Montreal Conference: 1974
Table of Contents
Open Mtg.
Open—W. Smith, S. Gill, J. Irvine
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General Meetings. Montreal, October 1974. Open meeting.
74.
Oh Lord, I written thy boundless love, no one reached. I would like to talk this afternoon, dear brethren, for a few minutes.
On what it is to make a choice?
I'm sure we all realize that day by day, as we go on perhaps most every moment of the day, we make choices.
We made a choice this morning as to what we were going to wear. We've made a choice of what we were going to eat.
And so on. But there are other choices.
Which are far more important than these.
And I'd like to turn to the word and to find in it.
Some who have made choices which were for their blessing, and some which were fatal.
May return to the Book of Genesis.
The 13th chapter.
Verse 7.
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle, and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdman, for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee from me. If thou will take the left hand, then I will go to the right.
Or if thou depart to the right hand, then I would go to the left.
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
Even as a garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as our cometh unto Zoar.
Then Lord chose him all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves of one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the plains of the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent towards Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. The Lord said unto Abram, After that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward, and eastward and westward, and.
For all the language thou seest, to thee will I give it.
And to thy seed forever.
We'll stop reading there for the moment.
But here we find 2 and as we find from the New Testament.
That lot was a righteous man.
Though he was not a man of faith.
But we find that there was a time when he was forced to make a choice.
Well, how sad to think that he made the choice that he did.
Abram was a man.
Who looked forward to that which God had for him?
Lot, as we gather from the scripture, was a man who followed in Abrams footsteps instead of following in faith upon the Lord.
There was a choice to be made.
And we find that Lot made the choice for his own present advantage.
That was looked at best to him here in this world.
Abram looked for a city which had foundations. His builder and maker is God.
What a wonderful difference there is between those two choices.
Refined lot going down to that which looks so pleasant.
And the expression that is given to us here as to the character of the.
Planes. That he chose, I believe, is most remarkable.
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It tells us.
That it was as a garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as out cometh as or.
Where did Lot find out what Egypt looked like?
Because he'd been down there.
And his heart had become infected with the ease and the pleasures.
Of the land of Egypt.
Which I'm sure we all understand to be that, a type of this world.
The world had gotten into his heart, and that was what he chose.
Sometimes we wonder, you know, about ourselves. How much does that which is in this world affect us?
And our desires and the choices which we make from day-to-day.
Lotto's.
That was over was for his own advantage.
And without reading any more of this particular scripture.
We know the end that tells us that he is he ****** his tent towards Sodom.
But then a little later we find that he was living in Sodom, in that city which is spoken of here.
As the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked.
There were sinners before Lord.
The character of the world today.
Sinning openly before the Lord.
What was the result?
Whole lot became very prominent in the city of Sodom.
Yes, he was a he was a judge there, but all the end of lot.
An outcast living in a cave, living out what life was left to him, living it out in a cave in shame.
And I suppose in poverty he had been rich in cattle and and so on his servants, but he ended his days living in a cave.
What about Abram?
Oh, God gave to him as we've been speaking in our reading meetings yesterday.
Of how that dear Abram was given the promise to look in every direction.
And that God would give him that, or had given to him that upon which he would put the sole of his foot.
Oh, Abram was a man of God and he made the right choice.
May we too make the right choice, as we've been reminded in our reading meetings that we have been blessed.
With every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
And we've been reminded to in particular, that it's in Christ.
May he be our object.
I'd like to turn to the Book of Numbers.
Chapter.
32.
Here we find the children of Israel.
Have come to the borders of the land of Canaan.
The land which have been given to Abraham and to his seed.
By God.
In verse one.
Now that children are Reuben and the children of God, and had a very great multitude of cattle, and when they saw the land of Jesus in the land of Gilead, that behold, a place was a place for cattle.
The children of God and the children of Reuben came, and spake unto Moses, and to Elias of the priests, and unto the Princess of the congregation, saying.
Aderoth and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimra, and Heshbon and Ellie, Igloo and Shebam and Nebo, and beyond, even the country which the Lord smoked before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and Thy servants have cattle. Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in Thy sight, let this land be given unto Thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.
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I'm sure that we have heard many times.
In the Ministry of the Word and in our reading meetings.
Now that the crossing of the Jordan.
Is a type.
Of our identification with the death of Christ.
Now these two tribes and as we find the half tribe of Manasseh as well.
They decided they were not going to cross the River Jordan.
They fell short of that.
And we've been reminded of those.
Who belong to the Lord.
That there is a place where such as ambassadors for Christ.
We are a testimony.
For Christ now, whether for good or whether it's for our shame and dishonor to the Lord is another matter.
But these are the children of Israel had no desire to inherit.
In the land that was given to Abraham.
They.
Too desire something for present advantage.
They made their choice.
And if we were to pursue the history?
Of those who stayed on the east side of Jordan, we would find it to be.
The sad history.
If my memory is right, we find that their history is that they were the first amongst the children of Israel to fall into idolatry.
They were the first among the children of Israel.
To.
It will be taken away captive by the Assyrians, the land of Gilead. Those who dwell there were taken slaves into Assyria.
But before that time, we find them here in this chapter.
That their desire seemed to be sincere.
They asked Moses for the land of Gilead.
The land of Basin and Ogden, where they had gained great victories.
They were to build their cities there. They were to dwell there and.
And there are men were even to go into the land of Canaan and fight.
Before the children of Israel to possess the land of Canaan.
But when the warfare was over.
Return to Joshua 22.
We find in Joshua 22.
That the warfare is over.
First one. Then Joshua called the river Knights and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and said to them, Ye have kept all the Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed my voice and all, and I commanded you. Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but we kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God.
Now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them. Now therefore return ye, and get you under your tension, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord, gave you on the other side, Jordan.
Verse 10.
And when they came under the borders of Jordan?
That are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gandh, and the half tribe of Manasseh built there and altered by Jordan a great altar to see to.
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You know it's good for you and me.
We've been reminded of this to today and yesterday.
To have Christ as our object.
All that we have.
Is through him and in him.
I hear those who have fell short.
In their hearts of that desire to have that which they might have had.
Of Christ that is in tight.
Now they're going back to the place of their own choice.
And in order.
To keep.
Their hearts, as they thought, in the right place.
They had to build something to remind them that they were not in the land of Canaan, they were not in the land of God's choice.
But they wanted something to remind them of it.
Oh, is it that way with some of us here? That instead of having Christ?
In our hearts.
That we like to have that which will remind us of Christ rather than Christ himself.
Oh, there's a difference, you know.
And that's where much.
Of President has where it has fallen today they have that which will remind them.
Of Christ.
Without having himself in the midst.
How happy we were this morning to have the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst.
To remember him.
In all that he went through, all this sorrow that he went through.
For you and for me.
He was present here this morning.
But there are many.
Of God's dear people who are starved because they don't have what you and I are privileged to have.
Then how much do we value what we have?
When is spoken of many times.
Of a dear friend of the family.
The sister she was, she was the Lord, truly the Lords.
And she was not gathered. She went to another place.
And she would tell us when she came to see us, you know, she said. I went to church this morning.
And I went there full.
But I came away empty.
Oh, how good it is.
To have our hearts filled with Christ.
But these?
Those who were part of the nation of Israel and yet to have to build for themselves an edifice.
Where to remind them?
That the place where the Lord had put His name was in the confines of the land of Israel.
They made the wrong choice.
And the later histories, as we have already remarked, shows us what their choice led to. It was that which brought them first.
Of the Children of Israel into captivity in a strange land.
Now I'd like to turn to the Book of Hebrews.
Chapter 11.
Verse 24.
By faith, Moses.
When he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God.
Than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ.
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Greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
By faith he preserved Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
Moses.
From shortly after his birth. Some few months after his birth.
Was placed in the most favorable possession.
In this world.
He was the adopted son.
Of the daughter of Pharaoh.
And as we presume.
He was the heir apparent to the throne of Egypt.
The leading world power of that day.
Wonderful position to be in.
In a position to be one of those to whom a monument would be erected in the form of a pyramid.
And is named to be placed there in his body to be surrounded with objects of gold. All the wealth of Egypt was at his their footsteps.
There was a place where Moses was found.
In the years.
Of his growing up, the years of his education.
But when he came to the place where he had to make a choice.
And there is always a time when you and I have been brought to the place where we have to make a choice.
Moses.
Made his choice.
He refused, first of all.
That which this world had to offer him, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
He chose.
To go into a place of rejection, a place of humiliation.
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God.
Rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
Well, there are pleasures in sin, you know.
There are pleasures for this for the time being.
But it's like the woman whom we know in the 4th chapter of John's Gospel.
That when it came to refreshment, she had to go back and back again to that well.
The numbers are given nothing except for the time being.
And the Lord Jesus told her, Whosoever drinketh of the water, that I shall give him.
She'll never thirst.
That's what Moses saw by faith.
That which would satisfy.
Forever.
He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God.
Moses saw where God was in the midst of His people.
And he chose to cast his lot in with those who were followers of the Lord.
He esteemed the reproach of Christ.
Greater riches.
Than the treasures in Egypt.
He looked beyond present advantage.
To that which was ahead.
And if we were to turn to the New Testament of the Gospels.
We were flying there some of that which was ahead of Moses.
To be found in company.
Where the Lord the Lord in a glorifying state.
Oh, what a wonderful place Moses had.
He looked beyond this world.
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To that which was ahead of him.
He was shook. Egypt.
And May 1 ask this question of himself as well as others.
Hebrews took Egypt. Have you and I turned our backs?
Upon this world.
There's a verse, as you know, in the Epistle to the Galatians.
I might just turn to it.
Galatians, chapter 6.
Verse 14.
But God forbid.
That I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
By which I think it is, the world is crucified unto me, and I under the world.
You know, if we exhibit, if we're ambassadors for Christ's faithful ambassadors for Christ.
There won't be long until the world puts me in the same place that put Christ.
It doesn't want me.
And that's easy to understand.
Sometimes, you know, we experience that if we're faithful ambassadors for Christ.
We find the world doesn't want us.
But all you know, it's another thing.
When the world is crucified to me.
When I am in, my soul's desire is to have nothing to do with the world.
That the cross of Christ stands between me and the world, and I am on the resurrection side of the cross.
Oh, how good it is to view the world.
From the resurrection side of the cross, it was a world that put our Lord Jesus there.
And do we want the world, or do we want Christ?
Well, Moses.
Forsook Egypt.
Not fearing the wrath of the king, he endured.
With his eyes on Christ.
I seen him who is invisible.
Well, we won't turn to it, but just to refer to the apostle Paul.
Of how he himself.
Says that he had to. He had to make a choice.
But if what I should choose or what not?
He had a desire to depart and to be with Christ.
But he left the choice with God.
For himself, he would rather depart this life than be with Christ.
But it was for the blessing and the good of the Saints down here.
That he should remain for a while.
He left the choice with God.
But no, that's a good thing too, for you and me.
To leave the choice with God. But God has given us a guide after the things which we need to choose. He's given us a guide in His own precious word.
And it's there that we find a guide for our path and the wisdom.
For our choice.
But you know.
It depends so much.
On how much?
We love the Lord.
And how much do we love him?
Is it more than the loaves and fishes? More than the world? They gain more than the reputation.
You have worked all your life to gain more than that hour of leisure, more than a well earned rest, more than a quick escaping some hard or some bitter test.
Lovest lovers me more the question more than the work I do.
More than that moment of cheering that I willingly left.
Loveth me more than the glory, more than the pledge to reward.
More than the honor of serving, how much do you love the Lord?
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Few thoughts, beloved, that are somewhat akin to what has just been before us.
When you turn, please to Exodus 15.
The.
And verse 21.
And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed great gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came tomorrow, they could not drink of the waters of Mara, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Mara. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
And he cried unto the Lord, And the Lord showed him a tree, which, when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.
There he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, and said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that healeth thee. And they came to Elam, where were 12 wells of water and three score, and 10 palm trees.
And they encamped there by the waters, and they took their journey from Elam, And all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of sin, which is between Elam and Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God, We have died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt.
When we sat by the flood spots, and when we did eat bread to pull. For ye have brought us forth into this wilderness.
To kill this whole assembly with hunger.
Verse 9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, saying, unto say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come nearer before the Lord, for he hath heard your murmurings. And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they look toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
The subject in the 15th chapter could engage us for a full hours time and we won't dwell on it very long.
We're all familiar with this portion, and we have been reminded that the Spirit of God is pleased for us to be occupied with these Old Testament types which have much for our own good. And one thinks back, we've been reminded in our brother's address of the land of Egypt in which the children of Israel were in ******* and how they cried, and the Lord heard their cry and delivered them.
And in our present chapter they have made their escape under God's miraculous provision and across the Red Sea, and we find them as singing people, full of joy and great delight that they have been redeemed from the oppressor. And this was normal, wasn't it? We would expect to something of this nature to take place. They would surely have been ingrates had they failed.
To express something of praise. And so they sang unto the Lord. But now we find a strange thing, that a mirror period of three days goes by, and they are murmuring because they are thirsty and they see no water. Oh, what a lack of faith. I had seen the miraculous power of the Lord Jehovah taking them out of the land of Egypt.
When all seemed so hopeless and helpless and the Lord taking them safely and now just in three days time.
We find them murmuring and complaining, and they come to some water, but they cannot drink of the water, for it is bitter.
And I suppose we would learn from this that the water that they came to was.
A type to us of that which the world would offer in respect to refreshment. And you know, there's no real palatability to that water, is there? Some of us know something of it. The water may be appealing, it may look very grand to our sight, but when we taste of it, we find it's bitter. And so without enlarging on it, we have the beautiful gospel picture here of.
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The Lord showing Moses a tree.
Which cast into the water makes them sweet. And of course this speaks to us of the cross of Christ. Wonderful, wonderful gospel message. Here are the waters so bitter, so unpalatable. Now we find water that is full of refreshment and life giving to these people. And so they again are happy. They again have their hearts lifted up, and the Lord leads them along the way. And they come to Elam, where this beautiful Oasis in the desert, and there they rest for perhaps a month's time.
A happy people. And you know, as I look upon the faces of us here, I see that for the most part, we seem to be happy too.
And we have good, 'cause, don't we, to rejoice? And that's what we're told, rejoice in the Lord.
And rejoice always we have that word given to us so much these things are written unto us, that our joy might be full. But I wonder especially, dear young Christian friends, if there might be a little warning for us in what we read here.
I wonder if perhaps there's a danger that we are fair weather Christians, that we sing when everything is going well, that we have expressions of happiness and we speak well of one another when all goes smoothly. But how about the trials? You know God allows trials, therefore our good. We've often been reminded how this sturdy trees.
Of the forest withstand the storms, buffeting of the winds, the stormy weather, because they are well rooted and they're well grounded and the saplings that have no real root system blow over. It's good to be rooted and grounded in the fundamental truths of the Word of God, lest we be like these Israelites, so quick to complain.
Well, I don't want to dwell a great deal on that, but in our 16th chapter.
Now they are told to resume their journey.
You know our Christian pathway isn't all Oasis. It isn't all under the palm trees.
No, we have a a journey to consummate whatsoever its duration may be. We're going as we've been reminded so much in these meetings. We're going onward. And for my part, I'm happy. It's so happy that each day.
Brings us a step closer to home now truly we have our interests here and that's.
Quite alright. We don't want to forget that God has given us natural interests, natural responses to the things which compose our lives. But beloved, we need to remember that in all of these experiences, trials and testings, sometimes heartaches, sometimes tears will be our experience. And then what is?
The expression that comes from our hearts.
And sometimes from our lips. And saw the children of Israel resume their trip.
They leave behind, for the moment, this place of comfort and pleasure.
And they go on into the wilderness.
And now we find again the same.
Repetition.
They murmur again.
Oh, the wilderness is so difficult. It is so hard for them. And they cry all we wish, we just wish that we had even died back there in Egypt where we had those flesh pots, we had the leeks, the garlic, onions, the fish.
Oh beloved, beloved, how this speaks to ourselves, doesn't it? That if we allow.
Our thoughts to get into a pathway of discouragement, then we think wrong thing. And that's what they were doing. This was what was wrong with them. They forgot their objective. God had told them they were going on to a glorious end, but they forgot it. They got occupied instead with these trials, testings.
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They complain.
Now, without the detail of that, we read in the ninth verse of our 16th chapter.
That Moses spake unto these people.
Spoke to Aaron telling him to convey this message. Come near before the Lord.
I've heard your murmurings. It's a good place for us to come, isn't it?
Do you know something of murmuring, dear young Christian?
I don't know the assemblies you all come from.
It's been our pleasure and privilege to.
The journey across the country and to visit in many assemblies and we find many of them are weak little companies. We find they are small in number. We find young people who are discouraged to be honest. They say, well, we have no companionship.
There's no one here to share our interests and so.
They become discouraged in the way but one seeks to bring before them.
But what they need is to be occupied with the Lord, and so the Lord here gives the instruction that they will come, the people will come together.
And the Lord will present himself to them.
10th verse.
It came to pass as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel.
That they look toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the clouds.
Don't you like that as you think about it?
I think that's rather a remarkable verse that is introduced at this point.
Murmurings, complaining, unhappiness, disappointments.
And Moses now, as it were, the mouthpiece of the Lord, says, turn around, you're looking.
In the wrong direction. You're looking back to what you left.
Turn around. And so they do. They lookout now over the wilderness.
And.
What is it that meets the eye?
Remember now, the Lord is the one that has called this meeting. And so as they look out over the wilderness, it isn't to see the sand, the sagebrush, the rocks, all the the venomous serpents and the various obstacles that we know were present there. That wasn't what they saw. No, the Lord gave a display that is referred to here as.
The glory of the Lord appeared as they looked.
Across the wilderness. Now we know they couldn't see the end of their journey. Literally, they could just look a scant 203040 miles perhaps out into the wilderness. But there in some manner, not given to us in detail, but in some manner Jehovah was pleased to show them his glory. Now what should this effect have been upon these who gazed on it?
All surely to lift up their hearts and to say, well, we are going on to what is much better than what we've left behind and now we want to keep our gaze off in this direction. I wish we could report that that was what happened, but we know it wasn't true. These poor Israelites, and sometimes were so much like them, just fell from one period of complaining to another.
In spite of all the Lord's blessings and goodness to them.
Well, does this have a little parallel for us today? For I believe it would be pointless to recite these stories, as interesting as they are, unless we found some application to the good of our own souls.
So we just turn and we'll try to make this very brief turn to Philippians Chapter 3.
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And verse.
13.
Paul is writing here, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do.
Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
And I'll read this in a more correct rendering. I press toward the goal for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore as many as be perfect or perfected. Be thus minded, and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. It isn't difficult for us to see the parallel, is it forgetting those things that are behind.
What to God we could more readily forget them? Dear fellow Saints of God, how our hearts look back for the comforts.
The allurements of this world. Why is this? Because we're not pressing on, as the apostle Paul said. We are not keeping the objective sharply, definitely, certainly before us. We are occupied again with those poor things that we left behind. And, you know, the enemy of our souls can still make them look very, very attractive to us, strange though this is.
We would think being once enlightened, we'd say those things are forever put behind me, but we have to own not way. The Speaker certainly and all. I'm sure that this is not always true of us. We do listen to that enemy and then we're unhappy again. Then we're in some sorrow. Then we don't sing. Then we don't have joyful faces. Then we can't help our fellow Saints. We're just entirely out of key.
Oh, how happy if we could emulate the apostle Paul, who had such a goal before him, that he said this goal is worth pressing on to, not just merely finally arriving at it, but engaging himself vigorously toward that end. And you, dear young people, have already had some expressions toward this end today, which I thought were very excellent. We'll read one more person and then.
Leave the subject in Hebrews the 12Th chapter.
I think our brother Smith spoke so ably on this that we don't need to add much to it.
In the 12Th chapter of Hebrews, verse one. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and not the sin and sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. All this is a very worthy exhortation, isn't it? Put aside all those weights.
You know, I used to be when I was in business, I was in the lead business and lead is a very heavy object.
One of the interesting little points of sale that we made didn't amount to much, but we engaged in this was to sell what were called saddle weights to those who had stables of horses and who entered them in races, and if a horse had too much superiority over other horses, they would put lead weights in the saddle.
Of the jockey to add to the burden that the horse had to carry. We sold quite a few lead weights for that purpose. And I thought of that in connection with this, that as the horse was encumbered with those those weights of lead, so we too are encumbered in our Christian pathway, beloved, with those things that we allow to come in that intrude on our true Christian character.
And our testimony and so here it isn't just walking the pathway, but it's running.
And we need, don't we, to be stripped of all that is a barrier to our moving with grace and rapidity, pressing on vigorously, no wait to hold me back, no artificial detriment to my progress. But we don't want to stop just for that first verse, because we'd say I can't do it. It isn't in me. I've tried it, but I can't do it.
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Well, what's the answer? The second verse looking unto Jesus, the author or the beginner and the completer of faith?
There is no place for our eyes to rest Beloved upon Him. And you know, it doesn't do just to talk about it, and it doesn't do just to sit here and hear about it. We need to make this individual application in our own souls, and we need thus to be consistent in our Christian walk. We need this word before us daily. We need to know something of bending the knee in prayer.
We need to know something of fellowship with fellow Saints who are walking in the pathway. These things when we're looking at the glory that's before us at the end of the journey, the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, Beloved, we will.
And the measure in which we apprehend this, forget the things that are passed, we'll put them behind us more certainly, but we need to remember that this is a daily exercise with us, that we may have His grace to cause us to put these things into effect.
And so on speaks not just to you, but to himself. We all know it. May the Lord just help us.
In the pathway to find the end object is always his person.
His glory and then His blessings rest on us. Oven. May we turn to Second Timothy, Chapter 4.
Especially in view of the things which we've had before us.
Not only today, but throughout these meetings thus far.
Like to just add this before we begin reading.
We find here in the 4th chapter.
Of Second Timothy, the last words recorded.
I believe of our Apostle Paul, we find him at a time.
When there is utter weakness.
And when there's ruin, we find him, I believe, beloved.
Expressing the day in which we live.
But in this, I believe we find joy because we find the fulfillment and the exercise completed of the things that have been brought before us.
Now I'd like to begin reading at the sixth verse.
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.
Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me, for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed into Thessalonica. Cretins to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia only Lucas with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. Antichecus have I sent to Ephesus the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus. When thou comest bring with thee and the books, but especially the parchment.
Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil. The Lord reward him according to his works.
Of whom be thou? Where also? For he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me.
But all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and preserve will preserve me unto His heavenly Kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Salute Prisca.
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And Aquila and the household of Onissa forests. Erastus abode at Corinth. But trophies have I left at middle item sick. Do thy diligence to come before winter. Ubulus greeteth thee. And Prudence, and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. Now where we begin here.
We see the Apostle Paul at the end of the course. We see the end of one who could say for me to live as Christ? We could see the one here whose life was the expression I believe as much as any human individual could be, was that expression of the Lord Jesus.
Because as we have this afternoon earlier, that Christ is our life, and so that our life may be found in Him.
And the apostle hears that I am now ready to be offered the time of my departure.
Is at hand. Oh, what a wonderful expression. We find complete peace in the life of this apostle at this time. We find also in this epistle that that's what he would bring before us from the very beginning. Christ who is our life. Yes, Christ who is our life. In the first epistle it's Christ, our hope. But now all has been revealed to the apostle, and he could say whether the Lord comes or whether I depart by that way of execution.
Why, I'm going to live with Christ. I'm going to depart. I'm going to have the fulfillment of that joy of being with him. And so he goes on. He says, I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Oh, how lovely as we see the fulfillment of those things that were just brought before us. The apostle Paul says, I have finished the race. He says, I have kept the faith. But all, beloved, how wonderful to see here. The apostle Paul doesn't stand forth and say.
Now I deserve what I'm going to get. I'm a winner. That isn't what the apostle would bring before us.
Because he had the glory of Christ, he was looking unto Jesus. Because he goes on and says.
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day. What was it that was before him? Not that he had won the race, but that he had fought a good fight. He had finished the race, and he had kept the faith. And now what was before him?
Why, He was going to receive that which his heart desired, the person of Christ. He was going to receive something from his hand. That which he had before him was the person from whose hands he was going to receive, as it were, that crown of righteousness. Oh, how wonderful. The thing, all of the things of this world and all the things of heaven, nothing is going to compare with the Lord Jesus. And so for ourselves to be able to have this desire, to have this desire to keep that, to keep the faith.
Finish the course to finish the race that Christ has set before us, Because the apostle goes on, and he says that this righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. What was it that was brought before us? The glory of the Lord.
And the person of Christ, it was all brought before us, and now his appearing.
Is interwoven in here the fact that we're going to see him and be with him forever.
Oh, how wonderful, beloved. Our heart should take courage because the moment is almost here.
When we shall be taken up and we shall be with him and in his presence forever. Isn't it worth it? Isn't it worth it to to fight this race, to go this course? Isn't it worth it? The apostle says I have finished mine all beloved for ourselves to be able to say that we have finished ours also. Well, we live at a time and I enjoy this little expression here where it says the righteous judge.
The righteous judge. Oh, today is a day when there is no knowledge of what righteousness is. It's a day when everything is topsy turvy is a day when everything is backwards. It's a day when, well, let's turn to it. Let's turn to Isaiah the 5th chapter.
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I believe this is a unable description.
The 5th of Isaiah and the 20th verse.
Woe unto them that call evil good.
And good evil that put darkness for light, and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. Oh, is this not the day in which we live? Is this not the world around us? And the world would say, Well, I'm not unrighteous, I'm not a Sinner. But oh, we have here that the righteous judge shall give, because everything will be made manifest in his presence.
It'll be fully known as to how we ran this race. It'll be fully known as to how we finished our course. It'll be fully known how we have kept the faith, all beloved, as has been brought before us, not according to our standards, but according to the standards of the righteous judge, according to the standards of this word. We can't say that we don't know what God's mind is, because God's mind is very clear. Some people say it doesn't matter.
But it does matter because God has recorded it in His Word. God has put it here that we might know for sure. God would not leave us in question, but God would have to know that there's going to be a time when that righteous judge shall bring all things to light and all things shall be made perfect.
In the way in which He so chooses. Well, not to me only, but unto all them also that love, His appearing love, His appearing. All we heard yesterday, I believe it was as to those that are talking about the rapture, but they have no love. As for His appearing, beloved, think how it would be to be taken from these meetings into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be taken from, as it were, His presence into His presence.
But all day by day, the real test comes. It's not as we are in fellowship together, as we see one another at breakfast, as we meet one another in the motels. Oh, it's really wonderful to be a Christian and to be in these surroundings. But the test comes, doesn't it, when we're at work.
When we're at school, when we're in every day.
Circumstances, that's when the real test comes. Then what would it be? All that I might be taken up and be able to see the Lord Jesus. This is where the joy comes in day by day, waiting for the coming of that blessed one. And I'd like to just say this, you know, beloved, it's a wonderful thing to be able to look into the faces of the generation of the raptured. That's how close I believe it is to look into the faces.
Of the generation of those that will be raptured, I believe the Lord's coming is so near.
All, beloved, that our hearts would be warm, that we would look on to the glory, that we would look on, looking unto Jesus, the beginning or beginner and the finisher of faith all how wonderful now our heart should beat as we think of that nearness, of that moment when all these things shall give way.
And we shall see him face to face, and for those that it is prepared.
They shall see his blessed hands reach forth and give that crown of righteousness.
To all those that are spoken of here, well, the apostle, how he goes on. I'd like to just read this next verse a little different.
Use diligence to come to me quickly.
Due diligence. Use diligence to come to me quickly.
Well, I like to think of it in this way. The time is short. How are we going to be able, as it were, to say, plan out our life for many, many years and say at the end of that time then I'll take care of the things concerning the Lord. Then it's going to be, I'll bring the Lord's things in. No, we don't have that time. It's now because He's coming quickly. Use diligence. The Spirit of God seems to be telling us here.
He knows our problems, he knows how difficult it is at school, he knows how it is at work, he knows the problems of home. He knows everything about you. And he says it's going to take diligence, but all it's going to be worth it.
It's going to be worth it all. Just one look at his blessed face and it will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Oh, it takes diligence. Why? Because we have to put me down and Christ up. Oh, how wonderful was mentioned the other day. The world doesn't know what to do. Well, if they really examined it and they did know what to do, they wouldn't do it anyway because they'd have to put themselves down and exalt someone else.
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And all, beloved, how wonderful that we have the answer. We exalt Christ, and then everything should take its rightful place. Oh, do thy diligence. Use diligence to come to me. The apostle Paul, as it were saying, beloved, over here, it's wonderful. Over here I see that it was worth it. All over here I know that there's nothing. And I wish I'd have given up more for the glory of Christ. He has used diligence and come.
Unto me Well, we have then a sad note, don't we demons hath forsaken me.
Having loved this present world, we see here those that are mentioned by name.
In God's eternal record, those that failed.
In the race, those that failed to keep the faith.
Recorded.
In God's record for you and I, the glory of the Lord had grown dim the looking under Jesus.
They had been turned aside, and now their names are recorded forever, and not those only, but others recorded here in God's record that they failed all. Beloved, what about you and I? There's going to be a day when there is that seat of judgment. There's going to be that day when all is revealed. And I believe we ought to walk cautiously in light of it.
Walk cautiously in light of it. We ought to make that choice, yes, Or if we only could be as the apostle Paul.
For me to live is Christ. For me to live is Christ. Say I'll never make it. I don't believe the apostle Paul ever thought that he made it either. But he tried. He tried, he used diligence. He he sought to put the Lord Jesus first. Oh, and as we had, he giveth the Spirit without measure. And what is it? I want more of Christ. I want more. Well, when self goes down.
When my thoughts go down, when I'm put aside and the Lord Jesus has given more and more of a place.
In my life, in my work, in my school, in my home, in my business. Then the Lord will take care of all the rest. Oh yes, these ones are recorded here. And then the apostle goes on.
And begins what we have.
Speaking of others.
Only Luke is with me.
Here I have, I believe, one of the tenderest messages in the Word of God. In fact, I believe that this whole 4th chapter is one of the tenderest messages that God has in His Word for us in these last days. Here is the Apostle Paul at the end of his course. Paul the aged one who has spent all these years in prison, One who, as it were, who has been beaten and shipwrecked and been in dangers and in perils all his life for Christ.
And now, as we found out, he's at the end of his course and the Apollo and the Lord Jesus.
Is giving him all the comforts that he can. Luke, Luke, that beloved physician is with him there in those circumstances. That's what he has need of. And so the Lord says, Luke is with me. Luke is there and with him. Oh, how wonderful, beloved, to see the tender care that the Lord has. We sometimes say, my brethren forgot me. They forgot what I did. They forgot this and they forgot that. But the Lord Jesus, he never forgets.
The Lord Jesus never forgets. In fact, beloved, I sometimes think the Lord is always looking around corners to make sure he doesn't see something that He can praise us for.
He's looking at every possible way in which he can bless us and praises in that day yet to come.
Well, he says, here Luke is with me and, and goes on and speaks of these other things.
Speaks of the conditions that are there, and I'd like to go down. Verse 16. At my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me, and I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
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See here what has happened and what I believe as to being a note of those last days.
As it were, all that Paul had sought to bring before these souls, the truth of the one body of Christ, the truth of the church and the relationship of Christ, the head and the body, the church. Why all of these things were starting to be given up. And the apostle Paul says no man stood with me.
It was as it were. We had come down to a time of individual faith and the exhortation.
Is to those that individually want to walk in the truth of God's word or to walk in the truth of God's Word to go down a pathway. I don't look to the right, I don't look to the left. I have one thing before me. Let's look at that, beloved. What a lovely verse in Numbers chapter 21.
What an expression, I believe, for our hearts today.
Numbers 20.
And verse 17.
Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells. We will go by the King's highway. We will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed thy borders. What instruction for a stranger and a Pilgrim? What instruction? We will not turn to the right hand nor to the left. We won't turn into your fields, for they only bring forth thorns and thistles.
Turn to your wells because they never, they just bring the thirst again. They don't satisfy. I'm going to just go on that pathway. And so I get that object and I go on that pathway, the objects before me, Christ. And as I go on, what do I see? I see Christ, but then I notice something else. What?
I see someone walking beside me whose object is Christ. I see someone here that's walking beside me whose object is Christ. And so we go on the pathway of faith together. There are those that desire to walk the path. And so as we go on each one with Christ as that object before us, then we'll be found walking on the path of faith and walking together. And the apostle says he went on that the Lord, even though all had forsook, forsook him, why the Lord stood with him.
The Lord stood with him. Wonderful subject as we think of Jesus himself meeting in the meeting a sin, our needs. Wonderful subject as we see of the Lord Jesus revealing himself at each turn in our pathway, each trial revealing himself. As one brother has said, and we've been reminded often, it's worth being sick just to know the Lord's by your bedside. It's worth it to walk the path of faith just to know that Christ is with you.
To go hand in hand with a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, to go on that path and to be delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Oh, I believe there's five individuals in the scripture that are delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Daniel Banaya.
Solomon, Samson.
David.
And here Paul, probably the strongest lion of all, because this is a lion that would seek to destroy the enjoyment of Christ within our soul. And the apostle could hear even in the last days could say, I know the power of this one. But the Lord delivered me out of the mouth of the lion, that lion that was powerless against my power. I was no match, but the Lord delivered me and all beloved, how the Lord will deliver us each one as we continue.
On that path of faith well, and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto the heavenly Kingdom, to whom be glory, I believe, for the ages of ages.
The ages to where we're going, the time that all ages were made for the purpose in God's that we might be with Him, and that time of the ages of ages when the Lord Jesus shall reveal himself in all of his beauty, all of His Majesty, and all of his glory. And then we find the apostle goes on and commends various ones that we have here, and beloved as we would review them, we would find in this little company.
We would find those that had continued in the faith for 15 years. We would find those in this company that had, as it were, given up all that they possessed in this world. We would find in this company those that had that one desire before them, that they might be found in the place of God's choosing. And now the last verse. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy Spirit.
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Grace be with you. Amen. Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. I think this closing remark of the apostle Paul is so wonderful. He gives us the full title of the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives us everything that we should have as to his person, Lord Jesus Christ. And then he comes down individual and he says Be with thy Spirit.
Thy spirit be with you as an individual, and we find then that it closes with that wonderful word. Amen. Even so, Lord, let it be that that might be with each one of us. And surely we have to say and admit and own honestly that it's the Lorde desire.
It's the Lord's desire, and the apostle expresses it simply in those few words.
Now as we are thus found in the closing days of the churches history, as were found in a day of ruin, and as it were, the instruction is given to individuals, we wonder how can things go on? How can the truth of the one body of Christ and the glory that's connected with being found in the place where He has chosen his name to dwell? How can it exist? How can it go on?
When there is so much weakness, when there's so much failure, when there's so much turning away.
All, beloved, as wonderful as you note in this last chapter. Compare it with Romans chapter 16, because there we find, I believe, a little picture of the judgment seat of Christ, and we see one after another commended for those things which they did for the Lord's glory.
And what we find in that, that a list that's there, I believe that we find over 30 individuals.
That God brings out at that time in the glory. But here we find those that are commended are 12 or so, just 12, just 12 That the Lord would bring before us all. Beloved, what a comparison that in the last day, even though there's weakness and even though, even though there's a giving up, we find, as it were, there's 12, which I believe speaks of administrative perfection. We find that which would bring forth administrative perfection. And what is the secret?
The secret is that Christ is the object before them. Now the enemy of their souls would get them entangled in strife and murmurings and complainings, but there would be those that would desire to go on with Christ as that object before the before their hearts, before their souls. And so the apostle could say, I have I have kept the faith, I have finished the race.
Beloved, might that be the desire of each of our hearts, that we might be able to thus say that also?
And how is it possible looking unto Jesus, the beginner and finisher?
Behold!
Address—A. Barry
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General Meetings, Montreal, October 1974, Addressed by Amberry.
Let us sing hymn number 321.
Before the Lamb, whose precious blood, drawn from his written side, had power to make our peace with God, or let one spot abide, 321.
Uh-huh. OK, OK.
44365.
300000 blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
I see I have many young people before me, and many older ones too.
And I trust that.
What I have on my heart.
May be possible for one and all.
And what I have to speak about is the first word in the Kim. We just sang the old. Now I find that word in many places, both in the Old and New Testament.
So that I couldn't begin to cover the subject.
But perhaps a few places where the word behold.
Has given to us that it might furnish us with what the Lord could use for our special blessing. Now I understand that the word behold.
00:05:04
Means that there's something special, something of great importance before us.
And to get our attention riveted.
On this object or this subject?
And for the time being, to dismiss every other subject.
Or turn away from every other other object and have just before us what the Spirit of God is directing us to. Now the first scripture that I will turn to is in the book of Isaiah on the 42nd chapter.
First verse.
Behold my servant whom I uphold.
Mine elect, in whom my soul delighted.
I have put my spirit upon him. He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry.
Her lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruise and Reed shall he not break, And the smoking flax shall he not quench. He shall bring forth judgment on the truth. He shall not fail.
Nor be discouraged till he has set judgment in the earth, and the Isles shall wait for his law.
So you see, the first behold is where Jehovah is speaking and saying.
Before my service.
Now Israel had been.
God's servant for in the 49th chapter of.
This fame book.
We read there.
In the third verse, and said unto me, Thou art my servant for Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Now we have the Lord Jesus speaking.
Then I said, I have labored in vain. I spent my strength for North and in the Oh, you see, dear friend.
That while Israel had been his servant, the Lord Jesus comes in now and fills the plate of God's servant. Now that has been true all down the high heels of Manchester.
And when God has committed anything to man and he has failed and he surely has failed in everything, then God brings all of the seeds. The one who hasn't faith, they weigh where the vine that was Israel was a vine brought out of Egypt.
But when you look for quotes, they brought forth wild races. Then we have John 15 where our blessed Lord says I am the true one, my father, the husband. Now the church was set here.
To be a witness.
That's here to be a witness.
A witness for God in this world.
And we have a whole history of the church before us in the addresses to the seven churches.
But when Israel has, I mean when the church has failed as a witness.
Then we hear.
The one who is thinking.
Well, now I'm thinking of him as the ones who have done all the will of God.
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We have, we have to him out.
Of it, but I want to do a direction.
The Lord did it.
Before us.
Before because we.
So this is quoted in the 12Th chapter of Matthew.
I'll refer to that chapter shortly.
But is it a marvelous thing that I would the young people and all that the subject we have before us was written 712 years, the margin of my Bible tells me, before Christ.
And that the very all the very things we have in the New Testament.
Were what the Spirit of God was bringing before us by the prophet Isaiah.
So we have.
So we have here, behold, my servant.
I uphold mine elect, in whom my soul delight.
Well, that's the very words that we have.
In the At the baptism of our blessed Lord, I can't think of any place, I hope I'm not mistaken, where heaven was opened until the Lord was baptized and identified himself.
Where that repentance remnant there in Israel and it's so God broke the barrier between heaven and earth and we hear his voice thing.
Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I have found all my delight. Now that's a better translation, and it's the same as you get in this verse.
For he says mine elect, in whom I soul delight.
Isn't that wonderful, friends? When we think of our failures, we have been that there's been a man here below, lived in the very world we're living in, fast through the very trials and circumstances we're passing through. And yet God could always find His perfect delight.
In that blessed one and then to show how it fits in with his baptism.
For when he came out of the water at his baptism, he says, I have put my spirit upon him. For we know when heaven was opened, then the Holy Spirit in dove like form came and lighted the pine.
Now that we have in the 12Th chapter of Matthew how this is definitely coded concerning our blessed Lord.
12Th chapter of Matthew's Gospel.
And the 14th verse. Then the Pharisees went out and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
When Jesus knew it, He withdrew himself from thence, and great multitude followed him, and he healed them all there. What a contrast between.
Man and the blessed Savior, here they were the leaders plotting to destroy, and at the same time the Lord healed all the sick in that multitude that faulted.
But it was then that He fulfilled the Scripture that we have our attention called to in Isaiah 42, and charged them that they should not make Him know that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by His eyes to prophet, saying, Behold My Servant, and so on, word for word, almost as we get it in the 42nd.
00:15:17
Ending with and his name shall the Gentile.
Trust you know the blessed Lord in His life. Fulfill every scripture that has been written in the Old Testament concerning Himself.
Right on up to the cross, and there was one scripture as he was suffering there that had not yet been fulfilled, and that scripture was I thirst. And then the Lord bowed his head.
And went into death.
He had fulfilled all the scriptures up to that moment.
Well, now we find that when they he was despised and hated, and they were plotting to destroy him, that the Lord would not have his name mentioned.
And the Lord never saw popularity as he went about his father's business.
He did what the Father had for him to accomplish. He went about doing good and healing all the very presents of the devil, for God was with him and at the end of the day he would retire and be in the Father's presence.
And get an incommunion would find guidance.
For the day that was to follow.
Nor did the Lord in any way interfere with conditions in this world. For he says a bruise agreed shall He not break, nor smoking plaques shall He quench, until he brings forth judgment unto victory.
What a lesson for you and me. We can't improve this world. This world is a doomed scene, and it's going on to its solemn destruction. And the Lord went through this scene. He left it just as he found it.
And when one came to him and said, Lord, speak to my brother, that he ensure the inheritance with me, the reply of our Savior was who made me a ruler and a judge over thee. And then the Lord took the opportunity to carry out his true mission, and that was to warn of covetousness.
And he tells about the rich man that was going to tear down his barns and build greater.
And going to enjoy life for a while. And yet he hears the solemn words this night. Shall thy soul be required of thee? Now I know there are many young people within the hearing of my voice that have a true and sincere desire to serve our blessed Lord. Well, God the Father would say to you, He would say to me.
Before my servant does the blessed Lord before you.
You know there was one of the disciples that was led to write the life of the Lord Jesus.
In a different way from the others. That is, Matthew starts out with his genealogy, Luke with his birth, and John goes back into eternity. But Mark?
And his gospel begins with the Lord's ministry.
And carries us on step by step through that wonderful service until he's received up into heaven and takes his seat on the right hand of God. Only one that tells us in the gospel writers of where he of his taking his seat because Mark was telling us.
Oh yes Sir. And when his service was over, he could take his seat on high.
Well, as I said, I know that you, dear young people who have trusted Christ as a Savior, have a desire that you might in some way serve our blessed Lord. You remember that when the persecution broke out over Stephen that they were scattered everywhere through Samaria and Judea. Judea.
00:20:29
And it says that they went everywhere preaching the word.
But there was one man.
As we read it at that time, named syllable went down to Samaria and preached Christ unto them and God.
Used him mightily, as we know.
And of the servants of the Lord, the only one who is called an evangelist is this Phillip. And it was only after he'd been preaching 20 years that the Spirit of God calls him an evangelist.
So you see, for your friends said, we're all not gifted to preach the gospel in the way that Stephen preached the gospel so mightily there in Samaria, that the whole city was hanging on his words. But till we can be like those many that were scattered abroad, going everywhere and telling of our blessed Lord. And what is the preparation for?
Our service for him. Again we return to our verse where the Lord Jehovah says.
Behold.
My shirt.
How we need to be occupied with His blessed person.
Here. Wonderful.
Hall laborers here below. How he was ever seeking to do the father's will.
Now, I'm not saying that you're to confine your reading to the four gospels, but never neglect.
The precious life of our Lord Jesus.
But in getting acquainted with him and his service, we turn to every other portions of the word, and what wonderful illustrations we find take Abraham offering up Isaac.
Was he ever a more beautiful illustration of God the Father giving up his beloved Son as a sacrifice on the cross?
And then the story of Joseph, where when he has read and repented, how he received them with open arms. All the Old Testament is full of illustrations, beloved, that we can abundantly use in our efforts to win souls for Christ.
Of course, in the book of Acts we have how the apostles and the Lord's servants, how they how they announce their message.
Rather close told me that when he was considering strongly giving his time to the Lord's work, he said I took an old bag, and he said I cut out all the sermons in the book of Acts.
And made a little book of them. And then he said, I studied those those sermons diligently to see just how God directs his servants in connection with the preaching of the gospel.
Well, I can surely say of having known Brother close well, that he was one of the ablest gospel men I ever knew. And one thing he said he discovered this.
The simplicity of it and the priority of it, not to preach too long and and to weary people with words, but having delivered his message, then to leave it with the Lord. And that was his way, and it was wonderfully used, as I know of the Lord.
So then we would get abundance of doctrine in the in the epistles.
00:25:08
For our ministry, our talking to souls are having to do with either St. or Sinner. We should be well established in the doctrines of the Word of God. So we are not to just say the gospel is the only.
Subject that God has for us, we need to be established.
On dispensational truth. Or we can get souls all in confusion about the various lines of truth and the precious Word of God.
Well, now I have two beholds before me in the first chapter of John's Gospel.
In the 29th verse, the next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him.
And saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The 31St verse and again the next day after John stood in two of his disciples and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God.
Now you notice that in both of these verses I read.
That is the day following. And what was the day preceding? That was the day of the testimony of John the Baptist, as you get it in the preceding verses. For we find that the Jews and priests and Levites, they were inquiring who he was, And they said, What hast thou to say of thyself? And his answer was, I am the voice.
Of one crying in the wilderness.
I am the voice of one.
I am.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness.
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight. I didn't get my eye just on the verse that I intended. He says I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. May straight the way of the Lord as set the property was.
Now isn't this wonderful, young friends, that when the Lord was speaking about John the Baptist?
On one occasion, he says those that are born of women there have not risen of greater than John the Baptist.
Love the man that Jayla said was the greatest born of women when they asked him the question, what do you say about yourself?
All he could say is I'm just a horse. Not in the temple, not in a prominent synagogue, but out there in the waste howling wilderness, away from their popularity of men. There he was.
Just announcing the wonderful person that was soon to appear.
Of whom, he says, the lack of those shoes, I'm not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
That would be the most humble duty that Asleep could perform. He says, I'm not even worthy of that. So great is this person that is in your midst. And then the next day the Lord presents himself, and we don't hear John the Baptist saying, Behold the King.
Or behold the Messiah. All true statements about it, but he says, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the birth and the other trends whenever the Lord Jesus is brought before us as the Lamb is always in his victim character.
Hello.
You get in Isaiah 53, he was led as a lamb to the slaughter.
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And at the end of the Book of Revelation, or near the end where we get the marriage in heaven, it fell that the marriage of the land has come all to my soul. That's so precious that those who form the church.
Are the bride of Christ and there to be united to Him in holy matrimony through eternity in his victim character. Now I am sure that many here understand that.
Now when John said, we take it away the sin of the world, that it has a much wider application than the putting away of our many sins which he bore on the cross.
Because it looks on into the time when all evil shall be banished, and when a new heaven and a new earth are brought onto the scene.
About whatever way with you.
The purposes of God we can see this.
That the cross of Christ, that's suffering, that he endured as the Lamb of God will be the foundation.
For every glory and forever, for every blessing, to all eternity, it will always existence to that one who was LED out of the land to the slaughter and his sheep before shears his dump.
Whenever they on the 2nd occasion it's the same day. The next day after that is after John's testimony, John stood in two of his disciples and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith.
Behold the Lamb of God. You notice here in this verse he doesn't go on to say which take it away.
The sin of the world, but it's just behold, the Lamb of God.
Now John was with two of his disciples. He wasn't making an announcement to Israel as he had in the 29th verse.
It was just why it was filling his own heart with delight at the moment.
It doesn't seem that he even spoke these words to the two disciples, but his heart was so enraptured and beholding that blessed man as he walked before him, that he gave the expression of his own soul's delight and fame.
Before the Lamb of God.
Well, we find the result that two of these disciples left Jesus, left John and followed Jesus. I'm sure John was never so happy in his life as when he saw these two men leave him to follow the blessed Lord. Now we've been saying, dear young friends, that I'm sure that everyone here who is the Lord.
Desires.
And some way to elite others.
To know the Savior in whom they have trusted.
But if they're not, importance of having a desire to lead others.
To follow.
That lesson 1 like the two that left John and followed Jesus and beloved, how is it that we can be enabled through the grace of God to lead others not only to know that He has washed their sins away?
Blood, but to know that they have an object now they have one that they can follow through this tangled world. Oh, I know you desire to lead others to a closer walk with God to go on and no more and more of your Savior. And if not remembering the Lord to sit down at his table and enjoy the privilege that those who are gathered.
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Are enjoying love with young people.
How can you be able to go lead others to follow Christ?
Just look at John the Baptist looking upon Jesus as he walked.
The rapture of his soul was such.
That others left him to follow that blessed man.
I fully believe that one of the two was the writer of the Gospel, because he ever keeps himself in the background, speaking only as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Think of all her testimony He was. Think of how the books that he has written, the life of our blessed Lord as the Eternal 1 The Epistles, and then the Book of Revelation.
John was used.
To direct that decision to the Lord.
All when one speaks along this line, it gives him to feel how far below what he is suggesting to each a young believer in all that his actual life has been and should be. Oh, how little we're occupied with Christ.
Now we have to confess.
Our our lack of devotion and may it stir us up one and all that there may be more and more of that with us that will give others like their.
When they discovered that the area the disciples were unlearned and ignorant men, they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.
Or how it tells in our lives and in our ways, if there is more devoted occupation with His blessed Person.
Although I had another behold before me, and his thinly Gospel of John.
And it's at the end of the night, and it's the beginning of the 19th chapter.
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him, and the soldiers planted a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put on him a prepper robe, and said, Hail King of the Jews, and they smote him with her hand.
And therefore went forth again, and said unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that he may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus for wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple rose in pilot said unto them.
The whole of the man.
Or may that echo deep into your heart and mind.
It's all.
I remember our when Brother Blount was with us preaching in our brother's home in Arlington, KY.
Has that a hard working old man came in? I never saw the man before or afterwards.
Brother Brown, just read these few verses that I just read to you and that dear man was so overcome that the tears rolled by down his weather beaten face.
May there be that in and you and me that affects us as deeply as it affected him. Just the readings and the various fights and the very worst. Behold the man.
Now this was said as we know by pilot, the judge and we have pilots saying.
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I find no fault in him. Think of a judge saying.
A man that was before him on trial, I find no fault in him, and yet at the same time condemning him to the most shameful, ignominious death that the human cruelty has ever invented.
Well, it's the word though, for us.
You know, beloved, dear friends, you and I will never see the Lord.
And his sufferings and in his humiliation that we read about in the word Peter was.
One who witness was a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and of the glory that shall be revealed. But we can by faith, according to Hebrews 2, say we all we behold.
Jesus was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. Crowned with glory enough.
What I believe that God has been pleased in his Word to give us a picture of His beloved Son that we're going to carry with us into heaven.
And it will be.
A theme of our joy through all eternity. Now we see Him crowned with glory and honor, as we said when we see Him.
In all his beauty and we see every knee bowing to him. Yet there is one scene.
That I believe will eclipse all other things.
For no other scene so touches the heart of the Sinner as to see that one crowned with thorns, to see him there in the robe of mockery, and to hear these words.
Whole man and why we'll never see him with these eyes.
And his sufferings. Yet this memory that the Spirit of God has brought before us will be a source of eternal adoration to our souls.
Behold the man.
I have another behold before me, also written by the apostles John.
In his first epistle and the third chapter.
Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of the children of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Well, the Spirit of God is again using that word, but this time it's in connection with a Father's love. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.
That we should recall the children of God.
And all around Queen Victoria freed all the slaves in the West Indies was a wonderful act of benevolence.
Brother, one thing Queen Victoria couldn't do, that God our Father has done. She couldn't welcome all her slaves into her house and make them a part of her family.
That God has done that.
He is not only through the work of His Son redeemed our souls, but He brought us into that wonderful relationship to Himself as His children.
And you know that should carry with it.
Dignity as we go along, that I am the child.
Of the very God who gave his Son.
As a sacrifice.
For my sins. And then he says, Therefore the world knoweth us not.
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Because it knew him not.
Just been talking about the Father, but when he says because the world knew him not, we can only think of Christ, can we?
But the dear apostle has the persons of the Godhead sold before him.
That in Speaking of one, he can soon, we soon find his Speaking of another person that is, in this case the Son. Well, we're told in the first chapter of John's Gospel.
Now he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Now the world will know a Christian that's a good mixer and one who is occupied with the world's sports and the world's nonsense and and.
It's politics, but if we're following.
That lowly one that we have been speaking about that.
Won't know us in that character, as God's children world knoweth us not. And isn't that a wonderful reason?
That we should be no more known by the world than the eternal Son of God was known when He was here among men.
Now immediately he says, Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be.
But when he shall appear, we shall be like Him, or we shall see Him as He is. That's the verse I was speaking about and saying that we'll never see the Lord in his humiliation, but glory to His name, we shall see Him as He is.
In all His glory, fix your eye upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow dim in the light of His glory and grace.
So he says now he we are the sons of God.
But it does not yet appear.
All we have the marks of the fact that we're part of a ruined world as we go on our way so it doesn't appear.
Yet now I understand that this word, when he shall appear, is difficult for the translators because it doesn't tell.
Refer to his appearing when he appears and the Saints come with him. It's put like this if he should appear not referring to.
What we usually turn the appearance for We know, beloved, that just as we're told in First Corinthians 15 and 51, that.
I show you mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we all shall be changed. And when does that change take place? Yes, when the Lord gives the shout in the air.
And the moment we are gazing on His blessed face, we will find that we are in bodies of glory, like His glorious body.
So he said.
Said And every man that hath this hope in him purified himself, even as he is pure. That is, if I'm to be perfectly like God's beloved Son, physically and mentally and spiritually, surely I want to be as much like him as possible down here.
And that word purifies himself.
Is judging those things that hinder.
Our being like the one.
That has redeemed us and is soon to have us in glory with Himself.
Now there's another Behold that we'll turn to in the first chapter of Revelation.
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And the seventh verse, Revelation one and verse 7.
Before he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and.
Also which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen.
Now we feel the testimony as to the Lord's coming that's intended for the world, the testimony for you and me who are saved is the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with Archangel voice and trump of God.
And the dead in Christ shall rise 1St, and so on.
So the world needs to be warned that the one they rejected is coming with power and great glory.
And so it is there that that all kindreds of the earth before that, and they also wish pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.
God has decreed 3 things that every eye shall see Jesus.
And that every knee shall bow to Jesus, and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the fallen.
Are they those unsaved?
All we're seldom in a company as large as this where they are not those who have not yet closed in with God's offers salvation. Remember, unsaved friends, you're going to see that man. You're going to either see him in judgment or you're going to see him when the very.
View of His presence is going to transform your mortal body into his own likeness.
And now this this little.
This verse comes into a wonderful connection.
In the fourth verse John is bringing first him with ears, And which was and which is to come?
And from the seven spirits which are before the throne, you see, there is God as we know as Father, there is the Holy Spirit, and from Jesus Christ, who is a faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
Now you notice that there's a break in the subject. A parenthesis is brought in.
For the apostles heart was so filled, however delight of considering the glories of Christ, that he turns aside from his subject, and says unto him that loved us, really loves us, and voices from our sins in his own blood.
Made us kings and priests unto God and his Father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. And then he goes on with his subject, because he is left off with the Prince of the kings of the earth. And then he comes as the Prince of the kings of the earth, and every eye shall see him for all our precious beloved. And may it be a way of approach to.
That the truth of God, that when?
We're introducing or preventing any line of ministry or truth.
That it has laid hold of our own souls where the preciousness that fills the heart with unspeakable delight. What?
This is the one, as John says, that has loved us, and washes from our sins in his own blood, and made us unto our God, kings and priests.
Well have.
Brought out before you these few befores, and you can multiply them eleven friends, your heart content and see that the Spirit of God often addresses your soul in this way. Behold, and I might just mention one more scripture and that is in the.
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6th chapter.
Corinthians.
And the second verse.
For he saith, I have heard thee in an accepted time, and in the day of salvation have I suckered thee. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation to any unsaved. God is saying to you the whole now.
Not tomorrow as the accepted time. In fact, friends, you know tomorrow never comes.
And it's been often said that the road called by and by leads to the House of never. One of the most treacherous, dangerous state of soul that a Sinner can be in is to put off the acceptance of Christ as a Savior. For we get him, and Hebrews one. How shall we escape? Doesn't say if you refuse, but if he neglects.
So great salvation.
Show and view all the facts. There may be unsafe presence. I'll repeat this word again. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. I remember when Donald Pludge and I were holding meetings in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
But a man named a king came to our camp door, told us why he got up and left the meeting that night.
He had a good reason.
So he took the opportunity to talk to him about the importance of accepting Christ as his Savior. He learned that it was important and all we said was true.
Friends, in 24 hours, Mr. King was brought past the tent door of corpse under a most horrible situation.
One of those Mountaineers pulled out a revolver and riddled him with bullets. Far as I looked at his face, in his ghastly face in the coffin, I thought, oh, if he could return, and here are the invitation that he heard at our tent storm, how different it would be.
Really. So the friends, it was too late, I feel.
Ambassadors for Christ
Address—J. Brereton
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.
General Meetings, Montreal, October 1974. Addressed by John Burton.
All right, we open our meeting this afternoon by singing hymn #67.
Like the O Lord, how fair Lord Jesus, all thy members are.
A light divine to them is given the bright inheritance of Heaven. Hymn #67.
Oh God.
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Of scriptures this afternoon, dear young people.
For what I have particularly before me, we might read first of all in Second Corinthians chapter 5.
2nd Corinthians, chapter 5.
And to begin with.
We'll read verse 20.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ.
As though God did beseech you by us.
We pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Now perhaps it might be well for me to say at the beginning.
And I believe in the thought of ambassadors for Christ.
We have particularly the function that was given to the apostles.
To deliver that message of reconciliation.
Be reconciled to God.
And in the word of God, dear young people, we now have.
The message of reconciliation.
But I believe too that there should be, and I trust there will be for your heart and mind.
That which would exercise our hearts too in this expression.
We are ambassadors for Christ.
The term Ambassadors.
We might.
Consider it this afternoon, somewhat in the line of the personal representative for Christ.
You know we speak about our citizenship being in heaven, and quite rightly so when we belong to Christ.
But we find that the word of God does not make any reference to being ambassadors for heaven.
But rather that we can be ambassadors.
The personal representatives for Christ.
Here in this world.
And what I had before me this afternoon.
To look at a number of scriptures that might bring before us.
Something of what is to be the character of those who are to represent Christ.
Here in this world.
To start off with, we should say that our remarks this afternoon will be primarily to those who are the Lord.
Because they're young people. There is no way.
In which you can represent Christ in this world.
Unless you first have come to know him.
As your personal savior.
Furthermore, I don't believe that it is possible for us to properly.
Intelligently represent Christ in this world, unless, dear young people, we have come to know something of what our portion is in Christ.
If you go back in the chapter to the 17th verse.
It says, therefore, if any man be in Christ.
Oh dear young people, we heard something about that yesterday. To be in Christ.
Now, if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, that is your position this afternoon.
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In Christ.
And if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are not in that wondrous place of relationship with Himself.
The word of God goes on to say, if any man be in Christ.
He is a new creature or a new creation.
And I would like to start off in considering.
Our place as his representatives here in this world.
By seeing something, dear young people, of what the Word of God tells us is our place in Christ, we start off by seeing that in Christ we are a new creation. God has condemned the old man to death.
And what he has done.
Is created a Newman and if you belong to Christ this afternoon.
You are a new creature, a new creation, Not a refashioned old man, but a new man, a new creature in Christ Jesus.
We find furthermore.
In the 18th verse says, All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.
And so we find that we are reconciled. The word of God never tells us that God had to be reconciled to us. But there was a need.
For you and I to be reconciled to him.
We were afar off from God. Our sins had taken us there.
A nature that was naturally opposed to God.
Sought to keep us there, but God has.
By Jesus Christ.
Reconcile you and I to Himself. And so we see that as his representatives, as Christ's representatives here in this world.
We are new creatures.
Reconciled to God.
Brought back to God in peace.
In a place of favor, dear young people, in Christ.
Where we know.
That he was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Now that's your place.
This afternoon you that belong to Christ. In Christ a new creature, reconciled to God.
Now if you would turn over to second Peter chapter one for a moment.
Second Peter, chapter one.
And verse 4.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.
Partakers.
Of the divine nature.
In fitting.
For that which I have particularly before me this afternoon.
To be the representatives for Christ in this world.
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We see that we have also been made a partaker of the divine nature.
When you were born into this world, you partook of a nature that was from Adam.
A nature that delighted in sin.
A nature that wanted its own way.
A nature who acts on the principle of lawlessness.
Self will.
But now in Christ you have been given a new nature, and this new nature is divine.
And so, dear young people, this afternoon.
You actually have.
The same nature as the Lord Jesus Christ. The same nature as God.
And nature that delights in that which is good, and nature that is holy. And nature that hates evil, hates sin. And nature, dear young people, given to you as.
Belonging to Christ.
Now, beloved young people, we are called upon to represent Christ here.
And how necessary it is.
That to be his representatives here in this world.
We should have.
His nature.
Now would you turn with me over to Colossians Chapter 3 for a moment?
Colossians, chapter 3.
And verse 4.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear.
Then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Here we find out that as new creatures in Christ Jesus.
We not only have been reconciled, not only have been given a nature that is divine, but beloved young people, we now have Christ as our life, Christ as our life.
And as you and I are here in this world now.
Christ is our life.
You know when we pick up this wonderful book and we read through the Gospels?
And we read of the life of Christ, we read of that wondrous life unfolded there for us by the Spirit of God. Dear young people, you and I are entitled by wondrous grace to be able to say that is my life, that's my life, because Christ is now my life. And in fitting us to be representatives for him here in this world.
He has given us his nature.
And he has given us his life.
Now if you would turn over with me to Acts chapter one for a moment.
Acts chapter one.
And verse 8.
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.
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If we were to turn over to the 4th chapter of Luke's Gospel.
You would find there a verse that tells us that the Lord Jesus went up in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.
All the miracles that the Lord Jesus did here, he did in the power.
Of the Spirit.
And now, dear young people, you and I called upon to represent him here in this world have also been given power.
By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we heard a little bit about this yesterday.
We have. You and I have been.
Indwelt sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, and we now have.
By the Holy Spirit, the power to represent Him here in this world. That very same power manifested in the Lord Jesus here.
You and I have been given that same power, not to do the miracles as He did, but to have the Spirit of God here indwelling us that we might walk to please God.
Now if you would turn over with me to 1St Corinthians chapter 12 for a moment.
First Corinthians, chapter 12.
And verse 12.
For as the body is 1 and hath many members.
And all the members of that one body being many.
Are one body.
So also is Christ.
For by 1 Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit.
Now we find here one particular thought brought before us in connection with the oneness of the Body of Christ.
I suppose most, if not all know that the body of Christ was formed.
On the day of Pentecost.
When by 1 spirit.
All the believers there in Jerusalem were joined together.
Into one body.
Connected by the Spirit of God to the head in heaven.
And dear young people.
So closely is the body of Christ, of which you and I are apart, if we belong to Him.
So closely is the body of Christ identified, with the Lord Jesus as the head.
That here in the end of verse 12.
We are told that the head and the body.
Viewed together as one.
There, the name of Christ isn't that precious. You remember how it tells us in Genesis chapter 5, Speaking of Adam and Eve?
It says and God called their name Adam.
Eve was so closely identified with Adam that she took his name.
And beloved young people, this is your place and mine in Christ.
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So closely identified with himself.
That the one whole head and body viewed together.
Joined one to the other and to the head in heaven by the Spirit of God.
Is spoken of here under the name of Christ.
Now, beloved young people, if we are going to intelligently.
Represent Christ here in this world.
We must know.
Our place in him.
And what we have touched on this afternoon.
Brings before us, perhaps in a little way.
What our place is in Christ? First of all, we are in Him, a new creation.
Reconciled to God with the nature of God, with the life of Christ.
With the Holy Spirit as the power.
For our life here.
And so much a part of Christ.
That we actually.
Bear his name.
That's our place in Christ.
Now if you'll turn over with me to Ephesians chapter one for a moment.
Ephesians chapter one and verse 3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ?
Now, dear young people, you have.
In Christ.
You have been blessed.
You know, in the book of the Psalms, for instance, in the 67th Psalm, you'll find the expression repeated, God shall bless us.
But that is not the intelligent language of a child of God now.
You and I now find that we say God has blessed us.
And every child of God, the one that was saved yesterday, the one that was saved many years ago, each one has been equally blessed of God. God has not withheld one blessing dear, beloved young people from you. Not one. You have them all.
In Christ.
We find when we turn over to Revelation chapter 2.
That in the address to the church at Ephesus there that they had left their first love.
The Lord saw that something was lacking. The works were still there, but the motive spring had been lost. But not for one moment does the Lord suggest that one of their blessings was to be taken away?
He calls upon them to repent with the reminder that they were in danger of losing the Candlestick, the testimony. And so it is, dear young people, that we can lose our testimony here, collectively and individually, but we cannot lose our blessings. They are ours.
Eternally.
Blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
This gives us, I trust, to see a little bit about what our place is in Christ. Now I'd like to look for a moment at John 17 to see for a moment what our place is as far as this world is concerned.
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John 17.
And verse 14.
I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldst keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Now, beloved young people, we are here.
We are here in this world.
But we are not of it.
The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof, but he that doeth the will of God.
Abideth forever.
You and I are representatives for Christ in a world that is under judgment that is passing away.
But we are not of it.
Now, this is not a conditional thing. This is a positive statement by the Lord Jesus himself. Regardless of whether I realize it or not, regardless of whether I practice it or not, I am not of this world.
Any more than the Lord Jesus himself was of this world.
Now we find that in the world we are, but of the world we are not. Now my reason for discussing these two aspects first of all is beloved young people that we might see from the Word of God that first of all, we have a wondrous portion in Christ and that secondly.
We have no portion in this world. We are not of it at all. Now, with those two thoughts in mind, I would like to look for a few moments at what we might call the practical aspects of representing Christ here in this world. If we could turn first of all to Colossians chapter 3 again.
Colossians chapter 3 and verse one.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection or your mind on things above.
Not on things on the earth, for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Beloved young people, as I say, you and I are representatives for Christ here in this world. And the question arises, what does the world see?
We find here in Colossians that viewed as dead and risen with Christ, we are called upon to set, to seek those things which are above.
Where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, All beloved young people. What a display.
What a representation of Christ it is for us to be seeking those things which are above.
Not the things on the Earth.
Because that is where.
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Christ is that is where the One is, who is our life.
What a tragedy it is to see, and I say it to my own heart, dear young people, not pointing a finger at anyone but to myself, but it is a tragedy to see those who represent Christ in this world.
Seeking something?
In a place that the word of God tells us we are not up.
Oh, if I am in the enjoyment in my soul that Christ is my life, beloved young people, if I am in the enjoyment in my soul of my place in Christ, in him.
Is it not going to give me to seek those things which are above to represent Christ here in this world as one who is not of the world?
And whose desires?
Are centered not on things here, but where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on things above the mind, or how the devil likes to use these minds of ours, dear young people, and he will set your mind on anything.
Any object at all in this world.
Because it will detract distract.
Your mind and your heart from Christ.
If we are going to represent the one who was not of this world, if we are going to manifest that we too are not of this world either, then we have here that which will.
Display it.
Setting our affection on things above.
Having all that fills my heart where Christ is.
At the right hand of God.
Now we find that one aspect.
One aspect of our representation of the Lord Jesus Christ here in this world is to show beloved young people that our desire, that all our aspirations, that everything that we seek for is not in this world at all.
Where Christ is at the right hand of God.
Now if you would turn over with me to Ephesians chapter 3 for a moment.
Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 8.
This is the Apostle Paul.
Writing by the Spirit of God. And he says unto me, who I'm less than the least of All Saints, is this grace given?
That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
We find that in Ephesians chapter one, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. And now, beloved young people, as those who represent that blessed, glorious Savior here, we can too make known the unsearchable.
Riches of Christ.
To make known, beloved young people, that which God in His wondrous grace has brought us into, brought you into. To let it be known that which you know and enjoy, that you have not only been saved from hell, but that you have a place in Christ, that God sees you already.
Seated in Him in the heavenly places, that there is not a blessing.
That God has withheld.
From those who belong to Christ, all beloved young people, Does my life, does your life reflect in any measure? And I trust it will exercise my heart. Does it reflect in any measure the enjoyment of the unsearchable riches of Christ? All. When the Lord Jesus was here, He would make known what was in the Father's heart.
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That which we have been brought into has been opened up to us by the Spirit of God in these epistles and now as his representative here, as an ambassador for Christ, as a personal representative.
For the Lord Jesus Christ here in this world, and as one in the enjoyment in measure, for all our enjoyment is in measure only here. But as we enjoy and measure that which we have been brought into in Christ, all beloved young people, would it not give us to make known the unsearchable riches of Christ?
We find in the next verse it says, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery.
Which from the beginning of the world has been hidden God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God.
We find in Second Corinthians chapter 5 that the message.
That the apostles, as Christs ambassadors delivered, was be reconciled to God.
We find he speaks of making known.
The unsearchable riches of Christ. And then he speaks here of having all men come to know what is the fellowship of the mystery. Now, dear young people, we have been blessed.
With every spiritual blessing, and we want to.
Seek grace from the Lord to make known the unsearchable riches of Christ.
And we have been made members of the body of Christ.
So closely beloved young people, so closely identified with the Lord Jesus himself.
That we bear his name now. That is your place, as we were saying earlier.
Now the question that comes to my heart, and I trust to yours too.
Am I as his representative here?
Am I making known?
The Fellowship of the Mystery.
Am I letting it be known?
That there is one body.
That all believers have been brought into that one body of Christ.
Am I to bring it more practical?
Am I showing out?
As his representative here am I showing out that I believe it?
By being identified.
With that which here seeks to act upon the principle that there is one body. Oh dear young people, how many voices there are in this world?
That claim to represent Christ and to speak for him.
But they do not speak according to the word of God.
And beloved young people, if you know that you are a member of the body of Christ.
That by one spirit God has joined you into that one body.
Have you sought by His grace?
To be identified with that testimony that God has raised up to that truth.
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That there is one body.
God has established A testimony, dear young people, and the apostle Paul here.
Speaks of making known what is the fellowship of the mystery.
I heard just a little while ago.
This happened many years ago and in a place far away from here.
But I was told of a man who knew the truth.
That there is one body.
And furthermore.
He spoke about it.
He even.
Interested a number of believers, a number of Christians in that truth.
He brought them.
To a place where that truth was acted upon.
But he was not identified with the testimony himself.
And it resulted.
In a number of those believers.
Being stumbled and turned aside, they couldn't understand how it was possible for someone to know this truth.
And yet refused to be identified with the testimony to the truth that there is one body all. Beloved young people, are you representing here?
Are you representing here?
That wondrous truth that there is one body.
Or do you say, well, I'm an ambassador for Christ, I represent Christ here, but.
I'm not prepared to go that far.
As to represent in a practical way that the body is 1.
Identified with him.
We find. We'll turn over now to.
First, Peter.
First Peter, chapter 2.
A further.
Aspect.
A further point in connection with our.
Representing Christ here in this world.
Notice verse 11. Dearly beloved, as first Peter 2 and 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.
Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
The 20th verse. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently? This is acceptable with God. For even here unto where ye call, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps who did no sin.
Neither was guile found in his mouth.
Who when he was reviled, reviled not again when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, who his own self bare our sins, and his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness.
By whose stripes ye were healed.
Now, beloved young people, we have here.
In the language.
Written by the Spirit of God.
Christ is our example.
That yeesh ye, you and me should follow.
His steps.
God never calls upon us to do.
That which is impossible.
And he has provided us.
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With all that is needed in order that we might do just what it says here.
We needed a new nature and he gave us one divide.
We needed a new life, and He gave us one Christ as our life. We needed a new power and He gave us one by the indwelling of the Spirit of God. And now He calls upon us to follow in the steps of our blessed Savior here who did no sin. Or are we going to represent Him here?
Be ambassadors for Christ, the personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ in this world. Well, beloved young people, here is the pattern, the one who walked here to the glory of God. And it tells us in that first verse that we read in this chapter. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.
The Lord Jesus walked through this world as a stranger, and surely those who represent him here are called upon to be strangers here too. Strangers because we don't belong here, pilgrims, because we're passing through it on our way home to glory. Now, beloved young people, this has a very practical.
Very practical application for us because if we are strangers.
We are not going to be involved.
In the affairs of this life, we are not going to be involved with its politics.
We're not going to be involved with its plans, its aspirations, everything that it seeks after. We're not here to change the world. We're passing through it. We're not of it.
We have Christ as our life and all that we want.
Is where he is at the right hand of God.
Now this comes right down to our school activities, doesn't it?
Right down to, as the young people say, sometimes, where we live.
Right down into the classroom. Do you represent Christ there?
All beloved young people there is. First of all, to know what your place is in Him. Secondly, to know that you have no part in this world at all, you're not of it. Thirdly, to have your affections, your mind, everything you want set where Christ is above.
Then to find that there's a pattern for your life here, the life of Christ, and to find beloved young people that as a stranger and a Pilgrim, you're not.
You're not called upon in any way to join in with anything.
Anything that this world involves itself in, you have been joined to Christ by the Spirit of God.
Well, beloved young people.
We can bring these things home.
Home to our hearts in a very practical way.
I go into a restaurant.
I wonder, dear young people, when I walk into a restaurant. When you walk into a restaurant.
Do you have the conscious sense in your soul that as you walk into that restaurant?
You represent Christ.
You bear his name.
That you are part of himself.
And that what the people in that restaurant see of Christ.
Is what they see of Christ in you?
That's all they have.
They don't read the word of God, but you're an epistle, an epistle of Christ known and read of all men. You're an epistle. The world is reading you reading me. But all beloved young people, what a glorious position is ours in Christ, and knowing it, we're called upon to represent Him here. Now if you would turn with me to just one last verse, Second Corinthians chapter 3.
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Two Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 18.
But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord.
Are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Beloved young people, you and I, I know, I know it absolutely, with the full assurance that God gives us that if you belong to Christ, there is a desire in your heart to live to please Him.
But it isn't a matter of getting up in the morning and as it were, getting out of stepping out of the bed, putting our feet on the floor and saying today's the day. I'm going to live for Christ today. And all beloved young people, you're not going to represent him here that way. I'm not going to represent him here that way. But we find here that beholding the glory of the Lord, we're changed into the same image.
Now everything that God has for me is in Christ. Everything that my soul that Newman seeks after is in Christ. Everything that is going to mean anything in the future for me and for you is in Christ and with Christ in glory.
And how can I be more like him here?
You know it says.
That the Lord Jesus asked for a coin one day, and when they showed him a coin, he said, Whose image and superscription is this? And they said, Caesars there they looked on the coin, and they saw that which represented Caesar. Now beloved young people, by occupation with Christ, by you, and I, beholding the glory of the Lord, having his word.
Before my soul and yours occupied with him, reading, enjoying the precious things of Christ day by day, we will be changed into the same image and we will represent Him here in this world.
Be it more true representation of Christ in this world. Beloved young people, I trust that what I've said for this afternoon will not occupy you with yourself.
For me with myself. But occupy our hearts with the One in whom all our blessings are, and realize what a solemn responsibility is yours and mine, to represent Christ.
In this world, until we're taken home.
Living Water
Gospel—C. Lunden
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.
General meetings in Montreal, October 1974. Gospel by Brother Lundeen.
We remain seated while we sing hymn #2.
Come this Jesus.
Forever.
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Shall we sing together hymn #13?
#13.
Man of sorrow.
Can we turn to the 4th chapter of the Gospel of John please?
We read the 1St 30 verses of the 4th chapter of the Gospel of John.
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, though Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples, He left Judy and departed again into Galilee, and he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sikar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
Now Jacob's well was there.
Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey.
Sat thus on the well, and it was about the 6th hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water.
Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink, for his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.
Then Seth, the woman of Samaria unto him, How is the thou, being a Jew, asketh, drink of me, which I'm a woman of Samaria, for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
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The woman sat under him. Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From whence then hast thou that living water Art thou greater than our Father Jacob, who which gave us the well, drank there of himself and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I should give him.
Shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him.
A well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water.
That I thirst not, neither come hit her to draw.
Jesus saith unto her goal.
Call thy husband and come hit her. The woman answered and said, I have no husband.
Jesus saith unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband.
Thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband.
In that said, thou truly.
The woman saith unto him, Sir.
I perceive that thou art a prophet our fathers worshipped in this mountain.
And ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. And Jesus saith unto her woman.
Believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain.
Nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father.
Ye worship, you know not what we know, what we worship for salvation is of the Jews.
But the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.
God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit.
Add in truth the woman set unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When he has come, he will tell us all things. Jesus said unto her, Lie that speak unto thee, and he. And upon this came his disciples, and marvel that he talked with the woman, Yet no man said, What seekest thou, or why talkest thou with her?
The woman then left her water pot and went her way into the city and set to the men.
Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
In keeping with what we've been having before us in these meetings.
The councils and purposes of God.
And the marvelous blessings that have been provided for the one who believes in Jesus.
I just like to speak a little tonight about the way in which the soul is brought into these blessings.
I'd like to speak tonight a little about the Savior and the Sinner, and surely we have it here.
The Savior and the Sinner.
Now you know in the Gospel of John we have the Lord Jesus presented as the Son of God.
And so of course, sin must be exposed.
And surely it is exposed in his presence.
But you know, in this chapter we have something lovely.
Because even though sin is exposed, it's not mentioned on the part of Jesus.
Now this woman who's in the presence of Jesus.
He doesn't mention her guilt.
And yet at the same time, he brings home to her soul a sense of that guilt.
And while he does so, he wins her heart.
Oh dear friends, do you know the Savior?
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Of sinners.
This chapter begins.
With a setting Jacobs well and it's often in Scripture that we have the well.
The place of refreshment and blessing connected with the gospel message.
And so we have here at Jacob's Well.
Which was that?
I suppose Shechem.
Or near Shechem because the well probably was outside of the city.
And if you'll just go with me for the moment, back to that land of.
Judea and up into Samaria, which was on a hill, and right near at Mount Gerizim, where these Samaritans seem to think a great deal.
Of that mountain.
There was a little hamlet there.
And nearby Jacobs Well.
And so we see a savior. We see a woman.
A Sinner who carries an ordinary water pot.
And she's coming to get refreshment now, dear friends.
We know that she was coming to get water for her household, no doubt, but the Spirit of God is making a spiritual application to our hearts tonight. It wasn't simply water that the Spirit of God would bring before us, but it's something that will satisfy man's heart.
Oh dear friend, do you have something that will satisfy your heart?
Tonight, Are you ready to go into the presence of God?
Satisfied if you were ushered into eternity immediately.
And so we have Jacob Swell.
It was a gift from Jacob, as she says. Our father gave us this well connected with it was all the tradition of those centuries that were behind.
But we have another gift also in this chapter.
The gift of God.
And it also had to do with the well or a spring that the Lord Jesus was presenting.
And so as we see this picture then.
This just at this moment.
Find the Lord Jesus coming to the well of psycho.
I have never looked it up, but a brother was telling me that he had probably walked.
All night and that day to reach that well.
And we find too, that just as he reaches that well, there comes a woman who was a Sinner to the well at the same time.
How could this all happen?
Was this a coincidence? Oh dear friends, we have in this chapter three, we have God the Father, we have God the Son, and we have God the Holy Spirit at work.
In the salvation of a soul we see the Father drawing this soul.
To that well, at that very moment.
We see the Lord Jesus as the one who was the dependent man walking in obedience to the Father.
He reaches that well at that very moment.
Does this well have a history? Indeed it does.
It's Jacob's well, and it's all that these poor souls had.
Until Jesus came. And dear friend, I'd like to ask you tonight, what do you have tonight?
What do you have tonight? If you don't have Jesus, What do you have? All you may have? Tradition.
All that goes with what Jacob Swell speaks of.
This will never satisfy your heart, as we notice in this account that we've read, and we may have time to mention a few things.
This woman would draw and draw again, and her heart would be never satisfied.
Whether it be from that well of Jacobs, or whether it be from that which she sought refreshment in this world, never would her heart be satisfied to hear. Nor will yours.
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No, only the one who made us beloved can satisfy our hearts.
And he will, if we'll just come to him.
And what else do we have connected with Jacob's well?
Her brother was speaking today of the illustrations of the Old Testament.
And how important they are.
Well, if we go back, we find in the 48th chapter of Genesis.
The last verse or two we find out Jacob gave to his son Joseph one portion above his brethren.
It was Shechem, that lovely Shechem.
And Joseph is the type of Christ.
Oh, dear friends, is there any response in your heart at all to these spiritual illustrations? Don't you see that the Lord Jesus?
Joseph, the true Joseph, has come to claim that gift that his father gave him.
At Shechem.
Yes, he's come to claim that gift.
2nd.
One portion that I've taken out of the hand of the amorite with my sword and with my bow.
All that speaks to us of the work that was accomplished. The enemy was meant, and that portion was provided.
For his son.
Yes, the Lord Jesus did it, but He did it in obedience to the Father.
Therefore does my father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again? This commandment have I received in my father.
And so we see the Lord Jesus now coming to claim that portion.
At Cycar as well.
That portion of his father had given him. And what is that portion? Oh, it's the church.
For the first time, do we have worship in the Spirit brought before us in this chapter?
Worship in the Spirit. Strange circumstances, isn't it? Here's a wretched Sinner standing in the presence of the judge and the quick of the dead Jesus.
Yes, God has given all judgment into the hands of Jesus. He is the Judge.
And we're not going to speak of the judge tonight very much. But that's not what our story is about. Our story is about the Savior. Oh, he is the judge, but I hope you'll never see him as judge. He didn't come to judge.
No, he didn't come to judge. He came to save. He didn't come just to help. He came to say he wants to save your soul tonight.
And so we find him here at the well at Shechem.
To claim that which his father was, to give him one portion above his brethren, that is, above Israel.
He's come to claim it, but something else we notice here in connection with Shechem.
If you would carefully trace the history, you would find that there was shame brought on the House of Jacob.
At Shechem.
Yes, shame.
In the matter of Dinah.
But we find here that blessed Saviors come to remove all the shame.
It's all gone.
None left.
Jesus and he alone can remove all that shame.
Oh, you say, well, my life isn't too bad. That's not.
That's not.
But God is giving us an illustration here of one.
Who was a candidate for the Church of God?
And what's her history? Well.
We have it in this chapter.
Shocking. Very black. Oh yes, nevertheless.
00:25:05
He doesn't speak of that.
Why?
He came to save. He doesn't repel her. He doesn't embarrass her, no.
He gives her that.
Which will give her life.
And so we find that the Lord Jesus is sitting on the well. Why is he sitting on the well? Because he's tired.
Yes, he's tired. That blessed Savior who came down from the heights of glory became a man.
He went in and out among men, healing the sick, cleansing the lepers and raising the dead.
And if his brother's calculations were right, he probably walked all night long.
And until 6:00 in this day, I suppose, the evening.
To meet this one soul.
Oh, what a savior we've been singing. What a savior.
But let me tell you something else, dear friend. He came further than that. He came all the way from the glory.
Supposing you had been surrounded by everything that a King's palace would provide.
And suddenly you were thrust down into the lowest environment possible.
Among men, would you be comfortable?
And yet the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, who dwelled in the bosom of the Father, and he never left it.
But he did leave those courts of glory come down as a man.
And he went in and out among men, in the midst of all the sorrow.
So that he could win your heart and mind. Oh what a savior. But what else did he do?
The one who went around doing good. Those very hands that bless.
Were peers with nails and hung to a tree.
A sword was plunged into his side, and death.
So that that payment might be made.
So he could remove all the shame from his father's house.
That's Jesus. That's the Savior.
Well, in our chapter then we have here.
He must needs go through Samaria.
We find the Lord Jesus out of the area that he had come to.
He'd come to his own, that is, the Jews. He'd come to his own, and his own received him not, but to as many as received him to them gave me the right or title to become the children of God.
And now he's gone outside, as it were.
Of Judea into Samaria, among the people that would not be recognized by the Jews.
And he's sitting there on the well, and here comes a woman of Samaria with her water pots.
Something to draw with to satisfy her just for one day, and then she comes back to draw again to meet the dead, the needs of the day.
But she's not thinking of the need of her soul.
But she liked probably many and perhaps some in this room tonight.
Is our thinking about something else?
In the measure in which the Spirit of God and grace would impress it on the soul. And that is the guilt.
That's in the life of everyone.
Who refuses or has rejected Jesus?
Now the measure of guilt may be very indifferent ones, but what does that matter if it plunges you into hell?
Then it will.
Oh dear friend, you know the road you're on without Christ, it leads to the pit.
Yes it does.
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Endless wall.
That all the Lord Jesus presenting to this poor soul something tonight.
Or in this chapter we have before us tonight.
To meet the need of her soul so that she'll never have to come again to draw.
We're not speaking merely of water, you know.
But of that which would dip into the refreshment that this world provides for the moment.
The pleasures of sin for a season.
You know Moses was in such a position.
And there was a day that came when he he made a decision.
And that decision was to a suffer affliction with the people of God.
Rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
He made the choice. Have you made the choice?
Pleasures of sin for a season.
The Lord Jesus says to this woman.
Give me to drink.
Give me to drink.
Oh, what a position the Savior was in. And why was He in this position? Because it was the Father's artery.
Perfect man, perfect dependence, and he's dependent upon this woman for a drink.
He had been walking.
Hasting to reach this place and now he's tired and he needs a drink. Jesus, the Son of God down here is a man needs a drink.
We don't know whether he ever got that drink or not.
But we do know that before the story ends, his heart was refreshed.
And I trust, beloved, that before this meeting is over, the Lord Jesus heart will be refreshed once more.
As you take him as your own personal savior.
Because we have on the authority of this word, that all heaven will rejoice tonight if you take Jesus your Savior.
Do you know that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sins? You know that God has says, Verily, verily, I say to you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me half everlasting life shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life. Either despise of the word shall be destroyed.
But he that regardeth the commandments.
Shall be rewarded.
Oh dear friend, you know what hardens the heart?
You know what hardens the heart?
Refusing to act on the Word of God when you hear it. What else?
Trifling with sin.
Oh yes.
But still, there was a sense of need in the heart of this woman.
Yes.
This woman was miserable.
How could a Sinner be otherwise but miserable?
But there's something we see here that the father is drawing.
No man can come to me except the father draw him.
That's what the Lord Jesus could say.
Oh yes, the Father's drawing. And that's grace, isn't it? God didn't have to draw this poor soul to himself, neither did He have to draw you.
But he did, didn't he? If you're a Christian, he drew you. He constrained you. He drew you to the Savior, or you never would have come.
That's great.
Oh yes, he made her feel her need.
He made her feel her misery.
And that's the fruit of sin.
Waste itself gains nothing. That's in nothing again.
00:35:09
But all what the Savior has for you.
What a difference.
Well, springing up into everlasting life, he's going to present to this woman.
All she has is the fruit of sin, and she's miserable. And what else is she? Isolated? And that's what sin does.
Separate you even from society.
Alone. And is there anything worse than this? To be alone? To feel alone? Oh, how many souls feel alone tonight because of sin and they've put themselves in such a place as this.
But I have good news for you.
The Lord Jesus just as he sat here by the well.
Wants to relieve your heart tonight and deliver you from those sins that isolate you not only from God, but from your fellow man.
Oh, what a condition to be in. And yet, who? Where is she? As we said, she's standing in the presence of the one who judges the living in the dead.
And yet she apparently isn't too uncomfortable in his presence. Except for that one thing.
She doesn't seem to leave.
No, because of that blessed Savior, there is an attraction to His person.
He came down to save. You don't know Jesus, do you?
Oh, dear sitter friend, you don't know him as the one who draws you to himself, do you?
Who loves you? The one who wants to do you good.
Wants one who wants to give you a water that will refresh your heart both now and for all eternity.
Do you want the Savior?
Give me to drink.
The Lord says, give me to drink.
Oh, he wants to have his heart refreshed tonight.
Yes, he does.
And perhaps there's someone in this room tonight is unsaved that's going to refresh the Savior's heart.
By coming to Jesus.
Are you coming tonight?
Coming in all your sin and your misery and your shame, coming to Jesus.
Are you coming tonight?
Are you going to let your heart get just a little harder and turn away once more down that road?
That leads you nowhere.
To endless woe, and perhaps you will never have another opportunity.
The one opportunity is tonight.
Behold, now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation.
The disciples are gone away.
And this resorted of God too. Why? Because.
So this soul might be in the presence of Jesus alone. Have you ever been in the presence of Jesus alone?
It's a good place to be.
In the presence of Jesus alone with your sins.
Conscious of who he is.
Oh, what a place to be.
Now tell me, could you go to anybody else, Anyone else with your sins like that?
Could you go into the presence of anyone that you know and have him say?
Thy sins are forgiven thee. And that he did to the woman in the 7th of Luke.
Yes, he did.
Thy sins are forgiven thee.
Always Savior.
Could you go to anyone else and have that or the Pharisees say, who is this that forgives sins? They didn't know Jesus. They didn't know that God had come down in the person of his Son for that one purpose, to forgive sin.
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He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
And as we said tonight, we're going to speak a little of the Savior and the Sinner in his presence.
Oh, what a gospel we have.
A loving Savior, the Savior who died at Calvary so that the Sinner might be saved.
Give me the drink. What does the woman say?
The disciples having gone away. You know, I just want to say this.
Could you and I be in the place of a disciple and be a hindrance to a soul being saved because we didn't understand God's mind?
These disciples didn't understand.
All fellow Christian, let's be sure that we're in the presence of God and have his mind.
Because we're going to be a helper, a hindrance in the salvation of souls.
Disciples have gone away to buy bread.
The Lord Jesus was feasting while they were away.
And yet he had no bread.
And when they come back he can say I have meat to eat that she know not of.
Oh dear friends, you don't know about this water or this meat, do you? If you're unsaved.
That the Lord Jesus had.
The disciples didn't know, and yet they were formally appointed to preach the Word, though this is solemn.
How is that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink?
Me, which I'm a woman of Samaria for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
The Lord doesn't answer her question.
Directly.
Oh, I think this is beautiful.
The Lord answers her according to her need.
He knows what the heart needs.
And he answers, and this is true. Of course, as Christians too, he answers our prayers that way, according to what we need.
But especially here's the soul that has a need, a real need for eternity.
And the answers according to the need. She's been talking about the well that Jacob gave. He's going to talk about another gift that the father gave.
If thou knewest.
Verse 10 The gift of God.
And who it is that Seth to thee give me to drink.
Thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given me living water.
If thou knewest.
The gift of God.
And who it is that Seth to thee? Give me the drink. I would have asked of him, and he would have given me living water.
Our brother was talking today about the short sermons and acts.
Peter sermon was about 3 minutes when Cornelius and his household was saved.
This isn't a very long sermon in this chapter either. Is it that Jesus spoke?
Though how effective when God the Father is drawing, when Christ Himself is acting as the channel of blessing, and when the Spirit of God is convicting the conscience?
Not many words needed are there?
And all that the Spirit of God would work tonight in this way.
That the father would draw.
To the Savior.
If thou knewest and she didn't know.
Because these are heavenly things.
And poor earthlings know nothing of heavenly things unless they have a revelation from God.
The natural man doesn't understand the things of God.
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That we'll see here in a moment.
How we come to an understanding?
Man prides himself today with his intellect and words of taking him.
Well, you only need to glance at the corner of your newspaper, you'll find out. You don't need to read the whole thing. It doesn't profit you, just the coroner will tell you, that's all.
Oh what a mess this world is in.
Just about ready for Jesus, isn't it?
But you know, when he comes, he's going to judge this world in righteousness. God is going to judge this world in righteousness by that man. And he's given witness to all men, and he's raised him out from among the dead.
I know how solemn this is for those who rejected him.
Yes, only to the Lord. Jesus can straighten this world out, and he's going to do it.
To the description of this present world in its last throws before Jesus comes, is in the 24th of Isaiah.
Yes, it'll rock to and fro.
And it's beginning to rock already.
But my friend, what about your soul?
Your precious soul. You're never dying soul. What about it tonight?
Have you found the Lord Jesus your Savior? Have you put your trust in that precious blood?
Have you taken of this water of life that has been provided for you by just taking Jesus your Savior?
If thou knowest the gift of God, and who it is itself to thee, give me to drink thou which the vast of him.
Have you asked of him?
There was nothing to draw with the well as deep. Whence then asked thou that living water she's beginning just a little bit.
To be concerned whence, whence we get that often in the gospel.
We have it again. When shall a man provide so much bread in the wilderness? Whence?
All the man naturally doesn't know the supply there is in heaven. Man doesn't know the supply that God has laid up in store for the Sinner who believes in Jesus.
An eternal supply of blessings? No man doesn't know.
Whence?
Then hast thou that living water? I suppose she thought of an artesian well.
That's what she was thinking about, perhaps something where she wouldn't have to go deeper and deeper every time to get a little more water.
And that's the way it is with the center, you know, because you know, the present things of this world do not satisfy.
That's why men are out searching everywhere for something new.
Because the things that they.
They have found do not satisfy.
All they have to do is read the book of Ecclesiastes and they'll find out.
Because Solomon tried it all.
He didn't withhold himself from any pleasure.
And he writes one word across the whole thing. Vanity.
Vanity, and besides its vexation of spirit.
But Jesus is not banned. To your vexation, the Spirit Jesus satisfies. He'll satisfy your heart tonight, and he'll satisfy your heart for all eternity. Have you taken Jesus as your Savior?
Now she speaks of tradition.
In verses 12 to 15.
Tradition, so she knows.
But then finally she says, Sir.
Sir, now she's going to ask and that lovely she's going to ask. Won't you ask 2 tonight? Won't you ask Jesus for that living water, Sir?
Give me this water that I thirst not neither come hit her to draw. Now it's true she was ignorant of what the water was about, but she was willing to accept what he had to give.
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Yes, she was willing.
Jesus said unto her, Go.
Call thy husband and come hit her.
All here we have the secret of divine intelligence brought to man.
Go call your husband and come come.
You'll have to go first, but then come, come, come back.
Come back.
And what does it mean to go?
Well, she has a little matter to settle first. What is it? He doesn't say a thing about her sins, you know.
No, he doesn't say one thing about it. He says you just go call your husband and come.
And you know, this just unlocks the heart completely.
Because she knows now the secret is out. And you know, my friend, that every hidden thing will be revealed, and those things that are hidden now will be shouted from the rooftops.
Oh, do you want them shouted from the rooftops or do you want them all put away tonight?
And the precious blood of Christ.
Have your choice.
They'll be shouted from the rooftops. What does that mean?
It means that God is going to expose every sin that you've committed.
Yes, he will.
Unless you take Jesus. And if you take Jesus, they'll be.
Cast the bottom of the sea and they'll be hidden as far as the east is from the West.
Have you made your choice, dear friends? Do you want them shouted from the rooftops?
Oh, what a savior.
What a savior.
I have no husband voices. I know that you've had four husbands.
And the man you have now is not your husband. Shocking life all my friends.
We say it's shocking, but think of the world we're living in tonight. As it was in the days of Noah's, so shall it be in the days when the Son of Man shall come. And what about the days of Lot?
There's no use hiding the facts, dear friend. We're living in a sinful world.
And sin even reaches in among the people of God.
But all how it spoils all the joy that the Christian has when he allows it.
The dear friends, tonight if you're in your sins without Christ.
You go on into eternity lost, lost. You'll never have one drop of water to refresh your soul for all eternity.
If you go out of this world without Christ, you might tonight if you leave this room unsaved.
God's pleading with your soul tonight.
Won't you come and take this water of life? Won't you receive the Savior, that precious Savior that wants to put away all your sins, every one of them?
He loves you, God is drawing you.
The Savior came to save you, and the Spirit of God is appealing to your conscience now. Man wasn't created with a conscience, you know. He didn't get one until you disobeyed God.
And that silent monitor is busy every day. Good thing too.
Dear friend, you're going to have it for all eternity unless you take Jesus your Savior.
Yes, you will. Where the worm dieth not and the fires not quenched, you'll have that conscience for all eternity, and you will remember.
Not only with wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth.
You will remember.
This very gospel meeting tonight.
If you reject the same.
How about the water of life? How about that well springing up which he speaks of the Spirit?
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The moment you believe on Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit.
Indwelling.
Go call thy husband. That's the secret.
Intelligence comes through the conscience, not through the mind.
Merely it may travel through the mind, but it comes by way of the conscience.
And it comes because God has drawn. The Father has drawn.
And the Lord Jesus himself, the Savior.
Has offered you that water of life.
And the Spirit of God.
Convicting you of your guilt in his presence.
That you might simply reach out and take that water of life that's free tonight.
She speaks of worship.
She speaks of his being a prophet. And you know, that's a step forward because we find in the Old Testament that when one accepted a prophet.
Is accepting it as the word of God.
Are you willing to accept the Word of God tonight?
Are were you willing to bow to his work?
Now why is this so important, dear friend? Because faith comes by hearing.
The ear is the conscience.
Spiritually, faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God.
Have you believed the word of God?
That's how you get life.
That were the prophet. Oh, she's coming along.
Father's drawing, isn't he?
Yes, the Father's drawing.
She speaks of worship.
25th verse The woman Southern I know that Messiah's cometh. She's intelligent about religious things, but not about spiritual things.
Oh, how intelligent this world might be tonight about religious things.
But not necessarily about spiritual things.
The world is full of religion. Who fact has been the greatest persecutor of Christianity they've ever known.
Religion.
But it won't save your soul.
She knew about the Messiah.
Oh, how many people know about Jesus?
Tonight, but they don't know the Savior.
Do you know the Savior? You know someone who saved you from your sins? Wash you clean so that your soul is whiter than snow? Do you know someone like that tonight, you know Jesus?
The Savior Have you owned yourself? The Sinner Have you met the Savior?
Because that's the only way you can introduce yourself is by your sins.
He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Yes.
When he has come, he will tell us all things.
Now it's wonderful to have knowledge.
But the Lord Jesus does not satisfy.
Knowledge.
No, he doesn't satisfy the mind.
There's warning one thing that will do you any good tonight, dear friend, and that's the only thing that would do this woman any good.
I that speak unto thee am he, that's all.
If you believe not that I am, he shall die in your.
The Lord could say, I that speak unto thee, and he.
As have come home to your soul that Jesus is the eternal Son of God the Savior.
And have you received them?
As your own personal savior.
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I that speak unto thee.
Am he this beloved? Is the great I am?
The great I am is down here with a Sinner, and he's giving her the water of life.
Oh, she's got her vessel filled now.
Yes, and she takes that old water box and she sets it aside. She doesn't need it anymore.
We are Speaking of spiritual things now.
It's a sad thing to see a Christian go back and get the old water pot. You don't need it anymore.
To know how the present things around us sometimes cause us to look back at the old water pot as though it were going to satisfy our hearts. No, it won't.
We don't need the old water pot anymore.
No, it will never satisfy the heart.
I that speak unto thee, and ** *** leaves your water pot. She goes back to the very place of her shame. She says, come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?
She has a testimony and an acceptance.
Why? Because there's been a change, that's why. Has there been a change with you, dear friend?
Has there been a change in your life? Christianity produces a change.
Yes it does.
It's a Newman.
Born again, born through the incorruptible Word of God.
Washing and regeneration, and then the renewing of the Holy Ghost. A change.
And as she goes back to the very place of her shame, she proves.
That she has something that the rest do not have. And so they come to see the man that told her. What did he tell her? Did he tell her all things that she ever did? Yes.
Because she knew down in here that she was in the presence of the one who knew all that she ever did, and he never rebuked her for it once.
He just gave her the water of life. Oh dear friends, won't you come tonight and take Jesus? Won't you receive him as your Savior tonight as we sing that little hymn #12?
Want to receive Him as your own savior? You sit there in that chair.
Take Jesus Christ as your own precious Savior. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sins.
Just as.
The Lord.
Four Lepers
Gospel—G. Hayhoe
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General Meetings, Montreal, October 1974. Gospel by Gordon Hayhoe.
Could we open the meeting tonight by saying hymn #11, hymn #11?
With your anchor hauled in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife, when the strong tides lift and the cable strain, will your anchor drift or firm remain? We have an anchor that keeps the sole steadfast and sure, While the billows roll fasten to the rock which cannot move.
Grounded, firm, and deep in the Savior's love. Can we remain seated please, while we sing this hymn #11?
Well, your anchor.
Hold in my love life who I love.
Rain flowers, crying for everyone crying.
Here close praying whatever we are praying to God forever alcohol.
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M #7 God loved the world of sinners lost and ruined by the fall. Salvation fall at highest cost He offers free to all #7.
God loves the world.
Of sailors lost and lost.
From the power of them, grow faith in fries.
Of all squanders, Wanderers love La La, La La la.
What do I say you're from?
Calvary.
Hurry down.
Like to turn to 2nd Kings chapter 6?
Second Kings, chapter 6. I'd like to read this portion as something that applies to this present day. I believe it's a picture of the very day in which we live and then of the good news of plenty that God has provided through the gospel. Second Kings, chapter 6 and verse 25.
There was a great famine in Samaria, and behold, he besieged it until an ass's head was sold for four score pieces of silver.
And the 4th part of a cab of Doves dung for five pieces of silver. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, and there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help my Lord, O king. And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, when shall I help thee? Out of the barn press floor, out of the wine press. And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him today.
00:10:24
And he will. We will eat my son tomorrow. So we boiled my son and did eat him.
And I said unto her, On the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him.
And she hath hid her son. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he ran his clothes, and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Then he said, God, do so to, and more also to me, if the head of Elijah the son of sheep, I shall stand on him this day. But Alicia sat in his house, and the elder sat with him.
And the king sent a man from before him. But ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See how this son of a murderer has sent to take away Minehead. Look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast At the door is not the sound of his master's feet behind him? And while he yet spake with them, behold the messenger came down unto him.
And he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord, why should I wait for the Lord any longer?
Then Elijah said, Hear ye the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shackle, and two measures of barley for a shackle in the gate of Samaria. Then a Lord, on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
And there were four leprous men at the entering end of the gate, and they said one to another.
Why sit we here until we die? If we say we will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore, come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we shall live, and if they kill us, we shall but die. And they rose up in the twilight to go on to the camp of the Syrians. And when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of Chariots and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host. And they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come upon us. Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses, and their ***** even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried them silver and gold and raiment, and went and hid it, and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried fence also, and went and hit it. Then they said one to another, We do not Well, this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace. If we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us. Now therefore come, that we may go and tell the King's household.
So they came and called unto the Porter of the city, and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and ***** tied in the tents, as they were. And he called the porters, and they told it to the King's house within. And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry.
They gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive and get into the city. And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee. 5 of the horses that remain which are left in the city, behold, they are as all a multitude of Israel that are left in it. Behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed. And let us send and see.
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They took therefore 2 Charried horses, and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see, and they went after them unto Jordan. Blow all the way was full of garments and vessels which the Syrians had castaway in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king. And the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians, saw a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shackle.
According to the word of the Lord. And the king appointed the Lord, on whose hand he leaned, to have charge of the gate. And the king trod upon him, and the people trod upon him in the gate. And he died, as the man of God had said, who spake, when the king came down to him. And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, 2 measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel shall be tomorrow about this time.
In the gate of Samaria. And that Lord answered the man of God, and said.
Now behold, if the Lord shall make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?
And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And so it fell out unto him, For the people throwed upon him in the gate, and he died. And just one other passage, please, in Acts chapter 13.
Acts Chapter 13.
And verse 32.
And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son this day have I begotten the 38th verse. Be it known unto you, therefore man and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets. Behold, she despisers, and wonder, and perish. For I work a work in your days, a work which she shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
Well, dear friends, as I said, I'd like to look at this little portion that we have read here in Kings has a picture of just what is going on in the world today. We see that there was a great famine, that there was high prices, that there were terrible things happening. And we see how that God provided plenty for those who believed His Word. And isn't that just like the world I say today?
And God has given us this in his word is a little picture to us. Perhaps it will speak to some heart here tonight, because you'll notice carefully that the only person who didn't partake in the plenty that was provided was the man who didn't believe the good news. And those who don't believe the good news of Acts 16, the good news of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, are going to face judgment instead of blessing.
And all I do trust that there will not be one in this room who will turn a deaf ear to God's wonderful entreaties of love. For you know God's soul loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God loves this world, and He loves you. It has been said that whatever human heart craves.
Is satisfied affection.
And what's the matter with this world today is that they don't know love. They know a lot about lust, but they don't really know love. They don't know understanding because they don't know the source of it. And the source of it is the heart of God. Yes, I say to your friends, it's the heart of God.
God has revealed Himself to us in this precious book.
It says no man has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. And so tonight isn't a wonderful privilege to be able to announce from God's Book and tell you what God is like. You say, well, I have my own ideas, but your friends, your ideas are not anything, nor are my ideas anything.
00:20:23
You may say, well, you believe as you like. I'll believe as I like, but the fact is.
The Bible says my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so are my thoughts above your thoughts, and my ways above your ways. And so tonight, the message that I have to you isn't something that I have thought of. It's a message from God to your soul, a message of love and blessing about in this little passage, as I say, God aptly describes.
A condition of things in a country called Samaria. Now you know God had brought his people Israel into the land of Canaan, and he tells us it was a land flowing with milk and honey.
It was a land that was greatly blessed, that land of Israel, but they turned away from the Lord, and there was a part of the land called Samaria that had left the true knowledge of God and had departed from him, and God allowed a famine to come in that land.
And now you know there are other kinds of famine than just famine for bread and water. The Bible says the days will come when there shall be a famine, not for bread or for water, but for hearing of the words of the Lord.
And your friends were living in the time of famine today. Famine for the word of God. The printing press is turning out books on end. Every day something new is coming out. The schools can't keep up. The books that they're studying are already behind the present knowledge of science. Man can't keep up with all that he's discovering. And yet the cleverest man that ever lived.
I suppose he was one King Solomon and he said that which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. A great man named Einstein, I suppose the greatest scientist that ever lived. He made this comment. He said I don't know or he said like this, I, I know less than one 100th of 1% about anything.
Just think, well, if that's what Mr. Einstein thought, what a little bit you and I know. But dear friends, when we have God's Word, we know about God. And that's the most important thing. To know about all the laws of nature is not going to settle your eternal destiny, but to know about God, to know your responsibility to Him, to know that you can have a Savior in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is the most wonderful knowledge that you can ever have upon the face of the earth.
Well, God allowed this famine to come, and so does the famine in Canada.
And it's not a famine for bread or for water, but there certainly is a famine of another kind, because people are trying drugs and they're trying all kinds of lustful things. People are, just as it were, letting loose to see if they can't find something in this world to satisfy an inner longing that as yet hasn't been satisfied. Doesn't that remind you of just the way this little incident begins here?
There was a famine in Samaria and an ass's head was sold for.
4/4 score. That's 80 pieces of silver. Can you imagine such a price for an ***** head? You talk about inflation, but this was inflation super, wasn't it? This was really the highest prices that you could ever think of.
80 pieces of silver for an ass's head. What little bit of food was there in that?
About The world is now suffering inflation and people are going and paying the prices. Sure, they're paying the prices.
But to what they does, what they get, satisfy. No, they buy more and more, and still, as it says, the heart the eye cannot be satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. And then the next thing was the 4th part of a cab of doves dumb for five pieces of silver. What? But, dear friends, it's the filth and folly of this world that people are paying for.
00:25:20
The ***** head represents the folly of this world and the doves dumb represents the filth of this world and you pay high prices for the prices of magazines are going up and that's just what you get in it. All kinds of nonsense and all kinds of filth.
And it doesn't satisfy. The people were still paying these prices and they were still hungry. And dear friend, is there an inner longing in your soul that hasn't been satisfied? Friend, it's Christ that you need. It's Christ that you need, the little song says.
Now none but Christ can satisfy none other name for me. Now there's love and life and lasting joy. Lord Jesus found in thee. When we turn from this scene of inflation and now we turn to see something else.
The king passes by and justice. Think of the distress that this woman was in. You don't hardly like to repeat the story that's chronicled here, but some of the things you read in the daily newspaper are so shocking you hardly like to repeat them. But they're going on in the world today.
We're living in a, as someone said to me just the other day, you just hate to pick up the newspapers so full of violence and crime and everything else. Why isn't it just like what's described here? And the king didn't know what to do. And that's another thing that we see. A man who was in authority just felt helpless. He said, I can't help you. The Lord's the only one. And if he doesn't help you, I can't. That isn't that another thing that we see?
He was helpless to help or to do anything about this situation and the Bible tells us the Lord Jesus said men's hearts failing them for fear and looking after those things that are coming upon the earth. Yes, distress of nations with perplexity.
Wars and rumors of wars. All kinds of things happening everywhere.
And the king didn't know what to do. A woman cried. Help, my Lord, O King, he says. I can't help you. And isn't that the way things are? You go here and you go to that agent. They send you to somebody else. And as the world says, it's a merry go round. They just keep you going.
And there doesn't seem to be any answer to the problems. But there is an answer. But it's not in man's wisdom, and it's not in man's resources, dear friends, the answer is in Christ.
He is the answer to the souls need. He is the answer to your souls need. Are you trying to go on without Him? Yes. I say there's a famine in Samaria. That country that was, I'll call it a mixed up country because that's exactly what it was. They carried on a kind of a mixed worship. They worship titles and they worship the Lord. It was a mixed up country and this is a mixed up world and all kinds of strange things going on.
And then worst of all, as we read on in the story, who does the king blame? The king then says, well, I got to blame somebody. It's that prophet of the Lord Elisha. I'm going to take off his head. And that's another thing that you see happening today. They say Christianity hasn't helped things out. We've got to turn away now. We've got to make our own solutions to the problems.
We just need to get rid of the Bible. We need to get rid of these gospel preaching people. Why? They're just scaring people. They're just making them nervous. They're just doing this and that. And this is what the king said. He said the head of Elisha is not going to stay upon him this day. I'm going to get rid of him. What a picture of the world today. And here it says Elisha sat still in his house.
And perhaps you say, well, you Christians don't seem to be too disturbed about what's going on. Yes, we see what's going on, dear friends, but we're not totally surprised about it because God told us that these very things would happen. The Lord Jesus warned of these days. He told the Spirit definitely the character of these days. Paul warned of the last days when men would cast off restraint.
00:30:13
And when they would be without natural affections, true speakers, unthankful, unholy and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Oh surely God foreknew all about these days. He's known. And so the Christian who reads this Bible is shocked by what goes on. But in another way, he's not surprised because God said it was going to happen. And what God says.
Always comes true.
It says heaven and earth shall pass away.
But the words of the Lord Jesus shall not pass away. His word is truth. Not one precept, not one jot or title will pass from the law till all is fulfilled. All, dear friends, God's Word is going to be fulfilled to the latter.
Not one thing is going to fail. You can laugh at it, you can close the Bible, you can put it on the shelf, you can get rid of it, but you'll never change its truth. It's the truth of God forever. Oh Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. And Saul, Elisha sat still in the house. And so the king has sent a messenger down because he was going to try and get rid of this prophet.
Says Alicia sat still and says hold the door, he's coming down. He said just hold the door.
And isn't it wonderful, dear friends, that God is holding the door of grace open in a day like this? Some of us who are Christians really wonder why God has waited so long over this world, with its increasing violence and wickedness and rebellion against God.
Yes, we sometimes wonder why did he hold the door? Why did he say I don't, don't let that man in the door? Why? Well, because there was still a message of blessing to those very people in Samaria. And dear friends, the reason God hasn't brought judgment on this world as yet is because he has a message of peace and pardon as I read to you those lovely words.
In the book of the Acts, we declare unto you glad tidings tonight amid all the sin and wickedness of this world. And I don't stand here to tell you that I'm better than other people. I'm just a Sinner saved by grace. I'm not here to make you think that I are. Some of these people here because we've been spending a few days over the Bible, profess to be better. We're all trophies of God's wonderful grace that saved us.
That's all we are, dear friends, but God held back the messenger here that was going to kill Elisha because there was still a message of a message of blessing to that poor family city.
And God has held the door of grace open. He hasn't allowed the door as yet to be shut. Although men would like to get rid of the Bible. Perhaps you've read the little tract that tells the title of it's called Tracks Everywhere. Tracks Everywhere. There were a group of young people and they were handing out tracks. And as they handed them out, everybody was getting attract. And so as one young person handed it to a certain man, he said.
All tracks everywhere. And all this young man said there are none in hell. There are none in hell. And dear friends, there won't be any tracks. There won't be any message of salvation and pardon in that awful place of eternal judgment. Oh, you say, I didn't know people believed in hell. Today, dear friends, God's word hasn't changed. And God says in his word, these shall go away into everlasting punishment.
But the righteous into life eternal. Jesus said, if ye die in your sins where I am, ye cannot come. He says that the one who believes not the wrath of God abideth on him.
Or someone said, oh, but if you're more like Christ, you'd talk about love and not about judgment. But did you ever realize, my friend?
00:35:07
That the most solemn words about hell and about judgment were spoken by the Lord Jesus himself. Why? By the Lord Jesus himself? Because he knew how awful that place is. He knew how awful it is. And he died so that you wouldn't have to go there. He died so that you wouldn't have to be in that awful place, so that you might be in those courts of eternal glory.
And so here, while the door was being held so that this messenger couldn't, couldn't.
Come and take off the head of Elisha. It says this evil is from the Lord. Perhaps just a little word of exclamation about this. You know, God allows troubles to come into our lives to make us wake up. You know, it's just this way if we always had good health.
And we always had plenty of money and we always had the best of relations with friends and loved ones. We might just forget about God and think about having a good time and that only. But sometimes God stirs up the nest. Sometimes he sends an earthquake, like he did in Philippi to wake up. A sleeping jail keeper saw that he might be saved as God shaken up your home.
Have you had some troubles in your home? Have you had some troubles in your job and you say nothing secure today from the Lord allowed that. The Lord allowed that. He wanted you to realize that there isn't anything very secure. There isn't any real lasting satisfaction apart from Him. The pleasures of sin are only for a season. This evil is from the Lord. It doesn't mean that sin is from the Lord, but.
Troubles that come into our life spoken of in this verse as evil things. These troubles that come into our life, God allows them in order to wake us up. Like I sometimes told about a dear man that I went to see down in Kentucky, Jim McDaniel, he's with the Lord now, but when I went to see him, he was in a wheelchair with a broken back. And he said to me, God had to break my back.
To save my soul, God had to break my back to save my soul. And there.
How that young man sat in that wheelchair, he sat there for about 20 years.
Last, I didn't see him for a long time, but I saw pictures hanging on the wall where he had texts all around him. That man went from his wheelchair to heaven and he's glad that he broke his back. He told me himself he was. I was an ungodly man. I was cursing and swearing but that pray it came down on me and that tree broke his back.
And it was the means of his soul being saved. Friends, these troubles come into life. It's from the Lord. It's from the Lord. Why should you wait any longer? Why should you wait and resist the good news anymore? Why not close in with God's offers of mercy? And so isn't it lovely the way this 7th chapter begins? Then Elijah said, hear ye the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, tomorrow about this time.
Shall a measure of fine flower be sold for a shackle and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria? What fine prices these were right from these sky high prices right down to the very bottom. Could there be such a miracle as this happen? Yes, a more wonderful miracle I have to proclaim to you as we sang in our opening hymn, Salvation full at highest cost.
He offers free to all, not a measure of the wheat for a shekel, a measure of fine flour for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel. No, friend, that's too high a price. God offers salvation free. Why? The price was paid by Jesus, the little song says. Jesus paid it all, all to him I all.
Sin had left a Crimson stain.
Washed me white as snow. Yes, there's plenty for you tonight.
And it will cost you nothing just to receive it. Well, there was a man standing there, the second verse says. Then a Lord on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God, and said, Behold, is the Lord would make windows in heaven. Might this thing be?
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Notice he didn't actually contradict it. He just said, might this thing be? In other words, he wasn't an out and out infidel. He wasn't an atheist, but he was what the world today calls an agnostic. An agnostic. There's lots of them today, many boys and girls and young people going to school. They say, I don't say the Bible's not true, but I just don't know.
I just don't know. Might this thing be? That's what the tempter said to Eve. Yeah, God said yes. He just wants to put a doubt in your mind. But what God wants you to have is faith in him. Can you believe God?
A young man said oh, but I just can't believe it. And the brother answering said.
You can't believe who? He says I just can't believe it. He says You can't believe who? Oh, he says, I see. I'm saying I can't believe God, your friend, you can't believe God. Who Can you believe if you can't believe God? If you can't believe God? Well, this did look like an impossibility Here They were selling an ass's head for 80 shekels of silver, and the prophet said.
Something better than an ***** head, a measure of fine flour for a shackle. And the NASA's head was 80 shackles. How could that be? And you say, I just can't believe it, brother, I just can't believe it that you can actually have your sins forgiven and a title to glory for nothing, nothing to do. Or you might say it's impossible, but the Bible tells you now that God has done it. As we read those lovely verses in the 13th chapter of Acts where Paul was preaching in the city of Antioch long ago, he said.
We declare unto you glad tidings, that God has fulfilled his promise. He's raised up Jesus. And then he said, Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. All friends, you can have all your sins forgiven tonight, and God is perfectly righteous in doing it because He placed those sins.
Upon the head of his own spotless holy Son. The Bible says all we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Oh, what good news, what good news. Well, here we find this. This announcement was made by the prophet and.
This man on whom the king leaned said, Could this thing be?
Could it really be? Yes, said the Prophet. He said you'll see it.
But you won't partake of it all, friend. If you remain in an agnostic, you'll see it, but you won't share in it. There'll be no agnostics in Hell, the rich man. And Luke was not an agnostic, not when he got in Hell, no. He lifted up his eyes, and he knew what was on the other side of the great Gulf, but he couldn't crossover. And dear friend, you know nobody in hell is saying, might this thing be?
He said, you'll see it with your eyes, but you won't partake of it all. I hope there's no one here who goes on remaining in unbelief, remaining a rejector of the good news. Well, here to go on with our story. There were four leprous men there. And these four leprous men looked at one another and they said, well, what can we do? They knew their own condition. Just as there was a famine in Samaria, here were four sick people.
Outcast from society. Nobody wanted them. Perhaps that's the way you feel sometimes. Nobody cares about me. Nobody's interested in me. They said if we sit here, we'll die. We go into the city, we'll starve. Set the way life looks to you. See, I don't know what to do. Whichever way I turn, there's trouble.
00:45:07
If I turn this way, there's trouble. If I turn that way, there's trouble. I don't know what. What can I do All to your friend? That's the way God brings you to the end of yourself. He brings you to the point where you realize there is nothing that you can do but that Christ did it all. Christ is not at all. And what did these four leprous men find out? Well, when they went to see where these Syrians who had come to surround their city were?
They found that the Lord had gone before the Lord had won a great victory for them. And it wasn't the people of Samaria, it wasn't the leprous men that won the victory. The Lord won the whole victory and all they did was to go and partake of a victory the Lord had won for them. And dear friend, is not just what God wants you to know. You say I'm at wits end corner, I just don't know what to do.
I'm glad you're at wits end, Corner. I'm glad you've come to the end of yourself. I'm glad that if there's some trouble come into your life that you say this evils from the Lord. Yes, he's allowed this trouble to come into my life. He's allowed it to come. Now why don't you turn and find out about the wonderful victory that he has won already for you tonight. I proclaim to you the victory of Calvary.
Jesus met the power of Satan. Jesus there suffered at the hand of God for sin, and Satan has been defeated. The question of sin has been settled. The Lord Jesus said it is finished. His precious blood has been shed. And the Bible says the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all sin. What a victory has been won. There's a risen Savior tonight.
And through his name, there's forgiveness of sins, there's justification.
So these men went, and they found about this victory that had all been won for them, and they went into one tent, and they went into another tent, and they found silver and gold and Raymond, yes, all for nothing.
And, you know, sometimes we speak of these symbols. Silver in the Bible is often used as a symbol of redemption.
Gold is often used as a symbol of divine righteousness, and Raymond brings before us the best love that God provides for the Sinner. Isn't it lovely, dear friends? Redemption through Christ, righteousness in Christ, the best robe of heaven in Christ. All these men could hardly believe it. It was actually true. The victory was won. The spoil was there.
And tonight many of us have found the silver and the gold and the ramen. We found that we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. We have found that the Bible says that we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.
We have heard the good news that he's clothed us with the best robe and fitted us for the Father's house, and we believed it. And so our hearts are satisfied tonight. And these men were satisfied. And who were they? Leprous man?
People that the others didn't care about. And I say again, perhaps you've had that feeling. Sometimes people don't care about me. People are not interested. There may be a boy or girl and you might say, well, other people seem to have friends, but people don't seem to be interested in me. My life seems so meaningless. I'm trying to find a meaning in life. Dear friend, there is a meaning in life. You can have Christ and heaven as your home.
Yes, there is a meaning.
When you know the Lord Jesus, when you believe the gospel, there is a meaning to life, because every person that begins life in this world begins at for eternity, to live forever somewhere, either in heaven with Jesus or in hell without him. So then they looked at each other and they said, this is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace.
And here I want to say to anyone that's saved here, does it? Can it be that you know the Lord is your Savior and you have partaken of the plenty that comes through salvation, but you've never told anybody. Your father doesn't know you're saved. Your mother doesn't know you're saved. She just loved to know it, but you never told her.
00:50:22
Your friends don't know, you say. Well, do I have to talk about it?
These men said, well, this isn't right, This is for us, but it's also for others. There's more than we need here.
Are we going to be selfish and keep this all to ourselves, friend? Are you going to keep the good news to yourself? By God's grace, that's why I'm here tonight. I don't want to keep the good news to myself. It's too good to keep in. We declare unto you glad tidings. I'm not here to preach at you. I'm here to tell you good news. I'm here to tell you that God has provided plenty for you. Oh, you save it when I speak to people.
That they don't seem interested and they don't believe what I say.
That's exactly what these lepers found. That's exactly what they found. They said, well, we're going to go and we'll tell the King's household. He'll be the king will be so glad to hear this good news. Was he glad? Oh, he didn't like being wakened up in the middle of the night. Notice here.
It says here that it was in the twilight. Says in the fifth verse they rose up in the twilight to go into the camp.
And so it was dark now. And the ninth verse. Then they said one to another, we do not. Well, this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace. If we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us. Who you say, is the gospel that urgent? Yes, jail keeper got saved in the middle of the night. Pretty urgent, doesn't it? Jesus may come before tomorrow morning. Death may overtake you. Something unexpected may happen on the way home from this gospel meeting.
Are you going to wait till the morning light or you say I don't like to disturb people all? So they called the King's household and it's and they called the Porter, the city, and they told the good news. And so it says they went and told it inside and the king woke up. Ah, he said that's all a trick. That's all a trick. They're just trying to catch us. Did you ever hear anybody say that when you heard the gospel?
They talk about salvation, but you know, it's all a money making scheme. It's all.
It's all propaganda and this sort of thing. Did you ever hear anybody talk like that? That's just the way they talked here. The Bible lays human nature bare. It just shows what man is. But it wasn't. It was all true, dear friends. It was all true. And at last.
The King said. Well, we'll go and find out. We'll go and find out.
And dear friends, if you'll only come to Jesus, you will find out too. You will find out too. I remember reading about a a little story about a a businessman who came to the city of Chicago and he went into the shoeshine to get his shoes shined. And there was a boy there who shined his shoes, and as he was shining them, he was singing. I came to Jesus as I was weary and worn and sad.
I found in him a resting place and he has made me glad.
The businessman said, you seem to be happy this morning. He said, yes, I am. Haven't I reasoned to be happy? But the businessman wasn't very happy. He had plenty of this world's good, but there was a big famine in his soul. And after a while he again had occasion to come to Chicago. He went to the same shoeshine stand and he told the boy, he said, I came to Jesus and I found.
Yes, and you can find the same. What do these people do? They went out to see if it was true. Was it true? Yes, they went out. Oh, dear friend, I ask you, will you come? Oh, you said I don't believe it. I I don't believe in religion. It's just a lot of talk. But dear friend, I don't believe in just religion, but I believe in Christ. I believe in Christ. The world is full of religion. It was religious people that crucified Christ.
But we're not talking about religion, we're talking about a living Savior. We declare unto you glad tidings. God has raised up Jesus, and there's pardon through him. There's salvation through him. Well, they went out and it says here there's only five horses, we just take two. And perhaps you say, well, I still find a lot of unbelief in my heart.
00:55:23
Why didn't they take the fire? Well, dear friends, I'll tell you. I came to Jesus with a lot of unbelief in my heart too.
I came to Him as I was. The little song says, Come as thou art in all thy sin, come with thy hardened heart, Come with thy cares, thy doubts, thy fears. All grace he will impart. There were five horses, but they just took two, but two was enough to prove that the story was true. And if you come to Jesus, even with unbelief in your heart.
You'll still find that he is a living, loving Savior. You'll still find that he'll meet you. And when these people took the two horses, they didn't take the five. I said just took the two. And they said, we'll go and see. Well, it was a lot better than they expected because notice what it says.
In the 15th verse. And they went after them unto Jordan, and all the way was full of garments and vessels which the Syrians had castaway in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king, yes, they went out. They found it was all true.
The whole way was strewn with things for them. And dear friend, let me tell you, that's the way I found it. I went to find out and I've been traveling quite a few years since. But all the way I've been traveling, it's been strewn with good things. It's been strewn with good things. Yes, 10,000 thousand precious gifts. My daily thanks, employee. Nor is the least a cheerful heart.
To take those gifts with joy. Dear friends, he's an all the way home Savior. It was all the way to the Jordan, the Jordans, the river of death. All you say if I get saved, I don't think I can hold on. But dear friend, the whole pathway all through is just strewn with blessings.
Some of us that have come to this meeting, some have been saved perhaps a few months, some a few years. I know there are people here that have been saved fifty, 60-70 years and I know if they would stand up right now, they say yes. That's just what I found. The past been strewn with all kinds of blessings all the way. I wouldn't ever want to go on one day without the Lord Jesus. All dear friends, that's the kind of a Savior he is.
And so it tells us here. They went back then and they told the King's household, and the rest went out. And many of them shared in all this. But the prophet had said came true, a measure of wheat, a fine flower was sold for a shackle and two measures of barley. And many people got all kinds of things without paying anything. And you can get salvation and you don't have to pay anything.
Let me give you that lovely verse again that I read in Acts 13. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren.
That through this man the Lord Jesus is preached unto you, the forgiveness of sin.
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from the which she could not be justified by the law of Moses. You say, can I go out of this room knowing that I'm not only forgiven, but justified, placed before God in a life that has never sinned? That's what God does, dear friends. That's the way he saves. That's his wonderful salvation.
It's always better than you expected because it's from God. You try things of this world and sometimes they're not as good as you expected about when you come to the Lord Jesus. It's always better than you expected because what we have in him is so marvelous and it's all the way here and it's for all eternity above. Well, they came and told the King's household.
But you know, there's rather a sad note at the end of this. There was one man. There was one man that didn't seem to get any good from all this. He watched the people stream by, carrying all the things they'd picked up. He watched the people as they rejoiced in the plenty that God had provided, until the crowds became so great that they trot him down and he died.
01:00:26
And he never shared in it. He never shared. And why? Because he didn't believe. Because he didn't believe a dear friend. Is that what you're going to say tonight?
You're either looking up into the face of God tonight and saying I believe that I'm a Sinner and that Jesus died for me, or you're looking up into the face of the God who loves you.
And saying I don't believe I won't have it, I'll go my own way.
I prefer paying 80 shekels of silver for an ***** head. I prefer paying five shekels for a a cab of doves down. I'd rather read the newspaper with all that's going on. I'd rather just go on with the world than have Christ all. Can it be? Is there somebody here like that? Well, that verse, the next verse in Acts 13 it says.
And beware lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets, Behold you despisers, and wonder and perish. For I work a work in your days, a work which she shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. And again I say to your friends at the close of this meeting, I'm only a man, I'm only a Sinner saved by grace. But I declare these tidings to you.
And as it says here, that there would be despisers.
Who would wonder and perish? Who wouldn't receive the good of all this salvation that God has provided? Who would never know the forgiveness of sins, would never know justification, Who would never have a home in heaven just like this man?
He wouldn't believe. Always say again, is there a boy or a girl who will not believe? You're closing your heart against Jesus. You've heard the message many times. Your parents brought you here to this Bible reading, Bible readings, and you are still going to go home the same way you came, a Christ rejecter. Or perhaps some friend asked you to come into the meeting tonight.
And you've come in and you've heard about the wonderful provision that God has made.
Or you're going to go out without Christ. Oh, it's so simple. Christ has done it all.
God has been glorified in the work of his Son, and God wants to bless you tonight. God loves you, my friend. Christ died for you and he's willing to save you, to pardon you and set you on the road to heaven tonight. Would you just bow your heart and bow your head in his presence and just say, Lord, I'm a Sinner. I'm just like one of those leprous men. I don't know what to do, but I turned the oh, if you do, my friend.
He'll save you and he'll save you now.
Shall we sing #10?
There is a Savior on high in the glory, the Savior who suffered on Calvary's tree. A Savior is willing to save now as ever. His arm is almighty, His love great and free. The first verse and the last verse only with the chorus of this hymn #10.
There is also Savior.
Is prayers.
I say savior. I love Willow light Joseph.
Almighty.
01:05:01
Heaven.
Brave.
How Short Time Is
Gospel—E. Pilkington
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General Meetings, Montreal, October 1974. Gospel by Eric Pilkington.
Life at best is very brief, like the falling of a leaf, like the binding of a sheath. Be in time.
Days are telling fast.
That the die will soon be cast and the fatal line we pass.
Time #25.
Life Advanced.
Workouts. But I must come to make it out of the crowd, so I'll play. So I'm going to be in the house.
Time while the spirit did you come Sinner did a longer.
Role as you see your balls and I.
And I.
And I.
You may find all the day.
After I will calculate.
He and I.
I blinding friendly light heaven yardman.
In the fly.
In time.
Oh, I pray you called upon.
The cross.
And their pride was only long.
In I.
In time.
Day and time.
I have been at all to be in the United.
By heavens and you longer wait, you may not.
Too late in time.
Stay in her heal the morning, royal faith. How Lord, your life is joy.
I gave us all to me and I understand you're on their way. You may find all again.
00:05:15
I surprise me again.
All saw where these some of us brought a ferry in St. John's, New Brunswick.
And the time had come for the ship to pull into the dock.
And for the passengers to get off.
And you know.
Dear friends.
As I sang this hymn, I thought of a man who was on that dock laughing and joking with his fellow man.
The gangplank was put down.
Onto the ship.
But as it went down.
The ship was a little distance out from the dock.
It wasn't close enough.
And as that plank went down, that young man on his machine went down that plank. But the plank did not go on the boat, it went down into the water.
That young man only had time, dear friends, to give one shout of terror, and he was ushered into eternity like that.
Oh how solemn. Life that best is very brief and there may be someone in this coming tonight.
That tonight will be your last night on this earth.
Oh, this is a gospel meeting and how sound it is.
To know the way of salvation and.
Not to avail yourselves of it, but a solemn thing it is.
Oh, this is a gospel meeting, and you know their friends. There are two classes of people in this company.
There are those who are saved and those who are lost.
There are those who in the Lord Jesus comes, will be changed in a moment, and be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
What a wonderful day that will be for those of us who know the Lord. But friends.
The other class who know not the Lord Jesus will be left behind on this scene.
And to come under the judgment of God.
Friends.
May the Spirit of God speak to your heart tonight.
If you have not decided for Christ, who may you do it tonight?
We might just sing.
Another.
#10.
There is a Savior on high in the glory.
A savior who suffered on Calvary's tree. A savior as willing to save now as ever.
His arm is almighty, His love great and free. Number 10.
There is a savior.
Hi, Cortana.
Tonight.
Dear friends.
00:15:00
I like to bring before you.
Some of the truths of God's Word that God wants you and I to remember.
Remember.
We turn to the book of Deuteronomy, first Chapter 9.
The 9th chapter, Deuteronomy and verse 7.
Remember.
And forget not.
How thou provoke us, the Lord, thy gone to wrath in the wilderness.
From the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until you came unto this place.
Ye have been rebellious against the law.
But a Psalm word to the children of Israel.
When the Spirit of God calls upon them to remember and forget not.
And dear friends, as they would remember their life's history.
Surely it was a history of rebellion and disobedience against God.
And friend, if you are still in your sins and have not received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, this is a picture of you. You are rebelling against God.
Oh, what a some thing it is to rebel against God. And so the tomb of Israel were called upon to remember.
And forget not and all friends, you have heard the gospel.
Many times and you have read no doubt the word of God.
And perhaps you have many verses in your memory up here.
But perhaps it is never sunk down into your heart.
Perhaps tonight you might be able to remember gospel verses.
Oh, what a solemn gospel we had brought before us.
Last night and dear friends, you and I have a memory.
Yes, God has equipped you and I with our memory and we can remember.
All friends tonight, will you stop and remember the one that we sung in that hymn, that one who hung on Calvary's cross?
Suffered Who bled and died for your sins?
All friend, will you stop and remember that scene on Calvary's cross?
Why did the Lord Jesus allow wicked man to nail him to that cross old friend? It was because He loved your soul and mind. It was because your life history and mine is a history of rebellion against God. Oh yes, if we remember tonight, our thoughts can go go back to the Garden of Eden.
And what do we find there? In the beginning of Genesis? We find that Adam and Eve disobeyed God.
And if we allow our memories to remind us, dear friends will think of Cain and Abel. And what is the result of our thinking about Cain and Abel? Why we think of Abel, who brought up perfect offering to God. Yes, he brought that little lamb. That lamb had to die. An order that Abel might have, an offering to approach God.
But was a result, we find that Cain's offering was refused.
We find that Cain was angry. He was angry against God because God could not accept his sacrifice. He was angry against God and you know God had to remind him in the 4th of Genesis. Why are you angry, dear friends? Why is it?
00:20:20
That people get angry when they hear the gospel of the love of God. Why is it that people get angry when they hear the precious name of Jesus mentioned? Why my friend, God said to Cain, send lies at the door?
And dear friends, we need to acknowledge this. Yes, we've all sinned.
And come short of the glory of God, we need to remember tonight that there is none righteous.
No, not one.
Friend, are you willing to acknowledge this tonight to God?
Are you willing to acknowledge that you're a sitter? Oh, I want to tell you, we can offer you a gift, the gift of God, which is eternal life. If you will acknowledge your guilt and your sin against God, if you will confess that precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a gift that God is offering you tonight. How about it? Have you accepted that gift?
Oh, we're reminded during these meetings.
How we have to make a choice. How about it tonight? Have you friend made that choice?
Of receiving the Lord Jesus as your Savior? Or have you made the other choice and rejected Him?
All we trust tonight that you'll be wise. You know, it tells in the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy, it says this. Oh, that they were wise.
Friend and I, God is saying to you all that you were wise, that you would consider your latter end. Yes, where are you going? Where are you going to spend eternity, friend, if you're wise.
You'll stop tonight and you'll consider, yes, consider well.
Remember and forget not you know there is a day coming, Fred.
If you die without Christ, there is a day coming when you will remember.
That you sat in this school and you heard the gospel, you will remember.
That you have the opportunity of accepting Christ as your Savior, and yet in your stubbornness and pride and rebellion against God, you refuse. We'll turn to that scripture a little later.
But there's one thing God wants us to remember. Can we turn now to the 89th song?
Assignments Speaking here in Psalm 89 and verse 47.
47.
Remember.
How short?
My time is.
Remember how short?
My time is.
Let's notice Chapter 90.
And verse 10.
The days of our years, our three score years and 10.
And if by reason of strength they be 4 score years, yetters are strength, labor, and sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Oh, here it is. Remember how short?
Your time is tonight, friend. Remember how short your time is. Oh, how many of the deer children?
Who we love. The dear young people. How many there are.
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That have said, yes I want to be saved, but not now. I want to live a little longer.
Oh, remember how short your time is, dear young boy or girl. You have no lease on life. You may not be here tomorrow.
I have memories.
Seen little boys and girls.
Lying in a coffin.
Yes, I have sad memories, but you know, I have happy memories.
And not only little boys and girls lying in the coffin, but young teenagers.
Yes, oh, little boys and girls die, young people die, old people die. And you know, if you could live to be 100, wouldn't 100 years be a very short time when you think of the endless eternity?
Oh, it says here the days of our years are three score and 10. Dear young people.
You may think that's a long time ahead.
It doesn't seem to me.
It doesn't seem to me that as a little boy.
Over 60 years has passed over my life.
Oh, I can look back as a little boy. I never dreamed. I never thought about getting old.
No, the devil doesn't want you to think about that, does he?
But here I am with Gray hairs and you know there are some in this company that are older than I.
Few weeks ago, right? A couple months ago.
My dear father passed away. He was 93 years of age.
But he died. Yes, he died.
Where is he now?
Where is he?
Well, I'm thankful I can tell you on the authority of the word of God, He's with the Lord.
How about you? If you were to be called into eternity tonight, friend, where would you go? Would you go to be with Christ?
Or would you go into that place of utter darkness that God has prepared for everyone who rejects His Son?
All remember.
Remember how short my time is?
What a sad thing it is.
To think that someone in this room.
May go out that door refusing to be safe.
Some weeks ago at the close of a gospel meeting.
In the Gospel tent.
A man came up to me and he said I want to talk to you.
I want to be saved.
And he we went to one side and he began to tell me of an experience that he had that week, how he was nearly killed and he recognized it was the act of God that preserved him from being killed in that accident.
He realized that God was giving him another opportunity to be saved.
He says I want to be saved. Well, you know, that was all that made my heart so happy to hear that confession.
But you know, when we went to one side and we began to open the scriptures and to bring before him.
The simplicity of the way of salvation and how that Christ loved him and died for him. Oh, he was glad to hear that. And when after some time we came to this point where he had to make a decision.
He said these words, friend. I hope that not one in this company will say what he said.
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He said I want to be saved, but not tonight.
Oh friend, God wants you to be saved. Tonight we sing that hymn Thou was be saved.
Why not tonight? Why not tonight?
Could we turn over now to the 11Th chapter of Ecclesiastes?
Verse 7.
Ecclesiastes 11 and verse 7.
Truly, the light is sweet.
And a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.
But if a man lived many years and rejoiced in the mall.
Yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many.
Nine Verse Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth.
And walk in the ways of thine heart.
And in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Oh Osama, how true are these words. Truly the light is sweet.
A pleasant thing for the eyes to behold. The sun, everyone in this room tonight, whether you're saved or not.
Why you can agree with this. Isn't it lovely after a dark rainy day? Isn't it lovely to go outside and see the sun breaking through the clouds? Oh yes, we all love the light. There's that within us, that craze. The light. Yes, we don't like to be in the dark. What does God say?
Remember. Oh yes, God wants us to remember, friends.
That there is going to be a day of darkness.
And friend, I believe we're living in a day of darkness tonight. Yes, all the tide of evil is rising higher and higher. The word of God is put to one side. Yes, the word of God is denied.
All friends, if you want the light, you must have God's word. And you know the psalmist could say, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my pathway. Sam 119 Yes, oh friends, how wonderful that we have the light of God's word to warn us of our condition, to warn us of a lost eternity.
To show to us the way of salvation. Yes, we have the light of God's Word.
But remember, old friends, remember that day is coming when there will be no more gospel preached in this world.
When the last gospel will be given when the Christians be caught out of this world that be with Christ. Oh what a day of darkness is coming on this world. You know in the 22nd chapter of Matthew we have the Lord Jesus speaking.
And you know, there in the 22nd chapter of Matthew why we have that wedding feast.
And we have the king going in, and he saw a man in that company.
Who did not have on a wedding garment?
He did not have a wedding garment.
And you know the king said friend all notice the words friend how come is in thou hit her and it says a man was speechless.
All that man, dear friends, had refused to put on the wedding garment that was provided, and that wedding garment speaks to us of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And all, if you think you can get to heaven in your own righteousness, I want to tell you, friends, what will await you. Oh, the king says, bind him hand and foot, and cast them into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Oh, what a solemn end for those who rebel against God.
And reject the Lord Jesus.
Well, now it says here in Ecclesiastes 11.
Rejoice, O young man, and thy youth.
Yes, let thy heart tear thee in the days of thy youth. You know God, He likes to see his children happy.
As a father and I can speak on the behalf of every father and mother in this company tonight.
I can honestly say that every parent who loves their children, they have no greater joy to see their children happy. That's our joy. We're happy.
To see our children happy, and when they're unhappy, we're unhappy too.
Friend, God loves you. He wants to make you happy. He wants to forgive your sins. He wants to give you a new heart. Yes, eternal life. Are you going to accept it or reject it? Oh, friend, if you reject what God is offering tonight, there's going to be no joy or happiness in your life down here, nor in the next life. No happiness.
And saw the warning is here. Know thou for all these things, God will bring me into judgment. In the 14th chapter of Romans 12 verse it tells us this. We must all give an account of ourselves to God.
Oh, how about what a terrible thing it would be tonight if we had a stand before God in our own righteousness?
Oh friend, I wouldn't want to stand before God tonight. And my righteousness.
No.
And neither would you.
But we must all give an account of ourselves to God.
Yes.
I remember seeing a young man.
In a prison and he was locked up in a cell and I'll never forget.
To look on his face, there he was, awaiting the day of his sentence. Oh, friend, tonight, do you know that you're condemned? You are condemned tonight if you're not saved.
A few months ago, well, in a certain prison in Saint Vincent.
The officer in charge says would you like to speak to four condemned men? There were four condemned men in that prison. They were condemned for murder, Condemned.
And I said yes, I would.
I would like to speak to.
And you know one man.
He he put his arm like that at me.
Don't want it. He wouldn't listen. Wouldn't listen. He turned his head away. He wouldn't listen. The other man listened. And I don't know whether the word penetrate their heart. I trust it did. But they were condemned. As I thought of those condemned men, friend, I was in earnest. Because if they went to the gals.
If they were executed, as they often do on that island, where were their souls be? Oh, what a terrible thing it is to be in the presence of those who are condemned. Friend, tonight you're not save, you're condemned already.
The wrath of God is hanging over you. Oh, we want to awaken you to your danger, and that you might come to the life. Well, now in the 12Th chapter of Ecclesiastes, how good God is, He gives those special warning here, and he says, remember, Oh, there we get that glorious word again. Remember now, Oh, now is the time to remember.
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Unsafe friend, remember now thy Creator in the days of thy you. Oh yes, now remember now a brother brought before us the other day. Behold, now is a day of salvation. Yes, it's now.
Right now.
Remember now thy creator. Oh friend, don't let the enemy of your souls deceive you.
If you don't remember your creator, if you don't acknowledge his claims upon your life, I want a warrior. You're going to come under God's wrath.
Yes, you'll come under God's wrath, you know, today.
Why we find criminals. They're not afraid. They kill people and they go to prison and they say well.
They can't hang me. They can't hang me. I'll get off.
And you know, surprisingly, after a few short years of roaming the streets again, this world, friends, I want to tell you, is on its way to destruction. Unrighteousness is on the increase, and it's ruling this world. Oh, I want to warn you, there's a day coming when God is going to put an end to unrighteousness, when God is going to judge this world.
Can we hold this place and turn to Acts chapter 17?
Something for us to remember, I believe.
Acts chapter 17 and verse 30.
And at times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised them from the dead, and saw friends tonight.
This is another truth God wants you to remember.
All the time. This ignorance. What was the ignorance? Why men worshiping idols, idols. Why, you might say, how silly to worship an idol. One who has hands, who has eyes can't see and ears they can't hear. Yes, men are so fully they're worshipping idols. This is what took place. And you know they're doing the same thing today.
God says remember. Yes, it says the time that ignorance God winked at. But now oh friend, now God commander, oh man everywhere to repent. Why?
Because he has a point of the day, the day the hour is set. Friends, when God is going to judge your soul, yes, He has a separate day and he will judge it in righteousness.
Yes, let me know. Bribe and the judge and that day, friend. No, God is a righteous judge, and he's going to judge this world in righteousness. Oh, then may we remember this? And so in Ecclesiastes. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. And in this chapter we get a little history, charity of man's life. And where does it end, friend?
Why gets older and older? And it speaks about in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, Verse three. Yes, the hands begin to shake, a sign of old age. Yes, When the eyes begin to get dim. Ah, yes. And then the day when there's that fears you know. And then the day comes in verse seven. Then shall that dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who giveth.
Oh, think of that.
Yes, the dash shall return to the earth. Your body will go to dust, friend. But what about your soul? It says, shall return unto God who gave it. Do you realize, friend? You have a living soul that can never die. And I want to warn you tonight. You know God speaks to Jeremiah, and he says this word. He says in Jeremiah he that hath my word.
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Let them speak my word faithfully, all friends, We want to be faithful to your soul tonight. We want to deliver your soul from eternal hell. And so remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth. The last verse says God shall bring every work on the judgment. Yes, He will, whether it be good or evil. Now let's turn over quickly and briefly.
To the Gospel of Luke.
The Gospel of Luke and the 16th chapter.
And we have here in this chapter a rich man and a poor man.
We won't read the whole the whole story, but we know that the poor man's name was Lazarus. Yes, God knew his name and it's recorded. We don't have a name of the rich man. No. Oh, I'm so happy tonight to know that God knows my name. He has called me by my name and I'm his. How about it? Does he know your name?
Who I want to tell you, he's calling you by your name tonight. And he says, Come unto me.
Who all you are wearing are heavy laden and I will give you a rest. Oh what a loving God we have. He sees your sins like where is all And he says come and I will give you rest. Are you going to sperm that invitation I trust not well this rich man.
He fears sumptuously every day.
He had everything that money could buy the poor man Elizabeth. Why, he was a beggar. All he desired. The crumbs that fell from the wrist. Man's table, It never tells. He got the crumb.
But it tells us he died and friend it tells us where he went after he died.
Yes.
He went, and we find him in Abraham's bosom. I believe Abraham is the father of the faithful. Yes, there is in heaven.
Tells the rich man died, and it tells us where he went after he died.
In Hell? He lifted up, his eyes, being in torment.
Yes, that's where he went.
Now, do you think when a man dies, he doesn't remember anything? Let's notice.
Here in hell, verse 23 he lift up his eyes being in torment, and he seeth Abraham afar off, and laughter and his bosom.
And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue for him to men in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou thy lifetime received thy good things, and like rise Lazarus, evil things. And now he is comforted, But thou art tremendous, and besides all this.
Between US and you, there is a great golf fix so that they which would pass from thence to you cannot. Oh yes, friends, if you're not saved, there is a great golf fixed. And friends, I want to tell you cannot pass that gulf. It's too wide. It's too wide. But all the night I want to tell you that the cross of our Lord Jesus.
Spans that great golf.
Oh yes, And if you come to the cross, if you come to the Lord Jesus, oh friend, you can be saved.
But all just think of this man in hell he was told to remember.
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Yes, he could remember. He thought about Lazarus, didn't he? He remembered Lazarus.
And he asked that as my goal. Just dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue. Old friend, what a terrible end for that rich man. Do you desire an end like that?
Oh, it's our unhappy end. And that's why we have gospel meetings, friends. Oh, that's why God loves your soul and he's provided a ransom that will deliver you from eternal death, will deliver you from that terrible place which friend you will land if you reject Christ. Well, how sad. Now this rich young man, this rich man, he has request denied.
There's no water in hell. No water. But you know, he still has that memory.
And friend, tonight, if you die in your sins, I want to warn you, you are going to look back and remember the opportunities you had to accept Christ as your Savior. You will remember.
All tonight will you stop and consider your ways? Will you remember that there is a savior on high in the glory, a savior who suffered? Yes, He bled and died for you. Remember him.
All friends remember him. Well now this man, he wanted Lazarus to go and warn his brother. But you know that request was denied because they have Abraham and the Prophet friend. Tonight you have the word of God, and if you don't believe God's word, why there's no hope for you. Now let's turn over briefly to the 23rd chapter of Luke.
And in this chapter we have our blessed Savior on the cross of Calvary.
We have them there, suffering on that cross at the hands of wicked men.
And verse 39.
One of the male factors which were hang railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
But the other engine rebuked him, saying, Does not not fear God see an art in the same condemnation.
And we indeed justly will we receive the due word of our deeds. But this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, Remember Me when thou come us into thy Kingdom.
What a lovely prayer, his wife's prayer friend. The last opportunity had to pray.
And he prayed, Lord, Remember Me and friend, Tonight that request was granted to him. The Lord didn't remember him, And he could say today shalt thou be with me in paradise?
Oh, will you pray that prayer to the Lord tonight?
Lord, Remember Me? Oh, he could say that other thief. We received the due reward of our deed. But this man had done nothing amiss. Oh, and he owned Jesus as Lord friend tonight. That's what you need to do to be saved, oh Jesus as Lord. And you can be saved right now, right now. And so this man, I believe he was the first man that died knowing where he was going.
The one dear friends who never told a lie told him where he was going.
And all what joy must have filled that man's heart to have that assurance from the lips of the Lord Jesus that he was going to be with him. This is our hope tonight, friend. We're going to be with Christ. How about, are you going to be there now? I'd like to just.
Perhaps briefly, notice the last chapter in the Word of God, Revelation chapter 22.
Revelation 22 and verse 17.
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And the Spirit and the bride say Come.
And let him that heareth say, Come.
And let him That is a thirst come.
And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely, oh friends.
Just think of the love of God enclosing his word with these words. Yes, the last chapter. The Spirit and the bride say come, who is a bride. Thank God I'm part of the bride. Every believer in this come tonight, is part of the bride.
And every believer in this company tonight joins with the Lord Jesus and say to you, come now, come now. Whosoever will may come, oh can hear doubt God's love any longer, friend, God has proven his love to you, and now the responsibility rests upon you.
I would plead with you tonight, except Christ as your Savior. And if you do, oh, if you lay hold your hand of faith upon the Lord Jesus. I want to assure you have eternal life, but all of you have never laid hold of that hand of faith. If you still reject, I want to warn you, you're going to land on a lost eternity.
As we sing #11, I'd like to just tell briefly a little story connects with him. It says will your anchor hold? And the storms of light.
Clouds unfold our wings of strike.
Some years ago after a Gospel meeting.
In Sambro, Nova Scotia.
A fisherman's wife come up to me and said I want to tell you a story. Perhaps some of you have heard this story. I want to repeat it tonight.
She said. My husband and I were out fishing and we're on our way back into the harbor, approaching the harbor.
And as we approach the harbor, the motor stopped.
And the boat began to drift towards that rocky coastline. A long sample Nova Scotia.
And those who know it would dread to be in a position like that.
But she said we weren't afraid. Why? We just picked up the anchor and threw it overboard. That's what an anchor is for, is to stop a boat from drifting on the rocks. And so they threw the anchor overboard.
But she said, the Pope continued to drift. And then we realized that the anchor wasn't attached to the bolt. It went down to the bottom of the ocean and the boat continued to drift towards the rocks.
Oh friend, is that your condition? Are you like that? Can you sing this hymn? We have an anchor that keeps us all steadfast and sure while the bill is rolled. I want to say, if you've never laid hold with the hand of faith and received the Lord, use your savior. You're still drifting with a tie that is going to land you into a lost eternity. Oh, tonight, lay hold with the hand of faith.
And the anchor is no good unless it's attached. It's not enough to know the gospel unless you have faith in the Lord Jesus.
Well, God was good to those those people. And the fishermen was able to start his boat again. The motor. And they didn't land on the rocks. Yes, God is good. And they got safely into the harbor. Oh, friend, God is good to your soul tonight, and to mine.
Don't despise his goodness. Don't despise his goodness.
Receive tonight the Lord Jesus. Don't go out that door until you confess with your lips His precious name. Always sing then this hymn #11.
Will your anchor.
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Strong will your anger report by relay?
In Las Vegas.
Roar and I'll be here.
While the circle.
Today I have an anchor.
Stare at the killer wild.
Passing to the rock we can, God will proud of her body and Las Vegas.
Forever.
To be happy.
To go.
Ephesians 1:1-4
Reading
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General meetings Montreal, October 1974 First reading meeting.
For Jesus.
Sign on the prayer of our brothers before us, the first chapter of Ephesians.
That's the problem.
Ephesians chapter one, verse one.
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All an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the Saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed with all spiritual blessings.
In heavenly places in Christ.
According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood.
The forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.
It toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he has purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth even in him.
In him also we have obtained an inheritance.
Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the council of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom ye also trusted. After that he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and whom also after that he believed he received with that Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
Under the praise of his glory.
Where were I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the Saints? Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayer. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling.
And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints?
And what is the exceeding greatness of its power to us with who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which he wrought in Christ?
When he raised him from a dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, And it put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of Him that filleth All in all.
It would hardly be possible to overlook the number of times that in Christ are mentioned in the chapter that has been read, and also the number of times in which it could be referred to another word, but with that meaning too. That's wonderful, isn't it? Yeah, in Colossians it's right in us the hope of glory. Here, it's in Christ, isn't it?
And so it it has special significance in this book, we might just say.
At the start that.
The Apostle Paul.
Was humanly speaking.
In the lowest circumstances that anyone could be when he wrote the highest truths.
And that the Spirit of God gave him when there was a complete.
Setting aside of self and all the comforts and all those things which go with the first man.
We find the Apostle Paul now under the power of the Spirit, bringing before us those highest truths that God has given to man.
00:10:08
For our blessing as in association with his son, and in the enjoyment of that place before him, according to the desires of his own heart, we should also say this.
That.
The state of the Assembly at Ephesus was such at this time that.
That the apostle was free to open to them these precious truths. It wasn't quite the same at Colossi, where we do have very High Truth and bless the truth, but there's more of the wilderness in view. Here are the believers seated in the heavenlies, and it's a state of soul that's required, I believe, to enjoy these truths.
And to lay hold of them. And so the apostle is giving us here those things.
Which we can enjoy now, but only, I believe, as there's something in keeping in our lives. And what the apostle himself sets forth in his person in the circumstances in which he's found not taken up with worldly things, but his eye directed.
To Christ and that which he saw on the Damascus Rd. when he saw Christ in glory. Because I believe that we cannot help but feel as we read Ephesians.
That the glorious before us, and that the flavor is already seen as seated there.
And in the enjoyment of all the full councils of God, if we're in the right state of soul.
Perhaps we can say that it's knowing this that brings about the right state of soul. That is, as we think of where God has placed us, where he has brought us into such a wonderful, marvelous place of blessing and association with Christ, blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ.
It is knowing where God has put us now that lifts us above this present world and fills our hearts and produces those things that were exhorted about in the latter part of the epistle. I thought of this epistle too, in contrast with the book of Ecclesiastes.
You spoke of how Paul is to his personal condition was in the law state, that is, he was in prison. He was under a very cruel ruler, with the possibility of death before him, which actually took place later. And yet he is lifted into the Heavenlies. He's lifted, shall we say, above the sun. And so his heart is just filled to overflowing, as he says in the third chapter.
Filled with all the fullness of God. But in the book of Ecclesiastes we have a man who had everything on earth. He actually said. I withheld not my heart from any joy. There wasn't a thing that he could possibly enjoy as a natural man here that he didn't have to enjoy. And yet when he had tried and experienced these things to the full, he said all is vanity and vexation of spirit. And so have brethren in this day of prosperity.
If we get occupied with those things, we'll have the same experience that King Solomon had. We'll find out eventually. And I believe we are finding out in the condition of the world today that in a day of great prosperity all is vanity and vexation of spirit. But may the Lord lifteth above these things here above the sun, shall we say to be occupied with that which is our portion up there, and I'm sure if we are occupied with that.
It will make us desire to walk as heavenly men here.
It's lovely to notice. Isn't that that instead of starting out with our fallen condition?
Which he develops in the 1St 2 verses of the second chapter. He takes us into the highest position possible and shows us where our blessings are.
Have blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Starts out with that, gets our minds on that. And then he says Now see what kind of.
00:15:01
Preachers God has blessed in this way.
Now some might wonder in the first verse where you get tall and apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus.
I'm sure we are all instructed as to who the Saints are.
The separated ones. For as soon as you accepted Christ as your savior, you were among the sanctified us by your call to Saint, because you're a sanctified 1 And that's true of every believer, the one who accepted Christ today there be such.
Yes, truly sanctified. But we also might wonder why he speaks and to the faithful in Christ Jesus now he's not.
Singling out a certain number who are more faithful than others, that would immediately get us off of the true.
Ministry of the Apostles.
But if you see those who have faith.
And every believer has faith in Christ Jesus.
When you think of these Ephesians, when Paul first came to preach there, as we're told in the book of the act now, they were worshippers of the great goddess Diana, of the image that fell down from Jupiter, as they thought. But isn't it lovely here to see? Now they have been looking up and thinking of this image falling down from Jupiter, and I think it's so lovely to think that he lifts them far above the planets, far above the stars, into the very heavenlies and shows them.
It wasn't something that fell down from one of the planets, but it's a living, blessed savior at God's right hand and we are in Him there. How much better than what they gave up when they gave up this great temple with all its glory and with all that they have been associated with in the past to have something far, far better.
We see that God had a special time.
To bring his blessings to Ephesus, you know. And he was journeying.
He was forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel at Ephesus.
So that he went on because there was a man from Macedonia. He saw invasion, praying him come over and help them. So he went on and the work was carried on to Corinth.
Then he returns. And when he does return.
And the Jews had rejected the testimony.
He continues for two years in the school of 1 Tyrannous, saw that itself all the way which are in Asia, heard the word of the Lord.
That's something to remember that as you get in the address to Philadelphia, he that Openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man Openeth. God opens the door and it's definitely.
A work of himself, a member of dear brother thought all he needed to do was to get a tent and go into a Newtown and and the work of the Lord would immediately begin and he was sadly disappointed there was no interest there so he took his tent down in In the feeling of humiliation brother Potter came along and he said Brother.
He says you can't force a door open and God opens the door. The door is open.
In our introduction to Texas here in.
Well, to remember to the very sobering.
Message that is brought in the second chapter of Revelation.
Where emphasis is presented in historical sequence is that which spoke of the freshness and the reception of the word that resulted in great activity and faithfulness.
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But we know that from history, that period was perhaps 100 years.
And endurance. And then the word is written concerning this assembly.
Thou hast left thy first blood.
One thinks this is a very sobering thought to us, brethren.
Not that we correspond with emphasis before we fall far short.
Nonetheless, we have.
Through the grace of God.
The recipients of much Truth, High Truth.
Valued sacred truth. But this in itself will not keep us, will it any more than those at Ephesus. And so we need, as has already been expressed, the the grace and the strength that can only come from continued communion with our blessed Savior.
And with continued occupation with the word of God as our guide.
Else we find ourselves and too frequently we have to say this. So we have left our first love and just got into a complacency.
A routine that is not spiritually healthy and fails in testimony. Well, I mentioned this before we get into the book because.
As we read these very high truths, and I'm sure our hearts will rejoice in them, we want to remember the need of dependence that we do, not just.
Kill ourselves with pride or self esteem, but rather we be very humble as we entertain these thoughts.
Would that go along, Brother Gill with the?
The other line that we have in the third chapter.
The truth in the inner man, Christ dwelling in the heart by faith, and they're being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to apprehend with All Saints these things.
Don't. It surely does so that.
The Saints having left their first love in Ephesus.
They lose a sense in their soul of these precious truths, and so there's a degeneration simply to forms and service. All right, but the affections are gone.
But where Christ is the object of the heart, then the service is right, is it not now in this?
Third verse I believe we have.
God is for himself.
God is for himself here, and it's according to his will and counsels.
That the believer is put in this marvelous position in Christ. God is doing this and know how this humbles us. Presence we think of it. He's doing this for his own eternal happiness that he would take sinners like ourselves.
And through the work of Christ in Calvary, and by the work of the Spirit.
He brings us into this place a blessing.
Where he himself.
Doing this for himself.
For his own eternal joy.
Now this is a marvelous truth, and it certainly humbles us as we think of it, that God bless it or happy to be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that introduces does it now not only the fact that.
We have the divine nature here before us.
In God. But we also have that relationship, that blessed relationship that characterizes Christianity, the place we've been brought into.
Father, the Old Testament Saints didn't know this.
The nearest they could come to it was He was the father of eternity.
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But that message that was given by the Lord Jesus upon his resurrection to Mary was Go tell my brother, I go to my Father, and your Father, my God, and your God. How precious then this truth is. We can't rise any higher.
It's wonderful to see that all these councils and purposes and thoughts were in the mind of God before sin entered at all.
So there's no mention of sin until we come to the 7th verse, because God had these councils from a past eternity. And when sin entered, why there was a great cost by which those consoles could be carried out. Even the work that the Lord Jesus did upon the cross, His Precious Blood, through whom we have redemption and forgiveness about. It's lovely for us to see that these purposes were in the heart of God, a way back.
In that past eternity, and this is what is so marvelous to think, that we often have plans and then when someone does something that hurts, why we don't feel like carrying out the plans of kindness. But God had these things and all we think of, all man's sin. The whole history of 4000 years of rebellion and enmity and hatred and our hearts were no better. And at the end of those 4000 years, the groundwork is laid by which those councils that were in the heart of God could be carried out.
Surely ought to touch our hearts, make us realize the love of God.
I've been thinking too, how that man makes himself the center of everything and God makes his beloved Son the center of everything. And even in the preaching of the gospel, how often the need of man is set forth as the first thing. Whereas what we have in this chapter is what what our brother just mentioned, that God is acting for his own joy and for his own glory.
In the blessing of associating a people with his sons, and so the carrying out of those purposes is for his own glory, our blessing comes in, but the first thought is his glory. And so the Lord Jesus, when Speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit, said he shall glorify me, And then when Speaking of the Gospel in Romans before Paul, in that wonderful epistle opens up to us.
The fullness of the gospel of Christ. He begins by telling us it's concerning God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I believe we need to bear this in mind, brethren, and these days. And if we bear this in mind, it's going to lift our hearts above all the wickedness of man.
All the failure of the Church to be occupied with this Blessed One, and if we're occupied with Him.
I'm sure that the desires will be produced in our hearts. I just mentioned another thing. Our brother mentioned the prayer in the third chapter of Ephesians. I think we're all aware that there are two prayers in Ephesians. The first one in this first chapter is that the eyes of our hearts might be enlightened that we might know. And then in the third chapter it's that we might enjoy these things. We know them first.
Or are brought to know them by.
God's precious revelation through the Spirit and by the same Spirit then, if on grieved, we can enjoy these things.
Sure, we've heard it said that.
Ephesians is the Joshua of the Old Testament, And so when you read the first chapter of Joshua, you'll get the boundaries of the Promised land. A great mountain, a great wilderness, a great sea.
And there was Israel's blessing in the land here on Earth.
That God had promised to Abraham and to his seed after him.
Now how different the blessings of the believer and the other Saints of God. We need to lay hold of this in a very special way because it's so easy to become earthly minded.
And to try to prosper down here.
And build up something in this world and find.
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Our satisfaction.
And our happiness in this world.
Well, we are sadly aware it's a ruined world, a world that has rejected and crucified the Lord of Glory.
There's no Just as though God said this world has rejected my son, I have something infinitely better now to offer you. So we find that.
Instead of temporal blessings, our blessings are spiritual blessings. That is, it's the highest order of blessings we could consider.
For temporal blessings have a limitation and are never satisfied, and they soon pass away.
But spiritual blessings for their blessings that we can enjoy in our pilgrimage below and they will continue to enjoy those blessings.
When we're done with this scene and when we're in our father's house.
And then it's in the highest sphere, and instead of Canaan, why, it's in heavenly places. And then it's in the most blessed position. It's already been mentioned about everything being in Christ.
And that should just fill the heart with joy, unspeakable as we think of where these blessings are, the character of these blessings.
And that we find them all in that one that's altogether lovely. The one that did the Father's will, hear Beloved has now gone up on high, has been watching over us.
During all the wanderings of the way, waiting for the day when he'll have us with and like himself, that all is found in him.
That expression in Christ is the most precious one because.
This gives us assurance. Now if if the promises were in us, that is in the sense that we were, they were dependent upon us, it wouldn't give us that comfort.
But.
The promises are all, yeah, in our men in him. And besides that, our life is hid with Christ in God.
Now all this gives us comfort because we rest secure. In this I was thinking also, but our brother Hale was Speaking of.
Of the counsels of God, how they began before sin came in. Now in the second chapter of Genesis we have a quotation used in Ephesians in regard to.
Christ and His bride. We know it quite well, all of us. But I just call attention to this because at the very beginning of Scripture we have those two things brought before us what God is. God is light, and He is love.
In the first chapter, the very first thought brought before us is Let there be light.
Now we know that it was created light there, but it's a picture to us.
A tide shall we say that God gives us of the very start that God wants us to know there's one object that he has before him, and that's Christ Light.
There never would have been any light in our Dark Souls, brethren, if Christ hadn't been manifested to us and that we've been drawn by the Father.
But then, in the second chapter, God is love. There we have.
A picture before us of the work at Calvary, where the Lord Jesus goes down into death, Adam falls into a deep sleep, and then we have the bride brought out the wife. Shall I say in Genesis really the help made, because I believe the word should be help mate there.
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There we have a picture.
Of what God is in himself. He's light and he's loved.
But how it's come to us is through the Lord Jesus and we never knew love.
Until Calvary, brethren, There we see the love of God manifested in all its fullness, when He gives His own begotten Son for us. And that's the measure of that love for the Sinner He gave his son, He gave the darling of his bosom, so that you and I might be brought into these.
Blessings that we're Speaking of this morning and we're we're on holy ground now in this chapter on the holy ground.
This thought that has been expressed in connection with the councils of God from before the foundation of the world.
Has been brought out very early, has it not in scripture. And I was thinking when our brother Barry was Speaking of that which was in the heart of God.
His His thought as to Christ are given to us right at the beginning, and the connection with Abraham offering up Isaac the burnt offering. God hath provided Himself a lamb for a burnt offering. Is that not why we have the burnt offering given such prominence?
Throughout the ritual of the of God's ancient people. And so we have everything centering in Christ, who is everything to God down here in this scene as a burnt offering.
Christ has been mentioned several times, and I believe it is important, brethren, if we go through the book of Ephesians, I believe in Christ is mentioned 10 times.
It's been brought before us that we are in Christ because of the will of God. And this is, this is what He has purposed in himself before the ages began. Well, we know that 10 brings responsibility before us. Well, we've all failed in our responsibility, but God has never failed in His. And so thus were found in Christ. And I believe that's the reason we have another marked thing about the book of Ephesians, another thing that's outstanding.
And that is that there are no whips in Ephesians, because everything is in Christ according to the will of God. And this too should make it that much more precious to us.
He not only to see that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, wonderful and amazing as that truth is, but we were chosen for a special and definite purpose.
Which is brought before us in that first that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. How much that?
Brings before our souls holy. That's the very nature of God.
And when we think of the blessed Lord Jesus.
He was without blame. They could find no fault whatever.
And the man Christ Jesus.
Saw where before him in the in those characters that belong to God and to his Son, and then in the overflowing love that's in the heart of God.
Now I take this as.
Our standing not as our state, because we still have the all sinful nature which seems to contradict the fact.
That where before God in this wonderful way.
We can look at it in this way as to our standards. And Isaiah says thou hast put all my sins behind my back.
Though God says, I'll put all your sins behind me, and now I have you before me, where I can rejoice over you and and delight in having you in my presence.
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In the very character and in the very light of the Son of my love, where I can.
Have my joy and pleasure in possessing a treasure and those that have been redeemed. Of course we well understand, we love it, that the fullness of the truth that's before us cannot have its realization.
Tell we're in glory and the old nature is gone, and we're there in our glorified bodies. But the Spirit of God would have us to be in the good of this down here, and to judge everything that is contrary to God's holiness, and to go through the scene as our blessed Lord.
Without anything that we can be blamed for.
For the so much that we can allow in our lives, that brings a blemish or something that brings the criticism, maybe even though the unsafe. So we need to be on our guard and in connection with the young people. Let's be clear as to the difference between our standing.
And our state. Now what I have been Speaking of is our standing. And our standing is in Christ. And where could you find anything more perfect than what's in him? The Venice to our state We can be very inconsistent, but still the very fact that we have such a standing.
God would have that to exercise.
Saw that we should seek ever to have our state measure up to our standing as the Apostle John says He everyone that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
I think that's a very important point, Brother Berry. We find so much of real believers looking around for results. Well, I believe if we were looking more upward into the facts as we have in this first verse here.
Christ Jesus. That's the one who was glorified above, isn't it? And I'm afraid that we find a lot looking around. We know it's Jesus Christ.
Down here, but we find so much occupation with just that word Jesus. Well, I believe this is important for us because here we find this is God's standard, isn't it? Christ Jesus. And I was thinking too, brethren, isn't there the thought of blessing really blessing is heavenly, isn't it? We have many mercies. God allows us to have many mercies by the way. But here is heavenly blessings. Not heavenly mercies, but heavenly blessings.
And where is it? In Christ. This is the purpose of God, isn't it? And we're seated there already in His purposes.
I just mentioned that the heavenly places are not actually heaven in the sense that we are there as to our standing before God as our brother remark, but answering as it does to the Book of Joshua. When Israel entered the Lamb, there was a great deal of conflict to possess it, and so by faith we enter the land. That is, we know that God sees us there in the heavenlies in Christ.
But we're not there yet, and there is a conflict now that we might be in the enjoyment of that which is already ours, and which in another day we will possess without any hindrance whatever. But as long as we're here in this world, and there's going to be a conflict. And so we find in the second chapter, there's the Prince of the power of the air. Perhaps it could be that the reason he has called this in the epistle to the Ephesians, is.
That the area heavens come between US and the heavens.
And He would seek to do all to intercept our view, so that we would just be kept occupied with things down here instead of the things above. The course of this world is all connected with things under the heavens, but the Enemy doesn't want us to be lifted above this.
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And so there's a conflict. And in the last chapter we have the armor that's necessary for this conflict. And brethren, it's so important because we all know too well how even this morning, I'm sure we found all kinds of earthly things intruding and how it was a real conflict to get above them and to be in the enjoyment of what is our portion up there. Now. As our brother remarked, the spirit of God sets before us what is our standing.
We're already placed, and this is true of us now, that we're holy and without blame before him in love. But then when we come to the practical part of the epistle, he says, be therefore imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love as Christ also has loved us.
And has given himself for us and offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling favor.
Now that is the Lord Jesus in his pathway LED a path through this world, where every step, every thought, every word was a perfect fragrance, rising to God so heaven could look down with delight upon the one who was so perfectly pleasing to the Father. Now we look up, and as we look up, the change takes place in US, and there is something in us as a result of occupation with Christ.
Changed into the same image that rises as a sweet fragrance to God. And that, I believe, is what is brought before us in Ephesians. But I just mentioned this, that the thought of the heavenly places in Ephesians is not really the thought of getting to heaven, blessed as that will be where we'll enjoy it all in its fullness. But to enjoy heaven while we're here, to walk in the enjoyment and the characters our brother and mark of heaven.
Because holy is the nature without blame is the character, and love is the mode of spring for everything. How beautifully this is set before us in the opening part of this epistle. And let us not miss what God is setting before us, because we try to practice it before we're in the enjoyment of our place. We'll get occupied with ourselves. But if we get occupied with the glorious place that we've been brought into and in the person in whom we stand, it'll surely make us humble.
But it will make us desire to be like him.
To see the how the powerful wrote to different assemblies.
Because they were in a certain state so he could bring out.
Certain line of truth that would be in a blessing to God's children down to the ages. Now there's no doubt, I think, that he wrote Colossians at the same time.
But he doesn't.
Give the same.
High elevation to the truth that he gives an Ephesians.
You'll find in the first chapter that.
Their hope is in heaven.
And they're journeying through this world with a hole beyond this scene. But when we come to Ephesians, you'll find, as our brother Hale has been pointing out, that all our blessings are heavenly and we're even looked at as seated in heavenly places. And instead of having a hope in heaven, we're looked at is already seated there. But remember this.
In Christ Jesus, not with Christ.
When we're with Christ Jesus, we'll be in our glorified bodies. But he appears in the in the glory, and God says we're in Christ surely as to our position as the way he sees us, we're looked at as being already there. Isn't that wonderful, beloved, how God honored to give us?
The various lines of ministry that are so how far the needs of our souls.
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Through the whole journey of Pathway down here below.
I really don't receive Apartment, so it was just that expression the heavenly places. It appears a number of times in Ephesians and in our third verse.
The spiritual blessings are in heavenly places in Christ.
The question is.
Is there any difference between that expression and that which is in the 6th chapter that was referred to Brother Hajo mentioned?
In the 12Th verse, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual wickedness in high places or the margin says, heavenly places. Now what would be the difference between those two expressions? The heavenly place seems to be used in both.
Brother Hale has introduced the thought of the heavenly places. Let's see what he has to say.
I believe that the armor is needed because Satan, as we know, is now in heaven. He won't be cast out. And we read of this in Revelation. When there's war in heaven and Satan and his angels are cast out and now he's up there as the accuser of the brethren. He's up there as we find, accusing them before God day and night. And so we have a conflict so that we wouldn't allow the enemy to hinder us to be from being in the enjoyment of our portion.
I believe it's the very same expression as in the first chapter, the first chapter in the third verse and the 6th chapter in the 12Th. In the first chapter it's where God has placed us in His eternal purposes, and in the 6th chapter it's the conflict that is necessary.
That our souls are maintained in the enjoyment of that position. And so we need, as we have the different parts of the armor, we need, the breastplate of righteousness, how easy our affections can be taken up with things in this world. And so we need to have the breast, as it were, Speaking of the affections covered with, and the breastplate of righteousness. And then we need to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Satan may try to put unbelief in our hearts and we need the shield of faith, so all these things are necessary for the enemies up there. Just as with Job, he's accusing us constantly seeing our mistakes down here and if we had on the armor, there would be victory and we would be lifted above this scene and enjoy our portion, I believe.
Couldn't we say that the in chapter 6 of Ephesians it shows us the.
Area of conflict, that is, that Satan is involved in an area of conflict that takes in religious things. In other words, I suppose many would limit the activity of Satan to the baser things of human nature.
But in Ephesians we have the activity of the enemy, not in moral uncleanness altogether, but it's connected even with with the spiritual or the the things that have to do with God. And I think the special effort of the enemy in Ephesians, the conflict is to rob the Saints.
What we've been speaking about the highest truth that God has ever given to man.
An effort to bring down the thoughts of the people of God to an earthly level, to to an earthly Christianity, as it were. And this is what is involved, I feel. And the word to emphasis, Thou is left, thy first love, that is this highest truth that really elevates Christianity above.
Earthly thoughts and ways and any human religions. It's really that which like Peter saw in action.
That which was let down from heaven and goes back to heaven. It doesn't have its origin here, and it's not connected with a man in this world and in the flesh. It's heavenly. And so the effort of the enemy is to rob the Saints of God of that. And I think there is a great effort going on at the present time to bring even the fundamentals of the faith that we speak about in the gospel and the goodness of God and even the coming of the Lord.
Just recently in the area where I come from, there is a great activity in regard to the rapture and you see a number of bumper stickers, the stickers in connection with the rapture and it's being paraded about and.
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Many people are speaking about what's going to happen at the Rapture and how the bus drivers driving buses will be taken out and maybe big collisions and all sorts of fanciful things. But when one examines those who are taken up with it, 1 does not find that they are have any understanding even of what we're speaking about here in Ephesians. It seems to be connected with with earthly faults and worldly ways.
But I think the effort of the enemy is to take the things of God, the precious truths of God, and in some way connect them.
With the flesh, or man in the flesh in this world. And so Robert of these these highest thoughts that are collected with the heavenlies in Christ.
Not at this different department.
You'll notice this difference in Romans and Ephesians. In Romans, the apostle begins with the Gospel of God.
For this lost world, But in Ephesians he starts right out in eternity.
So that there we have been going over how he has chosen us in Christ and then in the fifth verse having predestinated us. I understand that predestination means marked out beforehand.
There it is if.
Someone were to erect a stone building and he goes down into the quarry and looks over the various straddle stone and tell the owner what stone he wants for his building and he puts his mark on it.
So that would be marked out as belonging to that one. Well, we have been marked out beforehand and in this case in this.
Task force under the adoption of children.
By Jesus Christ to himself.
When its adoption is bringing like a child that's an orphan into an entirely new sphere of happiness and blessing, I know I have been in orphan poems and my heart was touched by.
The desires of four little waste had for the love of Paris.
Well, one could, you know, be born until.
Has God's children, but when you think of adoption, they're thrown into all the privileges.
That belong to those in this vibration have been told of the explorer Stanley.
No. Who was sent to find Livingston in Africa that he was an orphan boy and when he was old enough to get enough ahead to come over to America?
That on board the ship.
As a wealthy gentleman, took him back into the boy and he adopted him into his family, so that's the way he got the name Stanley.
And he says less about himself, he said. All through life he said, I have been most careful and watchful, lest I should bring a stain upon the name of Stanley when I consider off. That name meant to me, a poor organ boy without any opportunity in the world, and yet a rich gentleman to take me into his home.
And give me his very name.
Well, we find that we have been adopted into God's family.
With all the privileges and blessings of the children of God.
So important, beloved, to understand that point, isn't it? To realize what we've been brought to, what we are no part of. And I believe it's being mentioned. We find that as we go through the word of God, we don't find where God even implies or. I want to be careful now what I say in connection with Jericho.
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God doesn't say that the believer is of Jericho, and whenever the the believer is brought into light it says he was by Jericho or he was in Jericho, but he never says that he was up Jericho.
Now there's one exception and that's in the book of Nehemiah, in the third chapter where he says the men of Jericho, but they're no longer in that standing anymore. They're now in the city of the beloved one and then has been brought out. As to this Ephesians chapter six, we find that God would bring the armor before us and we wonder off times about this armor. Well, how do I get it on and what is the full purpose of it? And why no armor for the back?
Well, I believe we get the answer in First Samuel 14. We find there where Jonathan and his armor bearer went forth in the case of David and or in the case of Goliath and his armor bearer, we hear of him, but he never accomplishes anything. But when it comes to the armor bearer and Jonathan, it says Jonathan went before and his armor bearer went behind, and they wrought a great victory that day. Oh beloved, I believe as we go through life we find that our battles are in the heavenlies.
And how are we able to cope with it? Why, we don't do the battle there any better than we do the battles on earth. But praise the Lord, we have an armor bearer behind us that's bringing up the rear and accomplishing everything in perfection to his own purposes. And so then where are we found? Why we're found there in Christ, where we belong.
Brought forth in that verse.
Having predestinated us according under the adoption of children by Christ Jesus to himself.
To introduce us again the same thought that Brother Lundin mansion that in the first chapter of Ephesians God is for himself, and we've already seen it before him in love. And here again where the subject of the adoption of children.
It's according to the first pleasure of his will.
Brother Hale has enlarged on that to our prophets to get things from God's standpoint and God's viewpoint.
By then he has prepared us to be in a state of soul, to enjoy it, because if we have any thoughts that we're worthy that we have done anything to merit, we own a hinder the the spirits work in our souls.
To enjoy what the truth that is being brought before us.
Would you give us a little more thought on the difference between adoption and Newburgh? I'm thinking of First John, Chapter 3, where we are seen as the sons of God.
And elsewhere we're called the children of God. Is it there by adoption or is it by birth?
Well, I think, brother, that you examine John's writing.
That it's always light and all times the King James translators made a mistake in putting in sons where it should be children like that first, but as many as received him to them gave thee authority to become hurried that the children of God that is John has to do with relationships.
But in Paul's ministry, and we have doubtless an example here, he has to do with privilege and our special place in his favor in connection with his purposes and his counsels.
So I don't know why I got called out for this once, but I made a statement years ago and my brother gave me quite a falling down that.
Were children by birth and were sons by absence. I think the brother didn't like a young.
Man speaking up. The reason I got a her rebuke for a silled leanest.
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Thought in children is primarily being partakers of the life of the family. That is, when a child is born into the family, it partakes of the life of the family. When a child is adopted, it's the object of choice as someone has gone and picked up that child because they really wanted that child to be in their family.
But when we adopt A child, we can't give it the life of the family. But isn't it lovely, As our brother John mentioned in his prayer and opening that God has done both. He has given us the life of the family because that's the subject of John's ministry, and we've been brought in and possessing the very life and nature of God himself. But sometimes you might have a child born, perhaps a child is crippled or has some deficiency. It isn't exactly what you would have chosen, but you love it because it partakes of the life of the family.
But we're both brethren. We're children by birth because we possess the life of the family, and that's John's ministry. And we're by choice because we're the very, very ones that he wanted. He's not going to be disappointed in any of us because he knew all about us before, made all these councils and purposes, paid the great price that we might be adopted into the family, and now to possess the life of the family through John's ministry, how complete and perfect is our blessing.
I just like to make a comment too in connection with what our brother Johnson said. Because I believe it is important to see that the work of the enemy is always especially against what is God's purpose at any given time. And so we see in the Old Testament his attempt was always to destroy the scene we find him when Cain was born or Abel was born rather than Cain flew Abel because he was in the line of faith.
Then we see the attempt to wipe out the royal family in athalias time, but God came in and preserved a seed. Then when the Lord was born why Herod in his wrath flew all the babies from 2 years old and under to get rid of the of the promised seed who was Christ?
And now, what is the special purpose of God in this dispensation? Well, it's gathering out of people for heavenly glory. So Satan is antagonistic. He he doesn't want the Saints to be enjoying this heavenly portion. He would have them to be occupied with the earth and the earthly blessing and earthly portion, because God's special purpose is the heavenly thing. But as soon as the church is gone and Satan comes down to this earth, and what is the target of his attack?
The remnant of the seed that is Israel, who are going to be brought into the earthly blessing.
And Satan persecutes them so that they won't be brought into the enjoyment, if he could hinder it, of their blessing on the earth. And let us remember this, because Satan is always opposed to that which especially of God at any time in the world's history. And when we think of the wonderful place that we have been brought into to know that we are part of the bride of Christ death, sign for the most wonderful and near place that it's possible.
For any creature to occupy through all eternity, and then to be gathered as members of the body of Christ, surely we can see why the enemy doesn't want to see such a thing as this, and he is going to specially attack that blessed truth in this dispensation.
Brother Gordon, you made mention that that the Lord, when we make a failure, the Lord is not disappointed in this because He knew what we were when He picked us up. And yet we know that when the Lord looked upon Peter, that look would just put Peter, as it were, right back with that desire to draw a mirror to the Lord. Now I've heard that expression so many times when I've been since I've been among the gathered Saints.
But what is it that you do feel? That when we fail, the Lord must have some feeling toward us? And I know that we don't say that as to encourage failure, because the Lord isn't going to be disappointed. But could you explain that just a more for us?
In the 4th chapter of Ephesians on the 30th verse, I think perhaps we would have the answer.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed under the day of redemption, but when we read an Ephesian in Isaiah 53.
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Says he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. So when he has each one of his arms safely home, he's going to be satisfied. But when we do something that is displeasing to him, it grieves him and grieves the Holy Spirit of God. But he knew about us before, and he picked us up in his grace. But of course there is the side that we can give joy to his heart.
But if we thought that he was disappointed, it would seem that he didn't know about us before.
So I say again, there might be one person in the glory with whom he'll be disappointed because of the fruit of the travail of his soul. But I'm afraid, as you say, he's often grieved with us down here because we don't respond to his love and walk to please him like we should.
We are in the 20th verse of the third chapter. There's an expression may not be understood too well unless we connected with our first chapter.
21St of the third chapter. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask, or think according to the power that works in US. In the first chapter there's a prayer, and the apostles desire that the that the understanding or the eyes of the heart really might be open to enter into these things. The purpose of our going over these scriptures, brethren, is that.
We might be enlarged in our souls, and the enjoyment of these truths these.
These blessings they're mentioned. Press is 7 in character in this first chapter.
But the Spirit of God would have us be in the enjoyment of them, and so it isn't a question in that third chapter of providing bread on the table.
For our for our temporary needs. But as has been mentioned, we have spiritual things before us, and the Spirit of God would occupy us with these blessings.
That are set forth here outlined in this first chapter, which are spiritual in their character. Now if if we're to understand this, if the Spirit of God is to open them to us, it must be with Christ before us as the object, so that our hearts might be enlarged. As to the blessings that are found in Christ, because we have every blessing here and they're in Christ.
Every blessing is found there, and this helps us to appreciate our standing. Now we know that our state is not always in the enjoyment of this, but if we're going to be enlarged in these things, He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything we can ask or think. It's the power that works in us. It's the Holy Spirit that's working in us. He's not mentioned in Colossians, but once, but here the Spirit of God is seen as the power.
That works in us to open our hearts to the enjoyment of the.
Blessings that are mentioned here, possibly 7 in character in this first chapter.
#9
Ephesians 1:5-14
Reading
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General meetings, Montreal, October 1974 Second reading meeting.
In the appendix.
Ephesians Chapter One, verse 5.
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Having predestinated us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the Beloved.
In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he has purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times you might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven.
In which you're on earth, even in him and whom also we have obtained an inheritance.
Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the council of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom ye also trusted. After that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Brahma, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession under the praise of his glory.
Where were I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the Saints?
Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayer. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, they given to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him the idea of your understanding being enlightened. That you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of its power to us who believe.
According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ.
When He raised, implemented, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is at body, the fullness of Him that filleth All in all.
Two or three people asked about the comment I made about Satan being in heaven, and I just thought perhaps if we turn to Hebrew a Revelation chapter 12 we we see this Revelation chapter 12.
And the seventh verse.
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels and prevailed not. Neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world, he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying, In heaven now is come salvation and strength.
And the Kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, the accuser of our brethren, is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And they love not their lives under the death.
But we know that through different instances in the scripture. In the Old Testament, in the time of Ahab King Ahab, we have a picture there presented through Mickey I of the prophet of the Lord sitting upon his throne and the host of heaven on his right hand and on his left. And there we find there were evil spirits. One was sent to the aligned prophet in the mouth of all Ahab's prophets to deceive him. Then we find again.
The angels presenting themselves and Satan among them in the first chapter of Job and God giving permission to Satan to allow this testing in jobs life. And then we hear the Lord speaking too. In the 10th chapter of Luke I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. So we also learn here from what we read in the 12Th of Hebrews that Satan is able to.
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And access before God is the accuser of the brethren. That doesn't mean that he is allowed into the holy place, shall I say, where sin can never enter. But there is that in may scripture which sets before us the heavenly places, and we wrestle against Satan's power there. But in the 12Th chapter of Revelation, that is the end of any such activity on the part of Satan.
Cast down, never again able to carry on those activities that he has been carrying on through the Old Testament, and through the Christian dispensation, too, seeking to accuse the brethren. And we see how he has overcome through the blood of the Lamb, through the word of the testimony that is Christ's victory on the cross conquered Satan, and the full blessedness of it is seen when the redeemed are taken up there.
Completely delivered not only from Satan's power here, but.
As we know from the very presence of sin and brought into His presence and how that victory is manifested, I believe in Satan being cast out. I just suggest these scriptures as to why I made that comment.
In the In the Gospel of Matthew and also the Gospel of Mark.
Matthew 24 and Mark 13 We have the mention of the change in the heavens.
And the beginning of that change in the created heavens will be Satan being cast out.
Possibly the middle of the prophetic week of Daniel 9, but.
What I want to mention is, it's particularly interesting connects with our subject because at that time the Lord as man is going to take over all the administration of that which had once been committed to the angels and from then on the Lord with His Saints.
Will take over the administration of the heavens and that's why it says in the 13th of Matthew.
And also the second, the first chapter, second Thessalonians that he's coming with his angels because they'll be directly his angels from that time on. The man Christ Jesus and he will be over it all. But with the Church we have part of that in our the end of our chapter where he's head over all things as man.
All we can say too, that one reason why God has.
Out of his realm above is because there is the need of that wrestling for our heavenly blessing. Just like in the days of joyful they have to take possession of the land across the Jordan type of our death of Christ. But still they weren't. Was that every foot that every place where they put their foot they would they would possess.
And they had to drive out those enemies.
So that.
So they could have in position the land that God had promised.
And heaven will be richer and sweeter, and our enjoyment of our eternal person will be far greater because we have been in this conflict than if God had already cast Satan.
Until until the lake apart.
This pension also that it says in the 15th chapter of Job, behold he put us no trust in his saying she the heavens are not clean in his sight. I mentioned this because someone has suggested, well how could Satan be in a place that was so holy. But there is that which has been defiled by the fall of Satan. This is mentioned in scripture and as it's just been remarked, not until.
The Lord fully makes his power known. Will all this be cleared? And there will be the reconciliation of things in heaven and things in earth when the Lord Jesus has his rightful place.
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Is that all you referred to in Hebrews 2?
That is not put the world to come. Under the authority of angels. Is the Lord himself who is going to take that place as the administrator of all? Yeah, and then he respond when he comes. Cannons of the world should read all the angels will fall down and worship him because he's hidden now. And in the 12Th chapter you'll find, I think, that time when there will be a change taking place.
I under the administration will be transferred, but isn't it lovely here to see that?
It says.
In this verse we started reading with.
That all this, that he's doing, that God is doing all these marvelous.
Blessings that we are reading about here.
Are not simply because he's taking pity on us, that's true.
But it's because it's according to the good pleasure of his will, his purpose, and also that he's doing it for his own eternal glory and happiness.
Before we have noticed that in the six parts.
Says to the praise of the glory of His grace, but in the seventh verse, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.
So it's the glory of His grace that has made us accepted in the beloved, but when the blood of Christ.
And the forgiveness of our sins.
Ah, we see another word. It's the richest of his grace.
And what a precious subject, beloved, that we have been made accepted in the beloved.
Jesus said we have been made accepted in Christ. It would be equally true. But no, the Spirit of God would remind us.
Of what that Blessed One means to the heart of the fallen, that He's his beloved Son who were.
When he opened heaven, this is my beloved Son, in whom I found all my delight. Not only have you and I poor, unworthy, guilty sinners that we were.
Been accepted, but it's in that one so dear to the heart of the Father himself.
Is that not the first?
Offering burnt offering was to.
Make a person accept it. When they put their head on the their hand on the head of that offering, that person was accepted because the offering was accepted. Would be the burnt offering, wouldn't it?
Nice thought, brother, and it's very true. And if anyone is looking into the subject of the offerings, that's a very important.
Thought you observe.
That it sends that perfect offering that is offered only to Jehovah, That the we get the one who brings the offering accepted, and we find the same props in connection with the.
With the face of Jehovah.
When it's the the lamb you know for.
The observance of the Passover.
Plane lamp.
It's one subject, but when we come to his resurrection, and that's in the way she presented to to Jehovah, there's no question about the meaning there, because the 1St Corinthians 15 tells us that now it's Christ risen from the dead.
And become the first fruits of them that slept. So it's a risen Christ and the Lord we're accepted in that risen, glorified one who is the full, the light of the Father's heart, the overcover in Revelation, the first one, the promises the tree of life to feed upon the tree of life. The last one is to reign with Christ. Now I believe in.
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In reviewing these blessings and meditating on them that we have in the first chapter, we discover differences.
And what has just been mentioned in this verse?
Made us accepted in the beloved. There we have the richest portion. And this goes along with the the third chapter, where we have the truth that's connected with the inner man.
Because there we get the riches of his glory, the riches now, in that connection, the riches of his glory.
It's to know Christ.
That's the riches of his glory.
And to know him and where as it says.
Passes knowledge.
In the 19 verse of the third chapter to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.
That you might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Well, that's connected I think with the subject just mentioned of the bird offering because it's feeding on that which the father himself delights in. And there are certain offerings that were spoken of as sweet savor offerings.
And we have that in the epistle of John that we've been called to the fellowship of the Father and of his Son, Jesus Christ. And what fellowship is that? Well, to delight in the very same thing that they delight in. Now, it'll be a wonderful thing rather than to reign with Christ and that public administration of government for those years on the earth, but what we're Speaking of here is our portion for all eternity.
To be in that place of nearness, to be in the affections of the Father, and the enjoyment of them, And that in the Father's house was the full liberty of sons. Because, he says in the Gospel of John, if the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. And that means all the liberties, beloved, that belongs to the Son in his own home, does it not?
There's a wonderful thought for us as we look on a little portion in the second chapter and the seventh verse. We have this expression again, the riches of His grace. In our present chapter we have remarked that here is what he himself has purposed for himself, and the riches of His grace are to that end. Now when we come to the second chapter, we look on to the.
Marvelous exposition that is going to be given to us.
His children.
There in the glory above, it will be His delight to present to us that which our hearts don't grasp today.
The fullness of the riches of His grace. One thinks of the vastness of that subject, beloved, that will never be exhausted through all eternity, His delight to show us.
These his purposes in Christ, and there to unfold to us all that now our poor dull hearts don't comprehend.
Isn't it a wonderful thing to have these assurances when sometimes we're a little discouraged in the pathway and we fail to rise to what we should be? Such scriptures as this should lift our hearts up to think of that which will be brought to us.
Full knowledge to know as we are known, and to see all of his purposes unfolded. It's been remarked before. I know that it bears repeating that when the Lord allowed himself to be tempted of Satan, there was that temptation when Satan showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And what a contrast when he shows us the riches of His grace, it will be through those.
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Endless ages to come.
Very care of referring to a brother Gill was that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in the verse. We're commenting on the 7th verse in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches.
His Grace. But now there is a superlative, isn't there, in the seventh verse.
That.
You're reminded us of in the second chapter.
That in the ages to comment only increases its magnificence, doesn't it, as we enter farther and farther into the subject?
Wonderful to think that it's all ours now.
We don't have to wait until that day. The display of it is going to be in another day about His hours even now. So in this fifth verse, having predestinated us in the sixth verse, He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In the seventh verse we have redemption through His blood and going on too. We see these things present things for us to enjoy.
I was just wondering if I could make a little comment in connection with the burnt offering because.
It may be that there are some here who haven't grasped the significance of the different offerings, and perhaps don't just fully know the thought. In the bird offering there were five different offerings in Leviticus, the burnt offering and the meat offering, the peace offering, the sin offering and the trespass offering. The first two are particularly godward and the last two are particularly manward, and the peace offering or the communion offering is the one that perhaps links the two, we could say.
And saw the burned offering comes first because it's what the work of Christ is to God. And when we were speaking this morning of how often we find that man is the thought in connection with God's workings in grace instead of God finding his own delight and joy, the display of his own glory, and the satisfaction of his own heart in what he is doing.
I sometimes spoken of it in this way that supposing I owe the great debt and I'm not able to pay it and someone else kindly pays the debt for me and my creditor gives me a receipt and it's marked paid in full.
But I know that he is satisfied. But I haven't learned anything about his heart. I don't know him any better by the fact that the debt has been paid was paid by another. But let us just suppose now that I have this great debt and the my creditor has a son, and he says to his son, I'd like to display my feelings toward my creditor and would you be willing to sell your house?
So that this debt can be taken off our books and so he sells his home, takes the money and pays this debt and it's wiped off the books and I receive a receipt in the mail and it says paid in full through the kindness of my son.
Oh, now this is altogether different than knowing that he is satisfied. This is far, far more. He's certainly satisfied. But I've learned to know my creditors heart. I've learned to know the heart of his son. And then if he were to tell me, and not only has my son paid your debt, but you're going to be brought into a place where you're brought into favor in him. Because I love him and I love you and I've shown my love to him and to you in what has been done.
Oh, how wonderful, brethren. And when we only think of our needs being met, that's the aspect of the sin offering and the trespass offering. But when we think that God's heart has been told out in the way it's been done, then our hearts overflow all. I wish to go to my creditor now and just thank him and thank his son. Well, this is the ground of all true worship, and that's why in our worship.
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Just to be merely occupied with the fact that we're out of debt is really a very.
Shall I say a low note of praise, but to be occupied with the fact that it was the telling out of the heart of the very one that we had sinned against, the telling out of the heart of his son, and the place we've been brought into in order to accomplish all this, all how different than is our Thanksgiving and our praise. And this is what is brought before us, brethren in Ephesians, And that's why it leads our hearts out to worship.
Not merely. That's why, I remark again, the redemption doesn't commend the seventh verse, but rather these purposes of God that He had in his heart and then his own blessed Son accomplishing the work so that these purposes could be told out.
We see that.
Beautifully illustrated in Joshua you were referring brother Barry to.
To the taking of the land and it might just for a moment to see how accurate the word of God is. And Joshua, Chapter one.
And verse 3.
Joshua one and three.
Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon, well that was a future.
Verb there and a condition that every foot, every place that their foot was put, they were going to have.
Shall tread upon, but notice the change in the next part that.
Have I given unto you? It wasn't going to depend on their great power of their arms, but it was all related to them that God had already said they're going to have it? So we find that same truth beautifully illustrated, don't we? And in Ephesians there's no credit to us at all, but as we see the price that has been paid.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ. Or then we can enjoy all these things. So it's every.
Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, so I just thinking of that in connection with Ephesians. There's no glory to us at all, all to him.
Isn't that emphasized over and over in the chapter we're reading?
We've already spoken about what we have in the end of the fifth version is according to the good pleasure of his will.
Then in the end of the ninth verse is according to with good pleasure which he has purposed in himself.
And in the evidence that the end of the 11Th verse, according to the purpose of him, will work with all things after the council of his own will, God's purpose has never failed. They're always carried out, or will be.
But how good are yes or no, as you're Speaking of what we have in Joshua 1/3 that have I given unto you?
They didn't have it yet, but he's given to them and for them to step in and possess.
Those little words that began verse seven, I think are important in connection with what our brother Hajo was saying.
It isn't merely that we have redemption through His blood, but it's in whom we have redemption, referring to the end of verse 6.
Accepted in the beloved? Well, I suppose God could have. It wouldn't have been the same. Wouldn't have been the truth, of course, but it could have been written that we've been accepted in the sun or in Christ. But here the expression is accepted in the beloved, and then it's in whom we have redemption. Sometimes the gospel is presented as as a sort of a free ticket, as it were, to heaven.
Heard a man one time say that on a street corner.
That you can get a free ticket to heaven by believing in the Lord Jesus. They don't think the word of God presented that way. It's in connection with a person. It isn't. It as if God comes and gives us something apart from him. It's in whom we have redemption and it's in the one whom is God's beloved. And I was thinking in contrast with verse 3 where we have we're blessed with all spiritual blessing in the heavenly.
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In Christ.
Doesn't say they're in the beloved, but in Christ. For I suppose they're the thought of being in Christ. He's he's a man of God's counsel and purpose, the one in whom God is going to fulfill all of his purposes and counsel. And in connection with that, we have been blessed in heavenly places. But in verse six, he's a man of God's pleasure, the one in whom God has found his delight, And that's the measure of our acceptance before him taken into favor.
In the beloved. And in this one who is his beloved is the one that we have redemption through His blood. I believe it enhances the thought of redemption to see that it's connected with the thought of the beloved.
Things do we not connected with redemption in that verse. And one is when you speak of the riches of His Grace, it's connected with the price that was paid, which is the Precious Blood.
But when you think of the thought of forgiveness, of sins, you think of being set free. So you have the two thoughts. Here I believe in redemption.
Been bought back because we were sold under sin. That's the second chapter in the first verse. We were sold under sin, but now we've been bought back. But not only bought back, we've been set free.
The forgiveness of your sins. And that was what was said of the man who had the palsy. He was absolutely helpless. The man who had leprosy had to be cleansed.
But the man who had palsy had to be set free. Well, they're both true of the Christian we've been set free. And that's a very important line of things. Because, brethren, as long as we have any thought whatsoever.
That anything within us or that we can do would help. Yes to our standing. We're still on legal ground. We have to see it all done for us, and this chapter gives us, if we enjoy it really in our souls, gives us full liberty as to the standing of the believer.
There's nothing in which we can boast, is there? I was thinking of First Corinthians four and seven, where they were boasting, but they had nothing really, no grounds of it. First Corinthians four and seven, it says, For who make of thee to differ from another? And what hast thou thou hath? It's not received now. If it's doubt, it's receive it. Why does our glory as if thou hast not received it?
Well, we had brought before us these frequent expressions, the first of the Ephesians, according to the riches of his grace, the thing that he has determined to do. And so there's nothing that we can boast of, because that standing that we have before gone is a gift from itself. That what she has given to us, well, if we think of what he's done for us, rather than making us proud, it makes us thankful.
Because we've received it from himself.
A gift from him.
When we come to the eighth verse, it says we're in here, for bounded toward us in all wisdom now reads that word, prudence, intelligence, having made no not to us the mystery or the secret of his will, according to his good pleasure, when in which he had purpose in himself.
God doesn't want his children to go through this scene and ignorance and darkness as to what his purposes.
In connection with our blessings.
Are actually to be. He wants us in intelligence. He wants us to understand and to enter into them and to enjoy them.
The position of the Old Testament Saints, how little intelligence they had in the and the mind and purposes of God, for the reason I suppose, that.
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Man was under probation and under trial.
Now the trial probation is all over.
Man has been proven absolutely helpless and guilty.
And now God can come out with all His eternal purposes and connection, with the blessing of His creatures.
So he says here, wherein he has abounded.
All the fullness and connection will want his before us.
Think about what the Lord says in John, that he had many things to say, but they couldn't bear them now. But he says all things that I have heard of my father. I have made known unto you. Now what is often commented, that the Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what is going on in the world.
The men of the world are confused men's hearts troubling them for fear, distress of nations with perplexity. But here, as we read this chapter, God opens up to us the very purpose of His will and shows us who it is that is going to be the center of the whole scene. When heaven and earth are brought into the condition that is suited to the mind and purposes of God, we're not in any darkness. We know what is going on.
The lamp of prophecy illuminates this dark place, and this lovely 10th verse tells us what God's purpose really is, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. The dispensation of the fullness of times shows us that God has been testing man in different ways through the period of man's history.
About that when all this is through, why he has a man in his own beloved Son, who is going to be the center? All is going to be gathered under him, both in heaven and in earth, and we have been brought into association with him through that redemptive work of Calvary. More than this, nothing depends upon our will. We hear a lot in where we have the gospel with man as its object about the will of man.
But here we find that in the first verse Paul was an apostle by the will of God.
God purposed these things according to the good pleasure of His will. And then we find again He's made known unto us the mystery of his will, and then again he's going to carry out those things. He works all things after the council of his own will. How marvelous. He energized the servant to reveal these things.
That were in His eternal counsels, He's made them known to us, and all that he is purpose is going to workout, and it all depends on His will. It's not the will of man, John, one says, which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Oh brethren, when we get hold of these things, why how could we ever doubt salvation? Because it all depends upon His will upon the work of Christ.
And we just thankfully accept what has been accomplished and what is fully going to be accomplished by the power of another.
That history can tell us what has been. Speculation can tell what might be. Only God can tell us what shall be. And that's really what is before us here.
Having made known unto us is the mystery of the secret of his will, according to his good purpose, which he purpose in himself, but in the dispensation of the fullness of times.
He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him.
So that gives us the purpose of God from the very beginning of man's history. But now we're not like Abraham and even Daniel, devoted men that they surely were. Now we're brought into the intelligence.
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Of God's purposes have been from the very beginning. That is God's purpose always is the exhortation of Christ. Your Father is to say, brother, Hail man's thought is to exalt himself. God's purpose is to exalt Christ.
The fullness of time, brother.
Would that, would you tell us what that is?
Well, doesn't it mean all the different dispensations that have run their course?
Would that lead us to the eternal state? Well, this verse is definitely connected with the millennial reign of Christ.
Although it's been said that here the Millennium is like the port to the eternal state.
This is what we have in the 110th Psalm. It is not.
What you're bringing up, the Lord said unto my Lord, Said, Thou art my right hand until I make an enemy side footstool. And so it goes on to say, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. So this is this verse says that you remark Brother Barry is one that Gordon's father used to say was the central point of Scripture.
That brings us to 1St Corinthians 15, does it not? Where we where he finally gathers all things under his power as one who's serving the Father, and then he hands all things over to God, even the Father that God may be All in all. Is that the point that streets then at the fullness of times?
So in connection with that expression, the fullness of times, we know that it does refer to the Millennium, and it's the time of display when God displays what he has wrought down through all of the ages. We know that, as our brother Halo said, the dispensation brings before us the fact that God has been testing man. And there's been a testimony of God down in all of those dispensations, but God has been working too.
And man is writing a history of what man has accomplished.
Or what man has done down through the ages, but God has been working, and in this dispensation of the fullness of time he's going to display.
All what he has accomplished so that in the words that we have in the I think it's in numbers, you know, in the words of Balaam ye, what God hath wrought is going to be displayed. And in connection with the thought of the mystery of His will, I think it's remarkable that it's put that way, the mystery of his will. We know that of course it does refer to the fact that God has had from the beginning.
Of all of his actions in regard to this earth and man in it, he has had in mind this great scene of display. Of this great scene of glory in which Christ will be, which Christ will be the center, a great system of blessing and glory. With Christ the fetter. Even the I feel even the creation in the beginning of Genesis had all of this in view. It's the mystery of his will, but it's spoken of is the mystery.
Because it is apprehended at the present time only by faith. Now, when it's been, when it's brought into existence, all the world will see and all the world will know that this is what God has had in mind all down through the years for the display of Christ. And but at the present time, only those who enter into this by faith know this. It's the mystery of His will. It's what we can enter into during the time of testimony.
The time of display and that day everyone will know by sight. Now we know it by faith.
Speaking too of whether this is the eternal state, we know that when the Millennium is going on, there is still evil alone is judged, and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. So it is not until death has been completely removed from the scene now that everything now has been brought under Christ.
Because he must reign till he have put all enemies under his feet. But in the eternal state there is no reigning but all is leading up. And in the broader sense, the day of the Lord goes right on until the time when everything has been subjected under Him. But really it's the display of what is given in the millennial period when Christ reigns and heaven and earth will be brought under him, because it was God's purpose that.
00:50:15
A man should be at the head, and the first man failed utterly, but the second man is the Lord from heaven, and so he is going to set everything right, and he is also God. And so when everything has been set right, and then we read, God shall be All in all that is God in Trinity. The Father having purposed it all, the Son having brought it all about the Spirit, the power by which it has all been brought about, now all is.
Completed according to those purposes.
And all is a complete rest. So the whole scene, the eternal state as our brother said the.
Millennium is about the introduction to this, so I was thinking of Revelation 10.
And verse 7.
But in the days of the voice of the 7th Angel, when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God shall be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets, and that is.
Then passing on to the 11Th chapter in the 15th verse and the 7th Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord.
And of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and 20 elders which sat before God on their faces, on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worship God, saying, We give thee thanks. So, Lord God Almighty, which art and was, and aren't to come, because thou has taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry that his man thought that he could set things right himself.
Now he's angry when he finds out that this great secret that was in the heart of God has now come to the time when it's to be fulfilled. Christ is to take his rightful place. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, the four and 20 elders who represent the redeemed. Not down here learning it as we are this afternoon, to enjoy it by faith, but seeing it unfolded before our very eyes is a blessed reality.
What a day that will be when we see the Lord Jesus take his rightful place and then that great secret as far as the world is concerned, will all be unraveled. It will no longer be an object of faith. As our brother said, it'll be open before the eyes of man, principalities, powers, everything will. Everyone will see this brand and glorious purpose of God Christ taking his rightful place.
How little we realize how near this moment is.
In the world that they should exercise our souls as to the nearness of the Lords coming. Not that that would be the one thing that prompted, but at least it should exercise this as to what's coming.
The inflation that's in the world.
Men are powerless to control it. It's something that has developed that's beyond the wisest men. They meet together, but they can't stop it. And what is going to lead you, No one knows.
Perplexity, it says. That is, no one knows, except the children of God who read the word, how remarkable that he has unfolded these things to us. I thought of the days when Nehemiah, with his company, returned and they rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem.
Part of the plan of that wall was a stairway on the inside that went to the top.
Now those outside knew nothing of what was going on inside the day. They could not discern what Goths people were experiencing, but it was a privilege of those inside to mount the stairs and to look out. They could see for a great distance around. Their vision was broad and isn't that something like the believer today? We may be the **** of some ridicule on the part of the corners.
And scoffers, because they don't know we are hedged about with a wall, We are inside the place of privilege, but we well know that which is to come if we are diligent in looking at this word not only as to this world, but as we are so fully had before us. God's purposes for us too. It's all here, isn't it? In the Word revealed and open if we just enlarge our hearts to be engaged with it.
00:55:14
They're just touring verses that I would like to refer to that.
Sums up the the thoughts of men and the and God's answer. And that's the song 12 verses four and five. I think you'll recall these verses Psalm 12/4 and five. The attitude of man who have said with our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own who is Lord over us. That's the fourth verse. And the third says the Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speakers proud things.
Well then, in the second song.
Verse 5.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
This is the answer.
In the 11Th verse it says in boom also we have occasion inheritance. I think you'll find in these verses when he says we he's referring to the Jews. But when he says as in the in the 13th verse in whom ye also trusted after he heard the word truth.
The Gentiles are the subject.
Speaking of the Jews who believed at that time, and they're referred to together with the Gentiles in the second chapter.
All brought together in one, Yes, and raise us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Is that why the 12Th verse? It says that we that still the Jews who had believed?
Should be to the praise of his glory and the new translation reads, Who pre trusted in Christ because the promises made to Israel as a nation were associated with the earth.
Jerusalem, the city of the great king, and all the boundaries of that land, that glorious land, as it's called in the Scripture, all of those are going to be fulfilled, and there will be a remnant of Israel who will be here for that time.
And as that tenth verse says, there will not only be things in heaven, but there will also be things on earth brought under Christ. Well choose an Israel rightly look for that time when it would all be brought about on earth. But what about a Jew who believes now? Well he pre trusts in Christ.
He puts his trust in him before the time that the nation as a whole puts their trust in him. And so Paul could speak of himself as one born out of due time. Because in another day, as we're told, a nation will be born in a day, blessing will come as God is purpose for that nation. But God hasn't cast off his people and every Jew today who believes pre trust, he puts his trust in Christ before the time of Israel's national blessing.
Brought into something more glorious and blessed than if he were here for that earthly thing.
No longer known as a Jew is he He's a part of the Church of God or the Gentiles. No longer a Gentile. He believes he's part of the Church of God.
Well, when it comes to the Gentiles in the 13th verse, and whom he also custod, after that he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that he believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
Well, the gospel was carried by, especially by the Apostle Paul to the nations, and we have an account of it here after they heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation. Well, Paul gives the gospel in the 15th chapter, First Corinthians, how that Christ died for our sins, that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day.
Well, just like the house in the House of Cornelius.
And Peter preached.
01:00:01
About the death and the resurrection of Christ. And then when he said to him, give all the prophets witness that through his name. Whosoever fire in my imagination I just thought of those people just looking at Peter and thinking how wonderful all that truth is. And then when he says Whosoever, then the Holy Ghost failed, they said it's false.
Not only for you, Peter and you Jews, but it's for us too. They were immediately sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.
Having believed your seal, we have we've had the God himself and his purpose at the beginning, and then we've had Christ in the 10th verse fulfilling the council. So now we have the Spirit of God, who's the one who seals the believer, and in these blessings we've gone over them now.
Shall we just recall them? In the fourth verse chosen us in him? In the fifth verse we have the adoption of children.
In the sixth verse accepted in the Beloved.
7th Redemption and the 8th.
Intelligence bounded towards us in all wisdom and intelligence and then in the 11Th verse.
We have the inheritance.
In whom we have obtained inheritance and now.
We have on this 13th verse really the Spirit of God indwelling the flavor. Now this tail he takes in. When we receive the Spirit, we receive the ceiling for possession, and also we receive the earnest, which not only shows us things to come, but assures our hearts of the of the full.
Blessing bodies of glory at all. But then we have the anointing, and that brings in the intelligence for the believer, but not only the intelligence, but the presence of the Spirit of God with us, The consciousness of it. The Spirit witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God. And one more thing, the energy of the Spirit of God in power in our souls Now we have sometimes.
People saying, Well, I wished I had the power for this and the power for that. Well, the apostle doesn't pray that the Saints might have power in this prayer of his. He prays that their eyes, the eyes of their hearts, might be open, that they may understand the power they have.
Now he's provided in these blessings that were enumerated everything that the believer needs. But it's something like the disciples you know and the 9th chapter of Luke. They had been given power and authority to cast out demons, and then they went up under the mount, at least some of them with the Lord on the mount of Transfiguration, but when they came down to the ordinary.
Life began.
At the foot of the mountain, they were not able to cast out the demons. Why? Well, they hadn't been praying, and so they asked the question. We get it. Mark's Gospel.
Why could we not cast them out?
I says this kind can go forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting. Now I think that's important to mention because we do have everything here in Ephesians 1.
But we do have the spirit of God in dwelling the believer, providing everything for us, so that we need to be before God and our knees, that we may use this power that's been made good to us and this intelligence has been made good to us. It comes only in prayer and fasting. Well, now we know what prayer is. But what is fasting? Well, I'm afraid that I know very little of this. Perhaps others may have to confess it too.
That there are many things in our lives that we could well do without that may be hindering.
The testimony of the gospel of Christ.
There may be things in our lives that we are allowing.
That are hindering someone from seeing the truth as we would like to have them see it. Perhaps this should be an exercise with us.
To sum up the subject of the various ways the Spirit of God has brought before us. But you are saying when you sum it up like this, that we have.
01:05:11
The anointing for power.
We have the ceiling for security and we have the earnest for enjoyment.
That is, the earnest is like the first payment that's made to secure.
What is to be our our portion just like.
Man buys a house, he makes a payment on it. That's the earnest that the full price will someday be paid for the property.
So while we're here in bodies of weakness and humiliation and amid all the trials and sorrows down here.
We already have the earnest, the enjoyment of which in its fullness will be ours when we're with unlike Christ and glory. Could we say, brother, bury them, that in the 13th verse we have the ceiling, in the 14th the earnest, and although it may not be noticeable in the prayer, we have the anointing.
So that there might be the intelligence and power as well. And in Speaking of that, if you turn to.
2nd Corinthians, the first chapter you have a similar.
Line things. I think sometimes it helps to compare.
To keep it in the mind.
In the first chapter of Second Corinthians.
And the 21St verse, when we read the 20th For all the promises of God in him are Yay, and in him are men unto the glory of God. By us. Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. There you have the enjoyment, don't you, the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
You might say that the baptism of the Holy Spirit spoken out a great deal today, and Christendom is not mentioned here at all because it is never viewed in Scripture as an individual thing. It's rather that which was the formation of the body of Christ on earth, and having been formed on the day of Pentecost, the body of Christ now exists here upon earth, individuals being added by receiving the Holy Spirit.
And then when they receive the Holy Spirit, these three things that we have spoken of are true.
And that is, they have the earnest, they have the ceiling, and they have the anointing. Now that is the moment. The Spirit of God indwells the one who believes the gospel. All these three things are true. We may not be in the full enjoyment of it all, but it's all blessedly true. And that's why I was thinking of 2nd Corinthians 5. He says he has given us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident.
I'd like to think of it in this way myself. Supposing I was going to buy a piece of property that was worth $10,000. And so I say to the real estate agent, well, I'll put down $50,000. Well, he said it's only worth 10,000. Well, he said I want to be sure I'll get it, so I'll put down $50,000. You'll be sure to make the deal go through. Well, what did God put down to make sure that he'd have us?
It says, therefore we're always confident he gave the Holy Spirit of God.
Poor worthless things as us to indwell our hearts to make us sure, To make us always confident that he's going to complete what he has begun.
It's a wonderful expression. The ceiling we also were sealed like you draw up deep or an abstract and then the government puts its seal upon it and that is as much as to say as long as this government exists.
That paper will will stand, can't be set aside.
And as well to call attention in this connection.
01:10:04
Verse in the 4th chapter of Ephesians.
And the 30th, 1St and grieving out that Holy Spirit of God, whereby your seals along.
The day of redemption. That's the redemption of the body.
So those who who say that they might grieve away the Holy Spirit surely hadn't read her thought to understand that first.
That the very fact we're not to read the Spirit is because we can't. We can't grieve them away because he is in US and remains in US until we're in our glorified bodies.
Or how we need to be careful, but we allow nothing that would.
Grieve that blessed one your Father, You save other pay all. Be careful how we treat the divine gifts God blesses, Holy Spirit dwelling in US and all, how sensitive He is of anything that's allowed that brings dishonor.
On the blessed name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mary, that the Holy Function of the Holy Spirit is like Eliezer the Servant.
Was sent forth by Abraham to bring a bride to his son.
The servant saw Rebecca safely through all the wilderness journey, but when the Isaac came out to meet his fried, then the servant withdrew.
Would that be the thought of the day of redemption?
That's my truck rather, isn't it?
Of lovely types we have in the word. And when we think of Eliezer, although his name is not mentioned in the 24th of Genesis, he's only mentioned as a servant there.
Along that long journey on the camel.
When Rebecca was to the desire way to meet a man that she had never seen.
All she knew about that man was what the servant had told in her home. Well, isn't that our position? We haven't seen our blessed bridegroom yet, Yet we have the ministry of the Spirit of God telling us all that, one that we're to spend eternity with.
Here to be united to as his brides. Well, what was that servant occupying Rebecca with? We might ask the question because if she forgot, I think it would be almost unfortunate position she was in to find herself with a stranger, with strange men that she never saw or heard of before, on a long journey away from her loved ones, so that if she forgot Isaac, why it would be?
Almost deplorable.
Thought But he must have occupied her all along the road, telling more and more about Isaac so that when she sees a man walking in the field, she inquires Who is this that walketh in the field? And the servant says it's my master. And we get, oh, how lovely that is, brother, conducted right up to the time when the bridegroom comes.
And then we are willing, united to him, share his Kingdom and his glory, and have the nearest race of association amid all the families of God that have their special place in that glorious scene.
That's in connection with what was said about the Holy Spirit that we do. Read in John 14 and verse 16. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter.
That he may abide with you forever, so that much of the energy of the Spirit of God now, as our brothers just been remarking, is because of the difficulties of the way he helps our infirmities, He helps us to keep the flesh in check. But when we get home, the glory, the Spirit of God will still be active, but it will be to fulfill that blessed work that he came to do to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts.
01:15:10
To bring us into the full enjoyment of our portion and of our relationship that God is our Father.
And saw them in heaven. The Spirit of God will continue to occupy us with himself only. There won't be any hindrance like there often is today. Might be someone sitting here with a headache. And you say, why I can't enjoy the meetings like I wish I could? Well, His spirit helps our infirmities. We may get something. Then there might be to the intrusions of the flesh that come in. And the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit and the spirit against the flesh.
But in that glorious day when we gather around the precious Savior, the Spirit will be unhindered in leading out our hearts in full praise for all eternity. And the mind of heaven is 1 And when it says God shall be All in all, it's the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I like the little hymn that expresses it by the Spirit, all pervading host unnumbered round the Lamb. So he he will complete that blessed work that he has taken up to lead us through.
And even the quicken our mortal bodies by his spirit that dwells in us. But how blessed the continuing work for all eternity. I don't think that Brother Giller, and what I said that I had no intention of suggesting or conveying the problem that the Holy Spirit leaves us when He gets us to where we meet the bridegroom. For what you say is impressively true, and we see another proof of it.
In the first chapter of Acts, as we are to be like Christ in his glory, we read.
And they are the second verse until the day in which he was taken up. After that he threw the Holy Ghost and given commandment of the apostles whom he had chosen. So the Lord was still communicating the mind of God by the Holy Ghost as a risen man, and hears the pattern of all his Saints.
In our resurrection state. So if he is a leader, if he's the head of all, he was speaking by the Holy Ghost, so we can be sure that what you say is blessedly true.
Brother Hale and speak of being filled with despair.
Well, that's an exhortation. We also have that in Ephesians. Remarkably, these things come in here where we have this.
Very high Truth brought before us. It's Ephesians Chapter 5.
And verse.
18 And be not drunk with wine, were in his excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Now we read on the day of Pentecost that when the Spirit came, they were all filled with the Spirit then too, and they had been persecuted. They were all filled with the Spirit, and there was great power in the testimony. But it didn't always true of us that we are filled with the Spirit.
However, I wish to comment this, that in John chapter 3 it says God giveth not his Spirit by measure. Now that is, it isn't that God gives more of the Spirit of God to one person than another, but to be filled with the Spirit is to be yielded to the leading of the Spirit in everything that was true on the day of Pentecost. And it's an exhortation to us because there might be areas in our lives where we are yielded to the leading of the Spirit.
But there might be at the same time other things in our lives where self has a very prominent place. And so we're exhorted that there shouldn't just be, shall I say, a partial desire to please the Lord, but a full yieldedness to the leading of the Spirit and justice. As a man who drinks wine, he becomes under the influence of that, and he does all kinds of strange things at success. When we yield to the leading of the Spirit, He leads us, as we're having in our chapter, into the intelligent enjoyment.
And one of the fruits of the Spirit, let us remember, brethren, is self-control. In these movements where they speak of being filled with the Spirit, they're out of control. But the fruit of the Spirit is to be.
01:20:12
Self-control. It's to be an intelligent leading of the spirit. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Again, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, so that the one who is led by the spirit is never out of control.
About is intelligently guided by the Spirit in those actions that are according to the mind of God, is directed through the Word. Well, that's an exhortation. It's not always true of us what to God it was.
There David. He was a man for the Holy Ghost. Well, it says. They looked on him and saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel. He wasn't occupied with his face shining.
He was occupied with grace so that when they take him out to stone him to death, he looks up into heaven and sees sees Christ.
Standing at the right hand of God.
The two you know, if you say, well, how is it that if we all have the same amount of the Spirit of God, we're not all filled? Well, if we're not yielded, you might have a very powerful car, but you don't step on the gas. It might stall on a small hill. The power is there, but we're not using it. And alas, every one of us have the same amount of power here this afternoon. But are we yielded so that that power might be used?
In occupying us with Christ and leading us into those paths that are pleasing to Him.
Ephesians 1:15-20
Reading
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General meetings, Montreal, October 1974 Third reading meeting.
Oh.
Call from above.
And heavenly men by birth could we sing 212?
All from.
Our world.
I love the violence forever. Oh Oh my God.
Operations and we have a problem.
With.
The other creature.
Ephesians chapter One.
And verse 15.
00:15:00
Wherefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and loved all the Saints.
Ceased not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayer.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him the eyes of your understanding, being enlightened. That you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of its power to us, which who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ.
But he raised him from a dead set, him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body, the fullness of Him that filleth All in all.
And you had the quicken, who were dead in trespasses in sin burden, and time passed. You've walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, Among whom also we all had our conversation in time past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh of the mind that were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ by grace, you're saying, and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God.
Not a work, lest any mansion bought, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
I wonder if I might be permitted just take a minute or two to review what we had before us through verse 14.
We were.
Brought in the channel of thought that the Spirit of God was pleased in this introduction to this epistle.
Not only to warm our hearts as to the blessings into which we have come.
But to reveal to us eternal counsel that were of deeper import than just our welfare.
As precious and as happy as that theme is.
And so.
This portion is brought to our attention that that which is primary here was God's thoughts and purposes toward His Son, we being the beneficiaries thereof, but the theme being the Son, the one to receive from the Father, that wondrous gift of the Church.
And that amazing and remarkable divine council.
That provided the way for this through the person of Christ saw that.
It is not just our affections to him, but more importantly his affections to us. Not only our apprehension of glory to come for us, but more here. His anticipation of having us with him, The prize and object of his soul we noticed too, that we had here.
The full accord of the Triune God.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And then we were introduced to our own place in this, reminded that while we are waiting.
That union that is before us, we are endowed with the Holy Spirit of God, the one who leads us on now to this wondrous promise that is so gloriously before us.
00:20:07
And in this we are expressed as being those who will show forth his praises. Well, these thoughts I thought before we.
Proceed now and which is a new portion of the chapter. We might just have a little review of what we had.
So you'd say then that what you've been going over the apostle or a teacher?
Now at the verse where we started reading, he becomes an intercessor in.
Interceding for the ones to whom he has communicated these marvelous thoughts.
God's counsels.
So that not only are we to be instructed, but we're to enjoy these things.
And he starts out during this work before us. Wherefore I also after I heard of your faith.
In the Lord Jesus, doesn't that touch our hearts? After I heard the dear apostle wasn't privileged to go and visit those he loved in Ephesus because he was in change.
At at Rome.
But someone has brought good reports.
Must have been faithful men.
Who brought encouraging.
Reports as to the various assemblies to the apostles, which makes his heart rejoice. And the first thing is that he gives thanks for them, rather than shouldn't we give thanks for one another. Here we sit together.
With God's precious word.
Open on our knees. What a wonderful thing to be in a family where.
Yeah, we can enjoy together.
The precious things of Christ. Where would we be if it was not for His grace? Think of all the empty groups that there are.
How about us, where they're trying to enjoy just the?
Passing things. And here we are together, do we not thank the Lord for one another?
And to seek to encourage one another.
So we say that in the 14th verse the thought the purchase possession is not that we are the purchase possession, but rather he bought the field and all is his. But he is not going to take the inheritance until he has his Saints with him.
Just as the land was given to Israel, but not until they were let in together, And shall we say that God threw with his people, took possession of that land, and they were to enjoy it with him.
Alas, we know that at that time the condition it was conditional on their obedience, and they forfeited it. But how blessed that when the Lord Jesus takes his place of headship, when he takes the purchased possession for the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof.
He is going to have his Saints with him, but the ground of all this has been set before us.
As the work that Christ has accomplished. And so when that glorious time comes that He does take his place of headship, by him will be his bride. And what a picture we see of it in connection with Joseph. When his brethren came down and saw Joseph as head of the land of Egypt, why they saw he had beside him a Gentile bride, who was sharing that place of headship with him? Well, the Lord Jesus.
Has haven't taken the possession of this world as yet. Indeed, I like to think how in the what is known as the Lords prayer they were taught to pray thy Kingdom come. But when he was rejected, then he said to his Father, in that high priestly prayer in the 17th of John, I pray not for the world, but for them that thou hast given me, for they are thine and to me it's as though the Lord Jesus said to the Father.
00:25:13
I'm not asking now for the kingdoms of the world. I'm asking for my own, the ones who have been given to me. And isn't this a lovely thought for us now that as we see all the activity in this world and man seeking to turn this world into such a glorious place?
Now what is the Lord Jesus desiring? The little hymn says Sweeter to his ear is the footfall through the desert.
Ever drawing near, and he looks down with delight. He's not asking us yet for the kingdoms of the world, but he's asking for his own. He wants our affections, brother, and he wants our hearts to be taken up with him and looking forward to that day when we'll share that place with him and so.
How blessed it is for our souls to see that he is going to have his own. He's going to take the inheritance and we're going to be with him.
In that glorious day, and so in the second Psalm, the Father says, Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. The time is coming when he'll have that place. But now his interest is in his own. And I love this little expression in the 15th verse. It enlarges our hearts. Love unto all the Saints, we may think, brethren, there's quite a good company of us here this morning.
But may the Lord enlarge our hearts to think that there are thousands of His own who are going to share in this glorious future that we're talking about and reading about. We're going to be with them all. The only difference is that now we have the privilege of being gathered as members of His body.
Allow that body includes a vast number more than are here. We're going to see that vast company gathered around him in another day.
It might be well to read that verse Brother Hey Ho in Matthew 13, which gives us the thought that you've been expressing Matthew 13 and 44.
Again the Kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man is found, he lighteth, and for joy thereof God himself all that he hath and bieth that feel.
So here we have them, a treasure hid in a field, and he buys the field so that he might have the treasure in it.
I was thinking also reference has been made both today and before to the 24th of Genesis, not to turn to it, but just to refer to it in this way.
The question was asked between the meetings yesterday.
Why wasn't that? It seemed such a short distance.
For Rebecca to Isaac.
It wasn't a long trip, apparently, from what the account gives us.
And one was thinking of Ephesians.
The the Spirit of God leading the believer through the desert, occupying the believer with Isaac. Now I believe that's normal Christianity for you and me to be occupied with Christ and the inheritance. That's what the Spirit of God would occupy us with.
Now, of course, if our ways.
Are not in keeping with this. The Spirit will have to occupy us with our ways for the moment.
Still they're corrected. And that we see in the Song of Solomon. In the Song of Solomon, you see the bride having problems and she meets the watchman. And that's necessary too. And we thank God for the Watchmen. But isn't it lovely to see in the 24th of Genesis, the bride being conducted to Isaac And it doesn't seem to be a ripple no trouble.
Because the the servant is occupying her with that one object.
And soon she's there at the end of the road. And I believe it will shorten the path for us if we're having problems here, if the mind and the heart is occupied with Christ. Now we're sitting here this morning with these precious things before us, and it reminds us of the time when David sat before the Lord.
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And he showed him about his house for a long time to come. Well, that's what the Lord is doing this morning, brethren. He's showing us about our house for a long time to come. Now, this is what will sustain us when we do have the trials, because we find after that David committed some of his worst sins, and he was sustained in spirit in the midst of all of his trials.
By the fact that he had sat before the Lord and he had told him of his house for a long time to come. Now, brethren, these meetings, this subject that's before us, if it really is entrenched in our souls, we're taken up with these precious truths concerning the counsels of God that we've had, And now the fact that there's one.
Not only the apostle in his intersection, but there's one on high interceding for us and the Spirit of God down here interceding that we might have a comfortable a happy trip until we reach the glory. And that's what God's intention is, that our hearts may be taken up not with knowledge, but with the person of Christ. And in the third chapter.
We find the progress that the love to all the Saints comes before the perception of these things. That is, there must be the bowing of the heart to the truth of God. There must be the enjoyment of this fact that we're all one in Christ. And I believe when we come to the epistles we must think in the terms of the truth of the body.
Not simply our individual blessings as Christians, but we must think of it in terms that we're all one in Christ. And it's one thing to say I love all the Saints, but it's another thing to have love for each of the Saints.
Wouldn't you say that in that 17th verse?
That special emphasis is put on the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes we get a key to.
Hardware to find in a certain epistle or portion of the word, and it seems to me the key to this is.
In the third verse, blessed be that God now notice that and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then he goes on as to what?
As ours through that source who have blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
But I'd say that that verse is the key to the epistle.
That God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Introduces 2 distinct subjects.
That the spirit of God develops.
And we know that the Lord couldn't.
Communicate his mind.
With this on this subject until after Calvary and he was resident.
And when?
The appearance of Mary Magdalene. He sends her with this message to go tell my brother.
I said unto my Father, and your Father, unto my God and your God. The Lord had spoken of his Father all through his ministry. Now he says, my Father, that I have been instructing you about.
Is equally your father?
And my God is your God. Now scripture is very accurate and when the name God is.
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Especially before us, it suggests nature suggests authority and power.
When the name Father is introduced.
It has to do with relationship to nearness.
And it was. It was mentioned on Saturday that there are two prayers in this epistle.
And the first prayer you find.
Thought here is the special subject is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. And if you turn to the third chapter.
And.
Read in the 14th 1St for this 'cause I bow my knees onto the Father.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And that will give you the real thoughts in connection with the.
What the Apostle is developing, you'll notice here it says that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ now Father, does come in here.
The Father in the in the Father of the Source.
Sometimes father is used in that way.
That is the source of all glory.
Is the Father of glory? Is he the Father of glory, the source of all glories, our Father?
Now notice may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation.
In the IT should read the full knowledge of him.
So that.
The eyes that should read of your hearts, not your understanding.
God isn't anxious and concerned so much about our getting these truths in our heads, but he is concerned about our getting these truths in our hearts.
Our affections warn how towards our blessed Lord, so I believe that.
The deaths of prayer has less thought, that is, more that he might understand, whereas in the next prayer in the third chapter you might take it in.
So there are the special developments in connection with the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, in connection with the inheritance and then the power seen in his resurrection.
Bringing us into all the good.
These blessings that God has for us.
There is an outward aspect of the position that Christ takes.
As mentioned in the 10th verse of this chapter.
Where he was, we discussed it the other day.
This we might speak of as his public glory. And this is more connected, is it not, with what we have in this prayer, It's it's the position he takes over all things.
As head over all things, there's no name higher than the name of Jesus. There's no position higher than the name of Jesus now, by contrast, though.
The prayer in the third chapter has more to do with the inner man and those things which are enjoyed in the Father's house and family relationships rather than the public glory. In fact, it's the higher part of the blessing.
Because it's spoken of as the riches of his glory.
And it's a it's a vast realm of blessing that's so great that this first part.
If you simply speak of the creation and this being over that does not compare because this is an area that after the Kingdom is passed.
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Continues. There will be an outward Kingdom. There will be an outward display of glory where Christ will be seen.
As head over all things. And if we're thinking simply of that, we find that what we have in the third chapter goes way beyond such thoughts, although they're breasted in themselves.
When you say Brother Lundeen that there is no higher name than that of Jesus, you have in mind.
Philippians 2. For every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord. It's at the name of Jesus that they make this confession, isn't it? Yes, that's the name that he took when he came here as man. And that's the name that everyone will bow to. Every tongue will confess the name of Jesus. Now there's no sweeter name.
I can ever be on our lips in the name of Jesus.
And that name is going to be on our foreheads in that coming day. It'll be happy if we wore it now, wouldn't it? And yet not to go too deeply in the subject, but sometimes we deplore a bumper stickers that have some reference to the name of Jesus. It doesn't seem quite reverent.
The place of the name of his glory is associated with his manhood, as Jesus isn't it? But our place now in owning him is to own him as Lord.
And how essential that is. This is where there's a deficiency in much that is proclaiming itself as Christianity Today.
I was thinking too, in regard to these prayers.
In the first chapter.
We have the dispensation, are the administration of the fullness of times.
And in chapter 3.
In verse 9, the word fellowship should be rightly also translated administration. We have really two administrations brought before us here. The one in chapter one is a future administration and administration of glory.
A great scene of glory. The Father is the architect of it. The Lord Jesus is the center of that glory.
And the Church as his bride is going to be his partner to share that glory with him. And the prayer of the Apostle is that we might enter into this and understanding and affection that we might anticipate that coming day of glory in the administration of it all, headed up under Christ and the church as his partner, sharing it with him, even as we have in type of Adam and Eve in the third chapter.
It's a present administration. It is what is being administered at the present time, which is the the mystery. Christ in the church united to himself, and the desire of the apostle is there that we might enter into this present administration of the fact that there is even now here on earth, this unfolding of this mystery of the believers. Christ unite, or that is the believers united to Christ as members of his body.
And in connection with this, we find in the prayer of Chapter One the not to get ahead of ourselves, but it speaks in verse 19. What is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward? It's in connection with the.
Power. Of course, that was exhibited in the raising of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, but it's His power.
Two are towards us. But in the prayer in chapter 3, it is not His power toward us, but it is the power that works in US. In other words, it's the one is in order to bring us into a, you might say, the understanding and the spiritual intelligence of God's purpose and plans in regard to His beloved Son and the Church in association with Him in coming glory.
But the prayer in chapter 3 is in connection with our entering in now at the present time with what God is doing in connection with Christ and the Church, Christ the head and His members here upon earth, which is of course unfolded more fully in the 4th chapter. But it's the work of God in US, whereas in chapter one it's in in connection with His power toward us. And I would like to say this too, in connection with the.
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Chapter one this administration which is future.
The administration of the fullness of times. God is not now carrying this out. He's making it known to us as the mystery of his will and what he is going to carry out. But in a sense we can say that he has, He has taken.
The first step toward the fulfillment of it.
He has already implemented this plan, in that he has raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and given him that place it in his own right hand, far above all principalities and powers, and already has made him head over all things entitled. So we see that what God purposes to carry out in the administration of the fullness of times, He has already implemented, you might say, carried out the first stages of it.
In the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
And also in working in our on our behalf too, that we might be suited, companion and a partner with the Lord Jesus in that coming day.
In the end of the verse we have the expression.
His Inheritance in the Saints. Now it's nice to think of the fact that we do have an inheritance, and it says so in this chapter.
In the 11Th verse in whom also we have obtained an inheritance. But I think the emphasis here brethren, is.
His inheritance, His inheritance in the Saints. Lovely to think of this. We're associated with him in this and in thinking of that inheritance, I believe this includes is taking possession as man.
Of all that he created as God. Now in the 13th chapter of Matthew, if you'll turn to it again, please.
There is a verse or two there that may help.
Perhaps it's supposed by some who are older that some of the younger ones understand the details of this, but perhaps we could just read a verse or two that might help.
In connection with this inheritance in the 41St verse.
Matthew 13.
The Son of Man shall send forth his angels.
And they shall gather out of his Kingdom.
All things that offend and them which do iniquity.
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
In these two verses, I believe we have the two parts of the Kingdom. That is, we have the Kingdom of the Son of Man.
And we have the Kingdom of the Father.
Now the righteous here I take it to be those who will be in the heavens, the Church.
Those will be in the heavens who will be in the Kingdom of the Father, whereas the Lord Jesus will take possession with His Saints, of course, of His Kingdom on the earth. And at that time the angels will be spoken of as His angels because they have been put under him at that time, so that he takes possession of His Kingdom on the earth.
But at the same time the righteous are shining forth as the sun, that is in the place of supreme authority, where where Christ is in the Kingdom of the Father. There is another sense, of course, in which the Kingdom is mentioned.
For today, for the Saints, and that's in Colossians, and that's the Kingdom of his dear son. Now I just mentioned that because.
00:50:09
Although we're in the church, we're part of the church, and we don't think of ourselves as being in a Kingdom as long as we're in this world.
We're in that position where the flesh is present and the subjection is our place in connection with.
The things of God subjection at all times. And so in that sense we're in the Kingdom, not of a monarch in the sense that this world speaks of it, but in the Kingdom of the Son of his love. And so the the affections are active, and we want to.
Do those things that please Him. And I trust that some of us are at least are learning in these meetings some of those things that please Him, so that we might be able, through the power of the Spirit of their which these verses speak. We might be able not only to lay hold of these things, but to act upon them practically in our lives, because we're in the Kingdom of the Son of his life.
You enlarge him a little more, brother.
Connection with Matthew 69 and 10.
Where the where the Kingdom is mentioned again.
That in your thoughts, Matthew 6, you say?
The question is asked to enlarge on the expressions in Matthew 6, verse 9 and 10.
Matthew.
69 and 10 After this manner, therefore pray ye our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Now this has to do, of course, with what's going to take place on the earth. There's much in Matthew that has not yet been fulfilled. There's a day coming when the Kingdom will be set up.
When righteousness will be established, and the little remnant of that day and the remnant of a coming day will pray for this. Now this isn't exactly the Church's portion that is a Kingdom on the earth. Yet we do desire the truth of it. We do desire that this Kingdom will be set up and that.
The will of God be done.
There is a day coming, beloved, when the will of God will be done in earth and in heaven.
And the millennial day or the time is spoken up in our chapter, the the fullness of times that is the administration of it that will will be done.
And if it's violated, there will be judgment immediately every morning.
If there's anyone who who opposes the will of the King, who is Christ during that 1000 years of the reign of Christ?
Judgment will be executed.
In that Kingdom, immediately it will not be tolerated. It will not be allowed to go on as it is today. And the reason that evil is continuing today and growing in this world is because that evil has not been suppressed. And if it were suppressed every morning, we wouldn't have the scandals about us today.
Well, you could speak of the Kingdom in two ways.
In Mark's Gospel at the before the Transfiguration, they were told that after men and all that many days they would see the Kingdom of God come with power. Well, that's the time when Christ will reign, when he comes out of heaven and his enemies are subdued and he rules this world in righteousness.
Will be the Kingdom in power. But when John was on the Isle of Patmos, he speaks of the being in the Kingdom and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, that's the character that God's Kingdom has assumed, that the present time. It's the time when God is over ruling.
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He's behind the scenes, moving all the scenes he's behind.
But he is not changing the course of this world. Satan is allowed to be the God and Prince.
At the present time, but still there is that moral aspect of the Kingdom and in the I think it's the end of the 14th chapter of Romans.
The 17th verse of Romans 14.
For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but notice, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Now we should endeavor to maintain those small principles during the time when the king is rejected as far as this world is concerned.
Yet he has his authority, and we shall seek to carry out what is mentioned here, that it isn't just an outward thing, meat and drink, but it's righteousness.
And peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Now here's a rather remarkable statement in the next verse for he that in these things.
Serveth Christ. Now we all, I'm sure.
Who are the Lords have a desire in our hearts, so not only know that blessed one, but to be able to serve him well. We might think that service was confined to teaching a Sunday school, or to giving away tracks, or preaching the gospel, all important ways of serving the Lord.
But they are.
Quite ways that we can serve the Lord and are mentioned here.
In connection with the Kingdom of God, righteousness and peace going on, seeking to go on with peace without the force sacrificing anything to God's holiness. But as much as life in you live peaceably with all men, we are told. And on how unspeakably precious joy that's produced by the Holy Ghost.
So that the place must be judged.
Holy Ghost.
Can fill our hearts with joy and gladness. Well, going on quietly with these principles.
Were serving Christ, and more than that is acceptable to God. What a wonderful thing to think that we can be following a parrot down here that's acceptable to God. And here is marked out for us. Not in anything outward, not in any display.
But in a quiet, simple, godly, consistent life Kingdom of God and the last aspect that you spoke of it.
Is not made and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Is the permanent character of the Kingdom of God, is it not? It's its moral character. But also this will be true of those who are in it for eternity.
They'll be characterized by having that divine righteousness that God alone can give.
And if there's one here this morning who doesn't have that righteousness?
They're not in the Kingdom of God.
Now in Luke's gospel where we have the Kingdom of God particularly set forth in in that character, where Matthew it's the Kingdom of heaven more the outward and testimony side of it. But in Luke we find it speaks of Wisdom's children.
Now Wisdom's children are in the Kingdom. They may not know very much.
But they're in the Kingdom because they've received the king. They've received the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. And the moment they do not that they have to know all the doctrines of Christianity. But scripture tells us that when you receive Christ, you receive him for all that he is, and you have that righteousness and you have that peace because you're trusting in the precious blood.
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And you have the joy of the Holy Ghost because of the 13th verse of our chapter. Having believed, you're sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. And so then, this has to do with.
The Kingdom in its more absolute and final character, permanent character, whereas we have also the Kingdom and its character in which the Today.
It's a question of in rejection. We're subject here until the Lord comes, but he's coming to set everything right in this world. Everything will be set right. And then of course there will be the believer shining forth in the Kingdom of the Father at the same time in the heavenly side of the millennial day.
Your father, Brother Gill, used an illustration and I'm sure you'll remember, I thought was helpful.
About the Kingdom at the present time, he told about one time in the history of England when the heir to the throne was rejected and had to flee for his life to France. Bonnie Prince Charlie was called.
And while there was a ruler there in the land.
There were others that there were those in.
England and Scotland, I'm sure, and Ireland at that time. The still old Barney, Prince Charlie and he said when they had a toast, they had a way of showing their religions to him and more or less of a secret way. They put a glass of water and then they would put their toast over the glass of water. That is, they meant our sovereign.
Our king is over the water. He's over there in France.
Well, I hope that might be helpful.
That that's more or less our position now. Our king, our sovereign, has been cast out by this world. He's gone back to him. We still own him, although he's rejected by this world. You remember that illustration, I'm sure.
Our brother Lundeen touched on something that is most important to He mentioned that.
We must When one is converted, perhaps he doesn't enter into the doctrine.
Maybe a period of some time before there's growth in that direction. But how important to acknowledge the person of the one of whom we speak? I believe this is a great work of the devil today in so-called Christian circles, that there is a temporizing with the person of the Lord Jesus and the Lord himself said take care of what things you hear.
We need to be extremely careful what not only we hear but what we receive in the way of printed literature and not to let it take hold on us. I think how the set of the disciples, when the Lord had been on the mountain all day with them and then they set out to cross the sea, it says of them that they took Jesus as he was. I like that and.
So we may not have a deep knowledge of all the attributes of this one who is our Redeemer, and in the sense we've been Speaking of the King, but let us ever be reverent about him, and let us have hearts ready to entertain thoughts that are right about Him, and to discard anything that doesn't bring true.
Started in the 11Th verse, it gives a very simple and blessed thought to the position that the Bride of Christ has when it says.
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance by predestination, we enter into these thoughts.
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And it gives us a wonderful view of what's ahead, doesn't it, to think that we'd be associated with Christ in all that administration, whether in heaven or on earth.
We know we can't.
As believers administer anything in in heaven, but as associated with Christ, we have obtained an inheritance in all that he has acquired in glory, in his glory, as the administrator of all things, in the center of all things, both in heaven.
And in Earth, isn't it a marvelous thought to think that we have obtained an inheritance in that?
Nice to see here they the hope of his calling. I was thinking of how when Moses described the wonderful land that they were to enter a land of.
Barley and good things, and all the minerals that were there. Then he told them to be careful that when they possess these things, they didn't say that it was by their own hands they had done it, but they were to remember that it was the Lord who had given it to them.
So we can have before us the hope of His calling the blessed and glorious future that we have in association with Christ. But then it goes on to say, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in His Saints? And that is, they were never to forget that in the possession of all those good things in that good land, that they were possessing them as those who were associated with Jehovah God who had promised to give it to them.
Who found His own joy in their blessing? And so, brethren, I believe we can talk of all that's ahead of us about to let us not forget this second expression, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in His Saints. And that is who is going to have the greatest joy in that time? Why, the Lord Jesus is going to joy over his own with singing. He's going to rest in His love. And the sweetest thought to us is not that we're going to.
The street of gold about that we are going to be there in that glorious scene as the objects of His love, and that it's going to be a display of the riches of His grace. And that is, we might say I'm so unworthy and we are to be there, but that is only going to magnify His grace that he has brought such kind of people there to fulfill this place. And I say again, he hasn't taken the kingdoms of this world. And why? Well, he's not going to have them until he has his Saints with him.
Let us suppose a young man who intends to be married. He buys a beautiful home and someone says to him, when are you going to possess that home? It's so nice when you when are you going to enjoy it? Oh, he says, I'm waiting till I have my bride, and then we're going to share it together. Well, isn't it a wonderful thing to think now that Christ is the man of patience? Now, now, that's why, as we've been remarking, it's the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. What is he waiting for? Is he going to have the joys of having alone? No, he's waiting to have his redeemed with him.
And it will be a display of the riches of the grace of his, the riches of the glory of his inheritance in his Saints. And then the next question that might rise is, well, is God able to accomplish this? We look around at the mass that this world is in, and men say, who's going to straighten it out? They're going to look for a man to straighten it out. But is there one who actually can?
Yes, he's proved his power. The one who's going to do it has been raised from the dead. And he's up there now. And he's not only up there, but he's already head over all things to the church, which is his body. Notice brethren in Ephesians, it's not head of the body, the church, blessed as that is, that's what we have in Colossians. But head over all things to the church, that is. There isn't an interest that you or I have is sitting here.
This after this morning that he is not concerned about because we belong to him and he's over every situation in our lives. Has there been disappointment, frustration, trial. He's over that And why? Well, he's just letting us see that nothing can be perfect until we get there and then he'll show us what was in his purposes. And so as we meet these frustrations and disappointments of life, there's one who's over at all and who's saying, well, it's going to be all right.
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When you get there, because there's a glorious calling ahead. I'm not going to have that joy without you. And when we get there, we'll prove the power that as the captain of our salvation, he brought us through and brought us to that. And let us look up now and see his head there. All principalities and powers are under him. There's now the hiding of his power about It's been proved in that he is already seated there in the Heavenlies.
And we are seated in him when to say to her that that same power, that roaring Christ when he raised him from the dead, is operative in his people, too, that.
It's bringing us into all that.
Awaits us. What a mighty power that is. The scripture is never extravagant in its expressions. It's simple and flame. But when there are adjectives, there seems to be something.
Very important in view, so that he says here what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us word who believe according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ.
When he raised him from the dead, not only raised him from the dead, that's one thing, but sat him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. You know, in Christendom it seems that there's very little intelligence.
As to the resurrection and exaltation of Christ.
Never seen a Christian or found him out to be a Christian, A man reading his Bible. And we got to talking about the Lord, and his faith just was bright and so happy to engage in that conversation. And when I spoke of the Lord as a glorified man in heaven, he'd never thought of that and he just was perfectly thrilled.
That the one who is his Savior was a man in the glory exhaled there on high.
All our precious, beloved Saints of God and you, dear young people, don't get weary in these Bible readings. I remember when I was a child that I sat through Bible readings and practically understood nothing.
Brother Age Rule and Brother Potter and Brother Heaney were expounding the truth.
But as I grew older, I began to discover why those with men are bringing out wonderful things. And the more I attended such readings, the more I entered into these subjects. So it's a wonderful thing to be brought up in the truth and.
Even though things may be beyond you at present moment, as time goes on you'll if you continue to go on and valuably the fact that you're gathered to the Lord's name and that you meet as you do.
You'll you'll just grow up in these things and oh, what lessons you'll get for your soul while preserving grace there'll be in your life.
Of the apostle Paul's expression to the Corinthians that he might present them as a chaste virgin to Christ. One thinks of that in connection with our meditations on the inheritance which is Christ. We represent that inheritance, and may the grace of God keep us we.
Bar fail in the full measure of what is expressed, but we are going to be presented to him as a complete body.
And how happy it is if in His Grace we may look forward to that, and seek to be kept from the contaminations and the adulterations of what is about us. It's altogether out of character with our place and His inheritance. The Apostle desire to present them as a chaste virgin, impurity, clear and and free of conscience.
01:15:07
One spirit, 1 body and one hope. We have in the 4th chapter, don't we?
It's a lovely thought. You know that we have in John's gospel. That is because I live, ye shall live also.
If the sun shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
Now the Spirit of God, although he gives us our blessings here, it's connected with Christ.
There is one hope in Colossians. That hope is laid up in heaven. But here 1 hope now in Thessalonians, Whether we wake or sleep, we shall live together with him, together with him. And so this one hope, brethren, we think of in terms of being associated with Christ.
He is the head. There's one body.
And so there's one hole. Now we think of life, we think of life here, and we think of all that's connected with life. And we say, well, I want to live. We hear young people saying that I want to live. Well, do they really live? But here we have because I live, ye shall live also. And, brethren, we're just about to enter into it. I mean, in all its fullness. Are we in the good of it now? And that's what this prayer is about, is it not?
That we're might be already in the good of this.
This blessed hope, the hope of his calling and His inheritance in the Saints, and also that mighty power which the world would, of course, gives us the picture of as it took Elijah into the heavens.
That my power, well, it's already there. It's already there. That power. We don't have to pray for power. We know there are groups of people that get together and pray for power.
But we don't have to do that. We have the power. And so it's a question of our state of soul, is it not? And may the Lord then cause us in these meetings to be restored in our souls, if we stray, that we might be in the enjoyment of these precious things that we have in Christ.
Maybe I'd rather say, brethren, that as the Church we share the inheritance with Christ. But.
The inheritance is all that Christ is going to have, and we're going to share it with Him. My wife is not my inheritance, but she shares the inheritance with me. And in the coming day, when the Lord Jesus takes his rightful place, he's going to take the inheritance in his Saints, That is, he takes it in and with them and that place of headship that he shall occupy. As the tenth verse sets before us, he is going to have by his side.
Now the one who is going to share that his bride. That's the place I believe the church will occupy.
Being 260.
01:20:27
If I.
Always.
Last night our day, our day of our.
Our.
Day I.
Heard him.
I'm here.
I.
Crossed the light.
Hearts are all they are, all they are.
Ephesians 1:20-2:10
Reading
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General meetings, Montreal, October 1974 Fourth Reading meeting.
We're all in the.
Mind and I'm ba ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba ba ba ba ba ba.
Oh, that's really great.
Oh.
God.
Now what? Going throughout the day everywhere, I can do it in the world.
We also sing 178.
178.
Was.
All the rain for.
Your life.
Lord.
And all of the Lord.
Wowing our hearts do art for the world.
Should I have another one in there now? There's no way you're going to be like this.
1.
Of life.
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Ephesians chapter One.
Verse 20.
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.
Far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And it's put all the things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things of the church, which is his body, the fullness of him, that filleth All in all.
And you had the Quickened who were dead, and trespasses and sins burn in time past you've walked according to the course of this world.
According to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins, that bringing us together with Christ by grace you're saying, and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Let in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through to Christ Jesus.
Or by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves? It is a gift of God, not a work that any man should vote for. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus under good works, which God is before ordained that we should walk in them.
Without the counsels of God in the first few verses of the first chapter and then the intercession that we might be in the good of this power and all the blessings that we have, but now we find in the also added to it the the way in which.
God went about to.
To bring us into that blessing in this following chapter and where he got us to. But I was just going to ask.
This question as to the 20th verse, I think someone said that we were seated.
In the heavenly places in Christ, not with Christ. Is that right? What's the difference, Brother Barry? I think I brought that out Saturday.
That have been said, seated in heavenly places with Christ we'd be already there in our glorified bodies.
Will be true Sunday.
But at the present, it's our standing. It's where God sees us. We're plainly taught like this.
In in Romans 8 and one, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, and then in First Corinthians one and 30.
We get now of him are he in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto his wisdom righteousness.
Sanctification and redemption.
How God sees us already in Christ, and he looks at us, has already seated there.
Or we can easily understand that if we're in Christ, and if he's seated at the right hand of God, we must be there too. And while a precious, wonderful thought, that is.
How it lifts us above this passing theme scenes, and it should separate us from this scene to just take in what God's thoughts are that we're so absolutely separated from this world that's going on to judgment that he sees us already up there.
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In Christ seated.
There at his right hand.
There's a little suggestion of that in Romans, where Paul just brings in for the moment the thought of the mystery in the 8th chapter, and there he speaks of the believers already glorified. But that's in the councils of God, isn't it? We're actually not there yet, but we are as far as God's councils are concerned, so that the work is all finished as far as Christ's part is concerned.
Except that we have not yet our glorified bodies now in Colossians, where the believer is seen here in the wilderness.
A little different picture from Ephesians, where we're seeing already seated there. Why the believer is spoken of in this way that our life is hid with Christ in God, and when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall is it ye appear with him also.
But in glory, so that our life has already hid there. And this is a real comfort too, especially when we think of our position here in the wilderness. That's Colossians, of course.
That wonderful beloved, the way the Spirit of God takes delight in using superlatives as to how the place our Blessed Lord now occupies when we think of Him.
So has insulted and spit upon them, crowned with thorns and scourge, and given the most shameful death for that death the Romans.
For the death of the most wretched criminals. And that's the kind of a death they gave the Lord of glory. And now think of what God has done. We can think of what man has done, and then think of what God has done and what has he done. He's exalted him far above.
All principalities and power might.
And dominion, I suppose, principalities have to do with the angels.
We know very little about angels and we're never to guess and speculate on the subject.
But if we do think of him, here's the one that's been exalted so far above them that we can just leave the subject with the Lord as to the importance of their place, and think of that one who is so, so highly exalted.
The Lord Jesus became a man, that he was made a little lower than the angels. For mankind is of the lower order in creation than the angels. But now the Lord Jesus as man has taken his place above the angels and saw that in him we are lifted above the angels. It's a wonderful thought when we think of it, that this person.
Who was down here as a man despised and rejected, has now gone up, and he's even above the angels. And so it tells us in Hebrews too, he hasn't put the world to come in subjection to the angels, because that would be below the one who is in the highest place.
He's a man and we're associated with him to be displayed with him as redeemed man.
So that's the force, is it not? In Hebrews 12 The the universal gathering, and it speaks of the heavenly place there. Let's turn to it in Hebrews chapter 12. Our translation here doesn't make it too clear.
Revelation Chapter 12 and verse 22.
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Just like to read it the way it is in the new translation.
Brother or Revelation, Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 22. But here come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, the universal gathering, and to the assembly of the first born who are registered in heaven, and to God judge of all. And to the spirits of just man made perfect. Well, there are vast myriads of angels, but they're going to be gathered in.
And.
Here were brought to this wonderful scene where there is the assembly of the first born who are registered in heaven. Now that is the place that we're going to be occupied occupying. And so in the 5th of Revelation, when the description is given of that heavenly scene, the first company that we see are the redeemed who are singing praise to him as the one who's redeemed us by his blood. And then the second theme of praise, not of singing but of praise, is from the angels.
And then the whole created scene, all giving him his rightful place. But the redeemed identified with Christ as man, will occupy that special place of nearness.
That's interesting, isn't it? How that God brings on the scene the last subject which says of greatest importance in his heart and thoughts. Just take the creation of Adams. God formed Adam of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and then God planted a garden and eat.
Founded it so that every tree was the work of the Creator, where every tree that was good for food and presence in the eye was found, and then we get the animal creation all brought to Adam to receive their names.
What was the last subject?
That was the bride. The wife comes last on the feet.
That which according to this you see.
The Church.
The head of the church.
Over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness.
That's completion, isn't it? Like the compliment they've known as a compliment of the sun, isn't it?
As I understand, the compliment is that which being added completes.
The what is before us? So the Christ and the Church make a complete display.
Of God's thoughts and purposes connected with his glory.
Well, you could think of another subject where the most important.
Object is brought in.
At a later time, you're reading about the rhyme. Come on to Zion and then the New Jerusalem. Well, if you take the history of Israel.
Strange to say, Jerusalem wasn't immediately in the position of the tribes. It was held by the Jebusites, and it was only when David was raised up that Jerusalem.
Became the capital city of Israel and was city had more importance in connection with God's ways and purposes than any other city in the whole land. But it came in later. So isn't that something of God's ways in connection with His counsels and purposes?
To lead up to a sort of a penicillin to bring in.
Most glorious, most wonderful subject, he has so after having viewed as, as we do, all the various purposes of God, then comes in the bride that was hid from ages and from generations.
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All God's ways with Israel is what he revealed to the prophets, and so on and then doing even during the Lord's life.
It was a transitional period, wasn't it? And then after.
After the spirit of God has come, our God comes out, he says. I've had a secret all down through the ages, and I want to tell you about that secret.
Which contains the highest.
Thoughts and purpose and plans that I've ever had on my heart.
And that is that my dear beloved son, become a man and come into this world is going to possess all this inheritance, but he's going to have a bride by his side? Asked the church. And oh beloved.
You and I should walk through this scene where the humble hearts, and with a deep sense of our unworthiness, when we consider that during this dispensation in which our lot has been marked out for us, we are connected with the very highest thought and purpose of God.
The third chapter of Genesis.
You're Speaking of the Councils of God in the first, but in the second chapter of Genesis they continue after the Fall in this way that there's the promise.
To the woman's seed. There was no promise made to the woman or to Adam. But to the woman's seed, well, now we get them. Redemptions work.
That is.
The animal slain and the coat of skins. And as soon as we get that, then in tight we have Adam naming his wife Eve the mother of all living. Now I believe that's a picture in connection with what we have in our subject in Ephesians.
In Romans the 8th chapter.
We read.
The whole creation waited for the manifestation of the sons of God.
That is, not until the Church is in its inner place with Christ.
Will the whole creation be delivered from Estrada?
Not until then will the new order be set up.
So we have that figure there that is in Genesis, the mother of all living.
In that sense.
We have discussion of the unfaithful. We have pain, disgust at fair length and then set a man of faith. We have Esau generations and all they're doing before we have anything of Jacob, and perhaps that's the reason that God allows us to see what man is doing.
Then he brings his mouth to see and that would explain why in the present time it seems like things are so bad in this world. God is giving man a little day, but he's going to come in himself and Jesus will reign over it all. Christ will reign us King Indiana.
That was brought in the 19th of Revelation Brothers Monday.
The false bride, the false church is judged and put away, and the marriage of the lamb has come.
Is that the thought? Yes, the marriage of the Lamb is come, and there is such a thing as first of all, his presenting her to himself.
That comes first. We get that in our book of Ephesians, is it not? I believe that's the very first thing before ever the supper. I believe the presents are to himself. Now I know it isn't brought out distinctly, but I believe we have that suggestion that the first thing that takes place is that he presents her to himself. And then later on, of course, the guests have their place in this marvelous occasion.
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We have the principle of what's been talking about in the second chapter of John and the 10th verse. Every man at the beginning does set forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now. That's always the way God places man in a position of privilege, where he enjoys something of these wonderful things. And then what does he do?
He just spoils it all and ends up with that which is worse. But how different with God. When man has spoiled it all, then God always brings in not the restoration of the thing that was spoiled, but always something better. For the eternal state will be something far better than Eden was. When man failed and forfeited the earthly paradise, God said, well, I've got something better. He opens the door of the heavenly 1.
And says, well, this is something far better that you're to enjoy. Israel forfeited the land when they entered it under Joshua because of disobedience, but they're going to enjoy it in the more blessed and wonderful way the second of John hippies this, and they'll enjoy that good wine.
It's always the opposite of the way man does. He always runs out of all his good things, but God always comes in then with something better than what has been spoiled. We have different pictures, do we not, in the Old Testament. And they're so helpful.
Because it doesn't say that all scripture is doctrine, but it says all scripture is profitable for doctrine. That is, it's illustrative it it gives us something to.
Help us to see the details more of the doctrine of the New Testament. Now actually in Revelation we don't have the bride as such. We have the wife. The bride is mentioned of course to identify her, but it's the wife now. That's the first time in scripture and it's a beautiful type that is.
As has been brought out.
After all the creation after everything was in order, then the bride is presented.
Eve Now that's the the beautiful tie connected with.
The Lord himself, who's over all his overall thing, something like our chapter here. He's over all and he has his pride with him, but there are many other beautiful pictures.
Of his companion in Scripture. Take Abigail, for instance.
David's wife, Abigail, she's a type also.
Of the bride or the companion, we might say, but the picture there is rather the bride at home in the Father's house, because Abigail means the joy of the Father. Now, brethren, we get much enjoyment from these types. If we'll trace them out, we have another one in.
In Moses.
His wife, of course.
Zippra, which really means a Sparrow. You know, she was his companion in rejection. That is, in separation from him. Well, that's a picture of the day in which we're living.
The the Lord is away. We're here.
And their separation. So we have the various pictures, we have the.
Joseph when he's the standard to the throne.
He's given a wife and the fruit of that union is.
Ephraim and Manasseh, well, it was fruitfulness.
At the time of his rejection and then ascension to the throne. But also Manasseh means forgetting he's going to forget all the toil.
That he was in in order to bring about. Of course we're using the type now. The Lord Jesus will forget all his toil when he has his bride with him. Now these are lovely thoughts that we get from the Old Testament in the various types or pictures that God has given us.
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Your thanks brother Dundee in that where you get the marriage in heaven on the 19th of Revelation.
It says his wife hath made herself ready. It has seemed to me that, as you were saying, I agree that when it's the bride, it's more the joy, the delight that.
Is the picture for us. But when it's the wife. I believe you brought it out. But I'll repeat it It's companionship.
And it seems to me that the very fact that when you get the marriage of the Lamb in heaven is.
Especially mentioned there as the wife, because beloved you and I, poor, unworthy things, will be the companions of God's beloved Son to all eternity in the nearest circle that has a will be in heaven.
The angels retire, you know, and let another company come into a near place. Now I know in Revelation that the company that has seen there around the land that was trained includes the Old Testament Saints. Because the 24 elders include all that are caught up to meet the Lord, the Old Testament Saints will be included.
But there is to be.
A company there.
That is looked at as the the wife and the bride that will occupy a place of nearness that no other company will occupy.
And isn't that true too, and important that God in his wondrous grace by sending the Spirit, like Eleazar said across the desert?
He's preparing you and me, morally and spiritually, or the enjoyment of our companionship, which is to be a very special place of nearness to Christ in connection with all the glory and with all His counsels and purposes that are to be accomplished.
I'd like to ask a question in the.
19th and 20th verses.
According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.
Why is What is the special significance of bringing that factor of power here? We know that every work of God speaks of power. Work of creation would speak of power. But why is the assembly here the power that is now for us, The power that brought Christ from the dead?
Would you think Brother Gill?
Saul in his wisdom his.
Using that power, we see that raised up Christ in connection with our blessings.
At this present time, is that your thought?
Well, I'm wondering why the reference was to the power that raised up. Christ is now the power for us.
What, Romans 8:00 and 11:00?
And it's really connected with Romans 8 and 10 first.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you, it's the same power as it not as the thought. Now this reaches on to the whole subject of resurrection, And that will be true also of the nation of Israel as a nation in the coming day, the whole subject of resurrection.
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It's the mighty power of God that is demonstrating there.
It's victory over death and the enemy.
Say that there's nothing that makes man feel so helpless as death. He has plans and as long as there's life. Why he thinks that? Perhaps the person might pull through. But when death is coming in, man has to say, well, that's the end of anything that I can do. Death has come in, but it wasn't the end of what God could do. Now that blessed One, who now is in death, is raised up and given the very highest place he has seated there now at the right hand of God.
Very power that raised up Christ is also going to bring us into that place with him another day, and already we're seeing in him. So the next chapter begins with and you happy, quickened or given life, who were dead. The Lord Jesus was in debt, and that mighty power raised him out of death and seated him there at the right hand of God, but not to be alone about the fullness of him, that Philip All in all the church to be associated with him.
But here we're dead sinners. Well, that mighty power that raised up Christ has now given us a new spiritual life. And in another day, as you mentioned in Romans 8, is going to change our bodies and make them like Him to fill that place, not only as we are now in Him, but with Him. Perhaps even if we could think of it here was this fair creation, so wonderful from the hand of God.
But the head of it was lying in a deep sleep. But now he's he's raised from that deep sleep and he assumes these places, the head of creation, but with something more he has beside him now his companion, who is to share that place as a power of God, has raised up this one. And now he has seen, I say, at the head of creation with his companion. Well, we know that sin came in and spoiled that, but it's not going to spoil that of which it was the end of the type.
The precious Savior is there, the Church is already seen in Him, and now that power is lifting us up out of spiritual death, giving us new life, seating us there in Him and soon with Him.
Thoughts and the great stones and costly in that connection, brother Gordon. And they they mentioned there that some of those stones that were raised out of those pits and placed in the temple.
Without the sound of an axe or a hammer weighed 250 tons. And the writer, I'm sure most of us have read it. The writer suggested this a thinking of it in connection with what has been said in the second chapter and the sixth verse. And have raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ, he says. Just imagine if we could the relative thoughts that.
Everyone of those stones were raised at the same time and all placed in the building together at once, he said. We could just if we could just think of that, if the power of God here that's presented in raising up the Lord Jesus and raising up all those who belong to him at once in the purposes of God. I enjoyed that. Carrying that thought just a little further, Brother Little, I believe you'll find you probably have already read of this that.
Similar buildings at the time were constructed of stones.
That were fashioned in the same way, and although the stones were so great.
The the way they were fit together.
You could hardly scarcely see a line or see light between they were so closely fit together.
Well, now, applying that principle today, it's love that binds the Saints together, brethren, and this should be seen among us today. And if this were the case, there wouldn't be these little difficulties that come in and divide Saints. So those stones were all fit perfectly together without the sound of a hammer, but in going back to the subject of resurrection, just for a moment.
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Our brother Gill's question perhaps isn't completely answered. Could we suggest this, that the thought is the word new, new. When you think of resurrection, you think of something entirely new. I believe our brother Hail mentioned the fact that death had come in suggesting this thought. Now when death comes in and it says in First Corinthians 15 that Jesus died and was buried.
Now that suggests the end and he can say in in.
Luke's Gospel in the 22nd, 22nd chapter. At the end, the things concerning me have an end. That is, there's an entirely new order. We don't know Christ after the flesh any longer, and so when we think of resurrection and that mighty power, we think of something entirely new.
And it's going to be new on the earth, too. And that day we read in Revelation 21, everything will be new. That's the thought I believe in. Resurrection.
Thank you. That and this first verse you have to be quickened who were dead in practices and sins. Now in Romans you get.
How we're justified?
When it speaks of being justified, it's a guilty Sinner who?
Has now received from the judge a clearance so that he can be in God's presence without any sense of guilt in his soul, but when the Spirit of God is bringing before us.
The very highest truth that we have in his word.
He gives us the darkest picture that is possible to give. For we have a scene that while there's life, there's hope, but when one is dead, why all hope is gone? So if he's going to show us seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, he takes us down to the motion, hopeless condition, possible dead.
Ah, just physically dead, but dead in practices and incense. It's rather remarkable that those who are dead there seem to be walking according to the course of this world, so that.
Whoever heard of dead men walking? That shows how the Spirit of God uses these illustrations.
Together in John chapter 5. Could we look at that for a moment? John chapter 5 and verse 24.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.
For as the Father hath life in himself, Even so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.
Now the 28th verse, marvel not at this, for the hour is coming into which all that are in their grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth. Well, in the 25th verse he's talking about those who are spiritually dead, who hear the voice of the Son of God, and who lives spiritually because we receive a new life. But he said don't marvel at this because there's something more wonderful, the same voice that now gives spiritual life.
Is another day going to call forth from their graves all those that are physically dead? And so when it says in our chapter the power that worketh in us, the same power that has taken us from that spiritually dead state and has given us new life, is the same power that is also going to raise us physically. But here, of course, in our chapter Ephesians 2, it's particularly now what he has done.
When we heard the voice of the Son of God and we as dead sinners we lived and that's why we have that justification, isn't it? I really think that the expression in Romans 5 is very beautiful justification of life, because God not only looks on me as though I had never sinned about, he has placed me before him in a life that never sinned and never could sin. So justification of life.
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Is where we stand. If we were only in the position that as though we had never sinned, we'd be only in the position that Adam was before the Fall. But God did more than that. He gave us not the same life that Adam had before the Fall, but he gave us a new life. Christ himself is our life, and so now He can justify us because we're before him in a life that never sinned, never could sin the very life of Christ.
That's where we stand now. And so this is the power that's already working in US and is going. The Spirit is going to complete that work he has begun. When he quickens our mortal bodies by the Spirit, the same Spirit that quickened us, His dead sinners will another day quicken these mortal bodies.
As far as you'd say that the second verse is speaking to the Gentiles. For there's no doubt that the assembly at Ephesus was composed of both Jews and Gentiles. But he addresses the Gentiles first, wherein in time passed he but we he walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air.
The Spirit which now worketh in the children of disobedience.
But when you read about the condition of the Jew in the next verse, among whom also we all identify themselves with the Jews, we all had our conversation. For a manner of life in time passed in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
They're just this difference that the Gentiles.
Were subject more to the Prince of the power of the air, that is Satan, than the Jew who had the oracles of God. For Satan can't operate in the light as he can in the dark, and so these.
Who are addressed in the second verse for once worshippers of Diana the Ephesians, greatest Diana the Ephesians.
And of course, Satan used idolatry to keep his victims under his foot in his position.
We should never use the expression, should we, of anyone, the child of the devil. That isn't the way that Scripture puts it here. It's children.
Of wrath, isn't it? Now Peter could use that expression being an apostle of a certain one, but.
We don't know the hearts of men that we do know that the unsaved man is a child of wrath until he finds the Savior. But he's not a child of the devil. He's not said to be the child of the devil, is he?
What is the difference between the?
If there is a difference between the children of disobedience in the second verse.
And the children of wrath and the third verse, somebody give us something on that.
Well.
It shows, doesn't it brother Little, that though the Jew was so highly favored, and he wasn't in the darkness of either them like those worshippers of idols, yet as far as his nature was concerned.
His fallen nature was no better.
Than that those who were given over to I don't.
In that way were under the control of Satan, were by nature, and thus were just as subject to the wrath of God as those who were living such vile lives in connection with idolatry and heathen worship.
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There's something of that today, isn't there, among the children of those who are the Lords?
I recall as a boy having these verses read in gospel meetings, and I used to think in the foolishness of my heart. Well, this wasn't me. I I never was steeped in these things. I didn't get far off the course. I had godly parents. I was brought up in a godly atmosphere. But I suppose others have shared with me that we had to learn later that the nature was there.
We had the same route, even though God had preserved us from it, exposing itself through these vile things. So it had to be dealt with just as though I were classified right here with them.
I was thinking I was reading recently in connection in these verses, in connection with this first or the second verse, that it looks back, doesn't it?
Or in time past.
He walked according to the course of this world.
According to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, a child of God is not looked at as a child of disobedience, but a child of wrath. But God the Lord Jesus for the wrath for him he's been delivered. And so you notice in the.
In the third verse, among whom also we we all had our conversation in times past, we look back at that. We say that's where we were, but fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. And we're by nature the children of wrath.
Even as others. But the Lord Jesus for the wrath for us, He's delivered us from that. And then I was thinking of the 5th chapter.
And the sixth verse, let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things.
That is, these things that were named before and characteristic of the of the children of disobedience, or because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
They're going on in this disobedient children and the judgment will be their portion. But the the the believer is not looked at as a child of disobedience, the child of wrath, because the Lord Jesus bore the rat for him. He's been delivered from that.
I enjoyed that. I perhaps I don't know whether I've made it clear or whether that's the right thought, but at least I enjoyed the thought. You wouldn't call a believer a child of wrath, would you? Rather little. No. His brother has been delivered, if you yes. In other words, a moral, living person is just as much exposed to the wrath of God as one who is living in the vilest of sins. And so the heathen were very deeply sunk in sin, and they were children. Or even the correct translation is Sons of Disobedience. That is, they were manifested in an open character of.
Sin and wickedness.
Whereas here were the favorite people but they were also exposed to the wrath of God. But I believe that perhaps we could say in Peter we have that which would describe those who are the the saved ones. It says first Peter, chapter one.
Verse 13.
Or gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children, or properly children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.
So now we're looked at as being in a new position. We're no longer children of disobedience, but children of obedience, but were exhorted to walk that way. We have this holy character, God, our Father is holy. Now we're to be careful that we don't display the character of the old man, but rather the character of the family to which we now belong. So I believe we could say that every true Christian is looked at in scripture as a child of obedience.
01:00:01
We don't always act like it. We're exhorted to act like it. That's Romans 6, isn't it? Romans 6.
The God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. The change has taken place.
Paul life was a pardon. You were seeing Brother Gill about the way you were brought up. Christian home was.
There was a Christian atmosphere which was a protection and the blessing, but it seems to me that there is a warning here, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.
Are seen in my day some very, very sad cases, those who were brought up in very strict separation.
But they got into higher education.
And they gave up the gospel they they accepted in. For the whole ideas soul is not only the falling into.
Immoral ways becoming a drunkard or something violent still, but the the less of a mine.
Oh, how subtle Satan is to give all of these poor minds.
I think of the brother that I looked up to, but when we got into higher education, he became, as far as I know, confirmed atheists are infidel gave up the audience been taught in the meeting, and the truth that his father held well.
We can never cuss these mines.
And I'm our brother, Brown telling me as a young man, he says. Well, the mind.
Is.
Is something that is our natural minds we can never trust, and he gave me an illustration, he said. Suppose there were a number of marksmen that were shooting at a mark.
And the sights of the gun are wrong so that the gun will not shoot correctly, he says. Which one are those marksmen Is the surest to miss the mark. Well, I said the man that's the best shot, he says it's just that way. He says the man that has the keenest mind is the surest to miss the the mind of God if he's defending on his intellect.
Casting down of him.
Imagination and of every high thought that exalted itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought To what? To the obedience of Christ?
The reason out of the Scriptures and not into the scriptures. We find reasoning out of the Scriptures, and there are the deep things of God. But we're never to allow our minds to go beyond divine revelation, but always to keep them in subjection to it.
God has used in the history of the Church man with great minds. If they bowed their minds to his revelation, hasn't he?
Francis Dillman said of Mr. Darby. And there's no doubt that he had the greatest mind in all English. But he said, he vowed to the Bible like an old school.
Paul was.
Outwardly a man that could be looked up to, probably Nicodemus too, without any blemish, but.
There was one thing that slew him, and that was Thou shalt not covet. And here we have the mind at work.
But no outward evidence of sin, perhaps? We don't know, of course, but the mind was at work. And yet Paul was under the wrath of God just as much as anyone else. But he sets aside even the religion that he had, which was the religion of the flesh, which?
Which really was a build up of the mind as well. Not having the mind of God. His own mind was at work in a religious way and this is also used today.
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I suppose we could say there are two kinds of mind. There's the ritualistic mind and the rationalistic mind. And there are some people that tend one way and some tend another. And so we find our Brother Brown many years ago gave a very helpful talk on what we see in revelation toward the man and toward the woman. Toward the man is the ritualistic, the rationalistic, I say trend. And we see that heading itself up in complete and open rebellion against God and divine revelation and everything.
Now then, we see the bringing of man thoughts into religion. And we see that in the great system that we have of religion, where Christ and His work and all that is important is left out. So the mind of man doesn't always travel in the same direction, but it always travels away from God if it's not brought in subjection. And that's why it tells us, gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober.
We have to be continually watchful. Colossians gives us that warning. Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy. Perhaps that's the.
Rationalistic mind are vain deceit and the rudiments of the world. That's the ritualistic mind. And both were wrong, Both were a departure from holding the head. So we have to watch. We all have different tendencies, and no two of us are alike. But the enemy knows our weak points, brethren, and he's going to attack us on whatever is our particular weak point. May the Lord give us to walk in dependence and in obedience to His word.
Now the fourth verse brings us the change, doesn't it? But God. And when God comes in, everything changes but God who?
Who is rich in mercy for his great lover with. He loved us even when we were dead in sins at.
Quicken us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved.
Now this was done, of course, all by God himself.
We we love to think of a soul confessing Christ as their Savior and having gone through real repentance first. But still, it's all of God, isn't it? We learn it here. It's all of God.
He's the one who who draws. He's the one who gives the soul to to realize their need through one way or another. And then the spirit of God bringing home to the conscience, it's guilt. And then the work is done in the soul and he's brought to God. He says that the whole remedy lies in the blood of Christ, the work that's done for him.
God is rich in mercy.
Nobody has the contrast in these verses but you.
And then we get.
But God and you and then but God when it's and you Oh well, the dark picture we have. When it's but gone then while the rich you will have.
Rich in mercy for his great love. Mercy. You know among my show mercy to someone that only deserved to be thoroughly punished for their crime and wrong. But bring in his great love.
Oh, how marvelous. We deserve nothing but His judgment. The only thing not only show great mercy to us, but He also showed great love.
And he loves us when in this very state of death that we're in. It wasn't after we were brought out and knowing and trusting in him, but he loved us even when we were in that wretched, awful condition.
And don't you receive love? And that there is a very special view of new birth or giving life here?
For I'm sure we all understand that Quickening is communicating life.
That is a special view because.
Itself, but have quickened us together with him.
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Have quickened us together with Christ by grace here saved and raised us up together just as, oh, here we were, down in this awful state of death, like pleasure so corrupt that his sister objected to the stone being rolled away. Now he signals out of that awful state of death and corruption. But he hasn't stopped there, has he?
He lifted us up, and I supposed together would be the the favored Jew and the corrupt.
Gentile, who was once under the power of Satan. He brings us together, and he doesn't stop until he has us seated there in glory in Christ.
Brothers, expression and the address that divine love is loving the unlovable. And that's surely what we have here, isn't it?
Well, you need to sit together, hasn't he?
Showing their companionship from nearness to one another.
Now what is this together referred to? Is this bringing in the Jew and the Gentile together?
So that later on in the chapter we see that middle wall, a partition all broken down.
But we we just have one answer, and that's Christ.
There's no Jew any longer, no Gentile any longer. God's counsel for the believer, that is Christ. So making peace.
But this is positional, isn't it? We are we are seeing seated, but in our practical walk we're not going to be seated and at rest until we get home.
We should soon be, Brother Gill, seek to carry out what is yet to be true of us as much as possible down here, and to judge everything that hinders.
The manifestation of this unity and.
Going on together in the enjoyment of our spiritual blessings.
That's the meaning of that little word hasted. We get it in second Peter. We get it in the history of David and Abigail. It says she hasted, she hasted, she hasted. I think it's either three or four times that It says she hasted. Well, what for? But she was going to become the bride of David.
It doesn't mean that she could hurry anything up, of course, but it meant that in her own soul she was anticipating.
The final outcome when everything would be realized fully.
And that's what really is before us, isn't it?
The 7th 1St isn't it that in the ages to come me might show the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. He has already shown the riches of His mercy and picking us up. But He is going to show us. This verse tells us the riches of His grace in the place that He is going to put us in. We're already there spiritually about. We're going to occupy that place and body as we often sing in spirit there already and then as soon.
Body perfect, all glorified with thee, And that in that scene he will be able to display, when there is no hindrance, the exceeding riches of His grace, all through the ages to come, and it's all through Christ Jesus. What a wonderful future is before us. What a wonderful answer, as it was mentioned previously to all of this world offers, all of Satan showed to the Lord in a moment of time as compared to all that is before us.
To share for all eternity as the objects of His grace.
Nice, isn't it? The exceeding riches of his grace.
All about the kindness.
We have been saved during the meetings in what a wonderful place we have been brought. We have been exhorted that our work should be.
01:15:09
In conformity with it. But when we try to live, we find there is no strength. Then we have seen that there is power to us. Word. Now how can we avail ourselves? How do we practically avail ourselves of this power?
Find in the 9th chapter of Luke that the disciples had made several mistakes.
And the Lord had been praying twice in that chapter.
And in the 11Th chapter they say to the Lord, teach us to pray. And I believe that's the answer. We have the power. They have been given power at the beginning of that chapter to cast out demons, but they couldn't use it. And we have been given the power. But I think we should say to the Lord, teach us to pray. Not teach us how to pray, but teach us to pray. And I believe that's the answer, dear brother, I don't believe we can use these things except in complete dependence on the Lord.
That's what's brought out here, isn't it? And what follows 8-9 and ten by grace, Are you saved through faith? Not even the faith was of ourselves. That was the gift of God. We weren't saved by works because we might both. But does this mean that God doesn't desire good works? Oh, indeed, he desires good works. Now that very life that he gave us is characterized by that. It is characterized by those very good works that he foreordained, that we should walk in them.
We traced the pathway of the Lord Jesus, and we see that life manifested as our brother brought before us in the young people's meeting on Saturday. We possess the very life of Christ. How did he walk down here? What is the great secret of godliness? The pathway of the Lord Jesus? And so while we boast and give thanks, that salvation is not of works, not of anything that we have done, that it was God Who.
Chose us beforehand in Christ.
Is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus that we have forgiveness. It's by his gift that we have faith. So he now, by the life that he has given, supplies the power that we need to walk. And more than this, he's actually marked out the good works. And I think this is very important because.
When we are saved, how often you find a young believer? Immediately he plans what he's going to do for the Lord.
But that isn't what Saul of Tarsus did, he said. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
He was told, it shall be told thee what thou must do, and how important for us, if we have been brought to know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, and that we should listen to His voice through His word, telling us what these good works are. And then, as our brother remarked, independence, counting upon Him for the strength, the very kind of work of our salvation, is all of himself, and the life that is able to please Him is from Him.
And now his word to direct us how completely we have been fitted to walk to please him then down here.
We've been told that this book of Ephesians gives us the highest truth, but it's notable that later in the book we have numerous references to the law. So we are also hearing this afternoon. It's meant to be very practical. So we're told in the 10th verse of this second chapter that we should walk in, that we should actually be doing these things and treating them as real, and it's something that we have right now.
And this goes through to the 4th chapter, verse one. It says wrong, worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called on the 17th verse, chapter 4, not to walk as other Gentiles walk. Well, the life has changed. Now we're not to walk like those in the former way that we walk. And then in the 5th chapter in verse one, walking love.
Strike golf, who have loved us and have given himself.
For us and offering a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. And the eighth verse of chapter 5 its walk as children of light. We have the light now. We we have the ability now we see where the path leads from the word of God where the walk in light. Finally in the 15th verse it says walk circumspectly looking around.
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There's danger all around, We need to look around and be careful.
From every direction as we walk, so it's going to be practical.
Present that we Stand and sing 195.
Five Aspects of Forgiveness
Gospel
Our Blessings