Lawrenceville Conference: 2005
Table of Contents
Luke 12:31-34
Reading
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I would like to suggest part of a chapter if the brethren feel it is the mind of the Lord. Luke's Gospel, chapter 12.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 12.
The whole chapter is profitable of course, but.
I was thinking particularly of the latter half of the chapter, perhaps beginning with verse 31.
I had this chapter on my heart and the hymn that our brother gave out at the beginning seemed to be.
Keeping with it, that is the thought that the Lord is.
Looking at you and me down here in this world seeking to draw us after Him, exercising on the one hand our consciences as to what is due to Him, but also speaking to our hearts, particularly to draw us after Him. And so I suggest there is that in this chapter that speaks to both our hearts and our consciences and is at once encouraging and yet at the same time.
Has something that.
Well, as I've said, speaks to our consciences too.
What do my brethren think of that?
Well, if that's all right, perhaps someone could read Luke 12.
Beginning at verse 31 and perhaps read to the end of the chapter.
Chapter 12, starting in verse 31.
But rather seek you the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. They're not little black. What is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom?
Cell that you have and give loans provide my provide yourselves bags which wax not all over a treasure in the heavens that faileth not where no thief approaches, neither N parenthesis. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like of the men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding.
Have any cometh and Marcus, they may open up some immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in a second watch, or come in a third watch and find them, so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the Goodman of the house had known what hour the seat would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh that an hour when he faint man.
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Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speak 1000 of this parable unto us, or even to all.
And the Lord, said Susanna, said Faith, one wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat and due season, Blessed event servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
But Anthony, that servants say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men, servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken. The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looked at not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut coming Thunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared night himself, neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes, but and did commit things worthy as worthy of stripes.
That we've even with two strikes. For unto whomsoever much is given of Him shall be much required, and to whom men have committed much of whom they will ask the more. I am condescend fire on the earth. And what will I to be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straightened until it be accomplished? Suppose you that I am come to give peace on earth. I tell you nay, but rather division. For from him forth there should be 5 in one house divided.
Two and two against three others will be divided against the son and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, and the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
And he said also to the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the West straight way, you say there cometh the shower, and so it is. And when you see the South wind blow, you say there will be heat. And it comes to pass. He hypocrites. You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how was it that you do not discern this time? The A&Y even of yourselves, judging out what is right now, goes with thy neighbor to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, and give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him.
Lest he hail thee to the judge, and a judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee thou shalt not depart thence, for thou hast paid the very last night.
Might just make a couple of remarks.
At the beginning and then I there are many others here that are more capable to take up the thoughts here, but.
We know that Lukes Gospel presents the Lord Jesus in the character of the Son of Man.
It's also the gospel that is, more than any other, the introduction to Paul's ministry.
And so we find much in loop that although in many ways couched in the same terms as we find, for example, in Matthew, yet I suggest there's a different slant given to it, while at the same time it would have its application to a Jew who would hear it. And we see that exemplified in the chapter here when Peter raises the question.
As we have in verse 41, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
Because Peter had learned that the Lord sometimes addressed remarks to those in general who listened to His ministry, and sometimes addressed remarks particularly for his own.
And the Lord doesn't answer the question in that sense directly, but the answer given to Peter takes up the question, I believe, from the side of those who were his own. Well, at the same time, I believe what is in this chapter, if heard by those who were not the Lords, would and should have had its moral effect on them too. And so there is that which would speak to each one here. But I suggest that there's a particular slant in Luke's gospel, as we said earlier.
Toward the introduction to Paul's ministry toward the truth of the church, although not directly teaching us the truth of the church, but bringing before us that which bears morally on you and me in the day in which we are living. And I suggest that that's the application that we particularly look at in our readings. That is, the Lord is speaking this to his own.
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And bringing before them in a very precious way, and yet also in an awakening way what was ahead for them and what He was looking for from them, and yet at the same time wonderfully what He was, and bringing out all His love and care for us.
This verse we began with this directly connected with what has preceded in the following in the preceding portion. It's interesting if you notice in Mr. Darby's translation that he doesn't put a period at the end of verse 30. He puts a semi colon and it's all part of the same sentence. Because if we were to back up in this chapter, we would find that the Lord has taken up two things, the need of food and the need of clothing. He's taken it up in connection with the Ravens. Consider the Ravens in the 24th verse.
And consider the lilies in the 27th verse. When I read this, I think of the verse that says having food and raiment there with me content. And God knows that we need food and raiment. He knows that we need provision and mercies for this pathway, and so He brings this before them. But then, lest we become overburdened with the cares of getting along in this life, He says, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.
And this has been a voice to my own soul in the day in which we live. Because, brethren, it's not always a question of becoming worldly minded. That may be true, but it's a question of becoming earthly minded. So often, as the people of God in the society in which we Live Today, just making a living and providing for ourselves and for our families burdens us down to the extent that we lose sight of His provision. We don't have time for Him and for His interests.
Here in this world, we just, I've talked to young brothers and you know what I mean. You come home from the office at night, you're saturated, you're mentally weary. And so often the enemy uses these things from keeping us from the enjoyment, as I say of himself and then being a blessing to the people of God. But what he's telling us here is, yes, we need to get along in this life. We need to be there are burdens and there are cares and we need to provide things honest in the sight of all men.
But let's not become so burdened with the cares of this life that we lose sight of what is of real and eternal value.
There is a saying that the Lord helps those that help themselves.
And I think these verses contradict that. The Lord cares about us more than we do. It's our Father's good pleasure to give us the Kingdom, and so the Lord is directing our attention to.
Seek first the Kingdom of God.
When Adam and Eve are took of that fruit.
Which they were told not to. In a sense, they sought the Kingdom of God in a different way, without God, the things without God. And that's the air. The Lord wants us to enjoy the things that He gives in fellowship with him, not by ourselves. And so we must begin from that perspective with God and what He gives.
Then we will find the best gifts.
Just to add a little more on the matter of the context of the verses that we have. I think morally, as Bill said, it presents a moral picture to us if we go back for a moment to verse 13.
The Lord is in the midst of a crowd of people, and one of that crowd says to him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And so the Lord takes up that question of whether He was the one to divide the inheritance or not. He.
He says, well, who made me a ruler or a judge in such a matter? And then he goes on to speak about a rich man who had many things to teach him a lesson. And not to take it all up, but I just want to emphasize verse 21. So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. I believe that that's morally the real emphasis of what's being brought to us in the chapter here.
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It's the question of our treasure. Where is it? What is it? What are we looking for? Here were two men and their treasure. The man's treasure was an inheritance, but where was the inheritance? As far as he was concerned, it was in the earth. He wasn't thinking about heaven. He wasn't occupied with the Kingdom of God. He was occupied with here and now. And me and my, what I've got for myself. And I want it and I don't want somebody else to take it from me.
And so the Lord brings before him the question. He says, so is he that layeth up treasure for himself, treasure for himself here, but he's not rich toward God. And where's my treasure? Is it really here in the earth, or is it rich toward God? Well, immediately there's something in us that says, Oh, but Lord, I have to take care of my family, my needs, my everyday life. And so the Lord then brings in that thought in the chapter, and he says, yes, you have needs.
Jim just referred to them. You have need of food and drink and I'm aware of it and I'm going to take care of it according to the need, but don't make it an excuse.
To make this world the center of your life and your real treasure in it. But in contrast, he says, seek the Kingdom of God.
First make that you might say, man always says I have priorities in my life. What's our first priority even ahead of food and drink, It's the Kingdom of God, or can I say it should be so then he says right after where we started.
Verse 30.
Three wax not old. A treasure in the heavens.
That's the true source of our treasure. Our treasure is not on earth, it's not here, it's not in material things, but our treasure is in the heavens. And where my treasure is, he says in the next verse, the 34th verse, that's where my heart is going to be. So is my heart in heaven today, this afternoon, this morning, or is my heart really in this world?
And the inheritance, if you will, that I might get what I might take from this world.
What is it being done in verse 21 That you read to be rich toward God?
I'm going to listen to what you tell us.
I'd like to hear from you and I might say something natural.
I don't, I don't know about. I am something from the Lord to say that.
The true riches are really what we possess in.
Christ forever.
Go to Ephesians and Bill was saying that it introduces Paul's ministry.
This is really true Riches Ephesians, chapter one.
Verse that we've often meditated on verse three. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And then further in the chapter he goes into the particulars of those different blessings that we have. Verse four were chosen in him.
Before the foundation of the world, He has made us fully and without blame before Him in love. Verse five, we've been predestinated to the adoption of children. Verse six, He's made us accepted in the beloved. Verse seven, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Verse 8, He's abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. These are spiritual blessings.
We live in a materialistic world where everything is focused on what is material.
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And the car you have, what kind of a house do you have? What kind of properties do you have? What's your interest in the stock market? It's all material things that you can touch physically. But that's not to be rich toward God, because a man dies and he leaves everything behind.
He's not going to take a bit with him that's not rich toward God. But I, I must say, brother, it's been a challenge to my own soul So often to me amongst those that are poor in this world, not that there's a particular virtue of being poor in this world, but there is disadvantage is that oftentimes they don't have all the stuff to be preoccupied with and distract from our real riches, which are spiritual realities.
And like Don was mentioning this man who wanted the inheritance divided to him, he wanted the Lord to help him in this situation.
Brethren, the Lord is not really interested in prospering us materially. He may or He may not. That's not our point down here, is to be rich towards God, is to be in the enjoyment of those spiritual blessings.
That we have in Christ and therefore ever, no one can ever take away the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ. You can lose what you have materially from one day to the next. You may lose it. You can never lose that spirituality. Let's say it was a particular challenge, and I think I have told this before, but the brother Clem began and we were down in the Dominican Republic, but in the home of a brother who is now with Christ.
Juan Vasquez, remember that. And his house was just some sticks stuck in the ground in the form of a rectangle for the walls, banana leaves for a roof and winter grade. It kind of ranged inside as well as out. And he invited us to a meal and he didn't have a very nice place to invite us into. And we sat down and had to be careful how we sat down on the bench.
If it wouldn't break.
But the meal wasn't quite ready. And his brother?
Black brother sat down at the head of the table and he didn't have any nice car to show us out in front or any nice house to show us around. He opens his Bible. Never forget the beaming, beaming face. See, as he quoted one verse after another, understanding after he went to be with the Lord that he didn't really know how to read, but he quoted one verse after another and the enjoyment of it. They just bowed my head at that instance and said, Lord Jesus.
Why is it that material things so blindness as to our real riches and that's what it's talking about here. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.
This is what his righteousness here, that's in Matthew's Gospel, but it says all these things shall be added unto you. Do you need food, clothing? Yes, we do.
But don't let that be the object of your existence down here is something far, far more blessed to be occupied with. And that's what he wants us to be enjoying. It's a question of what our hearts are set on, isn't it? And I, I believe it's very important. I had a similar experience, Bob, some months ago after Hurricane Ivan flattened the country of Grenada.
We got Brother Garvin, Seymour and myself. We went there to help out in any way we could and we sat down in a brother's home and most of the home had been blown away in the hurricane. They had buckets around to catch the water which was coming down in Torrance. And the first thing he said to us when we sat down in his home, he said let's talk about eternal things. There was no use about talking about temporal things. The few temporal things he had had were blown away. They were gone.
But we had a wonderful time with he and his wife as we opened the Scripture and we talked about the true riches, the things that cannot be taken away from us, because being rich toward God has nothing to do with our outward circumstances. Now, I just want to say this to perhaps temper our remarks a little bit, and that is that we do not want to despise our temporal circumstances and the mercies that God gives us. In a country like this. We enjoy many mercies from day-to-day.
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And we don't want to despise those mercies. I'm thankful this morning, as you are too, for this facility that's been provided for us. It's climate controlled. We sit uncomfortable chairs. We'll enjoy a couple of good meals each day that we're here. We were able to drive here, most of us in cars that are roadworthy and have heat and perhaps air conditioning or whatever. And we're thankful for that. But the question is, what have we set our hearts on?
Young people, if I set my heart on getting one of the best cars that GM or Ford across there can provide, that's where the wrong is. It's not the question of driving a good car or a bad car. It's a question of where my heart is. And so often the tendency is to set our hearts on present advantage because the temporal things, the riches of this world, they are only for present advantage. In fact, when we back up in this gospel.
We find that the Lord Jesus in speaking to the Pharisees and pronouncing woe.
He said, Woe unto those that have present riches, I'm not quoting quite correctly, but have riches, for they have their consolation, that is, they have something for time. It may be comfort to have to have it for time, but the question has been brought before us. So the answer has been brought before us is, are we in the enjoyment of the true riches that don't have to do with circumstances and they cannot be disturbed by.
Present circumstances.
If we're in the enjoyment of those things, and as Bob said, we'll never lose that. So I just say again, it's a question of what we set our hearts on. Let's notice what Paul was looking for. The last words of Paul in Second Timothy 4.
Verse 18.
All writing the last bookie we believe according to the dates of when they were writing.
Second Timothy 418 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom. That's where he was going, to whom the glory forever and ever, Amen. Now that's the last word.
Look of Paul, let's turn to Peter in one Peter chapter.
5.
No, not chapter 5.
Second Peter, chapter one.
The last book that Peter wrote and the.
11Th verse Peter says, for so an interest shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These two men. Well, perhaps as you say, Bill Lucas looking morally toward he's sitting in there to direct us to Paul's ministry. Is that so?
Hmm, Heavenly Kingdom.
Is that is it correct to say then that when it says here it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom that it is, the heavenly Kingdom that is in view? Is that a right thought?
Is that right by the truck?
I'm not going to answer your question, but I would do would like to advance some thoughts from the 16th chapter of this gospel.
Just in connection, especially with what Jim was saying.
In the 16th chapter, verse 8, the Lord commended. That's not the Lord Jesus here, but his Master commanded the unjust steward because he'd done wisely. What had he done? He'd he'd taken those that.
That.
Were in debt.
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His master was in debt to some others, and he reduced the amount and laid up for himself a future down here where they would receive it.
And he says the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of white they are. They live for time. That's all they've got. They live for present circumstances.
We who are the children of light to live for time, are playing with because.
That's not why we're here to live for time, to live for material things. We're here to live for him. We're here to live for the eternal realities that we have in Christ. So he says, make to yourself friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. But the mammon of this world is called the mammon of unrighteousness. The mammoth means the richest.
Because I believe that is the whole point that we are dealing with here, isn't it?
On our side there is the injunction, the exhortation to seek the Kingdom of God.
What is the Kingdom of God? I believe it is a moral state that is in keeping with those that recognize the rightful king. And it includes, although not limited to what we have just been discussing, the proper use of our time, our energy, our material things down here.
To what end? To an end that will secure eternal riches. But then, on God's part, His delight is to give us the Kingdom. His delight is to give us that which isn't going to pass away, not only in order that we may enjoy it in the coming day, but as we find in Paul's ministry, the present enjoyment of it in our hearts now, so that in one sense, that treasure.
While future is meant to be enjoyed in our hearts now, so the Kingdom of God again is seeking to live down here as those who recognize the rightful king and are exercised to exhibit a walk and a moral state that is in keeping with that. And then God for his part says, I am going to give you.
A treasure that you won't have to kiss goodbye when you leave this world. That no stroke of the stock market is going to take away. That nothing that happens down here can touch.
This verse that Brother Clem read in two Peter one, I'm going to read it again, verse 10. Wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you shall never fall right now, for soul and entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That's usually applied to a future time.
I think it applies right now.
I think that when we live for him, we're not the losers, we're the gangers. The ones that don't live for him, the ones that live for South, they're losing. They may gain all kinds of money. They have this person who wants to be a millionaire. I wouldn't want it. I it would ruin me. I wouldn't know how to use it. I don't have the talent. There's some brethren that can handle that kind of money and do it wisely and do it for the Lord. I'm not one of them.
And that's not what's going to make you happy anyway.
Or you have how many, how many have gained a lot of money in some of these things and a year or so later they're divorced and they're going on a miserable life. That's the way to be miserable, to live for time.
Like to try to make the what's before us practical in in this sense, or at least a test to us about we might say, well, yes, I'm, I'm for the Kingdom of God and that's what I want. And I'm not my heart and my life and my treasure is not in my possessions and so on. But I think the Lord gives a test of that in the beginning of this subject back in verse 15.
Where this man talks to the Lord, and he says, who's going to divide the inheritance between us? And I want to read it Mr. Darby's translation, verse 15. He says, and he said unto them, take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness.
For it is not because a man is in abundance that his life is in his possessions.
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Two things out of this. The first one is can I sit here this morning and say with respect to my possessions, I'm content?
If I'm not, then I'm covetousness. There's covetousness working in me.
And that's what the Lord says beware of.
And to me, it's a very practical thing. Can I say I have food, I have raiment, I'm content? The Lord says yes, with food and raiment. And I've heard raiment explain to be not only clothes on my back, but a shelter over my head. Mr. Kelly speaks of it that way. Then am I content? If I'm not content, then there's a covetousness that work in me that says there is something.
Where I want what I don't have now, this moment in my life. And then he goes on to say it's not because I have a lot.
That my life is in my possessions. It's not how much you have that's really at issue, it's what you want.
You may have little, you may be rich, but neither one really determines where your life is, he says. It's not just to read it again.
It's not because a man is in abundance that his life is in his possessions.
But to me the contrast to it in the Kingdom of God. I'd like to read a verse in Romans chapter 14.
That to me sets the contrast. If we're saying, well, my life is not to be in my possessions. If I have food and raiment, I have what God has apportioned to me. He's the keeper of it all. If he's given me food and raiment, then he's given me sufficient. If he's given you more than just food and raiment, then that's his choice for you. And as Jim has presented, were to be responsible for whatever he's given and how it's used.
But in Romans chapter 14.
He says in verse 17 the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink. That's what we've just been talking about. And he says the Kingdom of God is not what you can eat.
What you can take in, what you can enjoy of this life, What is it? By contrast, it's immoral sphere of things, as Bill already mentioned, it's righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Do I seek today?
To walk with God.
In righteousness.
God's Kingdom is a Kingdom that is characterized by righteousness.
And so God wants me to walk with him according to the order of moral order that he has established for all things. And he says, I want you to walk with me in righteousness.
And we are to walk together, if you will, and with fellow man in a sphere of peace.
Seek peace, pursue it. It's part of the Kingdom of God and we are to walk. And it's to be that which is to characterize our lives here, and it surely will in heaven.
When we're in heaven, we'll see a perfect sphere of righteousness and peace and what else, Joy.
Enjoy perfect joy produced in our souls through the heart and to give it its right priority in my heart and my life. And at the same time, God says, I know you're here, you have to eat, so I'll take care of that too.
Last Wednesday we had before us it said the Lord notice the poor widow casting in two mites into the treasury, and he said she's cast in more than they all the others have cast in of their riches. She's cast in everything to.
And that's the evaluation he put on it.
That's the kind of evaluation we should be seeking.
I heard recently somebody coming on the material things that we have in this world.
You put it away I thought was good, he said. We can't take any of it with us, but we can send it on ahead.
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But that's a good, good thing to think about.
How do you send it on a head? He says in verse 33. Sell that he has and give on. Provide yourself. Bag with wax not old. It's raised in the heavens that faileth not where no thief approaches, neither most corrupted.
These embodies, that's this world. Nothing is secured down here, but we can send it on ahead. And if we do, then our treasure is going to be not down here, not in what happens to our material things, but it's going to be up there and that's what's to be desired. Our heart is going to be there if our treasure is there.
I'd like to just refer to a verse that.
That Paul says in Second Timothy chapter one that I have found interesting.
In this connection, verse 12, Paul, as it's mentioned as a dimensioned, is about to end this course down here.
It lost everything, for Christ's sake.
And he was not ashamed of having lost everything for Christ's sake. But notice what he says in verse 12. Second Timothy. One for the witch, 'cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know who I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep.
That which I have committed.
I think the Spanish it says my deposit.
Against unto him, against that day. Talk about depositing money in a bank account to keep faithfully for you. Here's a place you can deposit the fossil ball has deposited against that day and when he gets there, it's going to be all day. Brethren, are we living for time?
This brief moment that's called time down here.
I can't believe that last year I got up to 60 years old. I can't believe that I.
Yesterday it seemed like I was a young person. Life is too free to be living for things down here. Set your sights beyond, set your sights in that eternal day. You'll not be ashamed for doing it. Just in connection with that, Bob, just a little illustration from the Old Testament that I think gives makes the illustrates the point you've been bringing out very well. And that is a contrast between Lot and Abraham.
Because it's interesting with Lot that when he lifted up his eyes, he only lifted them up for time. He only lifted them up as far as the horizons of this world. And what he saw was the well watered plain of Jordan. He saw that which was for present advantage. And you know, I often think of that verse in Proverbs 29 which applies to every aspect of our lives, be it practical or spiritual. It says where there is no vision, the people perish.
If we only live for time, if there's no vision or looking to the future for eternity, we're going to perish. Her, as the new translation says, cast off restraint. We're going to only make choices and decisions based on what we see at the moment for present advantage. Well, Lot did that, and we know what the sad history of Lot was. Lot we will see in glory. He was a saved soul, but what a wreck he made of things down here.
But you see a contrast with Abraham because shortly after that he lifted up his eyes too, and he lifted them up to the stars of heaven. He lifted his eyes beyond the horizons of this world, and God said he would bless him in that way. That was something of eternal value and for eternity. And so I think those illustrations help us to see, you know, we don't have to wonder, young people, what is the folly of living for time?
Or what is the folly or the end result of doing this or that? God gives us these examples of men and women and young people who lived at various points in the history of man. It's good to go back to the Word of God and see these examples. See what the end of a course of self will is. See what the end of living for present advantage is. See what the end of a course of living for Christ is. God gives us these examples to teach us so that we don't fall into the same traps that many of them did.
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I might just say this too, to cap our remarks on this subject. I've enjoyed what Paul said at the end of his life and again, he had nothing as far as present advantage, but he could say, my God shall supply. I want you to notice that all your knees, not all our wants. Now God often supplies far beyond our need. And thank, we can thank him for it, as we've been saying, but what he has promised is not to supply all our wants.
But He has promised to supply all our needs. And what I've found as a challenge in my own life is to sort out, and I can't say I've arrived, but to seek by the grace of God, to sort out the difference between needs and and wants. And there is a vast difference between needs and wants.
Sometimes this might be a bit.
Confusing. And not only to young people, but to others too, because.
Generally.
An energy in spiritual things will be translated into an energy.
In our work and in everything we do, won't it? And very often laziness in spiritual things has the same effect. And so we get in Ecclesiastes the admonition, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it what they might.
From an earthly point of view, the New Testament carries that a step further and says whatsoever ye do.
Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Well, if I do my work for the Lord Jesus, I won't be lazy. And so it's not a question. We say it particularly to our dear young people whom there are many here of just lying back and saying, well, I guess I don't need to learn a trade or have any direction in my life. The Lord will provide and so on. I don't believe we find that in Scripture. We find that God generally.
Used those who were energetic.
In their work and in looking after their affairs down here in a proper way. But that energy translated into the Lord's things as well. And So what we have here is a question of priorities, as we've been saying, and what is really before me? What is my motive? What is my goal? Are these things down here an end in themselves, or are they a means to an end which is eternal?
And so if someone feels led to go to school in whatever way to get an education toward an end, the Lord can give you direction and guidance and help in that. But if I can perhaps tell a story that happened a good many years ago, there was a young man who was going to university. He was contemporary with me. So that's a good while ago that he was in university and.
He didn't come to the meeting very often. He showed up on Lord's Day morning, but then on Lord's Day afternoon, and.
Instead of being available for the Sunday school, he went home to study and so on. And I remember another young brother who again was my age, said to me, Bill, he said if I couldn't get it without doing that, then it would raise a question whether I had the mind of the Lord in doing it. Well, we can't dictate to others, but the point is if the Lord leads you and me in a certain path and the Lord is before us as we have here, I believe He'll make it possible for us to put Him for.
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
And then I believe we can count on him as we've been saying, that all these other things that are needed will be added to us. So I just make that remark because there's no thought in Scripture of laziness, either in spiritual things or in our life in this world. I believe energy in one will be expressed in energy in the other. There's another apartment illustration of what you're saying, Bill, in First Kings 17.
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Where we find that widow woman and she was busy. She wasn't just, she didn't just lie down to die, she was out gathering some sticks and they were going to make that little cake and eat and then they were going to die. But the prophet came along and he said to her, make me first a little cake. In other words, he said, you do something for me first, give me my portion first. And then there was the promise that the barrel of meal and the cruise of oil would not waste as long as the famine lasted. And so by faith she did that. And it must have taken tremendous faith.
To take the last provision in your house, not only for you, but for your children, and to take that last provision and make it for somebody else, prepare it for somebody else. But we know the wonderful story. But I just want to suggest that with that barrel of meal and that cruise of oil, I don't think it was full every day. I think every day when she went there, there was just enough for the day. There was another handful of meals. There was another little bit of oil in the cruise, and it was just enough to meet their needs and the need of her need and the need of her family for that day. Now, brethren, are we content with the Lord's provision like that?
Is that what we're content for? Because it says in Matthew 6, Nate, take no thought for the Morrow, for the moral shall take thought for itself, sufficient unto the day.
Is the evil thereof, and the Christian life consists of living for Christ today.
Enjoying His provision today, whether it's in a temporal way or spiritual way, and leaving tomorrow with Him. But live for Him today. He provides for today and then just leave tomorrow. Now are you and I by faith? And I know it takes faith and grace, but are you and I willing like that woman to just live day by day and realize there is enough provision for the moment?
There is interesting what it says there, Jim.
She did have the word of the Lord to go on, and it was this. The barrel of meals shall not waste either shall the crews of oil fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. So she had to the word of the Lord, and it was as good as a barrel of meal and a cruise of oil, even though, like you say, it may have been just that. Blood was for the day, but it was the word of the Lord. And that's what we have, brethren. We have the word of the Lord, and that's what it means to walk by faith.
We have a God and His word has never failed and it just takes walking with Him a day at a time. It's not something that you can look at and say, well, I got it all set for the next 10 years. I got enough stowed away, I can just sit back and relax. No, that's not it.
But what you were saying, Bill, in verse 25 of our chapter, I think bears that out.
This type of living does not make us lively, Lazy says. Let your loins be girded. Why did somebody gird their loins? It's giving up to serve, that's why. And your light burning, and you yourselves likened them in that wait for their Lord.
Brethren, we are waiting for the Lord to come, and in view of that day, oh, we need to have our loins girded. Oh, what a wonderful privilege it is to serve the Lord in any measure. And don't go looking at certain ones, say they are the servants of the Lord. Every true believer is a servant of the Lord. You do what you do hardly as to the Lord.
Your servings.
Often think of those Colossians chapter 3 that Paul speaks to in the King James translation. Its servants, but really the body is slaves. They were never free to do their own thing, but he says to them.
You serve the Lord Christ. They were servants of the Lord. What were they doing? Mopping the floor, probably.
They're doing whatever their Lord has commanded to do.
As slaves they were serving the Lord Christ. If you do your work hardly as to the Lord, there is a real testimony that results South America. A lot of our brethren are bricklayers. They fill a lot with bricks down there. They said sometimes to them, if you do your service, if you lay those bricks as if you were doing it for the Lord himself.
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People are going to notice that you do a good job and your testimony. When the time comes to tell them the gospel, they will listen to you.
That I've seen so many. To me it's something to be exercised about, especially this country as it happened, those that are professing preachers of the gospel, but a bad testimony in some way, the awful devastation to the Christian testimony that that takes, that that makes the Lord exercises. We're all servants of the Lord. We need to be exhorted.
Gird your loins. It's not time to relax and be at home down here. It just seems to me that the Lord puts a lot of needles in our haystacks and we think we make ourselves a nice little nest and we hit the needles. Can't be comfortable down here, brother, Can't do it.
My stairway was.
At home and we came ready to be ready. But we can't live in my life for us. And go by far as thy soul.
Our God and Father, we're thankful for this portion that has been before our souls. We ask, blessing on the ministry of Thy word to our souls. We might seek grace to walk in it. We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for His glory. Amen.
Luke 12:35-42
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Savior come by Saints or wait.
183.
If you're gone.
Reading in Luke's Gospel chapter 12. Would verse 35 be a good place to start?
Luke 12, starting at verse 35.
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and you yourselves like them to men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when He cometh to knock us, they may open unto Him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you that He shall gird himself, and shall make them to sit down to meet. It will come forth and serve them, and if he shall come in a second watch, will come in the third watch and find them. So blessed are those servants.
And this know that if the Goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh in an hour when ye think that.
Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make rulers over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But an if that servant stay in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men, servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken. The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in Thunder, and will appoint him as portion with the unbelievers.
And that servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not Himself, neither did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given to Him shall be much required. And to whom men have committed much of him, they will ask the more. I am come to send fire on the earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled?
But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straightened till it be accomplished? Suppose either I am come to give peace on the earth. I tell you nay, but rather division. For from henceforth there should be 5 in one house divided, 3 against two, and two against three. The fathers will be divided against the son, and the son against the father, and the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
And he said also to the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the West, straightway ye say, and there cometh the shower. And so it is, and we see the South wind blow East Bay, there will be heat, and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it that you do not discern this time? Yeah, and why even of yourselves judging that what is right? But now goes with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, and give diligence that thou mayst be delivered from him.
Lest he hail thee to the judge, the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee thou shalt not depart thence. So thou hast paved the very last night.
I'd like to make a comment of the connection between what we had this morning and the verses up to 34 and verse 35 S Verse 34 says where your treasure is, there will your heart be also, And then immediately it says, let your loins be heard about, your lights burning and so on.
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Where my treasure is, is going to determine my preparedness.
For the coming of the Lord, that is, if Christ is my treasure.
He can't come too soon.
And all my present life is in view of.
The one, my treasure, who is coming. We have that in the end of Revelation 22, where the Lord says I come quickly.
Out of the Spirit and the bride, say.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus, there is that response of affection and so if my treasure is in this world, I'm not really looking, I'm not prepared. My loins aren't gird about, I'm not looking for my Lord, if you will, to come. That's an interruption to my plans and programs and my interest and desires, my material interests that we had this morning. But if.
I think of the Lord Jesus as my if he is truly my treasure, it's like the apostle Paul said, for me to depart with Christ is far better, he said. I'm not.
Any problem with leaving this world for me it's better. I'm looking forward to it whenever the Lord, you might say, releases me from my present responsibilities in service and takes me to himself and so he looks upon it that way. And that's another as it were, you might say, evidence to the soul. Is it really have its treasure in heaven is am I?
Really looking forward, is there anything presently that's keeping me from really finding enjoyment in my treasure?
The Passover night in Egypt, when they were to eat the Passover lamb in the houses where they had put the blood over the door.
Says Thus shall ye eat it with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your stabbing your hand. He didn't taste it as the Lord's Passover, but I understand is that they used to wear long flowing garments.
And to be able to walk unhinderedly, they had to.
Gather it up and put a belt around that would control that those things, and I think it speaks to us.
Of control in our lives. Are we in control of things in our lives, or are they? Are we relaxed and let out our garments and are not ready to March in Egypt? They were supposed to be ready. The command would be given at any time to leave Egypt. And brethren, we should be ready to leave this world at any moment.
Ready for the March, Things under control. It's interesting how often that expression is used. I think enough one in first Peter chapter one.
And verse 13 where Peter exhorts and says, Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind.
Be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought up to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Turn up the loins of your mind.
That is.
Control your thinking. So often I find for myself that my mind goes helter skelter, One Direction another.
I can be sitting in media. Maybe my mind is 1000 miles away, some other corner of the world.
Gird up the loins of your mind. Bring your thoughts back to what we're talking about here in this conference. That's what it means, and we need to learn to control our thinking.
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Olympians for whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just several things are pure. Think on these things. That's the channels which we should direct our thoughts. So we need to gird up the loins of our minds, control our thinking.
Other places, Ephesians, where it tells us in connection with the armor of God.
To be have our loins heard about with truth. There it is. Connection with simply making the truth of God. Not something that we merely know in our minds, but that we put into practice. We turn it on. So I suppose this all has some connection with our verse, our loins girded.
To the fact that our Lord is coming.
I'm looking at some very searching verses in First Corinthians 7 in connection with what you just said. I'll read them verse 29. But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none.
And they that weep as though they wept not. And they then rejoice as though they rejoiced not. And they that buy as though they possessed not, they that used this world.
Not a new translation, not just as disposing of it as their own. For the fashion of this world passed away, but I would have you without carefulness.
He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, that he may please the Lord.
But he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, only may please his wife. There's a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, that she that is married care for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. This I speak for your own prophet, not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that you may attend upon the Lord.
Without distraction.
Researching verses for all of us.
And so in that sense.
Bob, we're never told to gird up our hearts, are we? It's a different thought, isn't it? My heart goes where my treasure is, and it's evident from where my heart goes, where my treasure really is. My treasure is down here. It will be evident because my heart will be here. If my treasure is up there, it will be evident because my heart goes to where my true treasure is.
But when it comes to our external circumstances and garments are often used in Scripture as a picture of that, when it comes to my mind, then I have control over it, don't I? Then there's an opportunity to order my circumstances in a way that is in keeping with the treasure that really means much to me. Then there's an opportunity to, as Colossians 3 says, this is the Darby to set my mind on things above.
I have a control over it. I can do it. I'm never told, strictly speaking, to set my heart on something. My heart goes to what really counts. But my mind needs to be controlled, my circumstances need to be controlled. And I suppose in lands like North America, and maybe to an extent in other parts of the world too, life has become very complicated. And I hope I'm not stepping on anybody's toes if I say this, but.
It seems increasingly that we find many people are really unable to cope with the complexities of the modern world. Things start to fall through the cracks and so many things that we have to do and have to keep straight are just overloading.
Our minds and our hearts, mostly. Our minds. Well, what do we do about that? There's a need for control, isn't there? We can't opt out of the world we live in. We can't turn back the clock and live like the Amish or the Mennonites or something and pretend that that's the solution. I don't believe that's God's way.
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But there is a need, isn't there, to control my circumstances so that.
I am girding them up rather than they running me, so to speak, because many people in the world today, that is the way it is. Circumstances are controlling them and unfortunately that is just the way the devil wants it. Well, it can overtake you and me too, can't it?
Want to read another passage? Strongest language possible. It's in the 14th chapter of Luke and verse 26. And if any man come to me and hates not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yeah, in his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever does not bear his cross, come after me.
Cannot be my disciple. Then he gives the example of building a tower. One has to count the cost.
And.
Verse 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciples. And we know that Scripture says that the husbands are to love their wives and so on. Is the Lord contradicting that? He's basically saying when he uses this very strong word, hate these. These are in a natural relationship to him. He says I come first.
No ifs, ands or buts about it. I come first and don't claim because of the way you've gone and some of these troubles we've had, the way you've gone because family, they don't come first. The Lord does. And that that really ought to, to make it clear to us that when we have to make a decision, He's number one. What what is going to please Him?
Over any other relationship, no matter how precious it might be.
That's what I get from this passage of these things we're talking about. Let me read a verse just to follow that up. In Romans chapter 12, I'll read 2 verses, but particularly verse two I'm thinking of, but I'll begin with verse one. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or intelligent ServiceNow notice this and be not conformed to this world.
But be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Now when we quote this second verse, we often quote it in connection with outward things, and certainly it has its application. But I would suggest that in its context, here is just what our brother Chuck has been bringing before us, and that is that the natural bent of man is to put himself in the center of his world.
He does everything for self. The natural man has a self governed life. That's just the bent of the natural man. And so he puts himself in the center. He draws this circle and he does everything for himself. I've sometimes said that the generation that we find coming on today is not simply the me first generation, that was my generation, but the generation today is the me only generation. And I know that when my young people go to school, this is ingrained in them.
You're number one. You're the center of your world. Make sure that you take care of number one first and do everything.
For self-interest. But in Christianity, there's to be a new center in our lives and that's Christ. And if Christ is the center of our lives and that's where our hearts go, our hearts go out to Christ, then it's going to take care of many things. It's going to take care of our relationships one to another. It's going to take care of our service for Christ. It's Christ and then his interests that are to be the center of our lives. And so this is the renewing of our mind. It's a change of thought here. The natural man thinks of himself first.
The Newman we're to think of Christ 1St and everything is to be done in accordance with the truth of God. That's why it says in Ephesians your loins gird about with truth. It's bringing every thought into captivity under the obedience of Christ. They teach us at school to empty our minds. That's not of God. You empty your mind and Satan's got plenty to fill the vacuum. Know us to fill our minds with Christ from his word.
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To have an understanding and a knowledge of the truth of God that's girding up the loins of your mind. And then I say ourselves at the center of our world, but Christ. And that will then take care of all those practical things that we've been Speaking of.
You can't think of nothing. That's right.
Something must fill that vacuum, either Christ or the world or whatever.
Just a short comment on this 36th verse because.
Sometimes we think it is connected, perhaps with the.
Marriage, shall we say, of the church to Christ. And while I don't object to that thought, I would just suggest that that's not really the imagery that is being used here. Rather, in Eastern weddings, quite often the bridegroom would go off to the wedding, the groom would go off to the wedding.
But he would leave his servants in charge of certain things that he had left behind, some things of his that had to be kept in good repair and so on, and had to be kept ready for him. And he expected that when he would return from the wedding they would be ready. Well, of course, Eastern weddings are often at night and kind of go late into the night, and this might be a very late hour. It would be very easy for these servants to fall asleep.
But the thought is here, as it says, And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he shall return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
I believe the thought is here, as we have expressed, that we should be ready and waiting and expecting the Lord to come at any moment so that there need be no delay. They had to be inside perhaps a place and there would be an opportunity for relaxing a little bit. But they didn't know when he would come back. And as soon as that knock came, hopefully there would be an immediate response and they'd say, Sir, we're all ready and immediately they would be able to undertake the responsibilities and go where he wanted to go.
Well, that's what the Lord is looking for in you and me today, isn't He?
The servants were watching, weren't they?
And the light burn.
Sometimes we're aware of a little expression for the Buchanan and I were Speaking of this between meetings. Every time we turn on the computer, we think of WWW. We know in its context there it speaks of the World Wide Web, but I've enjoyed it in connection with what we have in this chapter. We have servants that were characterized by three things that begin with W. They were working. They were watching.
And they were waiting, and that's what ought to characterize us.
There's quite a difference between waiting and watching.
I could be waiting for something, I might be asleep. I'm still waiting. But if you're watching, you're not very much asleep. And so we find 2 Characters brought before us in these two verses.
36 waiting wait.
37 Watching. And then in the 37th it says, Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meet.
And come forth and serve.
Marvel Can we imagine the Lord of glory causing us to sit down in service?
Amazing thought, isn't it? But that's to those who are watching. It doesn't say that with 36, but it says those that he finds watching.
So the character of our life should be such that momentarily, I don't mean we don't sleep momentarily are watching eyes should be open.
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For the Lord to return, that's what we have in the.
40th verse.
Be therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when you think.
The character of the Son of Man, of course, I suppose, would take us beyond what we are.
Now the Son of Man character is, when he comes back, glorious.
So this isn't a rapture, this is. This is after the rapture when he returns.
Where is. But the principle applies to us now that. Yeah.
I think of that, what you're saying, Brother Dave, about watching so often in Scripture. It's in context with sleeping. You can't do the two things at the same time. You're either watching or you're sleeping.
And we're talking, of course, in the spiritual sense.
Person that's asleep is not alert. He has.
Gone to sleep and you know how easily sleep creeps over you. At least I have to confess. After a good meal, new time meal, and sometimes a little bit warm in the afternoon, you sit down in a comfortable seat. You don't even realize that sleep is starting to take over.
Brethren, I believe This is why the Lord has to allow sometimes real bumps in the road. Sometimes I've had to experience driving along the road and I didn't realize I was going to sleep and all of a sudden I got off the side of the road and boom. Thank the Lord for the bump.
Where I got further off the road. And that's what's so important in our lives. The Lord gives us sometimes trials in our lives to wake us up. We don't realize that we've gone to sleep, they say.
We really, truly consider the awfulness of the judgment that's coming on this world that we're living. Right on the edge, brother.
Of the worst time of judgment this world has ever seen, I honestly have to say.
The majority of this world is completely asleep and a big quantity of even Christians are asleep as to where we stand in relation to the Lords coming.
Am I awake? I don't know that I'm the judge of that, even that it should be an exercise present to be alert, awake, aware of what's going on in the world around.
Realize the Roman Empire is being revived today.
We are seeing things happen in our world that show that our time is getting close. We need to be alert as to those things.
Easily, So easily.
Sleep takes over and dominates us in our testimony. Lord help us.
Don't you think we have more sleeping Christians in the United States than anywhere else?
Brother, are you looking and talking about me?
Well, if you were a mirror, I'd be talking to that fellow.
Let's notice in Romans 13 in this connection. So I think it's very solemn.
Just read a couple of verses in Romans 13 and verse 11.
And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. And this is not written to unbelievers. This is written to believers. This is written to those of us who ought to be awake to the truth of the Lord's coming. This is written to us who ought to be serving the Lord in our capacity and sphere in the last moments.
Of the Day of Grace, realizing that there are just but a few moments of service left. And I've sometimes said in connection with the parable of the 10 virgins that when we take it up, we often take it up in the gospel. And we stress the reality of the five foolish who were asleep and had no oil in their lamps. But I think it's solemn to consider that all ten of them were asleep initially.
There were five that were real. It did prove true that they had oil in their lamps, and those five went into the marriage. But isn't it solemn to consider that? You look at those 10 ladies, initially you couldn't tell outwardly who was real and who wasn't. They had all sunken down to the same condition. Now, brethren, that's a voice to my heart. That's a voice to your heart. We are just at the end.
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Our salvation is nearer than when we believe the Lord is about to come. We're about to receive, change bodies and sit down in His presence to be served and ministered to for all eternity.
Now, does that awaken us as to the reality of what our position, our service should be? Our loins should be girded. And I just want to say this too, about we didn't mention it in connection with our loins gird, but I would suggest that it also speaks of ready to serve. A servant couldn't serve with those robes flowing in, in the way. No, he girded them up in viable times and then he was ready standing there to serve. That ought to be our attitude, not asleep.
You don't find service sleeping and serving. No, they have to be awake and alert to serve. We ought to have our loins gird about for service and then to be watching and waiting. But oh, it's so easy to fall asleep in this comfortable society we find ourselves in. To fall asleep spiritually. The voice to us.
We may have wondered in connection with Peter in Matthew chapter 26, where he said, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee Likewise also said all his disciples. And then further down in that chapter. The Lord says this is at such a critical time. The Lord says, what could you not watch with me one hour Watch and pray that she entered not into temptation.
The spirit of need is willing, but the flesh is weak, and so we too may think that they're pretty sure of ourselves and we have an Old Town pretty good. Peter did too, but he had to be reminded that just a short time later they couldn't watch with him. And at that crucial hour when the Lord, with so much of enjoyed the company and fellowship of his disciples.
It's interesting too. Isn't it Norm that they were sleeping for sorrow? It says in one of the Gospels. And isn't that one of the tactics of the enemy? We look around, maybe there's sorrow in our personal lives. We sorrow at the condition of things in the assembly, maybe even locally there's problems. We want to be careful that we don't sleep for sorrow, that those things don't overcome us, so that we're not watching, waiting and serving. They that weep as though they wept not.
Yeah. And so as I suggested I think earlier, there is an appeal.
Both to the conscience and to the heart here isn't there? We've been speaking about appeals to the conscience and it's a very needed thing. The danger of falling asleep, the danger of being indifferent to what is due to the Lord.
Ultimately, if that is the only pull that draws me out to follow the Lord, it won't last.
And so the Lord presents what our brother Dave Ingle was particularly laying stress on.
What is the Lord going to do? If we could look at it this way, and pardon me for drawing this analogy, but I think it fits if when we were up there in heaven, the opportunity were offered and we'll use the human imagery that the Spirit of God uses here. Supposing there were an opportunity if the Lord Jesus sat down for us to serve him.
I venture to say that everyone here would be the first one.
Wanting to have the privilege of serving the Lord Jesus.
But that isn't the way it's going to be, is it? That's not what he says here. No doubt we will serve him. It does say that. And his servant shall serve him and they shall see his face. But the thought here is he says you have been faithful. You followed me when I was rejected, and so now you sit down. I'm going to serve you.
I suggest that if that gets a hold of our hearts, it draws us back to Calvary's cross. What right have we to be served anything?
As the hymn says, trembling, we had hoped for mercy some lone place within the door.
But the crown, the throne, the mansion, all were ready long before, and so he gave everything for us.
00:35:03
On Calvary's cross, in order that we might spend eternity with them in those courts of glory. But when we get there, in return for any little measure of faithfulness and watching, he's going to say, now I'm going to serve you. If that gets a grip on our hearts, I suggest it will not only exercise our conscience, but it will draw out our hearts and our affections so that my treasure will really be up there.
Asked me once what's he going to service?
Answer is more of himself.
More of himself.
What an amazing thing.
Just just before the cross.
The disciples had been considering each other who would be the greatest, and surely thereafter the Lord says, Ye are they that have continued with me.
Amazing that the Lord would say that of these disciples who had just moments before considered who would be the greatest. Not not the Lord, but then and then for that comment.
I mean, I think too, of just to follow up on what's been said, John Six. He says, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. I am that living bread which came down from heaven.
The Father gave you not the man of that. He gives you the true bread manna we eat. We will feed on him forever and ever.
Down here it's not the place of relaxing, is it?
So easy to give place to that you find a comfortable spot and want to take it easy and relax. And now is our time of girding ourselves.
That day he will gird himself.
Sir, what a wonderful grace, but now is the time of our service, Brother, what a privilege and any measure to serve him.
Verse 37 is a continuation of John 13, isn't it? Cephus 3037 is in the glory. John 13 was down here. And Chuck, I'd just like to point that out because I was thinking of that. There is a contrast to between the service in John 13 and the service here because in John 13, when He gird Himself and served the disciples, He washed their feet. That's right. We're left here in a world where there are defilements.
Those things that chill and dull the affections in the soul. But up there there won't be any need to have our feet washed, but He will come forth in service. I sometimes illustrated it this way. When we, when I visit amongst the Lord's people and I enter the homes of the Saints, they come out and they try to make you as comfortable as possible in their home. They seek to serve you and to make you comfortable in that home. And when we get home to the Father's house as God's children.
Blessed to think, brethren, that the sun is going to come forth and it's just as if he's going to say, now he's at your home, I'm going to minister to your every joy and satisfaction for all eternity. As you say, Chuck, it'll be more of himself, but he'll minister to our joy and satisfaction for all eternity. Now I'd like to just say too, there were two types of service under the Levitical Order. There was the service of burden and the service of song.
Now the service of song will continue as Bill said. His servant shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and we will serve him in the service of song for all eternity. But the service of burden in the way that it was given to the Levites, that service is something that's only given to us, as Bob said, for this life. We only have the privilege of serving the Lord in that way down here. And are we?
Exercised to carry that service out, the little service and the burden that he gives each one of us.
You know, there's a verse we often quote, and I don't want to be misunderstood, but we do quote it a little bit out of context sometimes. And that is that verse where the Lord said to the disciples, come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a while. We quote that sometimes, and I want to be careful, but sometimes in justifying laying down the service of burden for a time. Now I'm not saying there aren't times when we need to rest and relax. That's not what I'm saying. But if you notice the context of that verse, they really didn't get a rest.
00:40:16
Because he drew them into the desert place and then it says, and he lifted up his eyes and the multitude was coming. And the next thing you find is not the disciples resting, but there was more work to do. And pretty soon 12 disciples are distributing food to several thousand people. That was quite a chore. That was a lot of work. That wasn't the rest that perhaps they anticipated. And I believe what we learned from it, brethren, is just what has been said. And that is that our rest is not here. They and I often take comfort from that verse that says.
There remaineth therefore arrests to the people of God. This is not a time to be sitting back and relaxing. We're here to serve our Lord and our Master and there's no shortage of needs and opportunities. You know, we don't have to pray and ask the Lord for opportunities for service. What we really need to do is pray and ask the Lord that we will have our loins gird. We'll be watching and waiting and ready to avail ourselves of the opportunities that there are.
Because there are no shortage of opportunities and you don't have to go to another country or the other end of the world to find opportunities to serve the Lord. Just get up in the morning, get ready for school and work, and pray that the Lord will make you watching and ready for service and you'll find lots of opportunities right where you are. But this is not the resting time, brethren. This is the time for service.
Matthew 11 That says take my yoke upon you and learn of me.
Where I think and lowly in heart, and he shall find rest into your souls. Rest in the yoke. We're going to enjoy rest down here. It's rest in the yoke of services. I've often found that in my own life when I've tried to have a nice rest, but it hasn't turned out that way.
But when you go on with the Lord's direction, and the Lord gives rest in his own way, now, now is not the time properly of rest.
He does say occasionally to us coming yourselves apart and rescue our and he'll give us that. He sees our need and he'll give it to us.
I might just say this too, while we're on this subject. The Sabbath, which was for Israel was a day of rest. But the Lord Jesus, when he was here, he gave many reasons why He healed on the Sabbath day, why he worked on the Sabbath day. But one of the outstanding reasons he gave was my father worked at hitherto and I work the Sabbath. God's rest was spoiled by sin and the Lord Jesus was not here to rest. In fact, the only time that you read of the Lord Jesus asleep, I believe is on a borough pillow and a borough boat. And it didn't last very long. They woke him.
And he rose and rebuked the wind and the waves, the wind and the sea. And so here's the example. Now we talk about the Lord's Day. The Sabbath is not for us. That was Jewish. It was a day of rest. The Lord's Day is not a day of rest. And if you're again watching and ready for service, you'll find lots of opportunities to serve the Lord on the Lord's Day. You know, it's a day when we don't have perhaps the normal cares of life all through the week. You, you have your job, you have school, maybe Saturday you get.
Caught up around the house. Lord's Day, of course, we come to remember the Lord. There may be other meetings set aside for the Lord's people and the gospel, but what do we do with our Lord's day? Now? I'm speaking to my own heart as much as any. But there's an opportunity there. The Lord stays not the Christian Sabbath. The Lord stays not in Scripture, given to us as a day of rest. No, it's a day when we can avail ourselves of some of those opportunities to serve.
Well, we said there was that in this chapter, which was for the exercise of all. And I suppose going on to verses 39 and 40, as we've already mentioned, it brings in the Son of Man, and it brings in the fact that He is going to come back in judgment on this world, isn't He? It brings in the fact that He is going to come to this world, as Scripture says in many places, as a thief in the night.
00:45:06
We know that He doesn't come for you and me that way, and it's important to see that because Scripture never refers to the Lord's coming for us as the Lord coming as a thief in the night. Unhappily, it's something. No, we don't. But He is not coming as a thief. A thief comes, It is true, when you aren't expecting Him and he comes unwanted. Neither are true of the Lord when he comes for us, but when he comes back to this world, he does come as a thief.
He comes when they're not expecting him. It's not merely a case of a believer being asleep. That's sad, but it happens. But the believer who is asleep or not watching will be very, very glad to hear the shout. But the world is not going to be glad to see the Lord Jesus when He comes back. And so there is a warning here, I suggest, which all could take heed to. And it's important for us to recognize that we're living in a world.
That does not want the Lord Jesus to come back. He's going to come, but when he comes, they will not be expecting him and they will not want him. Well, the exhortation here is to be ready and I believe you and I can say to a lost world, get ready. I spoke to someone just last week with the Lord's help about this and I said, look at the way the world is. The Lord Jesus is coming back and what are you going to do if you are found?
Guilty before him and no opportunity to be saved. There's really 3 comings. His first coming was when he came into this world as a baby.
Second coming is when he gathers out of this world those that have believed on him, and we call that direction the third coming, and they're all comings. Is the revelation or the appearing when he comes to Earth?
That's that's for judgment. That's for judgment. But it's coming for us. The world, I don't think will see it. They'll feel the effects of it. They can't help but feel the effects of it. But millions will be missing. But that's not a judgment. That's glory for us.
But the word coming applies to all of those. Hmm.
41St verse Down to the 10 to the 44th. We have a faithful servant.
And then from the 45th to the end of the 48th verse.
We have unfaithful servants. I'm sure there's many young folks in this room, and maybe older ones too, that would like to hear some explanation of verses 46 and 47 and 48.
And also with that tight into verse 41 and question.
Interesting the word of verse 39. Speaking of the house.
Of course, I suppose that the future day, the remnant in the tribulation period will read this and find instruction in this, but as we've been talking with the principle, we have diet the House.
And those that the good men of the house would have watched and do not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Matthew's Gospel and the Parable of the Sweet and the tares, it says.
While men slept, an enemy came and sowed terrors.
What has happened in the Christian profession is because of sleepiness on the part of the servants, there has been ruin in the public testimony. And I think that there's a lesson that he learned in in this too, and then further on.
The verse 42, it speaks of the household and it's in connection with a public sphere of service.
The household where there are servants. So there are things, there are lessons that apply to us rather than in connection with the truth of service.
00:50:03
Having our loins heard it.
You have in verse 43, what does that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing? So here is this faithful servant that's doing what is pleasing to him of the truth. I say unto you that he will make him ruler over all of that. Then he speaks of another servant. But and if that servant say in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men's servants and maidens, and to eat and drink and to be drunken, The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and at an hour when he's not aware.
And we'll cut him in sunder, while appointed his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant both, which knew his Lorde will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.
For unto whom much whomsoever much is given of Him shall be much required, and to whom men have committed much of Him, they will ask for more. Now these are all called His servants, but some are real and some are not. Some are real, and some will will be rewarded, and others will be judged.
So to answer the question then that our brethren raised, is this something we can apply to ourselves in this present day, or is it something that will apply also to godly ones in a coming day during the tribulation? Or what is the thought here?
That seems to be the question that Peter asked the Lord in verse 41.
And I think it's instructed to say that the way the Lord answers it.
Leaves it for each one of us to be exercised in their place.
Who then is that faithful and wise steward? His Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of need in due seasons. Important it is to discern the need of the Lord's people.
Any measure that we can, and this applies to all, not nearly when we're together collectively.
But perhaps the sisters do they know the need amongst those who are sisters, perhaps younger and need help in their homes to minister the word in whatever way it might be, but to give the portion of meat in due season. God's people need to be fed. That is really important. I I just feel that sometimes, brethren, when there's Stripe among God's people.
We need to realize that strife does not feed God's people. The need is Christ to have Christ ministered to this. Yes, there are principles that deal with problems and we cannot ignore that. I don't say that we do. But what feeds God's people is Christ. He is our food, and it's to give the portion of meat in due season.
You don't give a big chunk of meat to a little child of.
One year old, you have to see what is good for that child discernment and give it accordingly. I think that's what.
What it's Speaking of here at the end of verse 42.
So it applies to us right now then, doesn't it?
The Lord, as it were, is saying, and I don't mean to be trite about it, but he's saying I'm going to make some remarks and if the cap fits where I believe for myself, and I stand to be corrected, that there is a thought here that will apply in a coming day. There will be those unhappily, who will be unfaithful servants, who will eat and drink with the drunken, who will cast the godly remnant of God's people out of the city of Jerusalem and abuse them in every possible way.
While at the same time worshipping the Antichrist and taking the place of being the people of God. They fit here too, perhaps. And there will be faithful ones in a coming day. And as you say, Bob, no doubt they'll read this and they will be encouraged. But for you and for me, the question is.
00:55:00
Am I being a faithful steward? I suppose some of the thoughts here come alive when we see how large estates were run and years gone by, and perhaps in this day too, because.
Perhaps.
100 and 5200 years ago and more when large estates were being run.
There was a man or a woman who had the charge of all the food, and food wasn't as plentiful as it is today, so it was kept under lock and key and they were responsible for dealing it out on a daily basis to the cooks and various ones who were going to feed that household. Depending on who was coming and whether they were expecting company or whether there were more people than usual, they allotted the food accordingly.
But they were responsible and if they didn't do it, if they didn't go to the places where it was kept and produced that food and make it available, literally no one could eat. You couldn't run down to the supermarket or somewhere like that and and get it. It had to be available. So I suggest that's the thought here. And if you and I by grace have been in any way stewards of what God has given us, than we're not to use it to accredit ourselves or distinguish ourselves.
And say, look at, well look at what I've got. No, God says I'm leaving you as stewards to use it for the up building and blessing and health of all.
But those that knew the Lord's will and did it not shall be beaten with many stripes, and those that didn't know it did it not, shall be people with few. I don't think those are real believers. The real believers come in a group first. They'll be rewarded. And according to First Corinthians 3 is it.
There'll be rewards given for faithful service, but none of us are going to be beaten with stripes.
That's not that's pretty unsafe. Is that right?
Judgment seat of Christ.
The seat of manifestation where the Saints appear is not a judgment of persons, it's a judgment of acts, isn't it? And it's the character of what we've done that's going to be judged. First Corinthians. Second Corinthians, chapter 5.
It says that we all must stand. Well, that's universal, I believe, and covers the whole realm of mankind.
There are those that are going to stand at the judgment seat of Christ, which are Christians.
We're not going to be judged as to our person. Our acts are going to be judged. Those who stand at the great white Throne, their persons will be judged. Truly it will be because of what they've done. A good example is you judge, you find a Flower Show that's being judged and each one that brings their flowers that the person is not judged, but the flowers they bring the judge. But you stand before a judge in a Criminal Court.
And a man is a murderer, his person is going to be judged. And when an edict comes down, it's the person that said that's the great white soul.
But they're judged according to their works, aren't they? Yes, it says that, yes. Revelation 19. I mean, 20/20/12, I saw the dead, small and great stand before God. And the books were open and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. So there's going to be different, different degrees of punishment and health, as well as different degrees of reward in heaven. I shouldn't say in heaven, maybe in the Kingdom.
I think the Kingdom 1000 years when the rewards will be dished out, but when we're when they're in the eternal state in the well, I know as soon as the rapture takes place, we'll be as far as we can be glorified, but still there's rewards meted out in the Kingdom and but in in the Father's house. That's all grace. I take that to be all grace. Everything that we come into the good of is provided by himself. So one of the great lessons.
And principles we learn from this portion is.
That it's the Lord's approval we seek in our service. It's not as it says in another place to do eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart is under the Lord, knowing that of the Lord, ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord's Lord Christ. And in everything we do in our service for him down here. The question is, is that for his glory and for his approval? Paul said it was the great labor of his life.
01:00:06
He said we labor that whether present or absent, we might be accepted of Him. And brethren, when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ, what is going to matter how much we got patted on the back for our service down here, or what isn't it? What is going to matter? It's His. Well done, Thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of the Lord. It's nice to encourage one another in our service. Nice if a young person helps with something in the assembly.
Does something for the Lord's people not slow? We don't want to flatter, but it is nice to encourage. But in the final analysis, the question is, whose approval are we really seeking?
I like to make this comment because it might help some that when he he speaks of himself as coming as the Son of Man, that's never the rapture. That's coming in judgment. The Son of Man. Now Matthew 25, which speaks of the 10 virgins, 5 wise 5 foolish ends with a verse that speaks of the coming of the Son of Man that shouldn't be there. That's not his coming as the Son of Man, it's coming for his own. And so that that's a mistake.
That's just a manuscript problem, but it shouldn't say Son of Man there.
So He comes for us as Son of God. Is that correct? Say that to wait for His Son from heaven. That would be right for the bridegroom, for the bride. Sorry Bob, you were going to say something. I just want to encourage the young people to. I have found my own life that when I was younger, some of the younger ones that encouraged me in the word for a tremendous influence for good.
Just want to encourage you when you get together to open this book, read it together, talk about it together. Don't be ashamed. It seems like sometimes when we get together, but it's almost embarrassing to have to get the Bible out that that bothers me when it's that way. Why? Why is it that way? That's not right. You should enjoy this book together. And do young people have.
India.
Greater health many times to other young people and we were older.
I must say my youth, some of the younger ones, was a traumatous influence in the right direction. Say that in connection with the end of verse 42, the servant that gives them their portion of meat in season.
Need to remember that there's a season to give the scriptures in.
First Chronicles, chapter 12. There were the men of Issachar which had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. There is an understanding of the times we live in, and to minister the word according to the need at that present time is an important thing.
Important exercise that we need to think about.
I asked a question about the Stewart.
So then, is that faithful? And why is Steward?
What application would you compare if you use First Corinthians 1/4 to the position that we are in?
That is the Lord's ministers and stewards.
I'll read the version.
1St Corinthians 4.
Come on, let a man account of us as.
The minister took place.
A servant of Christ.
And stewards of the mysteries of God, I think. A present day brethren.
Very wealthy and what's committed to them.
The ministry of Christ.
We understand that so much, I suppose, in the Gospel, but stewards and the mysteries of God is the unfolding of the revelation that has been given to rather than for 150 years. Take care of it.
01:05:04
We have responsibility to get forth the truth and.
People and why? Stewart? Who is Stewart?
You can't try to keep that printed material at their PGP the truth, don't you?
Tragic.
Steward Jump.
The truth that's been committed to us.
This room probably has more Saints in it that have heard the truth.
In a coolest way than any other group. I'm saying that with any pride. That makes us very responsible. But.
Our chronicle of 27.
What? Hey.
OK.
I believe that was sorry.
We're just going to respond to that comment. It is the King's treasure and we are only stewards of it. And in that sense, if the Lord has given much to some, as I said earlier, it is not proper for us to use that to distinguish ourselves as a company. It may distinguish us.
But on the one hand, there ought to be the walk that is in keeping with it. That's one thing.
Because others look at the walk and judge unhappily of the truth of God because of that walk. And a brother made a remark back in the 1800s. To the extent that we can have this truth, we can teach it, we can boast of it, and yet with all that we can repel honest souls that are desirous of advancing and throw them into the hands.
Of those who have no care for that truth.
We know how true those remarks are.
And so there is a walk that is in keeping with it. There is a presenting of Christ.
And a walking with him, the same passage reads, we need more than right principles. And I think this is what Bob was bringing out. We need God himself. But having said that, then there is a responsibility to share this truth with others. And I am reminded of a remark of another brother again many years ago, who said I have never.
Asked anyone in my life to come among brother.
I must confess, 25 years ago that hit me hard because if I can say it for myself.
I had a burning desire to see souls gathered to the Lord's name, and that wasn't all wrong, but I had to learn, as the brother went on to say, that he said, rather, instead of trying to get souls to come among brethren, I have sought to minister the truth according to the need. And that's, I think, what Bob was bringing out. Neat in due season.
Maybe they'll never be gathered to the Lord's name. Maybe they'll never see the whole truth, But are we giving them meat in due season? He said. Going on, he said. And many will recognize from where I'm quoting this.
He said if souls are gathered to the Lord's name and brought into the light of all the truth of God, that is well and good. But that has never been my object and I believe we need to take that to heart because we can share the things of the Lord. If I might say from my own experience when I first went to Romania and brother Doug over there will I'm sure support this, we found souls that were mixed up on much more fundamental matters like.
Eternal security and baptism and things like that. And if we can say it, we had the light to be able to help in those situations. It wasn't strictly speaking truth that gathered souls to the Lord's name, but eventually as time went on, there were those that got hold of more and said we do want to be gathered for the Lord's name.
01:10:00
But again, I don't believe it should be our object, rather it should be. If God has given us access to food, then we have to be good stewards of it and to supply what is needed that meets the need of that soul where he or she is in their Christian life and understanding at that time.
When you think of it in Second Timothy 3, in the last days, difficult as perilous but difficult times should be there. Think of someone that comes into this country from some remote part of the earth. He's never heard of Christianity and he's he's told from scripture what the church is. It's one body. And he looks around and he sees 1200 bodies in the United States. Where can I go? Where am I to go? Couldn't be more confusing, difficult.
Or someone like that and someone would ask you and say, well, where should I go? My answer is I can't tell you where to go, but I can tell you of one that can direct you where to go. And he never makes a mistake. That's the man with a picture of what man is, a picture of the Holy Spirit using the Word of God. They said if you follow that man, you'll go to the same place that I'll go to. If I follow that man and he never makes a mistake. We can make a mistake. I can be wrong.
There are other brethren that say they're gathered to the Lord's name, just like we say.
We can't both be right. We can both be wrong, but we can't both be right.
But if we are followed by the Spirit of God using the word of God.
That's that's that's the way to get to the to the right place. Isn't that what Matthew 1828 are gathered?
Don't gather themselves. They're not gathered because of their own thoughts, but are gathered. Is that not the Holy Spirit that's done together?
It's not so much perhaps a question of where should we go, but to whom should we go? Because it's Christ, it's a person, as you say, Brother Dave, to whom we are gathered. I would like to just go back and make 2 little comments, one in connection with what our brother Buchanan said. And I ask it in a form of a question more than anything, but I've wondered if that isn't perhaps.
What Paul felt as a steward of the truth of God when he said to Timothy in Two Timothy 2.
That the things which he had heard of Paul amongst many witnesses, he was then to commit to faithful men who would be able to teach others also. It's the truth passed on to others who hold it dear and seek grace to pass it on in the same with the same purity with which they have received it. That's being a faithful steward. I think that's what Paul's saying there. Let a man show account of us, Paul, that he don't believe being there, walking in it, knowing it, giving it to others.
That's it. Yeah. I'd like to make another comment too about the servants serving in connection with meat in due season. I thought of it in connection with going to, we'll say, a wedding banquet and everybody sits down to the wedding dinner and the servants come out, the waiters and the waitresses. And there's not so much interested in the individual needs of the guests there because they bring those plates around and every plate is the same. And you just listen to some of the comments that are feast like that.
Some of the older ones say, oh, I can't eat all that and I'm overwhelmed by it. A mother says, well, this is going to go to waste because my children can't possibly my child can't possibly take in this much food and some of it isn't appropriate for the child at that age and so on. But those servants, they're just serving indiscriminately those dinner plates. But is that the way we're to serve when it comes to ministering the truth of God to our fellow Christian? No, we need to seek grace to discern where our where our brethren are at.
I enjoyed a little story in connection with some brethren who were gathered to the Lord's name and they were brought into contact with another little group of Christians who had a lot of questions and they lived some distance from the assembly. And several of these brethren would visit this group of Christians on a regular basis. In fact, I think it got so that every Friday or Saturday night, whatever it was, they would go down and they would have a little time over the Word together.
But one of the older brothers who was privileged to be in on those visits and Bible studies together, he told me years later, he said we never told these people they needed to come up to where the assembly was. We never really spoke to them about being gathered to the Lord's name. We just sought to minister Christ to them where we felt they were. And after some time these these Christians started talking amongst themselves and they said.
01:15:13
These brethren have something we need to go and see what they have. And they did come and see. And as a result, they were gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. And some of them to this day are still gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus and very happily. But it's what I was saying earlier, it's not where should we go? As to whom should we go? Those brethren have the discernment to minister Christ to their hearts and with their hearts drawn out to Christ, then they said we need to go and see where they come from.
It was a good lesson to my own soul. Christ asked to be the reference. That's it. At all times, not us. So often we present the truth of gathering in a way that makes us the reference point. And that stumbled soul because they look at us and they see our inconsistent.
Draw attention to Christ. You don't make a mistake, but it's that way. Somebody has put the hypothetical question and the Lord came to Lawrenceville, for example, which group would he go to? The answer I thought was good. He would not go to anywhere, anyone. We would go to him. That's the point and.
I think that is important. That's your reference, not us.
Question supposes a fallacy.
The question supposes the fallacy that that he would go to one of our groups. You know, one group. He won't go, we'll go to him.
Lord, to whom shall we go? Yes.
And that's what's going to preserve us there too. If we lose sight of that, if we get our eyes on brethren and thank God their dear brethren, but if we get our eyes on brethren, if we get our eyes on circumstances, we're going to go away. You know, I've been solemnized to realize when souls come and take their place at the Lord's table, they will happily speak about being gathered to the Lord's name. But when time goes on and they become discouraged, or for one reason or another, they leave. They don't talk about leaving the Lord or even the Lord's table. They left brethren, or they left that group of Christians or something like that. What's happened is they've got their focus from the Lord.
On to brethren or circumstances or problems amongst brethren. And if we do that, we're not going to be preserved there. When the Lord said, will ye go away also there were problems and there were more problems coming for the disciples. And the Lord said, are you going to go away? Peter said it's a person that we're attracted to, to whom shall we go? And in all these things that we pass through, brethren, that's what's going to keep us.
The Rapture is called in, Second Thessalonians are gathering together unto him, and that'll be the whole church.
Every believer will be then gathered.
I want to make this comment. Will the church go through the tribulation or not? The way to answer that is, which church? The true church? The answer is no, it will not. False church? Yes it will. Which one you're talking about true church or the false? Usually they're talking about the truth, but there's a difference between the two, isn't it?
And shall we see thy face, and hear thy heavenly voice?
Well known to us in present grace, well may our heart rejoice, 270.
Interesting, a little note.
This was written by Darby, probably just a few months before he passed away.
270.
First Thessalonians, chapter 4.
Verse 16.
For the Lord Himself.
Shall descend from heaven with a shout.
With the voice of the Archangel.
And with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord, Wherefore comfort one another with his words, our God.
Luke 12:43-50
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Lord, we can see you.
Going.
To.
Would the Brethren be happy to continue on with the 12Th of the loop as we had on Saturday?
Yes.
Verse 49. Is that about right?
Luke chapter 12, beginning of verse 49.
I have come to send fire on the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straight until it be accomplished? Suppose here that I am come to give peace on the earth. I tell you nay, but rather division.
For from henceforth there should be 5 in one house divided, 3 against two and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And he said also to the people, when you see a cloud rise out of the West straightway, you say there come with the shower, and so it is. And when you see the South wind blow, you say there will be heat. And it comes to pass.
He hypocrites, he can discern the face of the sky and of the earth. But how is it that you do not discern this time? Yeah, and why even of yourselves, judging not what is right, when thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, and give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him, lest he hailed thee to the judge, The judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee thou shalt not depart thence that thou has paid the very last mate.
We would like to just comment before we go on to the verse 49, something that probably was commented on somewhat yesterday in verse 45.
The servant that says my Lord delays his coming and the importance of keeping the Lords coming before us as a present hope. And it's so important as soon as you put off the thought the Lord is not coming for quite a while yet.
Things start happening that are fairly negative. He begins to beat the men service and the maidens and to eat and drink and to be drunken.
And this is what happens when the.
Hope of the Lord's coming is given up.
And brethren, I just feel that there's something there that needs to be reflected on.
It's so easy if we go around the room and ask if all here believe in the pre tribulation rapture, I'm sure everyone would say yes, we'd be all clear as to the doctrine of it. But what I find in my own soul, the challenge is to keep it as a present reality.
That's going to happen, one of these least expected moments and to be ready for that moment at any time the Lord's coming and not to put it off, not to relegate it. We talk about it so much that sometimes it seems like the practical consequences of it are kind of put off to one side. We we need to keep it before us as a practical reality this afternoon.
00:05:16
Perhaps while we're sitting here.
It could happen. We're going home and to be ready for that moment. How important that is to keep before us. Remember you saying, Brother Clem, anybody that puts the Lord's coming beyond today is wrong in spirit.
Wrong in spirit if not in fact.
Paul Jevon woke me up one day and he said.
Clem, do you think that the Lord is overdue?
That's Paul Jones. That's the way he would talk to you.
I didn't know what site for a while.
I came to the first time he came. I said well.
It says about His first coming when the fullness of time has come. God set forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, and the rest of us too. I said he was on time the first time, he'd be on time the 2nd, but he hadn't told us that time yet. I believe that with all my heart. But the words of FT Patterson are the best that I have ever heard of anybody say as to forecasting.
When the Lord is going to count?
I'll tell the story of.
Fred Tansley in Manchester, England.
He's an old bachelor over there.
And he he was getting old the last time we were over there.
He had started to give away some of his China, said I won't be here long, I'm going to give some of this stuff away. Well, he's still there and the Lord still hasn't come. But concerning the prophecy of the Lord coming, I hope I'm not telling something out of us.
A time here, but.
There was a brother that put out a book saying the Lord is going to come in 1984.
Some of you know it. Even the Canadian. That's enough to say.
I told him that don't do it, don't don't publish that book, but he did anyway. Well, he's gone now too, and we're still here.
My, the Lord doesn't delay his coming. He's going to come on time, but he loves.
Gracious and God, my dad used to say.
Man forced God into doing something that God didn't want to do.
And what was that to be a judge. God didn't really want that kind of an occupation to be a judge. But he's faithful God and he's going to judge, but he delays it. He that's what he delays instead of instead of coming in grace.
Important them too about somewhere between the 4th and 5th century AD they lost the sense of the Lord coming and they went into the dark ages and that lasted till about the 14th or 15th century, about 1000 years and it wasn't fully recovered till probably the end of the 19th century or maybe the first part of the 20th, 19th at least and.
It's what caused them to forget, and they did exactly what it says here.
They started to beat the men, servants and maidens, and they were criminals from about the 4th and 5th century AD to the 15th century, the Dark Ages, and because they lost the sense of the Lord's coming.
Anyone predicts a time beyond today is wrong. Absolutely wrong.
We should not do that. There was a brother and he was not a Canadian, he was an American.
And he also predicted that the Lord would come in that year, and someone said to him after the year had passed, now what do you say I was wrong? He said, That's all I can say, I was wrong.
00:10:09
So the attitude of a believer is to be living in the daily expectation that the Lord Jesus is going to come that very day. I enjoyed reading about a young brother. He had a little motto on his bathroom mirror. It simply said, perhaps today. I thought that was good because he wanted to be reminded every morning when he got up and looked in the mirror that this might be the day of the Lord's return. Now that's the proper attitude of a Christian. That's the way the early brethren used to greet one another. Perhaps today.
There's another thing about that.
It's been put in simple words. It's best cleaning up doctrine. You can preach the Lord's coming.
You wouldn't want to be doing a lot of things that you have done if the Lord was coming to pick you up. Well, everyone that hath this hope in Him purifies himself, even as he is pure. Now sometimes said, in the measure in which we are enjoying in our souls, the fact that the Lord is coming at any moment in that measure, it will have a practical purifying effect on our lives. That's right.
If I had my choice, I'd like him to come right now.
Amen. While we're together over the word of God, think of a better place.
The apostle Paul, when he wrote to the Thessalonians, said We which are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord.
Is it impossible? Mistaken. He's been dead quite a long time.
No, it's always the proper hope of the Christian that the Lord might come at any moment. It keeps us in line like nothing else can. Just to think, if I know that the Lord is coming at any moment, and I let slip some bad words out of my mouth that instant the Lord comes, with what kind of a face am I going to present myself before His presence?
It reflects, it makes you think what you're doing, what you're talking about, what where you go. It all is examined in the light of the fact that we are going to step into the very presence of the Lord of glory to see his face.
Overhead that we can do that when that moment comes.
With joy, with nothing on our conscience.
To hinder the joy that moment.
We might mention too that there is a little principle given at the end of verse 48 that we don't need to dwell on, but it's important to notice it. And that is, it says, For under whomsoever much is given of Him shall be much required, and to whom men have committed much, of whom they will ask the more.
There it's in connection with.
Punishment and responsibility. But I suggest that the universal principle applies, doesn't it? There are those to whom God has committed much, and if they have rejected the gospel, for example, in these favored lands, I have no doubt that men will be held more responsible than in places where it was much more difficult to hear it.
It also applies, I believe, to you and me as believers. That is, if God has given much to some, then he expects the more. And I cannot plead my ignorance or perhaps pretend that I'm ignorant and say, well, he, even a fellow believer, is getting away with certain things or doing certain things. I am obliged to live according to the light that God has shown me from His Word. And so that principle applies, I suggest, to all.
It applies to the unbeliever who's had a brighter and more consistent testimony presented to him, but it applies to the believer in terms of what the Lord has given him and so to speak, for example, about the various ages in the churches history. No doubt God did not require so much of A believer who lived in the dark ages as He would require, for example, of you and me today. And maybe He doesn't require as much of those who have not had the light and truth that many of us have been privileged to have.
00:15:11
Got hold of us responsible for what he has given us, doesn't he?
There's another thing that I think is nice to see in connection with the Lord going up in the first chapter of Acts. I think it's put in there for that purpose.
Even of God.
Verse 11 Worst educating up into heaven. What are you looking up there for?
This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner and give seen him go into heaven. We're the ones that need to be looking up to heaven. He's going to come back.
You're going to come the same way. Which would you rather have had the choice of doing if you'd had a choice once you go up and watch him come down? I believe my brother had the choice of coming down to be with us here, to take us out of here, I should say.
Well, he's coming. He's not delaying.
I have to confess something connection with the last election.
I said to myself, if Kerry wins, that would be a perfect time for the Lord to take us all home.
If that's what you want, I'm taking mine out of here. But he didn't win. We stuck to four more years. No, I hope not.
Well, perhaps today is what we believe.
One thing is for sure, well, we can't put a time on the Lord's coming. One thing is for sure that we've never been closer to the coming of the Lord than we are right now, and that's a great comfort.
We see signs that indicate we are close to the end of the times of the Gentiles, that time period that runs from the time that Nebuchadnezzar took the Kingdom from Israel.
Till the end, when the Lord Jesus comes back to take the kingdoms of this world and reign supreme from sea to sea. That's the times of the Gentiles and we are getting close to the end. There are signs around not of the rapture, but of the coming of the Lord Jesus at the end of the tribulation. Not signs that like there will be in the tribulation period, but there are indications brother.
For example, the nation of Israel.
Its existence is one of the most tremendous signs that there are that we are getting close. For almost 2 Millennium, that nation did not exist. Now it exists again since 1948 and they have their original tongue as well, something that is unheard of in the history of this world.
That is the fig tree that is budded and so we can look around and we can see things that indicate we are getting close to the end. But as to predicting a definite time, that is what we cannot do.
How true that is. But you know, you can go further, can't you?
The Western powers are bringing themselves together. The great revived Roman Empire is being formed over there right today. You're a common monetary dollar over there, the euro dollar and the nations are joining themselves together. There's roughly 400 million people in Europe. That's a lot of people and they're all getting together. And that's the revived Roman Empire when it comes to a head. And, you know, today there might be the man that's going to run it and there might be the false prophet who's going to be in Israel alive today. I'm I'm sure they are both of them.
What a sign we have as to the Lord's return in power and glory. You think that's important because when Jesus came the first time?
It was the Roman Empire in the person of Herod that tried to kill him as a baby and then actually did crucify him under Pontius Pilate, another Roman agent.
When the Lord Jesus comes back the second time, it will be that same Roman Empire revived that will oppose him and try to get rid of him again.
00:20:13
This 49th verse I've come to send fire on the earth.
And what will I if it be already kindled?
I'd like to hear some comments on that.
Well, it seems to me here that the Lord is bringing out the two aspects of His coming into the world.
I believe we get a similar thought. Is it in the 12Th of January? Might turn to it.
12Th chapter of John.
I.
Yes, John 12 and verse.
31.
Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out, That is the rejection of the Lord Jesus.
Was the end, you might say, and we all know this, of man's last trial.
They had rejected every prophet, everyone that God had sent in the Old Testament. And finally God says, as it were, I will send my beloved Son. It may be they will reverence him when they see him, but when they reject the Lord Jesus, there's nothing for man but the fire of judgment. Now I suggest that it goes perhaps even further than that in the sense that the Lord's coming exposed man's heart for what it really was. But I suggest the thought that.
The Lord Jesus is bringing by his coming and by his rejection fire on the earth and he says, what will I if it be already kindled that is already there was the effect of that judgment. It has not been carried out directly yet, but the if I could say it, the battle lines have been drawn by those who accept it and those who reject him. But then on the other hand, the next verse brings out the grace of God that meets man in his need, if he'll accept him.
I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straightened until it be accomplished? Oh, how beautiful the Lord Jesus as it were saying, but there's love and there's grace to meet the situation and oh, I I don't want to be a reverend, but the Lord is saying almost. I just can't wait until that work is done so that the full outflow of the heart of God can be known to a lost world because it wasn't his desire to bring men into judgment, but rather that they might be saved.
Is that is that a right way of looking at it?
I thought two of the the Holy Spirit, you said man's final Test was a rejection of Christ, but I think the final Test is a rejection of the Holy Spirit's testimony. Steven spoke by the Holy Spirit and Jerusalem said, no, kill him. They stoned him. That was their answer. That's unforgivable. That's unforgivable. And and I don't think the gospel went out to Jerusalem after that.
It went to the Jews elsewhere in the world.
But they said no, that was our final chance. I rejected the Father, rejected the Son, and rejected the Holy Spirit that exhausts the Trinity.
That's that's solemn, isn't it?
The last verse of the chapter probably is that, isn't it?
And that's what's going to that's what did happen. Titus destroyed Jerusalem. They were scattered. And they haven't yet paid the very last night, but they will.
And that's what that last person said. Judgment is still going to be poured out on that nation and the time was filed.
Zions trouble is still to come. It hasn't arrived yet. And when we see that it's going to be so terrible, it says that it's so bad that if the time weren't shortened, even the leg would not be saved. So a terrible time is coming in the 14th chapter of Revelation, in the last verse, last three verses actually.
00:25:11
It says the blood flows to the Bible, the horses bridled for 200 furlongs, 2000 dollars, 200 miles. And of course that is symbolic, but it just goes to show how terrible that time is. And that's that's that last verse, isn't it, of this check.
And isn't it remarkable just while you mentioned that scripture in Revelation about the blood flowing for 1600 furlongs or 200 miles, it's rather striking that that is pretty close to the length of the land of Israel North and N so.
It shows that that is the nation that's going to suffer the most horrible time during the tribulation when his judgments are in the earth. Isaiah 26 verse nine, I believe it is when he's judging concern here essential the world learned righteousness will the judgments that are in the earth are going to be so severe the whole world is going to understand and realize how bad it is in life.
When they rejected the Lord Jesus.
They bought with that money that Judas returned the Potters field to bury strangers in That field is called the field of blood.
And to this day.
What a prophecy of what? That is what you've been saying. That whole land is going to be soaked with the blood of foreigners to bury strangers in. What a place, that place.
In connection with the thoughts on the Holy Spirit in Revelation 4, verse five and out of the throne.
Proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices. And when we approach the throne, it's a throne of grace. This is no throne of grace here it's the throne of judgment. Out of the throne proceed lightnings and thunderings and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. He said he'd come to send fire on the earth, which are the seven spirits of God. Now, when the rapture takes place, the Spirit of God will take us, go with us.
In leaving this scene as the one that has been the baptizer and the uniting into one body, but he'll he'll act in an entirely different way in the tribulation period. He comes forth from the from the the throne piece of judgment and the seven spirits of God. Why 7 There's only one Holy Spirit, but it's the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit acting in in the way of judgment to establish the true king whose right it is to reign then in the next chapter.
Verse six of Revelation 5 And I beheld and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts or living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. So the Spirit of God is going to be very active. The Spirit of God has always been active, but in different ways. He'll be taken with the church in the sense of.
The character that characterizes Christianity.
But isn't going to be an entirely different character when those judgments start to fall and and he will proceed out from the throne of judgment and connected with the Lamb that was rejected here.
The Spirit of God is the energy in which God has always moved from Genesis 1 where the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the deep to taking up the judgments of this world. Just say this in connection with the what Bob said. To add to it too, we find that the nation of Israel will be held responsible because they said at the cross His blood be on us and on our children and they little realized what a statement that was.
It was one thing to bring down his blood on their own heads, but to bring it down on future generations and I want to just say this in on a practical note. It's a very solemn thing to make statements like that before God or before the Lord. We need to be very, very, very careful what we say even in prayer because God will sometimes take us up on what we ask or what we say and it's it's search has searched my own heart recently that when we.
00:30:19
Address God first of all, we don't make bargains with God we don't we're not under covenant relationship and man couldn't survive under that anyway we don't make bargains with God but be careful too what we.
We don't know what our own hearts are and be careful what we say in addressing God and asking God to do or not to do. And God will take the nation up on what they said. His blood be on us and on our children. Do they think that they paid for that already? Well, they have to some degree.
You think of the how that nation has suffered and the last Great War, think of how they suffered in the Holocaust and so on, but it is nothing in relationship does been already expressed what they are going to suffer in a future day when blood is in the street up to the horses bridle.
Jim, what is the verse 50? What is the baptism he talks about? I have a baptism to be baptized with. How am I straight until it be accomplished?
Yeah, well, I, I put this out, I and now just I like to hear what others say, but it's really the cross, isn't it? And I think of it in connection with fire. It says in Lamentations prophetically of the Lord Jesus, I have a baptism where with I'm sorry from above hath he sent fire into my bones and it hath prevailed against me. You know, the reason God can reach out in grace to you and me, The reason that we are not going to experience the fire of God's judgment.
Is because the Lord Jesus bore the fire of God's judgment for you and for me. He bore our sins in his own body on the tree and as the cross was before him. He knew that there was no other way that grace could be poured out to man. He knew that there was no other way that you and I could escape the fire of God's judgment except that he feel that fire in his very inner being in being made sin for us at Calvary's cross.
Well, that would be then a baptism of fire, wouldn't? Yes, Dave, you read those very interesting verses of First Kings 18. The fire was so intense it even consumed the stones, didn't it? And that's what took place at the cross, didn't it? Yes.
The verses we often apply to the Lord's suffering in Psalm 69.
Save me, O God, for the waters are coming unto my soul. I sink in deep mire where there is no standing. I am coming to deep waters where the floods overflow me. And the verses 42 That says, All thy waves, thy billows passed over me.
The baptism of those three hours of darkness when he went down under the judgment of God for our sakes, never will we be able to understand it. We have to stand at a distance bread. It's something that we're all eternity will stand in one.
This afternoon my brother spoke on Jonah and the scripture you just mentioned.
Psalm 42.
Jonah repeats those almost word for word and there's the only two places in the Bible and at least in our King James Version that that's mentioned Psalm 42 and the first chapter of Jones all thy ways and thy pillows are gone over me amazing. And the Lord Jesus uses that doesn't he says as Jonah was in the fishes belly 3 days of seeing a social the Son of man being the bowels of the earth.
And so there's the picture Jonah beat without question with a picture of the Lord Jesus going into death in that first chapter.
That word straightened is the old English word that we don't use in that sense of the word today. So much really means shut up.
Straighten the bowels of his affections, of his heart. Could not blow out until that was accomplished.
He came and remember the time in the Gospels where the Sarah Phoenician woman came to him and asked him to cast the demon out of her daughter and he seemed to ignore her.
00:35:15
And the disciples said, Send her away. And then he says, I'm not sent. But to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. That was what she was sent for. That was that the cross was accomplished. Then his affections, his love could blow out without distinction to the whole human race. So in a certain way, until that was accomplished, he could not make known.
What his heart of love was toward the human race. But he still responded to faith, didn't he? Individual faith.
Precious Lord, looking forward to the cross.
Well, wasn't that true of every time he said thy sins be forgiven? Well, even in the Old Testament, the way only way God could bless was the fact that when man sinned in the garden, he immediately announced the news that the woman's seed would bruise the head of the serpent. If God hadn't had that in view, he couldn't have blessed in the Old Testament. The Lord Jesus couldn't have forgiven sins prior to the cross when he was here. But everything, as we say, look forward to the cross.
Now everything looks back. It's the center of all blessing.
Romans 3 says that God and Romans five, yeah, five. Anyway, it's Romans. God passed over the sins of the Old Testament Saints. He's justified in doing that because the work of Christ is done, and he's justified in justifying us right now immediately because it's passed. But he, he looked forward to that work. And so everything, everything is based upon what he did at the cross, isn't it?
That scriptures in Romans 325. Thank you. I thought I was right the first time, but that isn't that's marvelous and it's it's based on that very fact that you mentioned that had not God promised in Genesis that there was going to be that solution to sin that could never have been done.
And you know in Hebrews 10 and verse four, it says for it is not possible that the blood of bulls or goats could ever take a mission.
All those Old Testament offerings, they all they did, God looked at it and he looked forward to the cross. That was why he could pass over those sins. He looked forward to the day, to the moment when the Lord Jesus would be that supreme sacrifice.
I got a letter once from a brother that that he thought that the, the sacrifices of the, the, that they carried out in the Old Testament were what he forgave the sins of the Old Testament Saints. And now it's the work of Christ. And of course I corrected that. I said the, the work of Christ has been the basis for all forgiveness, regardless of what time it occurred.
The as you pointed out, David, it's.
The blood of bulls and goats can never, never, never take away sins. It's just their only value was in that they pointed forward to the one sacrifice that would take them away and put them away. But they didn't take a single sin away, those sacrifices in the Old Testament. They just pointed forward to the one sacrifice that would do that.
How could an animal take a human being sins away? He had to be another human being. The Lord Jesus had to become man in order to accomplish atonement.
Let's just quote the whole verse. We've alluded to it, but it says every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which could never put away sin. And the very fact that they stood and ministered, offered those sacrifices day by day, was a proof in itself that it never put away sin. But it's beautiful to go on in that 10th of Hebrews, then, to the supreme sacrifice.
It says, But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sin forever sat down on the right hand of God. And what is precious, brethren, is to realize that God will never require another sacrifice for sin. In fact, so secure are you and I in Christ this afternoon, having availed ourselves of the finished work of Calvary, so secure are we that if God were to.
00:40:14
Refuse us now.
He'd have to refuse his own dear Son, and that's impossible. That's the security in which we stand. As to the sacrifice of Calvary, any sacrifice that's carried on, such as the Mass Roman Catholics, is a denial of the perfect work of Christ. It's a blasphemous thing.
Got minor, very major talk about fundamental error. That's fundamental error.
We have 4 gospels that tell us of the cross.
Because it's the greatest work that has ever been done and there is no one else that could do it. It's Jesus and he was anxious to get there. And I'm using the word there. How am I straight? Until being topic he, he was going on a straight course and it was narrow. It was rubbing there. Doesn't like it. And then you read the last verse of John's gospel.
And it starts out with these words. There are also many other things which Jesus did.
He had done the crossword and God had written it in four books. Now John says there are many other things which Jesus did. Then what does he say? They were written 1 by 1, the world itself.
Could be it.
That's the Infinity of his works.
All that universe, the Infinity of it, the cross is greater than all, and it's redemption.
That makes a way for us to get up to glory, to be with God and like His Son over the planet. What a marvelous plant. Well, Jesus knew He was going there and He was straight until they accomplished. He wanted to get this over with.
While we're on the subject of sacrifice, I'd like to read 2 verses.
And the last verse that I'm going to read is, if we could just get ahold of it in our soul, what it would mean to us again. He was ten. Well, the Law having its first verse, Well, the Law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never, with those sacrifices which they offer year by year, continually make the cover of their own. 2 Perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered.
And here's the little line. Because that the worshippers, once purged, should have had no more conscience of sin. What a marvel verse that is. A Christian does not ever have a conscience of sins.
That's what that means. That's what mean you accept the Lord Jesus Christ, your Savior. Your sins are gone. They've been put away forever. And the expression that he's a saved Sinner, that's a bad expression because God never looks at you as a Christian, as a Sinner, never has. Once you accepted Christ as your Savior and never, never, never, never will, you're no longer a Sinner. And that's what this person means.
Beautiful that we've been cleared of the conscience of sin through that one sacrifice of Christ upon health.
And so going on here to verse 51.
This world is now divided, isn't it?
Coming of the Lord Jesus has.
Not caused peace on earth. That was, you might say, God's desire if he had been accepted. And that's why the multitude of the heavenly host praised God and said glory to God in the highest odds. I could rest with pleasure. And if he had been accepted, then there would have been peace. But how could man in his sinful state accept the Son of God? It was impossible. He was presented to Israel.
They rejected him.
But Israel was only a sampling of mankind, and so now the Lord's coming.
Causes not peace but rather division, and we referred to that this afternoon earlier. That is something we should expect.
We recognize and we should not expect to find peace on this earth. We're thankful for living in countries like Canada and the United States where there's religious freedom.
00:45:08
We're thankful for the measure of God fearing.
Attitude that there is. We're thankful for the number of believers there are. We're thankful for a president of this country whom it seems as a believer in the Lord Jesus and who espouses right moral values. But that doesn't alter what we have here. In fact, the presidential election recently, I suppose, brought out the truth of this verse in a very real way because the battle lines, as we might say, were drawn.
Between those who wanted that which would stand for moral uprightness and those who wanted a more liberal stance.
And it has split, as it says here, families, it has split those who had a high regard for one another. But it's the whole course of things since the Lord Jesus has come into this world, isn't it?
Cross of Christ is the ultimate, impossible to be exceeded demonstration of how wicked man is.
Not only a demonstration of mind wickedness, it's also a demonstration of love. And that's right. That's great.
Those two principles are in play, aren't they? God's love and man's wickedness. Then the day of judgment has not arrived. And so there are two distinct principles. And that's why we have division, not peace on earth today can't be peace. Really, truly, Bill says we're thankful for the major we have here, but brother, we can't expect that.
Many parts of the world.
Believers are severely persecuted.
We can't expect it here. We have everything real nice always. And it just does seem to me that even though we have liberty in this country, still there are principles in at play. And I find that wherever I travel, life is not easy. It is hard. It's because there are these principles that flavor, we can't avoid it.
There's division in here.
But above all this, we have the greatest power.
In US and with us in the Holy Spirit. So, and that is the reason we can sit here this afternoon and read this Bible and talk about the Lord Jesus. The God is in control.
If I look over there and read about those Assyrians and Babylonians and Iranians and so on, and the armies around Jerusalem and Israel known as the nation for more than 55 years.
But Israel is stuck. They can't get in and they can't get out of Jerusalem. That's been going on for 50 years. God is controlling that. He had let him go one way or the other because.
Of his.
Gracie Jovery, now the God of all grace, who has told us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus.
He lead us here a while. After you've suffered a while, make it perfect.
That physical perfection, well, I suppose as you get it in Hebrews at the end of chapter 12, I think 11:00, that's eight without us should not be made perfect. We get that resurrection body, then the whole thing, things are going to be different with us. It won't be on this earth anymore. Be up in heaven. Well, it's just a comfort to know that the Spirit of God is here.
The Spirit of God is here.
Otherwise we couldn't have what we've got.
That's right.
He restrains.
He restrains the full development of evil. He restrains the full development. Yeah, yeah. Restrains. Yeah, Until he'd be taken out of the way. Well, it goes with us. We know that. So as long as we're here, the Spirit of God is going to have some power here on the earth. And that's a company. That's a that's a, that's a great company.
00:50:06
But it's also great folly to consider that there can be peace and unity in this world in the absence of the Prince of Peace and the King of Righteousness. Not till he rises with healing in his wings will there these things be straightened out because they rejected him and cast him out. And I say that because there are many zealous believers today who are seeking to bring about these things, legislate righteousness, and make people who hated each other for hundreds of years shake hands.
And get along. It's not going to happen this side of the Lord Jesus coming back to reign and righteousness. But what he has given us, as you say, Brother Buchanan is the power now to live amidst the trials and the difficulties and in a world where Satan is the God and the and the Prince. The Lord Jesus said to the disciples in resurrection in the world, ye shall have tribulation. That wasn't very encouraging, was it? But he didn't stop there. But he said be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
And he had carefully brought before the disciples in the Upper Room ministry in John's Gospel the fact that he wasn't going to leave them orphans here in this world, but that he was going to send the Spirit of God, who amongst other things, would be the power for them to live for God's glory. Our brother was mentioning that book. The heavenly man here was the man who lived in the power of the Spirit and triumph for God's glory. It wasn't easy.
He suffered terrible in those things he went through at the hands of communists and in those prisons and that prison and so on. But by the power of the Spirit, he was able to triumph for God's glory. And God doesn't promise to deliver us. We're not going to be delivered from these things till the Lord Jesus comes. But we can live for his glory. And there will never, brethren, be such a thing as saying that the the world is so dark, the day is so dark.
That we can't live for God's glory. If it ever gets that bad, the Lord will take us out. But as long as we're left here, we have everything we need, all the resources in Christ to live for His glory now.
Just one more comment on verse 53.
It particularly brings in here family relationships.
That does not mean that the opposition will come either.
Mainly from family, or perhaps only from family, but I believe it simply underscores what was mentioned yesterday and that is the Lord Jesus in his claims must have the 1St place.
To quote our brother **** Gorgeous, he said the terms of discipleship are non negotiable. Used to use those words, the terms of discipleship are non negotiable. It doesn't say if this then he should not be my disciple or he cannot be a faithful disciple. The scripture is clear he cannot be my disciple. And so I believe family relationships are brought in here to show.
That when this division comes, it can and will make difficulties in those relationships which are the nearest and dearest in human terms. It may split friendships, it may make difficulties in business and in education and in work life and in other spheres in which we live and move in this world, but it hits the hardest when family relationships are disrupted in that way.
Well then the Lord is at work, says but then I must have the 1St place.
00:55:11
Well, it's a solemn thing beginning in verse 54 when we are not aware.
Of what's going on?
I can still remember.
A colleague of mine many years ago who was very upset because.
The assessment of his professors concerning his ability as a student.
Have this phrase included in his resume? Or not really his resume, but in there.
Assessment of him that he had a lack of total awareness.
He was very upset. Well, it may have been true. It may have been a bit hard on him, but the believer is intended to have total awareness, isn't he? And in fact, he's the only one in this world that can have total awareness. No doubt these disciples at this point in time did not have the vision and the understanding that they had later on because they did not as yet have the Holy Spirit of God.
But God expects that you and I will have the understanding of what is going on in this world.
And be able to react accordingly. And how wonderful that is because God has given us that. Yes, every believer is perhaps not a student of prophecy, as we might say. And every believer may not be able to go through, we'll say, the book of Daniel or the Book of Revelation and give an explicit explanation of what everything means. But we should have, and I think someone read that verse the other day, we should be like the men of Issachar that have understanding of the times.
And we should, on that account, be able to know where we are and what is going on.
And what we ought to do, I will remember Bill's father-in-law telling us as young brothers that we needed to be intelligent bystanders, not overwhelmed with what's going on in the world, not over occupied with it to the point that it saturates our minds and discourages us, and so on. But to at least be intelligent bystanders. I'd like to read a principle in the Old Testament in connection with what Bill has brought before us in 119th Psalm.
Psalm 119.
And verse 98 Thou through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies.
For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers. For thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients because I keep thy precepts. You know, it's interesting, if we were to talk to the so-called great men of the world today, those in political power, those in the upper echelon of economic circles, and so on, you would find that men's hearts are indeed failing them for fear.
And they're trying to figure out where things are going on the world stage there. And and yet they realize that they're dealing with an interplay of economic, political and social forces that are beyond their control. And if you ask them where it's going to end, all the analysts might have all kinds of theories and so on, but nobody, sure, they really, they know something's got to give, but they really don't know where it's going to end. But as Bill says, a Christian who's reading his Bible.
Is more it has more intelligence than, as the psalmist said here, than their teachers and the ancients.
And those who pretend to be wise as to this world.
David, remember at lunchtime you were talking about these communists that went to this man to.
Present you. Would you give us that story? It's worthwhile.
It involves the assistant police Chief of the City of Los Angeles, CA. He was a Christian and he was very active in his Christian circle and his promotion came up with the.
City Council and they were going to promote him to the Chief Police of Los Angeles.
And so some ravish liberals found out about his Christian status and they got some tapes of his talks in there in his church, and they presented it to the council. And after the council heard these tapes, these political activists said, that's what you want for your chief of police.
01:00:11
Make that note. So he resigned from his position and started a corporation of counseling other cities and other countries on police activity and the communist rulers of Beijing colleague and asked him to come over and put on a two week session for which he did and after he got through they said where do you get this stuff?
Is there a book available that we can get that will tell us this? And he said, yes, They said, what is it? The fight? Can we get some keys? I'll send you as many as you want. The condoms rulers in China have ordered Bibles and they've eliminated individuals from owning such things in. But that's God. That's the way God was.
So even if we're in a time of trial and sorrow and difficulty today, God still is working. So the principles that we read of in this book can guide us in every Ave. of blood.
And we should be intelligent as to where we are. Like you were saying, Jim, it should be aware of things that are going on, not ignoring what's going around on around us. But.
Aware of where we are.
In our time in this world, we are getting close to the Lord. Coming here it is. They could tell what the weather was going to be. They saw a cloud of the West. They say there's a shower and when the South wind blew it, they say, well there will be heat and it comes to pass. But there was the Lord amongst them and they could not tell what time it was. It did not know they were blinded.
How we need to be aware of where we are, brethren, right at the end of this age. Thinking of the verse I think was read before at this conference in the 13th of Roman says, knowing the time that it is now high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believe the night is far spent the days at hand.
Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, let us put on the armor of light, let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and oneness, but not in striving and being. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof.
When knowing the diamond, are we aware of where we are?
Oh, it's high time to wake out of sleep. Shake the dust, wake up. Oh, how important.
They knew the situation of what would happen under natural circumstances. And as you see, Bob, the end of the 56th verse. But how is it that you do not deserve this time this this time is right now, right today and.
The Lord's coming as we started out, the meeting with is imminent.
Perhaps today and do we really realize that that is true. I've enjoyed what the brother suggested. I believe God, I believe God. God told us that the time is short. The last part of Revelation are interesting that that would be the last comments in God's word. Surely I come quickly. Do we believe?
So there are two things here that the Lord charges them with. As to failing in responsibility, at the end of verse 56 he says how is it that you do not discern this time in verse 57 He says, why even of yourselves judging not what is right?
I guess suggest there's a thought there that on the one hand, these Jews particularly ought to have been intelligent as to who the Lord was. They had their Old Testament scriptures. There was every prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus that had been totally fulfilled in just the right way. They had every reason to recognize here was the Messiah that they had looked for and.
01:05:07
To react accordingly, but then we'll suppose, and I believe in that way. The Lord Jesus says to them, if you don't understand that if you don't understand or know those Old Testament Scriptures.
Do have the responsibility to deal in a way that recognizes and upholds moral uprightness, judging not what is right. The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus which was going to take place did not require, shall we say, a knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures to know that it was wrong. Pilate would say to them over and over again, I find no fault in this man, the Lord Jesus testimony.
To this world, if no one had ever heard of the Old Testament, never knew anything about his coming, and yet had seen that man, they would have had to say, been compelled to say never. Man spake like this man. The works that he did brought credence as to who he was. And so I suggest there is an appeal here which shows that not only was man's heart ignorant and rejecting God in holiness and judgment.
But there was an absolute and total rejection of God in grace, because the natural heart is at enmity with God. And of course, as we say, the emphasis here no doubt is on the responsibility of the Jew. But as we said earlier about this chapter, it takes in the whole world in the broad picture, doesn't it, The way it stated that the Lord says he that delivered me to Z at the greater sin the Jews delivered the.
Lord Jesus to Herod through pilot and the whole world becomes guilty. Their heart had not changed. The Lord could save to them. Ye have hated both me and my Father. When did they hate his Father? All the way from the beginning. You know, he could say you carry the the idols all the way across the world.
And so their heart had not changed. And as Clem has already said.
There is nothing that the man that is in the state of a lost condition that's going to ever turn God, the power of the Spirit. And we were the same before we were saying and God, it worked, turned us around. But those poor Jews, when this next class 1St 58 versus finish, they'll come to the end of themselves and then they'll look on him whom they have finished.
And they have not come to the end of themselves yet. When you look at that nation, they're still trying to work everything out by peace pacts and summits, negotiations, lining up with the United States and the Allied forces, despite, in spite of what they've been through in their history, even since the crucifixion, they haven't come to the end of themselves yet. And what we were Speaking of in connection with what they will go through in the tribulation, it's solemn to realize that that is what it will take.
To finally bring Israel as a nation to their knees, that is what it's going to take.
To bring them to the end of themselves so that when the Lord Jesus comes and reveals himself to them, they are finally ready to to receive him. But they're not going to work it out. But the way they're trying to do it, to do it today, it's going to take what they go through then. But isn't it wonderful to think then grace is going to come in when they come to the end of themselves, Only then can they be the recipients of grace, and only then will they appreciate that grace.
And finally, when Zion is addressed, which is the undeserved favor of God, only then can they be brought into blessing.
The Lord Jesus, when he left Jerusalem the last time, going to the cross, they said to those Jews.
Well, we've already quoted that when he delivered me to the after greater sin, but he says he shall see me henceforth no more until he ready to say Russ and he comes in the name of the Lord when the when the Jews when the world is alive ready from this through judgment.
To realize that Jesus is a Lord, to take all these judgments, to bring that to back.
And they'll have to realize their own guilt as well, because that's always the way of blessing, too.
01:10:05
Zachariah. Yeah. Each family weeping, wailing, repenting.
Well, let's let's have an explanation of verse 58.
Don't ask me.
Let me read it in the new translation.
For as thou goest with thine adverse party before a magistrate, strive in the way to be reconciled with him.
Last he dragged me away to the judge, and the judge showed the liberty to the officer. The officer passed the into prison. I stand to thee. Thou shalt when no wise come out thence until thou has paid the very last night.
Was not the Lord to them the adverse party?
Yes, he was that if they didn't receive him as the adversary, they're going to get him as a magistrate.
If they don't receive as a magistrate, they're going to get him as a judge and the prisoner going to be put into is the great tribulation.
Expose the illustration here is one which took place many times in this world's history, and that is the idea of putting people in debtors prisons when they didn't pay their debt. And some have asked, does this scripture imply God's approval of such a practice? I don't believe so, because the Mosaic law did not provide for imprisonment as a form of punishment for wrongdoing.
There was provision for dealing with those that went into debt, but it wasn't by throwing them into a debtor's prison.
But as so many times in the Word of God, while God did not institute some things that man has brought in, yet he recognizes them and uses them in illustrations. God, for example, did not institute an engagement before marriage, but the Word of God recognizes it and even uses it in connection with the church. And so here I suggest the thought is.
Of the adverse party, in this case the Lord taking a hold of Israel and saying you come to the magistrate because you owe me a debt.
Well, what's the way to get to deal with it? Oh, to seek grace and to be reconciled.
Just as we get in Matthew 18, the man fell down to the Lords feet and said give me time and I'll pay everything. And the man says I'll forgive you, I'll forgive you. But they're not doing that. They're not doing that. They're saying we're going to we're going to take our rights, we're going to insist on who we are and what we're going to do.
And eventually, as our brother Clem Buchanan says, they're going to be taken through that great tribulation and morally speaking.
They will pay the very last Mike for that awful crime of crucifying their Messiah.
Well, on the one hand, it will be the most terrible time this world has ever seen. And as scripture says among others, by the time it's finished, it says Judah shall sit upon the ground and the overflowing scourge will be allowed to come through the devastates them in a way. They've got their military power today. They think they can handle anything, and the Arab nations are in disarray and can't seem to get together to direct a concerted effort against them.
But there's a day coming when God's going out to allow them to be overrun, isn't he? And it'll be the most awful time. But then when they realize they're helpless, as we've already heard, the Lord comes in and says, now I'm here. I'm here to act for you and to stand up for you. But by that time, they'll have to realize that it's nothing but grace that.
Is coming in on God's part.
He was their Messiah.
Him as a false Messiah.
Blasphemer.
And to them he was.
As thou goest to thine adverse party, that thou would be Israel.
The adverse party is the way they regarded the Lord. He was not there. He was, He was to be a Savior, but they wouldn't have any such. They had it. They looked upon him as an adversary and they wouldn't be reconciled to Him. So they were going to be delivered to the judge and they've been paying for it ever since. Is that correct? A hard verse.
01:15:09
To get the correct meaning to.
Speaking of the Messiah, he said that I've come in another sin.
And you would not receive me. But another will come with his own name. Him he will receive. That's the Antichrist. And they said you're not the Messiah. They rejected him. But the man that's going to come, who is the wickedest man this world has probably ever seen.
Still feel, Yeah, here's the Messiah and they accept him. That's what the Lord one will come, and only for Him you will receive.
To their own destruction.
MMM.
And a chance to receive him after the presentation, even the first days of the book of the act and I could mention, even presented him again and they had a chance to receive him, to be reconciled that they didn't take it.
They sealed their own doom, didn't they?
I haven't changed yet. Their moral state today is insane. The Jews.
The worst of slaughter of Jews is ahead.
2/3 of that nation is going to be cut off. Awful to think about it.
But it's going to be ultimately for blessing in the end, isn't it, when they do come to the end of themselves.
And he does come in grace, and I've enjoyed in the 4th chapter of Revelation before the judgments begin to be meted out.
There's a rainbow around the throne like unto an emerald. The rainbow is God's promise. The emerald speaks of blessing for the earth. And so even before the judgments fall, God is looking on to the blessed, the ultimate blessing of Israel, and then the blessing of the nations and the blessing of of the whole earth. And I think that's beautiful to see. And just on a practical note, at the end of this meeting, taking up many things, but I think it's good to see in our own lives that however God deals with us, maybe there's been failure in our lives.
Maybe we haven't appreciated the grace of God. Maybe we've tried to do things on our own and by our own plans and schemings. Maybe sometimes we even try to bargain with God and say, well, if you do this, I'll do this. Jacob tried to do that a good part of his life. But isn't it wonderful to think that in God's dealings with us, even as a result of our failure, when we have learned the lesson, then God has blessing to interesting comment made in connection with Israel again.
In Isaiah 40 it says, Comfort ye, comfort ye. My people say, if you're God, speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. And then here's the statement. For she has received double for all her sins. You say, I don't find much comfort or consolation in that. What? Receiving double for all her sins? Well, I just thought of it this way. Maybe even in our lives the Lord has to pass us through the same test.
One young fella goes in to write an exam and he doesn't study or if he's having a headache that day or whatever, he doesn't get it. Well, he's got to go in and do a rewrite. And God often has to pass us through the same thing more than once. But when we do learn the lesson, then we found true comfort. And when Israel does come to them, end to themselves in the coming day, and they learn those great lessons that God is teaching them, we'll, we'll seek to teach them in that day. Then there will be comfort for them.
But I believe in principle we can experience that even now in our lives in government.
They must receive the very last last night. I can't escape the government of God. No. And they got that ahead of them, don't they? And they've been going through it ever since the 1St century. No, no people have ever has ever been persecuting like the Jews because they committed the greatest sin man can commit.
We reap what we sow That's an inflexible principle of God's government.
Grace doesn't change that.
Could we sing part of hymn #170 in the connection with which we've been discussing these?
170.
01:20:02
Perhaps starting at verse 4.
Israel's race shall now behold him full of grace and majesty.
Though they said it not, and sold him, pierced and nailed him to the tree, Now in glory shall their great Messiah. See 170, beginning at verse 4.
But you know he's going to come with his thing. Romans 8.
Verse 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature that won't believe standards of our hands, we as poorly manifestation of the sons of God. For the Christian was made subject to badly, but by reason of him with subjective home, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the ******* of corruption, and from the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation drones have traveled and fame together from now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits in the spirit, even we ourselves, grown within ourselves, waiting for the adoption to whip the redemption of the body.
Forever, but after that's over.
The Lord is going to come out of heaven. Roman. Excuse me, Revelation 19 on a White Horse, followed by the same.
In White Raymond, riding white horses, who are they?
All the Saints in heaven coming forth for the Lord being take His rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and He will win.
First principle 15 For he must pray, and he will praise him. Lord Jesus, we truly thank Him crazy for once that was done, and we thank these for the prospects that we have. We think about wonderful moment when we hear that shout.
That called us into thy friends, but we think 2 of that wonderful moment when thou shalt take thy rightful place.
And we look forward to that. We thank you for the past couple of days. We ask thy blessings.
We ask thy care for all that will be traveling, and we pray for the local Saints. Preserve and keep them.
And we thank you for.
We thank the Lord we have.
For thyself, so who thou art, what thou art, thou stop.
I worship them, thanks and my person.
I Believe God
Address—D. Rule
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You might have the hearing here.
To receive.
Thyself without a staff for us.
That it might truly become a part of us.
And lead to thy glory.
So we pray our God and ask with Thanksgiving.
Name the one the alone worthy name.
Thy Son, Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.
By way of introduction, what's before me? Would you turn with me to John's Gospel Chapter 3?
John's Gospel, chapter 3.
And verse 33.
He that hath received his God's testimony.
Have said to his seal.
That God is true.
Now we'll turn over before we comment on it to Genesis chapter two and three for two more verses.
Genesis chapter 2.
And verse 17.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. We're in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Chapter 3.
And verse 4.
And the serpent said unto the woman.
He shall not surely die.
The first verse that we read in John chapter 3 is the scriptural definition of faith.
Survival's definition to us of what faith is.
God gives.
Testimony. A report.
Of himself in some matter.
And my acceptance, your acceptance of that is true, is what faith is.
We have faith between people as well. You say something to me and I accept what you say is true.
That is my faith, what you say.
Acceptance of what you're saying?
In Genesis chapter 2 where we read, we have a report from God.
In the day that you eat thereof.
You shall surely die.
And.
Shortly thereafter, you assume it's shortly thereafter.
We have the opposite report given, the opposite testimony given, ye shall.
Not surely die.
And man, our forefather Adam and Eve were presented.
With a question, an issue you might say before them.
Who do I believe? In whom do I have faith?
And we know what happened.
They made the choice.
To believe Satan.
And as a consequence.
There's been tremendous sorrow and dishonor to God and His creation.
It's a tremendously fundamental and important matter. Faith.
And believing what God says is true.
And I trust that you this afternoon have accepted what God says is true. But we're going to look at some very what to me are fundamental, a few at least fundamental.
Parts of Christianity.
00:05:00
And remind ourselves of the need to believe.
Simply and completely what God says.
Because all problems, all failure that has ever occurred in your life and mind comes from.
Come into our hearts and to.
Almost say into our natures.
I add occasion to.
Ask hundreds of young people.
This question.
Do you believe?
That God ever lies.
Many of these young people have never been in a Sunday school or building all the church.
Never, almost never, opened a Bible in their life.
I've never had one of them say no, God laughed.
There is something in everyone of us that recognizes the truth, and it is the truth.
That God never lies what his report is.
Is always worthy of acceptance of faith.
And we might say, well, I believe God in a general way, but when it comes to specific truths of Scripture, even as Christians, sometimes there is within us.
Unbelief.
So it's important this afternoon as we look at Scripture that we rest on.
Rock solid foundation that God is true and that everything that God says is true.
And we should accept it.
Like several times today I have.
Missed an absent person here this afternoon.
That's Merle Graham.
I suspect Brother Graham won't eat anymore Allendale conferences in this life.
Having seen him last Lord's Day.
I'm not saying he's right.
The end of his journey.
Physical health and his mental capacities diminished last year.
But I want to recount on this matter of faith for a moment how he was saved, because I think it illustrates the point that I'm trying to make here.
Merle Graham was about 25 or so years old. At his work at a bank, there was a brother in Christ who was concerned for his soul.
And he gave to him a book to read. It happened to be Charles Stanley's Romans book on.
And he gave it to Mr. Graham and he said read it. So he took it home and he.
Could see the earnest sincerity of the person that had given it to him. And so he sat down to read the book. And as he was reading the book, he said it took him. He wasn't, he read rather slowly. He wasn't very familiar with his Bible, but there were a lot of Bible references in the book. And so as he came to one, he would open it up and he would stop and look it up and read it in the scripture itself. And sometimes he had to look in the table of contents to find where that place was in the Bible and so on.
But he was it was a book on Romans and he was reading one evening, he said.
And he came to a scripture and I don't remember if he told me exactly which one, but.
A scripture like Romans 322 and three, there's no difference.
For all have sinned and come short the glory of God.
And then, he said, he stopped reading.
And he asked himself the question. He said Merle.
If you believe that.
You're lost.
Said after a moment. He said to himself.
I'm lost.
And he kept reading that same evening, and perhaps 15 minutes later he came and he looked up another verse of Scripture.
Going to quote one that would apply.
That the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
00:10:03
And he stopped, and he said to himself, Merle.
If you believe that.
And then he paused. Thought about it.
I'm saved.
And he said I've never doubted it so.
All Brethren, I.
Good to God that we all.
The youngest, the oldest, had that same simple.
Like confident, complete trust in what God says.
Faith.
Now let's, with that in mind, turn over to Romans chapter 4.
Romans, chapter 4.
And verse 3.
For what saith the scripture?
Abraham believed God.
Abraham believed God.
Make it personal this afternoon.
Commenting to somebody when you have the responsibility.
Jesus Loves Me
Gospel—J. Hyland
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
For the Bible.
Let's go on to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.
I'd like to begin this evening by connecting a number of portions of the Word of God. And so for a few moments, we're going to flip back and forth through the pages of this precious book that we hold in our hands, the Bible. And I'd like to begin with a verse near the end of John 3.
John's Gospel chapter 3.
John's Gospel chapter 3.
And I want to read just the first clause of verse 35.
The Father loveth the son and then in Genesis chapter 22.
Genesis Chapter 22.
And verse 2.
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell thee of the book of Malachi, last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, chapter One.
Malachi chapter one and verse one. The burden of the Word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
I have loved you, saith the Lord.
First, John.
First John chapter one.
I'm sorry, first John, Chapter 4.
And verse 8.
He that loveth not knoweth not God. For God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation.
For our Sins, Romans, chapter 5.
Romans chapter 5 and verse 8. But God commendeth his love toward us.
In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. There's two more portions. Ephesians Chapter 3.
Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 19.
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.
There's one more portion in the book of Galatians.
Galatians, chapter 2.
Just the last part of verse 20.
The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
Well, we sang this evening together of the love of Jesus, and as this, that him and these verses suggest. I had it before my soul in seeking by the grace of God to present the gospel tonight, to bring before us these scriptures in connection with the love of God and the love of the Lord Jesus. Because I believe that if anything will melt the Stony heart tonight. It's to realize how much God loves you, and to realize how much the Lord Jesus loves you and the great cost that is involved in God being able to offer.
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So great salvation through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But I thought it would be well tonight to begin with the two portions that we began with because these portions have to do with the love of God for his Son, the Lord Jesus. I've often said in the gospel when it says in First John the Father sent the Son, isn't that more than if it just said God sent Jesus? Oh it's true God did send Jesus.
But it was more than that. It was the father sending the son. Think of that relationship that existed from a past eternity, and think of a father and a son. I don't have any sons, but I do have two daughters. And I know one thing. If I knew some morning that in sending them out of my home, off to school or to wherever it might be, I knew that they were going to be ill treated, perhaps by the neighbors.
Perhaps by their fellow students at school. And if I knew that perhaps they were going to die, or that I wouldn't see them for a long, long time, I doubt I would send them out. But the Father sent the Son. He sent the Son into this world, the son that he loved. Think of this little expression we began with. Just meditate on it, What feelings it produces in the heart the Father loveth.
The.
Son. And not only was he a son, the Son from a past eternity.
But he was the Son who never did one thing to grieve or displease his Father. You know, we often think in considering the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. We often think of him in his pathway, and how he glorified God in his pathway, and how heaven delighted to open up and all heaven gazed at that blessed object as he walked here in this world and a voice declared, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
But what about from a past eternity? It says of him prophetically. I was daily his delight. Here was a son who never did one thing to displease his father. You've heard me say before, but with my girls, while I love them very much, I can't honestly say that their daily my delight. There are days through their that through their actions they grieve me. It's not that I love them any less, but some days they grieve me through their actions.
But here was the Son that never grieved the Father. And so the Father loveth the Son. But this is the very sun that the Lord that God sent, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we read it in type, by picture, by foreshadow, back here in the Old Testament, where we have in this chapter. And we're not going to go into the story of Abraham and Isaac. Most of us are very, very familiar with it. Perhaps from the very early days of our childhood, we've heard the story of Abraham and Isaac going together.
Up that mountainside.
Where Isaac was to be offered as a burnt offering.
As a sacrifice. And you can just imagine the emotions that must have passed between Abraham and Isaac. And Scripture confirms that this was the son of his love. Take now thy son thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest.
And always see the willingness on the part of Abraham to take that son and to offer him.
There on Mount Moriah.
All this has often been pointed out. There was indeed a substitute for Isaac, but for the Son of God there was number substitute.
Think of the Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. And as he prayed and said, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.
Was it possible? Was there any other way that God could pour out his love and his blessing on the human race? Oh, no, there was no other way. And so he says, nevertheless, not my will but thine be done. He could say the cup which my father has given me. Shall I not drink it? He understood very clearly that there was no other way.
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And who for the joy that was set before him?
Endured the cross, despising the shame.
When we speak of the love of God for his Son.
And when we speak of the great cost of salvation in the Lord Jesus giving his Son at Calvary Cross, does that do something to your heart tonight?
I marvel sometimes.
That folks can sit in a gospel meeting.
And sing a hymn like Jesus Loves Me.
And hear the scriptures read.
And yet the heart remains so hard, so Stony.
And the prayer of justice so many tonight is that as we go over these precious scriptures and the precious truth of the gospel that we have gone over so many, many times before. The prayer of so many is that God would work by his Spirit to open your eyes to see beauty in Christ, that the love of God and the love of the Lord Jesus would touch your heart.
There was a youth came to a gospel meeting.
Not unlike this gospel meeting this evening.
And the preacher gave a very, very faithful word on the love of God.
As well as a faithful warning.
And it just didn't seem to affect this man at all. This young man sat there in his face, was blank. Nothing seemed to get through.
And at the end of the Gospel meeting there was a dear old Saint of God, a dear old sister who had known the Lord Jesus for many, many years.
And as this young man passed out of the door of the gospel hall, she reached out and took his hand.
And with tears in her eyes, she said, Don't you love my Jesus?
You know, that just broke the man down. It broke this young person down. It touched his heart to see an elderly person who had loved the Lord Jesus and experienced his love for her for so many years, and to think that she would wait and reach out her hand in love to him. It was what the Spirit of God used to break down his Stony heart to melt him. And he was saved.
Before he passed out into the night that evening. But what about you this evening?
We have not only read verses concerning the love of the Father for the Son.
But we have read, and there are more that we could read, and perhaps with the Lord's help we will quote.
Scriptures concerning the love of God.
For the Sinner.
And the love of the Lord Jesus.
Desiring the blessing of each one.
In this room.
You know this little expression concerning the Lord Jesus. I'm going to take it a little out of context.
A little expression concerning the Lord Jesus when he was here.
He looked at a young man. He was a fine young man.
And he looked at him, and I love what it says, and Jesus beholding him.
Loved him. I want you to take that to heart tonight. You know what? I want to speak reverently and I don't want to bring any levity into this gospel meeting. But if the Lord Jesus were to come here and stand at the at the front of this room.
He could look into every face individually and it could be said and Jesus beholding him. Jesus beholding her, loved him, loved her. It is so personal, so individual. So often we quote in the gospel that verse for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. And we think of it in a broad sense, God loving the whole world.
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All the people in it, but all tonight. We want to make it personal. We want to make it individual. We sang at the beginning of the meeting, that hymn that we've often sang from the very early days of our childhood. Jesus loves me.
And just one week ago, I was sitting in a gospel meeting in Richmond, BC, and the brother who had the privilege of standing up and telling forth the gospel that night gave out this very hymn.
From where I was sitting I could see a three-year old girl and she was singing lustily. In fact she was even doing some actions with it that the boys and girls sometimes learn in Sunday school. I enjoyed that so much. There was a little 3 year old girl and she could join in the singing of Jesus Loves Me and she could understand, as young as she was, that Jesus loved her.
You know there's nothing. The human heart craves more.
Than love.
People go to the bookshelves and they buy love stories.
But the greatest love story that has ever been told is the love story that is unfolded in this precious book.
It stirs me sometimes because you know people, they will go and they will buy those love stories. They will spend hours reading them. They will turn a button to listen to love songs, as they say.
And yet you come to them with the greatest love story at all of all.
And they don't have ears to hear. They don't want to hear it. But tonight, as we read, God is commanding or recommending His love toward us.
Do you really realize in your soul tonight that God loves you?
Do you really realize in your soul tonight that God loves you?
Some time ago there was a computer virus.
That circled the globe in less than 24 hours.
Is a very, very, at least from the standpoint of those that propagate these things. It was a very successful virus.
It was a virus called the Love Bug.
And it seems that even top software engineers couldn't resist opening an e-mail message that said I love you.
And analysts said that the success of that virus.
Had as much to say about the human heart as it did about the vulnerability of machines in the cyber society in which we live.
People crave love. People above all else. Desire love. There was a survey done in the United States and several thousand young people.
Were interviewed and one of the questions was what do you desire above all else in life?
And the response, more often than not, was.
Love.
You know there's not a lot of love in this world tonight. You know, the last days before the Lord Jesus comes are characterized.
As it says in the New Testament, without natural affection, you know, there's a lot of kids living on the street today. Their parents don't love them. Not only do they not know where they are, they don't care. There's a lot of young people in the detention homes of this continent.
Because they feel unloved and they went out after something that they thought was going to satisfy them, or they simply tried to rebel against society.
As an outlet for their frustration.
You know, you see bumper stickers. I love this. I love that people don't really understand what love is because love is of God. And as man turns his back on the light of God's word, and as he turns his back on God and on his Son, the Lord Jesus, he really has lost an understanding of what love is. And so tonight was my desire to bring us right into the presence of God, with the word of God before us.
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To show from God's word that God truly loves us.
But you know, there's a solemn side to the gospel.
And we would be less than faithful tonight if we didn't seek at some point in this meeting to reach the conscience.
Yes, the love of God is what melts the heart, but the conscience must be reached.
You know you don't flatter someone and tell them they're going in the right direction if it's going to lead to disaster. If you truly love that person, that's not love.
And in love to your soul, tonight God in his Word has given many faithful warnings.
When the Lord Jesus was here.
He lifted up his eyes, and he saw the multitude, and he had compassion on them. He loved those that he came to serve and to bless and to draw around himself. But he was faithful with them. In love, he said, flee from the wrath to come. In love He warned of Hellfire and judgment.
And tonight we want to give a solemn warning.
You know, God is not only a God of love, but God is light and God is holy.
And God cannot shower His love upon you or bring you into blessing and relationship with Himself and overlook your sin.
He cannot do it. God is righteous. God is just. God is holy.
But God has found a way.
That he can shower his love upon you and upon me.
In the giving of the son of his life.
That's why the Father sent the Son. That's why God sent the Lord Jesus here into this world.
Oh, I wish tonight we could tell you just something of the love of God. If you could just get a little taste of it, if you could just get a little hold of it in your soul.
Passive telling. It passes knowledge. Nevertheless, on the pages of this blessed book, over and over and over again we read of the love of God. But you know, God hasn't only told us He loves us, but He has proved that love.
I want to go back just for a moment, to the verses I read in the book of Malachi.
Because there we read The Burden of the Word of the Lord by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the Lord.
You know, when we look at the people to whom Malachi was sent, to whom Malachi was writing, they were a pretty rebellious people.
A pretty rebellious people, but simply a reflection for our purposes tonight. A reflection of what is in each one of our hearts.
We're all rebellious by nature. We had that brought before us so very clearly in the meeting this afternoon.
We're rebellious by nature. We're enmity at enmity with God. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
But there was a message for that rebellious people. There was the word of the Lord. And tonight there's a burden and there's a word from the Lord. I have loved you, saith the Lord. But you know, if we had read the next expression, it's very solemn. And you say, Wherein have ye loved us?
Are you going to say that tonight? Are you going to despise the love of God tonight?
If you sit here in this meeting in your sins, and when this meeting is completed, you get up and you say I don't want it, and you say not tonight, and you go out one of these doors and you are still in your sins, you are really like these people who said and wherein have ye loved us? You're despising the love of God.
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And it makes me tremble to realize that if you continue on in that course of things.
The day will come when you will lift up your eyes in hell, in the lake of fire.
And the love of God will be no longer available to you. Salvation will no longer be available to you.
And you will remember.
A verse like John 316.
And other verses that you heard.
Gospel meetings like this.
And they will eat at your conscience.
For all eternity.
All we're not fooling tonight. It's serious. It's solemn. Sometimes I see young people on the back rows and they're not listening. They're smiling, they're talking to others. But this is serious tonight.
God loves you, but you are a Sinner.
And God is warning you tonight.
That if you do not avail yourself of that love.
And the provision that that love has made through the Lord Jesus and the work of Calvary. The day will come when you will go to hell. Not unloved, but you will go to hell.
And the memory.
Of hearing about the love of God.
It says of hell. It's a place where the worm dieth not.
And the fire is not quenched.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us.
You know, sometimes people say they love us.
And we watch to see if they really mean what they say. And maybe after a while you say, well, that person says they love me, but they sure don't act like it. They sure don't treat me like they love me. They sure haven't proved their love. We like people who not only tell us that they love us, but we like people who prove their love. And God has not only told us that he loves us.
But God has proved His love in the greatest possible way. In this was manifested the love of God toward us.
Remember one time in meditating on this verse? In fact, we were taking it up at a children's Bible hour and was one of the memory verses for the week. And we would try to explain the verses simply as possible for the boys and girls each day. And when we came to this verse, I wondered what Webster's dictionary had to say about the word manifested. That's not a word.
The children use very much in this day and age.
But I looked it up in Webster's dictionary and I've enjoyed it ever since, manifested to clearly show. And you know, God tonight has clearly shown His love to you and to me in the giving of His Son. And this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. I'm going to repeat a little story that I've often told in the gospel.
But I think it illustrates this point very well. When I was growing up in Canada, we studied a great deal of British history.
And we studied a great deal about the life and work of that explorer, David Livingstone.
And as you know, David Livingstone was an explorer for the British government and he mapped out a good part of Africa.
As a pioneer to that continent.
But you know, David Livingstone went to Africa with a far, far greater desire, from his writings and from the biographies that others have written, that he had tremendous opportunities to take the gospel to those who were in darkness.
But the story is told of David Livingstone on one occasion.
00:30:06
Staying in a certain community, a certain village.
Preaching the gospel.
With a great deal of blessing, and his wife and his young child were with him.
But David had a desire to go down that river a little further, to take the gospel to another tribe of natives that he knew had never been reached before.
But those he was staying and working amongst warned him not to continue up the river. They said if you go up the river, you'll never come back.
But David Livingstone's soul burned for the blessing.
Of those natives.
And one day against the Council of many.
He and his wife.
And their baby got into their boat and started that journey.
I don't know how long a journey it was, but when they neared their destination they were startled.
By cries on the shore, screams and war. Whoops.
And as they looked, they could see figures running through the jungle, brandishing.
Spears and other weapons of war.
As they approached the shore.
David tried to make those natives understand that he had not come to harm them.
But that he had come in peace.
But nothing he could do seemed to convince them. Those natives stood on the shore, ready to take his life the moment he set foot out of that boat.
And after some hesitation.
David said to his wife.
Give me the baby.
You can just imagine the emotions that must have run between a husband and a wife, a father and a mother.
As they're on the shore, those natives are ready to kill them.
And David says to his wife, give me the baby.
And after a pause.
With great reluctance, David's wife handed them the baby.
And David stepped out into the shallow water.
And as he waded towards shore, he held out the child to those natives in his outstretched hands.
And they say that the effect was amazing, that immediately those natives quieted down.
Immediately they laid down their weapons because the child held out to them.
Showed to them very clearly that David had come in love.
And I thought of that. And David was able to stay amongst those natives and preach the gospel, and history tells us that many were saved as a result. But oh, tonight God has given his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. He's clearly manifest his love in the giving of that blessed One, just as David holding out that baby clearly showed his love for those natives.
So the Lord Jesus and God the Father has clearly shown His love in the giving of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When we look to the cross.
Can we doubt the love of God?
Think of the Lord Jesus as he walked here in this world.
It wasn't popular.
No, it says. He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
But he goes on to Calvary's cross.
Picture for a moment the Lord Jesus.
God's beloved Son standing before Pilate.
00:35:02
And think of the heart of God the Father as he looked on.
As they slapped his blessed face, as he, they plucked the hairs of his cheek.
As they scourged him.
As they beat that crown of thorns into his blessed head.
God the Father sought all.
They are what it must have meant to the heart of the father see the son so treated.
Would any father here stand by?
If their child was being treated in that way, I think not.
And then to see the Lord Jesus at the end of it all.
Taken out and LED to Golgotha.
LED outside the city of Jerusalem to Calvary.
And as they took and pounded those nails into his hands and feet.
What must have gone through the heart of God the Father?
Would any father here have stood by?
Let somebody treat his son, his child, like that. I dare say not.
And this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world.
But there was more to be accomplished.
Than just the physical abuse of the Lord Jesus at the hands of man. Awful, awful as that was.
And after all had been accomplished according to the Scriptures, as to the heart of man coming out in their treatment of the Lord Jesus.
God said that's enough.
And the sun was blackened.
And God laid my sins.
On the blessed Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus bore my sins in his own body on the tree.
You know, many in the last year or so have talked about going to see the passion.
And I have no doubt that God has used it in the Blessing of Souls.
Do you know, I have said to those who have been so affected by the physical sufferings of the Lord Jesus that are portrayed in the Passion.
I have said don't forget you didn't see the most important part.
Because nobody saw the most important part. Because all the physical sufferings of the Lord Jesus, as awful, awful as they were, as indescribable as it was, none of those sufferings atoned for one sin. It was those atoning sufferings in those hours of darkness where no eye saw or penetrated.
And at the end of it all, the Lord Jesus cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
He cried out farther into thy hands. I commend my spirit.
He laid down his blessed head.
And like none other before her or since.
He laid down his life, he said of his life. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my father.
But let's just continue, and for a moment to view in our minds eye Calvary.
There's darkness over all the land for three hours.
And then in John's Gospel, we read.
That their desire was to remove those bodies from the crosses as quickly as possible.
And not to interrupt or spoil their religious rights and ceremonies connected.
With that day and that time.
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And we find the soldier comes to the thief on one side of the Lord Jesus and he breaks his legs to hasten his death. Same with the malefactor on the other side of the Lord Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, and again scripture is very, very clear, when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith.
Came there out blood and water, and I want to stress just for a moment the value of the blood of Jesus.
Because it is indeed the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, that cleanseth us.
From all sin there is no other cure. There is no other remedy for sin apart from the blood of Jesus redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
The Apostle Peter states, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness.
Of sins.
Is the blood of Jesus precious to your heart? Tonight, it's precious to the heart of God.
Is it precious to your heart? Have you been washed in the blood of the lamb? We sometimes sing that hymn. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
But you know, there's more to the story of love.
We find that they came and those who loved him took him down from that cross.
And prepared his body and laid it in a new tomb.
But he didn't stay there, did he? Because Christ died, He was buried, and he rose again the 3rd day according to the scriptures.
The Lord Jesus is not in the tomb tonight.
Nor is the Lord Jesus in this world tonight the way he was when he walked amongst men 2000 years ago. No, there came a moment after he had given ample testimony to his own that he had bodily risen from the dead. There came a moment when his feet left the Mount of Olives, and the cloud received him out of their sight, and they saw him no more.
And that's why we sing that gospel hymn. There is a savior on high.
In the glory the Lord Jesus, God has raised him from the dead and seated him at his own right hand.
Because God is satisfied and glorified with the work of Calvary and the Resurrection, the Ascension and the glorification of Christ are God's. Amen to the work of Calvary. They are the proof that God is satisfied.
But again, we want to bring it back, and we want to bring this home to our souls tonight.
As we speak of the love of God in giving his Son, as we speak of the love of the Lord Jesus in coming into this world, what does it mean to your heart? Has that love touched your heart tonight?
The love of God. The love of Jesus.
Philip Bliss.
Was a hymn writer an evangelist?
Who was tragically killed, I believe at the age of 36 in a train wreck with his wife.
At Ashtabula.
Ohio.
And he wrote many hymns.
Some of which are on the gospel hymn sheet we sang from this evening.
He wrote many children's hymns, but if you notice in his hymns he has an appreciation of the love of God and the love of the Lord Jesus because he tells the story that early on in his career he went to a gospel meeting in Chicago.
Conducted by the evangelist Dwight L Moody.
And at the beginning of this gospel meeting, the crowd was singing that chorus, Oh, how I love Jesus. We've all sung that course, oh, how I love Jesus because he first loved me. But you know, as they sang that chorus, Mr. Bliss got to thinking, it is wonderful that I love Jesus and that I can join with this crowd, oh, how I love Jesus. But he concluded in his thoughts that there was something even more precious than that.
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He said there's something greater than the fact that I love Jesus and that is that Jesus loves me and he went home that evening and he wrote that gospel hymn that we've sung many times. I am so glad that our Father in Heaven tells of his love in the book he is given.
Wonderful things in the Bible. I see this is the dearest that Jesus loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves me. You know, just as an interesting sidelight.
As I say, Mr. Bliss and his wife.
In returning from Rome. Their home in Rome, PA.
To Chicago.
They went over that trestle in that train. It was winter time. It was the end of December. And the cars in those days were wooden railway cars heated with potbelly stoves. And when those cars tumbled over the trestle, it was just like a tinderbox that went up in flames. Mr. Bliss got out. He couldn't find his wife. He returned to the blaze to try to find his wife. They never were seen alive again. But what's interesting is that the Lord allowed that his briefcase.
Survive that fire. And when that briefcase was opened, there was the unpublished manuscript of perhaps the last hymn that Philip Bliss wrote. It's on this hymn sheet I will sing of my Redeemer and his wondrous love. To me it was a man who appreciated the love of the Lord Jesus. Can you sing of your Redeemer tonight at the end of this Gospel meeting?
And we have presented tonight the gospel so very, very feebly. How can we tell you how much God loves you? How can we tell you how much Jesus loves you? But at the end of this gospel meeting, could you really join in the singing of that hymn I will sing of my Redeemer and his wondrous love to me?
You know we read that verse tonight in Galatians 2. The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I read this verse last of all because again, I want to make it very, very personal. Sometimes with the boys and girls in Sunday school, we encourage them to be able to put their name into that verse. And I love to quote this that verse like this, the Son of God who loved Jim.
And gave himself for Jim. Could you stand beside me tonight?
And put your name in that verse.
Could you truly say the Son of God who loved and put your name in that verse? If you can't, oh, I want to plead with you At the end of this gospel meeting, come to Jesus. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusteth in the Lord.
We sing a little song in Sunday school. He loves you. He wants you. He died to redeem you, only believe His word. Are you going to believe tonight? Are you going to come to the Lord Jesus and receive salvation? I'd like to sing a hymn in closing.
Hymn #7.
All to us, love to us. Wondrous love. The love of God to me brought my Savior from above to die on Calvary hymn #7, if someone could start it.
"Stephen, Saul and Philip"
Jonah