Open—B. Imbeau, S. Brinkmeyer
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This afternoon a subject which trusts will be practical.
Having to do with our gatherings, the assembly.
And.
Perhaps.
Encouraging us to go on in a simple path of.
Unity.
To honor the Lord Jesus Christ.
I do remember some time back I heard Mr. Anderson, Mr. Dan Anderson speak and he spoke on.
Or he brought into his talk a bit of something that was called independent assemblies.
And at first I didn't really understand.
What he was talking about, and I guess that was good, certain naveness.
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I heard him talk about it again sometime later, brought it into another address that he happened to have.
And it made more sense.
To me.
I tend to feel that there's a certain.
Direction that perhaps we might be going, which might might be towards independent assemblies, towards what's sometimes called autonomous assemblies. And so I thought just take a look at a few scriptures that.
Might help out.
And perhaps also some practical things and also some things that come right down to ourselves individually that would tend toward autonomous assembly, something that perhaps.
In our dealings with one another, that would be good to avoid.
Turn 1St to 1St Corinthians chapter one and I'll just read a few.
Versus that might be a little disjointed.
Perhaps this?
First Corinthians chapter one verse one Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ to the will of God, and thought beneath our brother unto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.
So we have a letter here to the Saints in Corinth and it's, it's, it's to all really with all that in every place, call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Word of God has been given to God's people, for all of God's people.
Now I may receive it or I may not receive it, but it's still written to me.
And what was written to Corinth was written to all the brethren everywhere and.
A very simple idea, shall we say? Some people's minds. That's very revolutionary.
And perhaps just to be said again, that's what the Spirit of God has for God's people.
Is for God's people.
In other words, if I have an exercise that has to do with the church or with the gathering of God's people, and if it's an exercise that is from Scripture and is motivated by the Spirit of God, it is something for all of God's people.
It's not a matter of.
Some over here have a particular exercise concerning certain things. Some over here have a different exercise considering different things.
Even though they might consider themselves being in fellowship. It might be a union, but it would not be a unity.
Unity is bound in submission to the Lord Jesus Christ and to His Word, brought before us by the Spirit of God.
And it was kind of interesting.
Him that was sung last.
Meeting.
Just read it here.
Our God is light, and though we go across the trackless wild, our Jesus footsteps ever show the path.
For every child.
And so it's not a matter of some doing one thing over here and some doing something else over there. It's it's the Church of God and the word of God is brought to all.
Now.
Have enjoyed the thought that in scripture you never get the expression in one church.
You get the expression of one body, but not one church.
And perhaps.
The closest that we get to it is in Matthew 13, about the one Pearl of great price.
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And yet that which is the church is brought before us as a bride. It's just one. So we know it's one. So scripture uses the plural. Let's turn over to clash. No, excuse me, Galatians, the 1St chapter.
Galatians chapter one.
Paul, an apostle not of man, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, and all the brethren which are with me unto the churches, plural to the churches of Glacier.
To speak for myself, I overlooked that little plural for many, many years.
The Glacier was a region like Iowa, you might say the churches or the assemblies that are in Iowa. And so here he says the churches or the assemblies that are in Galatia. And you know, the same word was brought to them. It's just these six chapters and each of those assemblies there in Glacier were delivered. This word of God has inspired from the Spirit of God and penned by Paul the apostle.
Over in Colossians.
Maybe we should just make reference to these, but Colossians mentions the assembly of Laodicea twice. One of them is in Colossians 2 and verse one.
And I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.
Now maybe there's another reference, but at the end, chapter 4, verse 16.
And when this epistle is read, among you caused that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that he likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
And so the word of God, again, that's given to the people of God, is for the people of God.
Wherever they might reside.
The Book of Revelation.
Is written to seven churches, and yet it's one book. The entire book is written to all of them.
And they were to have the same words of God before them or instruction, and for edification and for correction, guidance.
You know, while we're in this world, we don't want to give.
An expression.
To the assembly. That's different than what God view of the assembly is. And God's view of the assembly is that it's one.
We are separated through geography.
But in terms of spirit and in.
The leading of the Spirit of God and the presence of Christ in the midst of his people. It is the same from assembly to assembly. We're all here together in this rather large room, but we don't have this opportunity from week to week because we live in different locations.
But if I'm in Cago Falls, it is exactly the same as being seated in a Pleasant Hill.
During the assembly meetings, the breaking of bread, it's exactly as if I were sitting in Pleasant Hill. There is no difference. The same word of God has come to all of us and has instructed all of us.
And it's very simple to see that there is not only a union, but there is a unity.
That the Lord produces among his people, and in a practical way we are to express that in this world it is identical my breaking of bread in Cayuga Falls and any other assembly that.
Takes the same ground.
And that's very, very important, and it needs to be brought out in a practical way we do not want to express.
Anything more than that God has one church.
We do not want to categorize assemblies as on different levels.
Otherwise, you have what we started with autonomous assemblies.
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In other words, if I come to an assembly and I say and I listen for a little bit and I say, you know, I don't like what I heard here, so I'm not going to come back.
Well, you know it's possible. The Lord may not direct your steps back there. That's very possible. But if you have made a conscious decision not to go to an assembly.
Then it is only a union and it's not a unity.
Because when you break bread, wherever you break bread, it is identical to you sitting in that assembly. There is no difference.
And we need to express that very clearly. And it's very simple. There's nothing complicated about it.
And that the Lord brings us to an assembly. That's where we go. We have the opportunity to.
As a matter of fact, if you heard things that you did not like in assembly, perhaps the Lord is is using you to be helpful there and to give that needed ministry which will stir up the Saints of God and get their sights.
You know upward and sights on Christ Himself.
So we can be a help among the people of God.
Because it is one.
Unity.
Perhaps I go to an assembly and I find that there's not a matter of what someone has said, but I actually don't like someone who is there and so I say I am not going to break bread with that person.
And so you go to another assembly. You break bread there.
You know, to break bread at the other assembly was identical as sitting next to the brother that you decide you didn't like and breaking bread with them. If it's not true, then it's autonomous or independent assemblies.
We need to give expression.
A practical expression to what is true.
That the Lord is brought.
About a unity which is expressed in the testimony of the Church of God in this world.
There was a time.
That there were some that thought they could ask some not to speak in their assembly and they said that was an assembly decision and it was only for their assembly that brothers were not to speak.
There. Well, what principle is that?
That's independent assembly. That's autonomous assemblies.
And.
Felt that that was dealt with, that that was shown to be wrong.
Because if the Spirit of God has liberty among us people, wherever his people are gathered to Christ.
Then it can't be a different principle from one assembly to another assembly.
It is identical as to be identical as if you were sitting in one place as another.
And so there's unity, not just union.
There's unity, not independency or autonomous.
There are letters of commendation that are written.
And we have scriptural example of that like Romans chapter 16.
They're alluded to also in Corinthians.
Where Paul says he is a letter written in their hearts.
And so someone signs a letter, or two or three brothers sign a letter.
Saying that.
So and so is an happy fellowship at the Lord's Table.
And that letter is brought to your assembly.
Now it's not a matter of the brothers there evaluating the letter. It's not a matter of the brothers there evaluating you. No, because it's unity, not autonomous assemblies. Autonomous assemblies.
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Whether they are so-called open or whether they're so-called exclusive doesn't make any difference. Autonomous assemblies would take that letter and say.
Well, we need to see about you breaking bread or not.
We need to evaluate it.
But that is not how it is to be done, because when you broke bread at your home assembly, it was identical as being seated in that assembly last week anyway. And the letter is, just as it's called, a letter commendation here is.
A brother or sister.
And then it's signed by people that are known.
A letter like that is not to be turned aside.
If a learner like that is turned aside, we've given expression.
We've given testimony to the fact that there's more than one church.
If an assembly has a Bible conference.
Like this?
And it's felt by some brothers.
Or sisters. Or whoever.
That it is not appropriate to attend it. That's their responsibility.
But if there is a boycott against it.
Isn't that an expression that there's two churches?
That there is an appropriate conference and an inappropriate conference and that there's two churches in this world.
The Lord Jesus Christ, gathered in the midst of His people, is the same in every place.
Every time.
And perhaps.
You have a difficulty or I have a difficulty with certain things?
But my breaking bread and my home assembly or my breaking bread in Pleasant Hill is exactly the same as sitting down and breaking bread somewhere else or everywhere else where the Lord's name is honored.
Otherwise you have autonomous assemblies, a ranking of assemblies, a hierarchy.
A union but not a unity.
We use the word fellowship.
And we know in first John chapter one there I should probably read it.
Because I'm not real good at quoting things. But first John chapter one.
Verse three. That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us.
And truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son.
Jesus Christ. Well, certainly that's the very basis of fellowship, isn't it?
We also have Acts chapter 2.
A very well known verse.
Verse 42. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship.
Perhaps rightly, it should read the Apostles Doctrine and Apostles Fellowship and In Breaking of Bread.
And in prayers.
Well, that's certainly the basis of fellowship, true fellowship business, what was in the Father and in his Son Jesus Christ.
It's what has been given through the Spirit of God, through the apostles doctrine and their fellowship. And it's it's our coming into that recognizing that God is right and that we take a position of just accepting what Christ has given to his people.
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Here's the thing that is. I don't know what others might call it, but I'd like to address it because.
It.
Tends towards autonomous assemblies and it's something that I call personal discipline.
You may have another expression for it that goes like this.
I'm sitting breaking bread with a person. Perhaps I'm right across the aisle from them.
And the loaf is passed. I pass it to this person that's on the other side of the aisle, and the cup is passed around.
And meeting is then over at the end of the hour or so.
And when we get up, I get up and I turn my back on that brother because I don't want to shake hands with him.
And so I turned my back on him and I walk away.
Let's turn to First Timothy chapter 6.
First Timothy, chapter 6.
There are certain things that Paul brings out about servants and masters in verses one and two, and that the people of God, whether they're servants or masters, are to get along because they are brethren.
And then to verse two, it says these things teach and exhort. Well, that certainly makes sense that the Spirit of God would bring before us words of exhortation that whoever we are and wherever we are, there is to be a getting along.
And verse three, if any man teach otherwise, namely.
I'm sure this applies to a lot of things, but right here in the context here, if you're going to teach that people should not get along, that there's some rationale for them not getting along, it says if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as a doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud.
Knowing nothing but doting about questions and stripes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputing of men, of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth. Supposing that gain is godliness from such, withdraw thyself. The godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, certain we can carry nothing out.
Of the expression at the end of verse five. There, from such withdraw thyself.
Mr. Darby felt that that expression was not appropriately in the texts.
Go to Second Timothy, chapter 2.
Two Timothy, chapter 2.
And verse 6.
Verse 15 We know the character of Two Timothy and A Day of Ruin.
Encouragement to go on.
With them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
And verse 15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, but shun.
Profane and vain babblings.
Shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase in the more ungodliness, and their word will eat as Duff, a canker of whom is humanious, and Felitas, who concerning the truth have erred.
They did not shun profane and vain babblings, and so they took up with false notions and things that were not true.
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From the Word of God.
But we should shun profane and vain babbling.
Not shun people that we break bread with.
But shun vain profane and vain babbling.
Verse 24.
And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men.
Apartment to teach patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves if God prevention will give them repentance to acknowledging of the truth. How interesting.
That the servant of the Lord was to have these characteristics. Gentle.
Unto all.
And his brother Clawson pointed out all is a very large word apartment to.
Teach, but he's not to ignore these, but in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. Isn't that something?
And these people were apparently.
I would gather.
Might even be lost people because it says in verse 25 that God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and.
But anyway, they'd certainly gone far afield, like way far afield. And what were what was the servant of the Lord to do to?
To try to instruct them.
Try to instruct them if it were possible.
Surely the brother that's sitting across the aisle way there, who perhaps from a natural point of view, you may not want to shake hands with.
Surely if we can instruct someone like this?
Then there can be a word of instruction. Can't there be? I think so.
Now when we come to the Lord's Table, it is the Lord's Table.
If the Lord's table.
If the Lord himself is in our midst, if we believe that which is true, if the Lord is in our midst, sitting with every brother and sister in the room, breaking bread from this wall over to this wall, from this wall back to there, come tomorrow morning.
If the Lord of glory, the very one who gave his life for each and every one of us.
Will.
Be here at his table where we will eat.
The bread and the wine.
Then surely my discernment concerning each person in here who is going to break bread.
My discernment doesn't exceed his, does it?
For him to come and be in the midst is far more than a handshake.
I'm sure it is.
But I need to be faithful.
Yes, faithful.
Faithful means full of faith.
Faithful means loyalty.
Faithful means dependability.
And there's other usages of the word, and it generally comes back to those three things.
You know we have the very word of God before us here, right in our hands.
And if I'm going to be faithful, namely full of faith.
Then certainly I'll trust the word of God being brought before a soul and the working of the Spirit of God that is in each believer.
To do it, tremendous work. Now there's faith.
Faithful.
To assume that my handshake is more powerful than the bringing forth of the Word of God and committed to the Spirit of God.
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Is quite an assumption to make.
And certainly would not be full of faith.
And loyalty.
Loyalty to Christ himself, who has gathered His people around Himself to enjoy His presence.
Let's turn to the Book of Numbers.
Numbers chapter 20 and this is mentioned more than once.
Numbers chapter 20 And we know this story of how water was needed. Water needed to come from the rock. We know that God asked Moses to speak to the rock, and Moses went and he struck the rock twice.
Verse 12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, and this is what God said. This is God's assessment.
Because.
Ye believed me not to sanctify me.
Moses was very upset at people.
He was very upset at people.
But when all was said and done.
The Lord said, Thou is not sanctified me before the people.
Really upheld the principles of God himself.
And Moses?
Didn't do that.
And it was a problem for Moses. He didn't make it into the Promised land.
And we need to sanctify the Lord before the people that the Lord is #1.
That his presence is sufficient in spite of who is sitting there.
That His Word and the Spirit of God is sufficient to come before the souls and the spirits of men. We need to sanctify God before the people.
And hold them up in every circumstance, no matter what might be in my own natural heart.
In terms of relationships that I might have.
Let's turn to the book of Romans.
And.
17.
Now I beseech you, brethren, that's chapter 16, sorry. Romans 16, verse 17. Now I beseech you, brother, mark them which caused divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has come abroad unto all men, and so forth.
This is not written to an individual anymore like in Timothy, but to an assembly.
There are matters which assembly must take action.
And that's different than what I do personally.
This verse does not give me license to plow a head on my own.
And to say that my discernment is far greater than the Lord's discernment who sits in the midst of his people.
And brings them to his table.
And the same there's a similar verse.
I think it's Thessalonians.
2nd Thessalonians.
It just.
Verse six of chapter three of Two Thessalonians. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which is received of us. For yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we have behaved not ourselves disorderly among you, and so forth. And so yourselves know how you ought to follow us. And so that's kind of where we started at. The word of God is given through the apostles.
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And that is what we are to follow together altogether.
What is for one in connection with the Church of God and with the people of God is for all, is for all.
And so.
If.
If a brother gets up to or is known that a brother is going to have a meeting.
And you go, well, I don't like that man doctrine. And so I and my family, we're going to go somewhere else. We're not going to listen to that because I'm being faithful.
Well then that should be the path for every believer.
That should be the path for every believer. Every believer.
Is to take that stand that that is unity.
The Spirit of God is power, and He will impress the unity upon us, and He's able to.
Say, well, maybe the rest of the people are faithful to, but maybe they just don't understand, and so forth.
You know, it's for all, it's for all. Otherwise we have denominations. Otherwise we have independent assemblies. Otherwise we have autonomous assemblies.
The Christ has called us to a unity, not simply a union.
And so if it's faithfulness for you to do something, then it should be faithfulness for all the people of God to do that.
So we should see the.
The impression that Christ wants to make upon us as members of the Church of God, as the Assembly of God in this world bearing witness.
Bearing witness to what is true.
And bringing it out.
Individually bringing it out together as we come together as the Lord's people in the Lord's midst to honor Him and to take what's from above.
That heavenly vision that was given to the Apostle Paul.
And walk in the good of it, as all believers should. We should only be doing what all believers should be doing.
And that's a blessed and simple pathway that God has given us.
I just want to make one little comment about discipline, because we know that in the testimony of God there are those that exclude themselves.
Moral and doctrinal evil.
And they come under the discipline of the Assembly and again, just like the letter of commendation that we talked about.
If someone is under discipline in one assembly, they are under discipline in all.
It's not a question of review. Otherwise it's independent assembly.
And if there is a discipline which is exercised in one place, it's the same exact discipline that's in all places.
We gave the example of some that tried to get around that.
Or try to do something different than that. That's not right.
Whatever occurs in one assembly is to be the same in the next, and in the next and the next.
Times may be different.
There may be different types of you know there will be elders and or I should say bishops and deacons that are local.
And so forth. But if you go from assembly to assembly, it should be the same atmosphere. Now that's unity.
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If we pose some other concept than that.
And that if you go from assembly to assembly and there's a different atmosphere, a different.
Way of I shouldn't say way of doing things, but a different imposition.
Of disciplines and and whatever, then that is not.
Unity is but unity.
Well, may the Lord just encourage us to go on. I have felt that that some of these things are are taught, perhaps not brought out clearly with some examples maybe, but.
Our life is to be a practical life that the things that we see in the Word of God exercise in a practical way here in this world together and as we seek to go on with the Lord Jesus Christ and with his people. And to the Lord comes. May it be that we had ever see that there's the unity that Christ gives, just not a union that man can bring.
With the Lord's help, I'd like to look at a portion in First Samuel chapter.
6.
Someone somewhat along the similar line that our brother Bruce was bringing before us.
Perhaps we could start with the first verse, First Samuel chapter 6.
And the Ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
And the Philistines called for the priest and.
Diviners saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? Tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
And they said, if you send away the ark of the Lord God of Israel, send it not empty.
Verse 10.
And the men that men did so, and took two milk kind.
And tied them to the cart and shut up their calves at home.
And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart.
And the Colfer with the mice of gold and the images of their Emirates.
And the kind took straightway to the way of Bathsheimish.
And went along the highway, blowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
And the Lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth Shemesh.
And they are Bashima were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley.
And they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
And the ark came into the field of Joshua. I bet she might, and stood there, for there was a great stone. And they played the wood of the cart, and offered to kind a burnt offering unto the Lord.
And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the Cofer that was with it. We're in the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone. And the men of Bashemash offered burnt offerings.
And sacrifice sacrifices the same day unto the Lord.
And when the five Lords of the Phil Science had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
And these are the golden emeralds which Philistines return for a trespassing trespass offering on to the Lord.
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For Ash Dodd one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ecron one and the Golden Mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, belonging to the 5 Lords, both of fence cities and of country villages. Even on to the great stone of Abel, whereon they sat down the ark of the Lord, which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the best she might.
And he smoked the men of Bashir mesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Covenant. Excuse me, into the Ark of the Lord.
Even he smote other people. 50,000 and three score and 10 men.
And the people lamented, because the Lord has smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
And the men of Bashima said.
Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God, and to whom shall he go up from us?
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath, Jerome saying.
The Philistines have brought again the ark of the Lord. Come ye down.
And fetch it up to you.
Turn to.
1St Corinthians 11.
Verse 27.
Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
The letting man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
But he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
For this cause, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Well, there are many aspects I believe to this portion that we read in.
I Samuel. Chapter 6.
And certainly I don't intend to cover each and every detail, but there are a few things that I believe are instructive to us.
In the first place, the ark of the Lord, which was to the Israelites, was not in its rightful place.
It was being held by the enemies of God's people, the Philistines.
And I believe that arc was.
Delivered into their hands because it was wrongly used.
By the children of Israel when they went into warfare, I don't believe they had the mind of the Lord when they took that ark and put it before them as they went to war.
Does it tell us if we read in the previous chapter verses?
Doesn't tell us that they sought the Lord's mind before sending a fourth, but they took it.
They thought it would deliver them.
But instead it was taken from them.
As we consider the portion as the arc is delivered back to the children of Israel.
Several things are striking.
Perhaps one thing that is very impressive has been to me is that.
Besides taking the cart.
Philistines took the cart, and they put the ark of the Lord upon it.
That's not how God had instructed his people. People to carry about the art was to be born upon the shoulders of the priests.
The Philistines built an ark and placed it on it.
Perhaps it brings before us that many times the world.
May wrongly.
Use and apply God's Word and it may seem to us that perhaps they might get away with it.
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Perhaps we may not feel the same liberty or exercise that they might that the world might.
But God has long-suffering, isn't he? He bears with failure.
Thinking that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But one thing that I believe is quite interesting is that they took.
The melt pine as it says the cows.
And they took from them their calves and locked them up.
And then as these.
Cows were pulling his cart. Where on was the ark of the Lord? It was in the opposite direction where the calves were shut up.
I believe.
Mothering instinct is a natural instinct given of God, and I believe we see it as it.
Transcends throughout nature.
It's very unnatural, isn't it, for a mother to turn her back on a child, especially a crying child. And so it's very unnatural for these cattle to walk away from their calves who were shut up, no doubt crying for their mother. We see these cows taking this, pulling this cart in the opposite direction.
And we see that they turn neither to the right hand nor to the left, but they went straight to a definite location.
And I believe, as we read in this portion, there are some other things that come before us that perhaps would.
Indicate that it was truly the Spirit of God I was directing these.
House, as they hold this cart we're on, was the ark of the Lord.
It tells us that they went straight away.
To the way of beshe mesh.
As I understand, trying to locate that she mesh on some maps.
It appears that it's on the northern border of Judah.
It may be right along the border.
And it tells us that.
When it came to Bashimus, there were Levites.
I've wondered about that. What is the significance of it?
And I believe perhaps there may be a lesson for us in that.
When the ark was delivered back.
It was at the time of the wheat harvest.
Now, if we recall the feasts of Jehovah.
I believe the wheat harvest was about at the time of the Feast of Wheat.
Which speaks to us of the Day of Pentecost.
When the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord Jesus came down and then dwelt.
Believers there in Jerusalem.
And so I believe it's that spirit, is it not, that was leading these cattle to this.
City of Dashiemes.
And we see that it went to a field.
On the 14th, 1St the Ark came to the field of Joshua eBay she might, and stood there. There was a great stone.
To me it's rather significant that it mentions as stone.
The Great Stone.
Speaks to us of the Lord Jesus Christ, doesn't it? We know that he was that stone that the builders rejected, but He's become.
The Cornerstone.
So plainly spoken to us.
In the New Testament.
He is the.
Rock upon what she builds his church.
And that arc is set upon that rock.
And I believe it brings before us, dear ones, that.
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The Lord Jesus.
And the Father are of one mind, where the redeemed ones.
Would be found.
There is a place where he would have his own be found.
It's not left up to us to decide whether we go to this place or that place.
But it is plainly marked out in His word where he would like us to be.
And it's.
Been a nice study to go through scripture and see how many times.
The one place.
Is mentioned in scripture.
And this, I believe, is just further confirmation of that truth, that there is one place this ark was put on this stone in the field. Josh Joshua.
But you know, it doesn't stop there, does it?
After that arc is placed on that stone, sacrifices are made. It tells us that.
The men of the Shemesh.
Looked into the Ark of the Lord.
And it tells us in that 19th verse that there were men that were slain.
He smote of the people.
Now the King James translation says 50,000 and three score and 10 men.
I believe Mr. Darby's translation says.
Three score and 10, which would be 70 men.
But I don't believe that the number is important. It's the principle that is being brought out here that's important.
And that principle, I believe, is that the Ark and the things associated with it were misapplied and misused, and men died because of it.
Perhaps it might be helpful to look for a moment.
To see what was in that arc.
Just to help us understand.
The Ark perhaps could be pictured as a a trunk, a flat top, and on the top of that was the mercy seat.
We're on God dwelt.
We're on the.
Power of God was made known and manifest to His people, but there were certain things that were put in this ark.
Hebrews, Chapter 9, verse 4.
Perhaps we could start with the third verse.
And after the second veil, the Tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the Golden Censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid roundabout with gold.
Wherein was the golden pot that had manna and Aaron's rod that budded?
And the tables of the covenant.
Let's see for a moment about those items that are mentioned that are contained in the arc.
Because I've.
Wondered why was it that these men were smitten? Why did they die? Because they looked.
Into the arc.
Perhaps there's something for us to learn that we can think about today in this time.
When the things of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are being so loosely treated.
And perhaps talked about irreverently.
Let's look first or consider first the golden pot that had mana.
Gold speaks of divine righteousness.
Manna brings before us, does not the bread that the children of Israel fed upon in the wilderness.
Sometimes we hear mentioned to us today.
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Some thoughts that.
Are inconsistent.
About the Lord Jesus.
Some things about him that may be irreverent.
One thought probably all of us have heard is that the Lord Jesus put his sin if he wanted to.
You love it. That is simply not the case.
There is no support for that in Scripture.
There is none whatsoever.
Even the type itself.
Would suggest to us.
That the Lord Jesus was perfect and without sin in every way.
Here we have the golden pot, the gold again, divine righteousness, the blood Lord Jesus or the bread. I'm sorry.
Spoken of by the manna contained within that pot.
We can look at the humanity of the Lord Jesus throughout the Gospels and we see that there is no sin in Him.
And he came, and his desire was to do the will of the Father.
Perfect obedience, perfect desire, perfect in every way.
So when we hear one speak.
Irreverently about the Lord Jesus.
We need to put it from our minds.
It is not God's thought concerning His Son.
But it's the thought of the enemy trying to distort.
Trying to taint the blessed Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us.
Next we have Aaron's Rod mentioned.
It says Aaron's rod that budded.
If we turn over to the 4th chapter of Hebrews.
Believe we have.
The High Priest nature of the Lord Jesus Aaron was the high priest of the children of Israel.
Lord Jesus is our High Priest, spoken to us of in these verses.
Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 14.
Seeing then that we have a great High priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Chapter 5. Verse 5.
Soul also Christ glorified not himself to be made in high priest.
But that he.
That said unto him, Thou art my Son today have I begotten thee.
Sometimes we may hear different ones speak.
Of the Lord Jesus as being.
A brother.
Oh the Lord, he was just like me. He was my brother.
Do we have that in scripture?
No, he was pleased to call.
His own, his brethren. Now let's be careful that we don't.
Call him our brother. He's our savior.
And as it tells us.
Here in these verses in the 4th chapter.
That we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
That's our great high priest. He knows our need. He knows our weakness.
He knows how to help us.
He's our Lord and.
And our Savior.
He is passed into the glory.
He is seated there at the right hand of the Father.
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Making intercession for us.
Presenting us to the Father.
As holy.
And acceptable in history.
And so that is how we should consider one another, isn't it?
Not as our brother mentioned.
That we have the right to be selective.
In our Christian fellowship, one with another.
We have a responsibility to own.
That other believers are our brothers and sisters.
We have a responsibility.
See Christ in one another.
And I'm afraid sometimes.
That our children hear from.
Those of us that are parents.
Some thoughts or utterances regarding others in the assembly.
That we may not have much appreciation for.
And that attitude filters right on down.
To our children and to the young people.
And it should pain us when we hear young people speak I'll of other young people.
Where did they learn it?
How did they learn it?
Young children.
Our great mimickers, aren't they?
If we want to perhaps see get an appreciation for some adults.
But ask the children.
Sometimes we may not be very pleased with what we hear.
But I am concerned.
That sometimes.
The behavior that we might see in young people.
Is a direct result of the behavior that we who are adults display 1 towards another.
A brother mentioned to us that.
Moses used the rod wrongly. He was to speak to the rock.
And people would be given water.
Instead, in his anger, he smote that rock.
And he spoke against the people of Israel.
If we were to read on in that chapter, that was referred to.
Right after that, shortly after that, Aaron is taken up into a mountain and he dies.
And furthermore, Moses is prevented from going into the.
Land of blessing, the land of Canaan.
I believe we need to be careful.
How we speak about one another.
We may be prevented.
From receiving a blessing that the Lord would have for us.
By the comments that we make about our brethren.
Going back to the 9th chapter of Hebrews at 4th verse.
The last part of it.
3rd item that was in that arc.
Speaks of the tables of the covenant.
It's turned to John, 13.
Verse 34.
A new covenant I give unto you, that ye love one another.
As I have loved you.
That ye also love one another.
In our meeting this morning, it was plainly brought out the difference between divine love and brotherly love.
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And I believe that this is what should motivate us.
As we consider the divine love that the Father has for you and for me.
Again, we're asked to love one another.
As I have loved you.
Ye also love one another.
There are many responsibilities that we have.
And I believe when we go back to that 6th chapter of First Samuel.
We can see a responsibility that the children of Levi had.
It says that it was the Levites. They should have known better, shouldn't they, than to look into that art?
It doesn't tell us specifically that they were Levites that looked into it, but it could have been.
They knew they had the instruction.
How they were to treat the Ark.
And they did not treat it correctly.
Now, one thing that surprised me when I learned it.
A while some time ago.
I always had in my mind that the Levites were selected because.
They were. They were selected to be the priestly order.
Because they had been true and faithful.
But if we go back to look at the history of the Levites, we'll find out that they're associated with murder.
They were associated with wickedness.
And it brings before me that we too.
Were closed in wickedness and sin.
Unrighteous. Unholy.
But we can turn to Epistle Peter, can't we, and find out that we are a royal priesthood, we are a holy priesthood, and we've been made that through the work of the Lord Jesus.
Being raised in a Christian home.
Being exposed to the.
Gathering assembly.
Being exposed to many truths and doctrines from God's Word.
I think many times that we've become very complacent about what we have.
And we just become.
Almost robots.
We go through the motions.
We go through the actions, we may do them appropriately, we may do them correctly.
But do we really appreciate those truths?
That have been given to us, that we outwardly practice.
Upon the first day of the week.
And maybe we go to the meetings of the assembly during the week.
But do we really value?
Those truths that have been delivered to us.
Or are we just going through the motions?
Our brother and.
Maybe getting the right impression from us by what we do or what we might even say. But has it really found its way into our heart, into our thoughts, into our walk?
Or as are we, perhaps, as these men of Bashir.
They acted wrongly.
And they died as a result of it.
Let's turn again to that.
Chapter Those verses in the 1St Corinthians 11.
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We won't read the entire passage again, but let's read verse 28.
1St Corinthians 1128 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
How many times before?
I go to remember the Lord. How much time do I spend examining myself?
Before I get there.
Or do I think about it as I'm sitting down with the loaf in the on the table and the cup there?
Do I then start to think about examining myself?
About the.
Thought of anger I may have had towards someone.
Are they discussed?
That I may have felt or the ill will.
So I examine myself before I sit down.
I have to admit that I don't do it like I should.
And I believe Satan takes opportunity to that. And when I should be having precious thoughts about the sun.
I'm having thoughts about the past week.
It's just what the enemy wants, isn't it? To distract our thoughts, To turn our thoughts away.
From him.
How many times do we?
Sit in a remembrance of the Lord.
And there's no prayer.
There's no.
Maybe there's not even meditation as I sit there.
But I'm thinking about all the other things during the past week that may have prevented.
My being occupied with Christ.
Now I say to each one here.
Doesn't take gift to praise the Lord.
It doesn't take gift.
Thank the father for the son.
It takes a broken heart.
Takes a thought, a feeling of Thanksgiving.
I know there are many young people here.
There are many young brothers.
Many young sisters.
You all have your part and your place in your home assemblies.
When it comes to.
The remembrance of the Lord.
Your attitude may be well, that's for the older ones to take care of.
No, it's for you.
Brothers and sisters to be occupied with the Lord Jesus.
You may not OfferUp the word of praise or prayer.
You may not give out to him.
But what you're thinking is exactly what the Spirit may take and lay on the heart of a brother.
Comes forth as praise and worship.
We're all aware that we live in days of weakness and failure.
And if we're left here, these older brother who we respect.
And admire. They're going to be taken from us.
And you are going to be left here.
Have you?
Started to think on that responsibility.
Will you be willing to?
Continue on in an assembly where there are only two or three.
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Or are you going to throw up your hands and say what's the use?
I'm going to go down the street where there's more people.
Let us not be irreverent.
And disrespectful.
Of those tremendous truths and privileges that we enjoy.
Because of the finished work of Christ on the cross.
And the fellowship that we have been brought into, let us not take it for granted and become complacent.
In our attitude toward it.