Lassen Pines Family Camp: 2007
Table of Contents
Practical Encouragement in the Last Days #1: 2 Timothy 1
Practical Encouragement in the Last Days #2: 2 Timothy 2
Practical Encouragement in the Last Days #3: 2 Timothy 3 & 4
Paul's Shipwreck
Address—David So
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Then teach thy gathered sayings, O Lord, to worship in thy fear, and let every grace mode thy word that meets Thy holy ear.
Yesterday we spent a bit of time talking about the.
Hidden church period in Genesis chapter 8 and as opposed we can sum up that that hours so we spend into one simple thing that the church is put into a very short period. We if you recall when we gone through a little bit of that seven fees the church period was hidden in there. Do you recall that after resurrection the ark rested on the mount on the 17th day of that month picture.
Of the feast of the first fruit picture of resurrection, which we can match that up to the seven feasts of Jehovah. There is the Passover, there is death and then immediately follow his resurrection and then fifty days after that the church began. Thus the day of Pentecost of the feast of weeks and then we're in. If you remember that charge a very short period of time.
Will only fit it in that time before that next feast, the Feast of the Trumpet, where Israel will be awakening.
So we're in for that short time this morning with the Lords help. I'd like to spend a few more minutes to see perhaps in the New Testament another church period. Now what we did notice yesterday was that it was the declension isn't it because our brother had before us the remnant. Well the church period began. We remember if you remember in Genesis age there with the dark period a picture of the Raven gun out that dark ages of.
The dark days of the churches and then the.
The dove was sent out. There was the Reformation, but the dove didn't find a resting place. Then the dove was sent out again. There was that. I'm sorry. Doug was sent out again and brought back an olive leave picture of that reformation. And then the dove was sent out one more time and not to return again. I believe that was the picture of the truth being recovered.
Now we may be able to see something similar and like to turn to the book of Acts chapter 27. In this chapter we often speak of the picture of Paul's shipwrecked and I'd like to look at this ship as the ship of testimony. And perhaps through this we will see another church period as if it were and the stages that have gone through now we find through our scriptures.
As this, you know, we had the incidents of the bridegroom or of the 10 virgins brought up the other day. We find that there is a common thread as the Lord give us those pictures. If you remember the picture of the 10 virgins, they.
All fallen asleep and thus the picture throughout the church period is that we as Christian tend to fall asleep while we wait for our blessed Lord to come. Someone mentioned yesterday that they had Eureka before them. We find that picture in there too. Did we nod? How Uticus? Even though Paul was giving out his ministry, their eudicus fell asleep. A picture of the church, isn't it Fell asleep and fell down from the third loft.
Oh, how sad. And then what revived them. Yes, I know it was at the love, but the ministry of Paul in the sands was brought back to him. What a picture to see that the church as a whole will give up that ministry of pause. A doctrine we find in Acts there that what characterized the early Christians was the fact that they continue in Let's turn to that. Perhaps let's turn to that first.
I know, we all know that well, but I think it's nice to quote it properly. Acts chapter 2.
Verse 42, that was the characteristics of the early Christians, that they continue steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer. Three things that characterize them, the apostles doctrine and the apostles fellowship and the in the breaking of bread and in prayer. And we'll find that throughout the ages this get forgotten.
And then toward the end of the period, it get recovered before the very end. Let's go to Acts chapter 27. We won't have time to go through this in detail, so we'll go through this quickly and trust that you would go home and read through this carefully and prayerfully as the Lord, I'm sure, will show you more. I'm going to begin further down in the chapter there.
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In verse.
I'm going to start at various 9. Now the verses prior to that, we see that they were set to sail to Italy. Paul was to be to go to Rome. So there we find that not a whole lot of incidents. We find that the wind was a bit contrary, but yet they were able to sail to where they are at this point. Verse nine now when much time was spent now they had this place called Fair Haven. Now when much time was spent when sailing was now dangerous.
Because the fast was now already passed, Paul admonished them and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only through the leading and ship but also our lives. We see that the apostle give warning through his ministry. He warned them, this journey is going to be of a problem.
Yes, they have cargoes, they have lading, they have lives, they have people on this ship. Some were prisoners.
As we read earlier on in the chapter, but nevertheless their lives and I believe we have to look at this as delayed and as the truth that we have received. We can picture that as this ship, the ship of a testimony. Now not the church itself, but the testimony of the church as we progresses. There is the truth deposited onto into this ship and Paul warned them that as they go on in this particular journey.
They will have trouble. So verse 11. Nevertheless, the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more than those things which were spoken. Well, we tend to do that, don't we? We talk to people that are masters, the shipmaster, people that are expert and we tend to believe them than from the word of God, do we not You know, sometimes even when we pick up books to read, if you notice in our books book room, most books.
Doesn't have fancy coverage. They may not even have a name of the author, maybe just the initials.
And then you go to a Christian books book room and you open up and you look into a book. You got the whole Backpage and maybe even the inside of the Backpage that show you the qualifications and the number of degrees this this person have and perhaps half a page full of his or her picture on it. And they are so-called masters.
Here these masters, they were listening to them rather than Paul verse 12, and because the haven was not commodious to winter in the more part of vice to depart. Then also, if by any means they might attain Tiffany's and there to winter, which is an haven of creed, and lieth to what the southwest and the northwest. So we see here they were at a place called Fairhaven.
Now what they find with Fair Haven is that it wasn't a very comfortable place to winter in. Do we find that that we are like them that there is a place it's not comfortable, it doesn't accommodate what we want. So let's look for a place that accommodate rather than obeying what the ministry that Paul has given to us. So what happened when they disobeyed? Well, verse 13 and when the South wind blew the.
You know, I enjoy this. We like the soft, gentle breeze when the South wind blew. You know, often we like to look for signs, don't we, to see whether we have the Lords will. And we find that there are a lot of times that we pray about things after we made the decision. If you really think about it, is it really a prayer or is it saying to the Lord that Lord, I'm going to go ahead with this and I want your blessings. And you know, there are times that the Lord does allow for circumstances like that.
To teach us lessons. So when a case like this, they see the South wind, Oh, do we not find ourselves saying things like that? Look, it's fine. Look at this. The South wind blew and you thought it was bad.
Well, let's read on. It says verse 13 here. And when the South wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, oh, I'm sure they would have mocked Paul saying of his worries and concern verse 14 but long after there arose against a tempestuous wind. Oh, long after it wasn't immediately.
Young people, sometimes when we stray from the path that the Lord want us to take, if we don't always immediately see the hand of God stopping us, we don't always immediately feel.
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That.
Since long after Ah. But then the storm comes, verse 15. And when the ship was caught and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. Do we find that now we're in trouble?
Instead of turning back to depend on the one who provide, the one who wants to be the master of our lives, the Lord of all things, we let it go, we let it dry, let the wind take it wherever it can. First verse 16 and running under certain island which is called Claudia. We have much work to come by the board. I believe Mr. Darby translated that they became the master of the ship again. They pulled behind.
Ireland on the Lee side of the island. They thought things are OK again. Oh, it appears that things that we try sometimes can fix things. Isn't it great? We're the master of our own ship again. What do they do here? Verse 17 It has this. Which one they had taken up, they use helped undergirding the ship and fearing lest lest they should fall into the quicksand.
Wow, we became master. They put tables under the ship to protect the ship to stop her from from being pounded by that waves.
That it won't fall apart and things look OK for a while. And you know, I believe we all seems to fall into that, don't we? When there is a problem, when that storm clouds comes, we try to fix things ourselves rather than be dependent upon the Lord. And there are times that we see a bit of signal coming in aside saying, see, I told you it's OK. Well, let's go on here, verse 18.
Problem happens again. There were quicksands around there.
They were afraid that they would hit the rocks and so on. Verse 18 and we being exceedingly tasked with a Tempest the next day, they lighten the ship.
They lightened the ship. Well, I suppose that is a natural thing. The ship was heavy. Is is is way deep, dragging into the water. The easiest thing is to toss things overboard. Well, I believe those cargoes, those Ladens that they had, I believe that's a picture of the truth that we have.
When problem comes, what do we do? Do we give up? Do we toss what we have learned?
He did.
They toss those cargoes overboard. Are there things that you have been brought up since where you you were youth and now you say it's not important. How much have you learned from the word of God? How much have your parents of this truth that has passed on to you? How much have you learned when you come to meeting as such and then when the storm clouds come.
Are you ready to say this is not important?
Don't look at the person next to you. We need to look at ourselves and point to our own heart here. That's why the word of God sets by the truth and so it not what is precious to you.
And then, as if this wasn't enough.
Verse 15.
And the third day.
And the third day.
Well, let me comment on that this first you'll find throughout the word of God the third day.
Third day, that resurrection day.
Probably her brother Jim speak on that often on that third day. We should think of that with death and resurrection. Now notice the difference here is that on the third day when we have problems, we should look forward to the third day. You remember Abraham of old, he was told to offer up his son at that mountain afar off. And when did he see that? On the third day he lifted up his eyes and he saw that the fall off. So he on the 3rd.
Is that we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. Oh, how sad. I'm not a sailor. I don't know much about sailing.
Sailing doesn't agree with me. I can't take motion so. But here from what I understand, these tacklings, instruments that are needed to navigate these police, perhaps the ropes I believe Mr. Darby has at the furniture, the furnishing on the ship. Oh, the stuff that I needed.
Not just the truth that they have tossed out. Now the things that are necessary that get tossed overboard with their own hands, young people, are the things that you're ready to give up because of problems and storm clouds in their life. Are you just going to toss it with your own hands overboard? Now here's the warning. You'll see that the next few verses when you give up the truth.
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When you toss this overboard, this is what's going to happen.
And when neither son, verse 20, When neither sun nor stars in many days appear, and no more Tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
That's the consequence when you give up what you have learned.
No more hope.
What is the hope within your heart, the star, the bright morning star, that we wait for that great appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ? Wouldn't you give up the truth? You will give up.
The Lord's return when you give up.
Then everything seems dark and all hopes with God. That's why the churches throughout the ages have given up, given up the ministry that Paul has passed down to us, have given up the hope, the blessed hope that we have within us. Verse 21 and after long abstinence.
Paul stood forth in the midst of them. Isn't it interesting all this time?
If you have a chance to look at the map, and many of you have the map in the back of your Bible, look onto this journey.
This is more than halfway through this journey. We'll find that Paul. Paul was silent throughout all this up to this point. Now it's time for the Lord to restore his people. Paul speaks up. He said first part way through verse 21. Sirs, you should have hearkened unto me.
Oh, how many of you wish when you're in trouble, that you're hearkened from the word of God? Young people, may I call you sirs? You should have parking until what the word of God has to say to you.
Verse 22 And now, though you be in trouble, he can tell you this. And now I exalt you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. Oh, isn't it nice to know that none of them would be lost? You know, young people, God give us that assurance, even though he may have wander off on the path that you ought to walk.
Yes, you will not lose your salvation.
You will because you love you. You will be there in glory with Him whether you like it or not, because you have been.
Predestinated to conform to his glory. But here Paul assured them, Be of good cheer, be of good cheer.
Verse 23 How does Paul know that he said, for there stood by me this night the Angel of God, whose I am and whom serve. What a testimony that the apostle Paul can give to them. He give them the comfort from the word of God there he can say with these words there the God.
Whose I am, He has the God he's proud of to tell them. We too have thought God the same God that the God of Abraham.
The God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, who helped them throughout their their trials and difficulties. The apostle can say that God whose I am and whom I serve. Can you say that from your heart, that this God is the God to whom you would want to serve? So he told them that there will be no loss of life. Verse 21 Wherefore, sirs, be it of good cheer, for I believe God that it shall be.
Even as it was told me, did you have confidence from the word of God despite what is happening around you, you know that the testimony would get weaker. The one that walked with you may seems to be walking with you well in the beginning and you'll find that the company will seems to get dinner.
Can you be still of good cheer and know that God is the one that is with you and His Word? He has given up, given us His Word, and He has told us that His Spirit remains with us.
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Now then, he tells them, and reminded them of what's to happen. Verse 26 How beeth we must be cast upon a a certain island. But when the 14th night was come, as we were driven up and down in the Adria about midnight, the Shipman deemed that they drew near to some country, and it sounded and found it 20,000 And when they had gone a little further, they sounded again and found it. 15 fathom then.
We stopped just for a minute. You see, earlier we find that they have given up, didn't they? Now when they heed, when the apostles ministry, when the apostles doctrine in a sense is given back to them, that hope is back. When we have that hope, then we're able to see the little sign that is coming.
Do you keep your eyes open to see the signs along the way that the Lord give us?
Oh, he does tell us that his coming is so ever near, doesn't he? And we see signs for little things. Is is kind of funny. Two evenings ago, I thought perhaps I should have my shirt ironed because everything was stuffed inside the suitcase. And even though the label says no ironing, I found when you stuff them in and pull it back out, they they don't, they don't do what they claim it does. So I asked my wife to do this and.
One of the girl came up to me.
And she said Mr. So are you speaking tomorrow? I said, why do you say that? I said, well, why would your wife be ironing your shirt for you? So she saw that as a sign. Well, do we see the sign of our Lord's coming? Look at Israel, what a sign. Look at that. Israel already restored back in the land and everything. Today's center in Israel.
Look at the sign. Remember when we look at this picture?
Feast of the Trumpet speaks of Israel being awakening. They will be brought back into a blessing, but the blessed thing is that we will be gone before that. We're in just for that little bit. What a sign we can see. So here, when they have been restored there we see that they started to notice things. The warning sign, they were getting closer to home. Someone was sound 20 fathoms and then it got a little bit shallower, 15.
Them oh, I think ever getting close to home. Verse 29 Then fearing lest they should have fallen upon the rocks, they cast 4 anchors out of the stern and wish for the day. Oh what bless the things they did, they cast 4 anchors. They need to something sure and steadfast. You know in the gospel we often sing that Him will your ankle hold in the storm of life.
Something that's sure and steadfast do we not need it in our lives to. I believe this poor anchor is a picture of our blessed Savior sure and steadfast. We'll come back and comment to that a little bit later. I'd like to go through this story 1St. And when they cast the dependence upon our blessed Lord now they can wish for day. Do we wish we saying sometimes in hope we.
Wish the.
Thank you in hope we lift our wishful.
Longing eyes, thank you, waiting for the morning star arise. Oh, there they have been in the sand, restored, but not nicely. It's like the church period, the gods you that age where they have ignored the ministry of pause. Now there's a bit of reformation, as if it were they're being wakening up in this.
Now Paul warned them, oh I'm sorry in verse 30 and that's the shipment way about.
We're we're about to flee out of the ship when they had let down the boat into the sea under color as though they would have cast anchors with the four ship.
It's interesting, but also sad to read this. The four anchors were cast. It was sure and steadfast. And then we find that now there's someone that coming along under color, as if it was trying to undermine the work that was already accomplished. They want to leave. They want to escape. Oh, but they didn't want to say that they were going to escape and leave where they ought to be, so they gone under.
It's it's interesting there was a brother helped me with this. Again, not being not knowing much about the sailing terms. He came up to me after one of the meeting. He said he was a sailor and he said under color just means the flags, which I didn't know that I suppose for the naval people would know they have a fleet of ships going down and they all fly the same color of the same flag say we are together.
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We are together, but some would still say we are together.
At the meantime, the undermining this four anchors, they want to drop another anchor before they escape. As if the truth that was handed down to us was it enough? They want to add more truth.
That adairs how sad when we when we try to put new truth so-called into this. So Paul in verse 31 Said to the centurion and the soldiers, except those abide in the ship, you cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let her fall. Oh, the only way to stop it is to cut it off. And while verse 33 and while the day was come on Paul.
Besought them all to take me, saying this day is the 14th day that you have carried.
Continue fasting, having nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat, for this is for your health, and there shall not and hair fall from the head of any of you.
Isn't that interesting for 14? They're doing all these problems and difficulties. They were fasting, they weren't eating. The strength gone down. I don't know about you young people. I get pretty grumpy if I miss one meal, let alone 14 days. And when we don't eat, we become weary, don't we? Well, how many of us have weary? We realize this not just in the body, perhaps in our mind.
They didn't eat or you'll find that when you're weary.
The opposite happened. We don't want to eat, do we? When we're weary, we don't feel like eating or drinking. But the best thing for someone who's weary really is to be refreshed with food and water, and things just seems to get worse and worse. We need to feed on Christ. Let's just turn to a verse in Hebrews. We'll keep our fingers right here. We'll come right back to this in Hebrews chapter.
12.
Hebrews chapter 12 verse three. It sets here for consider him that endure such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest he be weary and faint in your minds. Now here we talk about the consider Christ lest he be weary. Now let me perhaps take a look at it from a different angle. Let's reverse this. Could we say this that?
If we don't consider him.
The one who was the author and finisher of our faith. The one who had that joy that was set before him. The one who endured the cross, despising the shame.
If we forget about him.
Would it be fair to say that this holds true too, That we be weary and faint in our minds?
That we find that sometimes it happens to us. And dear young people consider him. He's the one that can help. Let's go back to our chapter here. Paul gave them meat they need to eat. Now where did this meat come from?
Did someone drop it off as a supply ship? Come along? I don't believe so. Oh, this meat was on board all along. All the truth that people thought. It has been given up. It's there all along. We just need to dig into it. We just need to go. It's given to us from the very beginning. Oh, isn't it nice to see that they take meat verse 35 and when they had thus spoken?
He.
He took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of the mall, and when they had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer? They also took some meat. Isn't it nice to see that the Apostle Paul fed them? But I believe to hear that perhaps this is a picture of this truth being recovered now as the ministry of Paul being brought back.
Under the main truth is that the ground of gathering the Lord's remembrance of the Lord. I believe this is a picture here that he took Brad.
And he gave thanks forward in God's presence. Isn't it wonderful to think that and to see that? But it was something interesting here. If we read this carefully, we see that the apostle took the bread. He gave thanks, and they said he broke it, and he began to eat. Oh, we all should partake on that, shouldn't we? But the next verse that we just read is this. And they were all of good cheer. Oh, do we not find many Christians of good cheer saying we have the word of God?
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But you notice that next verb, the following part of that verse is this. And they also took some.
Beat. I don't see it written here that they partake of the bread with Paul.
Oh, isn't it sad that they didn't fully follow what he had to say? They took me, they took the word of God, but they didn't take the simple remembrance as they ought to.
Verse 37 We were in awe in the ship 203 score and 16276 of them, and when they had eaten enough they lightened the ship and cast out the wheat into the sea.
I find this sad.
They were fainting, they were hungry. They needed a refreshment.
They needed the fear on Christ, and I believe they did.
When they were full, what did they do?
They toss that wheat, they just cast it, don't eat it anymore.
We see young people do that and we get thirsty, so we bring bottled water with us. As soon as the water is finished, we toss the bottle.
Now the difference is you know that you can refill that or get more shortly, but here.
They just tossed it. They gave it up. Oh, it was good. And we refreshed the soul. It brought them closer.
Oh, do you value what the word of God have for you? Do you value our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, that we to corner wheat that fall into the ground and die because it said it? If it if it doesn't do that, it abideth alone.
But if it die, it bring it forth much fruit.
Do you want to cast that wheat out of the way?
Verse 39 And when the And when it was day, they knew not the land, and they discover a certain Creek with a shore, into which they were minded, if it were possible to thrush the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves under the sea, and lose the rudder bands, and hoist up the main sail to the wind, and made to ashore.
You may say, wow, they saw land at last. They saw this surgeon island with a Creek and ashore.
But was this the island the apostle told them they had to go to? I don't believe so. They just saw something. They were happy. Are you happy with what's around you? Yesterday we made a comment. We should look at it with the end in view. Why does God let us know these times timetables as if it were is to know that at the end Christ is everything that in the dispensation of the fullness of time all things will be under.
Or can we give Him the praise and honor now? Or do we want a way to that day? At the meantime we walk in a way that we ought to. Pleasing to Him. Here is not the place they ought to, but we, as men will say, here is the place.
Not only that, if you notice, they hoist up to say, oh, they were not in control of the boat in the 1St place, but now they hoist up the sail, they take up the anchors. Don't need you, Lord, we're OK now. We see that island, we see that Creek, we see that shore, and let's make a big splash. Let's make a big banner. Let's raise the sail so that the world can see how great, how proud and how powerful we are.
And they had toward the place where they want to go.
Verse 14 and falling into the place where two seas meet.
2C's we find that as the ship of testimony, we often will find that you will find a struggle where the two seas meet, two currents coming together, 2 opposing opinions coming together. What do you have to keep you and young people? You'll find that there's going to be more and more problems coming and there's going to be problem that is not going to be easily discerned what is right or what is wrong.
And we need the Word of God, We need the Spirit of God, We need a prayerful spirit to learn from our blessed Lord what path we should take. There will always be two currents polling you one way or the other. Verse.
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Middle verse 41 and.
They ran the ship aground and four part stuck fast and remained unmovable.
But the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. Oh house, at this testimony. Not the church itself, not the souls on the ship, but the testimony. How sad to see that is broken by these two opposing currents.
Verse Let's go down to latter part of verse 43. And commanded that they could swim. Should cast themselves first into the sea.
And get to land and to rest some on boards someone broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass that they escaped all safely to land. Oh, how blessed you know that they all were saved. Oh, so we commented earlier, we'll all be there with our blessed Lord. But how would you like to be there?
On boards.
Swim on your own strength, broken pieces of the ship. And how are we to walk at the meantime?
Do we learn to walk in a way pleasing to him?
I'd like to go back a little bit. We mentioned a number of times that pause doctrine was given up.
I don't think we have time to go into all pause doctrines. I like to think of the four anchors and perhaps use that as a reference point.
As Paul's doctrine, it's not our testimony to the rest of the world.
And I like to think of it. I'm sure you can categorize them differently. I like to think of it. The first anchor is this.
The fair first anchor is that we as believer, as the one who have been redeemed by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a special portion, let's turn to Act chapter 13. I'd like to read verse 38 and 39. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you, the forgiveness.
Of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. I believe this is the first anchor as a testimony to this world. We as believer know that our sins are all forgiven, and that we have been justified from all things that the law of Moses could not.
Do the second things I believe is the I call this the believers holes. We as we deem one, have given many hopes.
Well, perhaps the first one, maybe I will put in the same category to be technical, we won't call that whole, but we know there's a blessedness to know that many of us have.
Departed loved ones, the dead in Christ.
To know that the word of God tells us they are asleep in Jesus isn't that precious. To know that they're asleep in Jesus?
What other hope do we have?
We know what resurrections, don't we? That we're going to have a new body. You know, I was commented to someone earlier on, as you get a little older, your body start to deteriorate. This body of ours is no good. I can't see. I have to wear my glasses to see. I can't hear. Well, I was told to get a hearing aid.
I have trouble breathing. I need a machine to breathe at night.
Have to take medications because my blood sugar is too high.
Some of you watch me play baseball. I can run because my knee hurts, boy. Well, I know my head hurt now too.
But our body. But we're going to have that new body, incorruptible body, a body fashion like unto His glorious body. We're going to be conforming to His image. Isn't that a blessed hope that we have?
Oh, and then what about the immediate the rapture? We mentioned the dead in Christ. We know those verses. How wonderful to say. And the dead in Christ shall rise first.
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What about us, we which are alive and remain? Oh, we know we're going to be caught up together in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Is that not a testimony that we have to this world? If you go to a funeral for those that are not believers, look at the sadness, the finality of it. Oh, but we know. We know we have that blessed hope.
And then the third anchor that I like to think of it as.
The testimony of the one body.
There is only one body.
We won't turn to that. We spend a bit of time, our brother gone through that with US1 body isn't it every? Every believer is the member of that one body.
But not just the part fact. That is one body. There is a head to this body. Where is the head? And who is the head? Who? I'll bless it, Lord, up in heaven is the head.
Do we truly acknowledge that? Do we truly understand that? If we do, then we wouldn't worry too many problems while we're down here. Because if there's a problem and it's not set right, we know the head is the one that control. The head is the one that will make sure that it is for His glory and for His honors.
And we also know that the head only won what's best for himself.
You know, sometimes we look at it as children and parents. You know, we make this remark is, you know, we as children sometimes don't think our parents are fair. Am I right in saying that? Especially when you have a number of siblings, the other one seems to get away with more things, right? But we forget that as parents, parents see from a different perspective.
And our blessed Lord, is that what He knows? Just because He won't let you have something the way you want it right now?
There's a reason. Do you trust that?
There is a head and that we are all part of the same body. That's why I said when one member suffer, we all suffer. Do we? Do we feel one for another? Do we have to care one for another? Or we're there trying to tear down and destroy when we ought to be encouraging one another, build one another up in the Lord.
Well, the 4th testimony I believe is in connection to this one body.
What is the way to express to this world, especially to Christendom, that there is one body? Look how look at all these groups we have out there all profess to be Christians. The Grey House, as our brother mentioned the other day, well, I believe.
That loath we have before us.
The Lord still leave us here. In another hour or so we shall have the privilege.
Of remembering our blessed Savior in His death for us.
Why do we use that one loaf?
Notice that expression of that one body is in it, no?
One loaf, a testimony of the one body, that oneness.
Let's turn perhaps the verse in First Corinthians chapter 10.
Verse 15 I speak.
As to wise men.
Judge ye what I say, the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ, For we being many of one bread?
And one body.
For we are all partakers of that one brand.
Let's turn to one more verse on the 11Th chapter.
23rd verse.
For I have received of the Lord.
That which also I delivered unto you.
That the Lord Jesus.
The same night in which he was betrayed, took bread.
And when he had given thanks, he break it and said take.
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Eat. This is my body.
Which is broken for you.
This do in remembrance of me and after the same manner also he took the cup when he has stopped saying this cup.
Is the New Testament in my blood?
This do ye?
As OFT as you drink it.
In remembrance of Maine for as often as he eat this bread.
And drink this cup.
Ye do show the Lord's death.
Till he come. Oh, we know these passages well, don't we?
What entitled you to be here this morning the partake of this cup?
His blood isn't it?
What entitled us to be here? We sang. We sang in the hymn. I think it was 206.
Can see it.
A humble heart.
Not because we're any better.
But we can say thy precious name is all we show.
Our only passport, Lord.
And for assurance now we know confiding in thy word, oh largely gift is all thine, all thy spirits goodly fruit, praise issuing forth in life alone our living Lord can suit.
Is it because we were more intelligent? The rest of the believers do not believe so.
It's been. Is it because you're more understanding of scriptures? I don't believe so.
The Lord made it, remember and so simple.
And what are we to remember when we come?
Told us clearly here in First Corinthians 11.
The Apostle.
He received that from the Lord.
It's not just Paul speaking. He received that from the Lord, that Lord he saw up in glory.
To remember.
The night.
The night in which he was betrayed.
That same night.
Can you picture that same night?
We had the seven feasts of Jehovah before us. We mentioned only two, the feast of the first fruit, actually 3 the feast of weeks that began our talk yesterday and ending up perhaps and just before the Feast of the Trumpet.
But you know those first two feasts, the Passover feast with a picture of our blessed Lord Jesus that takes us to that night in which he was betrayed.
We won't have time to go into it in detail, but you'll find that the Lord Jesus was that perfect Passover lamb. He entered into Jerusalem on the 10th day of that month. I know some of you asked me yesterday, why do we need to know the date so precisely? Because the Word of God has it the 10th day of that month. Because in the past, over feast, they had to choose that lamb.
On the 10th day to keep it until the 14th day.
The 14th day Let's go to Luke's Gospel chapter 22. We read at night in which in which he was betrayed.
I'm sure we read these verses many times and you have seen it many times. It's just now the Feast of Unleavened Bread which drew 9, which is called the Passover.
Remember we put on the chart the first feast on the 14th day. Actually it says between the evening till the next day before 3:00, the 14th and the 15 day is the feast of the Passover. But on the 15th day is that Feast of Unleavened Bread. So you see here they lumped it together now the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
June 9, which is called the Passover. What do we find our blessed Savior do that night?
Now remember that next day.
Very early in that morning, he knew.
That's his betrayer would lead his enemies to take him away. This is that night.
Let's go down to.
Verse 15 Blessed Savior said in verse 15, he said to his disciples that night he said with desire, I have desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
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Oh, his heart, his mind wasn't on the sufferings, was he? He knew.
We learned that he prayed to the Father afterwards, says Father, if thou be willing.
Remove this cup from me.
Nevertheless.
Not my will.
But thine be died.
The same night, the night in which he was betrayed, he wanted to be with his own. And he can say with desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you.
Now blessed Lord's desire remain unchanged today.
This desire.
Is to have you remember him.
As his dying request.
What is your desire, young people?
Do you desire to be where he would want us to be?
Or do you want to be just like the rest of the world and say, yes, we will get there?
But would you rather get there obeying His will?
You know.
Let me go just a little further.
Look at the burnt offering.
I think it's good to you spend some time on those offerings. You'll find a lot of more about the Lord. We won't have time to turn to you. You'll find it in the burned offering. Someone who knows more like a priest, he has to bring a Bullock in and that someone else can bring some something from the flock. And for someone that does not have much understanding or is poor, they can bring the turtle death.
When we remember the Lord, I like to think of that as that burned offering is all ascending, as that sweet smelling savor to God.
You know, sometimes we come, we're thinking about us, we're thinking about how wretched we were, and sometimes we reflect that in our hymns, but really, that is not the time for that. Perhaps through thanking Him for what He did, we echoed that thought. But when we remember the Lord, we are to think about blessed Lord Jesus Christ as how God would see Him.
It's God's own thoughts about his Son. How do you think God see him? Can we in a small way enter in the appreciation how God would?
That burnt offering, oh how nice. I like to look at it as if it doesn't matter what our knowledge of the word of God is. It could be as simple as a turtle dove, it could be the Bullock, but it all ascend to God as a sweet smelling savour. We can look to him.
To thank him for what he has done, look to him as he look at his own son.
I'd like to look at a hymn 245. We sing this often. We're not going to sing this yet, and we may not have time to sing it, but I'd like to look at it just very briefly. We, as the apostle, told us to look back into the night in which he was betrayed.
And by the way, the privilege we have of remembering Him is until he come, the Lord will have that testimony for Himself, whether you and I would remain faithful or not. Yes, we know the churches are going through the the declension stage, but He always reserved himself a testimony.
245 The hymn writer expresses his thoughts so beautifully.
He said on that same night. Lord Jesus.
When all around the joint, to cast its darkest shadow across thy holy mind.
We hear thy voice, blessed Savior.
What do we hear?
As we see his sufferings, as he see the darkness around him, what do we hear?
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This do.
Remember Me?
And what should our heart be saying?
Should be with joyful hearts responding. We do remember thee, you know. It's sad sometimes we sit there. I know we shouldn't be looking at one another, but the spirit and the state of soul we have does not often reflect that, does it? If there was a stranger walking past, could they see us with a joyful heart?
Responding to our blessed Lord saying we do.
Remember thee, and then they want us to enter more the depth of all thy suffering. No heart could ere conceive the cup of wrath or flowing for us Thou didst receive, and all of God forsaken on the accursed tree. Oh, now we can say with grateful heart, Lord Jesus.
We now remember thee.
Can we enter more? Oh, I trust that we can. We think of all the darkness which round thy spirit press.
Of all those waves and bellows which rode across thy press, Oh, there thy grace unbounded and perfect love we see with joy and with sorrow mingling. We would, we would, wouldn't we, dear brethren?
We would remember thee.
You know, it's not just the death. The Lord enable us to enjoy Him more than just the death and the resurrection. He sometimes let us take a look and take a glimpse of the future day because the work is finished. Oh, we can also look and sing this. We know they now has risen. Remember the feast of the first fruit, the resurrection, the death and.
Erection always go together. Oh, we know the blessed Lord Jesus now as risen.
We have a living Savior, the first fruit from the dead. We see thee now ascended the churches glorious head. Is it not the way to express that oneness and that one body? There is Him as the churches glorious head in thee. By grace accepted, the heart and mind set free. Oh, now He brings us back.
We take a look at the future and that glorious scene, and then we are brought back.
To the cross, to think of all thy sorrow.
And thus remember thee.
How long do we do this, brethren?
Till thou shall come in glory, and call us hands away to rest in the brightness of that unclouded day.
But what do we do while we're waiting for him?
We show thy death, Lord Jesus.
And here and here would seek to be more to thy death conformeth.
Whiles we remember thee, oh do we show that we're conforming to his death.
More to thy death conformeth.
Whilst we remember thee, perhaps we can sing this last verse together.
Till thou shalt come in.
Just in closing, we had the privilege to see through the Word of God, how God has set a timetable. Everything is in His hand, He is in control, even though we may or may not understand it.
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You know, I think I told the story before I saw this young boy.
With disabilities have trouble walking. In fact, he looked like he's stumbling as he walked. And I remember reaching on my hand ready to help him. And then I saw the back of his T-shirt and his T-shirt. He said it's OK, God is in control. Oh, we need to think of that, that he knows everything. He let us know the event is it to make us proud that we are so.
Privileged. No. I believe it should make us more humble.
And be thankful that He has opened up His word and through His grace He has shown us the position we are to walk.
And more so, we should be careful knowing that we too can easily stumble and stray.
And we need his help and we need to be dependent on him daily. Often the fall is after one.
Music #1: Singing
Music #2: Worship Past & Present
Music #3: Its Effects on Body, Soul & Spirit (Part 1)
Music #4: Its Effects on Body, Soul & Spirit (Part 2)
Principles for the Present Testimony
Address—Eric James
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.
Just wanted to make a comment before I launch into my subject that is that.
We're in a spiritual war zone, aren't we? I think we all feel that. And our brother Doug has been speaking at this time slot for the last several days about music, and I appreciate that. And that's one of the spiritual battles we have to fight, don't we? We have to be discerning regarding the music that we that we allow.
And, you know, there's always a danger in a war that the soldiers lose sight of what the war is all about. That's happened in Iraq, hasn't it? And so some soldiers had to be put on trial for abuses to humanity because they forgot that they were there for a good cause or should have been there at least for a good cause.
And they got their eye off that good cause, and so now they have to stand trial. And some have actually had to go to prison, haven't they?
Same thing happened in Vietnam when I was a young person. There were a number of soldiers that lost sight of the purpose for which we were fighting, the battle, the wars. And as a result, they did some atrocities that they never should have done and that violated the very spirit of the purpose that brought them there in the 1St place. Well, I'd like to speak about that this afternoon, a little bit this morning.
And that is that we are in a spiritual war zone.
Sometimes we feel overwhelmed. Don't wait. But one thing we have to remember is that there's a purpose why we're in this battle, in this war. We need to keep our eyes on the purpose that brought us here in the 1St place. I'd like to speak this this this morning if you'll turn over to.
Psalm 138. To begin with, I'd like to speak about the present testimony.
Again, I know we often feel overwhelmed day by day, but let's remember that the Lord has called us with a high calling.
And so we want to be faithful to the Lord. Don't wait. It's been mentioned in this meeting, these meetings, that not only do we want to be saved and get to heaven, but we also also want to be careful that we continue on so that when we get home, the Lord can say, well done now, good and faithful servant. And so we want to talk about that. What is it that constitutes, at least in part, a good and a faithful servant? Well, there is such a thing as the present.
And I want to speak about that. That's one of these positive things that the Lord has called us into the warfare for. Let's turn over to.
Psalm 138.
First of all, I want to look at some general principles regarding the present testimony that I'd like to pass on and look at the church specifically. We want to understand what Scripture says. Then I want to look at some history, both Israeli history.
The church's history, and then we'll finish up from there. But in Psalm 138, I think we have some clues as to the nature of the present testimony. I might mention if we turn over to the book of Jeremiah and I.
I encourage young people to read your whole Bible. Jeremiah is, perhaps I speak for myself, but perhaps one of the most neglected books in the Bible. And yet Jeremiah speaks to the very subject we have before us tonight. If you read what Mr. Kelly wrote, for instance, on the book of Jeremiah, you find that he's applying principles from Jeremiah to our very day and how important and helpful it is.
That's the very nature of Scripture, isn't it? Is that it doesn't apply just at the time it was written, but it applies to other times. And there's parable, there's parallel times, and we live in a parallel time to the time in which Jeremiah lived. And one comment was made about Jeremiah by one of the commentators, I don't remember which one now, but he said that Jeremiah was conflicted between the value of the people of God.
And the value of God's glory.
That's an interesting statement, isn't it? Let me just repeat that Jeremiah was conflicted between the value of God's people and the value of God's glory. Sometimes they're at odds, and that's what I want to speak about. As to the present testimony today, what is the nature of the present testimony? Sometimes we hear the the statement or the expression, a remnant testimony.
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Sometimes the question is, is the present testimony is a remnant testimony? What is the word of God say, or is it a testimony which considers the whole Christian profession? And so it's the principle of a remnant testimony versus a testimony of the whole Christian profession. How do we, how do we, how do we know what the present testimony is?
Well, here's a principle we have as we look at the subject of the present testimony.
In verse two of chapter of Psalm 138, we'll look at the end of the verse. Thou hast magnified thy word, above all thy name. Here's an important principle. If we're going to understand what the present testimony is, the nature of the present testimony, we have to understand that it's the Word of God that takes precedence over what attaches itself.
To the name of Christ.
Isn't that an important principle? We have to understand what the Word of God says, not just go along with the crowd that are identified with Christ. Name the crowd of profession. So there we have the dichotomy, don't we? There we have the issue. Is it a remnant testimony on the one hand, or is it simply going along with the whole of the mass of Christian profession on the other side?
Well, here we have a principal. Thou hast magnified thy word above all, thy name his the principles of God's word.
Take precedence over what's happening in the general Christian profession, an important principle. Let's turn now. I want to turn to several verses here, initially over to John's Gospel. Want to look at them fairly quickly?
John chapter 12, a well known verse.
You know, we hear a lot about Christian service, and it's a wonderful thing, isn't it? But what's the very first principle of Christian service? Here we have it, I think in John chapter 12 and verse 26.
If any man serve me, let him follow me.
And where I am, there shall also my servant be.
If any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Here's the most fundamental principle of Christian service, isn't it?
It's to be where Christ is.
Sometimes we hear great ideas and Christian profession has great ideas as to what constitutes Christian service. But let's remember the fundamental issue. If any man serve me, let him follow me. That's the very first principle of Christian service. And where I am, that's the important thing, isn't it, to be where the Lord Jesus is.
There shall also my servant be, if any man serve me.
Him will my father honor. Do we want the Father to say well done, thou good and faithful servant begins here, Doesn't it? Being where the Lord Jesus is following him and then many men serve me, him and my father honor. We're looking at general principles here. First, let's turn over to Matthew chapter 5.
I hope I don't wear your fingers out here, but I just want to look at some general principles regarding the.
Present testimony.
What does the Word of God say about these things? Matthew chapter 5, verse 13.
Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its say his savior.
Wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Year the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hit. You know, we often think that these two verses are strictly parallel, but they're not.
They actually refer to different things, progressive things, the salt of the earth, the word Earth.
Is a restricted sphere, and it speaks in scripture when it's used in a technical sense of the sphere of profession.
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Ye are the salt of the earth. He was speaking, of course, to the disciples at the time, wasn't he? But he says your responsibility is to be the salt. What salt speak about? We've often heard these things, haven't we? Salt speaks about the preserving principle. Before they had refrigeration, they used to use salt. They would salt meat, for instance, so they could preserve it. And so the responsibility of the disciples here.
Was to be the salt of the earth.
You see the conflict again, that Jeremiah had, the conflict between the value of God's people in general, as much as he might love them, and the conflict between God's glory. What are we called to do? We're called to put God's glory paramount. Ye are the salt of the earth. What if we decide to go along with the rest of Christian profession? I say we individually. What happens?
If the salt have lost his Savior, wherewith shall it be salted. It is thenceforth good for nothing.
But to be cast out and to be trodden.
Under foot of men isn't That's what's happening today. We're reading our brother Doug, I think mentioned Jehoshaphat and how good King Jehoshaphat compromised with that king of Israel. You know, Israel had a certain name of profession. They had a certain, they had the Lord's name attached to him. In a certain sense. There were the 10 tribes there.
But there was a great deal of evil there, wasn't there?
A great deal of evil was identified with the Lord's name, and the time came when they had to be carried away. And so it was a sin for Jehoshaphat. As Elijah points out, it was a sin for Jehoshaphat to be identified with that king of Israel because he knew better. He should have been the salt of the earth, but he was compromising, and he was going along with those who were identified with the name of Jehovah.
Wait, but we're not faithful men.
Well, there's the principle. Ye are the salt of the earth. What's going to happen to the great Christian profession at the end of our dispensation?
As more and more compromise takes place, eventually there's going to be no difference between those who call themselves Christians and those they were called out to be a testimony to. And the Lord is going to close this dispensation. You know, I've often said that a dispensation ends when those who have the peculiar calling of the dispensation are no longer distinguishable from those from which they were called. I believe that's a faithful.
Principle and that's what happens when the salt loses its savior. So here again we have careful attention to the word of God. And his glory is paramount even in a day of weakness, as we've been hearing in Second Timothy, our talks on Second Timothy, haven't we? Well, the rest, the rest of it goes on. Then ye are the light of the world. That's the world is a broader sphere then it includes the whole.
We speak of and so that's the gospel testimony that has to go out either by our lives or by our word. But the salt of the earth is that preserving principle within Christian profession. What an important principle we have here. Let's just look at a couple more verses in this general area and then I want to get move on to the church in general or the church specifically.
Let's turn over to Luke chapter 19.
Luke chapter 19 Remember when the Lord Jesus was coming into Jerusalem for the very last time, there were some that were saying.
Well, let's read it in verse 38, Luke chapter 19 and verse 38 saying blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. Just keep your finger there if you would. And let's turn over to Romans 11 to get the connection here.
I say, then, hath God castaway his people, God forbid.
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For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
God hath not castaway his people which he foreknew what she not what the Scripture saith of Elias. That's Elijah, isn't it?
How he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and dig down my altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself 7000 men.
Who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Now notice this next verse.
Even so, then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Well, in that those verses in Luke, I read those because.
If those who have the outward responsibility of glorifying the Lord don't do it, God is going to raise up others that will.
There will always be those who will be a remnant of grace, just as we read about there in Romans 11. If those who have the privilege to to occupy that place don't take it as the Pharisees did in their day, the Lord will give that over to others. But the Lord will make sure. Here's the point I want to make that His glory is maintained.
At all times the Lord will make sure that He is glorified if he has to raise up stones to do it.
He's going to make sure that that happens. Well, we know historically that's what did happen, didn't it? Israel was set aside and the Gentiles were brought in, that the Jews called the Gentiles dead dogs. They just referred to them as dogs. But nonetheless, what happened was because those who had the privilege to glorify the Lord in their place refused to take that place.
The Lord gave that privilege to others. So there's another principle. The Lord will have a remnant that glorifies Him. It may not be those who it appears to be.
But the Lord will make sure that His glory is maintained. That's a helpful principle, isn't it? So again, we're talking about the present testimony.
Sometimes they say, oh, we've heard all these things before.
We have to be careful that that doesn't happen, that we get jaded to these things because this is the very reason why we're in warfare, is to maintain the Lord's glory and honor. We don't want to lose sight of that.
Let's turn over now to the church. I want to look at some examples from the church. What is the word of God say about the church now? Again, our main principle here is the conflict between a remnant testimony and the general profession.
What does God say about that conflict? How is the present testimony to be maintained? That's an important principle, and there's a lot of voices about that. We want to make sure we get the right ones. Let's turn over, first of all, to First Timothy chapter 3.
You know, the Church of God has looked at in three main ways in the in the New Testament. I know there's a number of other metaphors that are used, but they generally will fall under the the topic of these three main types in Scripture. The first one I want to look at is the the assembly is the House of God, the place where the Spirit of God dwells. And because the Spirit of God dwells in the assembly, there's a certain.
That becomes his presence, isn't there? That's the very principle of the House of God. That's a simple principle, but a very important principle tells us in Psalms. Holiness is the law of the house. If we're going to be in God's presence, we have to be holy, don't we? That's a simple principle, and yet it's one that we tend to overlook.
Let's look at First Timothy 3 and chapter 15. But if I tarry long.
That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God.
Which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. What's that mean? Pillar and ground of the truth. You know, there was a pillar. Remember when Jacob left his father-in-law, Laban, they parted and they set up a, a stone, a pillar there and they called it Mizpah. A pillar is a testimony. And that's how it's often used in scripture, sometimes port, but often times in Scripture, you see.
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You you read about these monuments that are set up and I believe that's what is in mind here. The apostle has in mind, it's a testimony to the truth. It's the pillar and ground of the truth. What does that mean, that the ground or the base of the truth?
The assembly is the place where God has deposited the truth on earth.
You know the word synagogue means a voluntary gathering.
And the synagogues were begun, as many are aware, during the time when the Israelites were carried away in the Babylon. They didn't have the temple anymore, and they wanted to meet together for edification and to maintain their their Jewish culture and religion and language and so on. And so they began synagogues. But when we come to the New Testament, we don't have exactly synagogues, not a voluntary association.
But we have that which is a little different.
It's the assembly is the place where God has deposited the truth.
Remember, that's one of those great principles for which we're in this great warfare. Let's not forget about it. Some people like the church hop.
And sometimes I visited with those people and I said, well, we can look up this verse. And I said one thing if you want to test as to whether a group is really the Assembly of God or not.
This verse tells us that it's the place where the truth is held and maintained.
That's the Assembly of God, the place where the truth is held, the ground or base of the truth, and the place where it's maintained, where there's a testimony to the truth. So this is how God set up the assembly in the 1St place. He deposited the truth. That's where it's to be held. That's where it's to be passed on from one generation to another.
And that's where there's to be a testimony outwardly. Now let's look at the next verse before we move on.
Because here's the great secret I think to going on and being faithful to that, that calling without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene of angels preached under the Gentiles believed on in the world.
Received up in glory. Why are those two verses brought together? Are you still wonder about that? And I don't know if I have the exact answer, but it's one that's been a help to me.
Why is it that those two verses come together the way they do, First speaking about the House of God. The assembly is the House of God is the pillar and ground of the truth, and then it seems to go off to the side a little bit and it talks about the mystery of godliness. Well, I think that the secret is right here, and that is we cannot go on in the truth of God unless we keep close to the Lord.
Isn't that the secret, the mystery of godliness? Really.
Is an appreciation of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ to keep close to Him, to grow in our appreciation of what He's done and who He is. That's the only way that the truth that we've been speaking about and reading about is going to be maintained is by walking close to the Lord. Well, we had that really before, didn't we? If any man served me, let him.
Follow me. That's the secret. Well, this is the way the assembly was set up in the House of God. If we turn over to Second Timothy 2, where our brother Bob has been reading, we see what happened at that time.
Two Timothy is a sequel to First Timothy, isn't it? It's often been said that in First Timothy we have God's house in order, the way it was supposed to be. It's the order that becomes the very presence of God, because the Spirit of God indwells the assembly, the Church of God on earth.
And so the House of God is the order. That is the place where God's order is maintained, because his Spirit is there.
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But what happened? Everything that's entrusted to mankind declines, doesn't it? And as a result, things went downhill. And So what does God say then? Does he say, well, I guess you just need to go along with everybody else who calls himself a Christian? Is that what the word of God says?
What has Bob been speaking to us about the last several days?
And verse two of verse one of chapter 2, might thou therefore my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. If we were to turn back a few verses, we find that Paul says all they that be of Asia have forsaken me. Does he go after him and say, well, I'm going to, I'm just going to change my principles a little bit, adjust my principles so I can go on with the mass of all these Christians in Ephesus.
It's not what he does, does he?
Rather, he says to Timothy, Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which thou hast heard of be among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, and so on. And we heard about those faithful men. So in a time of difficulty, in a time when many are giving up the truth, what is the what is the appeal of the Spirit of God?
It's to go on with those principles.
That have been entrusted to the church in the 1St place. Isn't that simple enough? Has God changed his thoughts about what the assembly is? The House of God? It's still the place where the truth is deposited. Does he want that truth to be compromised and watered down?
No, He wants there to be the the assembly, to be the place where the truth is held and where it's practiced. Well, what happened though, if we look in verse 19?
Nevertheless, the foundation of God stand is sure having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. That means that there's been failure that we can't we can't tell who the who's who belongs to the Lord or not of those who profess to be Christians. But God hasn't changed, has he? His foundation stand sure he knows, but what's the believer to do in such a day?
And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. There's a fundamental.
Principle, wasn't it?
Does he want his name identified with iniquity?
Do those who call themselves Christians sometimes go on with iniquity? They do indeed. What are we to do to go along with the Christians to try to help them out? Well, yes, we do want to try to help them out. But are we going to help them out by falling to the lowest common denominator?
What does the Scripture say? That's what's important, isn't it? Thou hast exalted thy word above all thy name. The Word takes precedence above what's general and Christian profession. So what does the Word of God say? Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. The story has been often told about Alexander, Alexander the Great, you know, who was from Macedonia and conquered so much of the known world.
Matter of fact, he conquered so much of the known world that when he got to the Indus River, he wept because he didn't have any more worlds to conquer.
The known world had been conquered, and so he conquered that world, but the story is told about.
The time when a young soldier was brought to him that had been derelict in his duty, and the soldier came, was brought before Alexander the Great. Alexander was just a young man. He died in his early 30s, but he was brought before that Alexander.
And they started to tell them the problems this soldier had. He had how I'd been derelict in his duty for whatever reasons. And finally Alexander said. Young man, what's your name?
He said my name is Alexander.
And what did he say then? He said, young man, either change your name or change your ways. Can't have it both ways, can we? Either change your name or change your ways. And that's exactly what this says, doesn't it? Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. That's the salt of the earth. That's the salt of the profession.
The profession has identified the name of Christ with all all kinds of things.
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That our iniquity.
With God's mind and God's spirit.
And So what are we exhorted to do? If we're going to be faithful men? Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ.
Depart from iniquity, verse 20, but in a great house.
That's what christened them in a sense has become there are not only vessels of gold that have silver. Those are people that are real, I believe, as Bob was telling us, but also of wooden, of earth. Those are professing Christians that are not real, and some to honor and some to dishonor.
While those that are real, those that are not real, cannot be vessels to honor, can they? They are vessels to dishonor. So it must mean that those that are gold and silver, those that are real.
May either be vessels to honor or vessels to dishonor in a sense. Again, that's the salt of the earth, isn't it? One who's a vessel to honor is the salt of the earth. One who's a vessel to dishonor is not the salt of the earth. He's given up the reality of his profession. He forgot the reason why he's in this warfare, and he's become sucked up, as we sometimes say.
And the the confusion of the battle.
And forgot the purpose that brought him there. Verse 21 If a man therefore purge or purify himself from these.
He shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the masters, use and prepared unto every good work. You know, some have suggested that there's really three classes here for those that are believers. A believer may be a vessel to dishonor. That's true, isn't it? If I'm a believer, if I really trusted the Lord Jesus as my Savior, there is a danger that I may not be a faithful man.
That's a vessel to dishonor.
But then there's vessels to honor.
People like that are figured by Jonathan in the Old Testament.
That though he did not have the grace to go with David, he still was faithful and a measure, wasn't he? And my brother Dan Hollowell was telling me about some people that were certainly seemed to fall into that category. Would hardly say they're vessels to dishonor really. They're people who certainly love the Lord and sacrificed a great deal for the Lord to serve the Lord according to their measure of intelligence. How could I call them a vest, the dishonor?
I think that's true, but then here's a third class. It says in the middle of verse 21, He shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified.
And meet for the master's use. And prepared unto every good work. Remember that principle we had. If any man serve me, let him follow me. The very first principle of service, that where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my father honor. So there's vessels to honor sanctified those who have obeyed what it says.
Here let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity and have come out, I shouldn't say come out of the great house or come out of the general House of profession. Can't do that, can we? What we have to do is separate to a part of the profession of Christendom where the order where the where the Spirit's presence is recognized.
That's what we're called to do. We can't leave the House of professing Christendom, otherwise we'd have to give up the profession of Christendom. We're not about to do that, are we? But.
We are called to separate, to a place within the professing house where the Spirit of God is given His due place. That's a simple principle, isn't it? But how important it is. And that's what a vessel to honor sanctified is. That's what the Lord calls us to do intelligently. That's what He calls His people to do. So that's the first one. The church is looked at as the House of God. It's where the truth is deposited.
How is that good deposit going to be maintained? It's going to be maintained by separation from iniquity. We are identified with the name of Christ. We separate from iniquity by God's grace, and we separate to a place of the house where His presence. His presence is in the house, but it's not recognized. Mr. Darby once said that the modern day sin against the Holy Ghost was.
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The clergy system because it completely suppressed the liberty of the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God was there.
And the professing house, but his presence was not recognized.
And so by God's grace, he was able to act on that exercise, to recognize the Spirit's presence and to give him his due place and due honor as he so rightly deserves. Well, that's the principle of the House of God. The Scripture speaks clearly about being vessels to honor, and being vessels to honor sanctified.
Not going along with the general profession, not going along with anything that's identified with the name of Christ.
But to be where Christ is and identified with him. What a important principle in our day and so much neglected. Let's look at the body of Christ. I mentioned the Church of God in first Corinthians 12. The Church of God is looked at in primarily three ways. The House of God as we've just been speaking the body of Christ and then thirdly.
The Bride of Christ.
One Corinthians 12. We had this at Walla Walla conference here a couple weeks ago.
And.
Look at verse 12.
What the apostles doing in this chapter is he's using the figure, the metaphor of a human body, to describe what's true of the church.
And so he talks about the different members and so on, but when he gets to verse 12, he speaks a little differently. For as the body is one, Speaking of this general metaphor, the human body and half many members, we have arms and legs and and so on and so forth, and all the members of that one body being many.
Are one body. So also is the Christ. He's been speaking about the body, the human body now.
And now he says that, you know, this body, this body figure, the body can be applied to the church. So also is the Christ. What's that mean? I believe what it means is that the church scene is the one body, is the expression of Christ in this world below.
Isn't that a high calling?
The Church, seen as the body of Christ, is the expression of Christ Himself.
Here below.
Christ is a certain thing, and He expresses Himself in the members of the one body.
In a certain sense, that's what we had at the house, didn't we? The truth has been deposited there. Here it is that the body of Christ is the expression of Christ himself. He's the head. We're the members. And how are we to act? Do we despise the instructions given? Do we say, well, that was just Paul's ideas about how the church should act? You know, it's maybe good if we can carry it out, but not so important.
No, because the body of Christ.
The Church, seen as the body of Christ, is the very expression of Christ himself in this world.
That's a high and holy calling, isn't it? The Lord has called us as one body, and we're to to remember that it's in the body that Christ expresses himself in the world below. Well, let's turn over quickly to Ephesians chapter 4.
What happens in a day of ruin? Does God give up the principle of the one body and the day of ruin?
Does Christ no longer express himself in the one body?
What are we to do? Look at Ephesians chapter 4.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation.
Or that word could be called calling wherewith ER, called. What is that calling?
We have it in verse four. There is one body.
And one spirit even as you're called, and all one hope of your calling. But I did skip a couple verses, didn't I? Remember these things always go together. Not only the principle, but the importance, the vital importance of walking with the Lord Jesus. Look at verse 2 with all lowliness.
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And meekness with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Does that end when things get tough? Are we to stop endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace? Is the body no longer to be the expression of Christ below? What does it say? Let's skip down to verse 11.
And he gave some apostles and some prophets. These are some of the gifts that the Lord gave. And some evangelists. You can take those little commas out. They don't belong there. And some pastors and teachers, notice what it says here. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. How long? Only as long as everybody's getting along together.
Look at verse 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith.
And of the knowledge of the Son of God undo a perfect man under the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. When's that going to be?
It's not going to be before the Lord takes us home, is it?
It's not going to be before that. So these principles of the one body is the expression of Christ.
Are to be carried on until the Lord comes and takes us home.
Remember again, Thou hast exalted thy word above all thy name. We say, Well, the general profession of Christendom they don't carry out, they don't even try to carry out the truth of the one body. But what is the Spirit of God say, till we all come?
In the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, until he takes us home then.
It's and not until then does the Lord want us to go on and endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. You know, there's a verse that is exercised me and Luke, I think it's chapter 16. It says this.
It says the law and the prophets were until John. That's an interesting verse to me because what it means is that dispensationally, that is, at the current, the present dispensation, the law and the prophets were given and they were not suspended until John the Baptist came, and then God himself began to bring in a new dispensation, but not until then.
Were those first principles ever suspended?
The same thing is true in our day, isn't it?
The law and the prophets were, until John, those fundamental principles that were entrusted to Christians.
Are not forfeited or changed until God himself changes the dispensation. When's that going to be at the rapture?
Then we don't have to worry about these principles as such, because we're going to be with the Lord Jesus. But until then?
The full force of these original principles that have been entrusted to the believers.
Need to be carried out until the Lord comes. Well, so we've looked at the body. We're just a chapter over. Let's turn over to the fifth chapter. We've looked at the the church is the House of God, how it was originally entrusted to believers and how it's to be carried on until the Lord comes. We looked at the principles of the body of Christ.
And how it was entrusted to the Church, the expression of Christ, and it's to be carried out faithfully, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit until the Lord takes us home. Let's look at the bride then. What about the bride in chapter 5, Ephesians 5 and verse 25?
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to Himself. A glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holding and without blemish. Skip down to verse 32. This is a great mystery.
But I speak concerning Christ.
And the church. The church is looked at as the bride of Christ.
And the Lord is right now sanctifying and cleansing it with the washing of water by the Word. But let's turn over to the sequel to this over in Second Corinthians Chapter 11.
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Those were the first principles that were laid down.
What about in a day of trouble, in a day of ruin? What are we to do? Well, here's what the apostle Paul says. Second Corinthians Chapter 11, verse 2. For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin.
To Christ.
You know, I'm gonna borrow a illustration that her brother Bob Tony has used a number of times.
Bob is on his way I think now down to Oaxaca to go to a wedding and a wedding is among believers is a wonderful thing, isn't it, particularly when it's been when the young people have kept themselves pure before the Lord is a picture of Christ in the church speaks here as a spouse due to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Now, the illustration Bob's heard, and I'm sure some of you have heard it before, but perhaps some others haven't either, and it doesn't hurt us to be reminded.
Says what if Bob goes down to that wedding and the husband they get to their vows?
And it talks about forsaking all others. Cleave to your partner alone.
What if? What if the husband says you know?
I know before I got married, my wife and I discussed their vows and what we were going to say. What if the husband and bride before the marriage sat down and said, well, let's discuss our vows to figure out what we really want to say. And if he says, you know, I want to be devoted to you 95% of the time.
But the other 5%?
I want to be able to go out and play the field.
Would that be acceptable, do you think? Some people do that? I know people that have done that. I know people that have had so-called open marriages. We know of some of our little village that do such things and it's a defiling thing isn't it? But that's would that be acceptable to to a Christian young person? I certainly hope not. They look forward to the full commitment of their soon to be spouse, don't they?
That won't be satisfied with 95% and 5% for somebody else.
How about 90%? How about 99%? Do you think a Christian young person about to be married would be satisfied with with that negotiation? So in their vows they say I'll be 99% devoted to you, but I want to reserve 1% so I can play the field. 1% and 1%. That's only.
A few days a year, that shouldn't have much impact.
That would be unacceptable, wouldn't it?
So what about the church is the bride of Christ?
Paul says here.
I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Only 100% is acceptable, isn't it in the intent and those who are intelligent that enter into the marriage bond and God wants nothing less. It's true of the principles of the House of God. They don't erode with time. But what happens is there must be a separation within the great profession of Christendom to a place where the where the Spirit is given his due due honor.
What about the body of Christ, the expression of Christ in this world?
There must be that maintenance until we're all home, safe home to harbor. And what about the church is the bride of Christ?
Nothing less than being a chaste virgin is acceptable when the Lord takes us home, is it?
So these are the principles we have in Scripture. What again is the question? The question is, does the Lord want us to maintain original fundamental principles, or does he want us to go along with the the regression of what Christian profession has become? This is the salt of the earth. Remember, the earth is Christian profession. It's a type of Christian profession.
And so the Lord wants us to maintain those principles because.
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They're the very expression of himself.
Let's our time is going on rapidly. Just want to talk very briefly about the history of Israel and the church. How have these principles been carried out in time? Just without turning to verses, let's remember what happened in the history of Israel. They came out of the land of Egypt.
One of the very first things they did when they got to the Mount of Sinai, remember Moses went up to the mountain and there he received the the law, the 10 commandments on 2 tablets. And what happened? Well, the people had already sinned had they had already made a golden calf, as we well know and so.
Moses comes down.
And we know there was a Great War. Wasn't there a conflict? And many were killed at that time. And it was an awful time. And what did Moses do? Remember, there was the Shekinah glory. That cloud was over the 10 of testimony. What did Moses have to do? He took that 10 of testimony and he took it outside the camp. And anybody who wanted to call on the Lord had to go outside the camp where that Shekinah cloud was.
He could no longer be identified with the camp because it had already associated itself with with that which defiled his name and was a dishonor to his name. And then what happened? Well, we know they went into the land, They came to the land. They came to a place called.
Obed Edom and not Obed Edom, but they came to the to the to the Jordan River.
And they said, well, let's send in some spies to see what happens, see if the land is a good land or not. And the Lord had already told him it was a good land, necessary that they send spies in because the Lord had told him it was a good land. He'd already led him for two years to get to that point. And yet they said, well, we better spend send spies in. And what was the report? Spies came back and said it's a very good land, but there's giants and there's Walt cities.
We're not going to be able to overcome those giants in a walled cities. What are we going to do?
All the people cried and they wept. They said we better go back to Egypt. Does that make any sense?
There was two people, weren't there? And who were those two people, those two of the 12 spies that stood up?
Caleb and Joshua and said it is a very good land and the Lord will bring us in and he'll give us the strength to overcome the enemies. There was a remnant, wasn't there? There's that principle of the salt again, preserving the the whole. Well, they had to wander for I suppose it was 38 years. Some say 40, I suppose maybe.
Maybe somebody has a stronger thought on that, but at least 38 years with their brethren until they came back.
And at that time there was a new generation which did not despise the pleasant land, as it says of that first generation. They were able to go into the land. But then we know as they went into the land, they had judges for a number of years. Then the kings were set up, first Saul, and then David and Solomon over united Israel.
But what happened after Saul?
Again, idolatry began to creep in. Even Solomon himself, unfortunately we know, married strange wives, and as a result, there he began to worship their idols in order to please them. And so the people fell into sin. And what happened? 10 tribes were split off, and only two tribes remained. There was a remnant principle again, wasn't it?
And so.
The.
The heat, the breach was never healed. Eventually we know the 10 tribes were carried off by the king of Assyria.
The two tribes then were in time as well, carried off by Babylon. Why were they carried off? Well, that's when Jeremiah comes in that we mentioned. Jeremiah lived at the very end of the period when the two tribes were in existence and the period during which they were carried off by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. And what does Jeremiah tell us? Remember I said that Jeremiah is conflicted between the value of the people of God.
Love the people of God, but he knew that.
That government of God was about to fall on them because they had identified His name with things that were unholy and the Lord could no longer have His name identified with that and so.
The question was between the people of God, who he loved in God's glory, and what's the choice that he has to make?
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It's God's glory, isn't it? He's called the weeping prophet and he wept most of his lifetime. Most of his prophecy was a prophecy of weeping. He returned to the second chapter of Lamentations and you see how the Lord is the one who sent him into captivity. Some people were saying we're the people of God and nothing can happen to us. What happened in Sennacherib's day when he came up against Hezekiah with the Lord's modem all.
But Jeremiah said no, that's not going to happen today.
He said, well, the time has come when there's going to be judgment because of our moral condition, and that's what happened after 70 years. Remember that the Lord raised up a little testimony, didn't he? He brought him back from Babylon after 70 years. In the days that are described in the book of Ezra. There were four parts to that recovery, as we find out. First, there was a recovery of the place.
And Zerubbabel and Zechariah's day.
Then there was recovery of by the prophets. I think that corresponds to the recovery there there's been in the church. The truth is not generally recovered all at once, but by bits. And then there was a recovery by the priest Ezra we read in the 7th chapter and so on in the book of Ezra had a discerning ministry as a as a priest. And so it was with the recovery of the truth.
And then finally in the day of.
Nehemiah, who was one of the common people, he was number priest. He was no descendant of the royal lineage. He was a common man, but he maintained the truth that had been recovered by those before. And I believe we live in such a day. Lord hasn't asked us to do great things, but He's asked us to continue on and maintain the truth till He comes.
Well, if we turn to the church.
Time is running rapidly by. But we have a similar history, don't we? We turn to Revelation Chapter 2. We see in chapter 3. We see the history and outline of the church history, don't we?
And in the first three churches, let's just turn to it. We bend in a little bit here, but in Revelation chapter 2.
Revelation chapter 2, we see there was a fall on the very first Church of Ephesus. They were not what they should have been. There was a decline perhaps. I think that corresponds to what we have. Probably in the days after Solomon there was a fall among God's people, but it was not a fatal fall, yet there could have been a recovery. And so at the end of the first church it says in verse seven he that in Revelation 2.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. So he that hath an ear is addressed to all that profess to be Christians. There could have been a recovery to the first condition. When we get to Thyatira, notice what it says in verse 24. But unto you I say.
Unto it could read the remnant in Thyatira.
As many as have not this doctrine. Things had gotten so bad in Thyatira. Remember, That's a picture of Catholic Catholicism during the Middle Ages, when what was the professing church had become thoroughly corrupted and a dishonor to the Lord.
I say unto you, the remnant in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine in which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak, I will put upon you none other burden but that which ye have already. Hold fast till I come. Now notice this.
He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to Him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. In the vessels of the Potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father, and I will give unto him the morning star. Now notice when this expression is stated, it stated after the address to the overcomers. In other words, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches.
With Thyatira is only addressed to the Remnant now.
Before, the thought was that possibly there could be returned to the original condition and acts, But with Thyatira things had fallen so low that the order is reversed, and the address of him that hath an ear is made only to the overcomers, to the remnant. Well, our time is gone. It's such an important subject, isn't it?
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The fundamental principle, again, I hope we can get a hold of that there comes that of the present testimony, is that we have to choose between the value of God's people as a whole, much as by God's grace we would love them all and love them all, and the value of God's glory. The same choice that Jeremiah had to make. And the instruction is, let him that nameth the name of Christ.
Depart from iniquity.
Inspired Examples #1: Jesus, Judas, The Eunuch, Simon, Saul
Inspired Examples #2: Caleb, Othniel, Ruth, Mary
Inspired Examples #3: Lot, Demas, Eutychus, David, Jonah, Peter
Inspired Examples #4: Esther, Phebe, Moses, Daniel