, all the sacrifices of the Old Testament, when they were given, they couldn't put away sin. David could say in Psalm 51, sacrifice and offering. No, it's not.
Else would I have brought it? You know God has brought his own offering in Hebrews chapter.
One we read these lovely words.
1.
God, Who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the world, who being the brightness of His glory, and expressed image of His Person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had.
By himself.
Purge our sins when He had by himself made purgation for sins. Oh my friend, we were too poor. Too poor to bring to God anything that would satisfy him. God has found his satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Have you found satisfaction in Him? Oh, you know, you might know all about the work of Christ.
You might know.
Of his atoning work. But oh, how does it apply to you? How can I get the interest in that precious blood? You know, there's two things that are necessary. One of them is the sufficiency of the work of Christ to save your soul, and the other one is the grace that will receive you. You know someone is well said.
00:15:02
I've never read in scripture of any Sinner that came to the Lord Jesus Christ in his sins, in all his ruins, who was rebuffed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, how precious that is. The Lord Jesus has made himself available.
You know we read in Luke in Luke chapter 18.
The narrative.
Of someone else who came to the Lord.
Verse 35 And it came to pass that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging, and hearing the multitude passed by. He asked what it meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passes by. And he cried, saying, Jesus.
Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him that he should hold his teeth, but he cried so much the more. Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
And Jesus stood.
And Jesus stood, oh think of it, the Lord Jesus will stand at the cry of a poor blind beggar.
He'll hear your cry. Maybe you're ashamed that you won't admit it to somebody else, but you're troubled about your soul. That's the Lord Jesus will hear you cry. You'll stand still. He'll stand still. You know every.
If you came to the come to the Lord Jesus Christ, you can be assured that He had to die for those sins. He had to put them away by the sacrifice of Himself.
We read to his own self.
There are sins in his own body on the tree.
Oh, I'd like to tell you that you're welcome to come to him tonight.
I'd like to turn to a portion that in a way, is a favorite of mine.
It illustrates, I believe, the Gospel in a way like none other.
Second Kings chapter 6.
And it came to pass, verse 24, after this, that Ben Haydad, king of Syria, gathered all his hosts, and went up and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Samaria, and behold, they besieged it under ass's head was sold for four score pieces of silver, and the 4th part of a cab of dove dung for five pieces of silver. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall.
There cried a woman unto him, saying, Help my Lord, O king. And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, when shall I help thee? Out of the barn floor or out of the winepress? And the king said unto her, What Ayleste? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, may we meet him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him.
And I said unto her, On the next day, give thy son, that we may eat him, and she has hid her son. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes, and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked. Behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. You know here was a straightened circumstance. Here was this a place where there was no escape.
It reminds of us of Jericho, of the city of Jericho, it says. And Jericho was straightly shut up. None could go out and none could come in.
00:20:13
You know, I can remember the boy asking myself, why was I brought into this world? Have you ever asked a question like that of yourself? Here I am. I'm born into this world and I'm a sinful boy. I've done things I can remember as a boy. One time a boy dropped a dime in the playground and I snatched it up and put it in my pocket.
Went home and on the way home my bought some candy. You know, there was not much comfort in that because that night I couldn't stand it anymore. I cried out.
Mom, I stole something. I stole something. I sinned.
You know, we might think that we're all right, but just the temptation statement put there in front of you. One sin thrust Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden.
One sin will shut you out of heaven for all eternity, unless that thin is pardoned. Oh, how solemn that is. Jericho was straightly shut up this city here.
It was straightly shut up and there was no resources left, no resource in themselves.
We find then, he said.
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes, and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Then he said, God, do so, and more also to me, if the head of Elijah, the son of sheep at shall stand on him this day.
Uh, you know, people blame God.
Blame God for their troubles. I remember my mom telling me they were in Germany just after the war and they sat at a table in Bavaria and a big Bavarian comes up to him and says, can't you sit with us? Aren't you just are you better than we are? So my mom and sister, they sat next to the Bavarians at their table. My mom gave thanks for the food. One big one woman looked at my mom said.
What, you still believe in God?
I don't believe in God anymore. I lost my husband and four sons in the last war and I don't believe in God anymore.
Oh, my friend, think of it. Do you think that in Providence, do you think in the circumstances of life that you will find God manifested?
Ah, here is where God's manifested, for God so loved the world.
That takes you in.
That he gave his only begotten Son.
Oh, God is in love.
He gave his only the darling of his bosom to be crucified.
To be a hiding place for you and for me.
Do I understand it? Do I enter into the depth of it? No.
But God does, God did. God knew what it took to put your sins away in mind. And the Lord Jesus, he died for the glory of God. And so that you might have a hiding place. God didn't consult with you or me to see whether we like his way or not.
But he gave his Son from his bosom to be a hiding place for sinners like you and me. All were welcomed to come to the Lord Jesus, because he says that whosoever believeth on him, whosoever stretches himself out on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. You know Mr. Patton, the missionary.
To New Guinea one time went on a hunt with some natives and they killed a fallow deer, and they were carrying this deer through the jungle and it was a hot day. They came up upon a green place in the grass.
And the native threw himself down on the grass. He said. My, it's a good, it's good to be able to stretch yourself out here.
00:25:10
You know, Mr. Patton, he was trying to make a translation of the Bible and, you know, there was no word that he could find for belief. And so John 316 came to be, uh.
Written for God so loved the world that he gave himself, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever stretches himself out on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. All my friends, we have a man. God sent the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Savior.
A tremendous cost to himself.
Oh, for you to turn aside from that, to turn aside from the Savior, is a very solemn, solemn thing, because there is no other Savior, neither is there salvation in any other. For there's none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.
Oh, but thank God he's available.
You know, there was one time.
A lady woman.
He was dying.
And she sent her little daughter to go to the preacher.
To get her in, to get her mother in.
The mother didn't want to go to hell, she wanted to go to heaven. She heard about the Lord Jesus and she thought for sure that the preacher would be able to get her into heaven.
And she came and it was a rainy night and she knocked on the preacher's door and says, can you get my mother in? Can you get my mother in?
And the preacher says looked out the door and says what's the matter? Is your mother drunk or something?
She said if, if, if she's drunk, go get the policeman, he'll he'll take care of her. She said no, no, my mother's dying and she's afraid to die and she wants to go to heaven and she doesn't know how and she wants you to get her in.
The preacher he worked for, he was a fashionable preacher and he worked in the, I mean, he preached in a fashionable church.
And he told the people the way to get to heaven was to get yourself there by being good, by doing right things, and then you'll get to heaven. In other words, save yourself.
The preacher said.
What am I going to do?
This woman, she has no character. She doesn't have good habits. She's been a drunkard. What am I gonna do? And she wants me to get her in.
You know he's off, that what his mother had taught him.
There is his his mother had taught him that the Lord Jesus said, Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
He says his mother taught him the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son cleanses us from all sin.
The Lord Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
And God is ready and willing to save us if we'll come to Him.
The preacher said. You know, I'm going to tell this woman these things.
And he told the woman these things, and the woman said, yes, but my sins, My sins.
He said, you know, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from every sin.
Oh, thank God.
She said, well, oh good, she said, you know, I think that will do. He says, Now, preacher, you pray and I'll pray with you, the preacher.
00:30:14
He got down on his knees and prayed, he says. While I was getting her in, I got in myself.
Ah, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved all we must be saved, or we perish eternally. But thank God He's made the way from His own side, and here we find it.
In the 7th chapter.
Pardon me.
The 6th chapter reading from 33. And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him.
And he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord. What should I wait for the Lord?
Any longer?
Then Elijah said, Hear ye the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flower be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shackle in the gate of Samaria. Then, O Lord, on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?
And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shall not eat thereof.
Aw, it's a sin not to believe. You know, we read in the in John's gospel, I think it's the 12Th chapter, the Lord Jesus could say of sin because they believe not on me, of sin because they believe not on me. Man is responsible to believe God.
And God makes this declaration of what Christ has done here we find. And there were four leprous men at the entering end of the gate, and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? If we say we will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, still here we die also. Now therefore, come, and let us fall under the holes of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we shall live.
And if they kill us, we shall but die. Oh, you know what they did? They tried mercy, and they found mercy.
At the hands of God, because God made the way open for them.
And they rose up in the twilight to go onto the camp of the Syrians.
But when they were come to the uttermost part of the campus, Syria, behold, there was number man there. For the Lord had made the host of Assyrians to hear a noise of Chariots and the noise of horses, even the noise of a great host. And they said one to another, low, The king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come upon us. Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses, and their ***** even the camp as it was, and fled for the light.
And when these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried 10 silver and gold and raiment, and went and hid it, and came again, and entered into another tent.
And carried them also, and went and hid it. They said one to another, We do not. Well, this is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace. If we cherry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us. Now therefore come, that we may go and tell the King's household. So they came and called onto the border of the city, and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and behold, there was no man there.
Neither voice of man, but horses tied and ***** tied in the tents, as they were. And he called the porters, and they told it to the King's house within. And the king arose in the night and said to his servants, I will now show you what the servant Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry. Therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field. Ah, what unbelief, how suspicious unbelief is.
00:35:03
Of the word of God, that all these men, they were perishing, so they tried mercy and they found it. May in the extremity of your case before God, that you may try mercy and find abundant mercy because God has cleared the way through the work of the cross. The Lord Jesus has died and he's risen again and now in heaven.
He says to the center, Come on to me, the door is still open. The Lord Jesus said, I am the door by me. If any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture and old friends. Think of it, that door is open.
Because of the work of Christ.
Otherwise that door would be shut.
God has made the door open. You're welcome to come to the Lord Jesus. Here we find again that one who says, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be, Oh, unbelief.
How Satan would have us to be unbelieving of the goodness that's in the heart of God.
He that bears not his own son. He that spare not his own son.
But delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Oh God is not spared the Lord Jesus Christ. I would just like to.
Read.
There's more verses here.
Verse 16. And the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians, saw a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of God. And the king appointed the Lord, on whose hand he leaned, to have charge of the gate. And the people trolled upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.
All the gospel is that God is ready to meet you, the work is done, and the Lord Jesus invites you to Himself. I'd like to turn to three scriptures.
Hebrews chapter.
Two.
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard blessed at any time we should let slip forth. A word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord?
And was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. O God's salvation is not to be trifled with.
He's made that way for us at such a cost to himself.
Like to turn to Hebrews chapter 10.
It's one thing to despise the law, but it's another thing to despise the grace of God. He that despise verse 28, He's a despised Moses. Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sore punishment suppose he shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified?
An unholy thing, and hath done, desperate unto the spirit of grace.
Hebrews.
Chapter 12.
Verse 18.
For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and Tempest, and the sound of a trumpet in the voice of words which boys they had heard, entreated that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. For they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dark. And so terrible was a sight that Moses said, I exceedingly feared quake.
00:40:18
But you're calm.
Unto Mount Sion unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.
And to the innumerable company of angels, to the General Assembly and Church of the first born.
Which are in heaven. And to God this judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. And to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel. All God has given the blood of sprinkling. It's your privilege to come by that sprinkled blood.
Play that blood for yourself.
God has given it, and he told us to come by that way.
And it says, See that you refuse not him that speaketh, for they escape not who refused him that spake on earth much more Shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven, Whose voice then shook the earth? But now he has promised, saying that once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
Last verse of the chapter For our God is a consuming fire.
Just like to say one more thing, we're done.
Come for certain blessings.
Stay away at your peril.
Come for certain blessings.
Stay away at your peril.
Our God and our Father, we own disease. That the word is but feebly spoken.
But we do pray that thou hast by thy spirit, use thy word for the blessing of souls.
Is I intend that the souls should be saved, and that thoudest desire souls to be saved. For thou hast said all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in a white cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me, and this is the will of him that sent me. Oh God, think of it.
This thus thy will, thy would, thy would, that men turn to thee, and we pray.
That I was granted there be no rest for souls until they rest in me. We ask these things and give thanks and commit the time to thee in Jesus name, Amen.
Ehud
YP Talk—Tim Whitaker
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Well, brothers and sisters, we can say that the, the, the Lord has really answered our prayers for this weekend and, uh, he has poured us out a blessing, but we have been sitting for, for three days. I know that. And uh, I'll make a deal if you look like you're paying attention. I'll keep it short. OK, But before we do anything, let's ask God for sale.
Gracious God, our our Father, we do thank Thee for this great love that we have just been singing about. We thank Thee for the gift of thy beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and for that work that he did on Calvary's cross, uh, for us. We thank you too for the living Word of God. And now as we have its pages open for a few minutes, we would just ask for help and we would ask for a blessing. And so we ask these things and thy name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
Amen. Well.
Earlier this afternoon, our brother spoke about the role of the Spirit of God in the life of the believer. And I'd like to take just a few minutes. And I'd like to speak about the role of the Word of God and the life of the believer. And I'd like to do that by looking at an Old Testament character. His name is Ehud. So open your Bibles with me to Judges chapter 3.
Judges chapter 3 and we're gonna start reading, uh, in verse 12 Says then the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord and the Lord strengthened egg Long the king of Moab against Israel because he had done evil in the sight of the Lord. And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek and went and smote Israel and possessed the city of palm trees. So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab 18 years. And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up and delivered Ehud the son of Gira.
A Benjamite, a man left-handed, and by him the children of Israel, sent a present unto Eglon, the king of Moab, but made him a dagger which had two edges of a cubit length.
And he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh, and he brought the president up to Eglon, King of Moab. And Eglon was a very fat man.
And we invade an end of to offer the present. He sent away the people that bear the present. And he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king, who said, Keep silent. And all that stood by him went out from him.
And he had came unto him, and he was sitting in a summer parlor, and that he had for himself alone. And he had said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he rose out of his seat, And he had put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
And the half also went in after the blade, and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly. And the dirt came out, and he had went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked them. When he was gone, out his servants came.
And when they saw that behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely He covereth his feet and his summer chamber. And they tarried till they were ashamed of Behold, He opened, knocked the doors of the parlor. Therefore they took the key and opened them. And behold, their Lord was fallen down dead on the earth, and He had escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped under Sierra. And it came to pass when He was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mouth, and He before them.
And he said unto them, Follow after me, for the Lord hath delivered your enemies no Moabites, and your hand. And they went down after him, And he took the forge of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to Passover. And they slew of Moab at that time about 10,000 men.
All lusty and all men of valor and their escapes. Not a man. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel, and the land had rest fourscore years.
In the previous book of, of Joshua, it's a very different book than the book of judges. In, in the book of, of Joshua, we have, umm, victory. We have progress in the children of Israel taking the land, and we have the joy that resulted from that. But here in this story, it, it, the book of judges, it's very different. Umm, and today every man did that which is right in his own eyes. And so you have defeat, you have servitude to the enemy and you have the, the sorrow that resulted from those things. And it's been pointed out that taken before your side by side. And so it's a reminder to us, I believe.
That the spiritual state of the Christian is never is never a static ones. All is moving either in One Direction or on the other. And this is a very sad story, but yet I think there's some words of encouragement here for us. If we look at it closely. You know, in chapter one, the tribes of Israel came into the land and they didn't drive out the enemy that was there and you retrived after tribe. They didn't drive them out. And so some of them lost some of the practical good of their inheritance. The, uh, the, the children of Dan, for instance, they had to stay up in the mountains. They couldn't go down in the valley before they could farm. They were driven up and then we read of a generation.
00:05:12
That knew not the Lord and they didn't know the works that he had done in Israel. And so here we have the children of Israel in the land not knowing the Lord. We have the children of the enemy in the land, obviously not knowing the Lord. And they take a look at each other and they find each other to be attractive people and they get married. And So what happens that idolatry comes in among the people of God and of course it's made the Lord says his anger burns hot, I think is the expression He was angry about this and he strengthens the enemy. Now the enemy was doing things that were worse than the children of Israel, but he strengthened the enemy.
And it's, you know, we've had before us that our God is the God of love and he's also a God of light. And it's a reminder of what we have in the book of Peter that judgment must begin at the House of God. And so, uh, you know, this is a picture to us of the, of the struggle that you and I are in. We have an enemy that's arrayed against us. And each one of these Old Testament enemies of the Lord's earthly people are pictured to us as we know of some aspects of the Christians, of one of the Christian three enemies, the world.
The flesh and the devil and, and you know, our enemy can't rob us of our, of our inheritance that's preserved in heaven for us, but it can, as we often say, rob us of the enjoyment of that inheritance. And umm, you know, when we look around and Kristen, Christendom today, we do see a mixture of things, that which is of God and that which is not of God. We see disorder, we see dysfunction. And sometimes it seems like nobody even wants to recognize the headship of Christ. And when we look at the room, we have to take our part in it. They were part of this ruined condition of things.
And two, the Lord's hand is upon us. Umm, but I didn't want to be negative tonight. I want to be positive. And I think we can find a few words of, of encouragement here. We're going to take a look at Ehud. We're going to notice this flaw. We're going to notice the weapon that he used, how he came about the weapon, how he carried the weapon, uh, and how God used him, uh, with his flaw and his weapon to deliver the Lord's people. And I believe it's, it's going to speak to us of self judgment. It's also going to speak unbelievable. We have in the book of Jude where it says earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints. So let's begin with the enemy that he defeated.
Umm, we don't have time to look at very many, many of the enemies here, so we're just gonna look at, at Moab, the, the enemy that he defeated. Umm, the origin of the Moabites we know from Genesis 19 was the offspring of Lot and his own daughter. And Lot was the one when he was given the choice of directions to go when his herdman couldn't get along with Abraham's herdman. He lifted up his eyes and he looked at and saw the land that looked good to his eyes, looked like he could live easily there. And I believe that's really what Moab speaks of. It's, it's the easy life. Umm, it's the life where, uh, of pleasure. It's the life of leisure. It's a life that's promoted. Umm.
By this world, it's a lie of state, you could say that's marketed by the world. And you know, each one of us has the flesh within us that responds to this lie. And we were just reading in Jeremiah 48, uh, in our, umm, Bible study on Lord's Day morning and Walla Walla. And we read about Moab being at ease from his youth and not being poured from, from vessel to vessel. It's like a faulty wine making process where uh, the, the undisturbed wine is left on its dregs and, and the sediment isn't, isn't taken out of it And so.
A life like that and the believers is, is, uh, not gonna bear any fruit, uh, for God, There's no characteristic of the Lord Jesus Christ gonna be developed in a life like that. And we see that their king, Edgon, we just read about, he's a man that was marked by overindulgence. He was a very fat man. He spent time, uh, with his habits to take naps with his feet covered in his summer parlor. And our society and our culture glorifies that kind of thing. We can pick up a magazine that we can see celebrities on the beach and it looks like an easy lifestyle.
And we can get taken up, our hearts can get taken up with it. That's one of the enemies that that we have. And it's very interesting to see who God raised up in order to defeat this enemy was this man, this man E HUD. And if we look at this man E HUD, we see that he had a defect. He was a left-handed man. And I don't mean to slide anybody here who's who's left-handed. My mother is left-handed. But the point is, is that it wasn't the hand that was natural for him to use the margin read. It was shot of his right. He was shot of his right hand.
And I don't know if his right hand was deformed or if his right hand was injured, but the point is that it was defective. And, uh, he's not a person that you might naturally put forward as a potential deliverer for, for a whole nation. But as was pointed out earlier today, sometimes the Lord uses people that you would least expect in his service and in a way that you wouldn't expect in his service. But we also see that he was a descendant of Gira, one of Benjamite, uh, Benjamin's son. And we learned from Genesis chapter 20 that left handedness.
00:10:06
Uh, characterized a lot of those Benjamites. So you could say here was a man who was flawed from a family who was flawed, and yet he had, uh, God used him. And we see here in verse 15 that he was sent to pay a tribute to this king who had enslaved the Lord's people for the last 18 years. It was a ratification, if you will, of their subjection, uh, to this king. And Israel was in such a terrible state that they sent this, the very one that God had chosen to deliver Israel. They sent him with this gift.
Umm, to the king. And I just want us to get a hold of this, of this point.
That there were the gifts that had been gathered, there were people to carry the gifts and, and was there in charge of the whole thing. And there was a king that was there ready to receive the gift. My point is, is that there was a whole system in place and all Ehud was expected to do was play the role that had been assigned to him by other people. And everything would have gone just fine. Everything would have continued on, uh, in the way, umm, that they, that they had for the last 18 years. There was a system of things in place and, and he was deliver these gifts.
And I know enough of you young people, I'll speak especially to you right now. I know there's a lot of gift just not leaving you guys out, but right here, there's a lot of gifts. There's intellectual gift, there's athletic gift, there's social gifts, there are musical gifts, many different kinds of gifts. Uh, in this world, in this world has a system and it has a use for your gifts. It wants your gift and it will use them. But our time that we have here is very, very short.
And we shouldn't allow the gifts that we have to keep us in subjection to this world. It's not wrong to exercise your DS, but let's not get our heart taken up with it. Let's not let those gifts display the Lord Jesus's claim in our life. So here's this man, Ehud, and he has all these gifts, but he had a different plan. What did he do? He made himself a, a, a dagger, A2 sided dagger. It was his first resource. It was his only resource. And this of course, is a picture to us of the living word of God. And this is the crux of what I wanna say.
You know, Hebrews 412 Says the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. In Ephesians 6, we read that we're to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And Ehad made this thing himself. And I believe, uh, that this time this speaks of time alone. You know, he had to go to a forge. And what do you find at the forge? You find fire, you find a hammer, you find an anvil, you find water. And you think about that picture of him there, you know.
We were talking earlier today about the fiery trials that we passed through and the circumstances that hammer on us and it's tough and we we get formed and we have the water there maybe a picture of the Spirit of God that will will harden these things in our heart.
I don't know exactly how to say that, but you get the point. And it's a process that's repeated again and again. And sometimes it's, it's in the fire, the fiery trials will be passed through that the Lord Jesus has made precious to our hearts. It's the times that, that, uh, the word of God is made real to our hearts and, umm, uh.
You know, it's a picture I believe Second Timothy 215 study to show myself approved unto God a work fund that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. And so it speaks, I believe a skill in scripture and experience in application. We have to go through trials sometimes, umm, to reach that point. And when it was all done there, umm, you looked at this thing and, uh, it wasn't even long enough to be called a sword. It was just called a dagger, umm.
You know, we've, we've been hearing these meetings for three days and we've, we've heard brother, and that'll give us the four aspects of this and the three aspects of that. And seven times this is mentioned and the 10 times that is mentioned. And you know, if you're like me, sometimes you feel that your knowledge of, of scripture doesn't, doesn't quite measure up. I, I don't even have a sword. Maybe we have a dagger. You know, it's a dagger. And, and maybe we feel our left handedness when we, when we try to apply it. But there's a word of encouragement here because it wasn't, it's not the length of the sword.
That that brought the victory. It's not which hand used. It was the application of it and all of it that brought the deliverance here. Here was the man who was willing to ram the whole thing from the tip of the blade all the way to the hill into the situation at hand. And that's what brought the deliverance. The word of God applied in the power of the spirit, The life of the believer is what is going to bring us deliverance. It's also very interesting to see how you wore, uh, this sword. Two things he girded under his raiment. It was worn internally. He wasn't waving it around, showing the quality of the craftsmanship to his brother and saying, look at this. No, it was internalized.
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And I believe that this speaks to us of the fact that, that the word of God shouldn't be like an intellectual exercise, a recitation of doctrine, but the Lord would like us to have it in our inwards Pennsylvania part truth, in the inward part that speaks of the heart being affected by these things and not just being able to recite a doctrinal truth. And then we see that it was upon his right thigh, you know, it wasn't strapped on his left side. That would have been the normal way for a soldier to carry a, a, a dagger or a sword.
But, umm, he strapped it on his right side. Umm, the, the choice of weapons and, and, and how it's used has to relate to the person that that's using it, right? So he had to strap this thing on in a way that was useful to him. And David understood that basic concept before he went down to face Goliath, didn't he? He took Saul's armor and put it off him and he picked up a lowly, lowly sling. So the dagger had to fit Ehud in a way that, umm.
What's gonna be useful to him? Umm, and I think there's a lesson here that we can lose, uh, our spiritual effectiveness and the conflict that we have if we try to imitate somebody else. You know, God has made each of us, uh, different, with different flaws and, and, and different, uh, uh, weapons, if you wanna put it that way. You know, I, I get so encouraged when I just look at the first few chapters here of Judges that I made a little list of a few of the people that God used.
And the tools that he used there was E had a left-handed man that was using a short sword before him. Uh, we read of Osneal and he, he was not a first born son. That was quite a deal on the day. He was a younger brother of Caleb. Uh, after this there was jail a, a woman Speaking of weakness, no offense, but that's what it speaks of weakness using a, a, a, a tent nail, a lowly tent nail to defeat Sistra. And then we have, uh, Shamgar who used a weapon that was seemed wholly unsuited for the work. And yet he flew, I believe it was 600 men with that thing. So God has a special work for each one of you. We, we don't have to try to imitate somebody else.
Because, you know, Shamgar didn't use a nail from a tent and, and, and he had, didn't use an ox coat. God had a purpose for each one of each one of you. And if you feel your flock, you feel your left handedness, if you feel the shortness of your, of your sword as as I do, umm, the Lord has a purpose for us. He's not going to use you like the person next to you. And then we find that verse 19 that he had a secret message under the king. You know, it wasn't a public battle that took place like David and Goliath.
But it was one that took place in, in private. And if we're gonna overcome the world, it's a battle that's gonna take place in, in, in private. And then in verses 21 and 22, we have a very graphic, uh, uh, description of this violent act that Ehud committed against Eglon. And when we use the word of God in self judgment, it is a violent process. And it's a complete process that says the half went in after the blade so that he could not draw the dagger out or an old nature too must be exposed.
Uh, for what it is. And while it was a violent operation, we don't read of any struggle that Eglon gave them. We don't read of any stream, uh, we don't read of, of, of, of, of anything. And the reason for that is because that, that dagger was no match of, of the Eglon was no match for the dagger. And the, the point I wanna make here is that the weapon that we have is a divine one. It's a living word of God. And there's nothing that the world can say when we apply the word of God.
Uh, to us and to those tenancies in our own hearts to want, uh, the easy life. And umm, then we find that in verse 23, he shut the doors at the porch upon him and he locked them. And so this, I believe, would speak of us not dwelling on our past, but shutting the door behind us and going on to victory. Read of that victory in verses 27 and 28. The results of the act, the, the fruits of victory are reached and they retook the Fords of Jordan. They, uh, they cut off the way of entrance that the enemy had into the land.
And there was a victory, there was 4 score years of, of, of, of, of rest that was given to the land. You know, that's a lifetime, That's a strong lifetime. And how encouraging it is to see the older ones that have been walking in the path of faith for, for many years and you see the peace and the rest that they have. They're not struggling with this world, but what an example they give to us. And so I just would offer this as a word of encouragement to all of us to, umm, give the word of God, its rightful place.
In our life and we too are going to have deliverance until we reach that final deliverance, which actually may still be this evening, but that's what I had in my heart. Umm, maybe we could just commit ourselves to the Lord, but I give thanks to our freshmen too, probably. OK, let's give thanks. Gracious God, a loving Father, we thank you for this, uh, little passage in my words, uh, that's here to encourage us. We thank you for these three days that we've had, uh, with thy word open and considering, uh, something of the trials of life, considering thy great love. That's how it's had to us. We thank you for our Kirkland brother and we've opened their, their hearts and their homes and their Bibles to encourage us and.
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So that our understanding of thy beloved son would be deep in our appreciation of him.
Would be made more real to our hearts. And so we just ask the blessing on them and the remainder of our time together. We thank you for the, the food we're about to enjoy together as well. We ask a blessing on our conversation. And two, we would ask for safety as, uh, people will be traveling home tomorrow. And we just take one more opportunity to, uh, just pray in a special way for Jeff and Heidi and the Coleman family and just ask a blessing on them. We asked all these things, Lord Jesus and the most worthy and precious name, Amen.
Open Mtg. 13
Open—E. Staggs, T. Harkens, M. Rogers
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You pray.
And our God and our Father, we are thankful. We think of these last three days when we have had, as I love before us, a great love.
The relationship that we've been brought in with myself and we've had the word of God opened and thou hast answered our prayers. Thou has instructed us.
Thou hast not spoke to each one of us, many of us, uh, distinct and different needs that we've had.
Zas presented Christ to us in the most wonderful way.
He's identified with us in our sufferings, our sorrows, and His love and the giving of Himself and His life for us.
We do ask our Father, this is an open meeting and uh, we approach it with fear and trembling. We do pray for something, for the conscience, for the heart, for our encouragement, for our need for the day. We do ask this our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ precious name, Amen.
We've had, umm, the Gospel of John Chapter 11 before us last couple of days and, and I would like to look at that chapter again. Not because I think I can add anything, not because I didn't think it was covered properly.
But I was very much struck with what was in this chapter.
In connection with who we are as the people of God.
That is that there were so many things in this chapter.
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That were so distinct as a help in various ways.
But I'd like to impress upon our hearts.
Just who we are.
As children of God.
Who have the Spirit of God within us?
Who the Father loves and cares for and Christ loves us and can identify with us as we go through this wilderness land as one who's felt sorrow and suffering and we had different groanings that the Lord Jesus experienced that different aspects of his groanings.
And what I was thinking about in this is just how important we are to God.
God is our Father.
And you know, we've started out in this Chapter 11 with the fact of a great trial, a great sorrow, a sorrow that many in this room perhaps can identify with across all of us who have lost a loved one. I lost a brother, grandparents. I know there's many in here who've lost parents. We know it's a great sorrow to lose a child, certainly.
And here we have these two sisters, but I'd like to take a look at some individual distinct lessons that I believe that the Lord is speaking to us and teaching us in a way that I think each one of us can identify, uh, identify with. So the very first thing that we have addressed here, and like I said, I'm, I'm not looking at going through this to try to bring out points to haven't been brought out.
But I'm thinking more of of them speaking to us as individuals.
The things that we might find in ourselves, because I think when we can take up a chapter like this, that what we're not, what we're not to do is look over and say, you know, that brother over there could use this.
What we really need to ask ourselves are these things that I've done in my own life.
Are these things that the Lord is teaching me? You've acted in that character and you need to change.
Well, the first thing we have is this idea of the Lord.
In in that.
He has been told that Lazarus is sick.
And I would like to just take a look at the different, if I can say failings, but I think that each and every one of us can identify with in some way. And I think the first one is those disciples that were with the Lord Jesus.
You know, sometimes during a trial.
During different circumstances, maybe we see it in somebody else or we maybe see it in ourselves. But you know, our tendency is to make comments unintelligently, make decisions and discernments about things as though somehow we have some in with God and He's made it known to us, but we don't have it in at all. And I'm thinking about this in connection.
With the disciples, when umm, they're going with the Lord Jesus and they have a misunderstanding. So in, in verse, umm, let me catch up here. Uh, in verse six, it says when he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode 2 days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, let us go into Judea again. His disciples say unto him, master.
The Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again Jesus answered, Are there not 12 hours in a day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world. And if a man walk in the night, he stumbles because there is no light in him. These things said he, and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
But his disciples, uh, but his disciples said, Lord, if he sleep he shall do, He shall do well. Albeit Jesus spake of His death, but they thought that he spoke often, but he spoke of taking, of rest and sleep. Then said Lazarus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there for intent. You may believe. Nevertheless, let us go on to Him.
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Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus unto his fellow disciples, let us go, that we may die with him. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave for days. Well the point that I want to make here is the fact that that the disciples really didn't discern or understand or enter into umm what the Lord Jesus idea or plans or purposes for Lazarus were at all. And sometimes we make the mistake of.
Looking at a trial, looking at what someone is going through and we make discernments about it. We say what the reason that that it did is because the brothers not going on in a happy way or like they said, well, let us go with Jesus and we'll die with him. That wasn't the reason Jesus was going at all. Jesus, Jesus was going because he was going to raise Lazarus, not in not in their time, not in their time schedule, but according to his time and what his exercise and what his desires were.
And, uh, you know, I found this in myself and I believe we might say that we've all been guilty of it in some degree where we look at something, there's a trial going on and we say, you know, I wonder if the Lord hasn't allowed that in their life for this reason or for that. And we make judgments about things that we know nothing about.
And I think that's a very dangerous thing to do. I think it's something we need to be exercised about. I believe that that there is an importance of not trying to be something that we're not, are trying to act as though we have some kind of a discernment about things we don't and to leave it with the Lord.
The next thing that we find and I want to present these failings.
The next thing that we find is Martha. And we've talked about Martha and we've talked about her and maybe her impatience. But the next thing is that that these are tendencies in our own lives, aren't they? Tendencies to go through a trial?
And or maybe someone else is going through a trial, someone we love, someone maybe we want to even get. We want that. We love that that is lost and we want to be saved.
And, and we get frustrated or we get discouraged and we get impatient as though somehow the Lord is asleep. Somehow the Lord has, has not, umm, he does not seen the urgency about a thing the way that I do. I believe that's another one of the weaknesses that we have, umm.
And and so much as as that we blame the Lord for the circumstance, we blame the Lord for not caring enough, we blame the Lord for not doing it.
In a hurry and then our time schedule and I think that these are things that.
That when we go through trials and it's so difficult, it's so difficult to go through a trial, especially when it's a deep trial and it touches someone that you love so dearly or it touches yourself personally to just to be able to rest in his love. You know, we've talked about Mary and I don't want to make this about Mary, but it seems like Mary was the only person in this whole thing did it right.
And we're gonna come back to Mary. But there, there were others too, that, that they looked and, and it was brought out that the Lord Jesus groaned because there was this, this unbelief of what was in the heart, the goodness of the Lord Jesus. And the Lord Jesus groaned about it. And you know, sometimes I think that's another one of the failings that we have. Sometimes we lose the confidence of, of our love, of the love of Christ.
In a trial or in a circumstance that, that we, we look and we say, I'm not even sure God is able. I'm not even sure he wants to. And I think about that. You know, sometimes I look at somebody and you know, I, I suppose if you knew my life about who I was, I wasn't raised in a Christian home and I don't want to make myself the subject, but it goes to show how far down the Lord will go to save a soul.
And, and, you know, yet in my own life, I look over and I go, and I said, that person is so bad. I don't even know how God could save somebody like that. And yet God saved me and God saved you through the person of his own beloved son. And so there, there is the danger of, of unbelief. There's, there's the, the, the one thing if there's something that Satan is, is it would, would love to do.
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He would love to get you to doubt about the love of God for you. That is that is one of the the the you might say the energies of Satan is to get you so off the path as to God's love for you that you become discouraged and begin to question his love and it takes you away from him. And so these are these are different things that are failings that I that I see if if.
Uh, and I think it's a beautiful thing that God loves us so much that he gives us these different details about these different ones that are in this chapter that we might weigh them out in ourselves. Am I like that? Have I done that? Is that danger, that capacity to be, uh, to be that, umm, questioning to the love of God? Are these things that are something that that can be in us? I believe it is. I believe there's always a danger of that.
And I believe that's the, one of the beauties of this, of this chapter is that it carries so many different, umm, you might say actions of unbelief in it that that we're being instructed as we're reading it because we have a life that can do that. We can have a life that can look into these things and umm, and we can discern them and we can weigh them out before God say, Father, do I have these things? Help me not to have them. Help me to be faithful. Help me to trust you.
Help me not to be doubting, help me not to bring my own thoughts into things, whether they're in my trial or they're in your trial, but help me just to realize that you are God and everything you do is for the good of your people.
I believe that's just a practical side of of what we have here and I and I and then my my desire is is not to bring necessarily the chapter all over again to bear, but who we are as a people of God.
That are so valuable to God that he takes the time to have these stories written down. The living word, brother says a living word is the only book on the planet that's meant to meet our need and and it can if we will, if we will allow it to do that, if it's it's better to learn failings in the life of others.
And they have to go through the experience yourself to learn them.
And So what the Spirit of God has done is these words have been written down that we might be able to look at these things, say, Lord, help me not to be like that. Help me not to be like that.
Well, the other thing I was struck about is the number of different ways.
That the Lord Jesus was presented to us.
In this chapter.
He he was presented to us as the one who is caring, but he's acting according to his own timetable.
He's he's presented as the one who does everything according to perfect time for the glory of God.
He is the one who feels and identifies himself with the sufferings of those who are suffering. When we go through these trials, Christ personally feels what we're going through.
He's one that that hurts personally, he can be hurt.
We don't get it here, but it's been brought out. He wept over Israel. Why? Well, because they rejected Him. He displayed the greatest love that could ever be displayed to a people outside of the cross.
And all they did was hate him and reject them. Did he feel it? He knows what it is to take a stand for the glory of God and be rejected for it. And so we we learned something about not only His identification with us, but his own personal sufferings, His feelings, what He's experienced, what He's gone through. Did. Did we not? Did we not pray?
00:20:20
That the Lord would teach us something about ourselves and help us.
Changes to be something other than what we what we are as a as as those inconsistencies bring something more of the life of Christ and us. Did we not pray that we might have a better and a closer understanding and a glimpse of Christ and his love? Did we not get in this chapter? I believe we did.
Do we not see the power of of what the work of Christ on Calvary's cross as the one who is the resurrection of the life, the power of what He has done for each one of us as we were?
Called forth from the tomb.
Given life.
Have these filthy rags gently taken off us by faithful brethren?
Isn't it wonderful? Another thing that we learned that was brought out?
That Christ delights to identify us with his work.
We've had the gospel brought out. It's gonna be brought out again tonight. We've had the faithful word of God brought out. We've had different places of encouragement and conversation and building one another up. Number of things that have gone up, it's all brought out in this chapter.
It's an amazing thing to think about.
That God cares so much about us that we get this much from one chapter of the Word of God.
How much the whole of the Word of God is for us, to bless us and to encourage us, to build us up in our most holy faith, to encourage us to go on.
But there's another thing you know, and.
In the Gospel of John chapter one we we get John the Baptist and he looks on and he says behold the Lamb of God.
Behold the Lamb of God.
But, you know, I think it's a wonderful thing when the Spirit of God presents some wonderful truth to us.
But you know, there's, there's something about just knowing the truth.
And the truth has an effect on us inwardly.
That the word of God has such an effect on us.
That there's something that happens within us in the contemplations of Christ, that others around us see it.
What happened the next day?
John the Baptist sees Jesus as he's walking. He's so taken up with the person.
Of who he is and what he's done. It's no longer just a doctrine.
He's the object for the heart. What does he say?
Behold the Lamb of God. What happened? Well, those who are with John followed Jesus.
Should this not be the desire of our hearts?
That the Word of God becomes something more than just so many doctrines to us.
When we look at a chapter like this and we ask the Lord through the Spirit of God, to bring Christ to bear upon our hearts, make Him more real and precious to us, does it not exhume out from us? Does it not go out to others to see, to encourage?
Well, I'd like to encourage you.
Having taken up this chapter the way that we have.
And we've seen Christ in so many wonderful aspects here.
That is something you can take home with you, and others can see how much Christ means to you in your life.
You know this is a difficult day.
And Christianity is perhaps, as we're winding down to the end, it's under great attack.
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And you know Daniel?
Daniel, he purposed in his heart not to defile himself.
And that's the other thing I I want to encourage you about that the word of God.
Should create a a kind of encouragement when you understand how greatly you're loved, how greatly were loved.
And the world that we're going through and the attacks that the enemy has against us.
That we purpose not to defile ourselves.
There will be others.
Who will be encouraged to do the same?
The Word of God shows us that that's true.
So I just, you know, I was actually had this on my heart because I was, I was thinking about each one of us in this room and I was thinking how unique we are.
You know you, you take just take thought of the person that's sitting next to you.
If they're a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
They have an eternal hope.
You're wonderfully loved by God the Father.
He cares about everything, every aspect of your life. Nothing happens in your life that he's not aware of. And there's things that are going on that he's doing. Sometimes it's through trial to bring out blessing, but it's always for our blessing.
And so I was just thinking about this chapter.
And how wonderful it was that God has made such wonderful provision for us to bring these kinds of truths to bear, to exercise us and encourage us.
With her brother.
I was just speaking about.
I would like to, uh, continue on a line of thought that he mentioned and brought out.
Again, looking at the Gospel of John Chapter 11 for just a couple of verses there.
These last few days.
The theme of these meetings?
That have been brought out in many of the addresses. The breaking of bread.
Has been the love of God.
And what a wonderful subject we can have before us.
I'd like to look at a couple of verses here in John Chapter 11.
And consider.
But I can say for myself, I see as a shortcoming in my faith as far as the love of God is concerned.
John, Chapter 11.
And verse 21.
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died.
And we know a few verses on down, Mary's response was the same words we spoke about that.
But what I want to bring out was that Martha and Mary.
Their response was the response of a natural heart when faced with trial.
Their response was, Lord, if you had been here, this trial would not have come across.
And when we talk about.
The love of God and having an appreciation for it. I speak for myself first.
Do we really believe in His love for us or do we shy away from the things that He allows in our life to teach us more about His love for us?
We're well acquainted with the verse in Philippians chapter 3.
In which?
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The Apostle Paul.
Says in verse 10.
That I may know him.
That I may know him.
What else?
And the power of his resurrection.
The Lord revealed that power to Martha and Mary through that trial.
It wouldn't have necessarily come into an understanding at that time of.
The Lord's heart of love for them and that distinct way, I do not allow that.
Yes, so they're still lovely, Brother Lazarus. And then his response in raising him from the dead as a brother brought out. It was four days.
And those dear women went through.
A significant amount of grief during those four days. There's much sweeping.
There's more to this verse and.
Philippians send Flippians 3 and verse 10 that I may know Him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings.
You know, I'm the least of those that can get up here and speak about the fellowship of his sufferings. There are many here that know much more than I do about what it is to pass through trial.
And yet the Lord works in each one of us to reveal himself to us in a more.
Special way to his individual dealings with us in the trials that he sees fit for each one of us to go through and sometimes.
There will be more deep to others than they are to me, and He has purpose for that in each one.
I'd like to read a few verses that speak of this.
Umm, they've already been read, some of them. One of them in Matthew Chapter 11.
Matthew Chapter 11 and verse 27.
All these things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me.
Cry and meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Then in Job chapter 22.
Job chapter 22 and verse 21.
The point now thyself with him.
And be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee.
I can speak for myself that.
Often the response that I have when the Lord.
Would seek to reveal himself to me in a more fuller way.
When it includes trials.
There's a distinctive version to going through that trial.
And I believe that for myself, especially in my earlier life, I was hindered.
And coming into a greater knowledge of my Savior because of the fear of passing through the trials that it would require for me to come into a better understanding of who He was and the power that He could show through those trials.
I don't know how else to illustrate this, but to use a feeble example from my own life.
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But.
A couple of years ago.
The Lord saw a fit.
To allow a situation in which I would be required to go through a serious surgery.
And.
For whatever reason I believe it was, the Spirit of God showed me that this was something that the Lord was going to do to reveal Himself to me in a way that I had not ever experienced before.
And rather the for the first time, rather than being afraid, there was almost an exciting.
To go into that and has he led me through.
The process of that surgery.
He did reveal himself in a way that I could have never comprehended. I would have never had the opportunity to understand had he not taken me through that in that special way.
I really felt that it was the Lord speaking to me, saying Tim.
I need you to go through this trial.
But I'm going to go with you.
And as he took me through, felt like as he led me, I've shared this with somebody, it felt like he took me by the hand and he led me into the wave and he walked in front of me and broke the waves and all there was for me was to just fall.
And the blessing that came from that, my soul.
At eternal value.
It couldn't be measure.
And so and just this.
Very simple way.
I would just like to.
Encourage each one.
To consider.
That love of God that he just displayed infinitely at Calvary in the giving of his Son.
And to not be afraid.
When he calls you to go through a trial for the purpose of.
Revealing himself to you in a way that you would never have opportunity to understand in any other way.
To rest in the love, to be at peace.
And to just let him lead you through it and allow him to show himself to you in a way.
That he couldn't in any other in any other way.
Mary and Martha.
Had this opportunity.
They they started out with the with the response that I believe is very normal for the natural heart. Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother would not have died.
That they had the opportunity.
To experience Lazarus being raised from the dead.
To see the Lord in a way that they had not experienced it before and to reap the blessings of an understanding of Him as we and I'm not, I don't have any intention to go into it anymore. But we see that there was a response, especially in Mary, of desiring to be at the Lord's feet, learning more of Him.
We've had a precious time in in at the tomb of Lazarus, and then this morning we had a precious time.
Around the Lord's table, and I was just watching, often times ahead of time, I think about all the dear believers that I've had the opportunity to have.
That remembrance meeting ahead of us, those that are in Tasmania, Japan go around the globe.
And to see those in the Eastern starboard, and we have ours at 11:00.
And uh.
00:40:01
As I was sitting there this morning.
Before the meeting started, it occurred to me.
There has been a uh.
There isn't a remembrance of a different kind over in Arlington, VA, since 1925.
24 is that 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
I got the Medi meditating, reflecting upon the differences of what we have there at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
And.
We've been before a tomb Lazarus tomb here last few days and there's a few things to maybe bring out in relation to what we've had at the Lord's tomb.
At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a soldier walks 21 steps.
Waits 21 seconds, turns around and walks back.
The ones that are these are a volunteer position.
And many apply for this job.
In fact, fewer than 20%.
Get the job to volunteer as their service as it's called to walk the mat.
And they prepare, they have a large preparatory time to do such a thing, both for the job as as well As for their duty of that day.
And for instance, the soldiers spend up to six months studying. I believe there's 172 unknown soldiers there. They study the lives of the ones that are in the tomb.
And then the preparatory work. I've read some things about how they prepare for their job for that day. It's Immaculate and what they do.
And they then spend 30 minutes doing their due diligence.
And then they're relieved.
And you do it.
In snow, sleet, ice, summer and winter.
In fact, recently there was a hurricane coming through and it has not been interrupted since 1925.
And the hurricane was coming through and the commanding officer said, stand down, lock it down, step inside.
And then said no.
The hurricane was hitting and they.
So I'll only read 2 verses. Link 2 verses together. One is in Luke 22.
We know this portion well.
Perhaps it gives us a little bit of insight into the Lord Jesus. Luke 22. Well, it's it's going to be verse 14 as well, verse 14.
When the hour was come, he sat down and the 12 apostles with him, and he said unto them with desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Perhaps for a few minutes we could look at the desire that He had to be there with his disciples.
It's often times we can lose on the first day of the week we can lose.
The consciousness of the Lord to be there.
And perhaps the comments can be addressed to those of their younger as well.
The solemnity of being at that table.
I think of those soldiers as they passed through this complete regiment of not only the preparatory work that they go through, but the, but the, uh, the, the, the, the mandates of the job. In fact, there is a creed that the soldiers, you can read for yourself, The soldiers take of their life from then on. There is a creed. There's only four hundred of these soldiers that have walked them out.
And read and read the lifestyle that they have to dedicate themselves to for someone who they do not know in that too.
There are there are remains in that tomb of who there's unrecognizable.
And so there's things to think about. We know our Savior and to think about the fact that we can read and consume Him.
00:45:04
We know who's in the tomb and we know he's out of the tomb.
But one other thing too.
I think too you can read and in fact I encourage you there are video clips to look at to see.
Them walk and there was one where there was laughing in the gallery. There is an ability to observe. One thing to note is anyone can come and observe.
This monument and the respect that the soldier is giving anyone can come.
But there's laughing and to see the soldier stand and address.
Was striking and I relate that to as well as we gather together.
Well, one, before I go there, the the soldier is also carrying his rifle between the crowd and the two. There's a significance in this.
There are things that are coming in.
That are going to affect the preciousness.
Of a large table and there is only one weapon to stand between.
That thing that's coming in.
And the sacred thing there?
Only one thing, and that soldier will shift the rifle as he as he stops at either side.
This is solemn because, as we all know, the time is getting short and there are things that are subtly creeping in that must be addressed with the Word of God.
So just the 15th, 1St there with desire, desire to eat this Passover with you. I've understood it to be there's a ferventness there. It doesn't necessarily come out, the ferventness. Do I see my Lord there with his ferventness of being there with his disciples, do I see him?
There this morning, fervently wanting us to be there. And then the second verse is in, of course, with no First Corinthians 11.
Uh.
And it's well known here in verse 26 for as often as eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come to think that the soldiers are sitting there as a as a volunteer of a creed of their lifestyle, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, sleep, rain, shine, and they are walking the mat.
As a duty, as an honor. And so it's a privilege for them to do so. It's a privilege for you and I as children of God to be there at the Lord's table. But there's also responsibility as well.
Know the word of God. Know the fact that there are attacks that are indeed coming in.
So there's a responsibility, the security, and it's a privilege to be there.
And so it bothers me and I'm certain and I know I've had the privilege of knowing those that were quite old, 190 something years old that come from a an age past, that there are things that have been given up in just pure and simple.
Respect.
That's a large table.
And those of us in the younger generation may not have heard about these.
Circum respectfulness to be at the Lord's Table.
Perhaps when the Lord was there.
He he obviously had a preparatory work to be there in that upper room. We see that very clearly. He sent two disciples ahead.
Am I preparing myself to be at this Lord's Table? These soldiers, if they walk the smarts, have a preparatory work to do their job that day.
Their shoes are am Immaculate they're they're they're uniforms are pressed 01 Thing about their uniform. That's beautiful to see. There is no rank and file in their uniforms. They intentionally leave the rank and file off of their uniforms. Is that not like all of us to be there around the Lord's table as priests?
00:50:01
One with a lot of public gift, one with private gift, a sister that that prays incessantly in her closet. Those that have a public, they're all one before this table before the Lord to not have a rank and file for these one soldiers as they March back and forth 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And The thing is, is they close the crowd. The crowd is only got opening hours and many think that it stops no.
There's a soldier out there at 1:00 in the morning. There's one out there at 2:00 in the morning.
Doing their duty of a privilege of remembering those that had fallen and to think about the privilege that we have here in this verse here you do show the Lord's death till he come. And I do think of those that are in the jungles of Ecuador, in the mountains of Bolivia and downtown Tokyo or, or or underneath a tree in Africa that I've heard about remembering the Lord.
Is that striking or what?
Is to think of the myriads of opportunities since the Lord has gone. Glory is to have the myriads of opportunities of Saints then and then today to be able to take up a simple remembrance meeting that many don't observe even.
And to have that responsibility and privilege of being there at his table.
So I thought that was just a beautiful thing to see Soldier of the of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, to see it as a type, if you will do some study on it, it's very, very educational. But to see the fact that we too have a responsibility of preparing ourselves and, and to have that privilege of guarding and remembering simultaneously. Let's have his name.
Could we say #208?
#208.
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00:55:42
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Umm.
01:00:08
Uh, could you please give me?
Uh.
And.
Mm-hmm.