Pella Conference: 2005
Table of Contents
Open Mtg. 1
Open—C. Hendricks, B. Bauman
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I have a burden of my heart.
Not to take the time, all of it.
I've been impressed.
In the Gospels and especially John's Gospel.
How the Lord dealt with individuals?
From the.
From the highest to the lowest.
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There weren't any that he left out.
He met every need.
That we're not going to be able to take up the mall.
But let's turn to John's Gospel chapter 3. We'll just look at a few of them.
Now he dealt with them.
The one in John chapter 3 is that he's the higher echelon in society. Religious man Pharisee.
He who?
Was looked up to.
And whom they addressed as Rabbi, Rabbi.
Verse one 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, Rabbi, 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 gotten that far in his observation of the Lord Jesus.
He said. We know.
Thou art a teacher. Come from God.
You notice in the last part of the second chapter, it says in verse 24 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.
And he knew what was in Nicodemus, his heart and in his soul and in his life. And he was one that was the in the upper class of society. The next chapter we read of a woman that was of a lower class.
From the highest to the lowest. And how he spoke to them? And what did Nicodemus need? Do they need to be told?
And some deep, profound truths of Scripture.
No, he needed the very foundation, the most basic truth that everyone of us needs, from the highest to the lowest.
So he comes to the Lord Jesus as a teacher to a teacher.
We know that thou art a teacher, come from God, for no man can do the miracles that thou doest except God be with him.
And as so often when the Lord deals with souls, He does not answer their question directly at all. Sometimes he just completely omits it.
Jesus answered and said to him, verily, verily, truly, truly.
I say to thee, Nicodemus, except a man be born again. He cannot see the Kingdom of God.
That's a tremendous truth for a self-righteous, egotistical Pharisee.
He had all that the religious world could confer upon him, and the Lord gives him the very most basic truth, that you need a new life, you need a new beginning, you need a new nature. Except a man be born again, born of God. He cannot see the Kingdom of God. That includes you Nicodemus and all the rest of you self-righteous Jews.
Nicodemus saith unto him.
Sounds like a stupid question coming from such an intelligent man. How can a man be born when he's old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?
Again, he didn't understand the Lord's words at all.
Jesus answered. Verily, verily, truly, I say to thee, except a man be born of water.
And of the Spirit. He cannot enter the Kingdom of God if he's not born again. He can't see it, can't understand it. It's a sphere which is outside of this world. And Nicodemus had everything that the religious world could confer, and yet he needed a new life.
He needed to be born of water. That's the word of God, Peter tells us. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God that liveth and abideth forever. That's what the water speaks of. Stillwater always speaks of the scriptures, and flowing water speaks of the Spirit of God.
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Now he's going to talk about that in the next chapter, but he doesn't talk about the spirit of God except as the one that is the source of his new life.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
So young people remember this when you're dealing with souls, if they don't have a new life, if they don't have a new beginning, a new nature they can't see.
And they can't enter the Kingdom of God.
Religion is I think it was Karl Marx that said it's the opiate of the people, said a lot of wrong things, but he certainly was right there because religion gives to man something to do. That's why they like the law the Jews did because it gave them something to do. And when they heard it they said all that the Lord has spoken, we will do and obey. And they had broken the 1St 3 commandments before Moses came down.
We don't keep it.
Man can't keep it.
He needs a new life, a new beginning.
And then he says that which is born of the flesh is flesh. It you can train it, you can educate it, you can put it through college and university. It's still flesh.
When I got saved as a freshman in college, I made the mistake of taking a religion course as an elective. And it was a mistake because the man that was running the course was a he was a modernist and he didn't have any faith, and he liked to make fun of those that did that kind of thing. A man that knew nothing about the Kingdom of God, really, because he'd never been born again, born anew afresh.
It's not really born again, as though you need another life the same as you have already been born with. No, it's a fresh and altogether new beginning. And this is what this self-righteous Pharisee.
Needed.
Have you ever thought of it, That we're all born Pharisees?
We're all born Pharisees. We all think highly of ourselves.
Yes, we do.
Yes, we do. In the first step, we have to learn in the school of God is to get rid of that pride. The greatest sin that we commit is pride. It's the greatest evil of all.
It gives to man a place that only belongs to God.
Pride is the greatest of all evils, and we all have it.
And especially an educated, trained, religious pharisee like Nicodemus was.
And he's told you have to have a new beginning. All that you have I'll let you are boasting in and that and that you can rejoice in down here that's of the flesh is still flesh.
That which is one of the flesh is flesh. You can do every possible give it every possible advantage. It's still flesh.
I used to preach at Skid Row and I saw the lower class, the bums of the the, the drunkards in that.
But here was one that was just the opposite. He was the upper echelon, and he needed to be born again, Born a new, a new life, new beginning.
That was just born of the flesh is flesh. No matter what you do to it, it's still flesh. You can't change it into spirit, but that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Takes of the nature of the source. If you haven't been born again, you're still in the flesh and you have no you can't see. You can't enter the Kingdom of God without that new birth.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Notice the singular in our King James. It retains the distinction between singular and plural. He says unto thee, Nicodemus, ye plural, now all you use must be born again.
All of you that think of yourselves higher than and better than others.
Oh, we're not guilty of that. Oh, yeah, yes.
We are.
We can even be proud of.
The the light that God has been pleased to give us, because that makes us better than other Christians, doesn't it?
No, it doesn't. Makes us more responsible, not better than much more responsible to walk in the light that God has committed to us, but not better than.
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Nicodemus was one that taught himself better than.
The others.
Marvel not, the Lord says that I said to thee.
Must be born again. You need a new life.
Now let's turn to the 4th chapter.
So the first one that he deals with here that we've looked at for a short few moments was a very.
Looked up to Matt.
And he was proud of it.
And he needed to be told that he needed a new life.
Now we come to the lower class.
Chapter 4. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John.
Though Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples, he left Judea and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Did you notice that must in John 3YE must be born again or born anew. Now the Lord must go through Samaria. Why? Because he had an appointment. Oh, she didn't know anything about it, But it was an appointment to meet someone there that he was going to bring into blessing.
I believe that Nicodemus had a work of God begun in his soul, and the Lord gave him the very basic, fundamental truth that he needed to hear.
He must need to go through Samaria, then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sikar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being worried with his journey, sat thus on the well.
And it was about the 6th hour. This woman came at that time. She came at a time when there wouldn't be anyone there normally, because because of her reputation, because of her life that she had lived and was continuing to live.
And she was not only that morally bad, but she was a Samaritan.
And she come at that very time.
Was about the 6th hour. Then cometh their cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water.
Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink, That must have been a very, very.
Difficult situation, this Samaritan woman.
That she knew her life, what she, how she had lived and how she was living. And then she comes and there was this Jew sitting. That's all she saw was this Jew sitting at the and the well.
How was how was the conversation? The Jews don't talk to the Samaritans. The Samaritans don't talk to the Jews. They despise each other. Jews are so much better than the Samaritans. They wouldn't stoop down to talking to a Jew to a Samaritan. Excuse me?
So he opens the conversation. He breaks down the barrier that was there that would have hindered any kind of communion between them. He says, Give me to drink.
Amazing that a Jew would ask of a Samaritan woman, no less. Not even a man, but a woman, because they look down upon the female sex you know, as being inferior to the men.
A lot of countries in this world that still consider it that way, Christianity is has elevated the status of the woman wonderfully.
He says to her. Give me to drink.
For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him. Now she is emboldened to speak to him, though she would have totally avoided that.
She says to him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, ask us drink of me, which I'm a woman of Samaria?
Unthinkable.
That a Jew would do that.
What the Lord did?
He had to breakdown that barrier.
That existed between the Jews and the Samaritans.
So that he could talk to her so that he could reach her. So he asks of her a favor.
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To break it down.
How is it that thou, being a Jew, ask us, drink of me, a woman of Samaria?
The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
Jesus passes that all by, and he answered and said to her, If thou knewest the gift of God.
God is a giver.
Not God who has given the 10 commandments saying you do this and then you'll live, you do this, and then you'll have a title to heaven. And man can't do that.
10 Commandments.
And he says, if thou knewest the gift of God, the free giving of God, not God, demanding something from a man that can't produce that the obedience that would be required to keep the law.
The only new God is a giver.
And who it is that saith to thee, if you only knew who I am?
He hides himself in a way, but he says who it is that says to thee. Give me to drink if you know me. If you only knew me.
And the God that sent me.
And when this whole thing is is over, she didn't know him.
If you knew who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
At Living Water, that's a picture of the Holy Spirit. That Stillwater in John 3 is a picture of the word of God, but now he's talking about the Spirit of God as free flowing living water.
Again, just like Nicodemus says, how can a man be entered the second time to his mother's woman be born? She says that was nothing to draw with and the well is deep from. Winston asked how 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.
Nicodemus could boast in his religion as a Jew. She could boast in her religion as a Samaritan.
Jesus answered and said to her, whosoever drinketh of this water.
Shall thirst again.
You know what that is? Take a drink of water and soon you're you're finished with it. You don't have a drink of water up here.
We should did.
Art thou greater? Oh, yes, she was. Jesus answered and said to her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water, that I shall give him.
Shall never thirst.
But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a it should read a fountain of water.
That's something that you have to dip a bucket down into, But a fountain of water? Freeze flowing fountain of water springing up into everlasting life?
He told the Nicodemus he didn't speak anything at that first time of eternal life. He just says you need a new life, you need to be born again. But now he speaks to this woman, this woman, Samaria. Far deeper truth, he says, the living water spirit of God springing up into it eternal life.
The woman saith to him. Sir, give me this water, but I thirst not, neither come hit her to draw.
So he had awakened.
In her a desire. Thank you.
After that water.
That's satisfying.
Fountain Spirit of God indwelling everyone of us who's a Christian here this afternoon, the Spirit of God dwells within you.
And she says, Sir, give me this water.
He awakens a desire.
That has to be awakened when you deal with souls. When we deal with souls, we have to.
We have to know where they are in their soul. She came to that place to draw water, hoping, thinking that no one else would be there. You didn't want to get into a conversation, especially with a Jew.
Being who she was, Samaritan.
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But she encounters one that loved her with an everlasting love.
And offered to her.
Something that would satisfy her forever.
Go call my husband.
Come here.
How did he know she had a husband? Well, he knows all about us.
But she needed to realize that he knew all about her.
And he had offered her that living water.
That that free flowing water that would satisfy forever.
She says I have no husband.
Jesus said to her.
As well said, I have no husband, for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou hast is not thy husband.
And that sets out truly he lets her know. I know all about you. I know your past. I know your present. I know you need.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive thou art a prophet. How would you know this if you weren't a prophet?
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain.
And you say, you Jews say that in Jerusalem is a place where men ought to worship. Isn't it striking that one can get into a religious tack, as it were, in order to take the edge of the sword of the Spirit off of me?
And.
Jesus says to her woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father the Father. The Jews didn't worship the Father. They didn't know who he was as Father. It took the eternal Son to come into this world as a man to introduce to us the Father.
You worship, you know not what he tells the Samaritan. He says The worship that you carry out does not have a divine foundation.
We know. We Jews know what we worship. They had the truth.
For salvation is of the Jews. The Messiah, the Savior came through that line I need, and he tells her that there's only two people in John's Gospel that he tells who he is to She's one of them.
The hour cometh, and now is we're in that hour, beloved, when the true worshippers.
Worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Not on an organ, not with an orchestra, not with instruments of music that don't have a spirit or a soul. That can be played beautifully and you can hear it and it can you can really enjoy the music.
But no worship can come out of those things.
Worship comes from the heart.
Yeah, the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. I used to say, if I was dealing with Nicodemus, that's what, that's the truth. I would have given the Nicodemus and I'd have been dead wrong. And what I would have said to the Samaritan woman was what he said to the Nicodemus. You must be born again. I would have been dead wrong. Absolutely.
No, the self-righteous, egotistical Pharisee needed to be told you need a new beginning all together, not only you, but.
The whole bunch of you, all you Jews, to think yourself so much better than the whole rest of mankind.
But this woman needed something to satisfy the longing of her soul. She had tried and tried and tried.
To find satisfaction, she had five husbands in the past. The man she was living with was not her husband, and she was still thirsty. She still needed something that didn't satisfy her.
God is a spirit. What truth He's giving to this Samaritan woman and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
You can't worship God with a.
An organ.
Or piano. That instrument has no spirit to worship him from your heart.
That's what he wants. We'll be doing that tomorrow morning when we remember him. Greatest privilege we have is true worship, the outfall of a redeemed heart, a heart that has the Spirit of God indwelling it and praising and worshipping adoring him.
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The hour cometh, and thou is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
In spirit, according to his nature, in truth, according to the revelation that he has now been pleased to give of himself as the Father.
Those that do that seeketh such to worship him.
God is a spirit, and they worship him a spirit worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh when which is called Christ. When he has come, he will tell us all things, and here it is. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee, and he.
He revealed himself first time the Gospel of John to a sinful Samaritan woman despised.
He revealed who he was.
Such.
And it speak unto thee and he And upon this came his disciples in marvel that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said, What seeketh thou? I talkest thou with her? The woman then left her water pot.
And went her way into the city, and saith to the men, come, she becomes an evangelist. Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? And then they came and hurt him themselves, and many believed. Now we believe that because of thy word they said to her. But we've heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.
Wonderful to know that one.
Don't want to take much more time? Turn to John 8.
There's another woman.
John 8.
Verse 2 Early in the morning he came again into the temple.
And all the people came unto him, and sat down, and taught them.
Now in this John eight you have you have John 3 self-righteous Jew and you have John 4A simple woman.
Early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him and sat down, and taught them. He sat down and taught them the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery. If she was taken in adultery, where was the man they were to bring both they were to stone, both of them according to the law, Those hypocrites, Those hypocrites.
We're all hypocrites when we pretend to be something we're not.
That's a Pharisee, he said. Ye hypocrites, ye generation of Vipers, How should he escape the damnation of hell?
He spoke the severest language possible.
I remember talking to a Jewish engineer at work. I was in the screen room testing microphones and he and I were all alone there and had my Bible there And I got talking to him and I said, do you know why your people rejected Jesus? I said, let me read it to you and I read to him Matthew 23. I just quoted a few of the verses. Matthew 23. I was talking to another Christian and I was telling him this story.
And when I got through reading Matthew 23, read it. Ye hypocrites, he generation of Vipers, How should he escape the damnation of hell? And he said, you read him that. I said that's exactly what I read him. And when I looked up and was finished with the reading, his face had turned red.
Read.
The Lord Jesus.
Is often portrayed as carrying a little child or shepherding a little lamb. Holding a little lamb.
A bruised Reed he would not break, and smoking flax he would not quench. But all he was severe with those hypocrites, those religious hypocrites.
Thinking they're better than others.
That are not so privileged.
As they.
Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act. Why did they do this? They were simply trying to find fault with the Lord Jesus.
They thought they had him on the horns of a dilemma. If he said let her go free, they would have said, well you're not keeping the law. If he had said Stoner, then you're not showing mercy. Notice how he answers.
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Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned. But what say stop?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not the finger of God. Here was the finger of a man, that very same God, Jehovah God, who wrote the 10 commandments on the 2 tables of stone. Thou shalt not commit adultery now rights in the ground something that he was writing that commandment, the 6th commandment.
7th The 7th 6th with Thou Shall not kill 7th thou shalt not commit adultery. We're not told what he wrote.
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.
The most.
Difficult.
Function the assembly.
Has to perform sometimes.
Is to put away a wicked person.
Not easy.
Given to an assembly.
Sometimes I have to do that.
If it does it, if you do it, if I do it as being superior to that person, we're dead wrong.
He that is without sin among you.
Let him first cast the stone at her, and again.
He stooped down and rode on the ground two times. Remember, the law was given twice. First time he broke it. Had he brought it into the camp? They were dancing around the golden calf which they had made. They broke the first commandment. They made another God and worshipped it. They made an image and worshipped it. They call that.
God Jehovah taking the name of the Lord in vain. First three commandments they brought.
Then he Then he gave him the law mixed with grace.
The second time.
They which heard it being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest even to the last, and Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst.
He said he that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone. There was one in that company that was without sin, and that was the Lord.
What would he do now? They'd all left. They were all convicted. They were sinners.
When Jesus had lifted himself up, he saw and saw none but the woman. He said to her woman, Where are those sign accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said. No man, Lord.
And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee.
Go and say no more.
Well, that's what he said to everyone of us because of the cross. In order for him to utter those words. He was looking forward to the cross when he would bear the sins of those of those that he had forgiven that woman's sin and odd your sins in mind.
No man Lord, she said. Neither do I condemn thee wonderful, wonderful gospel.
The difference between law and grace is a universe apart Law and grace.
Now go to the 9th chapter.
The 9th chapter is.
The second time, the Lord revealed himself to someone here.
There was this man who was born blind.
And they asked him Master verse two, Chapter 9, who sinned this manner as parents that he was born blind.
How could he have sinned before he was born unless he had a former life?
You remember the Jews were 70 years captive to Babylon and they were exposed to all the evils of the false religions that are in this world.
Reincarnation.
How could he have been born blind? Did he do something in a previous life and he's paying for it in this one?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents.
But that the works of God should be made manifest in Him. I must work the works of Him that has sent me. While it is day, the light night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
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When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground. The word became flesh. He spat on the ground.
And he made clay of the spittle God formed of man the dust to the ground.
And he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. When you see that God became a man, the Word became flesh dwelt among us. That's what's needed to open your blind eyes.
That's what opened the eyes of this blind man and more, he says to her him.
Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.
Verse seven He said to him go wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation sent. The Father sent the Son to be the savior of the world. He sent him to become a man, that the Word could become flesh. And when that's applied by the Spirit of God to the eyes of a blind Sinner, he sees eternal life is his. He's been born of God.
He washed and came see.
The neighbors, therefore, they which before had seen him that he was blind, said is not this he that sat and begged. Some said this is he. Others said he's like him, but I am he, he said I'm he.
Well, we know this. Do we know the chapter?
Go to the end of it.
They asked him over and over again, how were your eyes open? How were your eyes open? They asked his parents, and they said ask him. He's of age. They didn't want to get into trouble. They didn't want to get put out of the synagogue.
First, he said.
He was just a man.
A man called Jesus. Then he was a prophet. Oh, he makes progress in this chapter they said to him in verse 24. They called the man that was blind and said unto him, give God the praise. We know that this man is a Sinner. 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 unto him again, What did he to thee? How open he thine eyes?
Notice what he says to them. He answered and said, I have told you already, and he did not hear. Wherefore would you hear it again? Will you be also His disciples? And they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple. But we are Moses disciples.
Talk about hypocrites.
We know that God spake unto Moses. As for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
And that answered and said to him, then, why? Here it is a marvelous thing, that you know not from whence he is, and yet he has 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 heareth. 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.
They answered and said unto him, Thou hast altogether born in sins.
Altogether born in sins, that refers to some past life that he did evil in and and so that he was paying for that. That's what they thought. That was altogether born in sins, and helped us out, teach us, and they cast him out. Now we come to the end. Jesus heard they had cast him out, and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? It said he was a man. He said he was a prophet.
He said more wonderful things about the Lord. Now the Lord asked him, Do you believe on the Son of God? He answered, and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou has both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
And he said, Lord, I believe, and he worshiped him.
He told that Samaritan woman, I am he the Christ, He tells this poor blind Jew who has now given his sight by the Son of God, who he is. I am he.
He worshipped him. He worshipped him.
One more and then I'm done. John 20, John 21.
Do you remember in Acts 22 after Peter had denied him three times?
The Lord turned and he looked at Peter.
And Peter went out and wept bitterly.
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Peter was real, but he was self confident, just like you and I are.
And he had to fall in order that God would teach him what he really was in himself.
But he needed he was going to be restored. He met him privately. We don't know the conversation that went on, but this is public in John 21.
Verse 15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas Lovestami. More than these.
You saith unto him, Yay, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. You sayeth unto him, feed my lands. You sayeth to him again The second time. Simon, son of Jonas, love, assail me. He saith unto him, Yeah, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee, He sayeth unto him, feed my sheep. You sayeth unto him, The third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved, because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things.
Thou knowest that I love thee.
Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He didn't want to just say I love you. He had said, I love you more than these others, and he'd failed three times. Someone asked me why did the Lord ask him that three times? I said he failed three times. He was bringing it home to his soul. And he had to come to the point where he said, You know that I love you, you know that I love you. I'm not claiming anything.
I've been such a miserable failure, but you know I love you, Lord.
And he said the emotion.
10 My sheep, Some have developed a doctrine of the.
Blemished priest.
Certainly if that doctrine were correct at once, one has failed, the Lord can't use him again, then he could never have used Peter again.
And they needed to know that publicly. So he restores them publicly. He restores Peter.
Feed my sheep, feed my lambs, Tend them.
So no matter how you failed, no matter what you may have done.
And the Lord has allowed it to bring you down, just as He needed to bring Peter down.
He'd still use you.
He can still use you. If he couldn't, who would he? Who could he use? Which one? Raise your hand if you think that he could use you because you haven't failed.
You better not put your hand up.
Because he'll teach you that you're not perfect. There's only one that was perfect.
Our precious Lord Jesus.
Thou knowest all things, Peter said. Thou knowest that I love you.
They just had to leave it there and that love of his heart for you and me.
That he could use our poor wretched sinners, such as I am by nature.
By practice.
That's great.
Wonderful Grace.
Turn to second, Timothy.
Second Timothy and chapter three, I think. Yeah, and verse.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration.
Of God. It's all God breathed.
And is profitable for doctrine?
Turn to.
John 5, John 5.
And verse 45 at the end there is one that accuses you, Moses, in whom you trust. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me, for Moses wrote of me.
Let's turn to Luke 24.
00:50:05
And verse 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to have entered his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures things concerning himself.
Verse 44 he said unto them.
These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me.
Now I could give a lot more but I'm not going to not much time but.
Moses wrote of me said Christ, the Lord Jesus. So when you read the Old Testament scriptures especially, we're talking now about the Pentateuch, The first five books seek to find Christ in them, he wrote of him. Now we're going to turn to a very short portion, may not be able to even handle it.
It'll be in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy. Moses wrote it one of his books, Deuteronomy.
In chapter 21, Deuteronomy 21 and remember, Moses wrote of me.
9 verses I doubt if I could cover them, but I'd love to.
If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
That has to mean Canaan. It has to mean the Holy Land. It has to mean the land that the Lord gave to the children of Israel to possess. I could go back, don't have time now, but I could go back and show you maybe 7 times and then up to.
To Joshua first verse you'll find it again. I mean first chapter the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it. That's what it is. What was wrong? Well, someone was found dead, slain in the in the land.
OK, lying in the field, that's different. You know, God explains God includes everything. When he talks about Christ. He has to. Moses is merely speaking for God here. It's wonderful, isn't it? In the field. What does this field mean?
It means the place every Sinner in this world is. That's a field, John 316 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, whosoever any Sinner believeth in him.
Shall not perish but have everlasting life. No, I don't waste time on those simple verses, but that's the field. Now turn to Matthew.
13 Matthew 13 I'm going fast because time sneaks away. Matthew 13.
We will show you the difference between these things.
And verse 44, I believe verse 44 all right.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like under the treasure hid in the field. What's the treasure? It's every man. A woman and child. Yeah, that's who my Lord was concerned with before God created anything. He was concerned with the children of men. You isn't that beautiful? The witch. When a man foundeth heideth.
And for and.
Wait a minute, And for joy goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth the field. You know what that speaks of. Whosoever the field means, whosoever any Sinner, anywhere, Anytime he paid for that field, he died for sin. Propitiation has been made.
00:55:09
Isn't that beautiful? All right. Otherwise. Well, let's read on again. The Kingdom of heaven is like unto A merchant man seeking goodly pearls when he found one Pearl of great price, sold all that he had and bought it. Oh, I'm that beautiful.
That's.
That is the bride of Christ, of course, and it's the body of Christ.
Is there water here? Yeah, Chuck didn't drink at all.
Thank you, Chuck. Okay Okay. It's the body of Christ. I don't waste much time here, but it's very beautiful. I want to go back to the 9th 9 verses. Okay.
Then let's see. And it be not known who has slain him, But you know there's murder.
God's righteousness is at stake, His Holiness.
Has been blemished. There's murder, so no one will own up to it. No one will confess it. Isn't that the heart of man? Yeah. You know, you go back to Genesis and.
I'd like to go to all these but Genesis chapter 5 I believe.
Verse 8 Cain talked with Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field. Notice that in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Now there's been a man found slain in the field. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is thy brother? And he said, I know not.
And the Lord said, What hast thou done?
The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. What did What did Abel's blood cry for to the Lord?
Justice. Justice. That's what it cried for. You know, the Lord left his blood here. And what did the Lord's blood cry for? And he's still crying for it. Mercy. What a difference. A mercy. I'm a recipient of it, and I hope everyone here is.
All right, now, how did such a terrible thing happen to a young man at the beginning of man's history? How could it be? He kills a man and then lies about it? That's the pattern of Satan.
That's the pattern in all your hearts.
Turn to John. Five I think, I hope. Got to go quick here, John. Five, maybe it's eight, I'll go to 8.
John 8 and verse 40.
For ye are of your father, the devil, and the lust of your father you will do He was a murderer from the beginning.
He's talking to the religious leaders, by the way.
And abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Adam sinned and that's where his son got this. And it's with any of us, all of us. None of us were any different. You know, Jeremiah makes it clear. I don't want to go back to Jeremiah, but you know the verses 220 and so on.
The heart is deceitful. Here I go. The heart is deceitful above all things. Desperately wicked. Who can know it? The next verse I the Lord.
Lord knows your heart and he tells you the truth. You say I may have lied? Yeah, I lied. But I never killed anybody.
Watch out.
The thought is in your heart. Just give it the right opportunity and you will murder somebody. Ask God to help, but that's it. Unless you're saved and you're indwelled by the spirit of God. But every Sinner has that in his heart. I got to go on, all right.
01:00:07
Verse.
Well, it was not known. Nobody will confess even today, but they're all guilty.
You're guilty. Everyone ever lived as a Sinner is guilty before God. What was the Super scription of his accusation written above? Christ on the Cross, Huh. It was written in Hebrew and Latin and and Greek. What does that mean?
The Jews, the Gentiles, and the Roman Authority.
They're all guilty, but no one will take responsibility. We know today, Chris, Adam.
Is putting away the responsibility from God's chosen people of this earth, the Jews. That's not a nice thing to say. They're the most responsible. It's not nice. Don't. So they don't do it. They take it away. There's nobody claims responsibility. Are you responsible for the death of Christ and the judgment he had to take?
Are you?
You say I wasn't even there. That's the answer I get. I wasn't there. Of course I wasn't responsible. He died for the sin of this world, propitiation. He died for you. You're responsible for that death. And when we remember the Lord.
We have to remember, look at that cup, the bloodshed for my sins. All of my sins. And when I was saved, I had a mountain of them.
Were punished upon my substitute Jesus. I caused his suffering and his death on the cross I added to it. Well, I don't want to get into that. But you too are responsible. People don't like to take the responsibility. All right, be it not known who slayed him. I should have a picture here.
All right, verse 2. Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth. Why? For the elders are the ones who are responsible for identification, and for justice too, as the judges were the law.
They were to come forth, you know. Elders were always ready to be called upon to settle matters, and the elders often were called upon as witnesses because they were honorable men and men who would take that place to help judge a matter.
We know that Boaz called for the elders, and they judged the matter. They sought their witness. That's elders. Judges of course, applied the law, kept it strictly to God's truth. Elders and my judges shall come forth and they shall measure.
What?
Yeah, everything has to be done precisely accurate. They're to measure with under the city surround about what a city speak of, where men dwell. That's what a city speaks of in the word of God. And it says cities. They're all responsible, but they had to measure among all the cities. Now let's go on.
Ah, don't forget we're we're heading up to Christ. Thank you. God bless you. Hell, that's nice. One time they brought me a whole picture full with ice cubes. But it's all right. Hey, you did the best you could.
All right, cities.
Let's see.
Which are round about the one that is slain.
It has to be according to God's word, that's why the measurement. And it shall be verse three, that the city which is next under the slain man, the elders of that city, shall take an heifer. Now what is the city do you think nearest?
The slain man, of course. It's Jerusalem, I mean.
You shouldn't think about that. It's Jerusalem, the holy city, God, Zion.
01:05:06
In this world, that's it. That's what they found, all right, next to the slain man. It's still murder, still a blemish on God's wonderful righteousness. Even the elders of that city shall take an heifer.
A heifer. Yeah, a heifer. Female cow, right? A heifer. Interesting, isn't it? In Isaiah 55 it says the sheep before her shearers was done. Why? It's a female for everybody whosoever the worst and the best.
The best down here, because that's the worst. But the worst of the best? The heifers. All right. But in Acts Chapter 8, I believe the unique the treasurer of Ethiopia, the Lamb.
Before his shears was dumb. Why is the change of of that her to him his Well, because of the honorable ones.
And the rich ones and the important ones. It took a Bullock or ram, so it's his. Well, I don't. I love to get into that, but I won't. Let's see Heifer which has not been wrought with. What does that mean?
Hasn't been affected by human hands. Hasn't been.
And hasn't been done with with men, sinful men. Christ that speaks of Christ, of course, hasn't been wrought with and have not drawn in the yoke. What's that? Of course, that speaks of the law, doesn't it? The yoke. And Christ was never under the law. I think Galatians, I like to quote a few of these, but I don't have much time.
Anyway, Galatia, let's look at it because I shouldn't always just say this not good. I should tell you Galatians. Oh, man, this is what wrong. See, it's like when you're when the you're on the highway and there's an accident and you waste so much time sitting there when you could be going 75, you know, that's what bothers me. And I said to my wife, you know, we'd be about 70 miles ahead right now.
Well, she said. That's the way it is.
OK, John, I mean Galatians 51 stand fast therefore in the liberty which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of *******. That's the law.
Christ was never affected by the law. The law was perfect, and so was Christ. So that's why the Heather had to be both all right. And the elders of the city shall bring down the heifer.
You know that? Doesn't that remind you of Second Corinthians 8-9? I I think you could all recite it with me. I won't waste the time. Turn the pages for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor. That ye through his poverty might be rich. Isn't that beautiful? Now it's the same thing as Philippians.
Chapter 2.
Maybe it's four. It's two.
Seven steps downward to the bottom and Job really brings that out. So clear how far down he went. I like to see. I can't tell everything to you, but you probably know it anyway, Joe. I love that job.
And I think it's oh boy.
Job, I guess in Europe or maybe I will maybe here I'll goof up say, pardon me for the expression.
Oh, well. Anybody know where it is? He brought me down. Well, it's not Job. It's Jonah. Hey, turn to Jonah. He brought me down to the bottom.
01:10:02
I'll hurry. This is a this is like a traffic accident. Here we are wasting time. Some men know the Bible. You know, that's pretty nice, but I know itsy bits. Anybody with me? I'll hurry. Amos obadiah. Jonah. All right.
Chapter 2 of Jonah, Verse 3. Thou has Cast Me into the deep.
In the midst of the Seas and the floods compass me about all I billows, and thy waves passed over me. 5 The waters compassed me about even to the soul. The depth closed me, roundabout. The weeds were in tangled about my head. I went down to the bottoms. When did Jesus Christ do that?
You know when. You know when. On the cross. When he was my substitute and took the punishment I deserved in three hours of darkness. And I'd like to tell you. All right now. You probably know it. That's the passion. The passion wasn't what man did to him. You know, Hollywood likes to invent stuff. It's not the word of God. The passion was the three hours of darkness.
When his form was, I don't want to turn to it. His form. Everybody knows that 52. Isaiah 52. I want to turn. I I don't have a lot of time or I'd have more fun here. Isaiah 52 Okay, this is very beautiful.
14 As many were astonished as thee, His visage was so marred, more than any man.
And his form than the sons of men. When was that? In the three hours of darkness, when God had to turn his back upon his son, and punished him for my sins And yours if you belong to him, and 1St for the sin of the world can can you even begin to grasp what he went through? That was a passion.
Was this not what man did to him? All right, let's go on. Oh my goodness, I'm over.
Only halfway. We should give up your time for a refreshment, but I can't ask you to. I'd love to tell you this so well.
This is Moses wrote of me. Read the rest 1St 9 verses. Wish I could finish it, but I can't. Every stroke and every controversy was met by that red heifer.
Isn't that beautiful, what they do to him? They took him down to the rough valley. That's this wilderness we live in. That's where Christ came. And they lopped off his head. They killed him. That heifer, a substitute, a picture is so beautiful. What they do to Christ. They killed him, you know?
An innocent. The heifer was innocent.
Christ was innocent in that lovely, the one who betrayed him said. I betrayed innocent blood.
His judge three times over. No fault in this manner and I could go on. The judges wife don't have nothing to do with this. Just man.
God, this is my son, my beloved Son, and whom I well pleased. This is the testimony. The devil. Thou art the Son of God.
Something about eternal life? Well, I don't know. Anyway, reads and the rest of the 9 verses, that's what I had on my heart. But you can read it. And with the Spirit indwelling you, you can get all types right there. the United type is Christ.
First and last, first.
All right.
God Has a Function for Each of Us
Address—S. Jacobson
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.
Start our meeting this afternoon by singing in the Appendix #42.
Savior, lead us by thy power safe into the promised rest. Choose the path the way, whatever it seems to be. Oh Lord, the best be our guide in every peril. Watch and keep us night and day. Else our foolish hearts will wonder from the straight and narrow way. Someone please start #42 in the appendix.
Let's look to God for his blessing.
Let's turn first of all to the last two verses of First Corinthians.
15.
And in a few moments we'll proceed after some other scriptures to 1St Corinthians 16. But first of all, let's read 1St Corinthians 15 verses 57 and 58. And then I'd like to turn to.
Ephesians 4 and then to.
Another portion before we return to 1St Corinthians 16.
1St Corinthians 15, verse 57 and 58 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord Ephesians the 4th chapter.
00:05:23
And a few verses there to get a connection.
Verses 11.
Through.
16 Ephesians 4 verses 11 Through 16 He gave some apostles, and some of prophets, and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. We might make a remark about that 12Th verse, because we may not get back to it in in the King James. There are obviously those four prepositions for.
The four four. But the first one is in the original a different word, and we might say that the last two are the means to the first one. And the purpose of God in connection with apostles and prophets and and evangelist, pastors and teachers, is for the perfecting of the Saints. And the means to that end is the work of the ministry, the edifying of the body of Christ.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth and love.
May grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.
From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplier, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Let's turn to the last chapter of Colossians.
And verses 7.
Down through the chapter.
Sure. How far Colossians 4.
All my state shall take a cus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord whom I have sent unto you, for the same purpose, that he might know your estate and encompass your hearts.
A faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you, They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, Saluteth, you and Marcus, sister, son de Barnabas, touching whom you received commandments, if you come unto you, receive him, and at Jesus, which is called justice, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow workers unto the Kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. Epiphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ. Saluteth you always laboring.
Fervently for you in prayers, and that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record that he hath a great zeal for you and them there in Laodicea, and them in Hieropolis. Luke, the below physician and Demas preach, You salute the brethren which are in Laodicea and Memphis, and the church which is in his house. And when this epistle is read among you, caused it to be read also in the Church of the Laodicean's, and that ye all likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
And say to our chippers, take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord.
That thou fulfill it. One more verse and then we'll go back to 1 Corinthians 16.
One Corinthians 12.
Is sort of a.
A pivotal verse, a point of emphasis in connection with what we would like to speak on 1St Corinthians 12 and verse 18.
But now hath God set the members, everyone of them, in the body as it hath pleased him? Now that word for set has a reflexive sense, so that the the, the blessing of the doing comes back upon the doer. And who obviously is the one that sets, Well, it's God. And God has done the setting of each and everyone here that is a believer.
00:10:23
In the body as it had pleased him. And that means that there's not one of us the same, there's not one snowflake that's ever been found to be the same, and there's not one child of God. If there's 6 billion people in the world, we're not going to make an estimate of how many Christians there are.
We might be over or under, We'll just leave it there, but for everyone of those believers.
There's not one that God has set in the body that is intended to have that the same function, the same gift, same opportunity. But how important that we should see that what God has done, every one of them in the body as it has pleased him. And that's the encouragement that I want as a result of what we're going to look into. We're going to address some of the portions we've read, but the main point is this.
That everyone of us have a specific mission that God has intended. I had hoped for to have a messages of Love hymn book. We couldn't find one. And so later on I'm going to quote for the sake of the children, one of those poems, one of the songs in the little Flock Him book. I remember part of it and I we wrote out the rest of it. But we'll get to that to show that regardless of of the age.
From the oldest to the youngest. And there is a function that God intends for each one of us because he has set the members in the body as it hath pleased him. Now let's go. We've already in First Corinthians 12, so let's just turn a few pages to 1St Corinthians 16.
And first of all, let's go back just one verse, which is the last verse of First Corinthians 15 and I want to reread it.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast.
Unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, now the word for work and the word for labor is used several times. It's in Hebrew six, it's in First Thessalonians one, and is used here. Work might be what you'd call a job description, and the labor is the is the energy that you put into executing.
That work, if it wasn't a bit misunderstood and but I'll use it. It's the expression that we know that a famous statesman said blood, sweat and tears and that applies and can apply to each one of us. In connection we we hear the expression a laborer. Well, according to scripture all workers are not laborers but all laborers.
Our workers, because a laborer is one that has.
Exercised the gift that God has given given the.
Importance of what God has set him, and I can't overemphasize that. Whether it's the body of Christ at large, or whether it's the local expression of the of the body in a local assembly. How important to recognize that each person is distinct is different. I certainly need my brethren.
And and they in some feeble way need me. And as we function according to what God is given, there is.
Harmony, there is blessing. There is encouragement because God has done the setting. I haven't sort of chosen or somebody hasn't chosen me. Well, now you live there and you make sure of this and that. No, it's what God has done and how important because in a local assembly someone has said, and maybe it's right, maybe it's wrong, that because of the outstanding gift of a William Kelly, his home assembly.
Was somewhat crippled because of his outstanding gift up in Ireland because of Brother Bellitt. The same. It would have been the same in the assembly where Brother Darby lived, but he wasn't there enough. And so it is now. Forgive me brethren, I'm only seeking to bring out a very important point that regardless of the gift of a Kelly or a ballot or a Darby, God has set the members in the body as it have pleased him.
00:15:21
A story is told, Davis apocryphal, But there's a point to it. He was late in going to an assembly that he was visiting.
And there were brothers that because of his presence previously, that he never heard them speak in a reading meeting. And so he sat there for a while, and according to the story, apocryphal or not, he got up and left.
He said, I feel that my presence is a hindrance to the work of the Spirit. And so he left. Now God has set the members in the body as it had pleased him. Now let's read 1St Corinthians 16. Now concerning the collection for the Saints, As I have given order to the churches of Galatians, Even so do ye upon the first day of the week that everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come.
And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to you to bring you liberal, your liberality into Jerusalem. And if it be me that I go also, they shall go with me now. I will come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia. For I do pass through Macedonia, and it may be that I will abide Jay and winter with you, that you may bring me on my journey with us, whoever I go. For I will not see you now, by the way.
But I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost, for a great door and effectual is opened unto me. And there are many adversaries now Timotheus, see that he may be with you without fear, for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do that no man therefore despise him, but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me, for I look for him with the brethren.
Another difficult verse, verse 12. As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren, But his will was not at all to come at this time. But he will come when he shall have convenient time. We'll go back to that verse. Watch ye stand fast in the faith which you like men, be strong, Let all your things be done with love, with charity. I beseech you, brethren, you know the House of Stefanus, that it is the first fruits of Akea, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the Saints.
That you submit yourselves unto such, and to everyone that helpeth with us, and laboreth notice to everyone that helpeth with us. And Labreth. I am glad that the coming of Stephanus and Fortinetus and Achaeus, for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied, for they have refreshed my spirit, and yours therefore acknowledging them. They're such. The churches of Asia salute you.
Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you, Greet you one another with unholy kiss, The salutation of me, Paul, with mine own hand. If any man loved not the Lord Jesus Christ, then be anathema Maranatha, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. The other portions besides 1St Corinthians 16 that we read.
Are to bring out that there are various portions in the epistles.
That bring out the value that the spirit of God through the writer primarily Paul and we could find it in Peter as well the value that the Apostle Paul.
Gave to his fellow workers. Beautiful, You know, that's one of the first things that towards the harmony in a local assembly is to recognize what God has given to someone else.
We're not all teachers. We're not all this, we're not all that. But you know, there is an expression that could be maybe appropriately used sometimes that.
It says.
The law of physics. Two bodies can't occupy the same space at the same time, and so if there is not an opportunity for the exercise of of a gift because someone seems to have an abundance.
00:20:01
It then doesn't lay wait time for someone else. And that's just not intended as a dig, but as a point of fact and an encouragement that we each have to think of, of somebody that we may not usually hear from, that has enjoyed a certain portion, a certain verse, and he speaks on it. And isn't it nice when someone has said that, say, brother, I enjoyed that. Thank you.
That, that, that is the way that we go along as brethren. Now in the first part of this chapter, it seems appropriate to me. If we see it correctly, that is the collection. And so it's not a question of gift. It's not a question of.
Of.
Some special mission that God has given to to each one of us, or anyone in particular, But lay by you in store to think of of what it means to to give of what God has given to us, someone may give.
$0.10 may give $0.50 may put a check for $1000 or whatever. But to think of what it means that there is that expression from our hearts of what God hath prospered him. Now. Some, we think, have been prospered a great deal, and others may have felt that they've been prospered very little. But if we lay hold of what God has given to us, how important it isn't it to give of what God has given.
Now, in this chapter, if we were to summarize it, it really wouldn't be that difficult. There's an apostle Paul. There's an associate of the apostle Paul in Timotheus, and there is another associate of Pauls by the name of Apollos. And we associate with the apostle Paul that dignity of having been set. How many epistles did he write? Well, if we.
Include the book of Hebrews, he wrote eight. And to think of a man that God stopped on his way to Damascus.
And gave him to write eight of the books of the New Testament. None like him. And so we're not going to say that we have been set anything like it in connection with what Paul was, But we recognize that. Notice what he says. He worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do. There was you feel comfortable with the apostle Paul, you say? Well, he had such a great gift. And the revelations.
Yes, you would. You would feel comfortable because he would make you feel comfortable. We're going to take up a little later about Aquila and Priscilla. Can't you just imagine them sitting at the work bench, the three of them making tents and and what did they talk about?
Well, I'm not going to speculate, but I'll say this that if Paul was for real, which he was, I'm sure that there are conversation was.
Very, very encouraging. And it had to do with all the blessings that God had bestowed.
Upon his own. We're going to take up a quote and Priscilla a little later, but we're going to mention about Timotheus.
How many I was wrong in case with the epistles that Paul wrote. I was thinking of how many of those that he wrote that Timothy was mentioned and that's the eight that either written to him or his name was attached. And notice what it says, that he may be who you without fear he probably was a timid man. In the book of Timothy Apostle Paul says a little wine for thy stomach sake and thine often infirmities. Maybe he was had upset stomachs. Maybe he up an upset stomach. Maybe he.
Couldn't eat certain foods.
The water bothered him. Whatever. But he says he works the work of the Lord, as I do. Is that sort of a something that, well, Paul just felt that he should say that, no, this is the word of God. And to think of the encouragement that you and I can take, regardless of what we may think of ourselves or what our brethren may think, that we can say we work the work of the Lord. Marvelous. And there's so many ways in which that work can be done.
I know a sister in our assembly that makes a great point of sending carbs. I've been here, I've been there, and I've had people say, say, what about this sister? And so I'm able to give who she is and they know who she is, all right, But I put a sort of.
00:25:10
A stamp of approval, as it were, because I know her from the home assembly. There are others that do things that none of us know. Is there an apath epifrace here that laborers fervently in prayer for the Saints? How important, how very, very important that you might stand perfect and complete in all of the will of God, you say?
I'm just barely making it day by day. I'm not too sure that I fit in with with what Epiphras was praying about. No, that is not the case. You know it. Timothy was told to stir up the gift that was in him, probably because of the.
Coldness of the day. It means to be revitalized concerning it. So I wanted to find on some package.
Of that we had purchased and put in the refrigerator, I wanted to see if I could find out something that said stir stir up. But you know, the only thing I can find it says shake well before using and I wonder if that isn't a little bit of what that verse means to shake well.
Before using we need to have well mixed sediment, certain types of.
Dressing for salad tends to separate. It needs to be shaken, and we need to be encouraged to make sure that we are reading the word of God day by day if it's following what's on the calendar.
Where is it now? It's in Ecclesiastes. It's in Deuteronomy.
It's in the Gospel of Mark. It doesn't matter where you're reading, but all to have a developed appetite for reading the word of God. And you know you'll find that as you read it, you'll say I never saw that before, or a Brother to meeting. Why I never saw that. Isn't that nice?
Timothy. He worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do now in tanks, with Apollo's remember years ago.
A brother, now with the Lord, gave this thought and I want to pass it on.
It seems that a pause had a mind of his own. He was not going to be dictated to by the apostle Paul. That's a bit harsh, to think of this verse that way, and this brother brought it out this way.
The brethren in Corinth were all too willing.
To grandise Apollos in Paul's absence, and Apollo said, I am not going to go to Corinth and have myself grandized at your expense. They walked according to the same rule.
It wasn't his will at all to come at this time, but he will come when he shall have convenient time. I like that.
If it's correct.
Or not correct?
I believe that it's important to see that a policy and Paul walked in the same spirit. There was never an opportunity that was taken by Paul or Apollos to aggrandize themselves at someone else's expense. Beautiful. That's how the body functions. God has set the members in the body as it hath pleased him.
Now let's go down to the 15th verse.
And it says, and we've we found this man's name and we found about his household in the first chapter. I beseech you, brethren, you know the House of Stefanus, that it is the first fruits of Aqua, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the Saints.
Stefanos and his household were included with those that Paul mentions about baptism, and here we find Stefanus in his household addicted. Now we think of addiction as something that.
Liquor this that. The other thing, there's a bus that you can get from downtown Denver and go up into the mountains a little ways and there are things that you can put in quarters and Dimes and dollars and so on, and people are addicted to that. Now by the grace of God, we keep ourselves from such addictions, but here is a family that were addicted.
00:30:16
To the ministry of the Saints. Now, I don't know exactly what it means here. This Ministry of the Saints, were they hospitable? Well, you'd say yes, I think so. I think that's part of it. Were they a help? Yes, They weren't. Encouragement in whatever way that the dear Saints, wherever they happen to be.
That they were an encouragement and you know there are families represented here. The whole family may not be here.
And it may be that they do not.
With not that his face shone like Moses. And so we wish not that our face is shining because we are like the household of Stefanus, but how beautiful that there are indeed families here and families represented that follow in the footsteps of a Stefanus that as a household the father, the mother, or in unison the children.
I don't know if there were teenagers, if there were little children. It doesn't say, but it says the House of Stefanus, How beautiful. What an encouragement for us as those that I no longer have my children at home, but some of you do. And to think of how beautiful as a family.
Some have a propensity for young people's meetings. Some have.
Exercise in various ways, but all how beautiful to acknowledge. What does it say that you submit yourselves unto such? I am going to submit myself to a family like that.
Oh, that's what the Apostle Paul is saying. And to everyone that helpeth with us and laboreth, see how the Apostle Paul is is producing.
An effect, a reality in connection with the body, the body of Christ. And you know, that's why I read those verses in Ephesians 4 that weather is an apostle, which there are none today, or whether it's this or this or this, it's all a function of the one body, beautiful. Now, outside of the assembly, do you meet individuals that are a part of the one body?
Will you say, brother? Of course we do. And we love them. I have a neighbor.
Common wall.
She calls. We're praying for you.
Little further away, a dear couple.
Dear Saints of God, you know we delight to meet those that are fellow members of the body of Christ.
Years ago at a trade show.
Technical trade show. I noticed a man that was waiting to talk to some of us there and it was obvious he pulled out a New Testament.
And he was reading it, and I remarked about it. You know what he said. You know, I carry that New Testament with me because when I have a spare moment, it's good to read the word beautiful.
Beautiful.
Bus years ago.
I was reading There's a man that leaned over.
Understand us what thou readest.
And I said, how can I accept some man show me never met him again. Will I meet him again? Indeed, I'll meet him in the glory.
And so this household is to fan us. We could, we could expand, we could, could use just this verse. And it would, should encourage everyone of us, whether there are some of us that don't have children still at home, to think of, of what our household stands for and is important in connection with.
I I won't embarrass the brother because he but he's not here. But whenever he comes, his visitor, he brings his Bible. Now I'm not saying this so that you will feel embarrassed that you hadn't in the past. But if you were to come again and either because we've invited you or you invited yourself, bring your Bible. Feel free to feel free, feel free to bring it. And if you want to, feel free to say, well brother, the reading tonight I have in my heart.
00:35:02
A certain thing, that'd be all right, that would be acceptable in our house.
Now there are individuals, Stefanus for tinnitus for that which was lacking on your part. They have supplied. That's a bit, we'd say a little bit testy, wasn't it? But you know, this is the Apostle Paul. This is the word of God, and he is bringing out that there was a deficiency.
And, you know, each one of us need to accept that there are sometimes deficiencies in our profession.
There's a verse that says gentle unto all men apartment to teach patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves.
That can be, and has been for me and maybe for you a voice from the Lord. And so we accept it, and and oftentimes a state of soul is evidenced by how we take some word that may.
We may not like it.
But they have refreshed my spirit and yours. You know, there are individuals that just have a way, and I'm not going to stare at a brother that I feel has refreshed me. I'll look off in some other direction so that it won't embarrass him or embarrass the rest of us, because each one of you in your way don't realize the encouragement.
That comes from continuing in the faith.
However feebly however.
Inadequate, you may feel, to think of the encouragement that it is to each one of us to find that another believer is going on.
What does it say?
Be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord all. But I don't have any work of the Lord to go. Oh, yes, you do. Your attendance at the at the meetings is an encouragement. An encouragement. It so happened that this couple couldn't come, this couple couldn't come, This couple couldn't come. And there were eight of us.
At a reading in prayer not too long ago.
It was justified, but we missed them because.
This brother might have given out of him. This one would have given a thought.
To think of some thought that a brother has that the spirit of God has given to him to to enjoy and then he comes to meeting.
And he opens up, We're taking up the book of Romans, and if you see fit to come to Denver, I don't know what chapter will be in when you come and we're going slowly or or more fast, whatever that you might think, but have something and you know.
And I don't mean this to be a little bit on on the strange side.
We appreciate visitors taking part in the meeting. Visitors are gathered to the Lord's name and those that that aren't workers are aren't laborers. Perfectly acceptable for this brother to come with his wife and for him to speak up. In fact, I disappointed personally when we have a visitor that doesn't speak up, doesn't enjoy because we are missing.
A member of the body that God has set for a very specific purpose, and I want to be able to acknowledge that God has given something very special now.
We have.
Of our time.
But I mentioned about a poem that there is a as a hymn in the In the Messages of Love hymn book and.
Wrote out part of it because I couldn't remember it.
It's that one that says only in an act of kindness that you little child may show.
In seeking to please the Savior and more like himself to grow only a feeble effort.
To lighten the heavy load.
Of some way worn traveler while wending his toilsome Rd. Only an act of kindness that you little child may show does that verse in First Corinthians 12 That seems so eloquent and so elegant that God has set the members in the body as it has pleased him. Does that apply to a child that has accepted the Lord?
00:40:27
Well, what is that little song book that we have? #2A? Child of seven or even 3 or 4 May enter into heaven through Christ the open door. So anyone 34567.
To think of what they can do.
In compliance with having been set in the body as God has set them, beautiful and encouraging to every child that's here, your presence at meeting is very, very much appreciated. May not say so, but your brethren do appreciate it. Only an act of kindness that you little child, may show in seeking to please the Savior and more like himself to grow.
Only a feeble effort to lighten the heavy load of some weary way worn traveler while wending his toilsome Rd. There was an experiment that was performed not too many years ago. They took a middle-aged woman in good health and they dressed her up and made her look like an old woman and they had her try to hail down a taxi cab. They had her coming into a building.
See if there was courtesy.
And it was amazing how poorly this woman was received because she looked old and decrepit. To think of a child that could sense that there was an older person, go hold the door, do a kindness. So many things that are so important in connection with the function of each one of us now, before we lose our time.
I want us to take up and it's a subject I remember dear Reg growth and in the meeting in in Seattle years ago when it overlooked West Seattle and overlooked the Olympic Mountains and now they're across the lake. I remember he spoke on Aquila and Priscilla. I don't remember specifically what he had to say, but it made that impression. And if we were to take up Priscilla and Aquila or Aquila and Priscilla.
There are.
I have them marked here 1234.
There are six of them.
It alternates first, starts with Aquila.
The third is Aquila, the 5th is Aquila, so the 2nd and the 4th and the 6th are Priscilla.
Now the function of those two, apparently they were Jews. They were told to leave Rome, but wherever they were they seemed to be have the state of soul and the exercise to function for God's glory. We find in the book of Acts that 18th chapter that they were the Paul was of the same craft and we mentioned that. Can you imagine sitting at the bench or cross legged on the floor or whatever you envision them working on tents.
Of having.
A cooler and Priscilla and the Apostle Paul.
Working together. Beautiful, isn't it? And isn't it nice if if we as brethren?
It could work together. And you know, tense is a temporary abode. There are homes in in most major cities that have a a value of a half a million, a million, a million and a half dollars. And you know, a tent, a tent, just a tent. And so that's what equivalent Priscilla and Paul must have talked about. They must have talked about the the believer just going through this scene.
And here we are building a tent and all. All I wish I could have been there and have heard, but you know, I think that most of what Paula Paul talked about is in the word of God. He talked about those revelations and we could go into 123455 revelations.
More or less that the Apostle Paul had and enjoyed, and he must have enjoyed it. You know, he was a homesick man. You've ever been homesick?
00:45:03
Just absolutely homesick. I can't stand this place. I want to go home whatever it amounts to. And you know, if if you try to attract a person that's homesick with anything, he's he's not interested. And so it is in connection with the the homesick Christian.
We long for the Lord to come, don't we? To think of how soon. Very soon.
Probably today someone has said, and to think that what's going to happen? We're not only going to leave this world, we're going to see him and we're going to have a body of glory like unto his. I know the scripture says a glorious body and it probably will be glorious, but it is really a body of glory in contrast to a body of humiliation here. Can you imagine? You know, there are some here. I saw a sister that had to go down the stairway backwards.
And I'm not as agile in stairways as I used to be, and so each one of us may have an affliction, but to think that we're going to have a body of glory conformed to the image of his son? And this is not an aside, but a very direct comment.
That that's the purpose of God according to that verse and 1St in Ephesians 4.
For the perfecting of the Saints, what kind of perfection? Sinless perfection? No, the perfection of conformity to God's beloved Son. That's what God is working in your life, and mine in mine and yours, through all of the various circumstances.
That he leads us through is to conform us to the image of his son, Romans 8 says Whatsoever.
We know not what we should pray for as we ought, but we know that.
We know that all things work together for good to them that love God. To them who are the called according to His purpose, for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestiny to be conformed to the image of His Son. That's the purpose of all things working together. For that good is to be conformed to His beloved Son now.
In closing.
Let's go to Hebrews 6 for a verse and we're just about through.
But I I hope, brethren, however feebly it may have been presented, that God has set you, and has set me in the body as it has pleased him, and to be encouraged it would not. We don't want to be shaken up, but we can be stirred up.
Rekindle, because it's a day of declension, and it's a day in which we need to rekindle what God has given each one of us. And He has indeed, Hebrews 6.
And verse 10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which he have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the Saints and do minister. Let's read that again, for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor.
Those two together of love, which he have showed toward his name, in that you have ministered to the Saints, and do minister, Believe me, brethren, there are many, many ways that I have not touched upon that you can minister. You don't have to give a lecture, you don't have to minister on scripture, which of course is quite quite acceptable, very much appreciated. But to think of how many ways in which you and I.
As individuals can minister to the needs of the Brethren.
Now I want to reread that verse in Ephesians.
No. Let's turn to 1St Corinthians 615 and read that verse and then in conclusion let's read that verse in Ephesians 4. So in conclusion 2 verses 1St Corinthians 15 verse 58 and then that verse in Ephesians 4. And I want to admit ahead of time because that verse ends.
With the word love.
1St Corinthians 1515. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord that coming day, when he'll say to each one of us well done, good and faithful servant.
00:50:10
If.
Our works are not burned up, but that's a possibility. Let's turn to Ephesians, the 4th chapter.
For me and and you may not see it that way and it's it's all right, but I can't think of a more integrated full verse about the body.
Then Ephesians 4 and verse 16.
Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working, and the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
If your assembly, my assembly, each individual took this verse along with First Corinthians 12 and allowed the spirit of God to stir up, as the Apostle Paul told Timothy reignite the fire, as it were, to think of what it would be. Let's read it again. And then we're through from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplier.
According to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body until the edifying of itself.
In love.
Let's sing.
168.
There's an expression in this hymn.
The last verse oh, kindle within us a holy desire, like that which was found in thy people of old, who tasted thy love and whose hearts were on fire while they waited in patience thy face to behold #168. Someone please start it.
All right. We're going to get anything around.
In keeping.
In keeping with the exercise that was mentioned during the meeting of acknowledging what others have done, a week ago I called Bruce Anstey and he dropped shipped some pamphlets that Greg Berg had put into a list that appeared in praise and prayer a month or so ago. And they're for free to any ask. Take them outside on the table, just outside the door.
As a series that he has published.
There, probably you would consider them for the younger set, but that's all right and so feel free to take them. There's about 10 copies, 8 copies of 10, so feel free. And so I take this liberty of mentioning it in the light of God has set the members in the body as it had pleased him, and may we by God's grace.
Acknowledge such and each and everyone here that has an exercise to to go on is an encouragement to each and every one of us, our God and Father.
Gospel 3
Gospel—B. Imbeau
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Open our meeting this evening singing #14 Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? We can just sing the first verse in the last verse and can someone start that place?
So I didn't call. I'm going to take another 1.
And her father?
We just do ask the.
Turn with me, please, to passage in the book of Mark Mark, Chapter 11.
Verse one, Mark 11 Verse one. And when they came now to Jerusalem, unto Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples. That's Jesus sent forth two of his disciples.
And Seth unto them, go your way into the village over against you, and as soon as you be entered into it, you shall find a cold tide.
We're on Neverman sat loose him and bring him. If Amen, say unto you, Why do you this? Say ye that the Lord hath need of him, and straightway he will send him. Hit her, and they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door.
Without in a place.
Where two ways met.
Now there's often an exercise in the gospel towards.
Some of you that are younger.
And here's a colt that's tied and tied right near a door, and it's a place where two ways met.
And you know, tonight, you, whoever you are, older or younger, you stand in a place where two ways meet.
And perhaps you're at a door. Perhaps you're at a place where you're making decisions on your own.
00:05:06
You're getting a little older now, you're five years old and you know there's things that you have to decide for yourself.
Perhaps you're 12 years old and you certainly need to make decisions more for yourself. Perhaps you're 18 years old and you stand at the door of your house and you're ready to leave and you surely need to make decisions for yourself. There's at that point so often not always, someone to back you up.
I'd like to talk a little bit about these ways.
The place where two ways meet.
Let's turn with me, please, to almost the last book of the Bible, the book of Jude.
Jude verse 11.
Woe unto them.
For they have gone.
In the Way of Cain.
And the reverse that I'm sure we've all memorized in Sunday school.
John chapter 14 verse six it says this.
Jesus saith unto him.
I am the way.
Jesus saith unto him.
I am the way.
Choices, choices, choices.
You're hit up with choices all the time.
And there's some choices that are bigger than others, and some that are smaller than others.
But you know, this is one of the biggest choices you can make.
Do you see Jesus Christ?
As the way. Oh, there's other ways. There's a way of king.
But what's wrong with the way of the Lord Jesus? What's wrong with the way of Christ?
Let's turn back to Genesis and read a bit about Cain.
Genesis chapter 4.
And verse 3.
And in process of time it came to pass that King brought the fruit of the ground, and offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering, but unto Cain, and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wrong. And his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin or sin offering life at the door?
And unto thee shall be his desire. Thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother, And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that king rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not.
Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou down in the voice of thy brother's blood? Crieth unto me from the ground?
Cain brought a sacrifice to God.
It was fruits and vegetables. He was a farmer and he was probably a very good one.
And he probably brought forth a lot of very nice things.
I doubt if any of us would have thought found any fault with what Cain had done and what he had brought in terms of the quality.
Abel.
Brought something that to be properly offered to God.
It had to. There had to be blood shed.
The little lamb had to die.
And when he died, it had to bleed.
Cain's sacrifice was without blood.
Sometimes call it a sinless sacrifice.
Jesus said unto them, I am the way.
And I consider that woe unto them, for they have gone in the way.
00:10:04
Of King.
Is blood or no blood?
Or is it?
Was Cain's way without blood?
King's way was bloody.
He rose up in the field and he slew his brother.
And so tonight as you stand in a way where a place where two ways meet.
It's blood or it's blood.
It's the blood of Christ.
Or it's going to be the blood of violence.
And there are no exceptions.
One way or the other.
You know we're going to get back to it, but.
God talked to Cain.
And you know, God is talking to you tonight. No matter what your attitude, whatever your spirit, whatever your point of view, God is talking to you tonight. And you know, he told king something. He said, Cain, there's a sin offering that lies at the door.
Turn with me please to Exodus chapter.
13.
Very next book, Exodus chapter 13.
And verse 12.
That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix.
And every first thing that cometh of a beast which thou hast, the male shall be the Lords.
In verse 13, in every first sling of an *** thou shalt redeem with a lamb, and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck, and all the first born of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
You know, in Cain's case, you could say, oh, the blood was out there somewhere.
You know, it was able. I, I wouldn't be involved in anything like that. I wouldn't be the perpetrator or the victim.
But you know, the Bible tells us that man is born as a wild ***** cult.
And that's what we read about in Mark.
There is a full of an *** that was tied by a door, A place where two ways meet.
And our little donkey here and acts in Exodus chapter 13.
Just imagine this if you can.
This little unborn.
Is being pushed through the door of birth into this world.
And out it comes.
And suddenly if it's a first born little donkey.
There's a choice.
How these choices There is a choice.
A choice has to be made for that little one, but put yourself in that position.
And you know what? Both of the choices involve blood.
Choice #1.
The owners can seek to save that little donkey, and they can give the blood of a lamb.
A sacrifice in exchange for that donkey.
And if they don't do that?
Than the donkey's blood is shed in death.
There is a way where two ways meet.
And it's going to be blood.
Or it's going to be blood.
Do you want it to be yours?
Or do you want it to be a sacrifice in your place?
00:15:00
God challenges us through much of Scripture.
Moses said. I've set before you life and death.
Choose Life.
Choose Life.
Can light come through the shedding of blood? Yes. If it's the blood of the Lord Jesus, absolutely. He came to give life.
His blood can cover you and give you eternal salvation and redemption.
Joshua.
Says.
Choose you this day.
Who you will serve.
Choose you this day.
Choices, choices.
Elijah.
Says.
I'm going to quote this. Quite right, perhaps. Why halt she between two opinions?
Why halt you between two opinions?
If the Lord is God, honor him.
If there's some other God hanging out there, honor him. But why do you halt? Between two opinions, you must make a choice.
It's pressed on you. You're obliged.
And there are no exceptions.
There are no exceptions.
Let's turn to the book of Matthew.
Matthew, Chapter 23.
And verse 34.
Wherefore, behold, I send in you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and some of them you shall kill.
And crucify.
And some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel.
You like this way of king?
From the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachius, whom you slew between the temple and the altar, verily I send to you all these things shall come upon this generation.
All these things shall come upon this generation.
How long do you halt between two opinions?
There's blood been shed out there.
And you're either in favor of it.
Or you're not.
All the way from Abel.
Is our heart really much different than Canes? Wasn't mentioned this afternoon that.
Even the whole concept of a lie in our hearts that the end point of it is murder.
I found that kind of shocking.
I hope you did too.
But but there is a course.
And it'll run this course.
And the way of Cain will end in blood.
And so all the way from the beginning, the blood of righteous Abel.
All the way down to the present time, it was all going to fall on this generation, and certainly it includes the generation that the Lord was talking to at that moment and includes our generation here in 2005.
Let's turn over just a few pages.
To Matthew chapter.
16.
Excuse me, Matthew chapter 27, verse 16.
00:20:04
Matthew 27.
And verse 16.
And they had been a notable prisoner called.
Barabbas.
In the book of Mark we have recorded.
That.
15 verse seven for those that are interested, but you don't need to turn. And there was one name Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection.
With him who had committed murder in the insurrection.
And so we also have in the book of John that he was a robber.
He was a notable prisoner, well known, and you know what?
People liked him.
The people liked him.
He was a robber.
He was a murderer, but in the eyes of the people, he had one redeeming feature.
He rose his first in rebellion against the Roman government.
Insurrection.
Maybe you wouldn't think that's so great, but.
They thought that was pretty cool stuff.
They're willing to overlook some of the other things.
What's God willing to overlook?
And really, truly, what are you willing to overlook?
Well, we rationalize all kinds of things.
And we start real, real young, don't we?
I didn't do that.
My sister did it.
Well, he deserved it.
We start real, real young and we don't change.
In Matthew 27, let's keep reading from verse 16. And they had been a notable prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they were gathered together, Pilate said in them, Whom will ye that I release unto you, Brabus, or Jesus, which is called Christ?
A choice, Another choice.
For he knew that for envy they delivered him when he sat down on the judgment seat, his wife ascending to him, saying, How thou nothing to do with that just man. For I have suffered many things to stay in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
The governor answered and said to them, Whither of the twain which of the two will ye that I release unto you? They said Barabbas.
Pilate said unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?
They all say to him, let him be crucified.
And the governor said, why, what evil has he done? But they cried out the more, saying, let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail, nothing but that rather a tumult was made. He took water, washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I'm innocent.
Of the blood of this just person, see to it then answered all the people and said His blood be on us.
And on our children, and with it all the blood from righteous Abel, right on down through history.
The way of Cain.
A choice.
What is it going to be?
Someone who healed the sick.
Brought people back from the dead.
People who fed, person who fed.
The people.
Multitude.
The person who spoke of them, to them, of the Father.
00:25:08
The person who was going to usher in a Kingdom.
Of righteousness and of peace.
Take your choice.
Him or the bloody man?
Give us Barabbas. What are you going to do with Jesus? Crucify him. Blood, blood, blood.
What a world we've generated for ourselves. You know, you take the sinless sacrifice of Cain and it'll generate the world of Barabbas.
And Barabbas has been set loose in this world, as we well know.
We think there's a war going on.
It's one of about 30 that are happening in this world right now.
And if you extend your definition of war just a little bit, actually not too far.
And depending on whether you talk to the CIA or to the State Department, there is a minimum of 60 wars going on right now.
This is Barabbas world.
It's Barabbas's world.
You can look at the newspaper, you can see the violence, the bloodshed.
Sometimes it comes awful close, doesn't it?
I've walked up the street called Alvarado Blvd. and watched my step.
So I didn't step in the pools of coagulating blood.
I followed a trail of blood from an apartment door out to the street.
I viewed blood soaked jeans.
The occupant of those genes survived.
I've attended a gang funeral.
The name of the gang the Bloods.
Or you say that's inner city stuff.
And it was.
Someone was murdered.
In our neighbor's driveway.
Well, I don't live there. I live in a place where I have a real nice high school.
It's called Columbine.
Well, I live in a very homogeneous type society where we all kind of get along. It's on an Indian Reservation up in.
Minnesota was it?
Tremendous violence of that school just in the past three months or so.
No, I'm immune from that. That's not in my experience.
But you know, if you're not under the shed blood, under, if you're not redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and under the shelter of his shed blood.
You're in a world of violence and blood.
You're a woman here in this audience.
A minimum, and I think the statistics are greater than 40%. It's a minimum of 40% of women that come to a violent end. They die in their own house.
At the hands of somebody that they know.
Minimum of 40%.
What will you do then with Jesus?
Let's turn to Romans chapter 3.
Romans chapter 3 and verse 10.
As is written, there is none righteous.
No, not one.
00:30:02
There is none that understand that there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way they are. They are all gone out of the way they are, and together become unprofitable. There's none that do it good. No, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre. With their tongues they have used deceit. The poise of ASPs is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood.
Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace.
They have not known.
There's No Fear of God.
Before their eyes.
That's a world without Christ.
That's the world that said away with him, crucify him. We will not have this man to rule over us.
His blood be on us and our children.
And this is the result.
Let's take another little contrast.
John, Chapter 14.
John chapter 14 and verse 27.
Peace.
I leave with you.
My peace.
I give unto you.
Not as the world giveth.
Not, as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled.
Neither. Let it be afraid.
Is there really a choice?
Come now.
Is there really a choice?
Do you want the peace with God?
You want the peace of God?
Or do you want the violence of Cain's way and Barabbas world?
The Lord Jesus Christ.
He says, Come unto me.
All of you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
Turn back just a couple chapters to John chapter 10. It's mostly just a phrase I'm looking for here.
And it's John 10 and verse 7.
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily.
Say unto you.
I am the door.
Of the sheep.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers.
But the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door.
By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved.
And shall go in and out and find.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal and to.
Kill and to destroy.
I am come that they might have life.
And that they might have it more abundantly.
I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth his life.
For the sheep.
And so again we encounter.
A door.
Are you near that door like that little donkey in the Gospel of Mark?
Tide there at a place where two ways meet.
What about this one? Who's the door?
00:35:05
Turn with me to Chapter 19.
In verse 28.
After this.
Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Savi thirst.
Now there is a set of vessel full of vinegar, and they filled the sponge with vinegar, and put upon hyssop and put it to his mouth.
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar.
He said it is finished.
And he bowed his head.
And gave up the ghost.
The Jews, therefore, because it was the preparation of the body, should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, for that Sabbath day was in high day. They besought pilot that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the 1St and of the other, which was crucified with him.
And when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came their route.
Blood.
And water.
This.
We must all take count.
The one who called himself the door is the very one who back in the book of Genesis was the was the sin offering that lay right there at the door.
He's both the door and he's the offering.
And he is the one who shed blood.
His own.
Voluntarily.
He was sent of God.
As the Lamb of God.
Into this world.
And this was his purpose.
It was to give his blood.
It was to give his blood to protect you.
And to give you life.
He's the one who laid down his life for the sheep.
What is your choice?
Is it going to be blood?
Or is it going to be blood?
It's going to be the blood that was shed here by the Lord Jesus Christ that was given in love towards you.
Or it's going to be the blood of violence.
Warfare. Human sacrifice. Don't think these things are very far from us. They're not.
It's going to be one or the other.
What is your choice?
Lord, Jesus offers to you love.
And light.
And life.
And if you refuse that?
Then you have darkness.
Forever.
And you have eternal death.
And you'll have a place where they'll never ever be any thought or feeling of love.
What is your choice?
What think ye of Christ?
Is he the way?
But thinking of Christ?
Can he bring you peace?
What think he of Christ? Is he the door?
What think he of Christ? Has he given his blood for you?
To wash away your sins forever.
Singing him in closing.
#21.
Someone start that please.
Use God's Measuring Stick - Are You Content?
Jewels
Children—D. Rule
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So that is cool. I really like to have a classic Baker because there's so many kids here. If you're small, why don't you come down here and not in this area where I can see you and where I can ask you questions and where I can hear your answers?
OK, well.
I couldn't help it make it hard for us to sing.
All right, I think we can find that on here and we can see it even if it wasn't #40.
Lisa loves me. How do you know?
How do we go to you as well?
Thank you, you said. Because he said it in the word of God.
Bible doesn't. Okay, let's say #1 we'll have to have somebody start.
I.
00:05:03
If you're in the first if you can breathe, draws.
John over there going in, it needs to be, but if you're in the first three rows, I want you to stay the course for me, okay, everybody else.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.
I like to hear what number do you have a number or just one in your mind?
Number one, well, that comes out all right. Easy. OK, let's just say #1.
Think about it though, you know, every week I sing some songs with some boys and girls that are a little bit older than you are, and most of them don't know the songs.
But even if we don't know a song, even if we can't read the words, we can listen, can't we? And we can learn it. So you listen, or you sing if you can, and think about what it says.
Even when you sing it, think about what it says, OK #1.
Now, I think some of your thoughts that we just sang are a little bit hard to understand when you're your age and I'm trying to just think about you kids in the first two rows and sort of forget everybody else in the room. We'll let them listen. But this is especially for you and just before a few minutes ago.
There wasn't anybody, none of you were sitting in these first two rows. And there was a boy that came down and the way he was dressed, I think the other person with him, two of them came together down the aisle. They were the first two and one was a little older than the other, but they were kind of dressed alike. So I think they were brothers and they got down about this far.
And stopped.
And the littlest one started back up the rope. He was almost persuaded, but not sure.
And he wasn't sure he was going to come all the way. That's what it means to be almost persuaded. I'm thankful he got all she got persuaded all the way because he's sitting in the front two rows. But we need to, when we're going to talk about something this morning, we need to be sure we don't come almost all the way and then stop.
That wouldn't be good. We want to make sure we come all the way to the Lord Jesus.
So you listen real carefully this morning to make sure you come all the way. OK, We have time for a couple more songs. Yes, Maddie.
47 Thank you.
#47.
I was your age. I sang this song.
And I didn't understand it.
So maybe some of you are like, I was, I don't really understand because it explains something that's at first when we're little, kind of hard to understand, but it tells us very clearly who the jewels are that we were singing about. It says in the third part of the song, little children who love their Redeemer, that is, who love the Lord Jesus, are the jewels.
Your mommy and daddy have any tools?
Your mommy and daddy have any tools?
Anybody think of?
Matt.
What kind?
Let me put it this way.
I've been to your house, Matt.
Suppose.
Suppose your house started to burn down.
And your mommy and daddy only had a few minutes to take the most precious and most important things in the house out before every it was burned out. The most important things are what we call jewels. What would your mommy and daddy want to take out of your house first?
At least here's somebody thinks he knows what.
You thank you exactly right you boys and girls are the most important thing in your house to your mommy and daddy, did you know that?
If there was just a few minutes to get all the important things out of a house, you would be the very first thing that mommy and daddy would want to get out of the house. You're their jewels.
And God wants you to be one of his jewels, the most important thing to God.
Is his family.
Most important of all is his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But he wants to have us and his family as his jewels, and that's what this song is talking about. God wants you to be one of his family, the most important things.
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To God.
Let's be part of his family, OK? We still have time for another song or two, yes?
46.
All right.
This is also a little bit hard for children. It says glad tidings. Anybody know what? Well, not anybody, but do you know what tidings are? What are tidings? And even we're going to make it even a little harder because we're not even going to sing. We're going to say TIDINGS. It's fun to sing because it uses the letters, but part of the importance of singing it is so we understand what we're singing about.
What are tidings?
News, right?
Someone says I have some news. I want to tell you something. Those are there. There's giving you their tidings. So it says here's some this song talks about. I have some good news or glad tidings to bring. I want to tell you something good, the songwriter said. They said, what is that good news? Jesus came to save me.
That's good news to me was when I was your age and it still is.
Good news, Jesus came to save me. OK, let's think about this. Good news or glad tidings?
Did you get any?
Yes.
43 All right #43.
How many of you were three?
Nobody up here is three. OK, how many of you are 4?
Here for good. Glad you're here and it says.
Seven anybody here 7?
OK, got a 7 year old as well so we got some. Do you think this would include you? If you're not 3-4 or seven, is this song for you? It's for you too, so let's all sing for us.
A start to God. OK, where I live we have a Sunday school every Sunday, every Lord's Day, and there's a memory verse that the kids your age learn. So I think some of you come from places that have a Sunday school like that. Do any of you know where the memory verse was that was in your Sunday school paper for today? What is it?
You want to say it for us? Why don't you stand up and say it?
Enter you in with the straight gate, for wide is the gate and rod is soil that lead us to the section and many there be that go in there at Matthew 713. Very well said. Anyone else kind of harder to say it here than it is in Sundays pool at home, isn't it?
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There's so many more people around.
Anyone else?
Entry in at the Strait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in their Matthew 713.
Anyone else raise your hand OK?
Turn you into the straight gate Port brought us away. And why does the gate that leadeth to destruction?
And many.
There be.
Let's go in there.
Matthew, OH.
7:30 OK, thank you.
In at the straight gate.
Provided.
They get and that is the way that they just take instructions.
And many there be that go in there.
Matthew.
713, OK. Thank you.
All right.
Some of you have a Bible. I'd like to read a verse near the end of your Bibles in the Book of Revelation.
And it's found.
It's found in Revelation chapter 21.
Revelation. So those of you that have it, and I'm going to read verse 8, Revelation 21.
Verse eight God says the fearful and unbelieving.
And abominable, and murderers, and ************ and sorcerers and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.
Now, there's quite a few words in this verse that I think you don't know.
You don't understand and we're not going to try to explain those words to you. We're going to concentrate on the words that I think you do understand.
Here's talking about God's telling us about some people that go to the Lake of Fire.
Well, we don't maybe understand too much about that place, but we know it's bad, don't we? I think we all know we don't want to go there. And so it says, though one of the things it mentions in the list is liars.
Liars. People who tell lies.
Get them back up for a minute.
A few weeks ago I got to meet for the first time one of my grandsons.
Paul and Paul is just a little over two years old.
And it's a joy to be with your grandchildren.
Paul's younger than any of you in the front row or front two rows? Front three rows, but Paul has a stack of books.
Mostly pictures in the books, but they have words too in his books. And Paul with every quite often he would go over to the corner where his books are and he'd pick a book off his pile and he would come over to me and I was sitting in a chair and one time he said to me, read this book.
He's only two, but he likes to hear stories.
And so he wanted me. He, he said, read this book and he got right up on my lap and he sat on my lap and I read him the book.
Now when I when I was your daddy and mommy's age. I'm older now, but when I was your mommy and daddy's age.
I used to tell my children stories.
And read the books.
And I found out after a while their favorite stories were these.
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They were what we came to call Tell Me when you Were a Little Boy stories.
They wanted me to tell them stories about when I was a little boy.
And that's what I'm going to do for you this morning. I'm going to share with you some stories about me when I was a little boy your age.
Because they still those stories, things that happened to me when they were a little boy, are still very important to me because of what I learned.
I wish I could just sit here and take one or two of you up on my lap and tell you those stories.
Because then I think you'd listen real carefully. But you can't do that. I can't do that. So you just try to listen, all right?
Here's one of the stories when I was a little boy.
When I was a little boy your age.
My mom had a rule.
And that was you always had to wash your hands.
Before you sat down to eat.
And so sometimes when I came to the dinner table, my mom would say, not always, but she'd say, did you wash your hands?
And I like to be able to say yes, let's sit down and eat once in a while. I had to say no and go, she said. Well, then go back and wash your hands.
But listen carefully.
I remember more than once when my mom said.
Did you wash your hands?
Out loud so she could hear me. I said yes.
But real quietly, so she couldn't hear me, I said yesterday.
Now I'm going to tell you something about that.
I tell you though, what about?
Keep in my pocket a book.
And in this book, I've got dozens of them now that I still have, but I have a book, a notebook. And when there's anything important in that notebook, I open it up and I get my pencil or pen out and I write it down because I want to remember.
And finally, I use up this book. It's about half gone. I'll get another one and I'll keep doing it. I copy down important things.
Now when I said to my mommy that day.
No or yes and under my breath.
Yesterday.
You know what God did?
God has the books too.
And God got out his book that has my name on it.
And God opened up the book that has my name on it.
And he wrote something down.
He wrote down. My name's Don, He wrote down today.
Dawn lied.
To his mouth.
That's pretty serious. It was important enough for God to write it in his book about me.
What did we just read, boys and girls?
All liars.
Have their part in the Lake of Fire.
What that means is.
When I told my mom that and God wrote it down in his book.
I deserve to go to the Lake of Fire.
Sin is an awfully important thing.
You have God has a book about you.
Has he written anything down in your book today or yesterday?
You think about it.
One day when I was a little boy.
00:30:07
My mom went to the store.
She went in the store and.
She was looking around in the store.
And I was looking around in the store too.
I don't much like to go to stores anymore, but when I was a boy, I like to go to stores and I went around and his mom was talking to the sales lady. I was walking down the aisles of the store and I saw some Scotch tape.
I don't remember anymore why it attracted me, but there I said I wanted some Scotch tape. So I went to my mommy and I said, Mommy, can I have some Scotch tape? She said what? What do you want Scotch tape for now? I didn't know. She said no, I don't think so did.
And she went back talking to the sales lady.
I wanted that Scotch teeth and when she was talking to the sales lady and she was over in that part of the store, I went back to where the Scotch tapes were and I reached over and I took two of them and I put them in my pocket.
When my mom was done, we went out of the store and we went home.
And I started to get afraid.
What was I going to do with those things in my pocket?
I didn't want to be found out.
And I was a little boy like some of you are little boys, and I thought I'd better hide it.
Where can I hide it?
I'll hide it under my bed. So I crawled under my bed and I hid my Scotch tape under my bed.
Couple of days later, my mom was in the summertime. I wasn't. I don't know if I was school age or not. I think I may have been anyways.
My mom came in my bedroom.
Clean.
And she had a dust mop between it was a wooden floor to clean the floor with and my mom.
Went under my bed with her dust mop. What came out?
Two rolls of Scotch tape.
I was found out.
I don't want to take time to tell too much of that more of that story, but my mom took me back to the store.
I had to tell the lady what I did.
And I got into pretty good punishment at home too.
I've never forgotten it.
I don't know that.
I've ever stolen anything from a human being since that lesson.
Sorry to say that many times stolen from God.
But that's a little hard for me to explain right now.
But.
My mom and my dad decided what punishment I needed to learn a lesson never to do that again.
But what did God do? God got out the book.
And God wrote down what I did in the book.
I was a robber. I stole. Last night. Mr. Imbo stood on this platform and he talked about a robber, didn't he?
A bad man.
I was a bad boy.
And those kinds of things take boys and girls.
To the Lake of Fire.
Is there anything in your book?
Writing I want you to think about it because it's important to know boys and girls that God takes in seriously.
Very seriously.
One time when I was a little boy.
After Sunday school.
My big sister.
And a couple other girls her age said we want to talk to you.
They took me outside the Sunday school and around the corner of the building to the corner of the parking lot. I could go there this minute and stand.
They kind of backed me up against the wall of the building.
They said to me, are you saved?
00:35:02
I said yes, I'm saved. Why did you ask me that question? Of course I'm saved.
They talked to me a little bit and then they went away.
You know, boys and girls, that question really bothered me.
I said I was saved.
Because they asked me because I knew I should be. But they later on I thought about it and I said am I really safe?
Am I really saved? I wasn't sure whether I was saved or whether I was lost.
One time when I was a little boy.
We lived in a house that had two stories and upstairs and downstairs and downstairs was the kitchen and the living room and my mom and dads bedroom and upstairs were three bedrooms. One was mine, one was my older sisters at that time and one was my older brothers. Later on there were some more kids in our family but at that time there was my older brother and sister and myself and downstairs mom and dad.
One time it was at night time. It was real quiet.
And I woke up in the middle of the night.
And I was lying in my bed.
And I started thinking.
What if Jesus came?
And I've been left behind.
I couldn't hear any sound, so quiet.
I had been told in the Bible, and you have to, that Jesus says I will come again.
He's going to come and take those who are have trusted in him to heaven with Him to live there with God. Jesus is coming to take boys and girls and mommies and daddies who have trusted in the Lord Jesus to heaven.
But he also says.
Be ye also ready.
When he comes, you have to be ready.
So I lay in my bed and I was worried about it.
I got up.
Real quietly went out of my room.
And went to my big sister's bedroom and I opened the door and I looked in.
And she was lying on her bed.
But I was still not satisfied so I went around to my brothers bedroom and I looked in and my brother was still in his bed.
I went back to my bedroom and thought about it for a while and and I thought.
What if my brother and sister aren't ready either?
I wanted to be ready.
To go to heaven, to be with the Lord Jesus, with my mommy and daddy. So very, very quietly I got out of bed and went down the stairs and my mommy and daddy's bedroom.
And I as quietly as I could, I opened their door and I looked in.
And a voice said to me, Donald, what's wrong?
Was my mommy. She always slept.
Had an ear for us and she woke up and and she said what's wrong?
Oh, nothing. Nothing, nothing.
And I went running up the stairs before she could ask me any more questions to my bedroom.
Be ye. Are you ready if Jesus comes today while you're we're talking?
One more little comment about being ready. I was a little boy then when I was like some of these teenagers in the room.
My dad used to take me to school on his way to work.
And my dad had a time when we were to leave to go.
And I was told be ready.
And once in a while, I wasn't ready when it was time.
00:40:01
You know what happened? My dad left.
And I was left behind.
And I thank my father for that lesson.
When it's time to be ready, boys and girls, you be ready.
You can't say.
In fact, the verse that says Be ye also ready for in an hour when you think not, the Son of Man cometh. That is, we don't know.
I knew exactly to the minute when my dad said it was time to go.
But God says you be ready.
You don't know.
Now I want to tell you one more story.
That I want to read a verse to tell you that story. It's in first John chapter 4.
First John chapter 4 and verse 14. So if you have your Bible you can follow with me there it says.
The father sent the son to be the Seder of the world.
I just want to tell you a little bit about that verse. The Father sent the Son to be the savior of the world when I was a little boy.
I said to the Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus, I'm a Sinner.
Please save me.
Or words like that. I don't remember the exact words.
Lord Jesus.
I believe you died for me.
And then I thought, I'm saved.
But then a few weeks later, or a while later, I wasn't always sure.
And I if you could put it this way, I tried to get saved all over again.
That happened for quite a long time in my life.
When I was a little boy.
Now I want to tell you what helped me, because I don't. Since I this point in my life came, I've never been uncertain that when Jesus comes, I'm going to heaven. I'm just as sure I'm going to heaven as I am. I'm standing here in front of you this morning.
I am going to have.
One of the things I learned as a little boy is that God always tells the truth. Isn't that right? God never lies, People lie, but God always tells the truth. And so if God says something, I can accept it is true, Can I?
The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
This is what went in my mind one time when I was a boy.
I wasn't sure that I believed the right way or believed enough to get to heaven. But one day when I was thinking about it and I was worried about it, I thought about it this way. God said Jesus came to save me.
And the Bible says I could read the verse Christ died for our or I'll say my sins.
God says Christ died for my sins.
Then I thought, is God satisfied with what Jesus did for me?
Is he happy that Jesus put my sins away?
I thought God says he did it?
He's happy about what he did. I'm going to be happy, too.
God says Jesus, put my sins away.
And I believe God tells the truth and he satisfied that Jesus put my sins away so I can say my sins are gone. God says so.
It isn't going to happen quite this way, but suppose I came to the door of heaven and I knocked on the door and I said I would like to come in here to heaven. And someone said an Angel or or the Lord Jesus said to me, well, why should you be allowed in here?
You know what I could say?
God says so.
God says Jesus took care of my sins so I should be allowed here. Would that be an OK answer? Jesus died for me and God is satisfied that Jesus put my sins away. Can you say that?
Is God satisfied that Jesus with what Jesus did for you?
00:45:03
That he died for your sins.
You know, I said he kept the record in my life. And in that book, well, he's got another special book too, called The Book of Life, and in that book is my name.
In that book are the list of people who Jesus put away their sins.
And I can say my sins are gone. I hope you can say that in your heart this morning too. And if you can.
Tell somebody, it'll make them happy, and you'll be happy too if you tell them.
What Jesus did for you.
Hebrews 12:1
Reading
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Savior, come, thy Saints are waiting, waiting for the nuptial day. Thence their promised glory dating. Come and bear thy Saints away 183.
Savior, come, thy sins are right.
You could consider Hebrews chapter 12.
We need to have our focus on the Lord and we do have that in this chapter and also.
It deals with the question of his discipline in our lives, which I think we have to recognize.
That we all feel and the proper response.
Suggest that chapter. Maybe somebody else has something else, but I wonder if that might be profitable.
United chat on the table. Very helpful. Hebrews chapter 12.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us. And let us run with patience a race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.
00:05:08
Lest you be wearied, and faint in your minds, you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin, and ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth.
And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth if he endure chastening. God deals with you as with sons.
For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if he be without chastisement? Whereof all our partakers, then are ye ******** and not sons? Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits, and live for they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our prophet, that we might be partakers of His Holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth A peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lain be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which without which no man shall see the Lord.
Looking diligent diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.
Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright, for you know that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, For he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. For you're not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness and Tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which voice they that heard and treated, that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
Where they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the innumerable company of angels, to the General Assembly and Church of the first born, which are written in heaven.
To God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to the Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
That you refuse, not him that speaketh. For if they escape, not who refused him that spake on earth. Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth. But now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consumer liar.
Epistle to the Hebrews is Paul.
Some argue against that, but.
In Acts Chapter 9.
When Ananias is sent to Paul, Saul at that time still.
He hesitated, but the Lord told him in verse 15 of Chapter 9. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles. He was the apostle of the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel.
That children of Israel is fulfilled when he is writing the Epistle to the Hebrews and it's very interesting in the order given in verse 15. That's how Pauls life of service took place and but also at the end of Hebrews.
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There his reference made.
To Timothy in verse 23.
Knowing that our brother Timothy is set at liberty, with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
You know, you don't have to know much about the New Testament to know that Timothy was a fellow laborer of Paul. So Paul is the writer to Hebrews, and he had developed beautifully.
In the book of Hebrews, how the Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of all that the Old Testament was a type and shadow of.
And he's the Son of God, He's the Son of Man, and he's our high priest and all of these wonderful things that are developed in Hebrews. But now here in chapter 12, after he had referred to all those witnesses who had lived by faith in the Old Testament, he directs their attention and our attention.
To the one who is above all, you know the Lord Jesus. Looking unto Jesus the author and completer of our faith, you know it's a wonderful thing to be occupied with what God did through Old Testament Saints, or even what He is doing through Saints today, but we must never forget that.
The Spirit of God wants our attention to be focused on the person of the Lord Jesus.
Not to make too much of man, you know, so looking unto Jesus.
We do recognize with joy what God is doing and has done through his servants in the past, but there's nothing like looking unto the Lord Jesus, and that's what the Spirit of God would want us to do today.
That's perhaps why the Apostle Paul's name doesn't even appear in the epistle. He was the apostle to the Gentiles, like you say, but the the Jews.
Were so stumbled by that fact that he would go to the Gentiles, that it seemed to be a hindrance to them to consider what he had to say. So in the Epistle to the Hebrews the only apostle mentioned is the Lord Jesus Christ. In the third chapter he is the Apostle. And Paul, who we believe wrote the epistle, is not even mentioned. He's hidden.
And when we consider the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ, brethren.
Why do we want to get occupied with people brethren, as gifted as they may be? What could they be in comparison with this glorious person?
Referred to his address yesterday, we won't take time to turn to it, but in second Peter 3 and verse 16, which would indicate that Paul wrote this epistle, there's this unique expression here that we find four times in the word of God in the second verse that goes along with what you're saying. Looking on to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, we find that expression twice in the book of Acts and twice in the book of Hebrews.
And it really bears the thought of the the one who originates something. And so in Acts 3 he's called the originator of life and they they are charged with killing the originator of life. Man says they're looking for the origin of life. The origin of life was here on this earth and they hung him on a tree. And then in Acts Chapter 5, he's the originator of Israel and he's he's seen as the originator of Israel.
And they killed the very one who is going to be the one that originated the whole nation. I'm using the perhaps the expression that maybe best gives a sense the word. And then in the second chapter of Hebrews Here we find that the captain of our salvation is was made perfect through sufferings. And so the one who is leading us in this pathway of faith, and who this multitude of witnesses bear testimony to as to the truth of.
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This pathway.
He There's nothing that the Lord is going to expose us to that He was not exposed to himself.
He's the originator of the pathway and here he's the leader. The as we find in this 12Th chapter, he's the author and finisher of faith. He started the pathway and he's going to finish it.
Taking up the book of Hebrews 2 to realize that Christ is presented to us as to where he is now. This is the fourth time in this epistle that the Lord Jesus is presented to us as a man at the right hand of God.
Because that's what true Christianity is. Christianity sets us in relationship to the Lord Jesus, not as he was here in this world when the disciples and others knew him, but it sets us in relationship with one who has glorified God on the earth and is now seated at the right hand of God, because the resurrection, the ascension, and the glorification of Christ are God's. Amen to the work of Calvary.
And in Hebrews, it's not so much the work that's taken up. It is, but not so much the work, but the results of the work. It's not where the Lord Jesus was. Here is a man in this world. It's where the Lord Jesus is now. And it's helpful to get that outline. It's helpful whenever you take up a book of scripture to get an outline. And perhaps we won't turn to it, but I'll just mention in passing the three previous times that we have in this epistle.
The Lord Jesus seated at the right hand of God in the first chapter, he seated having made the purification for sin.
We find him there, presented to us as the one who made the worlds. And I believe it's more than just having purged our sins, as the King James indicates. But Mr. Darby says, having made the purification for sin, because when man sinned in the garden, not only did man come under the curse of sin, but the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain. The whole creation, every level of creation, to this very moment feels the effects of sin and the curse.
But isn't it wonderful, brethren, to think there's a day coming when this world is not going to feel the effects of sin the way it does now? Even the trees are going to clap their hands in that day. The animals aren't going to prey on one another, and there's one that's going to rain in righteousness.
Then in the 8th chapter you have him seated again, and there he seated as our high priest, the one who is now in heaven as a priest. He was not a priest on earth. He couldn't be. You ever read of the Lord Jesus going into the temple and offering a sacrifice? No. He was from the kingly tribe of Judah, the tribe of Judah, the Kingly tribe. He was not from the priestly tribe of Levi. And so you never find him on earth functioning as a priest.
But Brethren, having returned to the Father, now he's there, functioning as our great High Priest. And as those chapters indicate, he's living for us, entering into what we pass through and praying for us every hour of every day. Then in the 10th chapter, he's seated there, having offered himself as the supreme sacrifice. And there it's more in connection with our being brought into blessing by one offering, He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified you ever doubt your salvation.
Just look up and see where the Lord Jesus is now. God has seated him at his right hand, the Lord Jesus having offered himself as that supreme sacrifice. He's forever sat down there, and I want to say this carefully and reverently if God were to refuse me now.
Availed myself of the finished work of Calvary. He would have to refuse his own dear son and that's impossible. That's the security in which the believer stands before God in Christ. And then we come to this chapter and here he's seated for the 4th time and rather here he's seated as the object for faith. It's not so much that it's that he's the author and finisher of our faith, but as Neil said, he's the author and finisher of faith.
The Lord Jesus is the only one who, as a man, began and completed the path of faith and perfection. And having done that, now God has set him at his own right hand as the object for you and for me and brethren, This is what we need in the days in which we live.
We need to lift our eyes above man, above dear brethren, and thank God we have many, dear brethren, but we need to lift our eyes to Christ. He's the object, and if our eyes are on him, we're going to be preserved in the path of faith.
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And it's very important to realize that there is a man in the glory and we sometimes sounds like a high and lofty truth. And what is the bearing of that? I just say this that a dear friend that worked for me, he later went on to become a pastor and his son was killed. And I just sought to comfort him. And I just said, won't it be wonderful to sit down with him and see him in the glory and recount the ways of God with him? And he looked at me and he said, well, we really know each other in heaven.
And, you know, I think of that as we sit in a room like this and as we sat in the dining room to realize that there is a real man in the glory and that we're going to be real people in the glory. When we lay the body of a dear brother is going to body, is going to be laid in a grave. And it said, moreover, shall my flesh rest in hope that that body is going to be raised, it's going to be changed, and we're going to see each other again. And there is one now, a real man with a real body and the glory, and he is the object of our faith.
And it to spur us on because it's taking up, as our brother Bob has pointed out to us in bringing out this chapter, that there's chastening, there's correction, there's difficulty in connection with this pathway and you sometimes wonder where is it going to all end? It's going to end in the glory.
And there's not going to be 1 Saint of God missing when we get there. Now, though there were 1000 here, I doubt that it represented every Christian and even in this city of Pella, and we see things in a fractured, in a broken state. But we see despite all of what we go on, we're going to see everything complete. We're looking to where he is. And as our brother Jim has brought out that we stand in the exact same acceptance that Christ sits in now in the glory.
And it's a comfort, and it would help us to suffer any little bit of correction that the Lord may have for us now in this scene.
As first verse sets before us a runner.
Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, maybe. The thought is that's of course what you had in the 11Th chapter, that they're looking on to see how we're running the race. Let us lay aside every weight a runner doesn't clothe himself with a lot of heavy garments. He sets aside every weight so that he can run the race effectively. There's so many weights, they're not necessarily sins, because he goes on to say.
And the sin which does so easily beset us. But there are weights, things that are not necessarily sins, but their hindrances to running the race effectively. And so anything that is a weight, anything that would tie us down here, well, you can't say, well, that's wrong, that's sinful. But is it? Is it going to help me in the running of the race which will end in glory? And so it's a wait. And then the sin which does so easily beset us.
We're living in a country that is thoroughly materialistic and there's so much that is being presented to us, especially the young people nowadays, that is positively weightful and also sinful.
Sinful would be even worse than weights.
The sin which stuff so easily beset us and let us run with patience The race that is set before us now you've got to have an object when you're running the race. You have to look straight ahead onto the goal to the end of the race. Looking unto Jesus, there's the object, the author and finisher of faith. The word our shouldn't be there. It's the path of faith as it has been said to us. It's the path of faith that we're running.
And we have an object before us, and that's the Lord Jesus who for the joy that was set before him.
What was that joy to be back with the Father? If he loved me, he would rejoice because I go to my Father and he's there now that he had that object set before him, the the Father in in the glory. He was soon to be there, and he's there now.
And so we have an object set before us, and that's the Lord Jesus, and he's in the glory.
Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross? He looked beyond the cross to that time when he would be back in the heavens with his Father. He despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him a wonderful to consider the one that went through all the the trials of the way, and none of us has gone through what he went through.
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Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest he be cleared and faint in your minds. So if we consider what he went through and where he now is, we're on the same path that he was on. And he had an object in heaven, We have an object in heaven as well. What a wonderful portion to start with, and with these clouds of witnesses.
I I just had the thought. I don't know if it's a correct one, that they may be looking down to see how we're running the race. I don't. That may not be a right thought. But they're there. The Old Testament Saints, they they were men of faith and now we're running the same path of faith. We want to make it very clear that our brethren are never given to us in Scripture as the object for faith. Now they are to encourage us and in the chapter before where we have this cloud of witnesses.
We have a long list of those who lived by faith for God's glory and triumphed against all kinds of odds and difficulties despite what was going on, despite the darkness of the day showing us, given to encourage us that we can live for God's glory no matter what the hindrances or no matter how dark things are. But isn't it remarkable that as soon as that list ends, and it's a tremendous list of?
Men and women and young people who lived by faith in in the Old Testament. But as soon as that list ends, he takes our eyes from them, he says. Is it where those aren't the object for faith? They're given to encourage you, but they're not the object. Now I'm going to lift your eyes from them to the open heavens and show you one. And as I said earlier, only one Whoever began and completed the path of faith and perfection.
He's the object now, brethren, we're thankful for those who, even in our lifetime, who have encouraged us. And it does say of those who've gone on before, whose faith follow. But they are not the object for our faith. And why is it so often we become discouraged or even turned aside from the path?
Well, it's like the Psalmist said. I've seen an end of all perfection, brethren. If we're looking for perfection in the flesh, we're going to be disappointed.
We're going to see an end of it. And maybe that's one of the great lessons that God has been teaching his people in recent time. You say that brother let me down, but I'm sure that brother or sister will never disappoint me. I'll be careful. There's only one object for faith, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, thank God for dear brethren, but, oh, brethren, let's get our eyes on the man in the glory that's going to preserve us.
Tell us what some of the weeks are that.
We encounter in this race that we're on.
To answer the question that was raised, the scripture is clear that in the intermediate state between death and resurrection, nobody knows what's going on on earth with their loved ones. We find that in the book of Job. But in Revelation 5, the glorified Saints, they are rejoicing in observing what is going on on earth, that there are those that are saved out of every kindred tongue and people and nation.
They are observing in the glorified state. They are able to look down at the present time his sons come to honor and he knows it not. Is what we find in the book of Job. I thought the scripture is plain that in the intermediate state there is no possibility of knowing what's going on with our loved ones on earth. But in the glorified state, yeah, because the question has come up between meetings as well.
So I think it would be good to just turn to the scripture and read it. It's Job 14.
Now just to get the context, in this chapter he's talking about those who've departed him. In verse 10. Man Dieth and wasteth away and where is he? And that's the whole context of this chapter. But then just notice he sums it up in verse 20. Thou prevail us forever against him and he passes.
Thou changes his countenance and sendest him away. This is the man that has passed from this scene. His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not, and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them. I've thought of it in connection with my father. He's passed on. He's absent from the body and present with the Lord. He's not occupied with what his family is doing on earth. His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not. They're brought low, and he perceiveth it not.
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He's not occupied with what's going on here in this world. He's occupied now with Christ and Christ alone.
Let's read Luke 16.
Let's read Luke 16 so that we get both scriptures verse 25.
Verse 24 He cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, That's a rich man that was suffering, And send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in my lifetime receiveth thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comfort in our tormented.
And beside all this between us and you, there is a great gulf. Fix so that they which would pass from hence to you, cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from fence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, Father, that thou would ascend him to my father's house. For I have 5 brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. And Abraham saith to him, They have Moses, and the prophets, Let them hear them.
And he said, They father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though 1 rose from the dead, that passage in in the that was read.
Doesn't really have New Testament light here. Now these that are mentioned in Luke 16 are not in the in the resurrection state, they're in the disembodied state.
But they knew what was going on down here. At least they knew about this rich man, knew about his brothers, and he wanted them not to come to that same place of torment. I just suggest that I don't want to dwell on this point because I don't think it's that important. But what do you say about that?
Pardon. Into it. What? It doesn't say. It knows. He knows that he has brothers. Yeah, but there's no way of communication. That's not possible. And so let's not read into it anything that is not said. Those who have died, remember that they have relatives on Earth that are not safe. But there is no way of communication, and there is no way until in the glorified state.
They can actually observe what's going on on Earth. That's from Revelation 5. Very plain.
If they don't have any way, why did he suggest that someone to be sent there?
Well, the answer is they have Moses and their prophets. Nobody can be sent. That is very plainly taught. They need to go to the scriptures. That is the answer for them. They have to bow to the scriptures. They will not believe that even though if somebody comes from the death, there is no hope given that anybody is going to be sent from the death at this present time of anyone departed.
To get back to our chapter, the question was raised about weights. And I think it's helpful to see the difference between weights and not so much these sin, but sin that does so easily beset us. And I think it's good It's been already alluded to, but Chuck has raised the question again as to what the difference is.
And let's think of a race in connection with the Olympics or some athletic event at school or wherever it is, and a man goes out, a runner goes out to run a race. And before he runs the race, the officials of the race realize that he's got, and this is ridiculous. But Will, for the sake of illustration, they realize that he's got lead weights in his pockets, the pockets of his uniform, and one of the official steps up to that man who's just ready to run the race.
And he says, Sir, you can't run the race with these lead weights in your pocket. And the runner might turn to him and say, but I've read the rule book, and there's nothing in the rule book that says I can't run this race with leg weights in the pockets of my uniform. Oh, but the official says it's just understood. If you it might be true that there's nothing in the rule book that forbids you to use these weights. But, Sir, don't you realize that if you wear the take these weights with you?
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They're going to hinder you in running the race, and the official may not be able to stop the man, on the basis of some rule in the guidebook from running with those weights, but he brings before him how foolish it is, and the runner would see immediately how foolish it was to have something that was going to hinder him in running the race and brethren. I believe there are many things, and it may vary from culture to culture, the things that are weights here in North America.
May not be the things that our weights to our brethren in the islands or in South America or some other corner of the world, but those weights are things we allow in our lives where maybe we can't turn to a scripture and say this is wrong on the basis of this scripture, but we realize that it's hindering us from focusing on the object. The prize, the prize is always Christ and the Christian race, and it's going to hinder us in some way from running the Christian race.
Then of course there's sin. Those things that Scripture very plainly brings before us. Those things that ought not to be characteristic of a Christian, those things that we ought not to take up with in our Christian lives, because we can turn to Scripture and we find that this is definitely sin. And so it's these two things, weights, something that's not wrong in itself. It might be sports, it might be taken up with something that.
Has to do with even natural things. But if it comes between me and Christ from following the Lord and running the race, then it is a weight and I'm to lay it aside. And so that runner after the official remonstrates with them and he says, now Sir, I can't tell you that you need to lay those weights aside before the starting gun. But the the runner, he thinks about it and he says, Oh yeah, the officials right, this is not going to help me to run the race.
And so he reaches into his pocket and he lays it aside, throws it on the sand at the side of the track, and then when the starting gun goes well, he's got nothing to hold him back and he can run with with endurance the race. Now just let me follow that up by saying talking about sin.
Suppose now the runner. He's laid aside these weights, but now when he runs the race, he breaks one of the rules. Is he going to be, even if he comes in ahead of the other runners, is he going to obtain the prize because he broke one of the rules and the official says you broke one of the rules? I'll show you right here in the guidebook. And so we see this when he takes up things in a way that we can understand. And that's why often the Christian life is likened to a race or an athletic event.
Because there's two things in connection with the race. One, we need an object. The athlete always has the prize in view. And secondly, he has to run according to the rules, setting aside anything that's going to hinder him. But I want you to notice this too. Let us run with patience, or Mr. Darby translates it, endurance. You know, brethren, the Christian race is not the Sprint, it's not the 100 yard dash.
And there's brethren here this afternoon that have been in the race of faith a lot longer than I have, and I'm sure they'll confirm that it takes endurance. It's lap after lap. It's hurdle after hurdle to run the Christian race. Now, no doubt we're just about done. No doubt the Lord Jesus is just about to come, but if we're going to run for God's glory, it's going to take energy, spiritual energy and endurance.
Comment on the three different scriptures. I'd like to make a short comment on that. Luke 16 At the end of verse 29. Let them hear him speaking about Moses and the prophets. That's God's word. When I was troubled about my soul and wanting to be saved, I asked God to appear. I asked him to move a curtain. I asked him to do something that I knew he was real.
He would not do it for me. The word of God is complete and finished by the Lord Jesus Christ. Any that are on this side of death have the word of God. It is full and complete. Let them hear him. I never forget the first time I saw a building that had a one way mirror that reflected you could see through it from the inside out, from the outside you couldn't see in. That's exactly what I think of when I read Luke 16. Also great golf fixed. Everything on this earth that I can look at is not fixed in God's way.
We cannot comprehend it. For something to be fixed by God, it is eternally fixed forever and forever and will never be changed. And that is the key to the other backside, the half of the mirror in God's passage here, when you look at Job, there are three things about Job, very intellect, and three things that he was studying. He wanted to know all that or where I might find him. Then he said, can man be justified with God? And then in the passage that our brother read, he said, if a man dies, shall he live again?
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The first one, oh where I might find him was was answered in the birth, the carnage of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. The second one, can a man be justified? Was answered in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the third one was answered in Excuse me, If a man die, shall he live again in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? Job was a very intellect. I'd like to turn back to heroes now in the passage. And there is 2 exhortations that we may look at together, possibly, Lord permitting, here.
In chapter 3 and verse 6.
Of Hebrews 2 Exhortations. Yes, we have to lay aside those ways. But tell me the positive things of what I can do after I've laid aside the negative things. OK, tell me the positive things to help me go onward. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we if we Here it is hold fast to the confidence and the rejoicing of the whole firm until the end. The end of what? The end of our race?
Race began on the first day we got saved and it's going to begin end on the day that we are either taken up or that we pass away. Yes, we may have a lot of little short races in there, but it's one long eternal race till the day he's done using this. Brothers and sisters, the 2nd order to exhortation is chapter 6 and verse one. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrines of Christ, here it is let us go on unto perfection, not laying the foundation of repentance from dead works and the faith towards God. Here we have maturity leaving behind the milk and the baby food and going on into maturity. So we have hold fast confidence all the way to the end.
And then we have the second part here. Let us be mature. And that is the positive things that we can do while we are running the race to the end. Now, what are we to keep our eyes on? We're to keep our eyes on Jesus in the word of God. Of course. It's always a singular eye. It's never a double eye. It's not plural. It's AI, the Lord Jesus Christ, with one eye, a spiritual eye upon him. If it's physical, they wander, don't they? The spiritual eye has to be on Christ. That's what we wanted to see this morning.
The one whom we love get that spiritual eye on him, and then he is the originator and the finisher of our faith. For the young ones in our audience, let me say this. God gave him the glory when he gave him a name above all other names, and he gave him the glory when he raised him up from the dead, when he gave him the glory of the name above all other names. It is a name, a singular name above all other names. And that name of our Lord is Jesus Christ.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, One name above all other names when you go back into Isaiah Chapter 9 and verse six. We have many titles there and we have another title here. The author and the finisher of our faith and titles are descriptive of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the originator and the finisher, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Isn't he of our faith?
There's maybe some help too. And Mr. Jordan.
In connection with this word, witness and witnesses used in two senses. I may be at a street corner and I witness an accident. I look on at it and the police asked me, well, what happened. I'm a witness. But there's another sense in which I may drive a particular brand of car. And you say, Neil, is that a good brand of car? And I say I can vouch for this car. I've never had any problem with it. I bear testimony to the quality of that. And that is what Mr. Darby says is the bearing of this word witness.
We may be in a difficulty, and it's often been a comfort to the Saints of God, and I've often thought of it. Do you think if you met Joel, we've referred to Job and the glory and say Job, don't you wish that you'd missed all that trouble in your life?
What's he going to bear? Witness? What's he going to tell you? He's going to say listen, it was necessary and I'm glad I went through it. If you see Jacob and you see Jacob and you say Jacob, you leaned halt. You worshipped, halting with a dissolated hip, perhaps on your staff. Don't you wish the Lord hadn't dislocated your hips so you wouldn't have limped through life with a dislocated hip all those lives? He said to me. Oh, brother Neil, he said I had a lesson to learn, and I'm so thankful that the Lord dealt with me there and dislocated my hip.
I believe that's the sense in which this cloud of witnesses, and it's a great comfort to know there's no circumstance, there's no experience through which we are going to pass through in life in which we will not find the example of a St. that passed through a similar experience and to know how they ended it in victory or perhaps in disaster. And so we are accompanied about by a great cloud of witnesses who can bear testimony. There are those that bear testimony to the disasters we have here.
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With with Esau that sold his birthright for a more for a bowl of lentils, and we see the weeping and the sorrow in connection with it. And many a young person has gone out of these meetings and done something and really ruined their life as a result of it, and they'll bear testimony to the sorrow of it. The Lord may restore the years that the canker weirmouth eaten, but they say they were eaten by the cankerworm nevertheless. And there are those old brothers you see, and you look at them and you say are sisters.
And you just see, written all over their face, the worthwhileness of walking in communion with the Lord. They're witnesses to this.
What teaches by example as well as precept? And I might just say in connection with what you've said that that's why it's good when we're young to read those Old Testament stories and New Testament as well, and to familiarize yourself with the life of men and women and young people and children that God brings before us in His word. It might not mean a whole lot to you at the time, might be just an interesting story, but if you store up your mind with those stories, the Lord can bring them back as you go through the circumstances.
Of life. I'm thankful that my parents read the Bible, read those stories to us. Thankful that I heard them in Sunday school as a boy, heard them in the meetings as I grew up as a young person. As I say, it didn't mean a whole lot to me at the time, but God teaches, as I say by example. And whenever you go through a circumstance of life, try to go back in the word of God and find a person that was placed in a similar situation. I say that because I heard a person say one time. Well, young people have to sow their wild oats, so they know that by experience the result of it.
No, brethren, that's not true.
God has given us these stories to show the result of, on the one hand, sowing wild oats and living for self. On the other hand, he gives us examples of people who lived for God's glory and triumphed by faith and walked by faith, and were faithful to the Word, showing us the fruit and blessing of that.
That's how we learn. Oh, it's true. Sometimes we do have to learn by experience. If we don't learn by precept, an example, sometimes God has to learn to teach us by experience. And we look back and we say we're thankful for those experiences. But God doesn't want to have to teach us by bitter experience. He wants to teach us through His word. And so He's given us this great cloud of Witnesses. Go back and familiarize yourself with their lives.
Notice a little difference between that cloud of Witnesses and the Lord Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. That's it's like a new race brethren. It's a different it's different than anything that was ever before. Go back and read the last two verses. Let's read the last two verses of the 11Th chapter in reference to this Cloud of Witnesses says and these all having obtained a good report through faith.
Receive not the promise, God having provided some better thing for us.
That they without us should not be made perfect. All these examples in the Old Testament.
That are listed here in Chapter 11. They didn't get to the end of their race in one sense. They they died, yes, in faith, but they didn't receive what they were trusting to receive and they still haven't got it. They won't get it until the Lord raises them. And that's the same time. So the Lord Jesus, he gives us a whole new ending to a path of faith. He opens up a new path for the for Christianity.
By going into death and rising again and ascending up into heaven, having gone through the whole life here in perfection as a man, that's where he ends up. And that's where our race ends too. That's our goal. That's what we're striving to to go to, to obtain, walking by faith along the way. But the Lord Jesus was the first one that entered there.
And opened up this whole new goal, new ending, heaven and the Father's house.
00:50:04
Where the Lord Jesus trod and has ended up. And so this was different than anything that a godly Jew would have ever hoped for in reading the Old Testament. It's totally new, and it's really the cornerstone of Christianity that brings us into this career of following a man who walked on earth in all his perfection.
Temptation, trial difficulties, obstacles all around. He did it. And now the the, the what's going to help us? We've been speaking about those weights and sins is getting the eye on the Lord Jesus. And those weights will drop off, whether they're lead or whether they're gold or or whether they're blue ribbons, whatever, they'll drop off, lay aside every weight.
I would suggest that a primary weight is the weight of unbelief. I believe it opens the door for sin, and unbelief is really what gets us into trouble all the time. Just believe this word, you know, the man who asked the Lord for help said I believe help my unbelief, and that was a good prayer because the Lord can do that.
But he can't, as apostles wanted, increase our faith. He can't do that. Faith of God is not a question of quantity, quality, You have it. But it's unbelief. That's a weight that really hits us all at times, isn't that the phrase is the easily besetting sin of the first verse there?
We.
The the article, the definite article is there. So I think the apostle is thinking of a sin. And if we go back to the third chapter we find those who didn't enter into blessing because their sin of unbelief. What they did was they said they were nice grapes but God can't bring us into the enjoyment of it. Now we have the contrast between what our brother Doug mentioned. Our brother Doug mentioned that they received not the promise.
But if we go back into the 13th verse of the 11Th chapter, we see that, and I'll read it, all these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They were in enjoyment of the promises, even though they hadn't received them. Now that's because they 'cause they they had faith. But here we see The easily besetting sin, I believe, is unbelief.
It's a statement that we often show us a making our hearts that we see something, that that we see our Christian blessings, but we don't enter into the enjoyment of them. And the real reason is because we don't really trust God to act according to His word, those that acted in faith. Abraham, as the Lord said so my Diane was glad. What did he see? Well, God had promised it so therefore it was as good as done, and Abraham lived in the enjoyment of it.
Then we get the contrast. Those in the third chapter of course who said, well, they're nice grapes live, but they they didn't enter into that promise because they they, they, they, they discounted that God could act in and and then bring them into the enjoyment of those promises. A previous chapter, it was all about faith, wasn't it? And and that's the sin which does so easily beset us. It's the antithesis unbelief as you say that's your unbelief. I still want to know. I want someone to to name for the young people, for all of us, name some weights.
Is being overweight await?
Is eating too much awake? Is working too long to make the extra dollar awake so that I don't have time with my family?
I've I've got other objects before me. We don't want to go away from this reading that well, I don't know what a way it is. It's something that hinders me in the Christian pathway. There's a lot of other paths in this world. I'm talking about the Christian pathway. We have an object and that's Christ.
And anything that hinders that, you are saying that it will drop off. That's not what the scripture says. Lay aside every weight. It won't drop off. You have to lay it aside. You have to say no. The say say, well, we're going to have some fun tonight and we're going out and do this and that and they come to your house and right at the time which you set aside in in in your life to spend time alone with the Lord and read His word.
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If you say no, I can't do that because that would.
That would hinder me in my path and I'm trying to give some illustrations of what.
Our weight might be, we know in the natural world you're talking about.
A runner that has some lead in them. But if the rule says you can't have any weights when you run this race and then you have a weight, then you violated the rules. You're disqualified. That would be stupid to to put a weight on if you're really wanting to win the race and when we get occupied with things of time and sense and things of this world.
A better home and a better car and 1000 different things, Better clothes. They could be weights. They could be weights. So there are other illustrations because we just we've got so much. That's Laverne in the in the nursing home. And I go through the house and I said where did we get all this stuff? Where did we get all this stuff? We can't wear all these clothes and all these shoes and I mean.
What's wrong with us? What's wrong? I'm talking about me. Us. We've got weights, things that we don't need, and if we wouldn't have those, we'd have more money to spend on the Lord's things and to help others who are in need. Well, thank God you have shoes. You know, actually, whatsoever things you do, do them heartily as under the Lord and not under men.
Wear the shoes gloriously and heartily. I don't think an extra pair of shoes is a weight.
10 or 20 pairs well, wear them to the glory of the Lord.
We wait for you.
Let me emphasize that what might be a wait for me is not necessarily a wait for you. And we ought to know in our own conscience what is a weight which slows us down in our race of faith.
In Genesis 11 and 12 Concerning Abraham.
And it says about him in the 12Th.
Chapter in the first verse now the Lord had said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy Father's house, unto a land that I will show thee Now if we go back into the 11Th chapter, says in verse 31. And Abraham and Tara took Abram his son, and locked the son of Aaron his son's son, and Sir AI.
His daughter-in-law, his son Abraham's wife. And they went forth with them from ur of the Chaldeans, to go into the land of Canaan. And they came unto Heron, and dwelt there.
Now they stayed there until Tara died, and then after Tara died.
Then Abraham proceeded with what God had told him to do. So his own father was awake until his father died. But Abraham didn't proceed at all in what God had told him plainly to do.
Carrying out the will of God, didn't it? Yeah, many times it's our friends that can be the weights in our life. And I remember speaking as a young when I was young, I I had friends that were in the the camp and they were Christians. And I used to think, well, you know, at least they're Christians. They're good clean friends, but they became weights if you want to go on in the things of God.
And then the truth of God, if they're not going to go along with you, you have to give them up. And there are other things that are peculiar to young people. And I suppose one of the greatest things is sports, and it's the competitive sport. And it's those things that are out there where they set up before the young person, heroes and and so forth, and somebody to to to emulate. And there are.
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The John says that all it is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of the life.
Are not of the Father, but they are of the world. And the world passed away in the luster of but they that do the will of God abide forever. And so it's those those things that are in the world, whether they be clean or whether they be dirty, it's still the world.
And those are things have become hindrances. Now I know young people that will say, well, there's nothing wrong with going and watching a good hockey game, a good baseball game and stuff like that. And I got nothing against hockey or baseball. I like it myself. But to go out there and allow that to be my entertainment and to get to sit in the seats where they sit and to be occupied with the things that the world is, is occupied with because they have nothing else.
Why is it then that I should go out and occupy my time with those that hate Christ? And so many of those things are for young people especially? I know I was there and I used to have. I used to belong to a car club and I used to have my own vehicle, my own car that I built up and so forth. And and those were things that occupied my time. And at the same time I was trying to go on for the Lord, but I there was a hindrance.
And my friends were those that were occupied of the same things. And there are young people sitting here that are that love to have cars, and there's nothing wrong with a car but these things we can use for the Lord, but don't let them become a idol. Those are weights that will drag you down and prevent you from going on and increasing the things of God. I finally came to the point in my life where I had to say goodbye to all those ones. I had to tell them why I could not go on with them any longer.
Because they just were not willing to go on with me in the things of God. And so I I say there's a room full of young people here, and there are many things I know that I was occupied with that I thought, there's nothing wrong with these. They're clean, you know, And at least I'm not going down into Skid Row. I'm not getting occupied with smoking and drinking and carousing and so forth. And so I thought I was OK. But you know, there are. Those things were kind of the clean side of the world.
But it was still the world. And so those, I believe, are weights. And we have the Spirit of God within us. And I can't tell you what is a weight to you, and you can't tell was a weight to me necessarily. But we have the Spirit of God within us to tell us and to guide us. And if we really do will to know his will, we shall know what they are and he will guide you. And so everyone of us has to have that individual exercise.
Do I want to go on with the Lord in my soul as A and and grow in the things of God? Or am I just content to go along with the clean side of the world, go to meeting and try and and fit in as best I can, but at the same time I'm I'm tampering in the things of the world.
And wonder why do I not grow in my soul? That is the key to it, I would say, and the light of what you just said. One of the worst ways that we face young people face is evil companionship.
The sounder says I am a companion of all them that fear thee and love thy precepts, evil companionships, corrupt good manners. And if you say well, I'm doing it to help them to find the Lord and that be very careful, be very careful lest they bring drag drag you down to their level.
You can't bring them up to yours if they don't have a new nature, but you can be brought down to their level because you've got an old nature.
So important to 35 in the appendix.
Spreading fraudulent by the Son of God, all the sorrows they are feeling, felt by him upon the road. All the darkness, sorrow come around and from within all the joy and all the time he passed through.
35 in the appendix.
Is between us. You're the one that suggested the passage, and then you get cut off the first time you spoke up.
Hebrews 12:1-5
Reading
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Two together.
Last verse #3 reads, and God has fixed the happy day. A day that's fixed when the last year shall dim our eyes, and He will wipe away these tears and fill our hearts with glad surprise to hear His voice and see His face and know the fullness of His grace. 202 What will it be?
I don't suppose we got too much further than the first verse, did we?
We start from the first again.
Hebrews 12 And one wherefore seeing we also accomplished the vote with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us. And let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith.
Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest she be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin, and ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord.
00:05:15
Nor faint when thou art rebuked of him, For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son, whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye ******** and not sons? Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection under the father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure.
But he for our prophet, that we might be partakers of His Holiness, Now no chastening for the present, seemeth to be joyous, but grievous nevertheless Afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Fall a piece with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled, lest there be any fornicator or profane person as he saw, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For he know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. For you're not coming to the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor under the blackness and darkness and Tempest.
And the sound of a trumpet in the voice of words, which voice they that heard and treated, that the word should not be spoken to them anymore, For they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with the dark. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the General Assembly.
And Church of the first born, which are written in heaven, And to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel, see that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escape not, who has refused him that spake on earth? Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth?
But now he hath promised saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
And this word, yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire.
What I wanted to say, brethren, in our.
One and two is the importance of keeping the goal before us. I think it is really.
Important The athlete that runs.
He runs in view of a prize at the end, and here it is presented in verse two of Jesus. The author and finisher of faith is the one who ran that race before us.
And it was for the joy that was set before him that he endured the cross. There's a lot of obstacles in the Christian race, a lot of weights that we've been talking about, But to keep the prize before us and what was it that let the Lord Jesus continue on through all those hard times in his life was the joy that was set before him. And I think.
Chuck mentioned it, that it was particularly the thought to him of going back into the presence of God.
As a glorified, resurrected man in resurrection glory to be able to say, I have finished the work which thou gave us me to do. No other human eye was there to witness this, at least not in resurrection glory, you might say. Moses and Elias were there, but not in resurrection glory. Only he was the one that was there in resurrection glory.
00:10:31
And we just don't have a very good concept, brother.
The glory of that side of things. Paul was caught up into the 3rd heaven. He witnessed that glory and from then on he was a ruined man as far as earthly objectives were concerned.
You get a glimpse of the glory before it will make you.
Esteem properly things of this light, and I agree with a lot that was said about the weights this morning, brethren, I really do believe that materialism is a weight that hinders us running properly as believers in the Lord Jesus go down to some of the poor countries.
In this world, and you see people who live in just the Shack, they are just as content, far more content in general than Americans are.
Not having a bunch of stuff that's going to make us happy, brethren, It's keeping the goal before us. We were not made for life down here in this world. We were made for a glory beyond, and Abraham was a wealthy man. Nothing wrong with wealth in itself, but Abraham, as far as we know, never lived in more than a tent.
Interesting, isn't it?
And the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory, came into this world. Never do you have a record that I remember in Scripture of him having a piece of money in his hand.
Never had a house.
As far as we know, he never had a donkey or a horse to ride on. Never did.
The poorest of all. Why was he willing to go through this life that way?
Because of the joy that was set before him, that heavenly home that he had come out of and was looking forward to going back into. And if we can just try to think in our feeble way of grasping things of him going back into the glory of God, I like to think of him in resurrection. He was here.
For 40 days after his resurrection, and the time came when he walked right back into the glory of God.
And set himself down at the right hand of the majesty, and high, oh the glory of that moment.
Brethren, that's the pathway that we are on to the same pathway. It's a pathway of faith and it is a continual challenge in our world to live on the principle of faith, not of sight. What do you mean, you say?
You can't walk around with your eyes closed, not talking that you do that. Use your eyes. But you don't live by sight. You live by faith, according to the principles of the Word of God. It's a continual struggle to live according to those principles of faith. It's a it's a race we are to run with. Patience, endurance.
Don't give up.
What's the use of going to meeting every single time and sitting there and sometimes it's dry. Don't give up. That's what scripture presents. Keep on, don't give up. Persevere. That's the point. There's a goal in front of us. The Lord Jesus ran that race ahead of us. Where is he now? At the highest pinnacle of glory.
In the universe of God.
There is the Lord Jesus, and that's the race that's set before us now. Is there something that you can tell me about down here that is worth spending your time on? Like Ken was saying, a car. Is there a car that can be so glorious that it's better than that? When you compare it to that brethren, I think you can see that nothing down here.
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Is worthwhile in comparison to that the Apostle Paul had.
A lot of.
Qualifications in his life, before he was saved that were admirable, he could say as to the righteousness in the law, he was blameless. But when he saw Christ in glory, he said it's all done. Get it out of here. I don't want anything to do with it anymore.
There's something far, far more precious to my soul, and it's when we see that brethren we give it that before our souls that we are drawn on this race to run with patience, to cast the weights to one side, to lay the sin of unbelief and run with endurance, keep on things look dark.
And things look discouraging at times, young people say. What is this?
And they say it doesn't look like anything's going anywhere. With those that are gathered to the Lord's name, it looks like things are getting less and less. We keep on dividing, and if you're going to go by sight, that's what it looks like. I agree. But that's not what we're called on to do. We're called on to walk by faith, and faith is simply obedient to the word of God. Keep on, keep on.
There's a goal at the end, and it's not here in this world. It's with Christ and glory. That's where the goal is. Make a few comments about this expression. Object of faith has been used many times in the last meeting and and this time as well.
Everybody in this room has one or more objects to their life.
God is so made us that we cannot live without an object.
And we've been talking about it on certain assumptions of what that object is. But I want to give a contrast to it that might help us, especially if we're a little bit younger and not so far along in our lives. Not too long ago, and at the moment I've forgotten his name. But there's a man that just recently set a record. He flew around the world without stopping and without refueling alone.
That same man has the balloon record for having gone around the world in a balloon without a loan in a solo. He has a number of.
Flight glider records. He has certain number of records in in sailing.
And.
If you wanted to say what's the man's object, you're going to say his object, at least as I perceive it is to set records.
That's what he wants to do. He wants to set records and his life is dedicated to setting records, and in some cases he lays aside lots of physical and other weights to accomplish that. When he wanted to fly around the world, I think 83% of his plane when he started out was fuel and he couldn't even sit up in it. It was so tiny that he commented he didn't take any books to read or anything else.
He was focused on the goal, the object of the record that he wanted to set. Now, something that's really important about that man's life is his object is not an object of faith.
It's an object of sight.
His life is dedicated to something that he can achieve.
Here in this world, for himself, for whatever motivates him. That's what his life is dedicated to and he doesn't. It doesn't require faith on his part.
To focus on what he's trying to achieve.
Everybody has objects, one or more objects that are governing our lives. And the purpose of this chapter really is to set our thoughts, our hearts, on something outside this world.
00:20:07
As an object, not in it.
And young people grow up and they and people grow up and and I've seen people to try to help them focus their life on their object. They make a list of things. I remember reading about a man, and I think he laid down when he was a young person, 25 things that he hoped to accomplish before he died.
And he was mentioned how many, something like 17 of them or so, he had accomplished so far in his life. That was the object of his life, and it was here on this earth, and he was going after it.
But everybody in Chapter 11 here.
Was focused on something that could not be seen by the natural eye, and it required fate because they couldn't see it.
Abraham. He looked for something, and it required faith on Abraham's part because he looked for something that the natural eye, the natural man, could not see.
Noah was told something by God that no man had ever seen and Noah had never seen.
So it required faith on Noah's part to build that ark because man had never seen rain.
And consequently he was opposed in what he was doing.
The Lord Jesus had something as an object to his own soul that was past this world and into eternity, and he was opposed by it. People constantly tried to stop him in the path of his life to make it focused something on earth. All the people to whom this letter was being written had spent up to that point their whole lives.
With an object on earth they were Jews or had been Jews and and the Jewish teaching right in itself up until Christ came. Everything was for the natural eye on this earth.
Now young people hold their runs. Me, What's really our object? Is it in this world or isn't it?
Well, God wants to focus our hearts and our attention on a person, and we say that's the object of my life and he's not here. And consequently everything that wants to stop us from reaching the object before our hearts.
It takes faith.
Because you can't see it.
Nobody has can say to you, I've experienced it. I've been there. Except the Apostle Paul.
He could talk to us from the perspective of having seen it, but the rest of us we have to go on and and he too in his life apply the principles of faith. But still the point is the object of it has to be outside this world, and it is if we're really following the Lord Jesus and consequently our lives may be totally incomprehensible.
To other people in this world whose objects are not in the glory. And as young people, we're constantly being drawn back into this world to find our object here.
Materialism has already been mentioned, and that's one of the things that draws us back into this world, because we're really not running a race. Some of us, we're living here.
With the realization that we're saved, we're going to heaven someday, but it's not a race to us at all.
We're not trying to get somewhere, we're just here to live and waiting until the Lord decides to take us out.
But the sense that it's given here is it's really a race. That is you're trying to reach a goal and that goal you're seeking is outside this world.
And if.
The object isn't worth it to you.
You're not going to keep up.
Go ahead the faith chapter you've been describing. Faith Chapter 11, verse one.
Now faith is a substantiation of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. Three Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. That's a pretty good explanation of faith.
00:25:21
Isn't it you've been speaking about it?
A young man.
Asked me once.
Would it be right for me to become a doctor?
You know, he was an intelligent young fellow.
And I told him I don't think there's anything wrong in having the desire of becoming a doctor, but don't make that the purpose of your life.
You know, and whatever we do, we have to do it with all our minds, the Scripture says in connection we think connected with this life, but we can even go to university to study as long as it does not interfere with my Christian life.
And my obligations to the Lord. This young man became a doctor, but he never gave up his Sunday school class and he never missed the meeting and he excelled at the university, so I'm just giving that as an example.
If he would have made medicine the purpose of his life, he would have suffered spiritually. You know we have Christ as the object.
And the Christian life is what we to live. And you can live that Christian life whether you are in medicine or whatever you do. There are certain occupations that you cannot do as a Christian. Could you drive a liquor truck? Would that be consistent for a Christian to drive something like that, to deliver liquor? I'm just using that as an example. And if we have a tender conscience.
And want to please the Lord. He can help us to understand what we can and what we cannot do. Whatever we do, do it as unto the Lord, and that is possible for us as Christians, but don't make.
These worldly occupations which we have to live up to, You know, if a man doesn't provide for his own, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.
You know, so we have an obligation in that the connection, but it must not interfere with our Christian life and our life for the Lord. If I cannot live for the Lord in whatever I do in way of work, then I better drop it, you know. And we can have the assurance in our own soul. What I am doing, I can do for the Lord. Do it unto him, that means do it for him.
And that is possible for a young Christian to know. But do I want to excel? You know, even when you go to school as young children now?
You know, I taught my children.
Try to be good students, but don't try to show off as students you know to try to impress people.
To whatever you can and do it with all your might. But don't make it the purpose of your life. Because if you learn to be a good student and live up to your obligations there, it will have a forming effect on your character and it will help you to do other things.
That you have to do to the best of your ability, but don't let it interfere with your Christian life. You see a nice example, Brother Heinz, of that in Daniel, don't we? Daniel had very responsible positions under the kings of Babylon, but at the beginning of his stay in Babylon he purposed in his heart. There was a purpose of heart that put God first and the truth first in his life, and though he had very responsible positions.
Under those various kings, that purpose of heart and that goal in his life, to please his God and stand for the truth, stood him in good stead throughout his whole career. But I just want to say this too in connection with what Brother Don brought before us. And that is to just confirm in our souls that verse that says the things that are seen are temporal, the things that are not seen are eternal. And the goals that we place in this that we are the sites and the goals that we have in this life.
00:30:12
And what we may place our hearts on obtaining in this life, our only temporal at best, and at best, they're for momentary gratification. They're not the things that are real and the things that are going to abide for eternity. I'd like to just look at another portion in Scripture where the Apostle Paul takes up this thought of a race. It's in First Corinthians Chapter 9.
First Corinthians Chapter 9 and I'll begin reading at verse 24.
Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all but one, receiveth the prize, so run that he may obtain, and every man that striveth for the mastery is tempered in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run not as uncertainly, so fight I not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.
Lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. But we find here the Apostle Paul In taking up the subject of the race he first of all says that they which run in a race that isn't an athletic event that you would go to observe in this world, they run all but only one gets the prize. We can picture this 20 runners go out to run a race and as well prepared and trained as they may be for the event.
They know that when the event is over, only one is going to be brought to the winner's circle and crowned with the prize. Only one is going to get the prize. But isn't it wonderful, brethren to consider in the Christian race that we're all going to get there in the end and every man is going to have praise of God? There is going to be something in the end that he's going to be able to reward for and.
He's going to separate the precious from the vial and be able to say by grace and only by grace. But he's going to be able to say well done, thou good and faithful servant. And that's why, Paul, he wasn't running uncertainly. Those runners go out and I say no matter how well they've trained, they run in a sense uncertainly because they don't know who is going to be the winner when the race is completed. But what I want to notice here too is that he says.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.
Temperance or self-control is perhaps the opposite of self indulgence and brethren. Isn't that what we have today? In our society? We're taught that self indulgence is the only happy way. The only way to be happy is just to follow your appetites and desires.
Whatever goals you set your sights on in this life, just go for it 100%. There's no temperance taught in the society in which we Live Today, but I've sometimes used this illustration. I'll repeat it. When I was growing up, I had a younger brother who was very, very athletic. And not only was he athletic, but he was a very picky eater. He really didn't like vegetables and especially things that were green and leafy. But I remember one season he went out to try out for the high school football team.
And I think he ate green salad every day for six weeks. Why did he bring his body into subjection to something that was not according to his natural bent? Why did he measure his food? Why did he not partake of things that perhaps, naturally speaking, he would have indulged in otherwise? Because he had a goal in view. His goal was to get his weight to a certain level, to go out and train, hopefully make the football team. Hopefully they would win their season and there would be a trophy in the front hall.
Trophy cupboard of the school with their names on it. He had a goal in view and it caused him to be in subjection and tempered in all things. Now, brethren, why is it so often we indulge and set our sights on the things of this life that are only for momentary and temporary gratification? It's because we don't have the goal in view. Now Paul makes a contrast here. He says they run. They do it for a corruptible crown.
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You know, as I think back over the years, I don't remember if the high school in Smith Falls won the season, and if they did, And the names of my brother and his teammates were splashed across the press and their names put on that trophy. Why, they've long been removed. Other names have come and gone. We've forgotten about it. They did it for a corruptible crown, for just something that was a flash of glory here in this world.
But, brethren, if we're running with Christ as the prize, Christ as the goal, we're not doing it for something that's just for time. It's something that's going to abide for eternity, something that's going to last. We often quote that poem to the young people. Only one life will soon be passed.
Only what's done for Christ will last. Do you realize all of us, how temporal things are here?
I remember cleaning out my parents home after my father passed away, and in just a few weeks, 51 years of accumulation of I'll put it very nicely, stuff was gone. We came into this world with nothing, and it is sure we can take nothing out. But brethren, are we building for eternity? Are we running the race in view of that incorruptible crown? Are we bringing our bodies into subjection? Is there temperance in our Christian life?
Are we laying aside the weights? The sin? If we are brethren, then there's going to be eternal fruit and eternal consequences as a result.
Of Genesis, of regarding Rebecca. And I suppose when she went to the well that day she didn't realize that her life was going to be changed so severely. But the spirit of God meets us in our pathway and.
Good it is when it's at the well and which speaks of the word of God. And he can change our lives in immediately and he gives us different desires and different objects for our soul. And you know that can happen in a moment.
And it did with Rebecca. And she from the moment that the servant met her, her life was changed. And from that moment he began to show her and tell her about Isaac. And she began to have her heart turned towards Isaac, and to to be longing to see this one who was to be her husband. And so a little by little her heart was wooed by the things that the that Eliezer told her.
And this is the way it is in your life. And mine is that the Spirit of God comes in and and he begins to work there.
And little by little he begins to occupy us and wants us occupied with the man that we are going to see. And so she she, she said when they she was asked if she would go with this man, she said I will go. And so she went.
And I don't suppose she was occupied with the camel that she was riding on. She may have changed it many times along the way. She maybe didn't ride on the same camel, but we don't know. But nevertheless, she wasn't occupied with the with the sights along the way. And you and I have many objects that we can see along the way that will turn our eyes away from the object. And and so the Spirit of God works in our hearts and He is here.
In order that you and I might be brought forward onto a perfect man. And so here we see Rebecca going on and and the spirit of God or the servant is is speaking to her about Isaac and she is occupied with what the camel or this and that site along the way. No. She's occupied with this man that she is going to see. And you know, I remember.
Brother Albert. Hey, hope I you don't mind me making reference to him again but he remember him take having some of us young fellows around And he was talking to us and he said, pointing to each one. He said now you're you've got this occupation. You've got that when you've got this one. But he said that isn't your purpose for for living down here in this world. We all need occupations we're told to to to carry on.
Honest trace.
And it would be wrong for us to sit in this world. So now, now, now I'm a believer. I'm going home to heaven. I'll let the Lord look after me and I sit down and wait. No, we have to be, we have to be busy down here and we have to carry on honest trades. But they are only our camel to get us across the desert. So don't let us get occupied with the camel and let's let's not make it our object. But remember that at the end of the pathway is the man that we're going to see.
00:40:26
Of God. We've been called to eternal glory, and I find myself too, brother and I have to confess. Constantly distracted from the goal and we need to refocus conferences like this. Maybe a time of refocusing. We are not made to say again to the young people for anything grand down here. We are made for something out of this world.
Something eternal. Everything down here is for a brief moment, and it's gone.
And then what, Oh brethren, may the Lord help us to focus on eternal glory and that man?
That went through this world that ran that race and is now seated at God's right hand in glory. That's our goal when it says in verse 3. And I think we need to focus on getting on in our chapter because we're not getting along very far. But it says in verse three, consider him.
It's really putting our focus on that man in the glory. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners.
Himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds. Everywhere I go I find people that are discouraged, faint, and weary with a fight.
Get your eyes back on the goal, brother. Let me tell you when you get your eyes, I've been amazed at how that energizes you. The Lord in my time in Bolivia brought me into contact with a number of race car drivers and I've never had too much to do with that thing. But I remember one particular telling me he was on a race coming from the South up towards Santa Cruz and they race over the roads down there, which is quite a challenge in that country.
And he got into a sandy spot and you've ever gone through sand, you know what that'll do to you? And it flipped him. And he did about 3 or 4 flips and ended up with his wheels in the air.
You think you got discouraged? He got out of that car as fast as he could and he got a few people around to help him push the car over on its wheels. He checked the engine and started it up and it still ran good and he takes off turn down the road. But he got so disorientated in the flips he had done he realized after a bit he was going down the road he'd come come from. You think he got discouraged? No, he stops and turns around.
Sometimes we say young people, hey, if you go in the wrong direction, turn around. You get discouraged because somebody tries to help you. Don't get discouraged. You're called to eternal glory. That guy, what was he to call to Some earthly prize that didn't really mount to much? We who are called to eternal glory, we get discouraged. What's wrong with us? We've lost sight of the goal. And another thing I'd like to say, because our time is advancing fast, brother, and we're going to get to this.
Part of this chapter that speaks of the discipline of the Lord, and I really believe that a lot of the trials and problems we've been called to go through down here in different ways, sicknesses, accidents are because the Lord is trying to focus our gaze on something that we're called to. We get too intensely occupied with things down here.
The Lord is disciplining us. He's trying to get us loosened up a little down here. We are so tightly nailed down to things down here that the Lord is using the prior stick on us. He tries to pry us off of these things to get us occupied with things up there, brethren.
I really, truly believe there's something we need to be exercised about in what he's allowed amongst us. We are not called to anything great down here in this world.
We are called to walk the path of faith, the few moments we're going to be down here, and then eternal glory. Is that interest you, young person, or you have something else that seems a lot better than that? I challenge you to come up and try to interest me in what you think is so important down here.
00:45:18
I I really think, brethren, we need to have our gays fixed on what we're called to an eternal Gloria.
What was the contradiction of sinners against himself? You know, we're told in First Corinthians don't have to turn to it. In First Corinthians it says they crucified the Lord of glory. That's the contradiction of sinners against himself. It's the worst possible death ever meted out against the highest possible one ever walked this scene.
And that's what it speaks about. But he never gave up, did he? When they hit him in the face, when they spit in his face, when they misunderstood him, when they falsely accused him. Did he ever say, OK, I give up. Never. Straight on brethren, that's our example. You might be a misunderstood, You might be maligned. We got the example here. How we should take it.
Desire to live godly will suffer persecution. And if we don't get persecution contradiction from sinners, maybe we're not walking faithfully.
16th.
Because we get that pattern, Serna. But I just want to say this before we make it's good to read the Gospels. In fact, I would suggest that make it the habit of your life no matter where else you read in scripture each day to read a portion from the Gospels. Because that's where we see what the Lord Jesus suffered. And he it says in Peter, he's left us an example that we should follow in his steps and go back and read if you get discouraged.
We talked about the stories of men and women and young people that are given for our encouragement in scriptures, but there's nothing will encourage you to go on and press on amidst the difficulties like going to the life of the Lord Jesus, so carefully recorded by the Spirit of God, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, four different aspects of the person and work of the Lord Jesus laid out for us to encourage us. You're going through a trial.
Go back and see how the Lord Jesus went through a similar trial. See how he endured. See how he went on. He didn't faint. He didn't become discouraged. He pressed on with the goal and view. I believe we need to read the Gospels perhaps more than we do. Yes, we need the Old Testament. Yes, we need the epistles. But go back. I just want to challenge your heart every day. Read something in the Gospels. It'll keep you, help to keep you from becoming faint and weary.
I want to hear well. I believe that we often speak of setting our eyes on something here as if it's a profession or something here. But we may become discouraged even in the things of God, and we may be going to an assembly and seeing two or three there and we see well. I don't have my goal on becoming rich and I don't have my goal on becoming having a big car. And yet I go to meeting year after year and I just see a handful there.
And you get discouraged. And I was just thinking of these verses in Haggai chapter 2 in connection with looking at the goal and.
You know, when they rebuilt the temple, they were carried away into captivity, and there was no testimony in Jerusalem was destroyed. And they came back, and they laid the foundations of the temple, and the young men shouted for joy, and the old man wept when they considered Solomon's temple.
And as we look back at Pentecost, we may see what the church was and we see we make that our goal. I was at a conference once and a brother said I have a dream, a beautiful dream that we're going to restore the testimony to what it once was. And you may well set yourself that goal to do that. It it's a it's a wrong goal.
And they, the young men, if you look back and see what the church was at Pentecost, if there were 2000 people in this room, I doubt that it would be every believer in Pella. And so we must never lose sight of what was in the beginning. And then you may rejoice and say, well, there were 600 at the conference, there were 1000 at the conference. And the young men may shout for joy, and you may be encouraged in that. And that's not wrong either. But you can't make that your goal because you may see that there's going to be a decline and a decline and a further decline.
00:50:12
And there has been as our brother Bob was saying, but what Haggai what we see in the book of Haggai, he really saw the end in view. Maybe just turn to it and Haggai chapter 2.
They become discouraged by the building of the House of God. There was much rubbish and certainly we can become discouraged, he said. Consider the one that had such contradiction against sinners, against himself. You go, you give out the gospel and the first thing you're confronted with is not a Hindu or a Muslim, but it's some Christian with some strange wacky doctrine or somebody that's been damaged by it. And you have to sit down and patiently bring the truth before them. There's much rubbish in Christianity. There's a lot that's very much to encourage.
But they got discouraged in those days and so they gave up. Perhaps like, you see children come to the Sunday school, they get saved and then they go off to some other church and you're you're discouraged. You say what's the use? And that's why Paul said to Timothy, Do the work of an evangelist, keep it up.
And So what? What kept haggy eye going on in such circumstances is this, is that he saw in the ninth verse of the second chapter the the glory of this latter house. It should really leave the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former sith, the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace. And if we have our goal on Christ in glory, and to see the redeemed there in heaven, there is not one St. of God that's going to be missing there.
There's not going to be one problem there. And so if we labor for the Lord in view of that, then we're not going to get discouraged. But if we're labored to see things increased here, list of gatherings get fatter, the conferences get bigger. It may happen, it may not. We're going to get discouraged. But to get the view of the Lord in glory and the latter end of things, we're going to be encouraged to go on for the Lord. And as her brother was saying this, we're going to receive every kind. All they that will live godly will suffer persecution, it says in 116th Psalm, I believe.
Therefore I've spoken and what's the immediate response? I was afflicted and you're going to find trouble in your life if you seek to go on for the Lord and the we read that all through the Psalms that those you look around and the the wicked, they're at ease. And even those believers that don't have an exercise to walk in a pathway of separation, it's an easy pathway and the devil is not going to oppose you in it.
Chapter 3, verse 6. Just the latter part of that one verse we could together in Hebrews 3 and six. It says if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the whole firm until the end this came up. The little word has been used here in the last few people that have spoke about being discouraged. When I'm discouraged, I have to find assurance.
In God's Word, the little book of Jude, the first verse has the word preserved. I am preserved in Christ. That's assurance.
When I read he nobody can pluck me out of his hand. That's a.
Appearance. All of a sudden I'm not getting discouraged anymore. I've got insurance. I have to read that. I have to be filled and reminded how assured I am. And then that's the only way I can have confidence rejoicing and I can hold firm. How else can I have confidence if I'm not assured it's impossible? I have to be assured.
I have to look and say that hope is coming. I'm assured of it that I will be there, that I am preserved, for that is that hope that lies ahead of me. Then I can have confidence in it. If I am assured that that hope is coming, I can rejoice in it. I can share it with others that don't know Christ.
If I am assured I can be firm standing on the promises of God, I will not be plucked out of his hand And all the other promises we can read everywhere, then I can be firm until the end. That's the goal out there and I have to be firm. And to that end, for the young ones, we're running out of time. The words quote, let us UN quote. I might be off a little bit. I think they're used 12 * 1 Time in our verse. Let us lay aside. We made a choice when we accepted Christ. We made a choice. We had choices all over in our life.
00:55:04
We have choices, don't we? This is a choice to let lay aside those weights. The one in front of us is perfect. And he never had any weights whatsoever. When I started, I had all kinds of weights and I didn't even know it. And pretty soon Christ said, hey, hey, hey, Billy, that's wrong over here. It's time to correct it. And I had a choice. Let us.
This choice lay aside, we don't have a choice when it comes to remembrance.
That's doing remembrance of me, young Christians. There's no choice in it. If you're born again, Christ says do it.
But this is a choice, isn't it? Let us do it. OK? I had to. I have to lay aside this weight.
I should be more and more perfected and like him with less and less weights the older further along I get in my life. That's twelve letter chapter, verse 24 of our chapter and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and the blood of sprinkling and the Speaking of quote better, UN quote things in that available. I believe this is the 12Th time if I'm not mistaken and the last time better is in the book of Hebrews.
Better.
Than Moses.
The new Covenants Better than the Mosaic covenant. Everything is always better, isn't it? What's the last one spoken of here? The blood.
The blood.
The sprinkling of better things than that of Able. The value in his blood. What a wonderful thing to end a meeting. Speaking of the value of his blood. The blood that removed those sins of Crimson stain and made us white as snow. There's nothing better than the value of that, is there?
Let us lay aside those weights and let us look at the better things.
That's some of the teachings of the book of Hebrews. Let us and better.
325.
We wait for.
The alone of God.
And all of God.
So I shall be praying today.
So.
Great.
Ha.
Our hearts.
And.
Souls.
Gospel 8
Gospel—J. Hyland
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See on the gospel hymn sheet. Behold the Savior at the door. He gently knocks, has knocked before, has waited long, is waiting. Still, you use no other friend, so I'll open the door. He'll enter in and Sup with you and you with him. Perhaps we could rise to sing this hymn #20 and if someone will please start it.
Begin this evening by connecting 3 portions of the Word of God. The first one is in Luke's Gospel chapter 3.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 3 and verse 21.
00:05:04
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized and praying, the heaven was open, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son.
In thee I am well pleased. And then a portion in Acts Chapter 7.
Acts Chapter 7 and verse 55. This is Speaking of the Evangelist Stephen. But he being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. And one more portion for now in Revelation chapter 19.
Revelation Chapter 19.
And verse 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a White Horse. And he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And his eyes were as a flame of fire, And on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written that no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, And his name is called the Word.
Of God.
This evening in the presentation of the gospel.
It is my exercise and desire to speak from several scriptures that bring before us various openings. But we began with these scriptures that bring before us the open heavens because we want to this evening bring us right into the presence of God and into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have a desire and an exercise tonight to preach Christ because it's Christ that souls need. We're not going to preach reformation tonight.
We're not going to tell people to try to do better. It's not sociology that we're going to speak about tonight. No, it's Christ. Because I say what this world needs is Christ. And the Apostle Paul summed it up when he said we preach Christ and Christ crucified. And every time in scripture that you have opened heavens, it's in some way to do with some aspect of the person and work of Christ. And we began in Luke's Gospel chapter 3.
Where we have the Lord Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry coming to John the Baptist, and there was a little remnant in Israel that were coming to John for the baptism of repentance. They had accepted John's preaching. Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.
It's the gospel with the gospel of the Kingdom. Not really the gospel we're going to preach tonight. Tonight we're going to preach the gospel of the grace of God. But nevertheless you have these ones coming, and the Lord Jesus comes to John. Not that the Lord Jesus had any sins that he needed to confess or repent of. Far be the thought he was wholly harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners. But he comes to John and identifies with this little company in Israel.
Who were confessing their sins and coming to John for baptism, and as he comes up out of the waters of baptism.
The heavens open, and all heaven gazes down, and God the Father gazes down at this blessed One here in this world, the one who had come in incarnation, the one who had taken upon him the form of a servant, and been made in the likeness of men, the one of whom it was spoken prophetically. A body hast thou prepared me? And here he was the Son of God here in this world.
The only perfect man that ever walked the face of this planet and all how heaven delighted.
While the Lord Jesus was here to gaze down on that blessed One, as the poet Calper said, there was finally an object in this world that might commend the place. But now it is gone. Jesus is with the Father will speak of that in a moment, but here heaven opens up and three very remarkable things are brought before us in this passage. First of all, we find the sun has become tangible. The Word was made flesh.
00:10:20
And dwelt among us, we've handled of the word of life. Think of it. Here was the Son of God. Come in incarnation.
We find, too, that just for a moment, the Spirit of God becomes visible.
And descends upon him in the bodily form of a dove, so that there would be no mistake in the minds of those who looked on as his public ministry was about to begin, no mistake as to who this one was.
It's interesting that later on in this very book, as his public ministry began, he stood up in the synagogue one day and read in the very portion in the Old Testament that says the Spirit of God the Lord is upon me.
Free hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor and so on, and his whole public ministry was won in the energy of the Spirit of God, because, you know, the Spirit of God is the energy in which God has always moved.
From Genesis chapter one, where the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the deep to the carrying out of the judgments of this world in a coming day, I say the Spirit of God is the energy in which God has always moved. And you know, if there's going to be blessing and souls saved in this building tonight, it's going to be because the Spirit of God is at work.
The sun has become tangible. For a moment. The Spirit of God becomes visible and the Father becomes audible as a voice declares from the open heavens. This is my beloved Son. Oh, this is the one that heaven delighted to look down and be occupied with. And this is the one we desire to present in the gospel tonight. But we turned from there to Acts Chapter 7, because the one that we're going to present tonight.
As the savior of sinners, is not here in this world the way he was.
When the heavens opened up at the waters of Jordan, no. We trace the path of the Lord Jesus.
As we sometimes sing a path uncheered by earthly smiles, that led only to the cross, and we trace that pathway, a pathway of dispensing blessing on every hand.
And a pathway that eventually led to the Garden of Gethsemane, wherein his agony he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground, a pathway that led to them coming and taking him.
To pilots judgment hall.
And all we know so well, as we often read in the Gospels, of those things that man did to the Lord Jesus Christ.
As the Lord Jesus stood there and gave them one breath after another.
They use that breath to curse him. They took their hands and they smoked.
The Blessed Lord Jesus.
They scourged him.
Spit in his face.
They didn't just pluck the hairs of his beard, they plucked the hairs of his cheek. You know, that's the tenderest part of the face. When my children were little, they could pull on my beard, on my chin as hard as they could, and it was fine. But the minute they pulled on the cheek, all the tears come to the eyes. They plucked the hairs of his cheek.
They put a crown of thorns on his blessed head.
They mocked him. They said. Hail King of the Jews.
Did they really believe he was the king of the Jews? Indeed they did not. They said we have.
No king but Caesar.
They eventually took him out.
Outside of the walls of Jerusalem, that holy city.
That had deteriorated to such a point that it had religion without Christ.
They took him outside to Golgotha, the place of a skull.
Why was it the place of a skull? This was the height of man's intellect. The height of man's reasoning took the very Son of God nailed him to a Roman gibbet.
00:15:07
And there he hung as a spectacle for men and angels.
There they reviled him. Others sat down and watched him suffer. Some passed on their way.
And then there came a moment.
Yes, there did. There came a moment when God said that's enough.
And at high noon he darkened the sun.
And the Lord Jesus bore my sins in his own body.
On the tree, the end of those hours of darkness, He cried. It is finished. He bowed his blessed head. He gave up the ghost. A soldier with a spear pierced his side.
And forthwith came throughout blood and water.
Loving hands removed him from that cross.
Put him in a tomb as it had been prophesied.
And Christ died, He was buried. But thank God the story doesn't end there. He rose again the 3rd day according to the scripture. Because if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain, ye are still in your sins, but he was raised again for our justification.
And after he had remained on earth.
Long enough to give ample testimony to his own that he had bodily risen from the dead.
A moment came when his feet left the Mount of Olives. The cloud received him out of their sight, and they saw him no more. And that brings us to the portion we read in Acts Chapter 7, because here we find Stephen the evangelist has just preached the gospel.
And he looks up at the end of it as they're about to stone him to death. And he says, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, Oh, what a glorious vision Steven had there.
And tonight, if you could just get one glimpse of the Man in the glory. I love that gospel hymn. It's probably my favorite. There is a savior on high in the glory.
A savior who suffered on Calvary's tree. A savior as willing to save now as ever.
His arm is almighty, his love great and free. It's the Savior of sinners at the right hand of God that we want to present to you tonight. Steven was ready to meet that one. He could say, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
I wonder tonight if you knew for sure that you were about to pass into eternity. Could you say that? Could you look up my faith into the open heavens and see the Lord Jesus there, and say Lord Jesus receive my spirit? Was there any hesitation on the part of Stephen? No. He knew he was ready to meet the Lord. He knew he was ready to go absent from the body.
And present with the Lord. But oh, tonight, what about you? As we seek, by the grace of God to present the Savior of sinners? Is he your savior? Have you had a glimpse of that man by faith? Have your eyes been turned to that one? Look unto me, and be saved all the ends of the earth.
Have you looked to the Lord Jesus Christ? Is he your savior? Because we pass on from Acts Chapter 7 to Revelation chapter 19 and once again we find the heavens open.
And it is so solemn because the heavens here are opened not to present the Savior, but to present the judge. Oh, it's the same person. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. And he is described later on in this chapter as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And He comes, whose right it is to reign and who's right it is to execute judgment in this world. And the heavens open here.
And he comes forth in judgment.
Are you going to meet the Lord Jesus as a savior or as a judge?
00:20:07
Meet him you must you must have to do with God.
And what are you holding on to this evening that would keep you from coming to the Lord Jesus?
Because we've heard in these meetings about the things that are temporal. And maybe you think, well, if I receive the Lord Jesus Christ as my savior this evening, I'm going to lose out in some way in this world and I'll have to give up my goals and my aspirations.
In July of 1992, I think it was the 21St of July 1992.
There was a very famous race car driver by the name of Rich Vogeler.
He had more wins to his name than, I believe, any other race car driver to date.
And he got on in his car on the 21St day of July 1992.
In Indianapolis.
To participate in one more race.
He little realized as he strapped himself into his car that it would be his final race.
On the last lap he was far ahead of the other cars.
The race, as they would say, was in the bag.
The wind was assured.
And something went wrong.
And that car spun out of control.
And Rich Vogler was ushered into eternity just like that.
But that's not the most remarkable part of the story.
The officials of that race?
Discussed the matter.
And decided.
That had Rich Vogler concluded that race in the way that he had intended, he would have indeed won. And even though he was now lying dead, they gave the reward.
To rich, vulgar.
I read about that in the newspaper.
And as I read that account, I thought, how much was that purse worth to Rich Vogler at that .0?
Absolutely zero. It meant nothing to Rich Vogler, and to have his picture and his name splashed on the pages of the national press one last time meant nothing.
To that man he was. Beyond that he was in eternity.
Oh, don't let something in this life, some goals, some aspiration that you have in life, keep you from coming to the Lord Jesus. Because the things that you obtain and attain to here in this life, what are they going to mean when you leave, when you draw that final breath and you leave this life, what are those things going to mean?
They're going to mean absolutely 0. They're going to mean nothing. The only thing that will matter in that day is what you have done with God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
All my prayer, and I know the prayer of justice, so many in this room tonight, is that there will be nobody here.
Who in that day?
We'll look up into the open heavens and see the Lord Jesus coming forth.
In power and judgment.
Oh, tonight the way of blessing is open. Is salvation easy? Tonight it is easy.
It It's free. Oh, it wasn't easy for God. It wasn't easy for the Lord Jesus.
It cost God his Son. It cost the Lord Jesus his life. You know the gospel is free, but it's not cheap.
00:25:05
It's not cheap.
But it is free tonight and it is so very, very simple.
Just a few days ago I was speaking.
In a Muslim school.
Two Christian ladies had invited us, myself and brother Garvin Seymour from Saint Vincent to speak in a Muslim school in the country of Trinidad.
Tremendous opportunity.
A little girl, seven years of age.
Came up to us.
And said how can I receive Jesus?
The emotion of it was so great I didn't think I could answer.
But we were so thankful that we could tell her how simple it was.
Made me think of a little story I read.
About a cake mix the Betty Crocker put on the market some time ago.
And the only instructions on this cake mix were add water and stir.
They couldn't sell it. They couldn't market it. And when they brought in their marketing team and they sat at the board table and discussed the matter, they realized what the problem was. It was too easy. People thought it was too simple. You know what they did? They changed the formula a little bit. So you had to add an egg and you had to take a couple of other steps.
And they put it back on the market and it's sold.
But you know, God hasn't changed the formula tonight. The gospel is still the same gospel.
That the evangelist Stephen preached. It's the same gospel that I heard when I was a boy sitting in meetings just like this. It's the same gospel that was preached at the last Bible conference. It's the same gospel that we preached in Trinidad as we had more invitations and opportunities than we could possibly avail ourselves of in the week that we were there.
I've been to Trinidad many times but.
Garvin and I spent a whole week there this time.
And we both came away.
Overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with the hunger and desire there was to hear the gospel. Overwhelmed with the need for gospel literature.
And particularly overwhelmed with the need for Bibles. You know what, the book room in Trinidad, there's a waiting list for Bibles. And here tonight we sit and there are Bibles, and some of us have them in our hand and some of us have them on the seat beside us, and some of us have them on the floor under our chair. And Bibles can be purchased at such a little cost. And I imagine if you went home after this conference and counted.
The number of Bibles in your home? You'd be very surprised.
You realize there's people in this world that put their name down on a waiting list?
Just so they can eventually get a copy of God's precious word.
As I look into the faces of this audience, I realize that probably most of us.
Have had a Bible of our own.
From the time we can remember.
But what have you done?
With its message.
What have you done with the person that it presents the Lord Jesus Christ?
The Savior of sinners.
Have you believed?
All the scriptures have been opened to you so many times.
You know, sometimes I have the privilege and opportunity.
And responsibility of looking into the faces of an audience where I feel that most.
Have never heard a clear gospel. It is a awesome, tremendous challenge.
To present the word of God clearly and simply to an audience like that.
00:30:04
But you know something? I wonder if it isn't a greater challenge tonight.
To read and quote the word of God to those who have heard it so many, many times.
Those who have heard it so often.
That they have stopped their ears.
Then it just rolls off and they go on their way and it has no effect.
That's why I'm thankful for that verse that says that the word of God is as a hammer that breaketh the rock in twain. It's a sword, the sword of the spirit.
And it divides and pierces.
Oh, open your ears tonight to God's word.
And so we have Christ, presented as the heavens are opened, presented here in this world, the perfect man on his way to the cross, presented at the right hand of God, having accomplished the work of redemption.
And present it coming forth in judgment in a coming day, Because you know he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. But now let's turn back to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 4.
Hebrews Chapter 4.
And verse 13.
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open.
Under the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
We've spoken about open heavens.
But here's another opening.
All things are naked and open under the eyes of him.
With whom we have to do.
When we read the portion in Revelation 19.
We read there that his eyes are as a flame of fire.
Penetrating.
And in reading this verse our exercise.
Is to bring us into the presence of God, with the eye of God resting on us.
And to realize that God's eye not only sees as to the outward appearance, but God's eye penetrates.
God sees into the very recesses of our heart, and we cannot hide one thing from him.
The Lord sees not as man sees, for man looketh on the outward appearance.
But the Lord looketh on the heart.
A brother who is involved.
In his business with several federal federal agencies.
Was telling me recently that there was a man in the United States of America here who was wanted by the FBI on a charge of espionage and from a satellite circling the earth.
They found him. This satellite zeroed in on his van.
The man was sitting in his van reading a newspaper.
And the satellite zeroed in on that newspaper.
And not only did it zero in on that newspaper, but there was a notation.
On the corner of the page that he was reading.
A notation made by a ballpoint pen.
And that satellite zeroed in on that notation.
And that notation alerted the FBI that this man was headed for Tijuana, Mexico. That's where they picked him up and arrested him. And I thought if a satellite man made satellite circling, the earth could pick up on a man and what he was reading.
00:35:09
Pinpoint this man who was, I believe, in Texas at that time.
Oh, think of the eye of God resting on you tonight. You cannot hide.
I don't know how many people here have ever been interviewed by the FBI. It's not an experience you ever want to covet.
To be sat down in a semi dark room.
With four FBI agents.
Whose eyes seem to penetrate right through you.
And a bomb squad agent and a chief of police and a local Sergeant.
You've got to be forthright. It's a tape recorder in the middle of the table, and they fire questions at you so fast that by the time 2 hours is over you don't know hardly what you've said.
My lawyer told me, he said it's a good thing. You think fast. There's a lot of innocent people in jail.
I happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It was on the 11Th of April, which was a Monday.
It was half an hour after the FBI had got a bomb scare call on Capitol Hill.
And as they told me, we're concerned.
About attacks going on simultaneously in different parts of the country.
They brought me back from Nashville to Western Kentucky. I was under complete surveillance.
I pulled out of the driveway of the home I was staying in that morning and the phone rang. Mr. Highland, we know you're just left the place you're staying. I stopped for gas. The phone rang. Mr. Highland, why have you stopped? Is there a problem?
They kept me under complete surveillance. In fact, there was a tracer on my van.
And after it was all over.
If I learned anything from that experience, it was this.
That you need to be forthright and upright in your personal life because you never know when it's going to be made public. My name was splashed across the press in the Midwest.
Fact, When I finally got to where my interview was, the place was teeming with media.
And yet the eye of God looks down tonight, and you might tell me certain things.
And you may even shake my hand at the door after this meeting and tell me that you're a Christian.
And I have to say, the Lord knoweth them that are his, but you can't fool him.
Just like we can't hide since 9:11.
From the authorities you cannot hide from God.
Don't do it.
Be upright with God tonight.
Confess that you are a Sinner.
Receive the Lord Jesus.
As your savior.
It's something between you and God.
When my license plate number was taken down by a citizen of Benton, KY in the Walmart parking lot that morning.
And the police were called because of an empty suitcase, although they didn't know it was empty at the time, a suitcase that was sitting near my van.
The police immediately punched my license plate number into their computer.
And my van came up as being owned.
By a man from a Middle Eastern country.
00:40:00
Who had a long criminal record.
When they further checked through my birth date and my social insurance number.
I came up as an Arab terrorist wanted by the FBI.
It was mistaken identity.
It was mistaken identity, but tonight I want to impress upon our souls.
That God looks down and there's no mistaken identity.
He looks down. He knows your name.
He knows your family background.
He saw you being formed before you were born.
He knows the condition of your heart.
All things are naked and open under the eyes of him.
With whom we have to do.
Do you realize that when you leave this room tonight, the eye of God is going to still rest upon you? Or you might squirm in your chair tonight and you might be watching the clock?
Which, no doubt to you, is moving ever so slow.
But when you leave this room and you go back to where you're staying.
And perhaps in another day or so, you go back to where you live.
And you go back to work or to school.
The eye of God is still going to rest on you.
When I left Benton, KY.
I was well aware that it wasn't over.
Very disconcerting to stay in a brother's home and realize that the sheriff's car is sitting at the end of the driveway every night.
It's not fun to realize you're under surveillance, but, oh, tonight, we're not talking about surveillance by some authority in this world, the FBI or the CIA or Scotland Yard. No, we're talking about being under surveillance from the eye of God.
But you know, the great difference is.
That you're under surveillance from the eye of God because he loves you.
And he wants to arrest you in your course. And he wants to bring you from darkness into light. He wants to bring you to the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants you to go out of this room tonight, a saved soul.
One who's not afraid of the light, one who's not afraid of God.
You know, we often quote out of context that verse thou God.
Seest me, and we quote it in the sense of warning.
But you know, if you notice carefully there, those words were uttered by a lady named Hagar, and she was very thankful that God saw her plight. She was very thankful and God took care of her.
Tonight you can leave with the eye of God resting on you and thankful for it, knowing that the eye of God sees no stain of sin, that it's all been taken care of by the blood of Jesus.
And you can go out of here.
With a sense of the Lord's presence with you knowing that he is the savior, your savior. Let's turn to the Book of Acts. Now Acts 16.
Acts chapter 16 and verse 14.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us.
Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized in her household, she sought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there, and she constrained us.
Here we have an opened heart.
You know, sometimes in making the gospel very simple, especially for the boys and girls.
We encourage them to open their heart to Jesus as a couple of little gospel choruses. We sing in that regard, and I like those gospel choruses, and I believe we need to be exercised in making the gospel very, very simple.
00:45:05
But you know, tonight I'm not going to tell you to open your heart to Jesus. Our prayer is that there would be such a work of the Spirit of God that he.
Would open your heart.
We find with Lydia a lady that lived in a dark heathen city.
She heard the glorious gospel, and it was presented in such a way that the Spirit of God was able to take the message and use it in the opening of Lydia's heart.
Oh, would that. There would be many open hearts in this room tonight.
You know, I rarely ask someone if they're saved. I look to see if there's something in their life that indicates it. And if I see in a young person or a boy or a girl, because even a child is known by his doing or an older person, if I see some desire to please the Lord, then I'm pretty certain that person has had their heart opened.
And it's interesting here with Lydia, there are at least four things given to us.
To show fruit that the Lord had opened the heart of Lydia. One is that she worshipped God. Oh, it makes me think of the 10 lepers when they were cleansed in the days of the Lord Jesus. It tells us that only one returned to give thanks, and the Lord valued the response of that man's heart. And for those of us tonight who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, oh, there ought to be that worship and that praise too.
That he is worthy of when we think of what he has done for us, when we think of that mighty work of Calvary, when we think that we can echo with the Apostle Paul, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Oh, if that doesn't produce worship in your heart, I wonder what goes on within your heart. And I wonder if you really do belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. The first thing was that she worshiped God.
And then she attended under the things that were spoken by Paul.
I remember talking to a young man one time, and I had known this man for some time. This young man, and he had professed to know the Lord Jesus as his Savior, had professed to have been saved at some Gospel meetings that we had held in that area.
And after a couple of years of observing his life, I said to him, George.
If there is no desire in your heart to please the Lord Jesus.
Or to walk in obedience to His word, I question whether you are really saved or not.
And then we find that she was baptized.
There was public testimony she was now going to identify.
With the Lord Jesus and I have no doubt there was a price to pay.
In a dark, heathen city like that, and she was a woman of enterprise. She had a business. She no doubt had to support her family.
But despite the cost, she took a public stand in baptism.
And then she invited these ones into her home, because we know we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. And there was a desire to show to these ones Christian hospitality, which is so characteristic in the New Testament of Christianity, whose heart the Lord opened.
But now, at the end of this Gospel meeting, as we draw to a close, I want to once again bring to bear on our consciences and our hearts our responsibility and connection with the gospel.
Because in a few moments when we rise out of these seats and leave this room and go on our way.
We are going to be more responsible than we were when this Gospel meeting began 50 minutes ago.
If you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, you are more responsible.
00:50:06
Than you were when you entered.
This building.
And you know, we read of judgment.
Some were beaten with few stripes and some were beaten with many.
The ones that were beaten with few stripes were those who did not know their Lords will.
But the ones that were beaten with many were those who knew it didn't do it.
Oh, I tremble to think of a soul in this room tonight who rejects Christ.
And enters a lost eternity to be beaten.
With many stripes.
And so we're going to turn to another scripture now, a scripture that I have no doubt.
The hymn writer had in mind when he wrote the hymn that we sang.
At the beginning of this meeting, turn with me to Revelation Chapter 3.
Revelation Chapter 3 and verse 20. Behold, I Stand.
At the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will Sup with him and he with me.
Two things particularly I want to notice in applying this verse in the gospel.
One is that the Lord here is viewed on the outside.
Have you kept the Lord out?
Have you refused the Lord Jesus?
Behold, the Savior at the door He gently knocks, has knocked before.
Has waited long. Is waiting Still, you use no other friend, so we'll open the door.
He'll enter in and Sup with you and you with him. The other thing I want to notice is how individual it is.
If, behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man notice that.
It's personal tonight. It's you having to do with God.
It's you who must receive the Lord Jesus.
As your savior, you know it doesn't matter about your background.
It doesn't matter now about the past.
You know, one of the newspaper articles.
Was concluded with this statement. There are several federal agencies.
Looking into the records.
Of Mr. Highland.
But you know now it doesn't matter about the past. Let's deal for a moment with the present. You say I've really gone astray. I've sinned. I've done some things I'm ashamed of in my life.
But what about right now, The Lord Jesus is knocking.
Are you going to let them in tonight? If you don't, there will come a day.
When you will knock and you will not be allowed entry. When once the master of the house hath risen up and shut to the door, then it tells us they come, and they knock, and they say, Lord, Lord, open unto us, will the door be opened, The door of mercy and salvation be opened in that day? No, When it shut, it shut, and it shut forever.
But tonight.
The Lord Jesus is knocking. Are you going to receive him as your savior?
I want to tell one more little story in closing, and I want to tell this to impress.
Particularly on the hearts of those of us who know Christ as our Savior.
The solemnity of having concluded a gospel meeting and what our conduct and conversation should be.
00:55:01
Subsequent to my Amen.
Many years ago there was a man lived in the village.
Of Dixon, St. Vincent.
His name was Mr. Boltzmann.
He lived across the street and down a few houses from the meeting room where gospel meetings and other services were conducted and still are conducted from week to week.
Mr. Boltzmann had no use for the Lord Jesus Christ. He had been invited time and time again to come to the Gospel meetings, but he had always refused.
But you know, every Sunday evening as the Gospel Meeting concluded.
And the congregation would pour out of that little gospel hall. He would sit at his window, and he would watch them.
And he would wonder why they stood around outside the meeting room for an hour and conversed together.
After time went on and he saw this week after week.
He concluded in his mind that they must be talking about him.
And curiosity got the better of him. But he was not going to go into that gospel hall.
But one Sunday evening.
As the Gospel Meeting.
Was being carried on in that building he went, and he hid himself in the tall Bush grass beside the steps of that meeting room.
He hid himself so no one could possibly see him, but so that he could hear.
The subject of the conversation of those people when they came out of that meeting.
And they did indeed pour out of that meeting at the conclusion of the Gospel service.
And they stood around those steps in that courtyard, as I have had the privilege of doing many times myself.
And they continued to talk about the precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and they would talk about what had been presented in the Gospel meeting. And they would talk about very one scripture after another. And this man was getting very restless. This was not what he wanted to hear.
And yet he was determined that he was not going to show himself, and he remained in that grass, hidden for well over an hour.
And when he finally came out, it was with tears streaming down his face. And he had come to know the Lord Jesus as his savior, not by what he heard in the Gospel meeting, but what he heard.
In conversation by believers after the gospel meeting.
And fellow believer, as surely as I pray and say Amen.
The enemy is going to be busy tonight in one way or another.
To distract from what has been said, and to pluck away the seed that has been sown, the word of God.
And let us be exercised that as we rise from these seats.
Our conversation and our conduct.
Would be that which commends the gospel, and there would be nothing that we say or do.
That could be used by the enemy to pluck away the seed that has been sown.
Or to detract from the work.
Spirit of God.
In the conscience and hearts of those who do not know.
The Lord Jesus Christ, Let's pray our God and Father.
Learn From Dinah - Be Careful of the Company You Keep
YP Sing Address—R. Roossinck
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.
Well, it's been wonderful being here this evening and singing with you, your young people.
And.
It's wonderful to see you're still singing the songs that I remember singing as a young person.
35 years ago and while we were seeing some of these, I could close my eyes and hear some of your parents singing.
That I remember singing with all those years ago and it's a wonderful thing. So beautiful hymns and songs we can sing together.
There's one thing about singing a long time You soon lose your voice, so we'll keep this short.
If we can, let's look to Lord before we begin. Our loving God and our Father, we thank Thee for this little time we could spend together singing of I Love and singing of what thou has done for us. Lord Jesus, we thank Thee for each one in the room this evening, and we trust that each one has taken the Savior, Lord Jesus. And so as we spend just a moment or two over Thy word, we just pray for thy help and thy guidance and thy keeping. And so we just.
I would commit this little time to the thanking the above all for that matchless love which.
Medicine our need there at Calvary's cross. We just thank thee now, and that worthy and precious name. Amen.
I'd like to talk just briefly this evening about a young lady in the Bible and.
It could be a young man too, so we won't restrict this to the young ladies here.
It's kind of a sad story, but it has a happy sequel and.
We're going to be brief, but it's a very important story and I'm just going to read one verse and you don't need to turn to it. It's in Genesis 34.
Genesis 34 and it's the first verse.
Genesis 34 and verse one and Dinah.
The daughter of Leah, which she bearing to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
It's a little background on this dear young lady.
She was born into a very privileged family, and I think many of you here have been born into a very privileged situation. For one thing, you've been privileged the last couple of days to be at a conference here where the Word of God has been opened. You've heard the gospel preached two nights now. And I trust that each one in the room knows the Lord as Savior. And I'm going to speak assuming that to be true. But if it's not true, if there's anyone here who's never taken the Lord as Savior, oh, it's so important before the night is over.
To make that all important decision our brother this evening and I'm sure each one was there gave a very clear gospel and so I trust that each one has knows the Lord his Savior. But here's this here's this young lady and it could be a young man born into a very privileged position. Her grandfather great grandfather had been called by God as a special people, the head of a special race and her father.
Her grandfather and her father had followed the Lord, but she lived in a bit of an isolation, you might say. They were nomads. They lived in tents. They wandered about following where the Lord directed them to go. And perhaps some of you young people here feel a bit isolated. You know, you may go home. I'm sure many of you go home tomorrow or the next day. And perhaps your home assemblies, you'll feel a little isolated. Maybe there's only one or two young people. Maybe you're just the only young person there in your home assembly.
Perhaps there's many, but sometimes, you know, we've all experienced, and I have two. We feel alone in a crowd. And so this young lady was isolated a bit. She was separate from the world around her, but the Lord was there, and the Lord could look out for her. And she knew, I'm sure, the wonderful story of her own mother, her own father and her grandfather, how the Lord had provided for them.
A family and relationships and friendship and what a wonderful story it was. But here we have.
Dinah, it says she went out to see the daughters of the land. Well, we won't read any more of this story. It's too sad and it would take too long to read.
But all what happened, young people?
00:05:02
Tonight when you go back home, you know it's been a wonderful time at this conference. We've had some wonderful meetings. We've enjoyed the Lord, We've enjoyed the Lord's presence this morning.
What is it like?
Your life and you have a desire to go out and view the Daughters of the land, review the sons of the land. Sounds very innocent, doesn't it? Nothing wrong with friends. We all had friends when I was in school. I had friends. And I'm sure you all have school friends and friends, perhaps the neighborhood. Nothing wrong with friends, is there? It all sounded so innocent. She went out to view the Daughters of the land, perhaps trying maybe to reach out to be to, to find some new friends.
But all things went terribly wrong.
Things did not workout the way she wanted to. And I would like for you, each one of you, to read this story of Diana later on. You'll find it's a sad, sad story. So we won't go into it tonight.
The things went terribly wrong. Her life was ruined by this simple little mistake.
Lives were lost.
Poor Diana. Here she was a daughter.
Of one that God had named a Prince with God. Her father was Jacob, who God had renamed Israel, meaning a Prince with God.
Just in a verse or two before.
Her father had built an off altar and he named it the God, the God of Israel. And here is this daughter.
A lost life, sad, sad story and you know.
The rest of Jacob's children we hear about in the rest of the Word of God. They're mentioned in many other books, including right through the New Testament and into the Book of Revelation. But Dinah is never mentioned. The only time her name comes up again, she is mentioned in the list of those that went into Egypt, and after that she's never heard from again.
Young people.
I just trust.
That no one in the room.
Would feel a need to go out and view the daughters or the sons of the land. And what am I talking about here? We, I think we know it's the world around us. Those friends that seem so innocent. That seems so.
Friendly. So wonderful. Oh, be so careful, things can go so wrong. I was thinking as we were singing this, you know, when I was growing up.
I was very fortunate because there were many young people in the assembly where I grew up, and they were very musical. And we sang a lot. And I was thinking one or so of these songs that we sang reminded me of times when we would be we would go out as young people to the beach at Lake MI, about an hour's drive from where I live, 45 minutes maybe, and we'd build a fire and we'd sing these same songs.
To the strumming of a 12 string guitar as the sunset behind the waves. Beautiful scene.
But you know.
That group of young people.
There's about three or four that we see anymore.
What a sad thing.
Lost lives, oh young people.
Well, I said there was a happy sequel to this story.
And I also have a little challenge for you young people.
We heard yesterday our brother Hendrix mentioned he brought up that beautiful story in the 10th chapter or the 4th chapter of John. We know the story well. We won't turn to it. But there's one verse there that's so beautiful. It says, you know, I better just read it because I don't want to get it wrong. It's the fourth chapter of John. You know it well. Sometimes when I try to quote well known verses from memory, they don't come out the way they should. It says in verse four of John 4.
He must needs go through Samaria.
And then the fifth verse, I think that fourth verse is so beautiful, he must needs go. He had a need to go through Samaria and our brother mentioned that and I'm not going to get into that. The next, the next verse says he cometh to a city of Samaria, which is called psychure, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Well, here's the challenge. I'd like you young people in your leisure in the next, whatever time you have, maybe next few weeks or days, whatever, make a little note to do a little research on this story of Dinah and compare it to this story.
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In John 4:00 and you're going to find, I'm not going to tell you where the verses are, but I'm going to tell you what you find. You'll find if you study it carefully and read it carefully, you'll find the story was in exactly the same place as Dinah was lost.
What a beautiful picture, the grace, Lord Jesus.
It's almost as though.
The centuries before this dear young lady was lost.
But the Lord had his eye on another one, Lord his eye. And this woman, she had fallen into the same trouble, the same problem, the same sin as Dinah. She had fallen into immorality, was a lost life. But the Lord Jesus came and rescued her. Oh, what a wonderful thing, isn't it? Oh, young people, if there's anyone here.
Who is feeling discouraged? He's feeling down. Is feeling, perhaps?
They'd like to get out into the world, look around a bit, oh the Lord Jesus.
He's a wonderful friend. He's waiting, he's wanting you. And you know, if there's anyone here who perhaps.
Run into problems in your life. Perhaps you've been discouraged, Perhaps you feel everything is lost. Oh, the Lord Jesus, he waited all these centuries, perhaps 1800 years, I'm not sure exactly.
I suppose around 1800 years.
Lord Jesus waited, but he must needs go through Samaria. I wonder. I can't help but think that Lord Jesus was thinking about this lost young lady and it could have been a young man, too many young men in the room this evening.
Lord Jesus had his eye all these years, all these centuries. He knew.
Even when Diana was lost, he knew that there was going to be a time in this very spot there would be.
She perhaps was an older woman by now. There would be a recovery. Isn't that wonderful to think of, you know, young people?
I think of those young people that I grew up with, many that I went to conferences with and we sang together, enjoyed singing together. We don't see them anymore. Well, perhaps young people know of perhaps another young person in your home, your local assembly, perhaps someone nearby, someone that you know, who you're concerned with. Perhaps they've gotten it.
Into things that would destroy their lives. Perhaps they've gotten into paths that the enemy has taken control. Oh, pray for them. Don't give up.
Lord, Lord Jesus waited 1800 years.
And he rescued this one and that. Wonderful. So if you've had friends that you've come to young people's get togethers with conferences perhaps. And now we have seen them go on a path that is unhappy. You see them going into the world. You see them taking up with things that will destroy their lives. Don't give up on them. Oh, pray for them. Reach out. Oh, the Lord Jesus is so patient.
He waited 1800 years. We won't have to wait that long I'm sure but.
Pray for those, your fellow young people. I think back to the young people that I grew up with. If I had been more diligent and praying for them, perhaps they would be here. Perhaps they, perhaps their children would be here in this group tonight singing together with you young people. Oh.
I have to admit my own failure in not taking a care like I should have.
Young people.
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Don't leave a care for your fellow young people. And oh what a sad, what a sad thing.
I want to just warn you again, be so careful.
The company you keep.
She no doubt thought nothing would go wrong. She thought it was a harmless bit of fun. Maybe to find some friends, Who knows?
But oh, what a disaster it led to and so.
It's wonderful to have a happy sequel to a story like that, isn't it? That dear woman in the 4th chapter of John. And so I'm not going to tell you where the verses are, but if you look carefully in Genesis, where Jacob blesses his sons, particularly where he blesses an individual personal blessing to Joseph and Joseph's sons, read it carefully. Compare that with the verses, some with some other verses you'll find.
That the story in the 4th chapter of John is exactly in the same spot.
Where Dinah was lost, well, perhaps you know of someone who may be on a course. They're lost, they're going. Their life is a lost life. Perhaps. Maybe they know the Lord is Savior. Dinah was still part of Jacob's family.
Don't don't. Don't give up. Don't quit praying for them. Reach out when you can.
The Lord is very patient, but oh, what a solemn thing.
To take a chance like she did. Oh dear, young people, be so very careful.
Well, Mark said I had about 15 minutes and that's about it, so maybe we'll just look to the Lord.
Hebrews 12:5-29
Reading
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237.
Rejoice, Jesus, someone else.
Yeah.
To ask for God's blessing.
Our God and Father, where do you suggest?
1St 5.
Hebrews 12 and five.
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of them of him for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son, whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be, if ye be without chastisement, whereof all our partakers?
Then are ye ******** and not sons.
Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection under the father of spirits, and live, for they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure. But he for our prophet, that we might be partakers of His Holiness, now no chastening for the present, seemeth to be joyous, but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight cause for your feet less that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you. And thereby many be defiled, lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected. For he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. For you're not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness and Tempest, and the sound of a trumpet in the voice of words, which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. For they could not endure that which was commanded, and if so much as a beast touched a mountain.
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Shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake, But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable innumerable company of angels, to the General Assembly and Church of the first born, which are written in heaven, And to God the judge of all into the spirits of just man made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling.
That speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that you refuse, not him that speaketh.
For if they escape not, who refused him that spake on earth? Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth? But now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved?
Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire.
I would like to.
Clarify some things that were said and I said them, and then make it clear.
What 1 believes on the first verse? I just want to make this let us I'm I'm reading Mr. Darby's translation. Let us also, therefore having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us that's referring back to the previous chapter.
And there's a note in Darby's translation.
Witness in English has two senses, seeing so as to bear witness and that that that thought was advanced, but that's not what it means. And giving testimony to.
The last only I apprehend is in the Greek here.
Giving testimony to So the witnesses that are referred to from the previous chapter gave testimony to examples of faith in their lives. And that's what is meant. I believe not that they are looking down and seeing what we're doing here. The angels can see what we're doing here and God sees it. So whether those in the old in the previous chapter see it or not, probably not, but.
God sees it. And that's the important thing though. God sees me that everything that we do, even in secret, he sees it. So we shouldn't go away without the thought. Well, no one's seeing it because God sees it and the angelic hosts see it. But the real meaning of that that verse is.
To bear testimony to faith, and that's why they're brought forward.
Because the mount.
Sinai.
The escape knot.
Was to condemnation. But we'll come to Mount Zion, and so we have really the truth of Romans there. Eight, that there is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. And so the difficulty comes into the life of a believer. It is not to condemnation.
But it is for His good. And if we understand that, we won't despise the chase snake. And that's really what's being brought before us here, because we may despise the chastening of the Lord circumstances that come into our life, that grade us, or that trouble us, or seem to cause difficulty to us.
We may think that it's just bad luck and despise it in that way and say, well, bad things happen to bad people and just sort of stoically soldier on.
Or we may become crushed underneath it and say, well, I just can't go on, I'm of no use to the Lord now and I I just can't pick up and go on. Or else we can despise the chastening of the Lord by becoming angry with the Lord.
And so, but if we realize that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose, that we haven't come to Mount Sinai. We've come to Mount Zion, the City of Grace, that we realize that everything that happens, that he's head over all things to the church, and that everything that happens to us is for our good and our blessing, then we're going to be able to receive that and profit from it. What we have here that.
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When the Lord deals with us in such a way.
Particularly in this chapter in with as chastening us.
In Romans, all things work together for good. Something may very sad happen to a believer and it's not necessarily chasing, but here he's speaking specifically of those things that may happen to us, that that are a direct hand of discipline of the Lord in our lives.
To realize that our father loves us too much to let us go our own way, Naval said. As a child connection with my natural father, if I could have realized that that's why my father disciplined me when I was a child, I would have had a half year childhood. And so I say again, all discipline in our lives is because our father loves us too much to let us go our own way. But I think it is important to see that all.
Problems and difficulties in our lives are not the chastening of the Lord. I think of the blind man that they brought to the Lord. And they said, who hath sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? And the Lord said neither this man nor his parents, but that the works of God might be manifest in him. And so it wasn't that there was some sin that this was allowed, but it was that glory was going to be brought to God and to the Lord Jesus through the healing and testimony of this man.
And so there are a number of reasons why problems and difficulties arise in our lives. And it's good when that problem or difficulty or test arises in our lives to get before the Lord and be exercised as to why he has allowed it. But I do think we need to be careful in looking at one another and judging, because the tendency of my heart is when I see a brother go through a real severe trial, is to say, well, there must be something in that brother's life.
That's not for me to judge. That may be true, but let that brother get before the Lord about why the Lord has allowed this. But let's be careful, brethren, that we judge as to why the Lord has allowed something in another brother or sisters life.
We have to do it, don't we? And that's important to come to grips with. I just feel sometimes, brethren, when the Lord allows.
Difficult times in our lives we tend to justify ourselves before our brethren. We tend to those that we're no longer walking in fellowship. We say, well, they they went the wrong direction and we're in the right position. We should have convictions about what we are. But, brethren, God has allowed these things.
For our exercise. And we shouldn't just push it to one side and say they're all unfaithful and I'm the faithful one no God has allowed it for me to be exercised by, and it's often been pointed out the three different reactions. I think you referred to them there. But just to point it out clearly in verse five, there are two wrong reactions to the Lord's discipline in our lives.
You have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord. That's one wrong reaction.
To despise it. Oh, that happens to anybody. We all have to go through our hard times, and I'll get through it somehow. That's despising it. The other is nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.
Yet so under the burden of it that we think that we can't go on.
Just too much for me. I just can't handle this. That's fainting. Neither of those reactions will bring the desired purpose that the Lord has in allowing those things to take place in our life. You go down to verse 11. You have the proper reaction from chastening. No chastening. For the present seemeth to be joyous.
But grieve us nevertheless. Afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. In other words, when something negative happens in my life is to say, Lord, I know that you have something in mind for my prophet here. I really want to learn what you have in mind for me.
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Exercise. That's the proper reaction. And, brethren, we need to accept these things that God has allowed in our lives and be exercised by it. Recognize that He has a reason for it, and He allows it so that we might learn and to be before Him in that exercise of heart.
There's some else here. There's another reaction. A person may be a profane person like Esau and just give up and we see some just slip off. And the tendency of our own hearts to just slip off into a wicked life like a fornicator because they just say, well, I'm just going to escape this whole the hand of God altogether and live in pleasure. And many a believer has done that. I just want to say this in connection with the assembly, that this is addressed to my son and government is not directed in this way towards the Assembly of God.
I do not discipline my wife and I hope you don't discipline yours.
That is a relationship between a father and a son, the relationship between Christ and the Church as he cherishes it, and he nourishes at his own body. And so the exercise is individual here. My son despised not the chastening of the Lord, and I believe that that's important because we may well look at and at situations, and especially with the apostle Paul. He said, the more I love, the less I be loved. And he was faithful to the truth of God and all of Asia forsook him. Was it because was this some chasing hand of the Lord? No.
And an assembly may take a faithful stand for the Lord, and they may suffer for it. And so we mustn't think that because there's been a decline or there's been a difficulty that this is the chasing hand of the Lord. Chastening is an individual thing between the Lord and the individual. And I'm glad that Brother Jim mentioned that because we're often prone to look at ones and say, well, he's having that difficulty because he did something wrong. It's an individual thing between the soul and the Lord.
Jacob, you know when he when he lost Joseph.
Joseph was carried away and I suppose he could look at that and say, well, it just happens to a lot of people, but there was Joseph, you lost him and.
I suppose he could have blamed lots of circumstances upon his what had happened to him that day. But the end result? What was it?
Poor Joseph. Then all of a sudden he was going to lose Benjamin, and he he, he might wonder, well, why is this happening to me? Well, at the end of it, Joseph could say Now, therefore be not grieved for, nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me, hit her, for God would send me before you to preserve life. And so if we if we look at second causes in some of these things, and say, well, it's because such and such no, let's look at it from God's point of view.
And let's see what he has in it for you and me. And and I was thinking of that verse and you quoted there too, Neil, about for all. Let's recote that in a little different way. The all good things work together for good to them that love God, Is that what it says? No, he says. All things work together. We're good.
If we submit to the hand of God, even if we've done something wrong, if we submit to the hand of God, God can bring blessing out of it. Our God is above our failure. And it's important to realize that. Paul said to the I would have you know, brethren, that the things that have happened on me have fallen out rather under the furtherance of the gospel. I hope I'm quoting that properly. But Paul, against the testimony of the Spirit of God, went up to Jerusalem and all that happened to him. After that we find no fruit from his work in Jerusalem.
Had to get there and say, God hath not sent me unto you, but unto the Gentiles. That's quite a message, to go someplace, and to really have to tell them that he was sent to the Gentiles. But he could say afterwards he could see the hand of God in it when he submitted to the hand of the Lord, and say the purposes of God were worked out. And the Lord may well put us into a wedge. A man once left his wife and married somebody else because he wanted to be a missionary. And the second marriage turned out to be a disaster. And he said, what can I do? He realized it was wrong to divorce his second wife.
I said there is blessing for you, and there will be blessing in your life. If you submit to the Lord, he's obviously not going to get you out of this situation. There's no scriptural way for you to leave this marriage, but if you submit to the Lord, you'll be happy and you'll be used of the Lord.
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Now it may well be that there will be limitations on what he could do because of that situation. But there is no situation into which we find ourselves, even though it is as a result of self will, that if we submit to the Lord that the Lord cannot bring blessing out of it. But the escaping trying to escape, that if he divorced his second wife and married 1/3, which in fact is what he did, he just jumped from the frying pan into the fire. And so grace causes us to submit to the government of God.
It causes us to submit to the chastening of God, not to try to escape it. And trying to escape the chastening hand of the Lord is really proof that there has not been repentance and submission to the chasing hand of the Lord. The Lord may well cause me to lose all my money. He may well cause me to lose my health because of my sin. And you say, well, it was a direct result of of the hand of God upon me. But if there's submission, there'll be a perfume and a fruitfulness for God and a usefulness for God if we simply submit.
Brethren, I think the finest example of chastening because of love is Job, if you look at the first chapter, he said. The Lord said to Satan the devil.
Hast thou set thy heart, or considered my servant Job, there's none like him in all the earth, perfect upright, one that feareth God and escheweth evil.
And it tells us to in another place. He was a righteous man. And so that was a perfect example. And yet chastisement went on for chapter after chapter, probably up to 29 chapters, and in every kind of form that possible because the Lord loved Job. Now all these things. Look at chapter 29. I won't you don't have to turn to it.
But all this was true about Job.
Let's see. I'm sorry. I got to get to it myself.
Chapter 29 I believe it is.
I'm sorry, it won't take that.
Here it says, I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lane. I was father to the 4th and and the cause which I knew not. I searched out and my glory was fresh in me. Unto me men gave ear and waited and kept silence at my console. After my words they spake not again, and and on and on. It's all true. Job was that kind of a man.
But you know, the Lord chastised Job like he never chastised anybody else. First he let the devil get at him, and then he let his wife get at him. And then he used his three friends, so-called, and you know, Job never.
Despised it. He never fainted under it. But he endured it too long. He endured it for all those chapters.
And he says you are miserable comforters, everyone of you. And it turned Job into a spiteful man. He says I will not give up my integrity no matter how much you yell at me, and that's the only result with Joe. But finally he used Eli, who finally he used the spirit in Job's life, and he introduced him to the Lord who was chasing him for that purpose.
And the dog said, I'll put my hand on my mouth, I will not speak anymore. And then the Lord was able to talk to him. That's what the chastisement was all about. But it it was the most perfect man he had in this world. And yet he chastised him. Why? Because Job didn't know Job. That was the only problem. He didn't know.
Who he was, He believed what all said about him. A righteous man, upright, good to poor buying and all that. But he didn't know Job's heart and the Lord wanted it revealed. As long as he compared himself to his friends, he justified himself. When he got into God's presence, he got the right view of everything and humbled himself and brethren. That's what we need. I just feel so often we tend to.
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Justify ourselves. We try to convince people that we're right, brethren. That is not the point when God.
Chastises. He has something in mind. There was a flying job and that trial brought it out. But he didn't get it in perspective, proper perspective, until he got into God's presence. And that's what we need to do to realize that we have to do with God. He's not going to give up. We might give up, but not he. He loves us too much. We cost too much to him.
To leave us halfway. It's not going to happen. This verse six is so beautiful. Whom the Lord loveth he chasing us? What moves his hands to chasing us? His love. Nothing else but His love. And notice the last part, Scurja, that's even a stronger word. Anybody here like scourging?
I don't think so.
It's not pleasant, and we've all felt it. If we are believers in the Lord Jesus, there is no Son that gets away without discipline and scourging at times. It's not pleasant bread, but it's for our profit and we need to be reminded of these things.
One of the most severe.
Of the Lord is that we be left to ourselves.
And so the Lord Samuel said to of Saul to the froward or to the unwilling, I will show myself unwilling, the unsavory, I'll show myself unsavory. And the most severe government of God is that he let us have we let us have our own way. And so in Jude it says unto him that is able to keep you from falling. And when we fall into a situation, they say, well, he fell into sin. And, you know, it's especially important with young people at the crossroads of life.
You may get into a situation, you may have a child outside of marriage, you may get into a marriage with an unbeliever. And these are situations you can't undo. And. And is there a blessing if there's repentance, yes. But as well to think of that before that, the most severe government of God is that he's able to keep us from falling, but we won't listen. And so we get into a situation we can't easily get out of or cannot get out of in this lifetime. But again, I never want to imply that there's not blessing to any if there's not submission to the Lord.
But there are bitter lessons that sometimes have to be learned. And so I just say that to encourage our hearts is to know that the Lord loves us, but at the same time to be careful in our walk, and especially when we're young, at the crossroads of life.
Because there are things that leave a mark for the rest of a person's life, and there are things that a person may sow or a person may reap as a result of their sowing. But I think we have two examples of what you've been saying. Brother Neil in the Old Testament, 2 outstanding examples.
The first is with Abraham. When Abraham sinned, he was happily restored to the Lord.
And the Lord used him in much blessing, but we find that Ishmael and his descendants, as a result of that sin, they have become to this very day the constant enemies of the people of God. But Abraham was in his own soul happily restored to the Lord, and there was much blessing and fruit in his life prior to that.
The other example is David. David sinned and he sinned grievously. He was happily restored to the Lord. But a sword never departed from his house forever, and I believe it's very solemn to consider that. And I don't want to take away from what's been said, because when there is restoration and true repentance.
And submitting to the hand of God in our lives, Then there can be blessing and fruit as a result. But there are things that we may have to reap for the rest of our lives.
What a man, so ever a man, soweth that shall he also reap, is very solemn to consider.
In connection with that, because Jacob is one who tried to escape the government of God and is continuing to escape. To try to escape the government of God, Jacob deceived his father, pretending to be Esau. 20 years later the Lord met him in the way and he said, what's your name? Did God not know what Jacob's name was?
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Of course he did, he said. What are you going to tell me? You're going to say you're Esau? He sought to strike his conscience. We have no record of any communion between Jacob and God for those 20 years, but let's turn the clock ahead 4000 years.
Over there in the land, Israel is facing the time of Jacob's trouble and I believe, I think Brother Bob brought this out, that if you read the book of Obadiah, this conflict that is over there is between Jacob and Esau.
Jacob tricked his brother Esau to the blessing, and he's been trying with missiles and horses and alliances and a covenant with death. He's going to try to escape the government of God, but when finally he submits, finally he submits to the government of God. There's going to be blessing for that nation and blessing for the whole world.
But this is a direct result of a sin, and if you simply submit to the government of God, there's blessing. There was Pharaoh, Pharaoh would not submit. Nebuchadnezzar did. There was blessing. I believe we're going to see Nebuchadnezzar in heaven. Could it be that Pharaoh would have submitted to God and let the people of God go as far as responsibility was concerned? He would have passed into obscurity like Nebuchadnezzar, and there could have been blessing for him and sorry.
Is because you're no longer in the will of God, you're in your own will. Did Paul was Paul Chastise. When he was out of the directive will of God, he was chastised. Lord told him to go to Rome. He says first I'll go to Jerusalem because of my brethren and the flesh. And he went and you know what happened his brother.
Prudnear tore him apart limb by limb and the Roman army had to rescue him.
And put him in prison. That was chastisement, And the Lord stood by him in prison.
And said, Paul, you've testified in Jerusalem, now you're going to testify in Rome. There is a directive will of God for each one of us and there's a permissive will. I believe Paul at that time was in a permissive will. His motive was really very good courting and the even the Lord would acknowledge that. But there was no blessing for Paul.
Or his account in Jerusalem. I don't mean souls didn't get saved, but not to Paul's account when he got to Rome. Even many of Caesar's household got saved to Pauls account. So there's a difference. But you're never out of the sovereign will of God. Never. That's where chastisement comes in. The sovereign will. Verse 12 tells us, brethren, how we should.
Interact with those that are going through difficult times. I think it is so important, like it's been mentioned, not to try to figure out for somebody else what the Lord is saying to them.
The Lord is fully able to get the message through to that particular person. But what we can do is what we have in verse 12 lift up.
The hands which hang down and the feeble knees. It's a picture of discouragement. And when somebody is going through a time of trouble is to say brother, the Lord loves you and He has some purpose, some purpose in mind. Don't be discouraged and seek to encourage them. I remember Eric Smith telling about in Bolivia when he went through a time of Real.
Sickness.
When he was first amongst the Indians in the South, to the South of Porto Sea, and he was.
Frustrated in his bed, and one of the Indian brethren came and sat beside his bed for quite a long time without saying anything. Finally, he said. Brother Smith, the Lord must love you a lot.
Why do you say that, brother? He said. Because whom the Lord loves, he chastens and.
It was a comfort to him, and that's what we need to do with one another. The Lord has his own discipline with each one of his children, but when we see those who are going through difficulty is to seek to encourage them, to make them realize that the Lord isn't trying to destroy us.
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He has something good in mind. We're in the middle of a dark tunnel, perhaps, and we can't see any direction anyway. The Lord is the one that brings a person through it. But let's be an encouragement to each other in that process. That's what the three friends of Job did not do. They started trying to figure out why the Lord has allowed that, and they got themselves into trouble.
With the Lord for trying to figure it out. But Elihu was different, and he brought Job into the presence of God, and that started a work in the right direction. May the Lord help us to be an encouragement to each other in these difficult times we're passing through. Life is not easy anywhere, brethren. Travel around and you think there'd be some place where it'd be nice and easy. It's not so.
It's not going to be that way anywhere.
Beautiful. We've referred to Paul, But, you know, we often say the Lord never encourages us in a pathway of disobedience. That's absolutely true. But he often encourages us when we least deserve it. And as the Lord said, nevertheless, the Lord stood by me. And he says, as you've testified me of Jerusalem, you're going to testify of me in Rome. Did Paul deserve that encouragement? But the Lord encouraged him. And here was Paul. He warned the master and owner of the ship. He said, this voyage is going to be with much harm.
And then he just had to be quiet and watch the ship busted up. And what did he say? He stood forth. And he said, I warned you, brethren, that this was going to happen. I told you not to do this. What did he say? Sirs, let's read it Next there. What did Paul say to them in the midst of this? Acts 27.
It's so, and it goes along with what you're saying.
The Acts 27 and in verse 21. But after a long absence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, you should have hearkened on to me, and not loose from Crete, and have gained this harm and loss. Their conscience need to be touched. But first of all, but then he said, And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, that there shall be no loss of life, loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
For there stood by me this night the Angel of God, whose servant I am, and whom I'm served, saying, Fear not, Paul, Thou must be brought before Caesar. And lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God.
That it shall be even as it was told me, and so he had to touch their conscience. But he said be of good cheer.
And we may well look back and see something happen in another's life and say, well, you were warned, but and it may not, it may be good to remind a person of that, but we can always say, be of good cheer. God's for you in this, and if you submit, there's going to be blessing. And God did bring blessing out of this.
What's interesting too, there's a lot there in Acts, because first of all he was encouraged by the Lord, I think, of David. He encouraged himself in the Lord, and then he was able to go down and encourage the men that were with him. And as a result there was victory in connection with Ziklag. And so here Paul was encouraged of the Lord. Then he was able to encourage others. But just go to the 28th chapter and you find the fruit of it. It came back to Paul we find in the 28th chapter, in the 15th verse, and from thence when the brethren heard of us.
They came to meet us as far as AFI forum in the three Taverns. Now notice this whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage. And I think this is one of the most touching scriptures in the life of Paul. Here was Paul. He could get just as discouraged as the others. He recognized no doubt there had been failure in his own pathway.
And these brethren, as they made this little trip out to meet Paul, we're not told of what they said.
Not told what they did, but little did they realize that it would be recorded in God's eternal record.
That they're coming out was what Paul needed as far as encouragement. It just gave him a lift, helped him to go on. And I thought of what Brother Bob said. You know, brethren, it's an exhortation to every one of us to lift up the hands and the feeble knees. Don't leave it for some of the responsible brothers in your assembly say, well, that's their responsibility, to encourage the people of God. You know, brothers, sisters. It doesn't take much sometimes to be an encouragement.
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Remember one time in my own life, I was very discouraged and I was just preparing for a long trip. I was going to be away from my, from my family for some time. There were circumstances that had really discouraged me. And I'll never forget a brother phoned me that afternoon, didn't talk for probably more than two or three minutes, he said. Jim, I just had you on my heart. I wanted to give you a call and let you know we're praying for you. I'll tell you, it was just the lift I needed. It just gave me that strength. I needed to go on and it doesn't take much. It doesn't take great things sometimes.
Some sister going through a real trial and another sister just calls her up and encourages her maybe take something over and helps her in a practical way. A brothers discouraged. And you just like Bob said, you just sit with them. Maybe you don't say a whole lot, but you just sit with them. You show you confirm your love to them. You bring Christ before them in some way, who knows what a blessing. And I think of these brethren, they came out as far as that by form in the three Taverns.
God was pleased to record that through. That was just the encouragement that his servant needed at that time.
14th verse This 14th verse I believe is a help to us because it says follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see God. When we get into difficulty we tend to turn our guns on each other.
And so, unless we see seek to follow peace with all men, sometimes it means a simple parting, quiet parting of ways, as we saw there in Acts. After a long abstinence Paul stood forth. He was just quiet, and he had to leave the matter with the Lord to to let things develop as they were going to develop. And it's a hard lesson for us to learn. Perhaps some of us more than others, is just to leave it with the Lord, but to follow peace with all men.
And if we don't, we're not going to see the hand of the Lord in it. And when we just seek to lead things with the Lord, we're going to see the Lord working. God will not always use us, but he will always do his work. And if we seek to follow peace and we're going to see the hand of God in a situation, But if we let a root of bitterness spring up and we say, well, I'm not getting what I deserve this things that I just don't deserve, this many are defiled.
Instead of causing peace, we just defile everybody.
At the end of the tenth verse, there is a phrase that is given there and it it's as the objective of this discipline process, and it is that we might be partakers of His Holiness. What does it mean in practice to be partakers of His Holiness?
As I am holy, said the Lord. You know there is holiness, there is piousness, there is righteousness. You can walk that way. I don't say I do, but that's I strive anyway. I believe that's the thought.
In Scripture we have.
Positional holiness. It's the position that we occupy in Christ.
It's one of complete holiness that we might be says in Ephesians 1 wholly and without blame before him in love. That's true of every believer in the Lord Jesus, but.
Scripture also gives to us that it's something that to be, that is to be practical and.
The Lord sees the defects in my life, and He allows discipline in my life to take place so that it might be not just merely A positional thing, but a practical thing. And so we are brought into recognition that certain things in our lives are not proper. They are not according to His mind. And so the discipline is that we might be partakers of His Holiness that it might be.
Practically.
True that we That which is true of us positionally might be practically true in our lives as well.
00:45:12
From was pride, and he was a proud man. And we all are proud by nature. There's one place that if we are there, pride cannot exist and that's the presence of the Lord. Pride cannot exist in the Lord's presence. And when he puts us through these trials, there is working in us something which feeds self.
And ministers to our pride, to our self importance, whatever it might be. And he must deliver us from that. We can't be partakers of His Holiness. If we have pride going on in our lives, we have to be delivered from self, and when that takes place then we can be in the enjoyment of His Holiness, which hates pride.
As someone said, getting out of the will of God.
And he sees something in our lives that is not in keeping with his character. Our father is holy, and if he sees something in our lives that is not in keeping with his, that character, he's going to allow discipline. If I see something in my children that is not in keeping with the character of the family, and I don't discipline it, it's going to become very evident. My neighbors are going to speak to me about it. My brethren are going to speak to me about it. And so I discipline my children.
But the wonderful thing is, when he disciplines us, it's for our prophet. And I believe that we'll receive brethren, a real blessing if we can get ahold of this in our souls. I can't always say that I disciplined my children for their profit. Sometimes it was just a selfish motive. Maybe I wanted to read and they were doing something and making some noise. And so I told them to go out of the room, stop making so much noise, I want to read. Well, that wasn't really for their profit.
That was only for my prophet. Sometimes I disciplined my children in the wrong spirit.
But isn't it wonderful that as the father of spirits, he disciplines us? He's not the father of lights here like he is in James. And he's brought before us in different characters as the father, but he's the father of spirits, and he disciplines us according to our spirit. He disciplines us in the right way. Sometimes I've mistakenly disciplined my children, and I had to go and say I'm sorry. I realized from what I know now that that discipline was mistaken. Does he ever discipline us mistakenly, our father? No.
And so it's for our Prophet. And then the result is that we might be partakers of His Holiness, that there would be manifest in our lives, in our practical, everyday lives, those things that are in keeping with one who is a son and heir of God.
That is a father.
Would have to own and admit that we've disciplined wrongly. We have disciplined wrongly. Our Father in Heaven never disciplines wrongly. He's always right and He sees what we don't see. He sees what we need to correct us because He wants our fellowship. He is holy and He wants our fellowship, and He can't have it if we're going on in sin. So He.
Brings in that which will deliver us from self if we're proud and we all have it. That's the last thing to die in. Man is pride and he has to deal with that. That was Joe's problem. He he he was a perfect and an upright man. One that feared God and his shoot evil God said that of him and yet he was proud of that. And we can be proud of so many different things in ourselves.
What has thou that thou has not received? And if thou hast received it, why glorious thou as though thou hast not received it? Everything that we have that we can take credit for came from him, and he's the one that deserves the glory and the praise.
And so, if He wants us to be a partaker of His Holiness, holiness is abhorrence of evil and delight in what is good, He wants to bring us into that state so he can have fellowship with us.
There is absolute sanctification and practical sanctification. There's absolute holiness and practical holiness. We've been sort of mixing them, but when we break bread, we do so as whole.
00:50:04
Priests. God sees us only in the preciousness of his Son at that time. How else could we be at the table? How else could we be there in the presence of a holy God, doing what the Lords requested, but that we are holy in Christ and he sees us in His Son? That's beautiful. No sin is involved there, but practically.
We want to be holy, That's be thou holy as I am holy, the Lord said. There is that walk, that's testimony, and holiness is part of it. But there's two different things, absolute and practical. Holiness.
Numbers of times that if the motive isn't right, nothing is right. But I like to add something to that. Even if the motive is right, Pauls motive was right. He was told not to go to Jerusalem, but he loved his brethren after the flesh. He loved them truly and he he wanted to present the truth to them and bring them into the blessings of Christianity. The opposite happened. They converted him back to Judaism.
And he did some things that were that were totally not Christian.
And he's sitting there and he's so disappointed in himself, and it's so precious to read it. In Acts 23, it says that night the Lord stood by him and said, be of good cheer, Paul, you've borne testimony of Jerusalem. You'll bear testimony at Rome. His motive was pure and right. Sometimes when we sin, we don't have a good motive at all. But he had a good motive, and yet he didn't. He he wasn't going according to the word of God.
That's the that's the final word, isn't it? The word of God and your motive can be right, but if it's not according to the word of God, don't do it.
Connection with holiness. What you said is it's God's delight and good. God was holy before there was ever sin, and he will continue to be holy After all sin is put away, and so God is. Holiness is God's perfect delight in that which is good. And we often ask what's wrong with the thing? And the question is wrong because it delights in that which is good and is according to the mind of God. And we would void it. And I'm.
Bringing this up because it relates back to the weights that so waste. There may be many things that in and of themselves they are not wrong, and there are sins which beset us, which are things that are positively wrong. But if we really lay hold on what the purposes of God are, that really brings us practically into what we are. And every Christian exhortation is based on what we are. We are holy Brethren when he wrote to the to the.
Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus at Colossi. If he wrote to the Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus at Pella, he's not just writing to the people in this room, He's writing to every believer. We may practically deny it by our actions, and that's what sanctification is. But God delights in good, and so we enjoy holiness. We enjoy God delights in seeing he died, that he might gather together and want the children of God. Somebody once asked me, do you have a Do you have a pastor to your church? I said yes. We've got pastors. And I said we have a good song leader too.
Christ is right in the midst of the people singing. He delights to see us together in this way, and it's an expression of holiness. And we're not going to see that if we don't submit to the to the government of God and to the chastening of the Lord, We're never going to enjoy that practically here in this scene.
Would it be correct?
That being partakers of His His Holiness, is being able to enter into God's thoughts concerning that which is good, and recognise God's thoughts as to that which is evil. Is that being partakers of His Holiness? Is that where what He wants to bring us to? Is that His objective to bring us to that position?
Man is in our thoughts, but in our actions, in all our ways to practically.
We have holiness included in the 14th verse, along with with the following peace with all men. If that word of holiness was not there, it would be incomplete, wouldn't it? And it and it says, and without it we can't see God. Well, that doesn't mean that we're never going to get there, but I believe it's the same thought we get in in in Matthew where it says blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
00:55:09
And it's it's a it's a moral thing, I believe. I can't. It would be wrong to try and follow peace with with all men and leave out that holiness I need to see. I I would only see God, purpose, and God's thoughts if I and and if if I would seek to bring that out along with my walking in peace with my brethren or whoever. But.
Just like to continue on here.
Seems to be somewhat of a key verse in this chapter.
Looking diligently, lest any man fail, of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. And the rest of this chapter is a contrast between Law and grace. Mount Sinai, Mount Zion, the two Mountains that.
Show the contrast between law and grace, because the natural tendency of our hearts, and I have to say the Lord has had to deal with me about this, is so we tend to revert to the principle of law. It seems like we are trained to think in that direction. You do something, you get something, and that's the principle of law. But brethren, we cannot.
Get blessing on that principle. That principle only brought condemnation.
There is a different principle, completely different. It is the principle of grace.
And we are before God on the ground of his grace. And so we are to look diligently, not suspiciously, but diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God turn away from that principle. Oh, it's so important to be challenged about this, brethren. We are before God on the ground that he is the God of all grace. What did I deserve to have this place before him in love?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And I need to realize that my ongoing We're not only saved, but by grace. But our ongoing is because he is a God of all grace. We are to come boldly before the throne of grace to find help in time of need. Grace and help to find in time of need. Oh, brethren, I really believe there's something here for us to.
Reflect on because when we lacked that grace of God, when we lose sight of that.
Then it gives place to roots of bitterness.
And brethren, we have witnessed amongst ourselves those roots of bitterness causing defilement. For many, it is shameful what has happened amongst us, brethren, because there's been roots of bitterness. We haven't realized that we are before God on the grounds of his sovereign grace. Can I stand up and say I've been faithful?
Cannot do that, Cannot do that. That's not understanding my position before God. And we naturally tend in another direction. We like to go back to that principle of law. And the rest of the chapter he contrasts and he says, You have not come to that mount that might be touched and that burned with fire and into blackness and darkness and Tempest and the sound of a trumpet.
Ye have come, oh, isn't this beautiful in this tremendous The place we've been called to brethren is so tremendous. We have been called to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, and the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels. Think of what we have been called to brethren. Why have we been called to such a grand place? It's because.
Of His sovereign grace. And as soon as I get away from that and revert to that principle of law, what's going to happen? It is fertile ground to give place to roots of bitterness.
01:00:00
Are there is there bitterness in your heart? Is there resentment in your heart toward any brother or sister or any other person? Those roots of bitterness that you have down there, maybe you don't let anybody else know that they're there, but there is a resentment.
I ask your brother and sister in the Lord Jesus. Get him out of there. Let's get back to realizing.
That the only place we have properly before God is the grounds of His grace, and I cannot.
I cannot entertain any resentment, any bitterness in my heart toward anybody. The Lord help us to root those roots of bitterness out, brethren, to realize where we are looking diligently. We need to be a help to one another and when we see a brother.
Who has those resentments seek to be a help to bring them into the enjoyment of what it means to be before God on the ground of His grace?
So that those roots of bitterness can be removed before they cause defilement.
Just part of a verse in Ezekiel Chapter 11 That yes, I've read it before, but it came across me and hit me between the eyes and and it's good for us all to remember this when it comes to these roots of bitterness that are hiding, shall we say there from our brethren. But in Ezekiel Chapter 11 and verse 5.
Just a part of that verse.
Halfway down four, I know the things that come into your mind. Every one of them. Now that that is a solemn thing. So let us think about that, That we may be hiding it from our brethren, or maybe we're trying to hide it from ourselves, but God knows every thought that comes into our mind. Every one of them. And then verse 16 says, lest there be any fornicator or profane person.
And again, it's going back to an appreciation and an understanding of the grace of God. Just go to Titus, because I think it's perhaps summed up there what's been said by Brother Bob and what we have. As to the exhortation in this next verse, just go to Titus chapter 2 and verse 11 for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.
We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. And then he goes on to speak about looking for the blessed hope. But I believe what we have here is that grace is the teacher, and grace teaches us, first of all, to deny that which is not holy, that which is unholy. Is there going to be practical holiness in your life. You must have an appreciation, an understanding of the grace of God. It teaches us to deny those things.
And then it teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. And when I see a brother or a sister who exhibits moral piety and practical holiness in their life, I say there's a brother. There's a sister who has an appreciation in their soul of the grace of God. Grace doesn't teach us to live for ourselves. It speaks of those who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. That is, they take the thought that God is gracious, and they use it to live a loose life and to live for themselves.
But they don't really understand what the grace of God is. If they really understood what the grace of God was, they would be living soberly, righteously and godly. When, brethren, in this present age, you say, can it be really true that we can exhibit moral piety and practical holiness in our lives? In 2005, the young people might say, well, Jim, you don't know how bad it is out there. There's no line between right and wrong anymore.
It's an amoral society, and that's true. It is an amoral society. It's just anything goes. This is things are dark, morally and spiritually. In every sphere of society, things are dark. But we can deny the things that are unholy, and we can live soberly, righteously, godly in this present age. Whether it was the day in which Titus lived, whether it's the day in which our grandfathers lived.
Or whether it's right down here in 2005, at the very end. The grace of God, Brethren, is sufficient. It is sufficient. Do we need more grace? He giveth more grace. Is it all we need? My grace is sufficient for thee and brethren. The supply that we have of grace that is available to us today is the same limitless supply that has always been available to the people of God. And so I want to encourage our hearts. Let's get a hold in our souls.
01:05:25
Of the grace of God, let's appreciate it more and more than These things will be practically exhibited in our lives and in our relationships to one another.
Warning with Esau if we lose that grace, you know, car dealer in Saint Thomas, there was the Lord's Day Act. He sold cars on the Lord's Day against the law. And he wrote to the newspaper, We're not under law, we're under grace, meaning I can disregard the laws of the land. And that's what you're saying in a practical way. And this is generally the thought and Christendom.
But when we do, what happens if the same thing happens to us as Esau is that we lose something. But you know, with Esau there was no repentance. He regretted what he lost.
By turning into sin. But there was number repentance in connection with his sin. And if he had submitted to the government of God and he said I sold my birthright but I'm going to take the 2nd place, that would have been blessing for him. But his whole life he strived to get back in resentment and bitterness towards Jacob to get back what he had lost by his own careless disregard for his birthright. And so there will be blessing there. Could there have been blessing for Herod? Herod said.
That he would give what was it up to the half of his Kingdom if he believed the Lord and said there was not a greater man.
Of greater profit than John the Baptist, he said. You asked for too much. I'm out of my bargain If there been real repentance and believing what God said. There's always there is a way if we submit but but when there is a grasping at trying to undo the consequences of our sin.
It is proof that there has not been real repentance.
Brethren, just the last part of the chapter, verse 27, yet once more signifies.
The end of verse 26. Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. We are living in days of real shaking. There are things that can be shaken, and anything that can be shaken will be shaken. It's certain we're seeing it happen.
But there are things that cannot be shaken.
Verse 28 then wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved? Isn't it wonderful that there are things that cannot be shaken?
This precious book we have in our hands, it will never change. Heaven and earth will pass away, but it will never pass away. But then notice what it says. Let us have grace.
We have written that maybe we would have said let us have.
Zeal or fervency? But no, what is it that's going to give us to go on in the day that we live in? Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence, in godly fear.
14214.
Oh, blessed, it is our portion when we.
Love.
This.
Our dream, our day, our dreams, our dreams are present in the.
01:10:00
When?
I am.
Very concerned.
Of the desert and all of our sins.
Yes.
Also 174.
Connect themselves.
Christ's Intercession for Us
Address—R. Thonney
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.
79 in the appendix.
Number 79 in the appendix.
Our great High Priest is sitting at God's right hand above for us, his hands uplifting in sympathy and love.
Notice verse #2 Through manifold temptations.
My soul holds on our course.
Christ's mighty intercession alone is her resource. My gracious High Priest pleadings, who on the cross did bleed, bring down God's grace and blessing help in each hour of need.
Number 79 in the appendix.
Our great I praise to this.
And quality and love.
My soul.
Is my fingers.
Touch.
All the sun resource.
On our gracious my grace.
Grady.
Wouldn't know why my prostitute.
Breaking down God's grace and.
What I was saying?
Let's pray.
Romans.
Romans, chapter 8.
Verse 34. Second line.
It is Christ that died.
Yeah, rather that is risen again.
Who is even at the right hand of God?
Who also maketh intercession for us like to speak this afternoon on.
Christ intercession for us at God's right hand.
You know when I was a boy.
Remember I used to when I was sick I lay in bed, my parents bedroom sometimes they had little tests. It wasn't a scripture text, it was a little 6 liner on the wall in front of me and I memorized it. It says this.
00:05:01
May my last not thought at night and 1St in the morning be of a dying savior's love, of a risen savior's power.
Of an ascended Savior's grace and a coming Savior's glory.
And it's that next to the last phrase I'd like to focus on this afternoon.
An ascended Savior's grace.
You know what comes before me, brethren? Because as we've been talking, we're living in difficult days, perilous times. It's been mentioned a number of times. Life isn't easy anyway.
And I don't think we have any reason in Scripture to believe that's going to get any easier.
Oh, we may win some battles. Might lose them too.
But there is one thing for sure, there is a man in the glory of God, and he is interceding our costs. And that brings to me tremendous comfort in the midst of trials that may be extremely difficult.
The Lord Jesus here says is interceding. He's at the right hand of God, interceding for us. And I like to think of his intercession in two different phases. He intercedes for us, first of all as our great high Priest.
And he also intercedes for us as our advocate. He intercedes for us as our great high priest to help us.
In our weaknesses and infirmities so that we will not fall into sin.
He intercedes for us as our advocate when we have fallen into sin. In either case, we need help.
I can give the illustration to the Latin believers supposing.
There's a big muddy St. out there and there's this old man with that cane he's picking his way across. It just rained and there's big mud puddles there and he's just teetering, tottering, getting across, weaving through those mud puddles.
Just before he falls, this young man comes up and takes his arm and helps him across. That's the Lord Jesus as our great high priest. We all have weaknesses, every one of us.
And he's there in God's right hand. He knows what it means to pass through this world.
Because He went through it too, and He's there to intercede for us because of those weaknesses and infirmities. Weaknesses and infirmities in themselves are not sin. It becomes sin when we give place to that. Then it can get to the point of sin. But He is there for us as our great High Priest to intercede for us so that we might not sin.
But supposing before that old man gets across the street and before that young man gets to his side to help him into the mud, he goes, you need some help now he needs even more help. Now that young man gets there and helps pick him up out of that mud hole, mud hole, and he helps him across the street. He helps him get cleaned off. That's Christ in his work for us as our advocate.
And oh, we do need both, brethren. He saved us from the penalty of sins by his work on the on Calvary. But he is an all the way home Savior and he's saving us every single day. He's saving us from the power of sin in this world. No, it's wonderful to realize his power, his grace, his glory that are occupied.
In this work of interceding for us, I'd like to go to the book of Hebrews, because there we have the Lord Jesus presented as our great High Priest.
00:10:08
And I'm going to read a few verses and a few chapters that relate to this, first in the second chapter.
Let's read from verse 14 for as much then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood.
He also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetimes subject to *******.
For verily, he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Now verse 17. Notice this. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like, and to his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted.
He is able to succor them that are tempted. So here's the Lord Jesus as our merciful and faithful High Priest. He was made like unto His brethren in all points. He was tempted without sin. There was no sin nature in him to respond to the temptations.
That's the only difference between.
Human as well, I should say. The only difference. We could make a lot of other points of difference, but that was the difference that we're talking about here. You and I have a nature that responds to temptation. He was tempted, he felt it, but there is nothing in him to respond. He was completely holy when he was born.
The Angel announced to Mary, That holy thing that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God is holy at his birth. We are born sinners, and that's a big difference. But he went through those things so that he would know. We can't look up and say you just don't understand. Nobody understands my case. We can't say that there is somebody that understands what it means to go through the trials and temptations that we go through.
You'll never be able to say nobody understands. There is somebody that knows first hand experience is what he has when it comes to passing through temptation. But I just like for us to stop and and think of that. Verse 18 to me it is extremely beautiful.
For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted.
He is able. Just those 3 words, let them sink into your heart and your soul. You've gone through some tough times.
It's interesting when you go around and hear the problems that God's people are in.
Most of the time I have to just shake my head and I say, man, I just don't know what even to say to you.
The Lord understands, the Lord knows, and He will bring you through, but just those 3 words He is able. I love the Spanish translation here.
Is pull the Rosso?
Para so Correa Los queson tentados it's he has powerful to.
Save those that are tempted.
So that word he is able is really, he is powerful. Is there a situation that he's not up to helping you in? I don't think you can say that. Think of the power that is in his hands. The whole universe he controls by the word of his power. He spoke it into existence in the beginning.
00:15:02
In my little puny problems down here in this world baffle him? Absolutely not.
But he wants you and us, you and I, to prove.
This in our daily lives, when we feel we don't have the answers, when we feel we can't go on another step.
He is able, He is powerful to help them that are tempted. I find great comfort in that. And I just ask you to let those words sink into your soul. Meditate on them if you're tempted to give up, if you think, if you're all discouraged.
Think of those words.
He is able. Let's go over to the 4th chapter. Now the 4th chapter, you have three things that are of God. First of all, you have the rest of God. Then you have the Word of God. Then you have the Son of God. And how has He presented here? Let's read from verse 14. Let's read from verse 13 because it helps to get the context a bit.
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest in this beautiful we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens.
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Picture is the great high priest in the Old Testament going into the Tabernacle, and he went in on that great day of Atonement only once a year.
He went in with blood to make atonement for Israel. We have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens. He's gone into that holy place.
He has obtained eternal redemption for us. That is our great High Priest. Now verse 15.
We have not in High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. You notice it's using a double negative there, in other words.
He can feel with us in our infirmities was an all points tempted.
Like as we are, yet without sin.
He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. You know, sometimes I hear about people's problems and I guess I'm callous.
I just don't relate to it.
But that's not the case with our Lord Jesus Christ. He is touched.
The feeling of our infirmities, and when He sees you struggling like you do in the particular set of circumstances the Lord has seen fit to place you in. And let me say this, sometimes there's a tendency for us to want to get out of the problem.
That's not always the Lord's way, you know. He didn't deliver Daniels, three friends out of the fiery furnace. He delivered him through the fiery furnace.
Because it was.
There they got to walk in company with the Son of God.
I don't think they would have missed that for anything, but it meant that they had to be thrown into the fiery furnace, and that was a fiery trial. Often think of that verse in Isaiah.
They might have had that verse, When Nile passes through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the fire it shall not burn.
What a tremendous promise that would have been if they had that in their hands. And perhaps they did.
But.
That's what happens sometimes. We want to get out of trials. Don't necessarily try to get out of your trials. Look to the Lord. If He has placed you in a particular set of circumstances that is difficult, look to Him to carry you through. There's lessons to be learned in those trials that you will not learn.
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Any other way, and I see people sometimes that like to run from their problems. At least they think they're running from their problems, but you'll find that they get settled in some other place and the problem happens all over again because the problems inside here, it's not what they think, their circumstances, but inside them.
So don't run from your problems, take them to the Lord. He's touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He was tempted in all points, like as we are, yet without sin. Now let us consider this.
Exhortation of verse 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
That's a strong word, isn't it? Boldly. Come boldly before the throne of grace. Where's that throne? It's in heaven.
It's the throne of God. It's the mercy seat, it's the throne of grace.
I often like to try to think about it, my mind's eye, you know, Our thoughts are so limited, really, when it comes to thinking of the things of God.
But we do meditate scriptures and so often think of that place in heaven where we go in prayer, and when we go, we go there too in praise. We go into the very presence of God in heaven.
Who else is there? There's the throne of God, and the Lord Jesus is there at the right hand of God, our intercessor. Who else is there?
Well, there's millions and millions of angels there, those creatures that are maintained by the power of God and unfallen.
Purity, they're called in First Timothy 5 Elect angels.
Who else is there? According to Job, even Satan appears there.
And there's another place where we find that there are lying spirits there for the throne of God.
Here I come. What right do I have to come there?
Brethren, this to me just touches my heart to realize that I'm one of God's children.
I might think I'm insignificant, but those angels, they're not redeemed like I am, and I have special privileges. We are told to come with boldness. You can't be too bold in coming to that throne of grace because Jesus is there and we are accepted in the Beloved.
Come boldly. You know, sometimes I think we are afraid to ask very much.
Because we think maybe we're asking something that is maybe not right or something, but we need to ask, it says.
By prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known unto God.
He doesn't say He's going to give us everything we asked for. He knows what's best, but we need to tell Him everything. We need to discharge those things that are on our hearts because it's then that the peace of God will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
So we need to come with boldness.
I remember when John F Kennedy was in the White House.
His two children were pretty young. Remember them telling one time when he was in the Oval Office doing business with heads of state? One day the office door opens and in runs some little feet and run right up to the desk of the President of the United States.
Who was that? Who was his little boy? He had boldness. It didn't matter who else was there, he knew he would get immediate attention because that was his daddy.
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And he was going to get his needs attended to, brethren.
That's our place before God. We're told to come bold.
And I just want to encourage you to practice that, you know?
I sometimes think we limit ourselves in our requests, and I think of that story that the Lord Jesus told to encourage asking. Remember that one where a man had a friend come at night and he goes and asks his neighbor for three loaves of bread because he doesn't have anything to set before him?
And the word in the King James Version says because of his importunity. And that's a word we might not use very much in our English language, but Mr. Darby's translation uses the word because of his shamelessness. And I've enjoyed that. He will give him all that he wants.
In other words, you can't be too shameless in presenting.
Your request to God. Be encouraged to ask. We are told to ask. Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. What a privilege. We can come with boldness. There's our great high priest.
At God's right hand. Now let's go over to the 7th chapter and verse.
23 forward.
And they truly were many priests. He's talking about the judicial priesthood, or the.
Not the judicial, the Levitical priesthood, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death, but this man because he continued with ever hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able notice those words again, same words, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.
Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
For such an high priest became us who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.
He is able and He is going to intercede our cause all the way home to glory to the uttermost.
You will never get yourself into a situation. Sometimes we get ourselves into situations by our own willfulness, but you will never get yourself into a situation where you will be able to say he's not able here.
Maybe we need to judge ourselves, but he is able to save them to the uttermost. Might have bad problems, maybe nobody else can help you. But just remember, let this sink into your soul, young brother and sister.
And older brother and sister too, He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him. So that's the intercession of the Lord Jesus as our great High Priest. I'd like to go over to 1St John chapter 2 now for the intercession of the Lord Jesus as our Advocate.
The last verses of chapter one, first John.
It tells us in verse eight we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in US.
That's the root of sin.
Verse 10 If we say that we have not sinned, that's the act of sin.
Now verse one of chapter 2 Says, My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
There's really no excuse for sin in the life of a believer. He writes these things so that we will not sin, but then he immediately comes in to say, and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
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So the Lord Jesus here now is interceding in a different way than as great high priest here. It is as advocate. And perhaps many of you know that this word is really the same word as lawyer, his one who represents us before the presence of God. It's the same word that is used in John's Gospel as comforter. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, is our lawyer down here in this world.
That represents us. The Lord Jesus is our advocate, our comforter. There in the presence of God. He represents our cause. You know we have an enemy. And when I hear what Jim told us last night in the Gospel.
And rather than there are real spirit powers.
At play in today's world.
We look at the visible things and we try to reason from what we see there, but we don't see the spiritual dimension that there is real spirit warfare taking place.
And that's why we need to walk independence on God. You remember in the book of Daniel, Daniel prayed for three weeks one time, and he didn't get an answer.
And after three weeks?
Came the answer.
And an Angel came.
And told him your prayer was heard the first day you asked, but there was a conflict going on. And because of that conflict, it was three weeks before your answer came. And rather than I'm, I'm impressed with the fact that we look on things in a materialistic way, but there are there is a spiritual dimension that we do not understand very much about.
But to realize because of that the Lord Jesus is our advocate. Even when I sin, can I count on him to help me? Yes, that's when he acts as our advocate. You know it says in Ephesians chapter 4.
To be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. How do we give place to the devil? We give place to the devil when we sin. What does the devil do when we sin? He's called the accuser of the brethren, and he flies into the presence of God.
This person that says he's a Christian, look what he's doing. God, where's your righteousness? Judge him.
You know, there wouldn't be much chance for me except.
There's a man cuts right hand.
And he's sitting there and he lifts up hands that were nails to a cross.
He says that's right, he sinned.
Satan, you can't do anything here. I'll take his situation in hand and notice it says.
His Jesus Christ the righteous doesn't say Jesus Christ the merciful, because if we're going to maintain fellowship with God while going through this world, brethren, we cannot compromise His Holiness, not for one minute. It can't be done.
He's Jesus Christ the righteous, and then it says He is the propitiation for our sins.
And that brings us to what he did on the cross. He paid the price in full.
So that's God's glory would not be compromised.
When he forgave sin, that's what propitiation is is is to.
To.
Justify God in His holy demands against sin and to satisfy those demands.
So that God is not compromised in his character by forgiving the Sinner.
So let's never think of sin as something light.
It cost him terribly on that cross. We go to the cross.
You know, we can only understand so far. May we understand better his physical sufferings.
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But when we look at that cross during those three hours.
When darkness covered the face.
Of the Earth.
Will never, never understand it. Brethren, we have to stand at a distance.
God took our sins, laid them on the head of that holy sin bearer.
And then he let fall in all its fury the storm of judgment.
And for three hours, there's no cry while he's hanging there.
In abject misery, going down to the very bottom.
At the end of those three hours, there's a cry. My God, my God, why?
Hast thou forsaken me? We need to stand long.
That cross.
That's what it cost him so that apology could be maintained with God. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins.
Let's be careful as we walk through this world. It's place full of traps, full of pitfalls, but we have a great high priest that's able to keep us from falling.
And when we do fall, he's there as our advocate to lift us up so that we can continue to walk in fellowship with him.
I'd like to go back to the Old Testament for a brief story that illustrates these two things.
Book of Exodus, chapter 17.
You know they had come out of Egypt.
In the previous chapters.
Chapter 15 they sing the song of redemption. Chapter 16, there in the desert and in the desert you need two things majorly, food and water. So you have food in chapter 16 and you have water in chapter 17. The food is the manna which speaks of Christ in his humiliation here in this world.
What we have in the Gospels we have the manna, and chapter 17 we have the water.
Somebody has said that water itself speaks of the word of God, but.
Flowing water, living water is the Holy Spirit of God. And so in the 17th chapter you have in the first part of the chapter water.
Moses struck the rock in Horeb and out flowed water for the people to drink. Now come down to verse 8. As soon as you get the Holy Spirit, that which is a figure of the Holy Spirit you have.
Then a conflict that takes place.
Why? Because when the Holy Spirit dwells in me.
There's the flesh as well, and the spirit lusts against the flesh and or the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. And these things are contrary to one another. So there's a conflict. Let's read from verse 8. Then came Amalek and fought with Israel and freedom. And Moses said unto Joshua chooses out men and go out fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek, and Moses, Aaron and her went up to the top of the hill, came to pass. When Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses hands were heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat there on, and Aaron and her stayed up his hands, the one-on-one side and the other on the other side.
And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomforted Amalek and his people at the edge of the sword. The Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in the book. Rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, For I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Moses built an altar and called it the name of it, Jehovah, Jehovah Nissi. For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek.
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From generation to generation, Amalek is the efforts of the enemy on the flesh in US. And there's going to be conflict as soon as the Spirit of God takes up his residence in the body of a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Immediately there's conflict and there's the conflict that we are in. But as Joshua goes down into the valley, maybe he thinks.
That is because of his military tactics.
That he wins or loses, but really it isn't the matter of his military tactics down there in the valley.
It really depends on something else. Over here is the mouth a hill, and on top of that hill are three men. One is Moses.
And Moses holds up his hands, and as he holds up his hands, Joshua starts winning the battle down there in the valley.
But you know, it's kind of hard to keep your hands up for quite a while. And Moses got tired and he let his hands down as soon as let his hands down.
Amalek starts winning the battle against Joshua.
And so they did something. They put a stone there, and they let Moses sit down on that stone, and Aaron on one side and her on the other.
Held his hands up so that Joshua down there in the valley could win that battle completely. What a picture this is of what we've been talking about. Aaron's picture of the great high priest. The Lord Jesus is our great high priest. Her came from a different tribe. He came from the tribe of Judah.
Here's a picture of the Lord Jesus as our Advocate and those hands of our Lord Jesus, brethren.
Are extended for us in intercession today.
And he doesn't get weary like Moses did.
He ever liveth to make intercession for us. Brethren, these meetings are over.
But we're going to go home and we're going to face issues there that are unavoidable problems.
But remember.
We have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens. He is able. And when we do fail, and we all do, brethren, none of us can say we haven't.
Then He is there as our Advocate to restore us, to bring us back into fellowship with the Father. May the Lord encourage us, brethren, we have.
So much to thank God for.
We have.
A lots of problems too, and as I said before, I don't think we have any assurance in the Word of God that things are going to get easier.
They're going to get harder, but as somebody has said, let them get 10,000 times harder than what they are right now. Still, we will never be able, never come to the place where we will be able to say he is not able for this.
He is able to sucker them that are tempted. He is able to save to the uttermost.
Then that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us. Let those words sink into your soul, dear brother and sister, in the Lord Jesus, be encouraged. In spite of all that we have a great High Priest. I really believe He allows trial and trouble so that we come to grips and prove that He is.
Abel, let's pray. Father, bless.