Open—David So
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Now hidden swords.
Now.
And far from God bless you great night ********. We're at tremendously your own.
And more 27 every great night chains. We're having a chance and you can travel on and all, everything and everything.
And give our happiness.
And power and decision and I have to go around and burn the furniture of life Spinning mall.
01/25.
01/20 5.
Identical Stringer and I can help you with that and I would like to make them.
Our resting thought of our religion and praying.
Let me change our glory.
And our ground hearts and smiles. We need some sirens frowned and shame by our glory. And my heart from heaven, of course.
In one hour glad and dreadful some time and we can stop.
My behalf.
Of our brother.
Please, I'll work for half years again and the time. Is there anything else in my house?
I realized in the flour all along with the gracias.
Good afternoon.
I just have a few words on my heart on it.
Umm, for those that perhaps want to take part, I don't expect to be taking the hour.
We have before us.
Ministry, as we use the phrase John's ministry and some of you would heard us refer to Paul's ministry and I speak perhaps more to the younger ones, uh, perhaps some like myself who are not very well versed. So I'd like to just share with you something about Paul's ministry.
It's it's interesting when we think of the Apostle Paul's ministry.
If you look at the Bible we have before us, the Bible is divided, we know, into the Old Testament and the New Testament.
There are 66 books we have in the Bible.
00:05:02
I believe 39 books in the Old Testament.
And 27 books in the New Testament.
Now, by the way, for somebody younger, and this is how I cheat, I like math, I go 3 * 9 is 27, so I try to match the number up because sometimes I forget. So the 27 books in the New Testament of which.
13, perhaps 14 books are written by the apostle Paul.
That's interesting, isn't it? Perhaps half, but yet.
We find that there are people, Christians so-called, sometimes deny Paul's ministry.
We have various things, perhaps some would say partisan, like women. Paul is this, Paul is that. It doesn't really matter, does it? Is the word of God. Even though Paul penned those epistles, We know whether it's Paul or John or James. It is guided by 1 Spirit. We know there is only one body. We had that before us.
This one Lord.
There's one spirit.
So what? What exactly? A pause?
Teaching or doctrines. In fact, let me I'm just going to back up a little bit. Often when someone say you folks are wrong or they believe in something else or they're when they say things along that line, I would venture to guess in most cases.
They have departed from Paul's teaching.
That's why it's important, I believe, for us to understand what is Paul's teaching. Now, this is not my thought. These are pamphlets of old. So some might say you have read it, and I'm glad you did. So I'm regurgitating some of what have what I have learned. Let's turn to the book of Acts to begin with the 13 chapter.
Of Acts 30, verse 38.
Now the last meeting we had forgiveness and I'm glad our brother expounded on the various types of forgiveness, but I believe this is one of the first thing the Apostle Paul has taught us.
I'm gonna read verse 38 and verse verse 39 together. Be it known unto you, therefore, man and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that belief are justified from all things.
From which he could not be justified by the law of Moses.
I believe the Apostle Paul made that very clear to us on.
The forgiveness of sin. Now the two awards or two phrases used here, Forgiveness and then.
Justification.
It's interesting that often we use phrases, but sometimes I know for me I use certain words and not truly know what it means. Is there really a difference between forgiveness and justification? A brother in the last meeting brought up justification briefly.
Uh, here's the way I like to perhaps explain the difference. Many of you know we have children in our.
Children sometimes get in trouble.
And I guess many of us be who are children too. So I'm not just looking at children here. I'm looking at many of the parents who used to be children. We, I believe we know what that means. We don't tell our children how we used to get in trouble. We just tell them, don't get in trouble, right. So when you have a chance, talk to your mom and dad, see if they ever got in trouble. But I read this, it's A2 boys, two separate incidents. One boy got in trouble.
They were taken to court. So in front of the judge, one man would say, you know, this boy is young, he didn't know what he's doing.
They go on and on and give good reasoning why he shouldn't be punished. So the judge may say, and today's court as opposed down here in America, we have a good lawyer. You can find a lawyer to convince the judge that it wasn't so bad after all and they should forgive this child.
And no record is uh oh for is is forgiven. And they may give them a little harsh words and put them on community service. And he escaped the sentence of jail, but he's forgiven, isn't he?
00:10:14
Not forgotten, but it's forgiven. Let's take another child went to court and in front of the judge they were able to have evidence to show that this child didn't do what they accused him of doing, so he was released.
This trial was justified because he there is no record to say he would have ever committed that offense. So here we got the two thoughts. We were, we were forgiven, our sins are forgiven and we are justified from all things. And I'll let you go further on that. I promise not to be long. So I'll just give some thoughts here.
The second thing I'd like to turn to is Efficient chapter 3.
The Apostle Paul brings out this thought that I believe no other writers.
Brought out at all efficient.
Umm.
Chapter 3 there.
Perhaps this is a bit long to read, but he bring out the thought that the gentiles us.
Will be brought into the same body and for times sake I'm gonna skip that. I'm sorry. You can read through that yourself. Perhaps I'm gonna go right to 1St Corinthians chapter 12, maybe just to to save time there in First Corinthians 12/12, here's a wonderful thought that the apostle brought out that it sets 4 as the body.
As one, he bring out the thought that there is.
One body, inefficient. They talk about one body, 1 Lord, 1 Spirit, but there is one body, and this morning we had one loaf before us. That's an expression, isn't it? Yes, this morning had many purposes. For as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death. As our brother spoke after the meeting, that the express purpose here is to remember Him in His death for us.
But then that one loaf.
Representation, a testimony that there is one body. There are many Christians in the world. Some of you may have been to our eating room. It's interesting for those that haven't, it's really, it's not a hard, not a fancy place. It's just an office inside a little shopping Plaza. And on our floor, the four quadrants were in one.
On the other quadrant, along with some other offices, there is a.
Southern Baptist Church.
Down the hallway in the other quadrant there is the used to be the Korean Baptist. Now they changed name and sold it to the Vietnamese Baptist.
We come around to another quadrant. There is the Syriac Orthodox Church.
We got a lot of choices when you come visit us.
We're not in fellowship with them.
But yet, when I watched them and listened to them as I walked past, I know many are true believers.
In fact, it was funded one time it walked past it were having the Sunday school in the hallway and they are they set to one of the challenges what Samuel's mother's name as I walked possible. Oh I have to think now so I do believe they used the word of God and I would have to say as believers. They are part of that one body, aren't they There is one body.
Although it's not the thought here to go on further about the separation, the path of separation that we teach, there is one body.
We have to remember that and everybody has every part. Everyone in the body have different functions and the apostle expand on that even more.
And then let's go to uh.
The remembrance of the Lord.
The Apostle Paul is the only one that brought out the remembrance of the Lord. Well, you'll see. Well, we we use the principal Matthew 1820. But that's the principle, isn't it? When that principle was LA laid out, the church wasn't formed yet for the principle was set. But Luke 22 The Lord well, no, that that wasn't for the church neither. It was the Passover scene and after the Passover.
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The law instituted the remembrance for the remembrance of the Lord. We have let's let's turn to 1St Corinthians.
Chapter 10.
I'm going to start in verse 15, First Corinthians chapter 10, verse 15. I speak as to a wise man. Judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it 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 particular of that one bread.
Here he speaks of the Lord's Table there.
If you notice here, he speaks off the cup first this morning when we participate that loaf. We had the loaf first, didn't we? And then the cup. Here it seems to be the opposite. The cup was mentioned and I believe here is that. What was our title to be here this morning? What give you the right to be here?
Because of his blood. How precious to think that our title to be here is through his blood. So he referred to that cup, not the cup of grass.
As our brother mentioned is the cup of blessing. It speaks of the communion, It speaks of the fellowship we have with Christ and the bread that speaks of the expression of that one body. Now we turn to 1St Corinthians Chapter 11.
Then we have something a little bit different. Verse 23. Now I find we often read these passages on Lord's Day morning and.
We'd like to start either on verse 24 or partway through verse 23. I'd like to read the full verse and see if you can see why it's important in my eyes. Verse 23 for I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. Now this is the portion we don't often read because we like to get to the point that the Lord Jesus the same night in which.
He was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks he break it and said, take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you. This due in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had sub saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye as of as ye drink it.
In remembrance of me, for as often as he eats this bread and drink this cup, you do show.
The Lord's death till he come. So we find here the Apostle Paul is the one who who delegated the authority he had from the Lord to us as Gentile. I made a statement earlier, what right do we have? Oh how, how come we are able to break bread? Because the Apostle Paul received it from the Lord and then he delivered it to us. How precious.
So if someone said, well, you're not a Jew, that was in no.
Doesn't matter. Paul received it from the Lord of glory and deliver that and I shouldn't go too deep into that there and I'll let you meditate on that and one more thought on that is.
What? Why are we there? We do this in verse 26 tells us to show the Lord's death.
We're there to show. Now it's interesting to say, to show. I do not believe that's a public testimony. I do not believe we should have a big sign out there and say we are remembering the Lord. Come on in and watch. No, nevertheless, it's a testimony to show the Lord's death. Why are we doing it? Do we receive a special blessing because we show the Lord's death?
I don't think we do it for that reason.
We are here to remember Him, to thank the Lord for what He has done for us to remember Him. We're to recall back to the cross. And then he says, till he comes, we can look forward to the day when He shall take us out of this scene. So we look back to the cross, we look forward, and then we look at presence as if it were.
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And then we can say and thus remember the just as a passing comment we'll find you'll find we sing that him often him 245 on that same night, Lord Jesus.
If if you notice that him, Ryder, GW Fraser, he, he and that last stanza as if he changed subject, but he really didn't. After all those deep thoughts about the remembrance, you'll say till thou shalt come in glory and call us hands away to rest in all the brightness of that unclouded day. And then he will say, I don't know if you noticed that when you sing that then he said.
We show thy death, Lord Jesus.
And here would seek to be more to thy death conformeth whilst we remember thee. What a wonderful thought. By the way you trace through his hymns, you'll find that he's the one that will love writing the gospel hymns.
And he's the one also loved the speaks of the remembrance of the Lord we this morning we sang 188 before we remember the Lord that was he wrote that him, uh, hymn 244 that bright and blessed mourn is near when he the bridegroom shall appear. He will, he will many hymns in there. And it's wonderful to trace, uh, through that. And so the Lord and then.
Let's another thing that the apostle Paul brought to us is the Lord's rapture coming for his sins. We know the passage well. First Corinth, First Thessalonians.
Umm, chapter 4. Let's turn to that briefly and just have two more thoughts, then I will sit down. I think it's good for someone else to, uh, have room to do this.
The Thessalonians were concerned about those who gone before, who have died. Are they gonna miss out? And the apostle have to be explained to them that no, they're not gonna miss out. Now, here's something that I thought is interesting. Now some of you have the new translation of Darby's translation. You'll find that there's something different in there from verse 15 as we read it. I'll tell you why I I say that in a minute verse.
In to the end of the chapter in the Darby translation.
As a bracket, as if that was a little.
Extra explanation a little sidebar as if it were so you'll find that first verse verse 14 is this for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again. Even so them also which sleep in Jesus, God will bring with him. Well, that's the thought to encourage us that those who have gone before us. The Lord is gonna bring with him and then as if he's a little parentheses from verse 15 that we read.
Yes Sir, I'm gonna let you guys into some secrets too. This is about you and me. So now in parentheses, as everywhere He put in for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the trump of God and the dead in.
Rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. I won't respond on that, as we know that these are well known passages to us, but this is something the apostle Paul reminds us of, of the Lord's coming.
And do you know that throughout the centuries?
These truths.
Were forgotten not until the early 1800s.
When these truths of the Lord return for his sinks, the rapture, as we call it, are brought to light again. We're reminded and how sad that sometimes we ourselves forget and get discouraged. In fact, I'll I'll share with you some challenges as if it were.
If you find somebody is really low down, discourage. Perhaps that somebody is yourself or myself. Ask yourself this question.
It's the return of our Lord Jesus Christ to rapture out of the scene, still fresh in our hearts.
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When we forget to look up.
Discouragement comes in the Lord's return. Oh, we have to remember that. And that's why it's just therefore comfort one another with these words. Just one more .6 things that I just wanted to bring out or perhaps 2 together. And I would just mention that in in Second Corinthians chapter five. Well, in second thought, let's turn to that Second Corinthians.
Chapter UMM 5.
Verse 8.
This is concerning those who have gone before us again, this is we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and be present with the Lord.
When it's when a St. When a believer died, this is the proper expressions, isn't it? The apostle tells us we are absent in the body and present with the Lord just.
One more thought and many of these is very brief. I think I can leave room for you to meditate and to study there in.
First Corinthians chapter 15 we will perhaps spend a time I see I spend more time than I intended to already there. It speaks about the resurrection of the believer. Those takes quite a few verses as you can read through them that in that day we're gonna be we're gonna have.
As some would say, new body.
Well, that expression is not quite true, is it? We're gonna have a glorified body. It's gonna be an incorruptible body. These are the basic truths that the apostle brought out for us that we shouldn't give up on. So I would just sum it up quickly that the first point is that believers are justified in all things.
The second, I believe, is that there is one body.
The third is that the Lord's, uh, the the remembrance of the Lord.
The I, I didn't spend time on it. I know there are a lot more. We can talk about it, how often and so on. The third one, I'm saying that was the 3rd. I said the 4th is the rapture.
The 5th is believers who have gone before Epson in the body present with the Lord, and the six is that with we are going to have a glorious body, an incorruptible and defile with the Lord.