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My girlfriend.
Oh glory.
Somewhere.
And you've been on my heart.
Dangerous. All of the heavens and everything was but played by it.
Oh my God, joy and let's love you forever.
Before Lehman, Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto thy Lehman our daily Beloved and fellow laborer, and to our Beloved Athea and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the Church and thy house. Grace you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God making mention of the always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward All Saints, that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the Saints are refreshed by the brother.
Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ, to enjoin thee, that which is convenient.
Yet for Love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the agent, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds, which in time passed, was to the unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me whom I have sent again. Thou therefore receive him, that is my own vows, whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. But without thy mind would I do nothing.
That thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou should have received him forever, not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved especially to me. But how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord? If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself, if he hath wrongly or oweth thee aught put that on mine account?
00:05:25
I fall, have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it, albeit I do not say to thee how thou oest unto me, even thine own self besides. Yeah, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord, refresh my bowels in the Lord having confidence, and I obedience, I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou will also do more than I say, but with all prepare me also a lodging.
That through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
There salute the Epiphraz, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus.
Marcus, Aristarchus, Dimas, Lucas, my fellow laborers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
It might be good to mention there's only two epistles that Paul wrote entirely with his own hands. This is one of them. The other one is Galatians to the Galatians.
Even to the Corinthians.
He would sign it just enough to make it known as his. If you turn to 1St Corinthians or Second Corinthians, I think maybe it's verse 16 First Corinthians. I think that's chapter 16 towards the end of verse 21. Now all this was written not by Paul, but at 21 he says the salutation of me, Paul, with my own hands. So this and the rest is his, and it's a seal that this is his letter.
But with the Galatians, you wouldn't do that with the Galatians, he said. You've seen how long an epistle. I've written with my own hand, the whole epistle, because it was too serious to let there be even a shadow of a doubt that this was Paul the apostle writing. It was doctrinal air in Galatians. I'm afraid of you all he could say. He didn't say one thing to commend.
Because that trial of air cannot be commended, the man, the assembly that's in doctrinal air cannot be commanded.
With the Corinthians, he commended again and again. But that was moral error. That was looseness and things like that. Now here I believe Paul's heart was as burdened as in any epistle he wrote. This is a very important epistle to let us realize that one brother is important to the whole assembly and the whole body of Christ. That's it. I don't know how much to go this is. You want to go on, Chuck?
I think this is such a tender epistle.
Really brings out the heart of the apostle, doesn't it? The love of the apostle, the affection, and how that he does not insist. He does not use his Apostolic authority to command Philemon to receive an SMS back his runaway slave, but he he appeals to him in such a loving way.
And he says, receive him as myself. It would be very hard to.
To have hard thoughts of Philemon, of Anessimus. Philemon might have naturally had them. Evidently, when an SMS left, he had stolen from his master, and then he'd gotten saved there with Paul. Paul had brought in the gospel in prison. There he'd gotten saved and.
It says in the Old Testament that.
One escapes, His master is he's free, he's not, doesn't have to be returned. But here the apostle wanted to keep an estimates for himself. He could be serviceable to him, but he wouldn't do that without Philemon's mind. So he sends him back and says receive him as myself. Well, it's very tender and it brings out the heart of the apostle, doesn't it? Now I think of that in verse in the ninth verse there where he says that.
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Array 8 verses 8 and 9 wherefore though I might be.
A much bold in praise to enjoin thee, which is that which is convenient, yet for loves sake, I rather beseech thee. That's very tender thought, isn't it? For lovesake, I rather beseech thee. So he wasn't commanded.
This teaching has the thought of faking.
When you beseech the judge you're begging for.
And you know, while this is interesting, the character Philemon means affectionate or friendly. I believe that's the type of brother he was. He was a slaveholder. He's a wealthy man. The meeting met in his home.
And his wife's name means, let's see the kind ones. I better think about the dear one, kind one or dear one. So that was a couple that must have been nice to their slaves. They were believers. Nice isn't it? Now in those days slaves were property. They were not people in that way. They were property. Chateau the older and and you're right, if they got away, as long as they stayed away.
They were free, but if they were apprehended they could be put to death as examples to the other place. So you can see how Paul was in turmoil on sending this now brother in the Lord back.
He could have been used as an example for the rest of the slaves, whipped brutally or put to death. So this is really a pistol that you got to think White Ball is riding like he is. He isn't riding as an apothel, he's writing as a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Notice that.
I am a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I am a slave in this place, just like homestimus was to you.
Think what it Think what it was. When Onesimus comes back to Philemon, you think it might think of the feelings that Philemon would have. Here comes that Rascal. I never thought I'd see him again. And then Philemon. And then Onesimus says Here's the letter.
From Paul.
And that was a letter commending Onesimus to Philemon. The letter of commendation. Please read the letter before you trounce me.
But it's a good thing for us to understand that slavery.
Existed during the time of Christianity, but it is not the kind of slavery that we have found.
In this country.
You know the Scripture forbade to steal a man. You know those people that were brought over here as slaves were stolen and then sold. This is not the kind of slavery that you find in the Scriptures or even in New Testament times and those who were finding themselves in that position.
If they were able to become free, according to First Corinthians 7, they should use it so that they would be freer to serve the Lord, that they would no longer be the property of a man, so that they could unhinderedly serve the Lord. But.
Here now this man is sent back.
And to file a man, and if he would receive him, the way Paul is sending him back, that would really virtually set aside this state of slavery, wouldn't it? How can you treat a man that you receive like a brother or receive in false death? Treat him like a slave, like your property. You know he's your fellow member. You know he is a member in the body of Christ.
But.
We have been influenced to quite an extent, not necessarily by scripture or principles, but it's beautiful to see that Grace recognizes the claim, as Chuck already indicated, and sends that slave back. But Grace expects also that that man is going to pre treat it differently than the way he was treated before he, by the grace of God, was touched.
00:15:08
And save. There is just one other thought though, If.
Anathema is going to do the one thing that was so important in those days. Remember the Lord. You'd have to be forgiven there and received there to remember the Lord. It would be wrong for him to go to another assembly and remember the Lord without that sense. I think that was the most important thing, and we find him gathered in Philemon's house in the same year.
Remembering the Lord breaking great. I believe that is also in the thought of Paul.
Can we not see the affections of Christ himself?
And read these words as though they were coming directly from the mouth of the Lord Jesus.
For us.
If he owe thee aught, put that to my account.
Receive him as myself.
Then his brother Chuck was saying.
No, my Lehman might have looked down the road. And justice.
Jumped up to run out to do contrary to the father when he saw the prodigal coming. Much contrary, but.
When he read this letter, it just reduced him down to tears to receive this one back.
And rather than every one of us.
Carry this letter.
Christ is saying, this is my letter of recommendation. I look on a brother and he's bringing this letter. Christ is saying if he owe the alt, put it to my account, receive him as myself.
And our love for one another has to be that which comes from God himself.
And cannot be reduced down to what I think about it. And I was thinking of the way that the new translation, Brother Darby.
Translates verse 6.
Well, verse 5 for the context, hearing of thy love and the fate which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus.
And towards all the Saints.
In such sort that by participation in the faith.
Should become operative.
In the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in US towards Christ Jesus. Not towards me, not towards me.
That's the thing below if we if we can live with near the Lord and these things are natural to us.
And I've enjoyed the application of an expression in Romans 2.
They that do by nature when we do the things of God by nature.
That is when they come out because of my communion with Christ and my joy in Christ, that I just, I just live that way. I have a new nature. But when I have to force it and fake it, I just need to go talk to the Lord about that.
It's not my true proper state that I belong I should be in, but I really do appreciate the thought of the tenderness of this. But we should realize that it is a letter written and so important as we've heard.
And for us to take it for ourselves, not just for Philemon.
One more thing I'd like to say about Onesimus.
I believe it says in the book of Colossians that he was a faithful brother.
God said that about him.
That's the word of God. Final essence. He had been saved, apparently there in the jail, and but had stayed there long enough to learn the truth from Paul at his feet in jail.
Paul could say he's a faithful brother.
Could we say that this characterized Philemon? He said. I thank my God, making mention of the always in my prayers, making mention always in my prayers hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the Saints. And I think that we need to be exhorted on this and to use it as a barometer for our souls.
00:20:03
There are many of God's people that we cannot walk with. But brethren, if our heart and love does not take in all the Saints, Mr. Kelly would say, if it leaves out one.
We don't have the heart of God, what I'd rather and what's on God's heart?
If we're in communion, it will be on our heart. We will love All Saints, not just the gathered Saints.
Although we cannot walk with them, and so I believe that we can take that as a monitor, that each one of our souls individually. If I feel only love for those that I'm in fellowship with, I'm in the flesh. It's the nominationalism, it's sectarianism. If I'm in communion with the Lord, I'll love all God's people, but my feet will walk in the past if you've chosen out for me.
Believe that that's something that we need to be exhausted, because it will narrow our hearts down to sectarianism, that expression. Love to All Saints. All you in in Ephesians 115 towards the Ephesians. They have that too, you know. And then he used it in Colossians 14 towards all the Colossians Saints, not just Philemon. And that's rather nice to see as the one who seems to be.
The Overseer is that temperament, you know, of loving all things. The assembly was identified that way. Very beautiful. We have a nice verse because God loves to prove to us we're saved. He gives us a lot of ways, but I like that one, don't you? Hereby we know we passed from death unto life.
We love the Saints, The Brethren, yes, but I have things. I'm sorry. Thank you. The Brethren. All of them. Isn't that lovely. But you mentioned.
Other war the end of verse 19. I will repay it. You said we can be identified with Christ that way. And think of Christ this way. You know Martin Luther said because of verse 1718 and 19.
We can all be called the Lords on this. Amite all of us. And here's why he said in verse 18 we have substitution and it says if he hath wrong these of or always the art, put that on my account, that's substitution.
And that's lovely. When the Lord died on the cross and said it's finished, that's it. And then on the 17th verse we do have acceptance, and it says, if thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. This morning we were accepted.
By God in his beloved one that's beautiful. Then the last, of course, verse 19 Redemption. And he said, I, Paul, have written with my own hand I will repay, in other words, all my sins when I was saved, who washed away?
But he's taken care of all of them. And I think that's beautiful. Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. It's all inclusive. So I thought that was an interesting thought where all the Lords will Nephemite. It's beautiful to see how he.
Disarms Philemon of any ill feeling towards an estimus, He first says, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus.
And toward all the Saints.
Verse 10 He says, I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds. He's now one of the Saints, Philemon. And you love all the Saints, don't you, Philemon? So that brings in Onesimus. I was thinking of that verse in Romans 15-7. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
You might say that's stamped right on Philemon, isn't it? Right over the whole book. And but he it's so beautiful. To see how he does not, does not force Philemon. In a way he does. He forces him by the prerogative of love, but not by a legal commandment. But he deals with him in such a way he can say no. He can't refuse an SMS with this kind of an appeal. You'd have to have a Stony heart to do it, wouldn't you? And he didn't. He had a very warm heart.
00:25:01
I like to think. Put yourself. I should put myself. You should put yourself in a position of Philemon here. He had that slave in his house.
How long he had been there, we don't know, but most likely.
While he already was saved, Philemon was saved. Yet God could not use Philemon.
To lead Anisimus to the Lord Jesus, Don't you think there was a rebuke?
Administer to him in the fact that this man had to flee from this home and then meet Paul, and Paul leading him to the Savior could not. Philemon had been that instrument. But don't you think that that relationship of a slave and master might have been a hindrance? You know it's not necessary to be a hindrance, but it seems to have been that way. He was one that God was going to save.
But you see, he had to, as it were, remove him, found him, and now he does not directly rebuke him about that, but I would think that he must have had some thoughts to that effect.
How wonderful. That man did leave my home. And now he is saved, and he comes back as a member of the body of Christ, part of the family of God. And you know, sometimes, beloved, I believe.
Our position in life tends to be a hindrance in dealing with souls, and the Lord might well have to remove people from us in order to use others to lead them to the Lord. Those are exercises that can be aroused by the fact that this man had been in the home of Philemon, but God had to remove him from there in order to save his soul.
Isn't it true? I think all of us can say, especially those that were saved out of system, but it's very hard to talk to your own brothers, sisters, brothers and fathers.
It's just difficult. I can be bold as a lion to a stranger, no problem.
What The close relative is difficult, but the Lord does. He has his own way. Thank God for that. He doesn't need us there. We pray.
The Lord uses who we will. My brother was the hard one to reach and I don't know if he saved Jenna. I think he might be, but I don't know. But my mother, when just before she died, asked me to take her funeral. I had a captive audience, my brother and my sister and all the relatives, you know, I couldn't talk to them before, before I was able to talk to them about the gospel. So Lord provides if you're really exercised, but I think you're right. close relationship is difficult.
Can we not have a boss, you know, instead of a servant of Christ to a lost soul? Can we not apply it to our assembly relationship also that when one falls?
Tribute to all of us.
And here he's coming back. It would be like 2 Corinthians truth, would it not in that, in that scene, and the Lord there through Paul is telling, well, forgive him. The devil would like for us to go on on down the road with our sins and our failures. He doesn't want us to get beyond it.
But the Apostle Paul says we are not ignorant of his Wiles.
Says forgiveness. That comes in there with that man who had fallen and he says forgive him I think twice. And he says if you forgive him, I forgive him. It was all settled. The issue was over with. And here I was noticing also in this verse 5 it's a little different from where we read otherwise in scripture.
In other places in Scripture, we hear of faith in the Lord Jesus and love toward all the Saints.
But here?
It's faith and love.
Toward all the Saints.
Toward the Lord Jesus and All Saints, that is. Now look at my brother. If I can see him by faith, it's fate toward him too. Not only fake toward the Lord Jesus, but fake toward my brother.
See, all of us are brought into the presence of God to live.
And once we're saved, we walk in the light all of us, not just the one who fell or who falls or whatever. It's all of us.
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And if I live in the good of that which I have in Christ, and my joy of my soul as I go along every day, I'm going to see by.
Faith. I'm going to look at faith toward my brother called faith toward Christ. And that is, as we've heard, that's what Paul is bringing in. The wisdom of God, of course, moved by the spirit of God to put Philemon there where he really has no other options. He is brought, if he's going to be a Christian, if he's going to walk and live like a Christian, he's going to accept on estimates back. And you and I also think we're going to walk and live like Christians. We're going to exhibit the same character that he's expecting out of Philemon.
There's another ingredient to consider here, and that is that each sphere is necessary. It was necessary for Onesimus to be in Philemon home, and sometimes.
In the assembly where we come from, the Gospels faithfully preached every Lord's Day evening, and and then there comes a general meetings, and here one that has been in the assembly gets saved by an evangelist that has come to town.
Well, we might say, well, didn't we preach the gospel good enough so that this soul can be saved? Well, there's that preliminary work. It's like a farmer. He goes and he plows his ground and he can plow it all he wants, but there isn't going to be any crop. But it's necessary that that ground be tilled. And so we need to.
Say Well, Paul got the credit for his salvation, but not altogether.
Everyone has this part. Very good flight.
Wouldn't that be quite that? Thailand might have wanted to save them and didn't work, and here he goes somewhere else. Or like you said, someone comes to a meeting and here comes evangelist. He's being saved. Wouldn't that be humbling for the other brothers?
We put all our effort in trying to save someone that didn't work.
Well, it's the Lord's doing, isn't it?
He has to do it and if we put our effort in and we want to do it, it doesn't work.
But there's one other difference here besides Paul riding his whole hand. Verse 1-2 and three He's writing a personal letter to Philemon and Aphia because they this is their property. That's why he's writing it firstly to them. But he includes.
Octopus now, I believe he wanted him involved in that assembly here in this letter because he was the chief groomer in Colossi of all the horses and all the transportation. He was a high man and a man who was positive, and so he includes him, but then he also includes the assembly. Well, you don't see another letter like that. There's a letter that was personal, but he includes another person.
And the assembly? Well, now why look at Notice verse 3. Grace to You and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is not the greeting Paul uses when he writes to individuals. Mercy is included. This is a greeting for the assembly. Now the assembly is involved, and that's what we get out of this, the assembly. We're not isolated individuals.
We involve the assembly, and the assembly involved the Body of Christ.
This is so important to Paul, and the assembly had to receive Onesimus. This is wonderful. You think about it, how deep it is. It's the shortest epistle, but it is deep.
Interesting too, that in mentioning has been recalled verse five hearing of thy love and faith. And we know the Galatians tells us that faith works by love. So I just dropping down to verse 7.
For he says. For we have great joy and consolation, not in thy faith, but in thy love. And I thought of how beautiful that is, that faith works by love, and that's that's the source. If it doesn't come from love, if it doesn't produce love, then what is faith?
So we have that here, don't we? For we have great joy and consolation. And I love because the bowels of the Saints are refreshed by thee, brother. Well, that's a good commendation.
He doesn't. He does include Timothy in the address, though. He says, Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother unto Philemon. So we see that others are drawn in not only in the letter that's written, but the ones to whom it is written.
00:35:11
So we as a scripture, so as none of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself, my actions are going to affect my brethren. And we always have to remember that, don't we? We'd say, well, that's just an individual thing. But our actions, even though they may be on an individual basis, do have an effect upon others. And we always have to bear that in mind and act as those who act for the good of all of Saints of God don't read.
I like to look at Anissimus.
Now his master was not able to lead him to the Lord, but I'm sure he heard about the Lord from Philemon.
And he can't get away from the Lord. He can get away from his master, but the Lord leads him in contact with Paul.
Isn't it what has happened in the life of many? You know, they tried to get away from the Lord, maybe even get away from home, you know, because they didn't want what their parents were trying to convey to them. And then the Lord leads them to be in context with believers elsewhere, you know? And many times we tend to take credit for the conversion of a soul because we, as it were, give them the last push, you know?
Ignoring how many might already have been used in their lives to prepare them, you know, So it's beautiful to see that here he thought he got away from Philemon. Maybe that was even part of the factor in leaving, that he didn't like to hear the gospel or be preached to. But then the Lord leads him to meet Paul. Someone has suggested maybe he was the soldier to whom Paul was chained.
You know that he couldn't get away from Paul, and so the Lord uses Paul to lead him to faith in the Lord Jesus. You know we can't get away from God. We heard that in Psalm 139. You know he has his ways to get to us. If we try to get away from one who speaks to us of the Lord, the Lord will bring another one into our lives.
We should leave all of that.
For the judgment seat of Christ, you know, taking credit for anything is a real danger. And someone you know. If if someone preaches the gospel or speaks to somebody and they receive Christ, well, maybe two or three brought them right to the edge and all you did was tipped them over a little, they'll get the credit that the judge would see the Christ. You'll get a little bit. Maybe we all work together and we shouldn't even want to know if if God in his grace lets us know.
Watch out. This is danger because our flesh now moves a little bit and that's awful. So we all work together. If it wasn't a prayer meeting before the gospel, I wouldn't preach. No, no way would I preach if the Spirit of God isn't called upon to get active.
What's the use? And I hope no one does. Well, I shouldn't put you under law. One place I went, they're going to have the gospel, they said. I said, where? Where? Where's the prayer meeting? We don't have a prayer meeting for gossip, I said. Why? There's no room. Just got one room here, I said. There's a stump out there.
We went out, got around the stump, and we had a God. We had a we had prayer meeting. You know we don't have to have any to go in the kitchen. The women will get out for 5-10 minutes anyways. I should do. The Lord himself gave the answer to what we're talking about, didn't he? In the 4th of John He said one soul and another reason other men have labored and ye are entered into their laborers. And then he said that he has He that saw us and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Striving together in the faith of the gospel, isn't it?
Reason Paul said this. Go ahead brother. He does say in verse 10, I beseech thee for my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds. So he regarded an Estimus as his son in the faith. And then he says which in time passed was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me.
An SMS no doubt had told Paul of some of his ways with his master Philemon, and so Paul says he was.
Unprofitable today, I know that. But now he's profitable to me and also to thee, because now he's the Lord's.
And then he says.
00:40:01
In in verse 18, if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee aught, he doesn't say he does. He suggests that it may have happened and it probably did happen. Put that on mine account. But the way he puts it, he doesn't say what he stole from you. Put that on my account. He says If he hath wronged thee or owe it thee anything, put that on mine account. In other words, he doesn't state it as a positive fact that he had done this.
But if he did regard him in this way, again, it's very delicately put everything that he says, brethren, we're having trouble having some conflict. And one said, let's pause and read the Epistle to Philemon. And they read the Epistle to Philemon. And let's let the spirit of this epistle get into our souls. And then they had a very profitable and nice brothers meeting after that.
I think we should do that more often if we're going to visit one where it's a disciplined matter, and that it might be well, if we would read Philemon, so that we go there in the right spirit, the spirit of Christ. Paul was very slow to boast. This is unusual for him to say this. He even called himself a fool when the Corinthians forced him to tell a few things about himself. I speak as a tool, but he says here I have begotten in my own bond. I have begotten in my bonds on SMS. That's unusual for him, but he had a reason.
Now notice verse 19 at the end. Howbeit, albeit I do not say to thee, he's not going to say it.
How thou always unto me, even thine own self, I begot you too. Please, I'm not going to say it.
He said it that he wasn't saying. I'm not going to say it.
Are there any dissensational applications to the assistance of violent?
I've missed and if there is, but we've got some here who wouldn't have missed it, I don't know.
Well, if there are, I'd rather we pursue it the way we have been. I don't know of any. I think the dispensation is the day of grace, You know, that's what I would get from it. We're in that day, aren't we? And I'm sure that Onissimus also came to acknowledge his fault to his master, the very fact that he would go back.
You know what? An admission of guilt. And you know we don't read anything of him making any acknowledgement to his master. But I'm convinced as one who had been touched by the grace of God, who had wronged his master, he would not ignore it. He would make acknowledgement. And so this is not spelled out here, but we know that is what the grace of God could accomplish in you and me if we have been.
In a relationship where we have wronged a person even before we were saved, that we make an acknowledgement of that here he I'm sure it wasn't easy for him to start back to Philemon, but whatever he had done wrong, there was an acknowledgement. A confession. The name or national bus means profitable.
You know all of us were born for only one purpose. To give pleasure to the Lord. That's all. Give pleasure to the Lord. A Sinner can never give pleasure to the Lord. Never. We're unprofitable. That's him. It wasn't made for that. He was made for the Lords glory. So now he says, which in times past verse 11, to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me. That's a beautiful way to put it. It's a play on his name.
That's beautiful. Now you know when you get saved, there are new creature. All things become new. All things passed away. That's that's this one. And it makes enemies. Brothers, beloved. That's what's going to happen. It really was an enemy because on estimates was a fugitive of justice. He had betrayed his master. He was an enemy now. And you know this is beautiful to see the way Paul does it. He says he's profitable make use of this brother.
00:45:06
He also says notice this 15 for perhaps.
Therefore departed for a season, that thou should receive him forever in that wonderful forever. So this is very beautiful. You know, there was a judge, and I thought of it with this. There was a judge who was retired, and he was a Christian, and he had sentenced many to prison criminals. And then he was at a prayer meeting, and there was a circle of them praying. And in walks this man, and kneel down to the empty chair near the judge.
The judge looked over.
He recognized him. He was one. He sentenced for 10 years in prison. The larceny, He was out here, He was praying. He prayed, so beautiful. And after that, the judge didn't introduce himself to him. He's a little awkward, thought he'd have a must be, pardon me, the pastor of that place. And he said, did you see who was praying next to me? And he said, yes, I did. Wasn't that an example?
Of the far fetching grace of God, he says. Yes, I did. I never thought a man like that could ever be saved. Outside of that, come to the prayer. Wait a minute. I didn't mean him, I meant me, he said I was raised to be a good boy. I was raised not to do bad things. I was raised to live a life that I thought was right. It was harder for me to get down to my knees than that man. He knew what he was. And you know, there they were, the one who sent him away.
If their brothers belonged.
Another nice tender thing here is to see the apostle. He says in verse 13, whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. Apparently he was a comfort to the apostle. And so he says, But without thy mind would I do nothing, That thy benefit should not be as it were, of necessity, but of willingness, willing, being willingly. And I think that's a real sweet little comment about this epistle, too. Again, it brings out the tenderness of it, doesn't it?
Paul says he wouldn't do anything without hearing from filing, which is said that he had a gift in the gospel perhaps.
I miss this.
And we apply a few of these statements.
To the Lord.
Saying them to us.
This expression without thy mind would I do nothing, he told his disciples.
I don't call you servants, but friends servant doesn't know what his master does.
That thy benefit should not be as the word of necessity, that is.
That he would with authority make us do. He would desire us to love him and want to do.
Let's see, a brother beloved especially to me.
What I thought it is, especially to me if you count me a partner.
Put that on my account.
Thou oest I do not say to thee how thou OST unto me. The Bible. You know, grace never puts us in debt to God, does it? We're not debtors to the flesh, But he never puts us in debt to himself. We do sing, you know. Who can tell how much we owe thee? But I thought of it recently. In this sense. What's the difference between the sense of debt and the sense of gratitude?
Grace would give us a sense of gratitude, but we don't know how to think that way. I believe. I believe we just have to sing about debt because that's as far as we can reach.
But that's what he says here. I do not say to thee how thou OS to meet thine own self, You say, the Lord would say to you and me, Let me have joy of thee.
Having confidence in my obedience.
Says in Ephesians one, Shall I hide from Abel? No, he says. Not a vet, but and Genesis 18, he says. Shall I hide from Abraham that which I'm going to do because I know him?
You'll keep my word, and you'll teach him to his children. His children's children get confidence in Abraham to tell him that's what love does, love toward us from Christ himself.
Best question, what if this message is not from the Apostle Paul? It's from a brother in assembly That is far off and we never heard of this brother before. Maybe the assembly doesn't have that good of reputation. Do we take it the same way? Does it? Does it have the same application there? No. This particular epistles from the Apostle Paul came to Philemon.
00:50:29
It wasn't from somebody he didn't know, the apostle Paul, somebody that others looked up to, and that the Lord that specially blessed. What if it doesn't come from such a person that's so highly thought of? Is there still an application? I just like some brother to answer that. If it's based on Paul's doctrine, I believe there'd be an application. If it's not, beware if it's based on the presence of the Lord in the midst also.
You know, it comes with a weight to it, the Lord says here, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say. What a confidence He would repose in you and me because of his love for us.
And then prepare me a logic. But there is an authority that is acknowledged.
By Paul that existed in connection with Anissimus and that's Philemon now, he said.
Whom I would have retained with me, that in Daisy he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel, but without thy mind would I do nothing. You know, in other words, after now Anissimus is sent back to Philemon. Philemon. Philemon was at liberty to send him back.
To serve with Paul in the gospel as he desired. He would have liked to have seen Anissimus, but he acknowledges God-given authority that Philemon had in connection with anismus. So that's helpful, beloved, that we better acknowledge God-given authority even in connection with those that we labor with when it comes to children, you know?
We must acknowledge there is an authority placed over them, and that's their parents, you know, and that we acknowledge that authority and don't act as if it didn't exist. What I have enjoyed so tremendously in connection with Maria, you know, there came a time in the life of little Moses when the parents lost control, you might say.
They had to put.
The child out put them in that art. But you might say they have lost control. They had to carry out the King's command. But Miriam's service is that she brings that child back to the bosom of the mother. And many times in Christendom dees self appointed counselors in Christendom acknowledge not that God-given order established in the family.
You know, even support the state of alienation to continue between the children and the parents. Well, this I believe is what we can benefit. We can benefit from this the same.
The assembly where I reside, I am under the authority of that assembly and we better acknowledge this God-given authority and don't act as if their local assembly doesn't have authority. These are just.
Principles that commend themselves in connection with.
Paul acknowledging Philemon's authority and he wouldn't do anything without.
Philemon's consent. And it might well be that when Philemon received on Isimo's bag and that he realized how much Paul had benefited and would have benefited from the continued service.
Of this man that he might have suggested that he go back, you know, But Paul would not override and ignore God-given authority like to ask a question. Do you think that Paul prayed for the Spirit in Philemon that he would receive?
On SMS when he came back.
We don't get the Paul Paul's prayers on that matter, but what you bring up. I think brother, it's very important that we would pray where there is a breach comes in and the family with the children that we would be intelligent not to try to interfere as you make a very good point, but to pray that the Lord would heal the breach and that the Lord hears our prayers and that's why I believe that it mentions the assembly here.
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You and I in the assembly we have the prerogative and the privilege and also the responsibility to pray for the parents.
In these matters, is that right? Yeah. Brother Henry Short one of the points in his ministry that comes out loud and clear, and that is that the assembly has no right to interfere in the authority that God has placed in the family. And we better recognize that, beloved Brethren. And that has not been done in more than one case, unfortunately. And So what?
What Paul does here with Philemon.
We can benefit from recognizing that, and it can be expanded beyond the relationship of a slave and a master. You were just speaking about that some of us years ago, Brother MW Smith from Greenville. He put out a little pamphlet. I believe it was called A True Church, the Body of Christ, and is a compilation of of order in receiving into fellowship cases of judgment and so on. And he made this comment.
He said the assembly is not a petty tribunal to settle every family difficulty and I, we learned from that. I learned from that many years ago and that time that thing comes up sometimes and.
For one to say, well, would you come and talk to my son? He's kind of rebellious and I sold his brother, I said It's your son and you're his father. You talked, so it's good to remember that.
Not interfere or to because that's not our department. Well, if this is correct what we're saying, please explain Deuteronomy 17 verse 8. Deuteronomy 17/8 says if there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood.
That's family relationships.
Between plea and plea.
That might be a problem between neighbors determining, you know, where the boundary line between their property goes, or something of that nature between stroke and stroke. That's in connection where someone has hit someone else. And this has to be settled. Well, if there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood, I'm thinking of the blood and blood I take that to mean.
Between members of a family.
What does it say to do then Shalt thou?
Matters of controversy within thy gates, then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose. And thou shalt come unto the priest, the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire, And they shall show thee the sentence of judgment, And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose.
Shall show thee, Thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee, according to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do, thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall show thee to the right hand, nor to the left, and so on.
Adrian Roach wrote a pamphlet, The Assembly as Judge. He refers to this portion in that pamphlet.
And I believe the way he explains the blood and blood and plea and plea and stroke and stroke is the way I've explained it.
If there's a problem in a family and they need help, we certainly don't recommend they go to a psychologist for that help.
Where are they going to go if they need help?
Where are they going to go to their brethren?
If we can't help them, who can?
Are we not responsible to help when there's a need? This passage seems to indicate that in Corinthians they were going to law to settle a matter before the unjust.
How are they going to get justice before the unjust and not before the Saints?
01:00:03
Are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? That's what Scripture says.
Well, we're going to judge angels. If the assembly isn't the end where we're cared for and and looked after and ministered to, and where problems are resolved, where are we going to go? Well, we don't deal with that kind of an issue in our assembly. So I have to go someplace else. I have to go to the pastor down the street, and he'll help me.
Or to some psychologist, is this God's way? I don't believe so. I think we have shirked some of our responsibilities because some of the problems may be very ugly. But am I wrong? I believe that Brother Smith, what I took about his thought on that was minor things that come in idiosyncrasies in families, little little petty things that come in and we get into it and we interfere with it and it's it's it's harmful.
I just wonder where did where do you draw the line in Deuteronomy? It's the law. There's a difference. We're under grace now. I think the assembly is responsible for everybody at the Lords table of a family. It could be children or girls or so on There we must be involved. But if they have children who are not the Lords, not at the table, we should not get involved. That's another matter, right? Individuals may help, but I think it's Paul didn't get involved.
This was not Paul's business.
But he didn't even ask, certainly not undermining the authority in the family. If a boy or girl runs away from home and then tries to find comfort among the Saints, their responsibility is to say, go home, submit. Just like when Hagar ran away from Sarah.
She might well have been treated too harshly, but the Angel of the Lord said go back and submit and Saints can be in that way of health. But what we have experienced is that people, children run away from home and the gathered saying shelter them and support them in their rebellion that undermining God's authority and there might well be problems arising.
Where the shepherd's care comes in, even in family matters. But what I was contending for is, and I believe it is supported in this passage, is that the authority placed in the family, or in this case given to Philemon over Onissimus, is acknowledged and should be supported. And there are always failure in that is the possibility of failure in responsibility.
But we must not set aside God-given authority. Isn't that the what's contained in this expression within thy gates?
But I have a word, brother.
May I 11Th chapter of Luke please?
And the eleven verse, I have failed as a father myself and I wish someone had given me this verse years ago because I've seen it in operation and I've seen deliverance for parents from it.
I'd just like to make the application.
In the 11Th chapter of Luke, and we're reading the 10th verse for everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh finest unto him that knocketh it shall be opened. Now here's the point that I have brethren to share. Trust me.
If a son shall ask bread of any view that is a father, here's the authority of the Father, and it's going to be a situation now with the father.
If any ask bread of you, which is a father, will he give him a stone?
And this is something that I pondered and I failed in it. How many times the boy says, daddy, I want to ask you a question about something and instead of getting down to his level, I give him some Ephesian truth for an answer and it comes across like a stone. I'm giving him a stone. It's the word of God. But brother and I didn't apply it right, but instead it says.
If, he asked Brett, this is when they're little. They need the nourishment of simple nourishment.
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Of a father. That's the subject. I think it's it's it's it's how a father would act. Or will he give him the next one, the middle of verse 11? Or if he asks a fish, will he, for a fish, give him a serpent? Now I'm making an application brethren, and I hope that I'm not giving the wrong thought. Daddy, take me fishing. I don't have time.
I've had that happen with my children and I didn't win them. I think these verses tell us different stages of winning our children. He wanted a fish when he was a little kid and I bought him a goldfish and he sat there for hours looking at the little goldfish. Daddy, give me a fish. Well, he's getting a little bigger now. First, he didn't know much the difference between milk and bread. It was that nourishment that he needed. Now he needs something a little more advanced. So.
And then he gets a little bigger. Daddy, will you take me fishing? Well, am I going to go out of my way? It's the spirit in which I show and display of love and consideration to my children, brother. And I've failed in this. That's why I feel that it's so important that I maybe tell by my failure. But what's the next word? If they ask a fish, will they give them a serpent? What's the serpent? That's where the enemy gets its advantage when our children, they become a little older.
I know a man that he treats his children with such abject disregard he he's ruined two of his children just about as a brother that comes to our meeting. His father says you're no good, you're no good, you're no good. You never do it right, You never just. Children need encouragement, Alright, the next one if you ask an egg. Now he's getting mature. There's issues in life that have to do with reproduction and the world is quick to have a message.
But I, as a father, I need to get to my children close to them that I can explain to him, if we call it the facts of life. And So what do we find? Will he offer him a scorpion? The world has a scorpion, and all of these things that relate to the reproduction of what the egg might represent as they get older. And so I just have enjoyed these things. And then of course, we find in the 13th verse of ye that being evil, know how to give good, good gifts of your children.
How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? And this is leading us into what the New Testament is about, because it's a Spirit, the Spirit of God. God has given you and me of His Spirit to understand the things that we need to know.
To discern the truth of God, well, I just mentioned there's a naturally, Apostle Paul says there's a natural 1St and then the spiritual time is up. But I would like to say that's nice for individual parenthood. You're talking about assembly and the family.
Now there is a role for the assembly and I think if a family gets to that point where they would have to seek help outside, ask for prayer of the assembly, you don't have to tell all the details, that's wrong. But we don't have enough of that. If there's a problem with the child, ask for prayer of the assembly, right? You were right and I know it was your point. And and the assembly has the power and not going to individuals but to the assembly.
That's that's one more common that I like to make, and that is that obedience is mentioned in verse 21. Having confidence in thy obedience, I write unto thee, knowing that thou will also do more than I say. Now it's true that he appeals to love and kindness in Philemon.
But Philemon was also characterized by obedience.
You know, and I believe even what Paul was saying to Philemon had that effect on him, that he submitted to it and was obedient. And he recognized that what was Paul was presenting to him was indeed for his spiritual good and for the spiritual well-being of his runaway slave, and he would be obedient. I always thought that was through the 11Th commandment.
Well, you know, that's the law of Christ. That's the royal law of James Love.
It was from the beginning. I give you a commandment, a new commandment. Now love. Idiots to the law of Christ. Love.
01:10:01
Would you think?
Short brethren, but I've enjoyed the commentary on this little book by Lehman. Perhaps we could just.
Ask the Lord's blessing on the gospel.
Our loving God and our Father, We thank thee for the work of sovereign grace in the heart of Philemon and Anesthesis, and those others that are mentioned in this very short letter that the Apostle Paul wrote. And now we acknowledge our God, that thou art not finished with this world, that there is still a work of the Spirit of God going on in those that are lost to bring them nigh.
We know that there are many that are far off, and we just pray that the word is spoken here this afternoon that though it's worked by thy spirit to convict of sin and a lost in a ruined condition before they are gone. And we just asked you that if there's anybody here in this room that is still lost without God, without hope in this world, that they might be saved before it's too late. So we commend thy word to thee and ask thy blessing and the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
I'd like you to turn with me, if you would, to the Epistle of One, Peter.
While you're doing that, I'll just read one of the verses.
In Second Peter chapter 2.
The Apostle Peter spoke of two different things throughout his.
His ministry that are quite characteristic of his ministry. One is the fire.
Of God's judgment.
And what is a result of God's judgment? Fire upon this world is the ashes.
That's what he says in two Peter chapter 2 and verse six. He says turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly. So here these two cities were turned to ashes, the fire of God's judgment was evident, and the ashes was left. But I want to talk this afternoon about those things that are precious to God.
And that will remain for eternity. That will, perhaps some of them have seen the fire, but they'll never turn to ashes. They'll remain forever. And you know this, these two epistles that the apostle wrote, Apostle Peter. There was a time in his life.
When God tested them and he said, I know not the man, I don't know him. And I wonder if there's any boy or girl or young person here that says this afternoon, I know not the man. We don't throw things away that are precious. Our brother here this morning had two packages. One looked precious, one was indeed precious to a little girl. It had something in it that was of value.
But God.
Worked in the Apostle Peter's life and what he threw away in a moment, he said, I know not the man, He threw it away. And it seems to me that the Spirit of God worked in Peter's life. From that moment on he speaks of those things that are precious. And if we look through first and Second Peter, he mentions the word precious seven times. I don't believe there's any other apostle that mentions those things. That word 7 * a seven letter word. Let's just look at First Peter.
Chapter One and verse.
7.
He says there that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Well, the Lord Jesus is coming. Young people, children, older ones. He's coming, and there's something that's precious to him that's going to be that last for eternity is the fruit.
That is born before God when the faith is tried. Do you have faith in God? Have you ever put your faith in the Lord Jesus? Have you ever trusted the Lord Jesus and asked him to wash your sins away? He can do it. He wants to do it. He wants to be precious to you. But here, Peter, it seems the first time that he mentions this word precious is in connection with what God tested him on.
He says I threw it away in a moment, he said. I know not the man. But then he had a private time with the Savior, the Lord. Jesus didn't throw Peter away. He went after Peter, restored him in his soul. And then Peter says that the trial of his faith was much more precious than of gold or silver. And so this world has gold, has silver.
01:15:09
Calls out to you, wants to show you that gold, that silver wants you to enjoy it. But God says it's perishing. It's going to perish. It'll never, ever last. You've got a dollar bill that you got from brother this morning. I was glad to see so many of you get up and take that dollar bill. But I tell you faithfully, it's going to perish. You won't have that dollar bill for very long. Everything that you see with your eyes is going to be burned up. It's going to turn to ashes. But that which is precious in God's sight will be for all eternity. The fruit.
Of the trial of your faith, do you have faith in God? Have you said you accepted Christ as savior? Well, I want to tell you faithfully too. He's going to test that to see whether it's real.
It's not a small thing to say. I belong to the Lord Jesus. It's not a small thing to confess and say. He washed my sins away. He'll test that faith. You know, we tend to mix things together. We like to mix things together so that they look big. And faith, God doesn't like it to be mixed with anything. He wants it to be pure and so it'll pass through the fire and he'll purify it through your life. If you let him do it, he'll purify it.
And so that it will be to his praise and honor and glory at his appearing.
Well, that's the first time that the Apostle Peter mentions Precious. The second time is in verse 19.
And he says there, perhaps we could read verse 18 for as much as you know.
That you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your Father's, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. And so here Peter gave up for a moment. He said the Lord Jesus isn't precious to me. I'm just going to deny that I know him.
But then you know, he said, Here the precious blood of Christ is of a lamb.
Without blemish and without spot, was Christ precious to Peter? I believe he was. I believe Peter remembered the time and you can read of it in the Gospel of John chapter one and how his brother brought him to the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jesus said your name is going to be Peter Simon Peter a stone. The Lord Jesus gave him a name and he must have remembered how that very day.
Someone the John the Baptist had said.
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. He must have remembered those things. Well, there's the precious blood of Christ, what's seen in the glory of a lamb as it had been freshly slain. All the blood is shed. The blood is shed. The way is open, the price is being paid. It's not just any blood, it's the precious blood of Christ. You know when God speaks of precious in this particular sense.
It's something that can't be valued. It's something of infinite value. We cannot place a dollar value on. I was in a place recently and there was a replica of King Tut's tomb there and there were the priceless treasures of Egypt in that place and it had in some of the glass cases with those treasures in them. It said come and make an offer to the management for those treasures.
They were precious in Egypt, but they'll be burned up. What we have here is the precious blood of Christ.
You and I, who know Christ as our Savior, will rejoice for all eternity.
In that blood that we cannot value, that we cannot measure the value of. And so God mentions here by the Spirit uses Peter to say the precious Blood of Christ. Well the next time we find in chapter 2 and verse 4.
It says to whom coming is unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious disallowed indeed of men, And so to night. You may have disallowed Christ in your life. You may have disallowed yourself to hear these meetings. At these meetings you may have disallowed yourself to come to Christ before you may have put it off. Don't do it. It says here that he's chosen of God.
And precious God has such a value for his Son. He says he's precious. He says, I can't value, I can't place a value on that Son who went to the cross and bore the judgment for the sins of each one of us. If we'll have him, if we'll accept him as savior, the price is paid. And so he says He's chosen of God. Have you chosen him to? Have you chosen him as your Savior? Have you chosen to enjoy the preciousness of Christ at these meetings?
01:20:29
Or have you chosen something else? Your heart will display what you've chosen. Well, the next time is in verse 6. Here, the 4th time that the Apostle Peter mentions this word, he says, Behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone, elect, precious and so all that God has built.
All that will last for eternity is built on that cornerstone, the Lord Jesus. A precious cornerstone. It's never, ever going. God will never build anything apart from that stone. It'll last forever. And the Lord Jesus, while he was on the cross, bore the judgment for your sins and pass through the fire as it were, as it were. And for all eternity, we'll see that God built.
Upon his Son, the Lord Jesus. And so if you're saved, you're a member of the church, a living stone in the building, and you'll have that which is precious to God. You'll be a member of the body of Christ if you're saved. You are a member of the body of Christ if you're lost.
Says here that he's elect precious. He's not precious to you right now, is he? If you're lost on your way to hell, you see nothing precious about Christ. But you have a need tonight. You have a need to have your sins forgiven. And as soon as you have your sins forgiven, God will begin to make Christ precious to you.
The next time is in verse 7, the fifth time that he mentions this word precious, Mr. Darby uses the word preciousness.
Unto you therefore which believe preciousness.
You believe?
Can you, dear friend, who believes in the Lord Jesus place of value upon Christ?
Tonight.
Judas placed a value on the Lord Jesus. Judas did.
Judas didn't belong to the Lord Jesus. He placed a dollar value on the Lord Jesus. He said. He's worth 30 pieces of silver.
He sold himself for 30 pieces of silver.
Judas is in hell tonight. He didn't find Christ precious. He spent 3 1/2 years with him, and he never saw any value in the person of the Christ, the Son of the living God. He never did unto you therefore, which believe preciousness, Well, I hope you're saved. I hope you have accepted Christ as your savior. If you have not. God wants to make him precious to you and dear young people.
And children, as you have sat in these meetings, I trust that you've asked the Lord to make him precious to you because there's a center of preciousness in the glory. It's Christ. We'll have no other object. And he wants to make himself preciousness to you right here in this scene. Well, the sixth time the apostle mentions that word is in Second Peter, chapter one, the first verse, he says Simon Peter, a servant.
And an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith.
With us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Have you obtained like precious faith? I like Mr. Darby's translation. He says, received like precious faith. What hast thou that thou hast not received? What do you have, dear friends, that you haven't received of the goodness of the heart of God for you tonight, everything that you have, your family, your mom, your dad, everything that you have, your health, if you've received Christ as your savior.
You've obtained or received like precious faith. Now that brings in fellowship. There's only one faith. If you can look that up in Ephesians Chapter 4, there's one faith. You know. There's people in the world that will convince you that there's more than one faith. They talk of the Roman faith. They talk about some other faiths. There's only one faith. And so here you have obtained like precious faith. God hasn't left you alone in this scene.
01:25:06
And what a sad story it would be if there was only one of us here in this room.
But God gives a desire for the believer to find companionship and other believers, and so we have like precious faith. Are you seeking out the friendship, the fellowship, the love of those that belong to the Lord Jesus and find him precious? Well, the last time the Apostle Peter mentions this word is in verse four of the same chapter, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.
That by thee he might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. What a precious, precious verse.
God has given anyone here who has accepted His Son as their Savior, who has applied the blood.
Who has confessed to God that they're a Sinner on their way to hell and ask for forgiveness? He's applied the blood and he not only gives eternal life, but he says he gives here exceeding great and precious promises, exceeding great and precious promises, one of the promises that is so precious to my own soul.
Is that he's coming again. We won't be here long, brethren and dear friend. Tonight, if you don't know Christ as your savior, there's a promise. He made a promise to come back again. He will come back again very shortly. He is not far off the hour. Perhaps we could sing that hymn together.
Believe it's 282.
No, it's not.
Tis not far off the hour.
287.
So this is a great.
And precious promise that we have of the Lord Jesus that we're not left here for much longer. You don't have much time, dear friend, to accept Christ as savior. I trust as you go on your way before you go on your way, before you leave this room, you'll accept Christ as Savior, and he'll begin to work to make himself precious to you in your soul.
Some brothers start this hymn please.
Rest of our hands every day.
I'm turning.
Off you.
01:30:25
God and our Father, we thank thee for our precious Savior. We thank thee that the home call is due to take place.
Before we leave the very room.