Open—D. Gorgas, C. Hendricks, H. Brinkmann
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Turn to Second Chronicles Chapter 30.
Second Chronicles, Chapter 30.
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the House of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel.
For the king had taken counsel and his Princess and all the congregation in Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the second month.
For they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently.
Neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem, and the thing pleased the king.
And all the congregation.
So they established A decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem. For they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.
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So the post went with the letters from the king and his Princess throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers.
Who therefore gave them up to desolation, as you see?
Now be not stiff necked as your father's were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord.
And enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever.
And serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. For if you turn again unto the Lord your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful.
And will not turn away his face from you if you return unto him.
So the post passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh.
He went unto Zebulun.
But they lacked them to scorn and mock them.
Nevertheless, divers of Asher and Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem also in Judah.
The hand of God was to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the Princess.
By the Word of the Lord.
And they're assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month.
A very great congregation. And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away and cast them into the brook. Keep trying.
Then they killed the Passover on the 14th day of the second month, and the priests and Levites were ashamed and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the House of the Lord.
And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses, the man of God.
The priest sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the Levites.
Verse 18.
The multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying the Lord the good Lord pardon everyone.
That prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness.
And the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord.
And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord.
They did eat throughout the feast 7 days, offering peace offerings and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.
Verse 26.
So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, and was not the lake in Jerusalem.
Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard.
And their prayer came up into his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.
This passage of Scripture.
Was much before my heart as we traveled through Romania.
We saw what a terrible confusion.
The enemy has wrought even in that in those brief years.
Since they have liberty to meet together.
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Divisions.
Alliances that are contrary to the word of God.
It was a heartbreak.
And I thought of this chapter, and we mentioned it a number of times to some of the brethren and I.
We'd just like to go over a few points that I feel the Lord would have us.
Think about today.
You know the story of the division of Israel. We don't need to go over that.
It's something that continues until this day.
And please don't fix your eyes on a particular division. It's not on my heart to talk about particular divisions.
But I want to talk about what Hezekiah did.
There was an exercise.
People were worshiping the Lord, or at least saying they were worshipping the Lord in many different places.
And you know, they had some justification for.
They're rebelling against.
Rea bone.
Don't get me wrong. It's still called the sin of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin. It was a sin.
It was a sin what they did.
But I'm sure all of us know that there was provocation too.
And I don't suppose there's ever a difficulty among the Lord's people, but what there isn't?
At least in the minds of those who leave a justification in saying.
Well, you know, we were provoked.
Hezekiah's exercise, beloved, is not to bring the people back to himself.
That has been so strongly brought to my soul. Look at what he says that they should come verse one.
To us? To Judah, No, To the House of the Lord.
At Jerusalem, to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel, God has been dishonored.
Many times through the history.
Of those who profess to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, God has been dishonored. His center has been set aside.
And what is our desire to see?
Ourselves vindicated? No.
We want to see the Lord have his place.
That the Lord might have his place, that they should come to the House of the Lord.
Are we ought to be out recruiting people to?
To our meeting.
May the Lord preserve us from that.
May we set before souls, and may our desire be.
That they be gathered unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now there was much weakness.
Notice it says that they did it in the second month. There's a provision in Scripture for that. If they couldn't do it in the first month, there was a gracious provision for them to do it in the second month.
When priests hadn't sanctified themselves sufficiently, verse three, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
Oh, there's such lethargy in our hearts. Such.
Shall I say, without poking fingers at any of us, at myself, that there's a lack of spiritual vigor sometimes in the things of God?
There's a lack of exercise.
So they established verse 5A decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel.
All Israel.
Hezekiah, do you have a right? You're only the king of a small part of Israel.
You are only the King of Judah.
Give them a right to do this.
From Beersheba even to death.
They should come.
To Judas that what it says.
Come to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem God has established a center.
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And beloved brethren, it's on my heart to say that if we're promoting anything other than God Center, we are secretary.
We are secretary.
The shame.
Of the awful divisions among the people of God.
Bows our heads, doesn't it?
Even if we feel that God has preserved us where we should be, and I believe that with all my heart.
What is our spirit to be come to us? No.
The Lord is the one that's to have his place.
And I like the middle of verse.
Six. We'll start at the beginning. So the post went, with the letters from the king and his Princess throughout all Israel and Judah. Throughout all Israel and Judah, beloved brethren, we have a right.
To send to all the people of God to come back to where the Lord would have them be.
Not to us. Not to us.
Montreal conference a year ago.
Brother Michelle Payette gave a little word and he taught us a new English word and I haven't forgotten that new English word.
Him as I.
I thought when he stood up, I said, What is this Frenchman telling us? A new English word?
Himasa him, us, and I.
Oh, it's Christ first, Christ first, Christ the Center.
Have you read that little track by Charles Stanley? I say this for the young people especially because I I got a lot of blessing from that. Did you ever read Christ the Center or why did we meet in his name alone?
That's a wonderful little paper.
Christ the center, Christ the Center.
What do they say on the posts? They say Ye children of Israel turn again.
Unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you. Are you discouraged because there's just a little remnant going on?
Maybe almost.
The weakness may be unbelievable where you are.
It's on my heart to say this.
It's not coming back to us, it's coming to the Lord God of Israel.
And he will return to the remnant of you.
That are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. Beloved brethren, if any of us are gathered, and I believe we are on the ground of scripture to the Lord's name with himself in the midst, it's totally God's grace.
It was God's grace that brought us there, and it's God's grace that keeps us there. Don't lose sight of that. Don't get the idea that we're better than other people.
Were not.
And be not verse 7 And be not like your Father's, like your brethren.
Oh, brethren, it's not just our ancestors. It's like us too.
Our brethren, we.
I've been very much impressed recently with the prayer of Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel and those wonderful chapters.
They pour out their hearts. They take their place with the people of God in all the failure.
That had come in, and they confessed that failure as their own. Have we done that? Have we confessed, Lord?
Not only our fathers, It's easy to look back into your house. Our fathers, they were pretty bad fellows. But what about our brethren, Ourselves?
Can we confess that to the Lord?
They trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
We see it, don't we? We see the desolation.
And it's heartbreaking.
Now verse 8B. Not stiff necked as your father's were, and this is a wonderful expression, but yield yourselves unto the Lord.
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And enter into our fellowship. Is that what it says?
Is that what it says? Look at it, brethren. Look at it carefully. Enter into his sanctuary.
We don't, I trust, look at it as something that we own.
It's God's place.
God established it, and it's clear in the Word of God that it's the Lord your God that will establish that place.
Which he has sanctified forever. He set it apart forever. God's truth doesn't change because of our failure, beloved brethren.
Never will.
The.
But all brethren, it starts with yielding yourselves unto God, unto the Lord.
Serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
Now verse 9 is encouraging. For if you turn again unto the Lord your brethren and your children.
Shall find compassion before them that lead them captive.
So that they shall come again into this land. I know this is speaking, talking about an earthly sanctuary, an earthly, earthly center.
But I think we can apply it and learn from it.
And this is wonderful, it says, For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful.
And will not turn away his face from you if you return unto him.
If you ever think the Lord has turned his way, his face from us, He will not.
If you turn to him, he'll not turn away in space. He's gracious and merciful.
Well, that's the content of the letter. Now what happened?
Verse 10 So the post pass from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun.
And there was a wholesale.
In gathering. Is that what it says? No. It says they lapped them, scoring and mocked them.
Have you ever heard that I have mocking because of the stand we take and where we are and the invitation to folks?
Come, come to the place where the Lord has put his name. Not come to us.
I remember Michelle saying us without him first.
Just isn't it Him, my son.
Him outside.
It's pretty discouraging, isn't it?
Their messages met with laughing, mocking.
I've talked to brethren who mock at the idea you.
God has a place.
Verse 11 is nice, it says, nevertheless, in spite of the mocking and the laughing to scorn.
Divers, various ones of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun, humbled themselves. That's the key expression, beloved.
It takes a humbling.
For one to come back to God's center.
It's humbling.
And they came.
To Jerusalem. It doesn't say they came to Judah, they came to Jerusalem. It doesn't say they came to Hezekiah. They came to Jerusalem. God sent her.
Now verse 12 is important, it says and also in Judah.
That is the place that you might say, where they were already there, weren't they? They were there where the Lord had placed his name, they hadn't left.
But it says the hand of God was to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the Princess by the word of the Lord. Oh, may the Lord give us to have one heart.
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Beloved brethren, to do what he has said in his word, not turn aside to one, one way or the other.
That's a work of grace.
It's the hand of God that does that.
May I share the great joy?
That was mine 43 years ago.
As Mr. Pierpotto and I and.
14 others from.
A little company in Brooklyn.
Came to the meeting on Gates Ave.
And sat with our beloved brethren, sat back at their meeting.
It was humbling.
And it was humbling to say we've been wrong.
We've been wrong, but what a blessing. What a blessing, beloved brethren.
Were we making much of the Brooklyn Saints? Of the gathered Saints? Were we making much of them? No. We're making much of Christ.
And that's the thing, brethren. It's Christ. Christ is the center. He's the one.
Whom were gathered.
Well, there was a result. It took away the altars. There was a lot of things that had come in that were not according to the mind of God. And with this company that had come and that together they they do away with some of the things they ought to not have there. The altars that were in Jerusalem, altars for incense.
They had the Passover verse 15, It says in The priests and the Levites were ashamed. They were ashamed.
Beloved brethren, have we ever been ashamed that things are so poor as we gather together to remember the Lord that we're not really clean before the Lord? We haven't.
Prepared ourselves.
The.
Now, things were not done perfectly here.
In fact, Hezekiah.
Lifts his heart in prayer.
You think he was wrong. I don't.
Because it says clearly here in verse 20 the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah.
And heal the people.
God is merciful and gracious.
The letters have just said that.
And God now.
Heals the people.
Who was great gladness? They praised the Lord day by day. Notice it says, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord.
Hezekiah spoke how?
Did he speak like Ribon?
No, he spoke comfortably.
I think we've all learned that the way Rehab spoke to the people was not comfortably and what was the result of it? Oh, I know that their hearts had manifested a state of things in the hearts of men, in hearts of the children of Israel.
But let us not give occasion.
Speaking roughly.
Let's speak comfortably to our brethren.
I've done my share of speaking roughly and I'm ashamed of it.
Let's see grace from the Lord to speak comfortably to the Lord's people.
The end of verse 22 Says.
Not only were they offering the peace offerings, but they were making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.
Heartfelt confession in the Lord's presence.
Is a wonderful thing.
Not pro forma confession, heartfelt confession, real confession. Not saying, well, you know, we've all failed. That's a wonderful euphemism. But God, I think, would say we have sinned.
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That is, God would have us say we have sinned.
To be specific about the sins, to name them before the Lord.
Verse 26.
So there was great joy.
In Jerusalem. For since the time of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, there was not the lake in Jerusalem.
And I like verse 27. It says Then the priests, the Levites arose and blessed the people.
And their voice was heard, and this is the part that just strikes me particularly. And their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven. God heard that prayer, went off and was received by him.
In closing, I'd just like to share a little story that I used in about two or three years ago in the Dominican Republic with some of the dear brethren there.
I've recently translated it into English.
It's called the forgotten table.
The father of a large family was about to die.
He called his children together.
And he made a rather interesting request of them. Rather strange request.
He said. After I die.
And I'd like you all to meet together in my house at this very table.
Once every year on the date of my departure.
To have a meal together.
And think of Maine.
Well, they will love the father. So they said yes, sure we will. And for several years they did.
But you know what happens in times like that?
Squabble started at the table. One brother picked up his things and said I'm not going to eat here next year.
I don't see why I have to come here and take this abuse.
Another one said, well, you're just as abusive. And he got up and he wasn't. The two of them walked out and they from then on they decided to have the feast at their own table in their own house.
And as the years went by, one and another sometimes provoked by the ones that stayed.
They went and did the same thing until there were only three left at the table.
What a shame.
And sometimes they exhibited a spirit of pride among themselves.
Two of the brothers who had gone off, they thought about it a little bit and they said.
Terrible state of things.
Hey, next year let's have the dinner at your house and you and I will eat together.
Not a bad idea.
So the division between those two was healed.
And they were happy about it. So this is a good idea. Let's invite our other brethren.
And they did. They invited their other brother.
And many of them responded.
And they had such joy that even one of the three said.
I can't hold out against that.
That's wonderful.
And he went and joined with the reunited brothers.
And have a lot of joy.
And then?
The two that were left said this is a shame.
The Lord isn't pleased with this, and our Father wouldn't be pleased with it either.
And so they sat down and they wrote letters to.
All those who had gone through all the 16.
Dominican families are big.
I got laughed to scorn.
We mocked that, they said. Huh.
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You think you're right, We're wrong.
But God.
And a few of them humble themselves.
And came back.
To the forgotten table.
John 17.
John 17.
We know this is the Blessed Lord praying to the Father.
In verse 20 he says.
Neither pray I for these alone.
But for them also, which shall believe on me through their word.
That they all may be one.
As thou father art in me, and I and thee.
That they also may be one in US.
That the world may believe.
That thou has sent me.
The greatest hindrance.
To that being accomplished that the world might believe.
Father that has sent me.
The greatest hindrance is the lack of this oneness.
Among God's people that he prays for here.
Was his prayer ever answered?
Will it ever be?
Well, the answer to those two questions is yes.
It has been answered.
It will be answered again perfectly.
In glory.
When we're all gathered together unto him.
Turn to Acts Chapter 2.
Acts Chapter 2.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house.
Where they were sitting.
Notice the 1St.
Mentioned effect of the coming of the Holy Spirit is to fill the house.
That was literally the place where they were sitting, but I think it speaks of something deeper than that.
The Spirit has taken up his residency in this present day of grace in the House of God.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as a fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Each one individually had this.
This new, this new thing that God was establishing this.
Assembly, Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth.
Inhabited and dwelt by the Holy Spirit collectively in each one individually.
This is what characterizes Christianity.
And the cloven tongues.
Saying that this is not to be limited to 1 nation like Judaism was.
But it's for all peoples and languages and tongues and nations on the face of the earth.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
And began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Everyone heard the wonderful message of God in their own language.
This gift of talents used on that day to show that what God is establishing here, especially to show it to Israel.
With other tongues and people of other lips will I speak unto this people.
And this is the coming of the Spirit of God that produced this.
But if you turn to the 4th chapter.
We have something very exceedingly.
Precious.
The testimony was being opposed.
The greatest opponents to it were the Jews.
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Let's start at verse 29. We know that Kavi account. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings.
And grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word.
By stretching forth thine hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the the name of thy holy Child, Jesus.
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
And they spake the word of God with boldness. Here you see a company, not just individuals, now filled with the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost. But you see this company.
Praying unitedly with one heart and one soul.
They were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
And the effect of that is that they speak the word with boldness. When you see someone that is filled with the Holy Ghost, there's boldness.
The fear of man bringeth the snare. The fear of the Lord gives boldness.
Now notice verse 32.
And the multitude of them that believed.
Were of one heart and of one soul.
Neither said any of them, that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
And great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked.
For as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the price of the things that were sold.
Laid them down at the apostles feet.
And distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Well, this was the height. This was the height that was reached in those early days, before any divisions had come in.
But I want to read verse 32 as it is in the new translation.
The multitude, and the heart and soul.
Of the multitude of them that believed was one.
The Lord's Prayer that they may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I and thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe.
Bowers sent me.
The heart and soul of the multitude that believed was one. The Lord's Prayer was answered literally, answered.
Here was the company as a company, never before, never since has this happened I don't believe.
That they were all united, filled with the Holy Spirit.
There was a total selflessness. There was a total lack of anyone seeking a place or seeking to be recognized or looked upon as something.
Self was for the moment at that time gone, and the Spirit of God was there to fill the mall with Christ.
And his glories, and with great power.
The Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
What a height. The very next chapter, there was a certain man named Ananias and Sapphira, his wife, and they lied to the Holy Ghost.
They had covetous hearts. And so the the blessing, the height that was reached in chapter 4 didn't last very long. And so it is. That's the history of man.
He cannot contain the blessing very long, but the Lord's prayer was answered.
And we're looking on to that day when all the Saints, none missing them. Today we have the privilege of being gathered together unto his name. He's not here. He's on high in the glory, and he promises in his spiritual sense to be in our midst, but in Second Thessalonians one. And this is what we're waiting for, the Rapture, when we'll all be gathered together unto him.
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Not to his name now, but to him, and that takes place.
There will be none missing.
We'll all be there and again.
This prayer.
Will be manifestly seen.
It will be so as it was here in Acts 4.
Well, as we think of this.
Recently I picked up a book at our brother's house, and it's on church history.
And I've been reading it.
And it's hard to read without tears flowing.
As you think of that which Christ died for, to gather together into one the children of God that were scattered abroad, that he died for that that we often think he died for my sins. That's true, and blessedly so. But he died to gather together into one the children of God.
Again, the effect of his death will be seen in that coming day. It was seen there in Acts 4.
Acts 4.
That they all may be one.
What would be the effect of that?
Why should the world believe our testimony? Why should it? We can't get along among ourselves, we Christians.
And the world sees that.
You're hypocrites.
And in many ways, they're telling the truth, are they not? We have failed to walk together in unity, in grace, in holiness, and in truth. Thank God.
There are those of us whose desire is to still do it with all our failure, still give him the place that he alone deserves.
And to do it together, what a privilege that is.
I like to turn to Matthew.
Verse well known, I'm sure, to most of us.
And that's in Master 18.
We have heard.
Of the divided state of God's people.
That is reason for all of us to be humbled.
We cannot divorce ourselves from the shameful history of the Church or the shameful history of that which God raised up 170 years ago.
What a shameful history.
But I like to especially.
Dwell on that which we have in the midst of such ruin.
Is we find ourselves in.
And diverse in Matthew 18.
Verse 20.
Over two or three are gathered together.
Into my or unto my name DMI in the midst of them.
You know in many places today.
The number has been greatly reduced, and many times there aren't many more than two or three.
But what a comfort that we have this verse, where two or three are gathered together unto my name. There am I in the midst of them.
The Lord Jesus promises his personal presence.
To be in the midst of those who gather unto his name.
Even if that number is reduced to two or three.
The Lord Jesus says, Damn I in the midst of them.
When we think of this shameful division in Israel.
There were two things, I believe, that those 10 rebellious tribes.
Manifested.
That was disowning the authority of the House of David.
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And the sin of rehoboam was that they set up.
Two opposing centers.
To the only center that God would recognize and that was in Jerusalem.
And this is what has happened in the Christian profession.
The authority of the Lord in the midst of his own has been ignored.
We often read Matthew 1820, and find comfort in the fact that the Lord promises His presence in the midst of the two and three. And it is certainly.
Well used application, but I believe the main force of Matthew 1820 is this.
That because he is there, his authority is vested in the midst of the Two and Three, and we better recognize that Beloved Brethren.
And that we bow to the authority that the Lord has vested in the assembly, and when it says of the one that had sinned against.
The individual, after he didn't listen to the efforts of seeking to restore that one, take two others with you. Then if he doesn't listen to them, tell it to the church. That is not the church universally.
That is the local assembly. The Lord has vested His authority in the local assembly.
And his presence there gives to the local assembly. I'm emphasizing that because we tend to forget that sometimes beloved brethren, he has vested his authority in the local assembly to deal with local matters.
What a privilege to be gathered unto the name of the Lord Jesus. He's in the midst.
He is the center.
Unless we are at that center.
We are not gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Many profess to be so gathered, but unless you are at the center, since he is the center.
You're not gathered to his name unless you are gathered.
Where he is in the midst, he is the center. Sometimes you hear this expression about other believers.
Those gathered to the name of the Lord literally say they are gathered with so and so, brethren, as if they are gathered.
Well, it would be more correct to say the meeting with other Christians.
To be gathered means it is a work of the Spirit of God.
Which brings hearts to that center so that they are gathered around him.
You know, we had some comments in.
Regina.
This year, and we commented that that is as much a work of the spirit of God to gather us to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as it is to work with the Spirit of God to save our souls. It's his work, a brother said. Somebody else has said it's a greater work of the spirit of God to gather us to the person of Christ then our personal salvation.
I believe it's true. It's a work of the spirit of God, and if you and I.
Ourselves where the Lord Jesus is in the myths.
It's a work of his grace, a work of the Spirit of God that has brought us to where the Lord Jesus is.
People might ask themselves the question.
They might say.
Since there is such a divided state.
In Christendom.
Can we still give expression to?
The truth that there is one body that we are one.
At the time, allow a personal experience.
When we were exercised, where the Lord would want us to be because we had become convicted, that we did nothing, that where we were and had grown up, where even my grandparents already were.
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That we were really, truly gathered to the name of the Lord that we had to find where.
Those Christians were that truly were gathered through Christ, with whom he wanted to be identified.
So I called a brother, not gathered.
Who was in one of the groups of brethren? I had met him at a funeral.
And I said, brother, I said, we under exercise where the Lord would want us to be. We cannot continue where we have been all of our lives.
He immediately attacked the gadget, saying.
And he made this statement.
AC Brown and Chapter Brown out West. I talked to them and they had the nerve to tell me that they were not gathered in division.
And I immediately responded and I said brother.
If they are truly gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, they are not underground of division.
Let me repeat that if we're truly gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, we are not on the ground of division.
We are on the ground of the one body and the truth of God.
And the wonderful truth of Scripture is beloved Saints of God, is that we can give expression to the truth that there is one body.
Without having every member of the body of Christ there with us personally represented.
This is a great comfort.
For us to lay hold of. I hope we all miss our fellow believers.
You know, if we do not miss them.
There's something radically wrong with us, beloved brethren. And sometimes the Lord has to bring things into our own families and lives and relationships so that we would feel this pain more deeply, and if all of our children and relatives are all walking in the same path.
But you see, their brethren, beloved members of the body of Christ.
And we don't benefit from fellowshipping with them, because we have to walk in separation from them, because they are in a path of disobedience or in a path of indifference to Christ to His claims. And we cannot go on with them. But do we feel it a painful thing, not be able to walk with them, but beloved we can?
Give expression, even in this ruined state around about us, of the truth that there is one body.
How do we do that?
Turn to 1St Corinthians chapter 10.
Verse 15.
I speak as to wise men. Judge ye what I say, the cup of blessings which we bless.
Is a not the communion of the blood of Christ?
The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ?
For we, being many, are one bread and one body.
For we are all partakers of that one prayer. Behold, Israel after the flesh on that day, which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar.
What say I then, that the idol is anything for that which is offered in sacrifice to idols as anything. But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice the devils, and not to God. I would not that you should have fellowship with devils. He cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. He cannot be partakers of the Lord's table.
01:00:10
And off the table of devils.
In this passage we have the truth of the Lord's table.
That which gives expression to the truth that there is one.
Body. That's what the Lords table stands for.
At the time when Paul was writing these things, there was only the Lord's Table and the table of demons, and we would not dare, shouldn't dare, to refer to any independent tables that men have set up as the table of demons. There's a difference, isn't it?
Places of convenience like it was in Israel when they worshipped Jehovah in high places they were not committing acts of idolatry. They worshipped Jehovah, but not in the place where he had said his name. They were specifically told that they should do so.
In Deuteronomy 12 and other passages that they should do so where he had said his name.
But how wonderful. The Lord's table expresses the truth that there is one body but.
While it says we cannot have part at the Demon's table and the Lord's table, it still proves one point that we cannot be at 2 opposing tables.
We cannot be at 2 opposing tables.
What we find today is that men have set up tables who fall short of giving expression to the truth that there is one body.
You know, if you take, for instance, the position of independent local churches or assemblies.
That's a denial of the truth, that there is one body that could never be the Lord's table. Those who meet in that way could never claim that they are at the Lord's table. They might truly in their hearts remember the Lord in his death. Don't tell me that I didn't before I was gathered to the name of the Lord. Maybe there were times when I did this, perhaps closer to the Lord in my soul, and since I am at the Lord's table.
But.
It cannot be the Lord's table if the position any group of believers occupied denies the truth that there is one body in practice.
What about those who amalgamate, who come together on the ground of mutual recognition on the basis of compromise?
Their position is that there are many tables giving expression.
To the truth of the one body in a divided state, preposterous can't be.
But it is possible, beloved Saints of God, to be at the Lords table today.
To meet with Christians strictly as members of the Body of Christ, recognizing the Lord in the midst, His headship, His authority, and to give expression to the truth. There is one body. And as I said, we do not need every member of the body of Christ in one given community be present there with us in order to express their truth. Remember what happened in Israel after they had divided.
Into the two and 10 tribe nation.
They still had the temple, didn't they? And they still had the table of showbread. How many loaves were on that table?
12 loaves were on their table.
There were only two tribes that were at the divine center, and some who humbled themselves and came, as we have heard, to that divine center. But they still give expression to the truth that all those people are one. The Lord Himself, someone has said, refuses to see His own, but as one.
He always sees them as one and a great comfort we find and should find in the fact that the Lord Jesus.
Is carrying on a work that our unfaithfulness does not ruin or destroy. He's building a house. Everything is perfect. He's adding to that body. Everything is perfect.
01:05:10
For us to give expression to their truth, that's another story. But we also find, remember when the Prophet built that altar? When he faced all those priests of bail, Hundreds of them. How many stones did he use to build that altar?
12 Stones.
12 Stones.
He had the mind of the Lord.
He saw God's people as one.
You know, and he was a prophet in Israel.
You know, but he was a prophet of the Lord, well beloved Saints of God.
Should we not be thankful that it is still possible to come together in the name of the Lord Jesus?
As imperfectly as we're doing it.
We cannot but have to confess that we have given very poor expression to that truth. But I do believe the Lord and His goodness has preserved A testimony to that truth. We still can gather around the Lord Jesus. We still can be at His table.
And I hope we remember when we come together that in that law of every St. of God is represented. I think Neil referred to brother Albert meeting that Christian on the street. A dear child of God after the breaking of bread, he said. I saw you in a meeting this morning. I've never been in your meeting. I saw you in that meeting.
You see, he explained, we broke bread. And that bread did not only speak of the body of the Lord Jesus in which he suffered. It speaks of that one body that he formed, of which he is the glorified head. And by the Spirit we are linked to him a living head in heaven and to every St. of God on earth.
You know, I'm even thankful, beloved Saints of God, that to some extent we can even have fellowship with members of the body of Christ in our personal contact.
We've had a family stay at our house three times.
Dear children of God.
Love them, came to love them. Godly souls.
He stayed with us for a week.
And we took a walk the last day, he said. Heinz, I'm so thankful you didn't try to convince me about your position. Well, I said, dear brother.
If I would win an argument.
What would be gained? The Spirit of God has to bring you to see where you are to be gathered around the person of the Lord Jesus. It's obvious that I would be very happy if you would see it that way, but I have to wait till the Lord shows it to you. In the meantime, I was glad to be able to have fellowship with this dear St. of God, and we came to some extent have fellowship with those that we recognize as members of the body of Christ. And as we have opportunity, we can share the truth with them.
But remember, it has to be a work of the Spirit of God in order that it might be a lasting work. You know, it took me 20 years before the Lord.
Short I swear I had to go. I know dear Chuck gave up on us, he said. Heinz will never see you, you know. But the Lord did in his grace delivered us and brought us to be where he is in the midst.
But beloved Saints of God, He's holy and He's true.
It's a great responsibility to be so gathered.
And to give a true expression to the Church of God, and to be maintained holiness in the House of God.
Well, second, Timothy.
Two is another scripture that is of great comfort to us in the midst of the ruined state that we have Roundabout. And what does it teach us?
It teaches us that the House of God has become as a great house.
And.
There are good and bad vessels in that house.
And it is beyond repair.
01:10:07
I challenge anybody if you think that you can go into some church and try to change them to accept the truth of the church.
You'll have a great disappointment, and the Lord hasn't called us to do that. You know, I'm thankful for every soul that we can come in contact with, and the Lord might use us to try to help them. And what a joy it is when they come to see the truth. But.
The Lord hasn't called us to cause disturbance and turmoil in groups of believers. He has called us to go unfaithfully, and the need for separation is clearly taught there in two Timothy 2, if any man.
Purify himself. By separating himself, he becomes a vessel fit for the master's use.
I cannot do that for my wife. My wife cannot do that for me, neither can I do it for my children.
I wish I could pass on the truth to my children the way I can pass on material things.
That's impossible. They have to come to personal faith in these matters. Under personal exercise. They have to take that step of faith.
Step outside.
Not only the negative saying of separating, but the positive thing onto here to go unto him as we have it in Hebrews outside the camp, and what a wonderful encouragement we find there in Second Timothy. Separation is a painful thing.
Any of us who had to do that know very well what that means.
To have to separate from bread and beloved bread, and they let you to the Lord bread, and that taught you much of the truth of God you still enjoy. And then to have to separate from them.
Has given some of us nightmares.
To have to do that.
But beloved, it is necessary.
If you want to be faithful to Christ.
Brethren are not to be the object.
Priced this to be the object.
It's a wonderful thing to have, brethren.
Of like precious faith, brethren, who share the same exercises with whom we can walk in the path of faith. But the object is not brethren, the object is Christ.
If Prada Nadi objects, they sooner or later will disappoint you.
And if pattern are the object, we deserve to be disappointed.
But if Christ is the object, we will not be disappointed. He never will. But there is a collective path.
Pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with them. They call upon the name of the Lord out of a pure heart.
Why is righteousness mentioned first?
Why doesn't it say love first?
Well, we have to withdraw from iniquity.
When it comes to separation.
What helps me in the German the word for iniquity is unrighteousness.
We have to separate from unrighteousness.
But then in the collective path, in view of the necessity of separating from unrighteousness, the first thing stressed is righteousness.
Of course, love is not left out, but faith is the next thing beloved Saints of God. It takes faith in the midst of general ruin to believe that we can still practice the truth of God as given in the word of God, even in a limited way, not having the benefit of many of our fellow believers.
Now wouldn't that be wonderful if every St. of God would be willing to meet with us every gift that the Lord has given to his people present? Don't you think there would be quite an edifying thing?
01:15:06
You know it takes faith, beloved Saints of God, to say the truth of God works.
In 1997, we can still practice the truth of God.
It's bound to be a feeble display because we are a feeble band. You know, feeble.
A number of Saints of God, but we can.
You heard me say that before. Probably some of you here we were out in California and went to.
To the Hot Springs for a couple days of relaxation after the LA meetings. And here I met a German man from Potsdam, Germany. And he was a man that went from Bible school to Bible school to teach. And he was even a chaplain on one of those mission ships you know, that they sent to these underdeveloped countries.
He made an American lady and I gave him Bruce Enstein's book on God's Order.
He knew English perfectly and he read in it for five hours.
And.
He came out of his room all excited. He said it's the truth. It's the truth. That's what Scripture teaches. But he said the people don't want it.
I said, brother.
Can we not still practice it?
But he wasn't willing to do that. He would have been out of a job if he would have been willing to do that. He didn't have the faith to act on the truth that he acknowledged.
Well, I trust the Lord will give us faith and courage to stand on the truth of God, on the word of God. And if at any time anything comes up among us, where there is a danger that the truth might be compromised, I trust there will be faithful, faithful voices raised to support the truth, to exercise our consciences so that we might be preserved in the path of faith.
What God hates is pride, beloved Saints of God.
There's absolutely no reason for pride if we recognize that it is the grace and goodness of God that has preserved the testimony to the name of the Lord Jesus and that you and I.
Are permitted to be part of it.
The young people, I hope, will come to see these things clearly.
And it is discouraging when you meet a lot of godly souls out there that perhaps in their individual life might be more faithful than many who are at the divine center, and the enemy can use that to confuse you.
You know, but have your eyes on Christ. Familiarize yourself with the truth of God and test the claims of man by the scriptures. Many will say we are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Well, when you test their position it will be soon evident.
Whether they are indeed practicing the truth of the body of Christ, or whether they are together on the ground of mutual recognition, compromise.
And voluntary association.
It's not a voluntary association. The Saints of God, the Spirit of God, has put us together and we haven't necessarily picked those that he has put us together with.
I feel that obviously it's easy to get along with either.
He replied that very soon when you get to know us, you know, and there's patience and grace needed in that collective path. But if we all have one desire, that we want to please the Lord, that we want to go on for his glory, he will help us and help us to be a strengthening factor.
To his testimony, and perhaps even be used to be of help. To those who are seeking and searching. You know, there are those that are seeking and searching. And my prayer often is that they might come to see in the Lord Jesus the divine gathering center, and not stumbled by the inconsistencies that they see in us, who in grace are at the divine center. Let's be exercised, brethren, that we.
01:20:18
In our individual and collective lives, our real testimony to the Lord Jesus, don't you think he looks down with great delight?
At the same that want to go on for him.
In a book of remembrance was written in Malachi when those who feared the Lord spoke often one with another. The Lord recognizes anything that is truly for His glory, even in our day. Well, the path is not going to be easy and is not going to get any easier if anything's going to get more difficult. But the Lord is sufficient, beloved Saints of God.
He is able to preserve us and help us and keep us. We want to do we not be preserved at the divine center till we hear that child and be united to him forever? And what a comfort all will be there. All the Saints of God are gathering together unto him. Second tenless Thessalonians 21 What a comfort. None will be missing. All will be there.
All will be for his praise and glory.
Lord, we can see why you faithlessly.
Crying out there everything.