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A village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem, about 3 score furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass that while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself, drew near, and went with him. But their eyes were holding, that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that you have one to another as you walk? And are said? And one of them, whose name was Cleopas answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem? And hast thou not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
And he said to them what things, when they said unto him, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet, mighty indeed, and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our Brewers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted it had been here which should have redeemed Israel. And besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yeah, And certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the Sepulchre, and when they found not his body.
They came saying they have had also seen a vision of angels which said that he was alive.
And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it Even so, as the women had said. But him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken, ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them, and all the scriptures of things concerning himself, and they drew nigh unto this village, whether they went, And he made as though he would have gone further.
But they constrained him, saying, abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them, and it came to pass as he sat at meet with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and break and gave to them, and their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us, by the way, And while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 11 gathered together, and them that were with them.
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, peace be unto you. But they were terrified, and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are you troubled? And why your thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that is I myself handle me, and see, for spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have.
And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have you here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them, and he sent it to them. These are the words which I spake unto you, while it was wet yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.
And said unto them, Thus it is written, And thus it behoove Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witness of these things. And behold, I send a prophetess of my father unto you, But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them, and it came to pass. While he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Well, yesterday we spoke of the wonderful.
Truth of resurrection.
And it's interesting to realize that when it comes to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the whole Trinity was involved, as the Trinity is always involved in everything that God does. I say that because we mentioned yesterday that on the one hand God raised him from the dead. We find 2. The Lord spoke of taking his own, giving his own life and taking it back. We had that in John 10.
It also tells us he was put to death in the flesh quickened by the Spirit. So the Spirit of God was involved in the resurrection. But whenever there's a work of God, the enemy is right there, isn't he?
In fact, I suppose perhaps when we see opposition by the enemy, it is in one sense of proof that the Spirit of God is working, because the enemy does not like to see a work of God and the Saints of God.
00:05:10
Going on encouraged and strengthened in the truth and that's what we find here, don't we? It's wonderful event has just taken place. It's been confirmed to the women and to Peter and John and so on. And now we find these two and they're going away from Jerusalem in discouragement and maybe there's someone here this morning and you've come to these meetings and you're feeling pretty discouraged. You're just feeling weary with the.
Circumstances of life.
You just find it sometimes hard to rest on the word of God and the promises of God and so on. But I think as we go down through these verses, we're going to see again a wonderful work of the Lord Jesus in drawing near with these ones, bringing the scriptures before them, opening their understanding, encouraging their hearts so that in the end there was restoration and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And so be encouraged. Maybe you do feel discouraged. Maybe you're just weary with life.
But there's the grace of God to restore, and the Lord Jesus wants to speak to each one of us today, wants us to feel His presence, and He wants our hearts to burn within us so that there will be a return of in restoration.
Discouragement always comes. I think we can all realize this discouragement comes when we are expecting something that does not happen.
Sometimes we expect things from one another.
And it doesn't happen.
And I suppose, as was partly true in this case, and was true even in the Old Testament, with a man like Elijah.
He expected something from the Lord.
And it didn't happen.
But whenever we feel discouraged.
We can be very sure that God's purposes have not changed.
Either and we had this yesterday, either for the glory of His beloved Son or for our blessing.
We often get ideas into our own heads and certain things that we would like to see happen, and I suppose there isn't anyone here who hasn't at least had that experience to some extent.
But.
An old brother long since with the Lord, used to make this remark. I never forgot it, he said. A truly humble believer is never discouraged.
I had to let that one sink in for a while. I must confess, a truly humble believer is never discouraged. Why is that? Because a truly humble believer.
Looks to the Lord for everything, realizing first of all that he deserves nothing. All is of the grace of God, and secondly that God is willing to bless.
And so these two, dear believers, and they were there aren't they aren't particularly, not much said about them as to their background or anything, but they were believers. But they were looking for that long cherished hope of the deliverance for Israel.
Those glorious prophecies in the Old Testament that foretold A Messiah who would come in and drive out their enemies and set up the Kingdom.
And when that all to their eyes fell flat, what's left? But how wonderful.
The Lord had much more for them through the work of the cross than an earthly Kingdom.
He had much more for them than that which had initially discouraged them.
And yet how beautiful to see that he follows them in their pathway away from Jerusalem, which was the wrong way to go in order to restore their souls in a marvelous way.
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We often fail and recognize in the enormous reading about.
The things sometimes at the cross is the center of two eternities.
I think it's fair to say, isn't it, that the cross is the greatest event, as I've often said in the annals of eternity. That's true. But on the other hand, many men have died martyr deaths, haven't they? Not one of those men has risen from the dead, with one exception. That's the Lord Jesus Christ, and that makes all the difference. So the Lord Jesus was a martyr, but he was more than that. His death is not only a martyr's death, is all these other men we've spoken about, but his death was an atoning death.
And that's proved by the resurrection, isn't it? He defeated the powers of sin.
And death and hell. And that's proved by the resurrection. I wanted to read in the chapter that continues on with our chapter would be the first chapter of Acts. There's there's an expression there that's very powerful, I believe. Acts chapter one and verse 3.
It says speaking about the Apostles to whom after he showed himself, that's the Lord showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them 40 days and Speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Well, I like that expression, many infallible proofs.
The resurrection isn't just a theory, is it?
It's not just an idea, but we have from Scripture itself that there are many infallible proofs that prove the resurrection of God. It's an enormous event.
The again, the cross would have limited meaning without the resurrection. The cross is the center of two eternities, but the resurrection proves that it was more than a martyrs death. It was that, but it was also an atoning death. And in the third chapter of Revelation we have the expression Speaking of the Lord Jesus that He's the beginning of the creation of God. A whole new creation began with the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, didn't it?
I like to think about these verses here, this portion in this way, it's not only what the Lord did, but it's the way that He did it. We see here.
So beautifully how that he first of all went with them, he went after them.
The Lord has a care for his sheep and it's an example for us.
To have care one for another.
And you notice, you notice the little few words that the Lord said.
He didn't talk very much. He went with them, he drew them out.
In verse.
17 You have 18 words that he said.
What manner of communications are these that you have one with another as you walk in our set?
Why? What was he doing? He was drawing them out.
He first of all went with them.
So they responded.
And then he says in verse 19 two words what things?
He draws them out.
And it's not until we get down to a vote, verse 25, that he opens up, and I think brethren, that.
It's an example for us.
Christ left us an example that we should follow His steps.
I'm sure glad you brought that out, Brother Dave, because it is so necessary, isn't it? I would suggest here that the Lord shows us the real character of the gift of a pastor.
Many years ago, a brother said to another brother, What's the difference between an evangelist and a pastor?
And the answer was, well, the evangelist speaks 90% and listens 10%.
00:15:01
But the pastor ought to listen 90% and speak 10%.
Well, that may be a little exaggerated, but.
As you say, Brother Dave, the Lord listened carefully. Did he know their state of soul? Did he know their problem? As a divine person? He knew it already, But he let them talk themselves out, Let them tell them what was on their hearts, what their difficulty was.
And only then did he start to speak to to meet that need.
So it's a very practical lesson for us, isn't it, that if someone is in difficulty, we need to spend a lot of time listening first before we try to be a help to them.
We often see to this little motto on the walls of our homes Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But I wonder too if we really realize the import of a statement like this, especially in the context in which we find it. Because as we have been saying, these two were discouraged. They didn't understand. They were expecting, as Brother Bill said, something that they realized wasn't going to happen at that time.
They thought it was he that was going to restore the Kingdom to Israel. They thought they were going to get out from under the yoke of Roman rule. They thought there was going to be the, the, the, the Lord Jesus was going to be their king and there was going to be great blessing. So they're discouraged. They're going the wrong direction, as has been said. But isn't it beautiful to see that Jesus himself drew near and went with them? You know, in the Old Testament and on other occasions, the Lord sent angels.
And various servants to give a word of rebuke and encouragement and comfort.
He didn't do that here, did he? He didn't send someone else. He didn't send an Angel. Jesus himself drew near and went with them. And he has been said. He spoke very little and he listened to what they had to say. But I just want to say this in a practical way. You know, sometimes we pray and I know what we mean. We pray and ask the Lord to be with us. Brethren, I don't believe we need to pray that prayer as much as we need to pray.
And ask the Lord that we would be walking in such a way.
That we would have a sense of the Lord's presence with us. One of the last words the Lord said to the disciples in Matthew was and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age in Hebrews. It tells us I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. I've enjoyed it in the life of Jonah as well. You know, Jonah in disobedience it says he rose up to flee from the presence of the Lord.
Very solemn statement. But you know, as you read that first chapter of Jonah, you find the Lord didn't forsake Jonah. Jonah didn't have a sense of the Lord's presence as he as he fled and went down and got into a ship and went down into the hold of the ship and was fast asleep. But the Lord was with Jonah and working and eventually used the Mariners to wake him up and turn him around. He turned him around and so on. And so the Lord is always with us. When I, when you get up in the morning, pray that again that you will walk in a way that you will enjoy the Lord's presence that day. We don't always enjoy His presence, but he said it says he drew near and went with them.
Understand who it was at first. Know they had no idea or sense of who it was, but he was with them. And brethren, whether we're discouraged or not, he's always with us and he's there to work. So our hearts will eventually burn within us and there will be a turn around.
I.
You mentioned yesterday.
This chapter spans the 40 days between the Lord drug rested in this session.
I've enjoyed a verse in Athlete this summer. We have time. I can just read Ezekiel 34 verse.
11 or 12 as a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep.
That are scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. Verse 15 I'll feed my flock, and I'll cause him to lie down, say at the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick.
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I know this has reference to a future day, but I believe there was a preview of that in those forty days, and whether it was Mary of Magdalene who just had a broken heart and needed that heart restored, or whether it was Thomas who was doubting.
Whether it was Peter who was carrying that load of guilt having denied the Lord Jesus.
Or these two on the way to Emmaus or many others.
Believe the Lord Jesus was engaged in his shepherd's heart and care for his own, those sheep that had been scattered when he had been smitten.
And he. He.
Has that divine wisdom, doesn't he? To each one of them is different in the way that he interacted with them. But all of them had this in common, that they needed to see him. They needed to have their eyes directed to him.
Well, as so often happens here.
And it mentions it in verse 15.
Human reasoning took the place of divine revelation, didn't it?
That was really the problem.
Because all these things that had happened were there in the Old Testament scriptures.
As someone has said, the glories of the coming Kingdom.
So dazzled the eye of the godly Jew that he failed to see.
The necessity for the cross. And yet it was all there in the Old Testament. And the Lord brings it out, doesn't he, as he goes all the way from the beginning, and in the Scriptures shows them the things concerning Himself.
We thank God for reasoning powers. We need them.
They're very good in our everyday lives, and God never despises reason. And we might mention, and it is nothing new, that there is nothing in the word of God that is contrary to sound reason.
But there are many, many things that are beyond reason, and what they were talking about here was reasoning in natural things, reasoning with their natural minds, and perhaps using as a basis some things that they thought they knew.
But divine revelation had given them much, much more which they were ignoring. And often we need to be brought back to that, don't we? Because.
The Lord says, back in the 119th Psalm in our King James. It says, I hate vain thoughts, but my law do I love.
Our brother, Harry Hayhoe used to remind us that that word vain was added by the translators.
Said it should read. I hate thoughts, but they law do I love not meaning that we shouldn't use our human mind in natural things and our reasoning powers. It's very valuable, but when it comes to the things of the Lord.
Much is beyond reason, and it has to be accepted by faith. And so that was really, I suppose, the root of the problem here, wasn't it? Things hadn't worked out the way they expected.
I admit that I have had that experience and felt very down, but then we need to get on God's side of things and to see that.
Reason will never bring me into the greatest blessings that God has given. It comes through divine revelation and must be accepted by faith.
Need a little bit of progression here in.
The.
On the same path.
They were sad.
And that sadness, not that sadness, is wrong in certain aspects of our lives, in connection with the loss of loved ones and so on, but it when it comes to our general demeanor in our Christian pathway, we ought to be happy Christians, Paul said. Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, but when we are going in the wrong direction.
00:25:19
When our human reason comes in, when we commune about it and try to figure it out by talking to one another about it, it's only going to bring in sadness and discouragement. And that kind of sadness and sadness and certainly discouragement, never comes from the Lord. If you're discouraged this this morning, you didn't get that from the Lord. You got that somewhere else. Just say this too, as little parentheses. In that connection, I've often wondered if that really isn't the present application.
Of the roaring lion character of Satan for us, you know, usually when we think of Satan as a roaring lion, as is brought out in First Peter, we think of it in connection with physical persecution and adversity. And certainly that has been true, and he is still true today of many of our brethren. In other parts of the world, they're facing the Roaring roaring lion character of Satan in that way.
But what about a present application for you and for me? I suggest that the present application for you and for me today in a country like this is the roaring lion character of Satan is discouragement. That's what Satan is walking about seeking to do. He wants to discourage the people of God. He wants to dishearten us, and he wants to wear down and weary the Saints of God. And what is? What does he use to do it?
One of his great tactics is the tactic of unbelief. You know, it's really the sin in Hebrews 12 That so easily besets us. It's unbelief. And when unbelief comes in, then reason comes in as well. And it's interesting here that as a result of what they were doing, as you have mentioned Brother Doug, notice what they say in verse 19 when they speak to the Lord Jesus not realizing who he is.
And he said unto them, what things? And they said unto him, concerning Jesus of Nazareth. Now notice this, which was a prophet mighty indeed, and word before God and all the people Now that was true. But he was far, far more than that. They had lost sight of the fact that he was the Son of God.
He wasn't just a man. He wasn't just a prophet, mighty in Word. Indeed, he was the Son of God and brethren. When we lose sight of who the Lord Jesus really is, then we're going to get discouraged too. Or we can allow discouragement and unbelief to cause us to lose sight of who he really is. He was far, far more than who they said here.
The whole time this is going on.
God would review his purposes at the self occur, it says the same day. At the same time I'm discouraged. God is working in the soul of another.
And I could partake in that and enjoy that same blessing, if I would have it.
And like you say in verse 19, the things they say about the person of Christ is exactly what the multitude said. The Lord asked what it was. What did men say that I am? So while you're a prophet, you're a great man, All these kinds of things. Jesus of Nazareth was not a term that the believers used, The disciples used it was. It was what? It was the expression of unbelief.
Ask What is the remedy for a person that finds themselves down in that wallow of discouragement? What do they do?
Well, we see here what the Lord Jesus did, didn't he? What did he do? He brought before them himself from the word of God. And I would say if there's a discouraged Christian here, what you need to do is get into the word of God and to see Christ on every page of God's word. What a wonderful exposition it must have been as they walked along and the Lord Jesus opened the scriptures, the Old Testament Scriptures.
And he presented himself, because what is it that our hearts need to either restore us or to keep us burning with fervency for himself? It's Christ. It's the person of the Lord Jesus. And so he opens the scriptures. Just a little challenge to my own soul, and perhaps it will challenge yours at the beginning of the day when you're about to step out into a world that still hates the person of Christ.
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And as you're about to step into a world where, whether you're in school or business, it's going to take everything you have to keep on track and to go through your studies in the business world and so on to keep afloat. Do you open the word of God before you step out of your room or out of your door and enjoy something of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ? I suggest that if you don't, you're going to make yourself open and vulnerable for discouragement that day.
Because there's nothing in this world to encourage.
And there's nothing in the first man to encourage. It's all what we have in Christ, and it's all here in the Scriptures. But read this blessed book, meditate on it, let it burn into your soul. And I say again, see Christ on every page of this book, Old Testament, New Testament, many things about his person and work, many aspects, the types and shadows, the pictures, the figures, his life.
In the Gospels, what we have in Christ in the Epistles.
What's ahead in a coming day Day of glory for the Lord Jesus in in Revelation and prophetic scriptures. But really again I say what we need is Christ before our souls and how are we going to get it? It's this book. Do you have a thought too, Bruce?
Yes, I have the exact same thought I was.
You know when a pump loses its ability to pump, say, water?
We say, oh, it's sucking air, you got to go deal with it, right?
And the pump, certain types of pumps you got to go re prime them.
When you get discouraged, you're not going to open the scriptures and find instant joy.
I think of the 16th Psalm in the verse.
Verse 8 which is the almost exact description of what Brother Jim has just put before us. Verse eight I have set the Lord always before me.
There's no feelings there.
There's not even an immediate response.
That's something you can do. Whether you're cold or discouraged, you can consciously set the Lord before yourself re prime that pump and what happens.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Was he not there before, as Jim has said?
I agree.
I'm with you always. All of a sudden there's more of a sense of the Lord's presence. He is at my right hand. I shall not be moved. It brings confidence, brings assurance and doesn't stop there. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices and so on. So I think this is a very helpful, practical thing. I've had to do it myself at times.
You know, I remember Mr. Lundin, someone said. How do I gain more appetite for the scriptures?
He had those succinct answers, he said. Read it.
And so it is prime, the pump. You get young people, you know, they like to exercise, you get busy, you get out of shape say, oh, I'm going to go for a jog and get to get some exercise. So it's not very comfortable when you first start back out is it feels like your lungs are going to fall out. But that's the priming of the pump. And spiritually it can be the same set the Lord before yourself and it's going to bring confidence and assurance and eventually happiness.
Let me repeat a little illustration that I've sometimes used in connection with what Bruce has just said, because maybe there's a young person here who says I don't have an appetite for the word of God. I open it and I I struggle. And I I I I force myself to read a portion, but I really don't have an appetite for it. I realize I've used this illustration many times, but when I was a boy growing up, I really didn't like vegetables.
And especially things that were green. And one of the vegetables I particularly abhorred in my youth was peas. Green peas. Well, mother always told me you can refuse those things at home, perhaps, but when you're out you're going to have to eat everything that's put before you. Well, having traveled amongst my brethren for a number of years, I find that often the vegetable that's served is green peas, and I've had to eat green peas on a regular basis.
00:35:10
Over the last few years. But having done that, I have developed a real appetite for them, and I will even take a second helping if they're offered. Why? Because with constant eating of something that I initially didn't have an appetite for, I've developed an appetite for it naturally. And maybe you do have to force yourself to read a portion of God's Word. But do it.
Develop the habit and you'll find without even realizing it. If you develop that habit, you will develop an appetite for it, and you will eventually find yourself delving more into the word of God, getting out some resources and doing some little study and so on. And you look back and say, wow, I've developed an appetite for something that originally I had to really discipline myself to take up.
And so it's important, isn't it, to develop that appetite. It's like exercise. It takes energy as Bruce has said and maybe at first you you don't really appreciate having to get up a little earlier and going and getting a little X bodily exercise. Well, in divine things it's the same way we need to develop that exercise. And remember, just like natural exercise, it takes energy and diligence and discipline.
Some brother was going to make a remark over here. I had wondered if someone could speak to the difference between discouragement because of unbelief.
And the groanings which the people of God feel, and I'm sure there's many in this room that feel groanings that we have in.
Enrollment jobs of Asian and there is a revenue because we don't always know what to say.
The Spirit makes intercession and the Lord Jesus on Christian for us. God is for us.
Appearing in the presence of God for us.
Perhaps the difference?
And the buildings would be.
That's a very good point, brother Gordon, and I would suggest that.
There is a very big difference.
From that quotation from our written ministry, that shocked me when I read it and it was at least 40 or 50 years ago, the brother said. I can honestly say that in my lifetime of serving the Lord, I have never been discouraged.
And I read it again. I thought, I don't believe I'm reading this.
But it's there. I have never been discouraged, he said. I have been.
Very, very burdened at times. I have grown too many times. I have shed tears, but I can honestly say I have never been discouraged.
It shows, I believe, the difference between discouragement and groaning, because.
Groaning is the feeling of things as God feels them.
Does the Spirit of God groan as we get in Romans 8? Are there groanings that cannot be uttered? Yes, there are.
Does the whole creation groan and travel in pain together until now? Yes, it does. Does the heart of God feel that? Yes, indeed he does.
A brother pointed out once, he said we say there will not be tears in heaven, but he said I believe when the Lord Jesus goes through.
All of.
Those, if we could use the term thoughts and feelings and tears as his earthly people, his beloved earthly people go through that awful time called the tribulation, he said. I believe you and I as his bride will be able to go through all that in sympathy with him. And he said I wouldn't be surprised if we shed tears as well. There will be a time when they're wiped away, of course.
But groaning is feeling the condition of things in this world and in and among the Church of God, as God feels it.
00:40:03
Discouragement.
Is really, if I'm honest with myself, thoughts and feelings in my own heart that are rising up and if we bring it down right to the lowest common denominator, it is really saying Lord.
This is not fair. This shouldn't have happened that way. I don't deserve this.
Why did not need this in my life? It should have worked out differently.
I could not have written what that dear brother wrote.
Maybe he had a little bit of a memory lapse. Maybe he had been discouraged at some point in the past, but.
Does that commend itself, Gordon? Would you see it that way?
And in one sense, if I could carry this on, although it's not particularly part of Lukes Gospel chapter 24.
Perhaps one of the highest.
Shall we say, privileges that a believer can have in this world is to suffer with Christ.
In feeling the condition of things in this world and among the people of God as Christ feels them, Jim has mentioned about suffering for Christ, and we would surely not minimize that in any way. Those who are losing their lives and being tortured and being deprived of their property and imprisoned and so on.
For the name of Christ I pray for them every day.
But for you and for me, we don't have, at least for the moment.
The experience of going through that. But we can share in those sufferings, not so much for Christ, although we do suffer for him in a limited way, but suffering with Christ.
Is feeling the condition of things, and sometimes God puts us through.
An experience for no other reason.
But that, he says. I want you to feel what I feel, to see what I experienced as I walk through this world, to understand what I feel as I see that condition of things. That is a tremendous privilege, and we do groan, and there's nothing wrong with it.
Getting back to the appetite.
We just finished two weeks of speaking about diet and exercise, spiritual diet and exercise.
And.
One thing our brother Bill brought out, he emphasized on. I think just about every day that.
If you're not saved, If you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal savior.
There cannot, nor will be any appetite for the things of God.
And so.
It's very important that if you still are in your sins and have not received the Lord, you'll never be able to enter into the things of God. So you need to get that settled in your heart once and for all. And our brother Bill emphasized that just about daily. But here the very one of the last things that was brought out, and I have the pamphlet here. It's very good.
God wants to feed us and will if we ask him.
And so one of the verses that were brought out was in Second Peter 3 the last verse grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we have everything that we need in this book.
And as a brother pointed out, the more we read it, the more we're going to gain the appetite for the things of God as believers. It's all here. It's all available.
But do we really avail ourselves what God is so graciously provided? And Brother Bill, I I would really wish, if you would feel that liberty, to repeat that story about that man on the ship, about what was available to him. And it's such a great story. And if you feel at liberty, I wish you would repeat that.
Maybe some have heard it before.
00:45:02
But the story to which Virgil refers concerns a young man, and I believe I have the details right. It's not a new story. It probably occurred at least 50 and maybe more years ago.
A young man who lived in New York City.
When cruises as they are.
Known today were not so common.
And this young man had a burning desire to go on a cruise.
He had only a modest job and he had to save his money for quite a long time to be able to afford that cruise. But after some months and maybe a year or two, he saved enough money and was able to purchase a ticket for a two week cruise that left in New York City, went down and stopped at some of the Caribbean islands and perhaps in the Bahamas and Bermuda and so on, and then came back to New York.
He thoroughly enjoyed himself, the wonder of seeing the ocean all around him, the joy of visiting different ports about which he had only read and never seen before. It was all just wonderful.
But about three days before the cruise was due to be back in New York, he got into conversation with another young man on that boat, and they found they had much in common with one another.
And as they talked, the other young man suddenly looked at his watch and said, well, it's pretty close to dinner time. Would you like to join us at our table for dinner? I have a few other friends I would like to introduce you to and we can carry on our conversation.
Well, the first young man made some rather lame duck excuses and when the other young man pressed him, he finally had to say, well, you know, it took every cent I had to buy the ticket for this cruise.
And I really couldn't possibly afford the kinds of things that are on the menu in that dining room. It's just way out of my range. And I am just so happy to be on the ship and be going on this cruise. But you know, I just packed away some crackers and cheese and a few other odds and ends in my stateroom and that that's what I have been living on.
Well, you may well imagine what happened. The second young man's eyes were getting bigger and bigger, and finally he said. I can't believe this. Don't you realize that your ticket entitles you to everything on the menu? Three meals a day. You can order whatever you want. You can even have a snack between meals.
It's all included.
Well then, it was the first young man's turn for his eyes to get big.
Really. You mean I have been living on crackers and cheese for 10 days?
Oh well, as I've said before, and Needless to say, he did his best in the next three days before Port in New York to make up for lost time. But there were 10 wasted days.
The story originally came from my late father-in-law Albert Hayhoe, and his remark was, and I will give the credit where credit is due, he said.
Are there a lot of crackers and cheese Christians?
In the world today, who have such immense bounty in the word of God on which to feed, but who are content with little bits of things, perhaps, and just very happy to be on the boat.
Just as a believer knows he's going to be in heaven, knows his salvation, knows that he's not going into a lost eternity, but yet not really enjoying and having the appetite for all of those wonderful things that God has prepared for us.
I'd like to just go back for a moment to the comments in connection with groaning and.
Discouragement and so on in connection with what Brother Bill said earlier, because we find with the Lord Jesus, he himself groaned in his pathway, didn't he? It's, and it's interesting in the 11Th of John, you can look it up sometime, but when he came to Bethany into the grave of Lazarus, it records that twice. He groaned.
And I believe you learn from that that he groaned for two reasons. He groaned as he entered into the sorrow of those that had come to the grave of Lazarus, that is Mary and Martha, and those that of the Jews that had come to weep with them. And then there's another reason he groaned. He groaned as he saw and felt the effects that sin had brought into this world. And that's really part of suffering with Christ, isn't it?
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As we see the results of sin, you walk down the street and you hear the name of the Lord Jesus in vain.
Do we groan? Does that cause us to groan? Does that touch us as we stand at the grave of a loved one? Tears aren't wrong at the grave of a loved one. In fact, I've sometimes said that we actually, as believers, sorrow in a deeper way than the unbeliever, because our affections have been opened in a way that there's haven't been. But of course it's not with despair. And so the Lord Jesus in his pathway, he groaned in spirit and was troubled.
But just a little contrast to in connection with Gordon's question. We find that when the children of Israel were in ******* in Egypt, the Lord came down and he heard the groanings of the children of Israel. He heard their groanings and as a result of their groanings, he said he was going to deliver them. And he did. But later on he heard plenty of something else. He heard their murmuring and complaining. Now when it came to their groanings, he had sympathy with them.
He came in in his own time and way and delivered them, but when he heard their murmurings, it often brought down his government on their heads. He had to deal with them as as a result.
And so it's not wrong to groan has been said, we groan as we see what and feel the effects of sin in this world and the curse. But to murmur and to complain is really to blame God, isn't it? Or someone else. When the children of Israel murmured and complained, they blamed Moses or God's servants, and in the end they really were blaming God for their situation. And that is a sin, brethren, to blame God for our circumstances.
Is a sin. But to groan in those circumstances while accepting them from His loving hand that He enters into and sympathizes with us.
I have wondered. I don't ask, just a question, I've never read anything on this but.
You know how it says that?
In John's Gospel and the Lord died, it says.
And forth. So one of the soldiers took a spear, pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
And and we often speak of the blood in connection with salvation, and should always speak of it in connection with salvation.
Why is the water brought in there blood and water?
I'll I'll give you a what I have enjoyed in my soul, and I don't know if it's a prime thought or whatever, but.
A water in the Scripture does it not speak of the word of God?
Were washed.
And.
By the water of the word, it says so in the, in the.
Death of Christ.
God knew the value of the blood of Christ to wash our sins away.
And on that ground he has made provision for us.
To have food for the new life that we receive as a result of salvation.
And so, water to me, there is God's answer to me as to what I need to grow in in the new life. I like to ask if that thought commends itself.
I don't usually do this, but.
Could I ask you, brother Steve Stewart, if you could give us some thoughts on that? I appreciate.
The way you can delineate some of these thoughts, what does the water mean in?
In connection with the blood in the water from the Lord's side.
Regular that are better able, but since you put me on the spot.
I'll try.
First John Chapter 5.
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And verse 6.
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water only, but by water and blood.
His blood has met.
My sin.
Before God.
And fully satisfied God.
As to my sin and all its awfulness.
For my sin has felt it's defiled me.
I'm not only guilty before God is to my sin and its wickedness, but I'm dirty.
And and I know it.
And others know it too.
And so the water speaks of that aspect of the work of Christ.
That has cleansed me.
Not only in the sight of God, but in my own sight and in the sight of others.
And so Peter is a wonderful example of that he denied the Lord.
How could he stand up on the day of Pentecost?
And say ye have denied the just one.
Because he was clean in his own sight, and in the sight of others as well through the work of the cross.
And perhaps that's the best way I can explain it. He didn't come only in the power of the blood. That is just to put away my sin from the sight of God, but to make me clean from that guilt that I know I have and feel, and make me clean in the sight of others too.
Perhaps there's other and better thoughts, so I'll be happy to hear them.
Speaks of the judicial cleansing from the guilt of sin, as you say in the water. The moral cleansing from the defilement of sin.
Has different aspects, doesn't it? In scripture we come, we see water. In Noah's day it was judgment, wasn't it? Judgment on a guilty world. So sometimes it speaks of that. We see the rain that comes on the earth and that's a picture of the mercies of God to mankind, to the just and the unjust, the light. And of course, commonly it is used for cleansing. But there is a difference between what we have in John's Gospel and what we have, for instance in Titus, isn't there?
When it speaks about cleansing, I believe in John's gospel. John is occupied with the new life, and so I believe the moral cleansing that we have that came from the water of the Lord Jesus's side was as a result of new birth. That's how we get. That's how we get morally cleansed. But when Paul speaks about it in Titus by the washing of regeneration, he's speaking about a whole new standing before God.
What we have in Romans 512 to five, the end of chapter 8.
We no longer seen as lost and guilty sinners, but we now have a new standing before God. Not only his children, that's what new birth gives us, but his sons before God. So that's another type of moral cleansing, isn't it? And then of course we have the washing of the water of the word, which is the daily cleansing. Much like somewhat similar at least to foot washing, isn't it, that we have in.
In John 13, the Lord Jesus spoke about being washed all over. That's the initial standing change of standing, isn't it? Both as to new birth, I believe in John's Gospel because that's the what John speaks about. And by extension we could say the washing of regeneration, a whole new creation were brought into, a whole new standing were brought into. But then there's the daily cleansing and the word of God gives us that. And then the washing of the feet of course.
Is something that other brethren often do, isn't it? So it has multiple meanings. But I believe specifically in when John speaks about it. John speaks about eternal life. And so we have atonement in the blood there and John, but we also have the new birth. When Paul speaks about it. It's a little different aspect, isn't it? It's a whole new standing before God.
I know our time is almost gone, but.
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A moment go back to the thought of.
Those who are discouraged and the fact that we need to read the word of God, That is blessedly true. And whether I feel like it or not, that is the answer.
I would only point out that if it is.
You or I who are seeking to be used in blessing.
Someone, as was the case here, turning back to Luke 24.
We notice the way the Lord Jesus went about it.
He did not say.
O fools and soul of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken, go back to those Old Testament scriptures and read them again. They'll tell you why you're on the wrong course and what you need to do to straighten out.
What did he do?
He himself.
No doubt in the power of the Spirit of God.
Minister that word to them.
And in such a way.
That later on they looked at one another, they said. Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us, by the way?
I suggest simply if someone is discouraged, to tell them to go and read the scriptures. If I have no other time, maybe that's all I can say, but I just suggest you get another example. At the end of John's Gospel, here were Peter and other disciples who had gone fishing.
They had no business doing that, but when the Lord is going to restore Peter publicly?
And ultimately, bring those other disciples back into, shall we say, back into line with His thoughts, What does He do? How beautiful it is.
Builds a fire.
Nothing like a good wood fire to keep you warm.
Anyone that's been to Morningstar Camp knows how nice it is to build that fire when it's cold. Something about it that warms you up nicely. And then the Lord feeds them. He has fish already on the fire.
What does he do? Thirdly? He encourages them. He says No bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
Ye have now caught.
They'd been trying all night and caught nothing, and the Lord had to tell them where to cast the net to catch the fish. But he gives them a bit of encouragement, a bit of credit for catching those fish, and only then.
Does he open up and say?
Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, I have somewhat to say unto thee, And so on.
And so it is, I believe, in our lives sometimes, when a soul is not feeling very well spiritually.
It the food has to be broken down in a way that they can eat it.
Some here may be old enough to remember a brother, George W Jones.
And I can well remember his coming up to our area at least.
Probably 50-60 years ago and having a meeting and he had been ill in the hospital and I suppose we boys who as Canadians weren't used to his Southern accent, were just fascinated by his telling us all about that illness. And he said, and you know, in the hospital they fed me baby food.
And that baby food, he said. I normally didn't like baby food, but you know, when you put that spoon in your mouth, all you had to do was swallow it. And of course, we boys thought that was a very interesting way of talking. But I remembered the point he made.
No adult wants to eat. Baby food is a regular thing, but when he was sick, that's what he needed. He needed that food that had been pulverized and ground up in whatever way it was done in order, that all you had to do was swallow it, and there it was.
It's a good example, isn't it? The Lord Jesus made the food that was convenient for them in order that their hearts would be restored. He just didn't say in a cold, intellectual way. Well, there's the scriptures.
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You go, it's there.
He made it good to their souls and gave them such an appetite.
Unbelievable.
They turn right around and walk the 7 1/2 miles back to Jerusalem. They wanted more? Well, that's further on in the chapter.