Open—G. Hayhoe, W. Smith
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Rather than I hesitate to speak again, but I trust the Lord has laid this upon my heart. I'd like to turn to Zephaniah.
4th Last book in the Old Testament.
Beginning at the fifth verse.
The just Lord is in the midst thereof. He will do not do iniquity every morning. Doth he bring his judgment to light. He faileth not, But the unjust knoweth no shame. I have coerced the nations. Their towers are desolate. I made their streets waste that none passed by their cities, that this is by their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man that there is.
Non inhabitants.
I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction.
So their dwelling should not be cut off, however howsoever I punish them. But they rose early, and corrupted all their doings. Therefore will wait chi upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I will rise up to the prey. For my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon their mind indignation even all my fierce anger, for all the earth shall be devoured.
With the fire of my jealousy, and then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord.
To serve him with one consent.
And the 12Th verse I will also leave in the midst of the inflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion, Shout, O Israel, be glad, and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
The Lord hath taken away thy judgments. He has cast out thine enemy, the king of Israel. Even the Lord is in the midst of thee. Thou shalt not see evil anymore. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem. Fear thou not. And to Zion, let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty. He will save. He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love. He will joy over thee with singing.
I will gather them that are sorrowful, that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
00:10:06
A brethren in this portion here we have the Lord in the midst. Spoken of three times, a brother said to me just before this meeting, he said. The thing that troubles me is, has the Lord removed the Candlestick?
And this is a very, very solemn and searching question for us in days like this. And I believe that this message that we have in Zechariah has a very solemn word and warning for us in this day in which we live. And I believe that we can say the reason that God spoke so loudly to his people, the reason He played with them, was because he did not want to forsake them because he.
Desired the blessing of his people.
And so how lovely this encouragement that is given, and yet how very solemn the warning that is set before us in these three places where it speaks, how the Lord in the midst, And notice what it says. The just Lord is in the midst thereof. And it tells us that holiness becometh thine house, O God forever, and then to every morning that He bring His judgment to light.
He faileth. Not many dear Saints are cast down and troubled because of many of the problems and difficulties that have arisen amongst us. And brother and I believe that God does have a voice to us. He brings things to light. He brings them, so that we cannot just go on as though there were nothing to be concerned about. We meet in a meeting like this, and we enjoy this happy time of fellowship.
We enjoy the precious ministry of the Word, but is it possible that we, in the midst of all this, should forget those things that ought to exercise us, and those things in our own home, assemblies that ought to bow down our heads in the dust in shame before God?
Because of the weakness, because of those things that have discouraged the Saints of God and have turned the eye from Christ instead of being able to enjoy Him and his love, it has been trouble after trouble that has come in. Was this a proof that the Lord was not in the midst? No, it was a proof that He was. It showed that because of their state He must deal with them. He must allow those things that would show.
That he was bringing things to light, That his very presence, which is light, had manifested, and would continue to manifest all that was unsuitable to his presence, an unbecoming to him. But it says here the unjust N no shame. And is it possible that our consciences should be so dull, and that we're not ashamed that our faces are not in the dust, brethren?
I believe that if we were truly before the Lord, we would hang our heads in shame, as we see the lack of going on with the Lord, the lack of that bright and happy testimony which the Church was called upon to be. And we know that it tells us in the letter to Ephesus in the second chapter of Revelation, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
And then, in that very same Church, he says that if they did not repent, he would come and remove his their Candlestick out of their place. And we know, too, that even in the days of our dear beloved Mr. Darby, he spoke of the solemn and awful fact that the Lord might have to do that if we were unfaithful, if we did not go on for His glory, and we didn't walk before him as those who had such a great responsibility.
Because of the truth that was committed to us, and then it tells us to hear the unjust, no shame. Oh, may the Lord cause us to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, and to acknowledge that although he delights to bless, and as we see in the end of the chapter, he does come in and will come in to bless, and nevertheless that there was much that did and should humble the deer people of God.
Well, it says in the 6th and 7th verse. Notice the sixth verse. I have cut off the nations. Their towers are desolate. I made their streets waste that none passed by. Their cities are destroyed so that there is no man, that there is none. Inhabitant. Yes, God dealt with the nations and brethren. Don't we often look around and Christendom and say, look how these people are giving up here. Look at what's coming in there. Look what's coming in.
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Why did God allow these things to happen to the nations around? Notice the seventh verse, I said. Surely thou wilt fear me, Thou wilt receive instruction. It's very easy for us to be like Isaiah. And he said, Woe to that nation, and woe to that, and woe to these people. But when he got into the presence of the Lord, he pointed his finger at himself, and he said, Woe is me, For I am undone, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of the people of unclean lips.
Provide eyes have seen the king.
The Lord of hosts, Yes, instead of pronouncing all the wolves upon others.
He got into the presence of God, and he condemned himself and brethren, this is our place.
Individually, this is our place, collectively to point the finger at ourselves.
To be humble before the Lord ourselves, and God intends that his dealings with others.
And the Doctor? Evil doctrines that are coming in all about us, the giving up of the Bible and the departure from the truth. He intends it to be a warning to us. He intends us to realize and not for us to say, oh, it could never happen here, Yes, it could happen.
It could happen. It has happened. And there are those who are once gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
Who have far departed from the truth of God? And who can tell what will come to us if we don't walk humbly and softly before the Lord in that path that he has marked out in His word? I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, Thou wilt receive instruction, so their dwelling should not be cut off. Yes, here's his warning. He said that he had cut off the nations around. But he said, I'm warning you through what's happening there.
That it could happen here. And he said so that their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings, that is, they didn't receive the instruction, they didn't take it all. And now it says in the eighth verse, Therefore we chee upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey. For my determination is to gather the nations that I may assemble the kingdoms.
To pour out mine indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. There is a day coming when God is going to set things right in this earth, but in the meantime he has a testimony here in this world.
Which is responsible to be a light and a Candlestick in the earth. Judgment is coming upon this world. We speak of it, we know it. We see men corrupting themselves everywhere.
We see that giving up of all moral standards, we see the breakdown of all organized government, everything going to pieces, and we know that judgment is coming. We announce that judgment upon the world, but always there not something for us. In all this. The time has come, brethren, the judgment must begin at the House of God, and if it first begin at us, where shall the ungodly and the Sinner appear?
And now in the 12Th verse I will also leave in the in the midst of thee and afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
I do not mean by what I am saying now that there will not be a collective testimony. I believe that God is faithful, and God assures them even in this passage as He warns them and warns them solemnly.
So that their dwelling place might not be removed, and that he might tell even emphasis, that their Candlestick would be removed if they were unfaithful. Still he says, I will also leave in the midst of thee, and afflicted and poor people. It may not be numbers, but all they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Our confidence, brethren, can be in the Lord but in Him only.
Not in ourselves, not in our leaders, not in any man, But that we might have our eyes upon the Lord. That we might see ourselves as in His presence and take the humble place. But also realize that He's faithful, and that he is going to have a testimony, because he has asked us to remember him until He comes. And I believe that in his faithfulness He will preserve a testimony. But what a solemn warning this is.
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They shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies.
Neither shall a deceitful tongue be in their mouth, for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Here we find two things in connection with that which God would preserve, uprightness and peace. And brethren, that's what we need. Uprightness. Are we really walking uprightly before the Lord? Are we really, honestly facing up to our responsibilities and walking before the Lord? And uprightness? It's very easy to cover up.
It's very easy to pretend to be something that we're not. It says no good thing. Will he withhold from them that walk uprightly?
What is an upright person? A person that doesn't sin? No, an upright person is a person who does not pretend to be what he's not. And God wants us to be upright. He wants us to be real before him and all he wants to bless. He'll not withhold one good thing, but he would have us to walk uprightly. And then? Isn't this lovely? For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
I've often said that in the trumpets that we have in the 10th chapter of Numbers there we find those silver trumpets were to be blown for the calling of the assembly and for the journeying of the camps. And it tells us that when they journeyed, they sounded an alarm.
That is, when they had to March through where they might meet enemies, they sounded an alarm. But it says that when the assembly was to be called together, he shall blow, but she shall not sound an alarm. The assembly ought to be a place of peace and rest, where there would be that which encourages and stirs the hearts of to follow Christ, to go on with him in the path of obedience.
But oh, how sad it is when the assembly, instead of becoming a place of peace and rest, becomes a place where we press forward our own thoughts and views and wish to have others conform to them. Instead of ministering Christ and his love and his truth and the power of the Spirit of God, May God grant brethren that we'll be found going on in that which is pleasing to him. And it says.
They shall feed and lie down. And now the 14th verse saying, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments. He hath cast out thine enemy, the king of Israel. Even the Lord is in the midst of thee. Thou shalt not see evil anymore. There's a glorious future to look ahead to our brethren amidst all the wreck and ruin. And if we're honest, we own our own part in it.
Isn't it blessed to look on? Isn't it good to see the Lord in the midst? For what?
Oh, isn't this beautiful? He says. He says thou shalt not see evil anymore.
I know that there are many dear Saints of God who are fearing. They fear the next brothers meeting. They fear the next time when they have to discuss the difficulties and trials that come up because the enemy is so busy to seek to spoil and smash the testimony of those gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
Busy brethren, and he's doing his best, and it's sad that we should not be exercised and humbled under His mighty hand. But if we must confess this, there is also that in which we can rejoice. The Lord is coming, the end of the trials. Is is in view. A dear brother was attending a meeting where there was a great deal of sorrow and trial among the Saints, and as he came out of the meeting.
One brother said sadly to the other. He said, Brother, where is it all going to end? And he said, at the coming of the Lord, at the coming of the Lord. May the Lord give us though to realize that he does want to bless us here and now. And I believe that he will come in if we take the humble place before him. I believe we can enjoy a foretaste of heaven right down here. But there is a glorious day coming as we have, when we'll be able to rejoice with all our hearts.
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And we'll never come together to discuss one trouble. Now it'll be armed. And why.
Well, that's in the glory, brethren. That's in the glory. But he wants to bless us down here. And he wrote this to the people that they might enjoy then a little foretaste of what he had for them in the future. And I've often said there are two places where God intends that we should have the days of heaven upon earth, and that is the Christian home and the Christian assembly. Is it any wonder the devil is at work to smash the Christian home and to smash the assembly?
He doesn't want us to enjoy the days of heaven upon earth, but all I say again, there is a.
Blessed prospect, thou shalt not see evil anymore.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, fear thou not, and to Zion. Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty all. We have a mighty Savior. We have one who's able. There's one who's going to accomplish all the purposes of God. There's one who's going to carry it out. And he tells us, let not our hands be slack, as it says in the 12Th chapter of Hebrews. Lift up the hands that hang down on the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet. There are many dear Saints of God, and I know I'm talking to many this afternoon.
And you say, what's the use? And your hands hang down. You say I give up. I'm sure there are many that say that, but oh, it says lift up the hands that hang down on the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. What are we doing with the lame? Are we turning them out of the way? How are we discouraging those who are? Perhaps a little bit?
Discouraged, and we're discouraging them a little bit more.
May the Lord grant that we'll know how to be a help among the people of God and to encourage them to go on for Him. But here they're in this 17th verse it says the Lord thy God in the midst of the is mighty. He will save.
He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love. He will joy over thee with singing. Brethren, do we feel these trials the Lord feels, the more when that little company met together in the book of Nehemiah. Why the prophet was sent to tell them the joy of the Lord is your strength. Doesn't the Lord delight to see a few of his own who gather together?
And desire to be occupied with him and to learn more of him. And who's going to find the greatest joy when all the trials are over?
Who's going to find the greatest joy when the whole redeemed company are gathered together around him? All the one who did that blessed work? And so in the first instance where it speaks of the Lord being in the midst, it's because he's just, it's because he brings things to light. It's because he deals that we might see his hand and correct things, but then he points us on that. He said. There's a day coming when all these things will be ended.
And then he says, and I'm going to find the deepest joy in it. I'm going to find the Lord the Mighty One heal joy over thee with singing. And so I say this to encourage our hearts. Now there is a time coming when all these trials will be ended. We'll gaze into the altogether lovely face of our blessed Savior, and he'll find greater joy in having us there than we will in being there.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied all not one whom he takes to that eternal glory will will be such that he'll say, Well, I'm sorry I brought that person there. He was such a disappointment. Oh no.
He is never disappointed in one of his own. He may be grieved, but he will not be disappointed. Oh, I think it's lovely. When he sees me in that glory, he's going to look and he's going to say I'm glad that I died to bring you there. Oh, isn't it lovely, brethren, That's the future that's ahead of us. But now there's just one other verse here that we notice. And this 18th verse, I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly.
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Who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burden?
Yes. Is the reproach of the testimony a burden to you and I? Do we feel this? Do we feel it, brethren? As one person who was outside one of our general meetings like this, he walked by and someone said, Who are the people that are meeting in there? Well, they said they're the people that have the truth but don't walk in it. Well, dear friends, this is a solemn reflection, isn't it?
They're the people that have the truth but don't walk in it. And who it says here I will gather them that are sorrowful.
For of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden, is it a burden to you and I? Do we care?
The Lord cares. He's looking forward to that time when he'll have his own, when he'll present the church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But, brethren, I say again, he wants to bless us now. He wants our little assemblies at home to be happy gatherings where Christ has his rightful place. And as the next verse says, behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee, and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out.
And I will get them praised and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. Yes, that day is coming when the Redeem Company will be there. But oh, may the Lord exercise us here and now. May He give us brethren to be humble, to be before him before his hand has to be upon us more heavily than it has been. There's a responsibility that rests upon us.
There is a responsibility as those who seek to go on as a testimony to the truth of the Church, as the body of Christ, with the Lord in the midst. May the Lord give us to be truly exercised before him and humbled by all that He's allowed. And I'm sure that when we take that place, as he says, prove me now here with saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be room enough to receive it, and then?
It will not only be the joy and gladness of those of us who were older, but we'll see our dear young people desiring to come to the meetings and loving to see in us the joy and the peace and the happiness that comes from following Christ and giving him His rightful place.
If you turn with me, please to Genesis 49.
And verse 9.
Judah is a lion's world. From the prey, my son, thou had gone up. He stooped down he crossed as a lion and as an old lion. Who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the peoples be.
And in Isaiah Chapter 9.
And verse 6.
For under us a child is born.
Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful.
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
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Of the increase of it government and fees, there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice. From henceforth forever the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.
And in Ezekiel 21.
Verse 27.
I will overturn.
Overturn.
Overturn it, and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him.
Our brother has been speaking to us and.
As we have impressed with some of the words which ** *** has gave us.
That God will carry out his purposes.
Well, we know that that God has never thwarted in His purposes.
Or this earth and for blessing through this earth?
The prophecy uttered by Jacob.
In the end of Genesis, which we've just read, brings before us.
The remarkable.
Word.
Concerning the blessing which would come through the tribe of Judah.
And as we know, it speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Judah was to be the royal tribe of the nation of Israel.
The scepter should not depart from Judah.
Nor a long river from between his feet until.
Shiloh, come.
Well, we read Isaiah 9 to show that the one who was spoken of is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
But here in Genesis 49.
We have the accuracy of scripture that the law givers should not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from Martina's feet until Shiloh come.
One is often thought how remarkable it is that the end of the kingly family of David is to come to an end in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There will never be an.
As accessory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
When he takes up his reign upon this earth.
It will be.
For the extent of time.
To the end of time, here upon this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Will be the one to sit upon the throne.
And a role with equity and with judgment, a wonderful it is that it is to be so.
We look around us now in this day.
And how little we see of equity here.
How little we see.
Of justice.
Amongst any of the nations of the earth in our own localities, how little there is of justice.
But all when the Lord Jesus comes.
Everything is going to be set right.
What a wonderful day it will be for this earth.
When the earth will know what peace is?
When all the armor of the world, the ploughshares, the Spears are to be turned into pruning hooks.
And into plowshares.
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That this world is going to be able to settle down in peace and enjoy the blessings which God has purposed that men should have.
But oh, it must come through the Lord Jesus Christ, it must be through him.
The one who is God's fellow, the one the man whom God has had in mind all the time with regard to this earth, when he comes, and then only shall blessing come.
When it's under him.
That the gathering of the peoples shall be now I believe that is what the reading should be. Not the people, but the peoples are to be gathered.
To the Lord Jesus Christ.
We could turn to the last book in the scripture and we would find there that in the city.
That heavenly Jerusalem where the Lord Jesus Christ is going to be.
Let us there through the instrumentality, I suppose, of the earthly Jerusalem, that all the nations are going to come there to bring their offering to him who is going to sit upon God's throne.
It's under him that the gathering of the peoples is going to be.
And then in Isaiah.
9.
There we find again the accuracy of Scripture.
And the prophet Isaiah is proclaiming the coming of God's man.
Were unto us a child is born.
That is the way the Lord Jesus was to come into the world.
To come in, born of a woman.
Yes, he was to come into this world as an infant, as a child.
Oh, how gracious.
Our God is that the Lord Jesus should be here in this world, a man perfectly human at the same time as he was, and still is perfectly divine.
That holy thing which was to be born of Mary was to be a perfect man here in this world.
All we know the world.
Doesn't agree with that.
But we have the word of God to rest upon that the Lord Jesus was to come into this world, and he came just as he was prophesied that he was to be born of a virgin.
The son was given.
Not only was a child to be born, but a son was to be given.
Son was to be born.
No, the Son was to be given. He was the one who was from all eternity.
The one who had never had a beginning.
Who will never have an end?
The son would be given to the people of Israel.
The government to be upon his shoulder.
He is the one who alone.
Could perfectly govern this world.
Yes, none other could govern like he the government. To be upon his shoulder. The power was to be his.
And here we have the divine record of His divinity.
Is named to be called wonderful.
Counselor the Mighty God.
Lord brings before us, does it not, how great he is?
Who else is wonderful except our Lord Jesus Christ?
One feels the inability to expound on these names of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But to meditate upon them, and to find in them the perfect expression.
00:45:06
Of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wonderful counselor. You know how many times we find.
There are those who set themselves up as counselors here in this scene.
What council do they give? Or sometimes it's imperfect. It may be a mistake that counsel they give.
But all not with our Lord Jesus Christ.
His wisdom?
Is perfect.
He makes no mistake.
And how free we are to go to him for counsel and to find that, in his word we have the Council which is needed to guide every step of our pathway here through this world.
He is the Mighty God.
Scripture is very distinct in protecting.
The divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and proclaiming it.
And those who deny A divinity must deny the very scripture which we have in our hands.
The Everlasting Father.
The Prince of Peace.
That name. Shiloh again, Prince of Peace.
This world has cast out the Prince of Peace. He came to this world.
And all of this world had only known.
When he came.
Oh, what peace, what blessing could have been here in this world?
He's coming again. The world cast him out, but he's coming again.
And he's going to take up the reins of government.
Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom to order it to establish it with justice, judgment, and justice from henceforth.
Even forever.
Oh, I bless it to know that God's purposes will be carried out.
Then we read in Ezekiel.
Chapter 21.
I decided just to find here.
That the world has rejected the word of God.
And before God's Kingdom, before the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ can be established.
This poor world is going to have to bear the judgment of God.
Yes.
And God's time has been established when it shall be done.
We read in Daniel 9.
That the time has been appointed when he will bring an everlasting righteousness.
And before that time.
Sinners.
The rejecters of our Lord Jesus Christ will be judged.
Sin will be put down.
And then?
God will give the Kingdom to him whose right it is.
He says I will give it him. God says I will give it to him.
Yes, God is going to see to it that the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is established upon that throne, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the one who is going to come and execute the judgment upon this poor world.
There are the scriptures in mind too, first of all in Philippians 2.
These familiar words which we read so often.
In our meetings for remembrance of the Lord.
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Starting with the first verse, we find there the rejection, the humiliation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Of how he went down, down, down into death.
And at that the death of the cross.
Oh, he came to this world.
He came to his own and his own wouldn't receive him.
Oh, I stand. He came to this world to bring blessing.
And they wouldn't have him.
He came to his own people and they wouldn't have him.
They sent him out of the world, back to God, says we will not have this man to reign over us.
In other words, as much as to say to God you.
Cannot carry your purposes out here in this world.
The reason? Now from verse 9. The Philippians 2.
Wherefore God also is highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that is the name of Jesus. Every knee should bow.
Of things in heaven.
And things in earth and things under the earth.
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Our blessed Lord humiliated down here in this world.
His name of humiliation? Jesus. Oh, I know it speaks of him as a savior, but also it was his name as a man down here.
And men put him out of the world. They didn't want him.
His very name today has become a byword.
But God has degraded, and his purposes will be carried out.
That he is to be exalted.
He is to have a name which is above every name.
Oh, you know, we have our catalogues of those who were great in this world.
Who's who?
We have that book in the States. I suppose you have something similar to it here in this country.
But.
These names are those many of whom have passed away. Others will pass away.
Sometimes their names are taken out of the book because of certain events in their lives.
But the name of the Lord Jesus?
Is going to be above every name God has decreed it, and His name is above every name now in heaven.
And I trust in the hearts of each one of us here in this room.
But the day is coming.
When those who have despised, who have humiliated our Lord Jesus Christ.
Are going to have to bow the knee to him.
At the name of Jesus.
That name and humiliation is going to be the name which is above every name in the coming day.
Every nation bow things in heaven.
Oh yeah.
Those glorious heavenly creatures.
Which excel in strength. They bow the knee.
Things on Earth.
Oh, we thank God that there are knees here in the earth which have bowed to him today.
We thank God for it.
But those who refuse to bow the knee will yet bow the knee to him.
They're going to have to own as authority.
They will be subjected to him and to his authority.
00:55:00
Oh, solemn it is.
That they are all going to be subjected to that.
An infernal beings.
Those who hate the name of Jesus.
We saw we see a little sample of it in the days when the Lord Jesus was here upon earth.
Of how the demons were subject to him and to his name.
The day will soon be here, we trust.
When Even the very demons.
With Satan himself.
Will have to own him.
As the one who is above all.
They will bow their knee, they will owe him, Lord.
How blessed it is.
For those who hear the day of His Grace.
Have already bowed the knee.
May we. Thank you.
That we have by His grace.
Bow the knee to him have owned him, Lord.
But you know, with that there comes a responsibility.
That is what I wish to talk about.
That there is a responsibility in owning the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord today.
To own Him as our Savior is one thing.
To own him as Lord.
Is something else.
To own the blessed fact that we are in subjection to him.
To owner's authority here upon earth.
To own him as the one who has authority over us, body, soul, and spirit.
But we started out in Genesis Speaking of that, unto him shall the gathering of the peoples be.
Let us turn to Matthew's Gospel, chapter 18.
Verse 20.
For where?
Two or three?
Are gathered together.
Unto my name.
There am I in the midst of them.
We've been reminded that God would leave in the midst of the people a poor and afflicted people.
And here we have the Lord Jesus himself.
Anticipating the day of weakness.
That there might be little companies of two or three gathered.
Unto his name.
Oh, how gracious is our Lord that even worth two or three are gathered together?
Unto him.
That he condescends to be in the midst.
I know there are many here in this company. Who can say?
I trust.
That we are gathered to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. One has made this remark on more than one occasion. If I thought that this was not the place where the Lord had put his name, I would look for that place.
But for one's own self, he believes that the place where he's found is where the Lord is in the midst of his own.
Ray, We learned that for ourselves, not just as we have it in the scripture here and say, well, this is where the Lord is.
But the way we learn in an experimental way.
That where I am is where the Lord wants me to be.
01:00:04
One may say this will excuse the personal reference that when went through a great deal of exercise many many years ago.
As to where would the Lord have me be?
But in this verse?
Where two or three.
Are gathered.
Doesn't say we're two or three. Gather all. We meet those who say we gather in the name of the Lord Jesus.
That is not what the scriptures tells us here. It tells us where two or three are gathered, which implies, dear fellow believer, that there is a gathering power that directs Saints of God seeking to be subject to the authority of the Lord to be brought together, the Spirit of God bringing together the Saints of God into that place where the Lord Jesus Himself.
Is in the midst.
Is that why I am here? Because I have allowed by the grace of God the Spirit of God that draw me to the place where the Lord is found in the midst of his own?
May it be so with us that that is a place where the Lord has each one of us to be.
Just one more scripture.
In One Corinthians Chapter 11.
Verse 26.
Maybe say before reading this I wouldn't believes that perhaps the primary expression.
Of being where the Lord is in the midst of his own, where we have the emblems which bring before us the body and blood of the Lord.
The the loaf which speaks of that one body.
That this is.
The most blessed expression of the oneness of the body of Christ, and where we are, the expression of it.
We have this here.
And in the 26th verse. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come.
We see around us on every hand, little companies growing smaller and smaller.
Are we ashamed of the testimony?
Of the Lord Jesus is the reproach of it a burden to.
Or may it not be?
But this we take upon the authority of this verse that we've read that there is going to be a place here in this world.
Where we may remember the Lord Jesus in his death.
Where the Lord himself is in the midst of his own.
There will be a clean place where you and I.
May be found gathered around the person.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, it's a wonderful privilege, but this will be until the Lord himself comes and calls us out of this scene to be with him.
When no longer shall we be?
Will we have that privilege of remembering the Lord in his death, but we will be with him?
In his very presence.
But again, I say that along with this privilege.
We have a responsibility.
Verse 27 Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily.
Shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation or judgment to himself.
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Not discerning the Lord's body.
The remembrance of the Lord is a blessed privilege, the table of the Lord.
Is holy.
We dare not come.
To the table of the Lord, to remember the Lord in his death with unjust sin in our lives.
We have the warning here.
The Lord Jesus Christ suffered on Calvary's cross.
For our sins.
It cost him his life.
Because of the shedding of his blood.
He suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust to bring us to God.
Do we dare come into the presence of the Lord Jesus to think upon his death for us?
With indifference.
To unjust sin in our lives.
It's a responsibility.
To come into his presence, for he is our Lord. We remember the Lord in his death, the one who has authority over us.
Or may we not be found?
Eating unworthily, that is not discerning what it cost the Lord for us to be brought to him.
But may it be dear fellow believer going on.
In the full sense of what it meant to him to go to Calvary's cross, to bear the judgment of God for us, and may we come into His presence.
With clear consciences, conscience is devoid.
Of all offense, may we have it out with him and come then.
All it would be to spare ourselves many, many.
Troubles. There were those at Corinth who came in differently.
And it says in the 29th or the 20th verse for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Let a man examine himself.
So let him eat.
Well, dear fellow believer, may it be to be fully persuaded in our minds that God is going to carry out his purposes, that to him should be the gatherings of the people. But even now, here in this world there is that testimony. There is a gathering to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why are we here, and how blessed it is?
That in this, the day of His grace, we have been brought together to be found, gathered around the person of our Lord Jesus.
I.
Together 170.
Oh, somewhere else. And it was for many friends, and they were married to spread.
01:10:03
So how do you get your headlines?
And all this, and let's call it Is there a?
Blah blah blah.
Hey, Cortana.
#22 in the appendix.
Holy.
Water.
Oh my God.
With me I'm fine, I'm configuration and I want to go to all of my love.
I love the crap now creating a lot of love.