Los Angeles Conference: 1976
Table of Contents
The Place taken and Given to Jesus
The Testimony of the Lord
In accord with Testimony of Jesus
One Place One Person
God's Exalted One
Christ Our Head in Heaven
Laying Up for Your Children
The Course of this World
Christ is Everything
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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I'd like to turn first of all to Proverbs and the 9th chapter.
Proverbs Chapter 9 beginning at the first verse. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars, she hath killed her beasts, she hath mingled her wine, she hath furnished her table, she hath sent forth her maidens, she crieth upon the highest places of the city. Who saw his simple Let him turn in hit her. As for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to.
Them come eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled, Forsake the foolish, and live and go in the way of understanding.
Well it was my thought brethren to speak about what could perhaps be spoken out as 7 pillars, That is what would be for the sustaining of our Christian life and know how important it is. Because this world is a wilderness wide. This world has nothing that really satisfies. Satan is its God and Prince. And as we were reminded this afternoon.
We have hearts within us that respond to all that this.
World has to offer and how easily we can be LED astray. Have our eyes turned from the Blessed One and the only One who can truly fill and satisfy our hearts. Well, as I said, we have a wonderful resource and God has marked this out in His Word for us. And perhaps if we could speak of the seven pillars in this way.
Perhaps we could say first of all the Person, the Lord Jesus.
As we have in Colossians chapter 3, Christ is all and in all, or Christ is everything. And then we have His Word as the guide for our pathway. We have access into His presence in prayer. We have the assembly which He has provided for the care of His people. And then we have the privilege of fellowship one with another.
And then we have also the privilege.
Serving Him here in this world and then to how blessed we have a grand and a blessed hope, as it tells us, looking for that blessed hope and with the Lord's help, I just like to speak a little of these different things that could encourage us and should encourage us as we go on in this pathway here awaiting the Lord's return.
So let us turn first of all to that passage in Colossians chapter.
3 Colossians chapter 3 and verse 11.
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all, for Christ is everything. Well, we want to start, dear friends, with that grand and blessed theme that Christ is everything.
It's a blessed thing indeed to know that He is our salvation. We know that when Simeon took that little babe in his arms, he said, Lord, now let us, thou thy servant, be part in peace, for that mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. And I hope each one of us have as it were raised that first pillar can say yes, I know Christ is my Savior.
I know Him as the one who died for me. In these meetings we have been considering a little bit of the wonders of the position that we have been brought into through that glorious finished work which the Lord Jesus accomplished. He couldn't have given us a more wonderful place than he has. He's not only forgiven us, but all. How marvelous that He has brought us into His presence and He has given us perfect acceptance there so that we.
Now before him, holy and without blame in love we are there in a life that cannot sin, and he sees us the righteousness of God in him. And more than this, He has not only brought us into this wonderful place of favor, but we are the objects of his love, and it's an unchanging love. As we remarked in the meetings that precious verse has been a comfort to my heart, having loved his own, which were in the.
He loved them unto the end. We know with our friends, very often have they changed, and when they find out things about us, perhaps they don't think so well of us as they did before. But not so with this Blessed 1. He knew all about us before He ever picked us up in grace. He'll never find out anything about us that He didn't know before. And He has said that He loves us to the end.
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He not only died to deliver our souls from hell, but because He wanted our company, our company for all eternity. And nothing less than that will satisfy his heart, nor is he going to be disappointed in any one of his own, for it says he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. Don't we wonder when we think of him looking over the vast redeemed company and seeing so many of us?
Have who have failed so often and that he will not look at a single one and say, well, I'm sorry, I brought that one here. No, indeed, he wants us there. He's going to find the satisfaction of his own affections in having us there. And now the question for us is if this is all true, and thank God it is true, do we desire to have the conscious sense of his presence with us here?
As a brother said many years ago, and I enjoyed his remark. I thought of it often through my life. He said I don't ask the Lord to be with me, but I do ask him for a sense of his presence. He said I know He's promised He'll never leave us nor forsake us. He's promised, Lo, I am with you always. Or as a new translation renders it, Lo, I am with you all the days. There's no day, no matter how dull. And Greer that he is.
Not with us, but we're not always conscious of His presence. We're sometimes like the ones in the road to amass going in the wrong direction. And so when He joins and speaks to us, we're not conscious of who it is that He's trying to stir up our affections again afresh, to respond to His love.
Well, should we not desire through life to have the conscious sense of His presence? Well, I say that's the first thing. If we're going to have a happy, fruitful Christian life, it's not only to know Him as our salvation, but it's to have in our souls the consciousness of His presence, the firmest in the 27th Psalm said.
He said, Hide not thy face far from me, Put not thy servant away in anger.
Leave me not neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Now in the Old Testament, they didn't have the blessed knowledge that we have of the constant presence of the Lord. But I believe that verse has a little moral message for us. And that is what to you and I fear mostly in life. Oh, you say I wouldn't like to lose my job. I wouldn't like to lose some friend that's very dear to me. There's a lot of things that we had dread to think.
That could happen in life, but what is or should be the thing we fear the most? All just to lose the consciousness of the Lord's presence, To be in such a state of soul that we cannot at any moment look up and say, He loves me, He's interested, He cares, He's with me. Oh, may this be the great desire of our hearts, them. So I say again, dear friends, first of all, let us realize this.
That Christ is everything, a person, a living savior, Not just religion, not just a doctrine. It's a person, a living Savior, I say, one in whom all fullness of the Godhead is pleased to dwell.
Well then, He has also given us, as I said, His precious word. Now let us turn to Second Timothy chapter 3, Second Timothy chapter 3, and verse 15. And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
And is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, truly furnished unto all good works.
And then let us turn over to.
Second Peter.
Chapter 1 and verse 3. According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to, or by glory and virtue.
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And one other passage, please, in First Corinthians chapter 2, First Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 13, which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teach us, but which the Holy Ghost teach us, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Well, here we have in these three Scriptures brought before us the importance of God's precious Word He has given to every believer in a new life, a life that delights in pleasing Him, and one who's often said He'll never ask us to do anything that the new life He has given us does not desire to do. That's why it's called the law of liberty.
That's why it says his commandments are not grievous. I often ask my children to.
Do things that they didn't want to do. But God, my Father, has given me a life that delights in doing His will and this precious book, His Word, is simply the revelation of His will so that we might have direction for that new life that He has given to us. If you wanted to please a friend, and then the friend told you of something that he wished, wouldn't it be your pleasure to do?
What you were thinking of doing something?
Something nice for him now he's told you how you can please him. Isn't it blessed that God has given us such a book, a revelation of His will for our pathway here? And the first passage that we read in a second in Second Timothy chapter 3, well, it first brings before us the great privilege that young Timothy had. He was brought up under the sound of God's Word.
And many in the audience here this afternoon.
Have been brought up under the sound of God's word. That's indeed a great privilege. Sometimes we don't fully appreciate it when we're young, but it is a great privilege and then it says all scripture is given by inspiration of God. That word inspiration sometimes spoken of as God breathed. It's a lovely thing when we stop to think about it the God not only.
Dictated to those men what he desired them to write, but he actually.
Fill their own souls so that those things that they wrote were the very words that the Holy Ghost spoke. But still it was something that was made good to them and the Spirit of God leading them to write those very things. That's what is so lovely about inspiration. You'll often notice when you're reading. There's some lovely truth developed and the same Spirit of God who is bringing the truth before us so fills.
The soul of the writer that he breaks out by the same spirit and a doxology of praise. Isn't that lovely? So that it's not just like in an office where the employer might dictate a letter.
And the words that are given are the words from the person, but it doesn't necessarily steer the heart of the person who's taking down the dictation. But isn't it lovely that when the Spirit of God undertook to give His word, He wrought in and through the vessel, brought him under his control, led him in the things that He wrote, and then caused his own heart to break out in praise? And even in the Old Testament where they didn't fully understand?
Understand what was written. It says that they searched their own prophecies as they ministered those wonderful things that perhaps were beyond their own intelligence. But they saw a blessed future, and they couldn't fully comprehend it, but it filled their hearts too. And it was revealed to them that they ministered those things not to themselves, but unto us, who now have the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.
So I say what a blessed resource we have.
The word of God.
And is there anything that is lacking in this blessed book? Well, that's why I read in Peter. It says His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
Sometimes we have a tendency to just read certain passages of Scripture, special portions that we really enjoy, but we neglect other passages. And it might be that there are some in this room who have never read through God's blessed book. You've read a lot of nice portions in it, but you have never read through this blessed book. What I want to encourage you to do it because in this book we have all things.
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Things that pertain unto life and godliness.
Life is full of decisions. We're constantly making decisions. Perhaps you come to these meetings, young people come, and there's decisions you make, perhaps about a friend, perhaps about a change that you desire to make in your life to honor the Lord. Perhaps some are exercised because they have never yet remembered the Lord Jesus. Well, there's so many decisions that we come to in life. Parents come too, and we think about how it could be a little more devoted.
In bringing up our children, how we could perhaps be a little more loving and thoughtful for all these things, You know God's Word has not only told us the way of salvation, He has not only told us the way to gather, but there isn't a single thing in your life or mine that there isn't either a direct scripture or a principle to govern our conduct in our pathway here.
Hasn't it blessing I sometimes I sometimes a situation arises in my life.
And I wonder what I should do, and I try to recall to my mind someone in the Bible who was placed in a very similar situation. And then I see how that person acted, whether he acted wisely or unwisely, and what were the results, whether God commended his action or otherwise. Isn't it blessed that we have such a book, the Wisdom of God?
The wisdom of God, not the wisdom of men, because men's wisdom.
Constantly changes. They have one idea at one time. The school books are so different today from the school books I studied. But God hasn't had to bring an up-to-date version of His Bible of His Word. Oh no. The last part of it was written about 2000 years ago, and it's more up to date than in the daily newspaper. It's absolutely suited to 1976, and if the Lord leaves us here to 1977, it's going to be.
Perfectly suited to that, knowing that God could write such a wonderful book. All scripture inspired of God, all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
Those important decisions in life, the godliness, that is how we can be God like in our actions here. It's all in this precious book. Oh what an important pillar Is this the pillar in your life when you make decisions?
Do you seek to follow the wisdom of the word of God or do you just say, well, I think this, I think this is a good idea. Well, we've all done this. Sometimes we found it wasn't such a good idea. We could never be wiser than God. So I encourage you to read this precious book. Read it until it becomes part of you. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.
And the reason I read the verse in First Corinthians chapter 2.
Is because there is a trend today to get away from the idea that every word of God in this blessed book is inspired. People will say well, the thoughts are inspired, so they will make a so-called translation in which they try and put the thoughts in their own words. Well then if it's if this book.
Gives us the very words of God. We have no right to introduce our own thoughts. It's God's word. And I say every word that God gave is inspired by the Spirit of God. And I just warn you in these days that when you pick up a translation or so-called translation, I call it so-called because I don't believe it's a translation if it is not the words that the Spirit of God gave.
So how?
Therefore, we should be that we stick to the word that God has given. We're thankful for the excellent King James translation. We're thankful for Mr. Darby, who translated In the Fear of God. But I just want you that we should be very careful that we don't accept those supposed translations.
That don't stick to the very text of God's word.
And I quote the verse again, which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teach us, but which the Holy Ghost teach us. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual, we have a direct communication from God. It is true there is some problem in translating into another language that we have this promise from God.
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He has said in Isaiah.
That as He lives, though His word would not be part out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of thy seed seeds from henceforth forever. God has given a promise that He is going to preserve His precious word to us. We thank Him for it. Attempts have been made to burn it up. Attempts are being made to try and change the text of it. Well may we praise the Lord that He has given us His word and all that we need.
For our pathway.
Well, then perhaps we could speak of the next one, and that is in prayer. I just like to turn to three scriptures in connection with prayer. First of all, in Matthew, Matthew chapter 5-6, Matthew chapter 6 and verse 5, and when thou prayest.
Thou shalt not thou read the the sixth verse, but thou, when thou prayest enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Then when we turn over to 1St Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 17.
Pray without ceasing.
And in Acts chapter 12 and verse 5.
Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
And then would you also turn over to our First Epistle of John and the 3rd chapter and the 20th verse?
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God and whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. Reason I read the first 3 scriptures because I believe we have prayer brought before us in the scripture in those three different ways.
Now that is.
There is private prayer, perhaps we could call it closet prayer. And then there is the attitude of prayer, which ought to characterize us at all times. Pray without ceasing. And then there is assembly prayer, for we need these. We need prayer in our lives because, as it's often been remarked, prayer is the expression of.
Dependence and confidence in God. Now that is, why do we pour out our hearts?
Before Him, well, because we're dependent creatures, we need His help. We're unable to meet all the situations of life and our own strength. And so we look up to Him, independent, but also in the confidence that we can come to Him and know that He loves, He knows, and He cares. Isn't it blessed that God has given us such a resource? Prayer, I say again, perhaps we can speak of this.
One of the seven pillars. Does prayer have a place in your life and mine?
Do we really recognize constantly our dependence upon the Lord? Afraid to take one step alone, afraid to make one decision without His help? Surely we need it. And why should it be that we just come to Him when there's some momentous decision, something that seems great and that we feel just we we don't know what to do Instead, it ought to be the constant habit of our lives and that we don't take a step.
Positive direction. It isn't that you say, well, I think this is best and I'll pray about it afterwards. Oh no, turn to the Lord to give you the wisdom. Don't be like Jacob who made all his plans and then asked God to bless them afterwards. No, we need to turn to him in this dependence, in this confidence in him.
Well, first of all, we noticed that in the 6th of Matthew about closet prayer and we need this. I hope each one of us has made the habit of getting a loan with the Lord.
At some time through the day, and it could be more than that, Daniel went to his room 3 times in a day and opened his window toward Jerusalem and prayed. And we read of the precious Savior in his pathway here.
Here and that on one occasion we're told that he continued all night in prayer to God. There are times when we might spend more time, sometimes perhaps less. The Lord knows the pressures of life, but there are times when we are specially brought to feel our need of Him. But let us never neglect of this time alone with the Lord.
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We do need to get into His presence and as the scriptures.
Says pour out your heart before Him. I love that expression. There's few people that you can pour out your heart to. There's few people that really understand and love as they should. But there's one person that you can just pour out your heart. You can tell them everything and you can know that nothing is going to change His love. The human heart craves understanding and love. We have it in Christ and He invites us to come.
Him there are times when we are specially brought to feel our need of Him, but let us never neglect of this time alone with the Lord. We do need to get into His presence and as the scripture says, pour out your hearts before Him. I love that expression. There's few people that you can pour out your heart to. There's few people that really understand and love as they should, but there's.
Person that you can just pour out your heart, you can tell them everything and you can know that nothing is going to change His love. The human heart craves understanding and love. We have it in Christ and He invites us to come to Him and to pour out our hearts. Well, there needs to be that time of the closet prayer, did I say? Also, there needs to be that communion with Him so that at any moment a situation arises.
We can just turn to him. There's a lovely example of this with Nehemiah. He was in the court of the king, and the king noticed that he was sad, and he was afraid just what would happen, because it wasn't right in those times to be sad in the presence of the king. And so the king asked him a question. He said, why is thy countenance sad? And if he realized that this was important, that he gave the right kind of answer.
He also realized that God had to touch the heart of that great monarch or he might be very angry. And so when the king asked him a question, before he answered the question, we read these words in Nehemiah chapter 1. So I prayed to the God of heaven, and I said to the king, isn't that lovely? The king asked a question before he answered the question. He was in the attitude of prayer and he just looked up and I don't.
Whether his lips moved, I don't suppose they did, but something went up from his heart to the Lord, asking him just to help him to say the right thing and to dispose the heart of this great king. And God did it while I was praying without ceasing. Seek to walk. Let us seek to walk in the attitude that we cannot at any moment, and just look up for that grace to help in time of need. We're invited to do this to come.
Under the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to health in time of need. We're invited, I say. And then there is the Assembly prayer meeting we read there in the 12TH chapter of Acts.
That too, had been taken out of their company and put in prison. James had been killed, and Peter was not yet killed, but they were afraid that Herod was going to put him to death. So what did the Saints do?
Well, they gathered together in prayer. I don't believe that this means that they only had a prayer meeting when there was something special, because it says in the second of Acts they continued steadfastly in fellowship and in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers. But I think it shows us that there was assembly prayer and there were special requests.
At the Assembly prayer meeting and this special request was in connection with Peter.
All perhaps I hear someone say, but the prayer meeting isn't what it should be. Where I live there are not many common. There doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm. Well, I think it's very wonderful, dear friends, that this one example God gives us of assembly prayer. As there wasn't very much enthusiasm there, they were actually surprised when their prayer got answered. When Peter came and stood before the gate, they didn't even believe.
God had answered their prayer. What an encouragement to go on with a prayer meeting even though it isn't just what it should be. God heard the prayer even though there was a lack in that company that gathered to present their request to Him. Isn't this an encouragement to us? Then? Let's not forget them that we need prayer in these three different ways in our life. We need it constantly. We need that prayer in the closet. We need.
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Prayer in any given time where a situation arises and we need the assembly prayer meeting.
When I won't turn just now, but I'll just mention what I read in first John chapter 3.
That's been a real encouragement to me because we noticed two different conditions that are spoken of there. It says if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. And then it says if our heart condemneth not, then have we confidence toward God.
It's a lovely thing to think of what prayer really is. Mr. Darby made the comment. It's been helpful to me. Perhaps it will be to you. He said prayer is based on the privilege of having common interests with God. Isn't that a lovely thought in connection with prayer? That is, God brings our hearts into fellowship with him so that we have common interests. He has certain interests in this world and he delights to bring our hearts.
Into fellowship with him we all know it in a natural way some friend that we can talk things over with and that friend knows us well enough to make a request and know that it would be our pleasure to do what they desire. All brethren, it's a wonderful thing to think of this that we can actually walk closely to the Lord on how the confidence that he delights to come in and answer those things that.
He Himself has laid upon our hearts. This is very blessed. But is that the only prayer that He answers? No. We noticed in the 12TH of Acts there was a lack of confidence. Still the Lord answered the prayer. Well, it says in that passage that we read in first John three, it says there.
If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Let me illustrate it like this. Perhaps I have a willful son. He doesn't desire my company. Yet I'm very pleased that He comes to me one day, feels His need of me, and makes a request.
He doesn't have much confidence about whether I'm going to grant him the request, but when he makes that request, it touches my heart and I think, would it be good for him to do this for him? I'm not thinking about whether he has enough confidence or not. I'm thinking about whether it's good for him to grant what he has asked for. And so perhaps after he's asked me two or three times.
And I let him ask a few times, hoping he'll realize that there just isn't the fellowship there should be.
Between US. And then I say, well, I'm going to do it for him. Perhaps he'll understand how much I love him. Isn't it blessed to know that God answers. He's greater than our heart. He knows what's good for us. Your Father knows what things ye have made of before you ask him. So I believe we could say that confidence in prayer is the result of obedience and communion. But God answers prayer according to his own heart.
He knows what's best for us, but it is nice to walk so close to Him that we have that confidence which He alone can give in connection with prayer.
Well, then we have the assembly that has been spoken of a bit, but I'd like to just turn to Matthew chapter 18, Matthew chapter 18, and verse 20.
Over two or three are gathered together in my name. There am I in the midst of them.
We turn also to the second chapter of Acts, the 2nd chapter of Acts.
And the last part of the last verse, And the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved.
One more passage in two. Peter, Pardon me. First Peter chapter 5. First Peter chapter 5 and verse 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.
Well, it's a very blessed thing that God has provided his assembly here upon earth.
You know how many Christians, when they're first saved, they have the joy of salvation, and then somehow they seem to feel that they have to look around and try everything before they can finally decide where they would desire to be identified, where they would desire to have fellowship.
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But isn't it a very lovely thing that it tells us in Matthew 18 that Christ is the gathering Center for his people? And you know, I believe that when a person is saved, if immediately he would desire to define where the Scripture would lead him to be in fellowship with the people of God, what a blessing it would be.
So many are carried about with every wind of doctrine.
Before the at all acquainted with the scriptures, they start to go all over as though without knowing God's word, they would be able to discern of where God would have them to go. Well, we know that when the Lord spoke about preparing the Passover and in that spot He instituted the Lord's Supper, the disciples didn't seem to think about just trying to see if they could find a room in Jerusalem.
Instead, they said.
Lord, where wilt thou that we prepare? And so there may be some young people or older ones, perhaps visitors who have come in here and you say, well, I just go around to all the different places and I try to pick the good out of each place. Well, God has a scriptural ground of gathering. It tells us the Lord added to the church daily.
Such as should be saved as I is. And the people didn't join the church. The Lord added them. And when one is saved, it's a work of God to add them by the Spirit to the assembly. Sometimes people say, well, how do people join your group? Well, how often say like this? We don't, we don't receive them to become part of the church. We don't desire to receive them unless they're part of the church.
Before we receive them, we receive them because they're already part of the Church, and we receive them to give expression to that truth in the breaking of bread. As it says, we being many, are one bread, one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread. There is one body, and we're told to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Well, how lovely it is that we have direction in God's Word. And my earnest desire is that everyone who has received the Lord is His Savior would turn to this blessed book to find direction from God as to how He has instructed us to meet together because we have His own precious Word and that when gathered by His Spirit to Christ.
There the Lord is in the middle. Oh, isn't this very lovely and slowly fine?
That as the Lord added to the church, but as they assembled in His name, there His presence was in the midst. Now we know that everyone in the whole area here, the whole city of Los Angeles, and through this whole area, everyone who has personally received the Lord Jesus as His Savior is indwelled with the Spirit of God, is united to every other believer on earth and to Christ ahead in glory.
Is there a scriptural way to give it?
Expression to this Well, I believe the Word of God gives us plenty of instruction if we are willing to follow His Word. But if we decide that we're going to visit every place in the whole community and try and find out for ourselves where we would best like to be, can we say that we're directed by His Word? Well, May God just speak to each one of our hearts, that we may realize that there is only one church.
Toes of true believers indwelled by the Spirit, whom the Lord has added to His church, who are baptized by 1 Spirit into one body, and that God has instituted in His Word a scriptural way that we can meet in His name, and where He says He will be in the midst.
And I read the other passage in First Peter chapter 5. A little word for myself and for all of us here who take any part in the meeting.
What an important thing that we should desire to feed the flock of God. Now that is the character of the meaning when we come together to be over the word is that our soul should be fed, and that each one of us who take any part in the meeting think about this. How are we feeding the flock of God? Are we helping them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of their Lord and Savior?
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I've often said when we come.
To the meeting to be over God's word. It ought to be just life. When we went downstairs today, we went down and there was the food set before us. We enjoyed it and we got up and we all said, well, we had something good today. We were all fed well. This should be the way the assembly is and let each one who takes part in the assembly remember that this is the place where the lambs and flock of the lambs of.
Lack of God should be fed now, Paul charged the elders in the 20th chapter of Acts. Feed the flock of God, which is among you, which he hath purchased with his own blood. In the Old Testament the Lord said, when his people had neglected him, he said he desired that there. He said, Prove me now herewith. He desired that there would be food in his house, so that he could bless.
And and nourish his people.
Well, well, may we each who have any part in the responsibilities of God's assembly remember, it isn't just a discussion that might, what shall I say, enlighten our minds merely, but feed our souls that we'd come away feeling that we have learned something more of our precious Savior and of the truth in which He would have us to walk.
So we have then God's assembly, and then we have fellowship. Let's turn to the second chapter of Acts.
Again, 2nd chapter of Acts.
And the.
42nd verse. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.
You also turn back with me, please, to Psalm 119.
Psalm 119 and verse 63.
I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
And then one more passage in first John chapter 1 and verse 7.
First John chapter 1 and verse 7. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. Well, this is another thing, one of the pillars, one thing that we feel the need of. We do feel the need of fellowship. How we have enjoyed the privilege of fellowship here together. What a joy it is to meet our brethren and to share.
In some measure, those common things that we enjoy in Christ, and to be able to do things together and sing together. Oh, this is part of fellowship in our lives. Sometimes when we meet people, they say, with whom do you fellowship? Well, I think that passage that I read in the second of Acts perhaps would be a little guide for us. It says they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and.
We have spoken of the truth of God's word, the apostles doctrine of that which we could speak of as church truth, and that that God has given to us now in Christianity. And if we are exercised to be in the place where they are gathered according to His Word, where the apostles doctrine is held, where the apostles doctrine is the ground upon which they meet.
Well, then, we are brought into a fellowship.
And the word fellowship, Simply put, means common thought. How can I go along and say go to some place and maybe they teach that you could be saved and then lost again. Maybe I go to another place and they teach that sad doctrine that has come in in many places that allow our Lord Jesus Christ did not sin. They say He could have sinned, though he didn't.
And how can I say I can have fellowship with those who deny?
In this measure the apostles doctrine. Well, I believe that God has formed in His Word a ground on which we can have fellowship, and the fellowship is on the ground of holding the apostles doctrine. This is what bound these together, and it says they were together. It was 1 heart and one soul. Great grace was upon them all.
Well, how lovely that there is such a way that we can have fellowship for a privilege.
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Because you know, when we start seeking fellowship with those who deny or have departed from part of the truth of God were in danger, it isn't the kind of fellowship that God commands. It says if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. That's where we're brought. We're brought into the light. We're brought into a place where we're perfectly suited for God's presence. We're fitted for this kind of fellowship.
One with another and with God's Son. What a privilege then fellowship is.
And then that verse in the 119th Psalm. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. I believe, dear young people especially, this is a very important verse for us.
You know, you may meet many friends and you really couldn't say of them that they're walking in the fear of God. You couldn't say of them that they're really seeking to walk in obedience to the word. They may be associated with those who are so gathered. They may have been, as we might say, brought up in the meeting. But there's a solemn word in the in the Proverbs that says.
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation.
And assembly. And that is you can come and meet other young people who perhaps are not walking in the fear of God. They're not seeking to go on with the Lord. And I just pass on this little word to you. Be careful of those whom you choose to be your companions. Do they fear the Lord? Do they seek to walk in obedience to His Word?
Someone was engaged to be married and someone made the comment, well is the boy that she's going to be?
Mary really desire us to please the Lord. Yes, we desire that. We desire that for you, dear young people, that the friends that you choose, the friends that you count, your companions, are ones who truly fear the Lord, ones who seek to walk in obedience to His Word. And that is part of the fellowship to which we're brought. We do need friends. We need friends with whom we can sort of communicate.
And youth communicates better with youth. As we get into middle age, we communicate better with our own age. And perhaps as we get older we need those with whom we can communicate well. Let's just be a little careful as to the fellowship that we choose. First of all, advise according to truth, and that is the apostles doctrine and fellowship. And that we also remember that even although we have been brought into that.
Path, we need to each one be exercised. Are we walking in the fear of the Lord? Are we keeping His precept? Is this the kind of friendships that we are choosing? Well, the Lord's blessing follows in this. Now these are the pillars. And when God mingles wine, when He gives us, shall I say a priest, it's a real peace.
All to walk in God's ways is really a happy path. Well, let us just pass.
Let's speak just a little bit of service now, because there is a service for us to do. Let's turn to the first chapter of Acts.
And the eighth verse. But ye shall receive power after that. The Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
And then, if you'll turn over, please, to Galatians chapter 6 and verse 4.
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another, for every man shall bear his own burden. You remember how when the Levites were taken in place of the first born, they represented the redeemed out of Israel, and they were brought to Aaron, and Aaron appointed to each one his service, and to each one his burden. And just like when.
Causeth was saved. He said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And that is, he recognized that there was something that the Lord had for him to do. And when the Lord saved us, it's true, He has in grace given us the privilege of being gathered to his name, worshippers around himself. But there is a service in this world, the Lord Jesus said.
As my father has sent me, Even so send by you.
And we are witnesses here in this world. Let us not forget the privilege that we have of seeking to bring Christ before others who don't know Him. He could have saved souls without us, but He designs to use us. And He gives us the privilege in this world of being witnesses for Him, not in our own strength. Perhaps you say, well, I just couldn't speak to anybody.
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The Lord Jesus said, Ye shall receive power, ye shall receive power.
And the power for testimony is the Holy Spirit of God and he will enable each one of us to do that little service that he has for us to fulfill. And in Galatians it says that every man prove his own work and sometimes said, I believe there are people who go all through life and never discover what the Lord really wanted them to do. I believe it's a sad loss Paul had to say about our kippeth take heed to.
Ministry that thou has received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it. And I say to each one, and especially to the young people here this afternoon, just like those Levites were brought to Aaron, so the Lord has some place for you to fulfill. It's a place that He has specially for you. There was no duplication. Each one had his service, each one had his burden. The Lord appoints to each one.
A service, and it says that let every man prove his.
Where command shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. And that is, you can be very happy at the work that other people do, that there is a sweet peace in your soul of finding what the Lord wants you to do and doing it all. There's a real joy in this. He's a blessed Master to serve, I can tell you that.
He will fill your heart with rejoicing if someone said there's no joy to be compared with the joy of leading someone else to know your Savior. And I believe that this is true. It is a real joy and the Lord has something for each one to do. 1 souls and other reaps. Each one has their part and I just would urge upon you to ask the Lord of the harvest, what place does he have for you?
To fulfill, be like Saul of Tarsus and say, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Perhaps you say, I'm afraid to ask him. It might be something hard. Well, the Lord said to Paul, I'll show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And sometimes the path may be difficult, but all he'll never forsake you in the past, As one servant said, he sometimes got weary in the past, but never got weary of it. No, he's such a blessed servant to such a blessed.
Master that his service is perfect liberty. Every man shall bear his own burden. Every one of those Levites was carrying something. Some boards, some pins, some were carrying the holy vessels. Each one had a service and a burden. We need to remember this.