Pella Conference: 2003
Table of Contents
Acts 20
Address—B. Prost
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Could we sing together number one 78178?
Blessed Father, infinite in grace, source of eternal joy.
Thou leads our hearts to that blessed place where rests without a loy. And then, reading verse five, Thy counsels too. In all Thy know, fulfilled by power divines, spread wide the glory of Thy throne, where all in glory shine.
178.
Force for the river.
Where all hearts found.
His friends.
Were.
Crying straight.
Away.
This.
Their Christmas.
All the Rome.
Joy.
It's all his joy but I want.
My house fulfilled.
All my soul.
Oh yeah, of my.
Divine.
Spread.
We're All in all, the Lord's Lord.
00:05:00
All rise.
Nor is it sweet not.
No.
Love is done.
Our Father's no place joy.
Grace.
And bright the sun.
Breathe right?
The Sun.
I'd like you to turn with me, please, to the 20th chapter of Acts, the 20th chapter of the book of Acts.
So.
If I make the odd little mistake in reading, you'll have to pardon that because I have just discovered that I left my glasses back at Paul Reynolds. Not a major problem with the good lighting you have here, but if I make a little mistake or something, that is the reason. Acts chapter 20 and we're going to consider the last part of the chapter.
But picture the situation here. Here is the beloved Apostle Paul and he has been going throughout various parts of the then known world, particularly in Asia Minor and also in what we would now call Europe, preaching the gospel and bringing the truth of God before.
People there and he's on his way back to Jerusalem now and as we'll find out, he doesn't know just what's going to happen, except that.
Through his brethren, the Holy Ghost had shown them that.
There was trouble back at Jerusalem.
And we'll leave for the moment the considerations of whether Paul should have been going to Jerusalem under the circumstances.
It appears that quite likely he missed the mind of the Lord in doing that, but his heart was right and the Lord, of course, eventually brought blessing out of it. But we find here that he is on his way back to Jerusalem and.
He's going from one place to another with his company, sometimes by ship, sometimes by other means. In fact, it's rather interesting. In verse 13, it says.
And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Asos. They are intending to take in Paul, for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.
This is always an encouragement, you know, because if you like a little bit of exercise, you've got a good example in the apostle Paul, because Paul sent them by ship from Troas to ASOS. And Paul said, I'm going to walk. And one time I mapped it out just to see how far it was. And it's 40 miles. So it was a bit of a hike, But he felt evidently that he needed to take that walk. It doesn't say that he had any special purpose in meeting up with anybody between those places.
Possibly he did. We don't know. But at any rate, the Apostle Paul was working his way back to Jerusalem.
But he is going to go right by Ephesus.
The place, I suppose, where there had been more blessing than any other place where he had preached.
It was a very important city, a very wealthy city, and there he had spent, it tells us in the book of the Acts, 2 full years preaching and teaching, and there had been a lot of blessings. So that from Ephesus blessing went out all over that part of Asia.
But now he has a warning for them. He has something to say to them, He has encouragement for them, but he has a warning for them. Because having heard all that precious truth, and having understood it, and having been able to receive probably the highest truth that God ever gave to man in the book of Ephesians, although at this particular point in time that epistle had not been written.
00:10:08
What I mean to say is they were ready for that truth. They were the kind of people that really entered into what the apostle was saying.
But he has something special to say to them. And so let's read here together Acts chapter 20 and verse 17. He's in a place called Malitas, which is a little bit South of Ephesus on the seacoast there in what is now part of Turkey. And it's right on the Mediterranean Sea. And so here it says in verse 17.
And by the way, don't confuse this with the Millennium or Mellitus on which Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome. They're not the same place. That second one that he was shipwrecked on was probably the island of Malta, out in the middle of the Mediterranean. This is on the mainland. They're not the same place. And from Melitas he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know from the first day that I came.
Into Asia after what manner? I have been with you at all seasons.
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews.
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now behold, I go, bound in the spirit. The sense of that really is not so much the Spirit of God, but it could read bound in my spirit.
That is, Paul of his own self had a burning desire to go to Jerusalem.
I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city saying that bonds and afflictions of Biden.
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and to the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
We'll speak a little bit about the last part of the chapter later on, but let's stop there for a moment.
Here we have the Apostle Paul.
Speaking to these Ephesian elders, people that had been, you might say, some of the most highly privileged in the world.
And I think we can apply that to you and to me, can't we? I suppose you and I are among those who have been some of the most highly privileged in this world. Because on the one hand, we live in a country where there is freedom to come together, to read the Word of God, to travel from place to place, to hear the Word of God if necessary, to meet together, to open the Word of God and enjoy it together.
And on the other hand, we have, if we could put it this way, the material wealth and ability.
In a large measure, to be able to do that and things that you and I take for granted in North America.
I suppose the greater part of the world would only dream about that is in terms of what we take for granted in material things.
And more than that, those who are sitting in this room have, I think, pretty much for the most part.
Been on the receiving end of that same precious truth that the apostle is speaking about here. God in his wondrous goodness has allowed a recovery of it back in the 1800s. And you and I have been on the receiving end of that precious recovery of all those things, things that were lost to the vast majority of believers for centuries on end. I don't say that there weren't a few who appreciated them and enjoyed them.
00:15:02
I don't say that there weren't a few that entered into things in a very real way.
As a little example of that.
We had the privilege some years of gold being in Scotland.
And we were in a place called Saint Andrews on the seacoast on the east side of Scotland, on the North Sea, a very, very Old Town, very famous place. It's a university town. But I guess my interest in it went deeper than that because it was a Reformation town and it was the home of people like George Wishart and John Knox and other people who were on the, you might say, the, the forefront of the Reformation in Scotland.
And I remember particularly appreciating going to see the prison where George Wishart is still there, the very same prison where he was imprisoned for a month.
Back in the year 1546, and there's still a mark on the roadway there, about 3 feet in diameter, a big circle drawn, painted over in white and with the big initials GW painted in it as marking the spot where George Wishart was burned at the stake in that same year.
But you know, when you think of the light that that dear man had, we won't take too big of a digression, but it's a wonderful thing to see what he enjoyed because when he was going to be brought forth to be burned at the stake for his faith in Christ.
The captain of the soldiers, who was obliged to carry out the sentence was a Christian.
And he had no choice but to obey what orders he was given, but he was a believer in the Lord Jesus. And so he asked George Wishart. He said, have you got any last request that you would like before you're taken out this afternoon and burned at the stake? He said, is there anything that we could possibly do? He said, if it's within my power to do it, if there's any last request you have, I'll do it for you.
And it's recorded that George Wishart thought for a moment.
And then he said if it's possible, he said, get a few.
Believers together if you can, in this city, people that we know, people that we have enjoyed their love and their fellowship with, he said. Get them together, he said. I'd like to break bread one last time.
Well, the captain had the authority to do that, and so he went around the city. He sent messengers and they called different ones who were George Wishart's Christian friends. And the captain brought George Wishart under armed guard to his house.
And an eyewitness who was there tells what an experience it was to break bread with a man who was just about to go to be with Christ. And he said of all the people, George Wishart was the calm one. He was the one that calmed everybody else because they were upset and a little bit excited and a little bit concerned. And one man who was there said it was the most wonderful experience to see George Wishart quietly go and.
Gives thanks for that loaf and break it and give it to them and then give thanks for the cup.
1546, right at the beginning of the Reformation. Well, God had his witnesses way back then, and no doubt he had them even prior to that, during the dark ages when men like John Huss in Bohemia and George.
John Wickliffe in England stood firm for the name of Christ.
And stood firm for his claims probably 100 years before the Reformation started.
And so it was, but they didn't know what you and I know. They didn't enter into the preciousness of the heavenly calling of the Church the way you and I can today.
And so here the apostle Paul has something to say to these Ephesian elders.
There are three things that we've read here that we want to lay some emphasis on.
One is in verse 24 the gospel of the grace of God, and then in verse 25 the Kingdom of God, and then in verse 27 the counsel of God.
And the Apostle Paul's preaching was characterized by all three of those things.
He brings them before those Ephesian elders as being of very real importance.
We'll talk about them in a minute, but first of all, notice the spirit in which the apostle approached all this.
00:20:09
There is a right spirit in approaching all these things.
And the apostle in verse 19 recounts what kind of a man he had been.
You and I might think at first glance that there was an element of pride in drawing attention to himself and in the way that he had walked and lived among them, but I don't believe that was the case. Paul had a special place, and he was what we would call the standard bearer of Christianity. He was the one who kind of went before and pointed the way. It wasn't that he never made a mistake. And we've talked already about one of them right here, that he was heading to Jerusalem when he shouldn't have been.
And there were other things that Paul did that he had to apologize for later on. But nevertheless, Paul's life was an example so that he could say more than once in his epistles, Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ, because he pointed the way for the walk of a believer who walked in the heavenly calling of the church down here.
And he says in verse 19, serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations.
And then he says in verse 20, I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you. Let's remember, if we can, those things in our lives.
First of all, what should characterize the believer is humility.
And the pride that sometimes seems to be part and parcel of believers in this world is not of God. There are those who go out.
With a real pride in who they are and what they can do and what they know and so on.
And I say with all conviction and the scripture says so.
It tells us in Galatians, if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing, yet is he ought to know. Here was the greatest servant perhaps that the Lord ever had, and yet he has to say with all humility, Why was that? Oh, because when he really got into the depths of understanding of everything that God had given him, and ultimately given you and me too, it made him realize how little he was and how little he understood.
And how much more that humility is important to you and to me at the end of the dispensation, when so much failure has come in. As someone else has said, how utterly inappropriate it is for you and for me to be boasting that we have done great things, just at a time when the light has revealed how little we really have done and if God has granted a precious recovery of the truth.
In these last maybe 175 years.
Oh, it only sets in relief what a serious failure the church has been. And if God and His grace is granted a recovery of these things. Oh, humility is what belongs to us. And many tears, many tears. Why were there tears? Oh, because Paul had a care on the one hand for lost sinners, and he had a care on the one hand.
For the Saints of God. And he felt the difficulties and problems that were there. He says in Second Corinthians, who is weak and I am not weak? Who is offended and I burn not.
What did he mean by that? Did Paul get offended? I don't think he did, but he felt for those who did get offended, and he felt for those who were weak. Was Paul weak as a believer? No, he wasn't.
But he felt for those who were weak and were having difficulty in the Christian pathway. As a result, he felt for the conditions among the Saints of God.
And temptations O if you and I are going to live for Christ, we are going to.
Find that the devil brings temptations or testings into our lives and he is going to take every opportunity he can to trip you up. And I may say that the more you try to live for the Lord, the more that's going to happen.
I don't mean to imply that we are perhaps in this category, but I can remember my late father-in-law, Albert Hayhoe making the remark. He said Satan will pass by 1000 privates if only he can get a good shot at a general.
00:25:10
You know what he meant. A private is a fairly low rank in the army.
And Satan will pass by 1000 of them if he knows that perhaps he can get a good shot.
That's some key person. And so the devil knows who is out and out for the Lord, and the more you live for the Lord.
The more the temptations and testings are going to come. In Paul's case, it was largely the Jews, because they were dead set against Paul. They thought he was the biggest traitor they'd ever seen. Here he was their champion who was going about persecuting Christians with all his energy and zeal. And then all of a sudden when the Lord meets him on the road to Damascus, he turns right around and he's the biggest champion of Christianity. Well.
That's a wonderful story of the grace of God, isn't it?
But then he says I kept back nothing that was profitable under you. Oh, let us remember that. If God has given us more truth than other believers, and I believe He has, then we can do one of two things with it. I think we were talking about this some of us already this weekend. We can do one of two things with it. We can use it to distinguish and accredit ourselves.
Either individually or collectively, there's a danger of that, isn't it?
We could use it to accredit and distinguish ourselves, or we can use it.
For the benefit and blessing of the whole body of Christ.
Now, that doesn't mean that everyone is going to want to receive what you have to say. It doesn't mean that everyone is going to be willing to walk in the good of it.
But nevertheless it can be used for the benefit and the blessing of the whole body of Christ.
And so here the apostle says, I've showed you how I've taught you publicly and from house to house. That is, there was public preaching and then there was going from house to house.
We don't see as much of that today, do we?
But in foreign lands, if I can speak from experience, we do a lot of it because people want to have you come to their home. It's very, very important, for example, in the land Lake India, that you come to someone's home and that you take some refreshment there. Well, that can be a bit of a problem at times. And I can remember one dear brother who just about. Well, it was, what was it? He had coconut water, I think, and he just about.
Held my head and poured it down my throat. He was so anxious to have me drink that coconut water in his house. Not that I was turning it down, but he was going to make sure that I had it so that he could say that I visited his home and that I'd enjoyed some refreshment there. It's very important to them. But, you know, under those conditions, sometimes things come out that can't come out in a public gathering. And sometimes questions are raised and there are opportunities for discussions.
That you couldn't have in a large group. Same thing in Romania. All kinds of people want you to come to their home, come on over for coffee and dessert this evening. We'll have a reading together. And it's a real privilege to be able to do that. And so the apostle did all that kind of thing. And in a general way, his message is given in verse 21.
Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, on the one hand, the sin question had to be faced in God's presence.
But on the other hand, there was the recognition that God had provided the remedy in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And that there was not just the forgiveness of sins, but all that God has for us in Christ.
But then there are these three things mentioned here.
And we want to speak about them for a few moments.
Because all three characterize the apostles ministry and all three are very, very important. And there is a danger, at least in my estimation. Maybe others will differ, but there is a danger, it seems to me, among believers in being unbalanced in the way both that we receive and understand these things and in the way perhaps that we give them out.
00:30:00
The first one, as we already mentioned, is at the end of verse 24, he says.
None of these things move me, that is the difficulties and problems that might lie ahead. Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel.
Excuse me?
Of the grace of God.
All how important that is the gospel of the grace of God.
And the apostle Paul was, I suppose, more energetic than many, maybe anyone else in his time in preaching the gospel of the grace of God. And may I say to my own heart and to each one of us here, let us never lose sight of the preciousness of the gospel of the grace of God.
I believe I'm right in saying this and it's not that we would do it for that reason, but if there is no gospel outreach.
There is no blessing or little blessing in the assembly because we get like the Dead Sea over there in the land of Palestine, where all kinds of nice water flows into it from the Jordan River, but nothing ever goes out. And the Dead Sea is just as dead as the name. Nothing grows around it. Fish don't live in it. You can try swimming in it. You couldn't drown in it if you tried because it's got so many minerals in it. I've never been there, but those that have been there tell me that the water just tastes awful.
That's what happens if there's inflow but no outflow, and God wants there to be an outflow. And you know, the gospel of the grace of God here, I believe, was more than simply the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ, although I know it included that. No, Paul's gospel was what we might call a full gospel that preached not only the forgiveness of sins, but as we get in Scriptures like Romans 6 and Galatians 2 and 20 and others.
Deliverance not only from the penalty of sin, but from the power of sin. Deliverance not only from.
Well, let me rephrase that. Not only the forgiveness of the sins that we commit or have committed, but deliverance from the power of that old sinful self that we each have. Paul's gospel included all that. And you know, there are many who don't understand those things. There are many who don't know what it is to have deliverance from sin. There are many who don't know what it is to have the assurance of salvation.
And you can never really walk properly as a Christian unless you realize the fullness of the work of Christ and the magnitude of the grace of God. You cannot enjoy all the precious truths that come after this unless you have a clear understanding of the gospel of the grace of God. Many years ago, back in the 1800s, there was a Bible conference in a place, and I can't remember whether it was in North America or not, but.
Anyway, it was a small meeting and the well taught brother there raised the question at the beginning of the meetings. He said what shall we take up and someone suggested Ephesians.
Well, the old brother made a comment after the meetings. He said, you know, I wasn't so sure that we should have taken up Ephesians. He said, I thought perhaps we weren't quite up to that. He said, and I would have preferred to get back into Romans, but he said it doesn't really matter anyway because no matter where you read, you always end up back in Romans anyway. He had a good point because when you read that wonderful book of Ephesians, that tells us that we're risen and seated in heavenly places in Christ, and.
Blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And yet you go to the 4th chapter and here he has to tell those believers.
Not to steal, not to tell lies, not to get angry with one another, and so on. You say what you have to tell somebody that's risen and seated in heavenly places not to tell lies? Yes, you do. You have to tell them not to steal things. Yes, you do. Why? Because that old sinful self isn't any better just because we're in that position before God and we need to remember the full gospel.
And so let's not forget the gospel of the grace of God. And may we have, if I might suggest that evangelical spirit, we're not going to spend a lot of time talking about it, but I just say a few things. First of all.
00:35:14
Many years ago there was a man by the name of JB Dunlop. I never knew him. He died long before I was born. But I've read some things that he said and things that he wrote. And one thing he said in an address to young people at a Saint Louis conference back in about 1925, The last thing he said was referring to the last verse in second Peter 3, growing grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He said young people don't get into Iraq.
And it wasn't too long ago that I was talking to a brother who spends his full time in the work of the Lord, and he made a remark. He said we get into a rut here in North America sometimes. What did he mean by that? Oh, I believe he meant that sometimes we do things the way they were done 50 or 75 years ago because that's the way we've always done it. And don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that innovations are always good. I don't like innovations naturally. But nevertheless, God has his ways. And you know, there were times when 100 and 150 years ago when you could open a hall like this and.
Announce a gospel meeting and have every seat filled.
Or you could rent the local school room if it were in the winter time and have no problem filling it up with people. And the problems they were concerned about in those days was not whether people would come, but whether they'd have a preacher there, because there wasn't always someone that could adequately preach the gospel. So they would be worried about a preacher, not whether they'd have people to come. Now we have the opposite problem. But, you know, we have to be sensitive to the day in which we live and to the way in which the Lord would have us preach the gospel.
And whether it's right to focus our efforts in one way or another, we have to be exercised before the Lord about it. All I'm saying is that I believe God gives the wisdom for the day in which we live as to the right way of reaching out to souls with the gospel. Sometimes it has to be done on an individual basis, on a one to one basis. And you know, far more people are saved by that means than by preaching from a platform.
And so we need to have that before us.
You know that I'm not here to try and get recruits for the work of the Lord in foreign lands. But I do say that with communication what it is today, and travel what it is today, there are wonderful opportunities in foreign countries. And of course, sometimes those dear brethren in those countries and believers there do a better job evangelizing than we do. But sometimes they need some help to get started. Sometimes they need someone to point the way and encourage them.
And I can still remember hearing the words of a man from, I think it was South Korea who came over to the United States and.
He couldn't believe the wealth and the prosperity here. And his comment was he was a Christian. He said, you know, this country has the potential to evangelize this world if they would do it. Well, they are doing it. They are doing it to a large extent. But I just say that I believe God would give us opportunities in the gospel if we would ask him to show us the way.
Well then we go on to verse 25, and here we find another dimension, he says.
And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
The Kingdom of God, what does that mean? That's a different word. It's a different dimension of things. And the order here is significant. The Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God? Well, let's turn to a verse or two. And we can't turn to all of them. There are so many. But turn to a couple of verses that mention the Kingdom of God. Luke's gospel, perhaps chapter 17 would mention the Kingdom of God.
This is from the lips of the Lord Jesus.
Luke 17.
Verse. Well, let's read from verse 20.
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the Kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said.
The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation, neither shall they say, lo here, or lo there. For behold, the Kingdom of God is not within you, but among you. Is more accurate among you.
00:40:03
The Kingdom of God is among you.
Now turn over to 1St Corinthians chapter 6.
And we'll find some references to the Kingdom of God in Paul's epistles to show how he preached it.
1St Corinthians 6 and verse 9.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God?
Be not deceived neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abuses of themselves with mankind, nor thieves nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
Now turn to Galatians Chapter 5. We'll see another reference along similar lines.
Galatians, chapter 5.
Verse 19.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, which craft hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like. Of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, but the fruit of the Spirit is Lovejoy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, face, meekness, temperance.
Against such there is no law.
One more verse, Ephesians 5.
Ephesians chapter 5.
Give me a moment here.
Thank you, I was just going to say if someone sees it call it out. Ephesians 5 verse 5 For this she know that no *********** nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
So what is the thought in the Kingdom of God? O the Lord Jesus came into this world to set up a Kingdom, and had he been accepted, he would have set up that Kingdom.
And there were moral characteristics that God commanded, that God demanded in that Kingdom.
And if you read, for example, in Matthew 5-6 and seven, which is conventionally called the Sermon on the Mount, you find those characteristics of God's Kingdom went far beyond the law, showing that man needed a new life to be part of that Kingdom. And when the apostle Paul preached, he pointed out to people the things that were not compatible with that Kingdom, such as what we've been reading in Corinthians and Galatians and Ephesians.
The Lord Jesus could say the Kingdom of God is among you, meaning himself.
Every characteristic of God's Kingdom was exemplified in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why is this so important? Oh beloved brethren, and I speak to my own heart. You and I are part of a Kingdom that isn't manifested yet. The king, the rightful king, has been disowned. He's been rejected. And so he hasn't taken his rightful place and ruled over this world yet. He's coming. He will do that in the coming day. And there is a day when those things that characterize his Kingdom.
Will be enforced all over the world, but that time hasn't come yet. But is there a Kingdom? Yes, thank God. There are those who recognize the rightful king. There are those who recognize that one whom God has set on his right hand of power as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And in that sense, we're part of the Kingdom of God.
Oh, if we acknowledge the rightful King, then how important that our walk and our testimony be in keeping with that. And, you know, sometimes we can neglect that. There is a kind of spirit abroad among some Christians today that says, oh, it doesn't matter because if you know Christ as your Savior, all your sins are forgiven anyway. And so it doesn't matter how you live or what you do because after all, it's all been settled.
00:45:10
A terrible attitude which the Word of God speaks of as turning the grace of God into lasciviousness that means.
Using the grace of God as an excuse to sin. There are others who go to another extreme and say, well, boy, people won't behave unless you put them back under law again. And I had a man in a foreign country tell me, he said when I tried to tell him that we could be saved and never lost again, he said, well, that teaching might work in North America, but it sure won't work over here. He was a true believer, too. He said, you don't have any idea how these people would misbehave if we told them that.
You don't have any idea what kind of lives they lead if we somehow, if they somehow understood that once they were saved, they could never be lost, he said. We have to keep them a little bit scared so that they'll behave and the fear of their being lost is enough of a deterrent so that they leave godly lives.
I thought what a way to live Christianity out. What a misunderstanding of the grace of God.
We'll get to that in a moment or two. The Kingdom of God, very, very important. And we can neglect that aspect of things if we're not careful. And if we do, then people aren't going to want to hear the gospel of the grace of God from someone whose life and whose walk is not in keeping with the Kingdom of God. Because the world is watching and they know what a Christian should be like, even though they're not doing it and they're watching.
Well now finally, in verse 27, I have not shunned to declare unto you all but counsel of God.
The counsel of God.
Again, I suggest an order here if you are really going to appreciate and enjoy the counsel of God. You have first to have understood and believed the gospel and then to have taken heed to the Kingdom of God and to those things that are important for us as being part of God's Kingdom.
But the Council of God, Oh dear brethren, that's something that is so vast, so wonderful, that it's going to take us an eternity to take it in.
Turn just to one scripture that brings it before us.
Ephesians, chapter one.
Ephesians 1.
Verse 9.
Having made known unto us the mystery or the secret of His will.
According to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. Even in Him in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated, according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. Oh, these most majestic words.
Are something that the Lord Jesus could say to his disciples. Many kings and prophets have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them now they hadn't learned these things yet, but they would in a future time when the Lord would give them to the apostle Paul by revelation. And the precious truth of the church is a secret that was hid in God way back from a past eternity. And if you'd asked someone like Moses or Noah or David.
Or Isaiah or any of those Old Testament Saints about what it meant to be part of the church, about what God was going to do, about heading up everything in Christ. They would have had to say, I don't know what you're talking about. I've never heard anything like that. And so they didn't, they didn't know that secret.
But God has revealed it to us. You know, sometimes children like to tell secrets to one another, and when I went to public school, there was often a certain perverse delight in knowing something and having some little secret and not telling anybody else.
And you relate, relate to that. And sometimes it's not just children that do it too. Children know how to do it out in the open. But even grown-ups, it's kind of fun, if we're not careful, to know something that someone else doesn't know and take a perverse pleasure in not telling them and letting someone else know. But keeping someone else in the dark. Yeah, we know all about that. Well, God doesn't do that. But there is such a thing in Scripture as being privileged to be.
00:50:15
In On God's Secret.
Just because we were born during this time when God is calling out of people for the church.
And so God is in dealing with nations today, He's dealing with individuals whom he's calling out to form part of his church. And he doesn't just want you to know that you're saved and that you're going to heaven when you're finished. No, no, He wants far more than that. God wants you to enjoy everything that is yours in Christ.
All the counsel of God, Paul said, we don't have time to go into that tonight, but it reminds me of a good story, and maybe we'll just tell it. One time there was a young man and he was living, I think, on the East Coast of the United States. And maybe if you've heard this story before, you won't mind if I tell it again, But he just had a very average job. He was a single young fellow, and for some reason he badly wanted to go on a cruise.
He thought that that would just be it, to be able to be on one of those big cruise ships and go down somewhere to the Caribbean and, you know, you just enjoy every day you get up and there would be the beautiful blue ocean around you and maybe you'd dock in Hamilton, Bermuda for a day and then you'd go down to the Bahamas, to Nassau and one thing to another. Anyway, he saved his money, saved it up, saved it up, saved it up until one day he was able to afford a ticket.
And go on, I think it was a two week cruise. Well, he had a wonderful time. He really enjoyed this great big ship. And of course it had all the amenities on it. It had gym rooms where you could work out. It had.
Swimming pools and all kinds of things, everything that you could want, it was there. I don't know, I've never been on a cruise ship, but they tell me this anyway. And so he was there.
Having a good time. Well, they were on the return trip because they had to come back to New York and it was about day 10 or day 11. And he was up on the deck enjoying the nice sunshine. And he got into conversation with another young man there. And they found that they were both from New York and they were both single. And they both did a little bit the same kind of work. They had a lot of things that were in common. And so they chatted away. It was late afternoon and after a while the other young man looked at his watch and he said save almost time for dinner.
He said, I'll tell you what he said there are a couple of other people on the ship that I know. He said have you got any, any plans for dinner tonight? Any friends you're supposed to be eating with? And the young man quite truthfully said no. Well the other young man said join us at our table tonight. He said, I'd like you to meet some others of my friends and be nice to have you as company with us. So you join us at our table tonight.
Well, the first young man kind of got embarrassed and he stammered and stuttered a little bit and finally he said, well, it's OK. He said no, no thank you. He said, I'll, I'll, I'll be all right. But the other young man wasn't going to be put off. He said, come on. And he said, I enjoy your company. You already said you had no plans. And so come on. I would really like you to have fellowship at our table.
So then the other young man, he finally had to fess up and tell the whole truth. He said, well, he said, I'll tell you I don't have very much money. And I had to save for a long, long time to get this ticket on this ship. And it took every cent I had. And he said I could not afford to go to the dining room and pay the kind of prices that I know they would charge in those menus. And I know I've kind of glanced in from time to time and I've seen the kind of food that's served there.
I couldn't afford that, so he said I just bought myself a few good bricks of cheese before I left home and some boxes of crackers and stuff like that, He said. And he said I'm just so happy to be on the ship and enjoying all this. But he said I just, if you don't mind, he said that's the situation, so I'll just go to my room and have some crackers and cheese.
Well, I think some of you have probably guessed what was going on. Then it was the other young man's turn to look astonished. And he said, I don't believe this.
I don't believe this, he said. Don't you realize that your ticket entitles you to go to the dining room and order anything you want? He said All the meals are included. You don't have to pay extra. We don't pay. We just go and sit down at the table and there's a menu and the waitress and servers there bring everything and we just enjoy it, he said. I can't believe it. How did you get so misinformed?
00:55:24
Well, as you may well imagine, the first young man did his best in the last three or four days to make up for lost time. I don't suppose he quite could do so, but he very happily joined the other young man at the table, and they had a wonderful time.
But he'd gone about 10 or 11 days eating crackers and cheese, and you and I get a smile out of that story. It's a true story.
But are we crackers and cheese Christians sometimes. Do we live on crackers and cheese and just happy that we're on the ship and we're going to heaven instead of enjoying everything God has for us? Oh, that's what it means here, the Council of God.
The counsel of God.
But our time is nearly gone. Just a couple of quick comments about the last part of the chapter. Because when the apostle brings before the Ephesian elders all these things.
He brings before them some important things, because these should be kept in balance. I have seen dear believers who got so taken up with the counsel of God.
Maybe you can relate to this. I can. Who got so taken up with the counsel of God that they didn't think it was worthwhile to bother preaching the gospel of the grace of God anymore?
Or they got so taken up with the counsel of God that they didn't worry about the Kingdom of God and didn't worry whether their lives were a good testimony or not. Because the counsel of God, that's what counts.
And then I've known others who got so taken up with the gospel of the grace of God that they didn't think they had time.
To learn about the counsel of God, I had a dear brother in Christ not gathered to the Lord's name, but he told me, he said.
I'm concerned about all the sinners that are going to hell in this world. I haven't got time to.
Waste on these points of teaching and doctrine that you find so interesting, he said. I'm out here to get lost. Sinners to be saved.
That what Scripture teaches God our Savior, it says in first Timothy, two, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. God doesn't put importance more on one than on the other, does he? I have no dear believers who have got so taken up.
But the Council of with the Kingdom of God, that they didn't think the Council of God was worth worrying about because they thought it's just more important to live a godly life. But as to what's happening down the road, well, we'll find that out when it comes. And they miss a great deal.
Well it says here in verse 28.
Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves. Excuse me.
And to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost have made you Overseers, now notice this to feed the.
Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
That could read the church, which he has purchased with the blood of his own, meaning his own son.
We need to recognize the price that was paid for our redemption. We need to recognize the preciousness of the church to Christ. And then these things, I believe, will be kept in proper balance.
And then the apostle issues a warning in verses 29 and 30. He says in verse 29 that grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock. And in verse 30.
Just a moment.
Something even more serious.
Of your own self shall men arise also, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
What was the remedy?
Verse 32 I commend you to God.
And to the word of his grace.
You know this is collective, but it's also individual.
And if you were going to walk before the Lord, more especially in these last days.
There has to be an individual.
Relationship with the Lord. And I say that even for the younger ones here, if you're old enough to read, you're old enough to read the Bible for yourself. If you're old enough to pray, you're old enough to pray yourself. I don't say that it isn't nice to pray collectively as a family and as an assembly. That's very important. But nothing, nothing substitutes for personal reading of the Word of God and personal prayer because these two things never change. God in the word of His grace.
01:00:25
Paul knew that down the road trouble was going to come in, the church was going to give up all of those good things he had taught them, and by Second Timothy it was already starting to happen. But Paul says, remember, I warned you.
And the seeds of the problem were already there, because notice what happens at the end of the chapter in verse 37. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more.
They accompanied him into the ship. Do you think Paul was pleased with that? I suppose in one sense we might be flattered by that attention and by the love that was displayed there. And I am sure Paul did appreciate the love that was displayed and the sorrow, no doubt, that he felt imparting from those believers whom he didn't feel he would see again. But notice the way the Scripture puts it, they sorrowed most of all.
For the fact that they wouldn't see Paul anymore.
Oh, there was already the seeds of a problem there. They should have sorrowed more for what Paul had told them about the grievous wolves that would enter in, and about how the men from among their own selves would arise and speak perverse things.
But they had their eyes on a man already, instead of on the Lord. They had their eyes on the beloved Apostle Paul.
And as a result, there wasn't the watching and the care. And 30 years after this or thereabouts, when the apostle John is writing the Book of Revelation.
What does he ask to have to say to this very same assembly through the Spirit of God? Oh, they were doing everything right. They were going on in a very, very good way outwardly. But he says I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. And it was the beginning of the end, because their eye instead of being on the Lord, and instead of on that Blessed One, and instead of on God's word.
Was somehow beginning to drift and as a result there were problems that came in.
Well, we'll stop there because these things are important. They're real to us. And I believe if if the apostle Paul could issue these warnings in his day, you and I need them in our date.
The Son of God Dealing With Individuals in John
Address—C. Hendricks
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Tonight by singing 230.
Oh Lord, when we the path retrace.
Which thou on earth is tried to demand thy wondrous love and grace, thy faithfulness to God.
We wonder if thy lowly mind and Fain would like thee be.
And all our rest and pleasure find in learning Lord of the 230.
Oh Lord, when we.
Reach. No wonder.
I ask God.
I won't grant.
Blood and grace.
To God.
Unpaid.
Fullness.
Of.
Light.
Body. It's thy fall.
I say.
Tell us.
A dawn.
Of our so great chameleons.
By Earthlings Miles.
To the heart of Cross.
We are.
Praying.
I was.
Meditating quite recently.
On the Gospel of John and it struck me how many times the Lord Jesus dealt with individuals and when we think of the first chapter of John's Gospel.
00:05:06
Just look at a couple verses here. We know it well. In the beginning was the Word, The Word was with God and the Word was God. Here's this person that was here is here called the Word, the very expression of God and.
He was in the beginning with God, and all things were made by him.
Without him was not anything made that was made, and him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And it says in the 14th verse the Word became flesh and.
Dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, John writes. We beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
And then John bear witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake. He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received in grace, for grace, or grace upon grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. And then that tremendous 18th verse, No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son.
Which is in the bosom of the Father. He hath declared him. So now we know who God is. We know what God is like because the sun has come and and declared him. Well, I don't want to dwell on this first chapter. We could spend a lot of time on that precious chapter. But I want to look at turn to the second chapter. Now on the end of the chapter I want to look at some individuals that this one who is the word.
The Son of God, eternal, with the Father from all eternity, dwelt in his bosom, and does dwell there. He came down to where we are. The Word became flesh, dwelt among us tremendous truth, The end of the second chapter says now, when he was verse 23. Now when he was in Jerusalem, at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them.
Because he knew all men and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man.
Now the next chapter should begin with a, but if you look at it in the new translation.
But there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him his.
State of soul was such that as he says here, he says to the Lord.
He came by night and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher, come from God, for no man could do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Here was a religious man, a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews. He was in the upper strata of society, and he comes by night. He didn't want to, evidently. He didn't want to be seen coming to the Lord. The Pharisees were his chief opponents and enemies, and he was a Pharisee.
But he was different. There was, I believe, that God had begun working in his soul, and though he didn't come in the in the broad daylight, he came by night. And he says to him, he comes as a teacher to a teacher and he has to be taught, and he's going to get some teaching here that is way beyond what he expected.
So he says to him Rabbi dresses him, and with a title that that would indicate that he's pretty much Nicodemus thoughts pretty much on the same level as this other teacher. And he says, we know that thou art a teacher, come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him. He had come to to see that.
That no one could do the miracles that he did that but God was with him, and now the Lord he he immediately passes by what Nicodemus has said. And he says to him, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee.
Except a man be born again. He cannot see the Kingdom of God. What a statement. What a statement. Now he's. He's not addressing this.
00:10:08
Poorest American woman that we'll look at in a moment in the 4th chapter. He's not addressing a down and outer, he's addressing an up and outer, if you will. He's addressing a very learned, educated man, a ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee. And he starts with the most basic and fundamental truth that even the the best of men had to learn that except a man be born again, he cannot see.
He cannot see the Kingdom of God, can't even see it, much less enter into it.
Verily, verily, that means truly, truly. This is of a truth. When he repeats that, it's extremely important. Verily, verily, I say unto you unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Now the Jews were very proud, very proud. Race. They looked at themselves as being a cup above the Gentiles far above them, in other words, in fact, they they looked down upon them, and here was one who was.
The representative of the the the Jewish religion and thought highly naturally Speaking of himself as the Pharisees. Did you remember in Luke 18? I think it is the there was a there was a poor publican and there was this Pharisee and the Pharisee prayed, I thank you. I'm not like other men. I, I, I give ties that fast twice in the week. Not like this poor publican thinking himself so much better. Well that's that's the kind of a man that the Lord was dealing with here.
And so he goes right to the to the root need that man had. And that is he needed a new life. He needed to be born again. I I think of the the story of a father whose daughter was taking piano lessons and she was doing quite well. And so he said to the teacher, he said I'd like to learn how to play the piano too. And she said, all right, Sir, that's very nice. And so she got out to book one.
And she handed it to the man and she said, now you study this and you go through the lessons. And her, his daughter was in book 5. And he said, you mean I have to start in book one? That's where my daughter started. That's right. So you have to start in the beginning. And that's what the Lord is saying to Nicodemus here, who who had all the religion that you can think of. It was coming out everywhere his religion. But religion doesn't save anyone.
Religion doesn't give us a new life. Only the Lord Jesus can do that, and so he.
He goes to the very root of the problem that all men have, no matter what strata they might be in, and he was in way up here, and in danger of thinking himself so much superior to the rest of humanity.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus now hearers this very intelligent grown adult man. He says. How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born, showing he had the foggiest notion of what the Lord was talking about?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water. Now he said in the 1St place, except a man be born again or anew, a fresh start.
Now he he he says water and of the Spirit. Water is always a picture in Scripture of the Word of God, and Peter speaks of that. He says, being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. So Spirit of God uses his word to to reach the conscience of the soul and to enter into that soul, and then he imparts divine life when that soul believes the word of God.
Well, that's a that's a work of God. And that's where the work of God has to begin in a man's soul, whether he's a educated, learned professor in some university or head of the religious system that was recognized by the Jews and the Lord was a Jew, of course he would know about that, but he starts at the very beginning.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit. He cannot enter the Kingdom of God, can't see it without the new birth, and can't enter it. You can go to the highest universities and the highest colleges and universities. And your instructor, your professor, if he has not been born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God, he cannot enter it, and nor can he even see it. It's outside of his realm. He He can't see it without a new life.
00:15:21
Very basic, fundamental truth.
And so he says, except a man be born of water. As the word of God is being used by the Spirit of God, the Spirit is the active agent. He uses the word of God to bring about a new life. The word is presented to his soul, and he lays hold upon that, and he believes that. And he's born of water and of the spirit. Unless that's the case, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. You can educate it, you can train it, you can sublimate it, you can do everything to it, give it every possible advantage.
That man can give it, send them to the to the highest college and to get his PhD in all this.
That which is one of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, and that is what is born of the flesh Partakes of the nature of the flesh, and that which is born of the spirit partakes of the nature of the Spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, This was this was teaching that he had never heard before. And he says, Marvel not that I said unto thee, must be born again. I remember a man said to a Christian, Why do you Christians always say he must be born again?
And he looked him right in the eye and he said, because he must be born again, you need a new life, a new beginning. And I'm not saying any truth here that is new to you, but it's the very starting point of a relationship with God.
He must be born again. Marvel not that I said this to thee. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit. That's the work of the Spirit of God. It's not the work of man. It's not the work of some Bible college. It's not the work of some theological seminary. It's the work of a in a soul that is reading God's word, and the Spirit of God is applying it and bringing it home in power to that soul and when he believes it.
Born again, and he has divine life. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master, a teacher of Israel? And knoweth not these things? He should have known that a new life was needed from the Old Testament.
Now in verse 11 is probably the most profound verse in the Gospel of John. Well, verily, verily, I say unto thee, notice the singular, I say unto thee. And then he changes to the plural. We speak that we do know and testify that we have seen, and you receive not our witness. And then he goes back to the singular. If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not so on, who's the we, who's the plural? We and our in that verse.
11 And they said, Godhead, it's the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It's God himself. And the Lord speaks as a divine person, as one who is one of the three persons in the Blessed Trinity.
And he's the only one that can say that we speak, that we do know when he spoke.
What he said he knew was the truth. It was given to him of the Father to say, and he spoke with absolute, absolute authority and certainty. Now we can't say that because we're very fallible. But here was one who was infallible. God himself and the whole Trinity is involved in that.
Whenever God speaks, man had better listen. We speak that we do know and testify that we have seen and ye receive not our witness. What a sad conclusion to that verse. Man naturally speaking religious man, religious man. Religion never saved anyone. What religion does if it gives some man something to do by which he himself, in his own efforts and strength, can gain acceptance with God.
And that is the lie of the devil. Man can't get there that way. He has to get there by believing the word of God.
And the Spirit of God, and by being born of the Spirit and born of God.
If I spoken, if I told you worth three things and you believe not, how should you believe? If I tell you of heavenly things, well, we have a lot of individuals to look at in John's gospel, so let's turn to the 4th chapter. Nicodemus was the upper crust of society. Now we're going to get to 1 who was at the very lowest part of society.
00:20:22
It says in verse three he left Judea and departed again into Galilee Chapter 4 verse.
For and he must needs go through Samaria. Why did he have to go through Samaria? Because there was one person. There was one person that he had to meet and bring out of darkness into his marvelous life, from death to life and the power of Satan to God. One person that marvelous that this, this unique person, the Son of God the Word became flesh. He bothers to speak to individuals.
Nicodemus was one came by night as beautiful to trace Nicodemus. In the 7th chapter he comes out more boldly for the Lord. And then at the resurrection he was there with Joseph to take his body and prepare it for burying. Beautiful. We will definitely meet.
Nicodemus in Heaven.
So it says he must needs go through Samaria verse five. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria which is called Psycho.
To the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well and it was about the 6th hour. Lord traveled. He couldn't have cars back then. He didn't travel by horseback. He traveled by foot and he was worried with his journey and he sat on the well. It was about the 6th hour middle of the day.
Time when the they wouldn't come to draw water. They came at the end of the day. John gives us Roman time. It gives us the time that we have. The other Gospels give you Jewish time.
Now Jacob's well was there.
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water.
Now that must have been quite an embarrassing situation here. This Samaritan woman comes expecting to find no one there, and here's this Jew sitting there on the well.
Worried with his journey. Now the Samaritans have no dealings with the Jews and the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. This was a very awkward situation. Who's going to break the ice, so to speak? He does. He does.
He says to her.
Give me to drink.
He asks a favor of her. This Jew. That's what she saw at this point.
To drink.
Disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat, He he kind of by doing that, by asking this question, he breaks down the the, the awkwardness of the situation and the barrier that was there. And she says Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, ask us drink of me, which I'm a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans?
She was amazed that he would he would humble himself to the point where he would ask a favor of the Samaritan. That was not like a normal Jew at all.
Notice his answer.
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, that word gift, is from the same root as grace. Let's just replace it with grace. If you knew the grace of God, the free giving of God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, though it's have asked of him. And he would have given thee in grace, He would have given thee.
Living water. Living water.
This is not living water, what I hold in my hand here.
It will satisfy my thirst for a short time, but now he offers to this woman who came at a time when she wouldn't be discovered and she wouldn't be noticed by others. They didn't come at that time.
And if she finds him there, he went there to meet her.
00:25:00
And he went out of his way. Jews didn't go through Samaria. They went around Samaria. Generally speaking, there was Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. Right in between was Samaria. And that's where he goes. And he sits wearied on the well.
And the woman says to him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From whence then hast thou that living water? Living water is a picture, a type of a Holy Spirit, which he's going to give to this woman as he's given to each one of us. Not only are we born of the Spirit John 3 but he gives the Holy Spirit to indwell us, John Four, and to live within us, and to be the the power of worship.
In the 7th chapter he's represented as a river of living waters, pulling out from one's belly, or inmost being as the power of service. But here it's this goes on to worship in this chapter. But I'm getting ahead, and she says, Sir, thou has nothing to draw with. The well is deep. From whence and hast saw that living water Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself and his children and his cattle All she didn't know.
Who he was.
Was he greater than Jacob? Infinitely greater? Ah, yes, Jesus answered and said unto her.
Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. She had a need. She had a life that was ruined by sin.
And she had a deep need, and she was trying to find satisfaction by the gratification of the flesh, and it had failed miserably.
And he offers her this living water, this refreshment, this source of refreshment that would be in you. He says, that will spring up like a like an artesian well in your soul unto eternal life, while he goes on to speak, that whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, never thirst forever, is the force. It's a strengthened negative in the original. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him.
A well of water doesn't quite get the sense a fountain of water. It's not just the well that you have to dip a bucket into and draw it up, but it's like an artesian well. It springs up a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life, eternal life.
In that third chapter he said to this religious leader that she had to be You have to be born again. And then he unfolds eternal life like in John 316. For God so loved the world, He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life and.
Here again, now he's got this living water that if one drinks of that, it will be the the, the power of the new life that one has.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hit her to draw. You see, he awakens her desire. After this she she was living a life which made her miserable, did not satisfy her soul.
Now he offers her something that would give lasting and eternal satisfaction. Give me this water that I thirst not, neither come hit her to draw.
Jesus saith unto her goat.
Call my husband and come visit.
Why did he have to say that?
That touches the root of her problem.
And he lets her know. I know all about you.
It's so precious. After he tells her that he knew all about her life, she could go away and say he offered me living water before he exposed to me that he knew all about me.
Because when he saves your soul, he knows all about you before he ever saves you so and afterward as well.
Well, she says to him. I have no husband.
Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband, for thou hast had five husbands.
And he whom thou hast is not thy husband. The man she was living with at that time she wasn't even married to. In that sense thou truly, let's turn down.
00:30:00
That he knows all about her.
God is love. That's the first part of this. And God is light. That's this part.
He has to reach the conscience. To Nicodemus God is light 1St and then God is flower.
I have no husband, Alice well said I have no husband. Alice had five, And he whom thou hast is not thy husband. In that sets out truly the woman saith unto him. Now she's the light of his words, that that his words, entering into the soul, bring to the soul. She says, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
It's amazing how a religion, a person of this character, can get religious all of a sudden and and bring in a religious thing because he had asked her a question that was extremely embarrassing.
To her.
She wants to engage him now in the difference between the.
Her father's, which were the Samaritans, a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, with the Jews of Jerusalem.
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. You say that, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, woman, believe me, the hour cometh, and when you shall neither in this mountain he was in Samaria, and this mountain there, nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. That time has come, beloved, and for 2000 years now nearly that time has has been.
The dispensation, the Christian dispensation, which in which we did, we worship the Father and Spirit of the truth. He says to her, Ye worship, you know not what, in other words, he's telling this Samaritan woman, you don't know what you worship. God doesn't own Samaria. We know what we worship for salvation of the Jews. God owns the Jews positionally, not the Samaritans. She tells her that. But then he says there's there's something altogether new.
That's all going to be set aside. The hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father seeketh such to worship him. Now I imagine that every one of you, if you were asked, would you have, would you have taught that truth to this Samaritan woman, Lord Christian society, or to Nicodemus? Nicodemus is a religious man. He's the one that he should have. He should have spoken about worship to, no?
What he said to Nicodemus is you need to be born again. You need a new life. All your religion counts for nothing. You can't even see or enter the Kingdom of God without the new birth. But to this woman who was trying to find satisfaction by in the flesh.
He offers a fountain, springing up to everlasting life, leading to worship the true worship of the Father.
The hour cometh in thou is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit.
And in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. That's wonderful, deep truth that he's unfolding to this Samaritan woman, Not the Nicodemus, not to the ruler of the Jews, but to the Samaritan woman.
The woman says to him. I know that the science cometh.
Which is called Christ. The word Messiah is the Hebrew word for the Anointed one, and the word Christ is the Greek word for the Anointed one. They both meet the same thing.
When he has come, he will tell us all things. There's two men. There's two people in the Gospel of John that he reveals himself to, and she's the first one, the Samaritan woman. How did you not a Jewish, not a Samaritan woman? Jesus says to her, I that speak unto thee and he.
I am he.
And upon this came his disciples, and marveled that he talked with the woman, with his Samaritan woman. Yet no man said, what seekest thou, or why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, she becomes an evangelist. Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this to Christ?
00:35:06
Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
Meanwhile his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat, he said unto them, I have meat to eat that she know not of. He had brought a soul out of darkness into his marvellous light.
And that was food for his, for him. I have meat to eat.
That she know not to.
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
It's beautiful in this very gospel. It's on the cross. When he cries, it is finished. He finished the work that the Father had given him to do.
And then it says, We just pass on to verse 39 Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they they sought him, that he would tarry with them, and he abode there two days, and many more believed because of his own word, and said unto the woman, Now we believe not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves.
And know that this is indeed the Christ the Savior.
Of the world.
Tremendous light had come in and brought them out of darkness.
In the 5th chapter, I don't want to say too much. There's this impotent man, and he's been a long time, 38 years by the pool of Bethesda and verse 6. Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been there now a long time. In that case you sayeth unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered and said, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the into the pool. But while I am coming another step, it's down before me.
He didn't have the power to meet the condition that was necessary to get healed.
He had to get into the pool before anyone else and he couldn't do that. He was, as it says in Romans 5, he was without strength.
He was impotent. And so the Lord doesn't put him into the pool. The Lord just says, take up thy bed and walk. He heals him, and immediately the man was made whole and took up his bed and walked. And on the same day was the Sabbath. Many times you'll find that the healing that he does here in the Gospel of John, of course John presents him at Jerusalem, that were his enemies were the greatest and strongest. He didn't have so many enemies in Galilee.
Here he has enemies and.
This man is now healed. The Jews asked him whether he had said some lawful for you to carry your bed on the Sabbath day. The Lord had told him to do that, to get thy bed and walk. He said, the end. He that made me whole the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
Then ask him, what man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed and walk. You see this, this man, this man, the Lord Jesus? He was the one that gave the the, the law to Moses. He was the the one that gave it to him, and he's the one that can.
If necessary, overwriting by grace. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The law never saved anyone. The law can condemn. The law can send you to hell because you break it, but it can't save you.
It holds out the promise of life and blessing to the obedient, but there are none.
There are none. They're all disobedient.
And so it could only kill and condemn and curse and slay.
They asked him in verse 12, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed and walk. And he that was healed was not who it was, For Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Isn't that strange, that this man that was healed like this didn't even find out who it was, Didn't know.
I don't know whether there was any work of God in his soul.
Either was healed, was not who it was, for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward, verse 14 Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, the heart made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole.
00:40:08
Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day. They were so tied up with their legalistic ordinances that they totally missed who it was that was in their midst.
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work even on the Sabbath day. Yes, they were God was working in grace for the blessing of man. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, I thought, but said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Well, they were right there. They realized that when he called God my Father, that he was on the same level as Father.
And so he was.
He goes on to say verse 20, The Father loveth the Son, and showed him all things that himself doeth. He will show him greater works than these that she may marvel.
And so on We can't.
Spend too much time on this. Let's turn to the 8th chapter.
The 8th chapter. This is a very interesting portion in some manuscripts. In some Greek manuscripts, this portion of scriptures taken out. It should be there. It is scripture.
Let's read the end of the 7th chapter.
Verse 46 verse 45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees.
And they said unto them, Why have you not brought him? They had sent these officers to bring him, to bring the Lord to them. Notice their answer, the officers answered. Never man spake like this man.
They were just so totally odd at the words that he spoke, at the power that emanated from this person.
Then answer them. The Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? Ah, there was one. There was one, the one that came to Jesus by night, called Nicodemus, that needed to be born again. But this people who know not the law are cursed, know wrong. It's not the people that don't know the law that are cursed, it's those who do know it and then break it. They're the ones that are cursed by it.
Nicodemus saith unto them, He that came to Jesus by 19 One of them doth our law. Judge any man before I hear him, and know what he doeth.
Good question. You can see that God is working in his soul. He's making progress.
They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look for out of Galilee Ariseth No, prophet, they're wrong again. Jonah came from Galilee.
He came from Galilee, so they're dead wrong even in their theology.
And every man went unto his own house. Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives.
Now notice and early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him, and he sat down and taught them.
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery. Now he'd already dealt with this Samaritan woman, offered her living water, and revealed himself to her. John. 4 Now they bring this woman that was taken in the adulterous act they had set her, when they had set her in the midst. They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act.
That means that the man was caught too. But where was he?
The scripture says in the Old Testament that if two are found lying together, they're both to be stoned, but they only brought the woman.
They didn't care one bit about this woman or about the man that was with her.
They were trying to trap the Lord, as they often did.
They say, master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act almosis and the law commanded us that such should be stoned at. Once they stop, they thought they had him between the horns of the dilemma. If he said stone her, you don't have any mercy. If he said let her go free, you're not keeping the law of Moses.
00:45:05
How Moses.
This they said verse 6 tempting him that they might have to accuse him.
But Jesus stooped down and with his finger rolled on the ground. Be as though they He heard them, not as added by the translators. He wrote on the ground. Now the law was written by the finger of God, and He's the one that wrote it. Way back when those two tables of stone were given by God Jehovah to Moses, written with the finger of God. Now here's the finger of God in human form, now the Lord Jesus.
Writing on the ground. I don't know what he was writing. Maybe he was writing. Thou shalt not commit adultery. We don't know what he was writing. That was the.
6th commandment not 7.
But he.
He started. He wrote on the ground and didn't answer them.
King James says as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself and said unto them.
He that is without sin among you.
Let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down and reeled on the ground. You know, the law was given twice. It was given the first time where was pure law? And before Moses could come down from the mount, the people that made a golden calf and were dancing around it. And had he brought that law into that camp, they would have all died and perished because they broke it. They broke the very first three commandments. I should have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make any graven image of anything in heaven and earth. They'd done that. And thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God. In vain. They've done that. They said tomorrow is a feast of Jehovah, putting the name of the true God to their idolatry.
And when they heard the law, they said, all the Lord has said we will do and obey. Then when they before it even came into the camp, it broken it.
Terribly broken it. And so he says to them, let him that is without sin. Do you want to apply the law to this woman which will condemn her to death? If you're without sin, you cast the first stone. The law condemned them all, every last one of us. And so it does every one of us. And we're fools if we put ourselves under it.
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her, and again he stooped down and rode on the ground.
They which heard it being convicted by their own conscience went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last, and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing.
In the midst now he had said, he did this without sin. Let him cast the stone, and he was the only one in that company that was without sin. He's the only one that could have cast the stone.
According to his own words, would he there she stands in the presence of God, manifest in the flesh.
What would he do?
Where are those signed accusers? Has no man condemned thee? She said. No man, Lord.
And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn me.
Go and sin no more. That's what he told the man in John 5. Sin no more or less. The worst thing happened to thee, and he says to this woman, go and sin no more.
And Jesus spake again, saying unto them, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
There's a beautiful scripture in. I'll just turn to a second Corinthians 5 that explains this. It says in verse 19 of 2nd Corinthians 5 that God was in Christ.
Reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing.
Their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word.
Of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ stead be reconciled to God. Christ did not come to condemn the world. What to say? He came in grace. He didn't come to to apply the law which would have condemned that woman and she would have been stoned. But he applied grace. Go and sing no more. The law can't give you any power. Can't give me any power any of us to live a holy life, But grace can.
00:50:09
The grace of God, which bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared teaching us that having denied ungodliness and worldly us, we should live holy and righteously and godly in this present world. What teaches us to do that? The law or grace? It's grace.
And here we see that the man of grace, you know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich in glory, rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.
Precious Lord Jesus.
He did not impute her trespass to her, but he forgave her. Neither do I condemn thee. Now go to the 9th chapter.
Another man, another individual, isn't that precious as you go through the Gospel of John, which presents to us his deity so beautifully that he he spends time with these individuals and deals with them in grace.
Chapter 9 verse one. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
The Jews thought that if someone was born with a defect, that was the result of sin, and that's true, a defect is a result of sin. And so they ask this question. The reason there's all these evil things that exist down here is because of sin.
If there was no sin, there wouldn't be these defects.
That afflict the human race, who sinned this matter as parents, that he was born blind. Jesus answered, neither have this man sinned or his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
I must work the works of him that sent me while in his day. The night cometh when no man can work. As long as I'm in the world, I'm the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle. John 114 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. That's what that speaks of. Spat on the ground, made clay of the spittle.
And he anointed the eyes of the blame man with the clay, puts that on the man's eyes, and then he sends him, says Go wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation sent. And when a soul realizes that God sent his Son into this world to become a man, and to die for us to give us eternal life, that soul is saved.
He washed, went his way, and came seeing.
The neighbors, therefore, they which before had seen him that he was blind, said is not this he that sat and baked. Some said this is he, others said he's like him, but he said I am he.
Then they asked him how were thine. Eyes opened.
He answered and said, a man that is called Jesus. I haven't counted him. I think it's four times you can check it. They asked him the same question over and over and over again. They they didn't like the answer that was given to him.
A man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine eyes. Now that's as far as he knows. He just calls him a man, a man named Jesus.
Beautiful to see how makes he makes progress in this chapter.
The north of my eyes. And I said to me, go to the pool of Solomon, Wash, and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said thee unto him, Where is he? He said, I don't know, just like the man in John. 5 The Lord, when he healed, he didn't stand around to be to be applauded for what he had done. He just he just left and wasn't trying to draw attention to himself.
Just the opposite of the some of these hay peelers today.
Hypocrites.
Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said. I know not. I brought him to the Pharisees Him. They brought to the Pharisees him that before time was blind, and it was the Sabbath day. Here, here's another thing, another work done by the Lord on the Sabbath day.
So they asked him.
Then said the Pharisees, How did he receive his sight? He said unto them. He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed and due see.
00:55:02
Therefore said some of the Pharisees, this man is not of God because he doesn't keep the Sabbath. Others said open a man that is a Sinner do such miracles.
And there was a division among them. They were so locked into this legalistic system of law which they, which based on that they were called, condemned every one of them. That one was without sin. If you apply the law to the human race, everyone is sinned.
And.
They're locked into it.
This man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day, others said. How can a man that is a Sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them? That's what Nicodemus says.
We know that you're a teacher, come from God, and that's as far as he was there in John 3. Because no one could do the miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. That's what they say here. How can a man that is a Sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. And they say unto the blind man again, what sayest thou of him? That he hath opened his mind thine eyes. Now he makes progress. He had said, a man that is called Jesus. Now he says he's a prophet.
But the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received his sight until they called the parents.
And they asked him, Is this your son whom you say was born blind? How then doth he now see his parents answered them, he said.
And said, We know that this is our son, but that he was born blind, and that he was born blind. But by what means he now seeth? We don't know. Or who hath opened his eyes? We know not. He's of age. Ask him, He shall speak for himself. These words speak his parents, because they feared the Jews. Or the Jews had already agreed that if any man did confess that Jesus was Christ, he should be put out of synagogues. Therefore, said his parents, he's of age, Ask him then again.
That was blind, and said unto him.
Give God the praise. We know that this man is a Sinner though.
It's amazing how religion can speak with such authority when it's dead wrong.
He was the only man who was there that was not a Sinner.
The Lord Jesus.
He answered and said, whether he be a Sinner or no, I know not one thing. I know that whereas I was blind Now I see then said they did him. What did you to thee? How open do you thine eyes?
He answered them, I have told you already, He did not hear. Wherefore would she hear it again? Would he also be his disciples? Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple. But we are Moses disciples. We know that God spake to Moses, But As for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. What a confession, what blindness.
A man answered and said unto them, While hearing is a marvelous thing, that you know not from whence he is, and yet you have opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners, But if any man be a worshipper of God, and do with his will him, he hear it. Since the world began, was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind? If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. The answered and said unto him, Thou was altogether born in sins. Remember that first question, Who sinned this manner? His parents, that he was born blind?
That was altogether born in sins. And dost thou teach us?
These self-righteous hypocrites.
These religious men.
And they cast him up.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and when he had found him, he said unto them, When he had found him, he sought the man. The man didn't seek him, he sought the man. He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him. He goes from a man called Jesus, He is a prophet. And now he's asked the question by the Messiah, by the Son of God himself. Do you believe in the Son of God? He said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe in him. And Jesus said unto him, Thou has both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. I remember there was a there was a debate between a Muslim cleric, a Muslim minister, and a Christian minister, and the Muslim challenge the Christian by said saying.
Jesus never himself claimed to be the Son of God. Oh.
Here's a case where he clearly claims it.
He clearly cleans it, as many other scriptures. In fact this whole gospel of John. This is written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and at the beginning you might have life through his name.
Do you? Do you believe? And you said, Lord, I believe, and he worshipped him.
01:00:00
And Jesus said for judgment, I am coming to this world, that they would see, not might see, and that they would see might be made blind. Some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words and said, are we blind also? And the Lord said to them, if you were blind, you would have no sin. But now you say, we see you're the teachers, you're the ones that have all the answers. You say we see your sin remains. They were really blind.
They didn't know it, therefore your sin remaining.
I can never get through all of these in an hour. I just got one more and I won't even turn to it. I'll just give it to you. Mary Magdalene and John 20, Resurrection seen.
And she went to the tomb.
And the stone was rolled away. Peter and John went there, they looked in and they went to their own home. But she didn't. She stayed there. She stayed there.
She had had seven demons cast out of her mother, Blessed Lord.
She didn't even read. She didn't understand the resurrection. She didn't realize the Lord was risen, and he's right there talking to her, and she thinks he's a gardener.
And yet she was so in love with him, she says to the gardener, If thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will come and take him away. Who's the hymn to her? There was only one there was him that was the Lord Jesus.
You've got to know who him is. That's the one they killed and I want to take him away and give him a decent burial.
And.
The Lord said Mary called her by name. He called his own sheep by name and leads them out. He now she wanted to to lay her hands on him like the women in Matthew 28. They held him by the feet. But John presents a Christian position. That was the Jewish position in Matthew. But here you have a Christian position in John 20 And he says, don't touch me, don't, don't lay hold upon me. You can't have me back as the Messiah to Israel, but go to my brethren and tell them I ascend to my father.
And to your Father, to my God, and to your God.
That's Christian truth that he puts the disciples into his place before God is his Father and is his God as men.
And that's our place.
So she goes back, and she told the disciples this.
How you imagine the children, you're the crowd that that she comes and she says he called you brethren. He said go to my brethren. He calls you brethren.
And then he said that his father was your father.
And that his God was your God.
And I could hear them saying run that behind me again, I didn't understand that.
You mean that his Father is my father, His God is my God.
As Christian true.
And Mary got that message.
Because her affections catch her there, at his tomb, she didn't know where else to go. She'd lost everything. To have lost him was to have lost everything.
And so he brings her into the blessedness of the greatest revelation that's ever been given to an individual.
Isn't that wonderful, that this precious gospel of John that was written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ and that believing you might have life through his name, how often he deals with individuals, individuals?
And brings them into blessing. This infinite God will talk to you as an individual, to me as an individual. Praise His blessed name. Let's see.
In closing a 124.
Jesus, the one who trod the earth, the lowly subject. 1 Obedience unto death was Thine, God's well beloved Son. Jesus, what memories thrill our hearts of thy blessed footprints here, while now to heaven our eyes we turn and gaze upon Thee. There was in the whole hymn 124.
Jesus our Lord.
The Morning Star.
Umbrella We go.
My name. Can we have styles for Garden of Grace made by?
01:05:04
Him or lays down.
I rest well. President's here.
And morning.
The Importance of God's Word in Our Lives
Address—J. Hyland
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
In the meeting this afternoon with 303 when Israel by divine command, the pathless desert trod they found throughout the barren land.
Assure resource in God 303 if someone could please start it.
When is.
Providing.
Turn with me first of all this afternoon to Second Timothy.
Second Timothy Chapter 3.
Second Timothy, chapter 3 and verse 15.
And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.
Through faith which is in Christ Jesus. And then I want to connect it with a verse in First Peter.
First Peter chapter one.
First Peter chapter one.
And verse 23.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass, The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
00:05:21
Just one more portion for now in Job chapter 23.
Job chapter 23 and verse 12.
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips. I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. Well, I had it on my heart this afternoon to take up really a very simple line of things, but a line of things that I trust brethren will encourage our hearts as to the importance of God's word in our lives. And I want to show how this applies to every aspect.
Of our Christian lives, I don't know if we really realize how wonderful it is.
To be able to sit here in quiet and peace this afternoon, each with the word of God in their hand.
You know, it says in the days of Samuel that the word of the Lord was precious in those days. And there was number, open vision. You know, what makes something precious is its scarcity, its rarity. What makes it a diamond precious? Well, because of its its rarity, that's what makes a gem precious. And the more rare the gem, the more precious it is. And in the days of Samuel, there was no open vision.
There was number revelation from God, as it were, and the Word of God was precious because of it.
But you know, today the word of God is so prevalent, Bibles can be bought for such a little price. And yet do we really value God's Word? And so as I say, I want to show how the Word of God has a practical effect in every aspect of our lives. And I want to encourage us not only to value God's Word, but to read it every day of our lives. But, you know, whenever we take up a line of truth in the Word of God.
It's always good to go back to the beginning. And what is the beginning in our Christian life? Well, the beginning is that time when we came to know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we were singing about the children of Israel and it's interesting if we were to go back to Exodus.
We would find that the children of Israel were under the ******* of Pharaoh and Egypt, a very graphic picture to us of Satan and this world. And God said he was going to deliver his people, and he did. But he told Moses to tell the children of Israel this month shall be unto you the beginning of months. That is, it was going to be a new beginning in the history of Israel. They were no longer going to be under the ******* of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
They were going to be redeemed and become a peculiar treasure to Jehovah. It was a new beginning for them. And that's why I read here in Second Timothy chapter 3. Because here we find that the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy reminds him of the importance of God's word and reminds him that it is the word of God that shows us the way of salvation. And doesn't it rejoice our hearts, brethren, to look back to that time?
When we were made familiar with the way of salvation, Timothy had known the Holy Scriptures from the time he was a child. We know that he had a God fearing grandmother and a godly mother. I wonder if we value that. Perhaps some of us here were not brought up in Christian homes, but many of us have been brought up in Christian homes. Some of you are being brought up in Christian homes. Oh value mothers and fathers who bring the word of God before us.
And so we look back to that time when we came to know the way of salvation. Some here perhaps look back over many years. Other of us look back over a few years. But Timothy was reminded that it was the Holy Scriptures, the word of God, that had shown him the way of salvation. Because how else would we know God's plan of salvation? How else would we know how to be saved apart from the word of God?
But it tells us in another place that the the way of righteousness is so plain that a wayfaring man, though a fool, may not earn. Therein we were singing with the boys and girls this morning. A little child of seven, or even 3 or 4 May enter into heaven through Christ the open door. And so it shows us the way of salvation. But it's more than that. It's through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
00:10:28
Because, you know, I'm afraid there are boys and girls and young people brought up in Christian homes who know the way of salvation. The Bible has been read at the table day in and day out. They've been brought to the meetings week in and week out, and yet they have never put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, if you ask them the way of salvation, they could probably quote some scriptures that they learned in Sunday school.
They could tell you how to be saved, but it must be through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. And before we pass on, I might just say if there's someone here this afternoon and you don't know the Lord Jesus as your savior, oh, the way of blessing is open to you. You know, sometimes I have stood up and addressed large companies of people that I feel have never really heard a clear gospel message.
Never really known from the word of God the way of salvation. And it is a real challenge and exercise to seek to, as simply as possible and in the power of the Spirit, present the gospel message. But, you know, I sometimes feel it's even more of a challenge when you stand up to preach the gospel to an audience that has heard it from the very days of their youth and perhaps has become hardened and indifferent to it.
But then I read the verse in Peter, because this takes us a step further, because here we're told in Peter that it's not only the word of God that shows us the way of salvation, but it's the word of God applied in the power of the Spirit that God uses to impart divine life to us. And so every one of us here today who've been saved by the grace of God, it has been the result of in some way.
Hearing or reading the word of God. Because it's the word of God that's living and powerful. Isn't it remarkable to think that there's a book in this world that is living, and this book, the Bible, is the only book that is living? You know every other book written by man. You will eventually be able to exhaust as deep and profound as that book may be after a number of readings. You can get to the bottom of it, but you'll never get to the bottom of a book that's living.
That's why for all eternity, while it's true we will no longer know in part and prophecy in part, yet I believe we will have a fresh enjoyment of the precious things of Christ from this blessed book for all eternity. It's the only book that's living. And God takes this book in the power of the Spirit and uses it to impart divine life to us. And it's by the Word. It's the word of the Lord that endureth forever. And this is the word.
By which the gospel is preached unto you. That's why we always, when the Gospels presented, encourage people to listen, because he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And it tells us that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But you know, this is only the beginning. Just as we mentioned with Israel, when they were redeemed people on the banks of the Red Sea, it was a beginning, a new beginning for them. But it was only the beginning. The wilderness was before them. And we find that God then took care of them all through the wilderness. He fed them. He gave them water. He sheltered them from the sun with the pillar of cloud. He sheltered the He kept them safe at night with the pillar of fire. He led them step by step by step.
And so we read here in Job. I have esteemed the words of thy mouth more than my necessary food. Because as we've been saying, when we get saved, we're born again. We get a new life, and that life is a perfect life. It's the very life of Christ. It's divine life, but it is a dependent life. That life needs food. If we're going to grow and be healthy, happy, fruitful Christians, the new life needs to be fed.
00:15:00
And God has provided food for that new life. When Israel was in the wilderness, he gave them the manna every day. Now I believe the thought in the wilderness is that there's nothing to sustain life for Israel. They were in a physical wilderness, there was nothing to sustain life. And God gave them the bread from heaven. But brethren, while we don't live in a physical wilderness, far from it we do live in a spiritual wilderness.
There's nothing in this world today to feed the Newman all. There's plenty to feed our lusts. There's plenty to feed the flesh. Just seems like you can hardly stand at the checkout counter anymore without seeing something to feed the flesh, the billboards on the highways, something to feed our lusts. But what we need to do is satisfy our souls with the bread of heaven. And what is the bread of heaven? Well, the Lord Jesus leaves us in no doubt because.
In John's Gospel, he tells us that the bread that comes came down from heaven is the Lord Jesus himself, and we need to feed on Christ every day. Job said there was something more than eating three good meals a day. And I'm not saying good wholesome food isn't proper in our physical lives, but there's something even more important than that, and that is to feed on God's word. You know, I'm so careful to eat three good meals a day and something in between.
But what about the spiritual? Are we feeding on Christ? When we were children, we used to sing a little hymn. Feed on God's Word in the morning, Feed on God's Word at noon, Feed on God's Word in the evening to keep your heart in tune. We don't have time to go back to the 16th of Exodus, but if we were to go back there, we have some instructions concerning the gathering of the manna, and we find that the children of Israel were to go out and gather it.
Every day. The man that they needed today was not the manna they needed tomorrow.
They needed fresh manna every day. And you know, we don't just eat a big meal on Lord's Day and expect it to last us the rest of the week. No, by tomorrow we'll be hungry again the afternoon. We're going to have something to eat again before the Gospel meeting if the Lord will. No, we don't expect one or two meals to suffice us for a whole week or for several days. And so we need to go out every morning and gather the manna. And why were they to go out in the morning?
Well, I suggest that it's just this. If we satisfy our souls with the bread of heaven every morning, we're not going to be so vulnerable to those things that are offered to us on every hand. You've heard me say this before, but if I make sure my girls eat a good, healthy breakfast before they go off to school, they're not going to be so apartment at recess to want something that isn't good for them because.
Their appetite has been satisfied with good wholesome food.
And I want to encourage each of our hearts. We operate in a wicked, evil world, and lots offered to us dangled in front of us on every hand. But let's learn to satisfy our appetites before we go out into the world. And so they were together at each day. And it wasn't the amount they gathered that was important because it says some gathered more and some less. Now if you have time.
In the morning, to read two or three chapters. Thank God for it. We need all of the word of God we can get, but some gathered more and some less. You say I don't always have time to read a whole chapter in the morning. I've got to get off to work early and I just don't have time to read a whole lot. But it wasn't what they gathered, the amount they gathered, that was important. It was what they did with it. Because you notice carefully they were to put it into their Omer, a certain measure.
And they were to take it with them. And when they dipped into their Omer during the day it says he that gathered much had nothing over. That is again if you have time to read a lot, you'll never have anything over. You need all you can get. But then it says, and he that gathered little had no lack.
That is, maybe you only have time to read just a few verses, but take it with you. And I suggest that taking it in your Omer and dipping into it during the day would bring before us the need for meditation. Because it's not enough just to read some scriptures in the morning and close your Bible and never consider what you've read. You know, it's not what we eat that does us any good, it's what we digest, and so we need to take it in. We need to meditate on it.
00:20:10
And David said in the 119th Psalm, oh how I love thy law. It is my meditation all the day. In fact, I went through the psalms of David one time and noted how many times David speaks of the importance of meditation. I can't remember how many times, but a number of times he speaks of the importance of meditation. Just stopping and dipping into your Omer and enjoying what you gleaned in the morning and you'll be surprised.
God knew just what you needed for that day, and it takes discipline to do it. Maybe years ago a brother could walk behind the plow or work with his hands at the bench and have his Bible or think about scripture. But you can't run a computer like that. You can't drive down the freeway like that. I realized it takes everything we have The minute we step out the door in the morning, it just absorbs our being to survive in the work a day world and the society in which we find ourselves.
But I just want to encourage you to stop every once in a while. Just think about what you've read. Chew the cut. It was one of the characteristics of a clean animal under the Levitical order that they chewed the cud. And I believe, again, it speaks to us of the importance of meditation. But I said I want to apply this to every part of our lives, and I don't want to, in what I'm going to say now, take away in any way from what I have just said about the importance of every one of us gathering the manna.
But I do want to say something. And again, I realize I've said this before, but I believe it is important. It's vital because it's important not just to gather the man individually, but you know what? Usually when we see a picture, an artist's conception of the gathering of the manna, they usually depict the women gathering the manna. But if you notice in the 16th of Exodus carefully, it was not the women that gathered the manna. It says every man was to gather for himself and for his household.
Than those that were in his tent. And I believe, brothers, what it brings before us is responsibility of the head of the home. The man had to get up early and go out and gather the men up for himself and for his family. And I have the vivid memory of growing up in a Christian home.
Where a father got up every morning and sat at the end of the breakfast table so that he could read some scriptures to his children and young people as they trickled out one by one to the breakfast table and hurried off to school. So we got older and went our different ways. Sometimes he had to sit there quite a while, but he sat there every morning. There was a man who gathered for himself and for his household, and he didn't always read us a lot. Maybe it was only two or three verses.
Didn't even comment on it lots of times, but he gave us something from the word of God before we went out into this world. And so I want to encourage those of us who are heads of our homes take time. Maybe sometimes the morning isn't the best time, I realize that. But I just want to encourage you every day to take time, gather the family around. It doesn't have to be long. He that gathered little had no lack, Doesn't have to be great things, but just open the word of God.
And feed a little of Christ to your family every day. It'll be a tremendous blessing in your household because, you know, whatever we read in this blessed book, the subject is always Christ. I'd like to just say a word about that for a moment before we pass on. Because, you know, whether it's the Old Testament or the New Testament, it's Christ. And that's what feeding on the manna speaks of. It speaks of feeding on Christ. The Lord Jesus said to feed on himself when he was here.
How do we feed on Christ? We open this book and we read it, and I believe that we'll receive a blessing if we see Christ in every line. Oh, it's many things about his person and work. But even in the Old Testament it's Christ. Because when the Lord Jesus ministered to the two on the way to Emmaus, it says, beginning at Moses and the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures, that is the Old Testament, all the scriptures.
The things concerning himself. It must have been a wonderful exposition of the person and work of Christ that they listen to as they walked along. Later on in that same chapter he even expounded to them from the Psalms the things concerning himself. I love too, when the Ethiopian eunuch was sitting in his chariot, reading the 53rd of Isaiah, and Philip the Evangelist, directed by the Spirit of God, climbs up into the chariot with that man.
00:25:14
The Ethiopian eunuch says to Philip, he says of whom speaketh the prophet of himself or of some other. And I love what it says there, beginning at the same scripture he preached unto him, Jesus, You know, it wouldn't have mattered where that man was reading in the Old Testament. The Evangelists could have begun at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus, because it all speaks of Christ. Oh, I can't overemphasize this enough.
Let's learn to feed on God's word every day. Let's learn to open this blessed book, to read it, and to meditate on it. If when I see a Christian who has power and fruit in their lives, a Christian who's growing in their souls, oh, I say there's a Christian that's feeding on God's word. And so Job esteemed the words of his mouth more than his necessary food. And now let's turn over to the 119th Psalm.
Psalm 119 and verse 9.
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed. Thereto, according to thy word with my whole heart have I sought thee. Oh, let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee? Well, we've spoken of how it's the word of God that shows us the way of salvation. We've seen, too, that it's the word of God applied in the power of the Spirit.
That God uses to impart divine life to us. We've spoken at some length of how the word of God is then food, sustenance for our souls, for the divine life. But now I want to speak of it in connection with refreshment or cleansing. Here we find How shall a young man cleanse his way? You know we live, we operate in a world of defilement, and we become defiled by the things that we see.
And the things that we hear as we operate in this world every day. And so we need the word of God for cleansing. It's the truth of feet washing that we speak so often about you. Remember in the 13th chapter of John the Lord Jesus, in preparation for his departure out of this world and leaving the disciples here in the world, He brings before them many things in what we often refer to.
As the upper room ministry. And the very first thing he brings before them is the truth of feet washing because he was going to leave the disciples in a world of defilement and sin. But he says there is a way that communion can be maintained. There is a way where there can be refreshment and cleansing and it's to let him wash our feet. And again, how do we let him wash our feet?
We must open this book and read it every day. It's the washing of water by the Word. And so the Lord impressed upon the disciples the fact that their feet were going to get dirty as they walked through this world. And I'm not talking about physical because it wasn't really physical feet washing that the Lord was bringing before them, but it was in a spiritual sense. I say that because in that chapter it says.
What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. What does that verse mean? Well, what that verse really means is the Lord says, you know I'm washing your feet physically, but you're not going to understand the real significance of feet washing until the Spirit of God comes, and then you'll understand. You're not going to understand it now, but after the Spirit of God comes, you'll know what I'm saying, and you'll understand the need for feet washing. And so wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto?
According to thy word, there was an elderly brother at home, my home assembly for many years. He's with the Lord now, but he used to tell us that when he came home from the office, he always needed a good wash And he wasn't talking about soap and water. He was talking about the washing of water by the word. I remember standing in line at a conference going in for the noon meal, and some were talking and one brother said, you know, I've got a memory like a sieve.
00:30:08
The other brothers said, well, that's why you need to keep the water running through it. We've often heard about the basket.
The basket doesn't retain the water, but the water keeps the basket clean. The sieve doesn't hold the water, but the water keeps the sieve from becoming defiled. Oh brethren, we need the cleansing effect that the word of God has on our hearts. And then he says thy word. Have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee? I just want to say a word in connection with the heart. Because, you know, this book that we're Speaking of, It was not merely written for our intellect.
Oh, it's true. There needs to be a knowledge we are to grow in grace. And the knowledge we need a knowledge of this book. We need to be able to enumerate the fundamental doctrines of scripture. It'll keep us. It'll preserve us, but not in itself. We need to let this book sink down into our hearts. This book was really written for our hearts. I sometimes put it this way. What the entrance of the word is the conscience.
Because the I'm sorry, the entrance of the word is the mind. Because, as I say, there must be a knowledge. The entrance is the mind, the channel is the conscience. Because the conscience must always be reached and the dwelling place is the heart. I'm going to repeat that because I think it's important. The entrance of the truth is the mind, the channel is the conscience, and the dwelling place is the heart. And when the truth enters in that way, then I believe it has a practical, purifying effect on our lives.
It has a moral effect on our lives. Why is it so often I walk contrary to the word of God?
Is it because I don't know the word of God? Well it might be, but not necessarily. Often it's because the truth of God hasn't affected my conscience and my heart. But when the truth of God dwells in the heart, then it keeps us Thy word. Have I hid not in my mind, but in my heart that I might not sin against thee? Just go over a little further in this Psalm to the 105th verse.
Psalm 119 and verse 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Well, now we have something a little different. We have the word of God as life and instruction for our pathway here. Because, you know, after we get saved, there's a path of faith and service for each one of us. You know, there's a nice progression in the Psalms with David in the 27th Psalm. David said, teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path.
I trust that's the desire of everyone, of our hearts here. No matter how young we are, if we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, He has a path of faith and service for us, and he delights. When we have that desire to know what His will is, then we find in this chapter in this Psalm, he recognizes that it's the word of God that's going to show him the way of salvation.
In fact, it's interesting this Psalm. It's the longest chapter in the Bible. The headings are the are the headings of the are the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. And in every verse I counted one time. In almost every verse I think there's one or two. But in almost every verse there's some mention of the word of God either called commandments or statutes or thy precepts or thy word or thy law, some reference to God's word. We might say we've got it all from A-Z.
And where are we going to get all this instruction? Oh, we're going to get it from God's Word. It's God's word. Oh, they have their counselors at school. And those guidance counselors may be very helpful in connection with our courses and a vocation and so on, but they often just give the wisdom of this world. But we have one whose very name is Counselor, one who knows the end from the beginning. And then we come to the 143rd Psalm, and he says something a little further there.
He says, I think it's the tenth verse. Teach me to do thy will. Not just teach me thy will or teach me thy way, but teach me to do thy will. Because, you know, sometimes we might have a real desire to know the Lord's mind. And then he shows us something and we hold back and say, now, Lord, I wouldn't mind if it wasn't something like that. Maybe we feel it's too great a step and so we hold back. But David said no. When you show me, he said, then give me the grace to walk in it, to take that step, whether it's a big step or whether it's a little step, just to take that step.
00:35:21
And to walk in obedience to it. And it says in all thy ways acknowledge him.
And he shall direct thy paths. It tells us if any man desire to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, because he wants to show us. And brethren, how can we think we can go through life, and we don't need direction from our Maker. Oh, Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his footsteps. How can we think that we can choose our own way and that we really know what's best?
He's the Potter. We're the clay. And isn't it a blessed thing just to follow his direction and let him do what he will in our lives? So he says, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. That is, it shows us one step at a time.
If you have a flashlight and you're about to start out and walk through a dark field on a dark night, you might look ahead and say, well, it's a mile or two I have to go, and this light only shines a few feet in front of me. Oh, what's the secret? You just hang on to that light and keep walking, and that light will be sufficient light to guide you to the other side of that field. You might start out to drive on a dark night, and you have several miles to drive.
And you say, well, it's a pretty dark night. Well, what's the secret? Well, as long as the car keeps moving and the headlights are on, those headlights that only shine a few 100 feet at a time, those headlights are going to be sufficient to get you to your destination. And so His word is a lamp unto our feet. We need to read it every day. We need to seek to walk in obedience to it. Why is it so often I want to know the will of God in my life, and I don't. Well, you know, I've talked to young people.
And I've heard young people say, had people, young people, say to me, you know, I'd like to know the mind of the Lord for me in my life, something. I want to know his will, some steps, some decision. But then you talk to them a while and you find out they're not reading God's word. We'll never know the mind of the Lord for us. We'll never know the path He has for us apart from reading His word. And I want to just say this, too, that it's not sporadic reading of the word of God that God uses to direct us.
It's not enough when we're faced with some situation or decision to put the Bible on the table.
And let it fall open and hope that our eyes are going to land on some scripture that God is going to use to direct us or answer our question. Now God is able to take care of us in our weakness. And I have heard stories, and perhaps you have two of people that have done that, and the Lord very graciously has come in for them. But I believe that really the way we're directed in our path of faith is when we orderly and consistently read the word of God.
Open it each day. Read it consistently and orderly. And I know you've experienced this. Maybe you were just reading in the place where you were your daily reading was, and all of a sudden they're on the page is the answer to some problem, some question, some step you wanted to know what to do, and there it was. Maybe that verse never meant that to you before. Maybe it'll never mean that to anybody else. But there was the answer on the pages of God's Word. Oh, I say read it orderly and consistently.
So thy word is a lamp unto my feet, but it's also a light unto my path that is, brethren, It's sufficient for the whole journey. And this word today, this Bible we hold in our hands, is sufficient light to guide us and direct us even in the year 2003. It says in Peter, it's the present truth, it's relevant for the day in which we live, and it shows us the end of the journey.
It's a light unto our unto our path. And you know they'll never be such a thing as saying the day is so dark that we don't have light for our pathway. If the day ever gets that dark, the Lord will take us out. But this book is sufficient to guide us right to the very end. We don't need anything, anything else. Now let's turn to Acts Chapter 2.
00:40:12
Acts chapter 2 and verse 42. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers. Just hold your finger here. I want to read a verse in First Corinthians chapter 14.
First Corinthians chapter 14 and verse 3.
But he that prophesis speaketh unto men to edification.
Exhortation and comfort. Well, we've spoken of the importance of God's word in our lives individually. We've even spoken of it in connection with the family circle and how important the word of God is there. But now I'd like to speak of it collectively, because here we find what characterized the early believers after the day of Pentecost, they continued steadfastly. Or if you notice Mr. Darby's translation.
They persevered in these things. And these things are what we might say are the assembly meetings, the meeting ministry, breaking of bread and prayers. And I was particularly thinking of it here in connection with ministry. But I might just say this too in a general way before I comment as to what is particularly on my heart in reading this scripture. And that is that it's important, brother and I believe, to plan our lives around the assembly.
Some of us were Speaking of this this morning in connection with Acts 20 and how those believers in pro as when their obligations were over on the first day of the week, they wound through the streets of Troas with the third loft in mind and the thought of being able to break bread to remember the Lord Jesus on the first day of the week. They value that privilege, no doubt.
And brethren, I believe as I say, we need to plan our lives. Yes, around the Lord, that's true.
But around the assembly too, You know, I'm thankful that I grew up in a home where our lives were planned. Around the assembly, I believe I can honestly say before God, I never remember sitting at a dinner table on meeting night and there being a question raised as to whether we were going to meeting or not. It was just assumed that because it was Tuesday night prayer meeting or Thursday night reading meeting that after the dinner was over we would get ready.
And we would go to the assembly meeting. Oh, there were times when through extenuating circumstances, some are all of the family were not able to be there. But you know, as I look back, I realized that I knew even at a young age, what was important to my parents. I knew that they value the assembly meetings and those times set aside to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus. What I fear today is.
That we plan our lives and then try to work in the Assembly brethren. It doesn't work. And especially in the day in which we live, we're on this treadmill of society that's being cranked up faster and faster and faster. And the enemy doesn't want you to be with your brethren around the person of Christ on those occasions set aside in the assembly. Oh, let's learn to value the assembly meetings. I know it takes perseverance.
They persevered in these things. I know sometimes it's easy to say, well, we're just too tired or there's too much pressure, but oh, how well you'll be repaid. Sometimes perhaps we feel well, we bring our children, and our children just fall asleep in the assembly meetings. Better that they were home in bed, I say. We're better for our children to fall asleep than in the quiet and order of the assembly. We're better for our children to fall asleep than in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
When we're together collectively. And so they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. That is, they had to receive the ministry orally in their day because they didn't have the completed word of God. And not only so, but probably very few of them could read certainly no PhDs in the assembly in those days. In fact, I believe that that's why Timothy later on was told to give attendance to reading, to exhortation to doctrine and neglect not the gift that was in him. That really was public reading of and ministry of the word of God. It was vital and necessary in the early church.
00:45:16
And brethren, as we've been saying, it's important to read the word of God for ourselves. But I believe, just as with the early brethren, it is important for us to be in the assembly when there are times set aside for ministry of God's Word. Because while the assembly doesn't teach, it's in the assembly we learn as taught by the Spirit of God. The assembly is to be the pillar and ground of the truth.
And I would just suggest this too, that in the assembly, when the spirit of God is given liberty to minister the word, we get a balance, like perhaps we get nowhere else. I say that because there's there are many who will put a man up at the front and they'll get one aspect of the truth. They'll get part of the truth, but there's nobody to balance it. If he makes a mistake, ministers, things that are wrong, there's nobody to check it or correct it.
But you know, when the Spirit of God is given liberty in the assembly, why there's a balance and a check. If I say something that's wrong, another by the Spirit of God can correct it. We're thankful for those who can bring out the doctrinal principles of Scripture. Others can make practical applications. Others can bring out the Old Testament types for us. And so we get that balance. And you know, it's like Ephraim. It says Ephraim is a cake, not turned.
You know, if you put a cake on the griddle and you don't turn it, it's going to get too well done on one side and not enough on the other. And I have noticed man is an extremist by nature. And I've noticed that those who do not avail themselves of ministry in the assembly are often like that. They get off on one side of the truth, they get off on a tangent of things, but they don't have that balance that we get when the spirit of God is given liberty in the assembly.
But perhaps you say, well, you know, sometimes in the little home assembly there doesn't seem to be a lot of gift and not much explanation or real ministry. Oh, be careful, brethren. You know, one of the great sins of Israel in the wilderness was that they got to the point where they despised the simple manner that God gave them. And let's be careful that we don't despise the simple manner that God gives in the local assembly. Oh, it may be given in ever so feeble away.
But the word of God hasn't changed. The Spirit of God is there and the Lord is there, and he can meet our need if we're really exercised. And so let's be careful that we don't despise the simple manner and that we avail ourselves of those times set aside for ministry. But then I read in First Corinthians 14, because again, in this chapter he takes up the collective side of things, what we have in First Corinthians 14.
Is instruction as to ministry and prayer in the assembly, public ministry and public prayer. And he tells us here that ministry in the assembly is to be for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the Saints of God. Are encouragement. These three things ought to characterize everything that is said in the assembly and I believe, for those of us who take part in the assembly, whether it's locally or on a wider sphere.
I believe it is good every time we open our mouths to consider this scripture. Is this for the edification or the exhortation or comfort of the brethren? That is what is to characterize ministry in the assembly. But it's interesting the order here. God doesn't list things haphazardly. There's always an order in the list that he gives. And we find here that the first thing is edification.
Because I suggest that whatever other character Ministry takes, and we do need correction, we do need instruction, we do need admonishment and exhortation and so on. But whatever other character ministry might take on the overall character of everything we say, brother, is for the ought to be for the edification of the people of God.
And I I think it's a good test. Is this for the edification of the people of God? If it really isn't, I ought not to say it. And so it's for edification. That is, it's for building up, because that's what edification means and edit. You think of an edifice, a building, a structure, and how are the Saints going to be built up? How are we going to build ourselves up in our most holy faith? Again, we need the word of God in our private lives, but we need it in the assembly as well. Does this build up the Saints of God and brethren? Isn't that what we need? We don't need tearing down.
00:50:33
There's enough to tear down and discourage the people of God. What we need is building up. But then there is something else. He speaks of exhortation because, you know, we want to be faithful too, in ministering the word of God, and sometimes we need to be exhorted. Someone has said edification is building up, but exhortation is stirring up. And, you know, sometimes we do need to be stirred up. We get lethargic. We just get coasting along sometimes. And, you know, we don't like exhortation today.
No, we like to, as they says in Isaiah's prophecy unto us, smooth things. Oh, we like to hear something that sounds nice, something that doesn't prick our conscience. But sometimes the conscience needs to be stirred. So we need exhortation, and we need comfort or encouragement. Don't we need encouragement in the day in which we live? There's so much to discourage, but we have the God of all comfort or the God of all encouragement. So if I could sum it up this way, edification is building up.
Exhortation is stirring up and comforter. Encouragement is binding up, and we need those three things when we come together for ministry in the assembly. Well, we've spoken of the word of God in various aspects of our lives and its practical moral effect. But I would like to conclude our meeting this afternoon by reading one further portion as a warning. It's found in the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 13.
Jeremiah, chapter 13 and verse 15. Hear ye and give ear. Be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God before he caused darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains.
While you look for light, he turneth it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and rundown with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive. Well, as I say, I reread this at the end of the meeting as a warning, because you know there have been many true believers that I have known in my lifetime.
Who had the word of God? They had its light and instruction, and they refused it. And you know, they're stumbling on the dark mountains today. They've come to situations in their lives that just seem insurmountable, and they're looking for light, but they're not finding it because they refuse the life of God's word. What a sad thing I can think of young people that I grew up with and they came up in Christian home like myself.
They sat in the assembly meetings, but they turned their back on God's word. And Jeremiah says when you do that, there comes a point, All I can do is weep for you. As many young people, I weep for today, as many of my own generation, I weep for today. Oh, I want to beg you don't turn your back on God's word. There's children here this afternoon. There's young people I know we don't always value the word of God when we're younger. I know we don't always value being brought up in a Christian home.
And a reading around the table once or twice a day. We don't always value being brought to the assembly meetings and parents that bring the word of God faithfully to bear on our consciences and on our hearts. But all I want to encourage you learn to evaluate it. It's a blessed privilege and walk in the light of God's word. If you don't, you'll find yourself stumbling on the dark mountains and you'll want light and you won't be able to find it. Well, I trust these scriptures we've looked at very quickly this afternoon.
Will encourage our hearts rather than, as we said at the beginning of the meeting, we have a wonderful book in our hands. We have the living word of God, and it never changes. A lot of changes in this world today. But there's something that never changes. And you know, men have tried to eradicate this book from the earth. They've tried to burn it and get rid of it. You know they'll never do it because the originals in heaven forever. O Lord, Thy word is settled in.
Gospel
Gospel—J. Hyland
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Possible meeting this evening with 119 When God's judgment fell on Egypt, there was weeping everywhere.
Where the Angel smoked the first born of the people dwelling there. 119 if someone could please start it.
Turn with me first of all this evening to the 11Th chapter of the Book of Exodus.
Exodus Chapter 11.
And verse 4.
And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt, And all the first born in the land of Egypt shall die from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first born of the maidservant that is behind the mill, and all the first born of beasts. And then I want to read a portion in the 12Th chapter.
Chapter 12 and verse 29.
And it came to pass that at midnight the Lord smote all the first born in the land of Egypt.
00:05:05
From the first born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, under the first born that was in the of of the captive that was in the dungeon, and all the first born of cattle. Well, I have it on my heart this evening to look at what we might call some midnight scenes of scripture sometimes in the word of God, where we have events that took place at midnight. And I was struck recently in following this through.
And so I'd just like to share these scenes in connection with the gospel as well as in connection with encouragement for those of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. But as I said at the beginning of the meeting this afternoon, when we take up any subject in the word of God, it's always good to go back to the beginning. And I might just re echo something that I said earlier, especially for those of us who are younger here tonight.
Because when I was a young man, it was a help to me in studying the word of God, learn to go back to the first time something is mentioned in scripture. Because the first time that something is mentioned in Scripture, God gives us the meat of the truth that's later developed in connection with that thing. There may be other aspects and ramifications of the subject brought in in subsequent scriptures.
But to really understand the thought and the subject, you've got to go for it back to the first time. And we're going to see this dealt developed with the subject of midnight. And here in the 11Th chapter of the book of Exodus, we have the first mention of midnight in the word of God. And I was struck, in following this out to notice that when midnight is introduced to us, it's the subject of judgment.
And we're going to find that this is often true in connection with this time of the day, midnight. And here we find, and we know the story well, the children of Israel in ******* in Egypt under Pharaoh. And God said he was going to deliver them. But, you know, if God was going to deliver his people, it must be in a way that made them feel two things, their guilt and his provision for them and every soul who comes to the Lord Jesus.
They have to be brought to understand those two things. They have to be brought to understand that they're sinners. And not only are they sinners, but they're helpless sinners. They're under the ******* of a cruel taskmaster. I often say in the gospel, Satan is not our friend. The way of the transgressor is hard. And so man needs to realize. We all need to realize that we are sinners through and through, but then to realize.
God's wonderful provision for us.
And so God was going to provide for his people, and He did. He provided the Passover lamb. But what I want to notice here is the accuracy of Scripture, because the more I read the word of God, the more I'm impressed with its accuracy. And we find here that among other things, Moses was to tell the children of Israel that about midnight there was going to be judgment fall on the land. And I want you to notice this.
In contrast to what we have in the next chapter.
It's about midnight. Because I cannot stand here tonight in presenting the gospel and tell you exactly when judgment is going to fall over this world. We know from the Scriptures that judgment is imminent. We know that it's hanging over this world. We know that he's appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. And so there's judgment coming. As sure as we're sitting here tonight in these seats in this meeting room in Palo, there's judgment coming on this world.
And I suppose one of the reasons why gospel halls aren't full to overflowing.
On occasions like this is because people don't really believe there's judgment coming on this world.
If people really believed that there was judgment hanging over this world, wouldn't they want to find a way of escape?
If we really believe this building was on fire tonight, would we be sitting so calmly in our seats? No, we'd be looking for the nearest exit to escape. But people don't really believe there's judgment coming on this world. They scoff and they say, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they are even until now. And yet, you know, just over a year ago, I was in Saint Vincent. I arrived there on a Friday evening and.
00:10:14
Monday, Hurricane Lily hit with all its force. And I'll never forget as the warnings went out that Hurricane Lily was indeed going to not only hit Barbados, but come across and hit Saint Vincent. People took those warnings seriously. I remember that Monday morning, Brother Garvin who manages the book room, and myself, we decided to go into the city early and see if we could conduct some business before the winds got too strong.
We got into King's Town about 9:00 in the morning. We were able to get some business done, but by 11:00 the winds had picked up to such a degree that things began to close down. I never saw a city shut down so fast in all my life. The businesses closed, the hurricane shutters went up, and we joined a long line of cars heading out of the city, away from the coast into the mountains.
People trying to escape the hurricane that was coming as best they could on an island. And I said to Brother Garvin, who was driving, I said, you know, if people would take the warning of the gospel this seriously and the fact that judgment is coming, wouldn't it make quite a difference? Nobody was fooling around. But you know what I thought of too? I thought of how in a coming day, they'll flee to the mountains when the judgment does begin to fall. And they'll call for the rocks and the mountains to fall on them and to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb and the face of him that sitteth upon the throne.
I was thankful when the eye of the storm went over Saint Vincent later that night that we were on the other side of the island from where the storm actually hit. It was bad enough, and there were several deaths right around us. And if you've never been in a hurricane, it's not an experience you ever want to cover. It's very disconcerting, to say the least. But I was thankful that at least there was a mountain between us and the brunt of the of the hurricane. But I thought of those people when they cry in that day, will they find refuge from the coming storm? No, indeed, they will not find refuge.
The storm will break in all its fury, a storm of judgment unlike this, anything this world has seen heretofore, and none will escape. But again I want to notice. It was about midnight. He warns them. He tells them judgments is coming, and all I can do tonight is tell you that judgment is coming. I cannot put a date on it. No man knoweth the day, nor the hour wherein the son of man cometh. But it's interesting. In the 29th verse of the next chapter, where we read, it says, and it came to pass.
Not about midnight, but at midnight there was an appointed hour.
God had an appointed hour for the judgment to fall. And when that hour came, and I say midnight speaks of judgment in the word of God. But when that hour came, the judgment fell.
Nothing is going to frustrate the purposes of God. There is a day of judgment appointed. The Father knows that. Day of judgment. It says even the Son doesn't know that hour. But the Father knows and it's appointed and it's going to happen. Yes, it is going to happen. And it did happen here. When God said about midnight through his servant Moses judgment would fall. Was he fooling? God does not fool around.
You know, I might tell one of my children that there's going to be some discipline enacted because of something that has been done that isn't according to what I think it should be, some disobedience or whatever. But, you know, I might relent and the judgment may never fall, that spanking or that discipline, in whatever form it might be, that discipline may never take place. But when God says judgment's coming, judgment is coming. God wasn't fooling around here. And we know.
The story and we were singing of this story this evening. We know that the only shelter from the judgment at that time was the blood of the Passover lamb. And there is only one shelter from judgment tonight, and that's to be washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. To have our sins forgiven, in whom we have redemption through His blood, Even the forgiveness of sins, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us.
From all sin, what a day of judgment is coming, The hour is appointed, and it's going to fall. But now let's turn over to the next midnight scene. We're going to look at these in the order they appear. The next one is in the book of Judges, Judges, Chapter 16.
00:15:15
Judges chapter 16 and verse one then went Samson to Gaza and saw there in Harlem and went in under her and it was told the gaze I'd say Samson is come, hit her and they compassed him and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city. And we're quiet all night saying in the morning when it is day we shall kill him. And Samson lay till midnight and rose and at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city.
And the two posts and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the hill.
That is, before Hebron. Well, here's another midnight scene, this time in connection with the life of Samson.
Now, you know, when we read the life of Samson, we might shake our heads and wonder about the life of Samson. It just seemed like his whole life was one of failure. But you know, Samson was a man of God, and not only was he a man of God, but in the 11Th chapter of Hebrews, he's listed as a man of faith. And you know, there isn't a man of God that doesn't in some way reflect something of Christ in his life. In fact, I've been impressed in reading these Old Testament types.
Define that some of these Old Testament types are men, even at times of failure and ruin in their lives.
Let me just give you another example. Jonah was a runaway servant. He was a disobedient prophet. But even under those waters, in the fishes belly, in his disobedience, he becomes a beautiful type of the Lord Jesus Christ going under the waters of judgment. And often we read part of that second chapter of Jonah at the breaking of bread in connection with the remembrance of the Lord and the judgment that the Lord Jesus bore in those hours of darkness.
And here we find in the life of Samson a little picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, even though it was at a time of failure. In Samson's life we find first of all, that Samson goes to Gaza, and Gaza in scripture is the place of strength. And yet, you know, when the Lord Jesus went to the cross, it must have seemed like a like, like a defeat. It must have seemed like a victory for Satan.
But you know, we sometimes sing a hymn by weakness and defeat. He won the mede and crown, trod all our foes beneath his feet by being trodden down. It tells us in Corinthians he was crucified through weakness. And so we find he goes to Gaza and they compass him about all night. They just lay in wait for Samson. And isn't that what we see in the life of the Lord Jesus? Prophetically it was. He could say the dogs have compassed me about.
That is the Gentiles, because the Gentiles in scripture are sometimes referred to as dogs. It says too in that song. Strong bulls ovation have beset me round. That's evidently what he felt concerning the Jewish nation and the Jewish leaders laying in wait from him for him. From the very beginning Herod tried to get rid of the Lord Jesus as a as a young boy. We find as his public ministry begins, there are times they come, try to push him over the brow of the hill, try to come and take him.
Twice in John's Gospel we read that his hour was not yet come, but they were just watching and waiting something to catch him, to catch him in his words, to catch him in his actions. We know at the end of it all they had to bring false witnesses against him and so we find that he lies down here to sleep. Now I would suggest that Samson lying down here to sleep is a picture to us of the Lord Jesus going into death.
Because we find that often in connection with those who die in faith that are spoken of in Scripture as being asleep with the patriarchs and the Old Testament Saints, it says they slept, they slept with their fathers, that is, they were buried, they died, and they were buried in the sepulchre of their fathers, the Saints in the New Testament who have died in Christ, they're referred to as being asleep. I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, not sole sleep, but the sleep of the body.
00:20:11
It's the body that sleeps. When a person dies physically, they are in the conscious sense of either of the Lord's presence or a conscious sense of of torment. We get that in Luke chapter 16 and other places. But the body sleeps, and I believe that it's referred to as sleep because it's a temporary state of things. Later on this evening we're going to lie down and we're going to go to sleep, and in the normal course of things, it's only a temporary thing.
We have every expectation that we're going to wake up in the morning. And so we find here that Samson he lay until midnight and then we find at midnight he he arises. Now again midnight speaks of judgment, and the Lord Jesus went under those waters of judgment and he gave his life for me. But if Samson lying down and sleeping till midnight is a picture of the Lord Jesus going into death.
Then his rising at midnight is no doubt a picture of the Lord Jesus coming forth in resurrection. You know, I sometimes wonder, when the gospel is presented, if we really make enough of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, what a vital part of Christianity it really is. And we spoke of this the other evening in Sully how that we have a living hope. The believer has a living hope based on the resurrection.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ. And when the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, he remained on earth long enough to give ample testimony to his own that he had not just risen in spirit, but that he had bodily risen from the dead and brethren. I believe we need to.
Hold on to tenaciously to the truth of the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, He said to his own on one occasion. Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bone as you see me. Have he ate before them to show that he had risen bodily from the dead. Christianity boasts of a tomb, but it's not a tomb with a body in it. Are there really any more glorious words?
Then those words uttered to those who were early to the sepulchre on the resurrection morning. He is not here. He is risen. Come see the place where the Lord lay. What a, what glorious words. And so there's an empty tomb. Because we have a savior on high in the glory, we sometimes sing that old gospel hymn. It's one of my favorites. There is a Savior on high in the glory, a Savior who suffered on Calvary's tree.
A savior is willing to save. Now, as ever, His arm is almighty, His love great and free. And that brings us to the next thing. Here we find that not only does he rise from his sleep at midnight, but He takes the pulse.
The gate in the post and he goes away with them, bar and all, and where does he take them? He takes them up the hill. And so again, if he's lying down and going to sleep, is a picture of him going into death and is rising from sleep at midnight is a picture of his resurrection. Then his going up the hill with those trophies on his shoulder is a picture of his ascension, Because not only did the Lord Jesus rise from the dead.
But after he had given ample testimony to his own as to his resurrection, even appearing to about 500 brethren at one time, then we find there was a moment when he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And his feet left this earth, and he ascended back to the right hand of God, and the cloud received him out of their sight, and they saw him no more, because the resurrection and the ascension of Christ.
Our gods, Amen to the work of Calvary. They are the proof that God is eternally satisfied with what his son accomplished on Calvary's cross. And so it tells us, he led. He ascended on high, LED captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And so the Lord Jesus is at the right hand of God, and he's gone there, having bound the strongman, having won the victory. And so Samson, in his strength he takes the trophies of his victory, and he takes them up the hill.
00:25:06
And then I want you to notice this. That is before Hebron. Now, Hebron is a city in Scripture that has a very interesting history, and it really is a city that has a double connotation. We know that Hebron was the place of death because you remember that Abraham bought a field there to bury the dead, reminding us that all blessing is based on death. It's all based on the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But you know, he brought also is the place of communion, because Abraham also had an altar at Hebron, where he enjoyed many happy hours of fellowship and communion with his God, showing us that now that the Lord Jesus has ascended far above all things and LED captivity captive and giving gifts unto men, now we are brought into a place of communion and fellowship.
Closer than any have enjoyed in any previous dispensation. And so truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And not only so, but we're also brought into a circle of fellowship with the family of God. If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. What a place of relationship and blessing we've been brought into with the Father, with the Son, and with one another.
Because the Lord Jesus died and rose again the 3rd day and is now seated at the right hand of God. Now let's go over to the book of Ruth Ruth chapter 3.
Ruth, chapter 3 and verse 8. And it came to pass at midnight that the man was afraid, and turned himself, And behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth, Thine handmaid. Spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near kinsman. And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter, for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning.
Inasmuch as they'll follow us, not young men, whether poor or rich. And now my daughter fear not, and then just notice verse 14 And she lay at his feet until morning.
Well, someone has summed up the book of Ruth in this way, and I'd rather enjoyed it. They said that in the first chapter we have a decision for Christ. We find two sisters in the first chapter, Ruth and Orpa, and it seemed at first they were both going to return.
To the land of Israel with their mother-in-law. It seemed that both girls were real. But I believe Orpa is a picture to us of one who makes a profession. But when it comes right down to it, they turn back. There's no reality. And so Orpha went back to her people and to her gods. But Ruth had made a real decision. She was going to follow her mother-in-law, and her mother-in-law's God was going to be her God. Oh, if there's someone here and you haven't made a decision for Christ.
We sometimes sing that hymn decide for Christ today and God's salvation seed yields soul and body, heart and will to him who died for thee. And then we find in the second chapter what we might say is a meeting with Christ. I say that because Boaz is a picture to us in this book of the Lord Jesus Christ and we find that Ruth is introduced to this man Boaz. Then in the 4th chapter we have what we might say is union with Christ.
Because we find by the end of the story that Ruth is married to Boaz. And you know, there's a day coming when the church is going to be married to the Lord Jesus Christ. It's referred to as the marriage supper of the lamb. And it says rejoice and be glad for the marriage of the lamb has come and his bride hath made herself ready what a day that's going to be when every believer stands with the Lord Jesus.
And the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place. But in this chapter we might have what we have. What we might say is rest in Christ. I say that because at the beginning of the chapter Naomi says to Ruth, shall I not find rest for thee, my daughter? And then we find that she proceeds to give her daughter-in-law some advice. Now it's interesting that in the first chapter Naomi gave some advice too. But you know, Naomi gave that advice in the first chapter.
00:30:19
You know, it's possible for a Christian to give that advice. Naomi was out of communion.
She was discouraged, and she gave some advice, but it was bad advice. Or to listen to the advice. But I'm glad Ruth didn't listen to the advice that was given in the first chapter. But, you know, there's been a work of grace and a work of restoration with Naomi taking place here. And now Naomi gives some further advice, and this time she gives good advice. You know, sometimes our brethren, times older members of the family, they give good advice. We need to weigh all advice in light of the word of God.
But here Ruth found that. I realized that her mother-in-law was now giving her some good advice, and it might have seemed like very strange advice. But Ruth follows her mother in law's advice, and she goes down to the threshing floor and she lays at the feet of Boaz. Isn't that a good place for us? You know, Midnight comes here. The man sees her. But where is she? She's at the feet of Boaz. You say there's some midnight in my life.
Some discouragement you've come to, some dark situation. You just don't seem to know where to turn. There doesn't seem to be any rest of soul. You just seem to be churning inside. Oh go to the feet of our Boaz, go to the feet of the Lord Jesus. We spoke this morning after the breaking of bread of Mary of Bethany and how in the 12Th of John she was at the feet of the Lord Jesus as a worshipper. But if you just back up a chapter to the 11Th chapter of John.
Oh, there was a dark time in Mary's life.
There was a real midnight scene, as we might say, had come into that little home because Lazarus had died. Mary felt it, but she knew where to turn, and we find her when the Lord is finally approaching Bethany. She runs and she falls down at the feet of the Lord Jesus. Oh, there's no better place for us than at the feet of the Lord Jesus. And so she lies there, and it comes to pass at midnight that he wakes and he sees her. And what I want to notice here is how much Boaz appreciated Ruth.
Being at his feet, he commends her for what she's done. Blessed, he says, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter. Thou has showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, and so on. It's not her appreciation of being at the feet of Boaz, but it's Boaz appreciation for having Ruth that his feet. And you know, if we find ourselves at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ, we're going to have a deeper appreciation, as we said this morning.
Of the person and work of Christ in our souls. But think of his appreciation. Think of our Boaz and how much he appreciates every time we come to his feet. And here it was midnight. It was dark, but he appreciated the position that Ruth took in humbleness at his feet. And then it says, And she lay at his feet until midnight or till morning. I'm sorry.
Oh, brethren, there's a morning coming. The midnight is soon going to be past. The dark trials of this life are soon going to be over. Oh, let's be at his feet until morning. Let's be there until the day dawns And the shadows flee away. Oh, what a safe place it is for us. But now let's go over to 1St Kings.
First Kings Chapter 3.
First Kings chapter 3 and verse 16.
Then came their two women that were harlots under the king, and stood before him. And one woman said, oh, my Lord, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered that this woman was delivered also, and we were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. And this woman's child died in the night because she overlaid it, and she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me.
While thine handmaid slept and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And then just dropped down to verse 24. And the king said, bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, divide the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other. Then spake the woman who's the living child was under the king for her bowels yearned upon her son. And she said, Oh my Lord, give her the living child.
00:35:19
And in no wise slay it, but the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divided.
Well, this might seem like a strange incident to read in the Gospel, but I would just say, before I bring out what's particularly on my heart in connection with this story, that we know that the life of Solomon typifies to us the day when the Lord Jesus will take the throne of his glory, the life of David, his father.
Brings before us more typically the Lord Jesus in his rejection. There are no doubt things in the life of David that look on to the glory. But generally speaking, the life of David brings before us the Lord Jesus in his rejection. But the life of Solomon brings before us the Lord Jesus in his glory. Israel was at its pinnacle here. All the nations were coming up and bringing their tribute to Solomon. And So what a day it's going to be in this world when the Lord Jesus takes the throne of his glory and he rules in equity and righteousness.
And all the nations will bring up their tribute to Jerusalem. And Jerusalem in that day will be the center of the world. It'll be the metropolis, the capital of everything. Not Washington, DC, Not Paris, France or Ottawa, Canada or London, England. No, Jerusalem will be the capital. I say what a day of glory it will be. And there will be equity and justice in that day, just as there was equity and justice. We have two women here. They were both harlots, but never mind.
There was still equity and justice despite who these women were, but what I want to bring out, particularly in connection with this portion, is the fact that there was an incident took place at midnight and no one saw what happened. It was one woman's word against the other.
And when they came to Solomon to have the matter settled, we find that it was brought out who was real and who wasn't, who was the mother and who only professed to be the mother. And you know, I've been solemnized that late of late to realize, and I've had some circumstances that have made me realize that even in a setting like this tonight, we cannot assume that everybody is a true child of God.
You know, both these women professed to be the mother of this child, and you may shake my hand at the door and say you're a Christian, You may tell your parents that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. But just over a year ago I was in Trinidad, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and brother Garvin Seymour was with me. And onwards the evening I insisted that he preached the gospel at the meeting room, a setting very similar to this, except it was 115° and the bats were swooping in and out through the soffits, but otherwise.
A setting very similar to this and Garvin that night very lovingly and faithfully.
Presented the simple gospel story and as soon as the meeting was over, the 16 year old daughter of our host and Hostess, in whose home we were staying stood up and said I got saved tonight and confessed. Christ, I'll never forget it. If you'd asked me the week before, is Abigail the Lords? I would have said. I think she is. She listens, she said all the meetings. She's a nice girl, but she was not the Lord's brought up in a Christian home. Went to gospel meetings for 16 years.
But although it was a work of the spirit of God, he touched her heart that night, and there was another hour of singing and tears and rejoicing and praying. I never experienced anything quite like it in my life, but I just say it's a solemn thing to be to profess, to be real and not. Because if you profess to be a Christian and you're not, eventually circumstances are going to be brought to bear to show what's really in your heart. It's like the seed that fell on Stony ground.
It sprung up. There were leaves. It looked like there was going to be fruit, that there was reality. But when the sun came out, when circumstances were brought to bear, it showed very quickly that there was no root, there was no inner work, and the leaves withered. It was just that which makes a profession, but there's no reality. And so we find, as I say, this incident took place at midnight. No one saw what happened. Midnight's the Darkest Hour.
00:40:08
But in the light, in the presence of Solomon, in the light of his wisdom.
Everything is brought out. The heart of these two women is brought out because when the sword is brought, we find that love sacrifices itself for the object that it loves. And so the one who's the true mother, she says. Oh, give her the baby, don't destroy it.
One who was the professor? She said, no, no, no, just to divide the baby and let us each have half. Oh, I say, it's a solemn thing to be brought into the presence of our Solomon, the presence of the Lord Jesus, because everything is exposed. You may fool me, you may fool your parents, you may fool the people at meeting, but you can't fool God. And in the end your heart will be manifest. Now let's go to the New Testament, to Matthew's Gospel.
Chapter 25.
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 25 and verse 6.
And at midnight there was a cry made. Behold, the Bridegroom, cometh go ye out to meet him.
Well, here we have another midnight scene. We know this story well. We often refer to it as the parable of the 10 virgins, 10 ladies who all were sound asleep. I just want to say a word about that because, you know, usually when we take up the parable of the 10 virgins, we stress in the gospel the fact that there were five who again only made a profession. They didn't have oil in their lamps. When they lift their lamps, they flickered.
But they said our lamps are gone out. Or if you notice Mr. Darby's translation, our lamps are going out. They flickered for a moment, but there was nothing inside, no oil, which invariably is a type of the spirit of God. And so their lamps were going out. And we often stress those five who were foolish, and certainly rightly so. But I want for a moment just to speak about these other five ladies. They were wise in that they had oil in their lamps.
But you know, I believe there's a very sad commentary about them here in the If you saw these 10 ladies, they were all sleeping. And as you looked at these 10 ladies sleeping, you could not tell from outward appearance or condition who had oil in their lamps and who didn't. Isn't that sad? You know, later on we're given exhortation like this. It is high time to awake out of sleep.
For now is our salvation nearer than when we believe. That's not written to unbelievers. That's written to believers telling us that we need to wake up. There was number testimony here. You couldn't, as I say, tell who was real and who wasn't. What a sad condition for a believer to be in. And I believe it is possible for those of us who have oil, for those of us who are real, to get into such a condition that as the world looks on, there's no testimony.
They cannot tell whether we're real or not. Now the Lord knoweth them that are his, and thank God they do.
But you may I may get to a point in my life where you have to look at me and say he is so asleep spiritually. I don't know whether he's a true child of God or not. But we find here and there's a historical character to what we have here. But that's not what I want to bring out. We find at midnight there was a cry. Behold the bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him. Well, I just as I said, there's a historical character to this. But suffice it to say, brother.
That the Lord Jesus is coming. Our bridegroom is coming, and we need to be awake to that. We need to be watching and waiting for His His return. Now let's go on quickly to Luke, Chapter 11.
Luke, Chapter 11.
And verse 5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, friend, lend ME3 loaves. Well, here we find the Lord Jesus telling a little story in connection with exhorting his disciples to prayer. And he tells this story about a man who had a need. He desired something that was for the good and blessing of his household and his guests.
00:45:03
And he goes to his friend at midnight, at a dark time again. You have a dark time in your life, some real trial or situation. Oh, you have a friend you can go to, a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, a friend that's always available, and a friend that never tires of his coming.
You might have a friend in this world and you go to that friend two or three times with a problem. And after a while you said, you know, I really just don't feel so free to go to that friend. I bothered that friend enough. But here's a friend, the Lord Jesus, and we can come again and again and again. And this man came to his friend at midnight and he asked for three loaves, that which was for the sustenance of his household. But you know, the Lord Jesus goes on to tell in this story.
That the man didn't rise and give him what he wanted because he was his friend. No, he rose and gave him what he wanted. Because of his importunity or his constant asking, this man wasn't going to give up. And you know, as believers I think sometimes we don't see the answers to prayer that we should because we give up too easy. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
We're exhorted in Colossians to continue in prayer. Do we know what it is to continue in prayer? Not just to pray about something once and leave it, but to continue in prayer. Now I realize we don't want to beg the Lord for something that might not be according to his mind because he might give it to us.
Granted them their request and sent leanness into their soul. And so we want to be careful to always pray in the spirit of the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done, but nevertheless, when it's something for the good and blessing of your household, don't give up asking.
Maybe you've prayed for years for the salvation of a loved one. Don't give up because it's God's will that all men be saved. Maybe you've prayed for the restoration of a loved 1A wayward member of the family. Don't give up because the restoring grace of God is as limitless as his saving and preserving grace. And so I just want to encourage you. Come, come. In those difficult times, it must seem midnight.
It might seem hopeless, but come ask and ask again. And then not only are we to ask, but and not only are we to pray, but we're to watch and pray. What does that mean? We'll just look for answers, expect answers. Sometimes we don't receive answers to prayer because we don't have the faith and so we need to watch and pray. Well, let's go on just say before we turn to the Book of the Acts, in the few moments that are left, I want to very quickly look at 3 midnight scenes.
In the life of the Apostle Paul, we'll read them first and then we'll speak of them. The first one is in Acts 16.
Acts 16 and verse 25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. And the prisoners heard them. Now just hold your finger here. We'll come right back. But let's notice a portion in the 20th chapter.
Chapter 20 and verse 7. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the Morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. Chapter 27.
Chapter 27 and verse 27.
But when the 14th night was come, we were driven up and down in Adria about midnight. The shipment deemed that we drew. They drew near to some country and sounded and found it 20 fathoms. And when they had gone a little further, they sounded again and found it 15 fathoms. Well, first of all we have this midnight scene in the 16th chapter. We know that Paul and Silas had been preaching the gospel in the city of Philippi, and because of their preaching the gospel, they were thrown in prison.
If I thought I was going to be thrown in prison tonight for preaching the gospel in Pella, would I be standing here? I've never been put to that test in the path of faith and service. I don't know what I would do. But Paul and Silas, their zeal was such for the propagation of the glad tidings that even though it meant being thrown in prison and beaten, they preached the gospel. But, you know, when they got into prison, what were they doing? Well, when midnight came the darkest hour, they prayed and sang praises. Now, I don't know what I would have been doing, probably grumbling and saying, well, Lord, I thought I got a vision to come over here and help somebody. And what good am I doing here with my back bleeding and my feet in the stalks? And I'm very uncomfortable and it's dark and damp in this prison. Is that what they were doing? No, They were so in the enjoyment of Christ.
00:50:32
That they sang and prayed at midnight. Now it wasn't that they were indifferent to their circumstances. You know, we never want to be indifferent or callous to the circumstances that we pass through. Paul and Silas. They felt the smarting of their backs. They felt the chains on their on their hands and their feet. They weren't indifferent to it, but they were able to rise above their circumstances because of what was in their souls, because it says of the Christian's joy.
Your joy No man taketh from you. And our joy doesn't depend on our circumstances, but it does depend on what Christ means to your heart and mind. And so we find they prayed and sang praises at midnight. And what was the result? Why the prisoners heard them. The jail keeper got saved. What blessing? Because our joy in the Lord is often a testimony to others. The Christian can be happy when things go well.
They get along at school, they get good grades, they get the promotion they were looking for at work. Christian, the unbeliever, can be happy then, but just introduce something adverse and that happiness that depends on their circumstances will disappear very quickly. But our happiness, our joy, doesn't depend on our circumstances. And so the unbeliever looks on and it's a real testimony when he sees the Christian rejoicing.
Even in adverse circumstances. And so, if I can put it this way, what we have in this first midnight scene is what ought to characterize every believer individually. I've often wondered too if they didn't pray and sing praises at midnight, remembering that verse in the 119th Psalm that says at midnight will I arise and sing praises unto thee.
Because of thy righteous judgments, you know, that's how we can sing in the trials when we understand that he's doing right. They knew from that verse in the 119th Psalm that what God allowed was right. And when we realized that even in the difficult circumstances, even in the midnights of life, God is doing right, then we can sing and we can praise and he can use it in much blessing. So this is what ought to characterize us individually.
But if if we have in the 16th chapter what ought to characterize us individually? Then I would suggest in the 20th chapter we have that which ought to characterize us collectively, Because what we find in the 20th chapter are the Saints of God. In Troas meeting on the first day of the week in the third loft, the place of separation. 3 is often in scripture a picture of death and resurrection, the picture of separation.
And you find them in the third loft on the first day of the week, remembering the Lord Jesus and listening to the ministry of the apostle Paul. And that's what ought to characterize the people of God collectively, walking in separation through this world and meeting in separation from all that man has established. And that is not according to the word of God, and meeting for the remembrance of the Lord Jesus and ministry of his work. And you find here there was an appreciation.
For Paul's ministry, you know, I believe that there are many Christians, sincere Christians today who are very confused because they're not adhering, they're not listening to Paul's ministry because, you know, we really can't understand the hope and calling of the believer and our true position and responsibility in Christianity apart from Paul's ministry.
All we need the Gospels, it's true. We need the ministry of Peter and James and John and Jude as well. But we must, we must adhere to Paul's ministry. We must value it and walk in it, because it is what gives the Christian his proper character as he walks through this world. And so we have what characterizes us individually, what ought to characterize us collectively, And then we find.
00:55:07
In the 27th chapter, what I guess I can dare to say it what does characterize us collectively at the end? The 20th chapter is what octave characterized the people of God collectively. The 27th chapter we find the ruin comes in by the end of the chapter. The ship is in ruin, the testimony is in ruin, things are smashed, although everyone thank God makes it safe to shore. But what I want to notice too here that is about midnight they deemed.
That they drew near some country. You know, again, this is midnight. This is midnight. In the history of the church, there's many midnights in our lives individually. But isn't it good to deem that we're near some land, Brethren, we are almost to the other side. We're almost across the sea. And so they deemed at midnight that they're near some land. And what do they do? They sound. And every time they sound, they find that they're getting closer and closer and closer.
You know we need to do that every day. We need to, as it were, sound. And we'll find that every day we're getting closer and closer to the coming of the Lord Jesus. We have never been closer to the coming of the Lord Jesus than we are here to here tonight. The Lord Jesus has said, behold, I come quickly the coming of the Lord Draweth nigh. Oh, I just want to encourage you everyday sound and you'll find we're getting a little closer and a little closer and keep the hope of the Lord's coming before you and what encouraged these men in the ship at this time.
Was the fact that they realized that they were getting closer to the land. And what will encourage you and me as we go across the sea of life? And there's many storms and there's a lot of darkness and a lot of midnights. But what will encourage your heart and mind is to realize that we're almost there to the other side. Well, these are the midnight scenes of scripture. We've looked at them very, very quickly. I trust you'll go back over them. They've been an encouragement and a blessing to my own soul. Again, they're a warning to anybody that's not saved. But I trust you. They will encourage our hearts, brethren. The days are dark.
I'm not going to underestimate the darkness of the day. And in this world, the moral and spiritual darkness is deepening every moment. But, oh, brethren, there's a wonderful morning coming. Let's take courage. Let's go on. Let's be in the joy of the Lord, individually and collectively, until we get to the other side. And there there'll be no midnights there. Time shall be no more. There's no night there. Because the Lord is going to be the light of everything when we're gathered around himself.
In the Father's house.