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To look beyond the long dark night, and pale the coming day, when thou to all thy Saints, in thy thy glories will display 106.
Call Robert Murray. I know it's very good.
It's all done.
In the director of life.
Philippians chapter 3, verse 13.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth into those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded.
Anything you'd be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, where do we have already attained? Let us walk by the same rule. Let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be following together of me, and mark them which walk. So would you have us for an example for many walk, of whom I've told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
Who then the destruction was drawn as? Our belly.
It was Glory is in their shame to mind earthly things, for our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be a fashion like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.
I was wondering, brother, give us again what you said on the use of the word in the 12Th verse and the use of the word perfect in the 15th verse.
Telling me in the 12Th verse it says not as though I have already obtained the prize or I'm already perfected. That is when it speaks in Hebrews chapter 12 The Spirits of just Man made perfect or in Hebrews Chapter 11.
But they without us should not be made perfect. It refers to the time when we'll all be with and like Christ.
Paul hadn't yet come to that point. That would only be in glory when he would be perfect, but in the 15th verse where he speaks of it, it could be translated full grown. It's not the thought of being with and like Christ in glory, but the sign of full growth is that Christ is really the object before the soul, and that's very important. It isn't simply the obtaining of a great deal of knowledge.
That constitutes full growth, but it's having Christ before the soul. Perhaps if we could put it like this, the perfect Christian state is to have the Lord Jesus himself before us. And then if that is so, there will be a going on. Things that we may not at once see will be made clear to us because we have our eye upon Him.
00:10:13
That's something like that we have in the Epistle of John, isn't it? Of the Fathers that known him from the beginning?
It doesn't, as you say, the knowledge that men speak up, or even the knowledge of of the letter of the word of God. But it's this kind of knowledge that we have in this chapter of the person himself, communion and fellowship.
One thing I do in the 27th Psalm, the psalmist says. One thing have I desired of the Lord.
That will I seek after.
There are the one.
Objects before the Apostle that he speaks of in this.
1St But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
I don't take it that forgetting the things that are behind are his failures and the mistakes that he had made, the things that he might boast of, even as a Christian.
Their progress he had made in his Christian life and testimony, but that was something behind, and there was something more important before him. So again.
As we have mentioned in these readings that the picture we have before us here is of a man in a race and he's always pressing on and pushing forward.
With the price that is waiting for the one who wins the race at the end of the race track.
So he speaks of.
Reaching forth, you see one just straining every nerve to reach that goal.
What a goal it is.
I've heard a very good illustration of this in connection with not looking at what's behind in the sense that you spoke of Brother Barry, a person breaking a path across a field of snow. And of course, we all know that if you try to break a path and you don't have an object before you, it'll be a very crooked path, especially where the snow is deep.
Well, this man started out and he realized that he was making a very crooked path because he didn't have any object before him. So he set his eye upon a tree on the other side of the field and set out to make a path. And then after he'd been doing this for a little while, he decided he'd look back and see how he was getting along. And he looked back and he saw that crooked part where he didn't have any objects. And then he patted himself on the back how wonderfully he was getting along, making such a nice path.
When he had his eye on that tree on the other side of the field, well, then he realized that he got his eye off that object and so quickly he looked back and went on with that before him. But when he got to the other side of the field, he found there were two crooks. There was the crooked part before he got his eye on the object, but there was a crooked part where he was patting himself on the back, how well he was getting along. And I do believe there is a very great danger in this, just as our brothers brought before us.
We're not to look, sack and feel that we have done anything because we'll never, never be able to live in a way that's glorifying to the Lord and honoring to Him unless we keep our eyes upon Him. Let's never get occupied with the progress that we have made. The Lord has the record in heaven and is far better than for us to be occupied with our own records. It will be manifested in that day.
Mike just mentioned in that very connection that.
Some of us here know our brother John Bay, dear brother, just recently gone to be with the Lord. I had the privilege of visiting with our brother within 48 hours of the time that he went to be with Christ, and I'd like to read the verse that our brother quoted to me and I had to look it up afterwards. But it was quite striking to see what our brother was thinking about.
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Couldn't breathe, but this was the verse that he quoted to me in the book of Joshua.
13th chapter Book of Joshua, chapter 13.
Joshua 13 And the first verse. Now Joshua was old and stricken in years. And the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, And there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. And he emphasized those last words. There remaineth yet very much land.
To be possessed.
Well, our dear brother was not looking back over his life, but he was looking on still yet the language God had for his own soul, and seeking to encourage others to go on, not look back, but go on, there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
I believe he was in his 91St year.
He gave me a very encouraging word over the phone before he died. You know what it was?
He said. Eric, I've just, I'm just ringing you up to tell you that I love you and put the and hung up the phone.
What a what a sweet memory of dear brother Beck just telling you that I love you.
I pressed towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
And Ephesians, one we get God's calling and we're told to walk worthy of the vocation or calling, wherewith we are called. There we get a high calling.
And you'll find the second Timothy one, where it speaks of a holy calling and you find in Hebrews 3.
A heavenly calling?
It's the way the calling is mentioned is in keeping with the subject of these passages or in Ephesians. It's God's purposes and counsels that are especially in view in the in the first chapter, and we're brought into those purposes and counselors.
And in two Timothy 2, where apostasy and departure had come in.
Still, Timothy is reminded at a time when he was weeping over.
The sad state of things that regardless of how man has failed and how badly he has failed, still the calling hasn't been affected. Even where corruption has come in, is still a holy calling. And in Hebrews 3, the book of Hebrews is turning the Hebrews away from their national promises here on earth.
And showing that now that their Messiah has been rejected.
That they have a better inheritance that is a heavenly. And so the calling there is a heavenly calling. But here in this epistle it's a high calling or calling on high, as I believe the other translation gives it when you think of of all the apostle has been bringing before us that goal that was in the race before him.
Thought was something very high, very far above this scene through which he was running.
A high calling.
We hear quite a bit amongst the this present generation, the use of an expression.
This person doing his thing, He's doing his thing. She's doing her thing.
But here the apostle Paul brings before us the one thing.
That he was concerned with.
He was pursuing this one thing.
And I'm sure.
That all of these who are talking about his thing or her thing, if they would have this thing before them, they would really be happy and at rest. Why is it that this one and that one is pursuing his thing all that he might have peace and rest and happiness and joy? Well, there's only one thing that will give real rest and peace and joy, and that is this one thing that's brought before us here.
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The calling on high the upward calling.
Pressing down to the gold for the upward calling Well, who's at the end of the road?
The Lord Jesus Christ, He's at the end of the road.
Oh, this is what we need to have before us.
The Apostle Paul surely must have been enraptured in his soul in thinking about the upward calling, that moment that he would be with the Lord Jesus Christ, and standing there in all perfection, perfected complete spirit, soul, and body.
Like the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Well, I'm sure that we failed greatly.
And really understanding what is being brought before us here.
I was thinking of it as in connection with what Paul said. They do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. We know that in those ancient Olympic Games the reward was just a crown of Garland leaves. That was given to the winner, I believe.
And it was a very corruptible thing. Well, I think it's very wonderful that God uses such a thing to bring before us. Why would a man run just to have a crown of Garland leaves? Well, it was the honor of the person who gave the crown, not the value of the crown. And it all passed away. Well, I believe this is lovely for us to think about. It's not the intrinsic value of the reward that's going to be given us in that day.
Paul wasn't thinking of whether it was a crown of pure gold or diamonds or that sort of thing, but I believe the thought in the verse is the person who is going to say well done, the person who is going to be pleased to have us there. And this was before the heart of the apostle, and I believe with our life too. We stand in Christ, and the pure motive for our souls is to have before us this wonderful thought that that blessed one who was fierce for us of Calvary.
That one who's done so much for us is the one that is taking notice of our little lives here. And when we get there, when we're called on high, just to think that there would be something in our lives that he could say well done, well, this is what makes it all worthwhile. If we have any thought of some kind of, shall I say, material thing that we're going to get, I think we've lost the point. The whole thing is the person who gives it and his smile, his approval.
That's what was before the apostle, I believe.
I was thinking of another illustration of one who was not looking back on the 49th of Genesis in connection with Issachar, it says in verse 14. This occurs a strong *** couching down between 2 burdens and he saw that rest was good and the land that he was pleasant and bowed his shoulder to the bear. He was one who was not looking back in anticipation of the rest and the pleasant land he was bearing his shoulder to bear.
To burdens, and can we not liken them to two burdens? We have in Galatians 6 Beige, 1 anothers burdens. And so fulfill the law of Christ. And then in the fifth verse every man shall bear his own burden. About his thinking of this wonderful, beautiful illustration. One is looking forward to the rest in the pleasant land, not looking back, but bowing his shoulder to bear, whatever the burden might be. He was pressing forward. He had the pleasant land and the rest before him. And we have a glorious scene before us, too. Not the pleasant land, but to be with Christ in the glory.
And should we not seek to press on beloved, in spite of all the trials and circumstances of the way, because we have that object brightness fair before us now, and that home to which we shall soon enter with Christ himself? That's the illustration you used, brother. Gladding is so lovely because it it connects with Issachar. And that was the great woman in second kings. She was of the tribe of Issachar.
And this was fulfilled literally in her life. And I believe that 4th chapter second kings from the 8th verses a little picture of Philippians, especially the 4th chapter, because in everything in her life she had peace because she was looking on, she was in the midst of idolatry. But she's called a great woman because she was looking on and she was bearing out that prophecy that our brother.
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Records of Jacob's children. She was carrying it out, literally. She was applying it in her life and so she speak spoken of as the great woman.
Considered that in the 15th verse, let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded.
That's perfect in this place.
Is having Christ and glory as the object before the soul.
And he that was the object the apostle had. And so he also says in the 4th chapter.
And the the ninth verse, those things which he hath both learned and received, and heard, and seen in me do, and the God of peace, shall be with you. That is what they had seen in the life, and in the minister, heard in the ministry of the apostles.
For the glorified Christ they had seen him live it out before them.
So he says that there are those who were following that pattern.
Why they would have the God of peace with them, not only the peace of God which passes all understanding.
Of of of Garrison your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. But they would have the companionship of the God of peace himself.
Reply to being thus minded.
It says let us therefore be thus minded. I just had a difficulty. I asked the question if being perfect is having crisis or object. What is being thus minded? Is it being thus minded? Heaven. Christ as our object? That isn't the perfect state in which he speaks true of all mature believers who know their acceptance in Christ.
Isn't Isn't that what it's meant? As many as being perfect, those who know their acceptance in Christ, they have Christ always before them as their options.
Mind is a right or wrong? Yes, I believe so because I believe all error is when Christ is not honored and glorified. That is, we speak of the doctrine of being saved and lost. But what is this but an attempt to give some glory to man? That he has done something to keep the salvation that God has given to him? If we set up a human organization instead of recognizing Christ as the center, are we not giving glory to man instead of the Lord Jesus who is the gathering center of his people?
And so that in every step in progress in our Christian life is having Christ as the one.
The object and the one who is to be glorified. I thought of that Scripture that says, And John he shall, he shall lead you into all truth, He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. One is sometimes made the comment that we can make a simple test of any doctrine presented by asking this Does it glorify Christ, or does it glorify man? And you always find that every bit of false doctrine brings some glory and credit to man.
So the great secret here in full growth.
Is that Christ alone is exalted and honored as soon as the eye gets off him.
Then there is not the maturity, because the eye is turned upon self instead of upon him. I've heard his commented too, that the Church was in its happiest state when it knew the least. That may sound strange, but on the day of Pentecost they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Well, why was it in such a happy state? Well, because the Spirit of God was so setting Christ before them. The one who had completed redemption and was in glory. They were all just rejoicing.
And when they got quarreling among themselves about the widows being neglected in the daily ministration.
It couldn't be said then. Maybe they had gained a little knowledge, but the eye was off Christ and other things that come in. And I believe that he's bringing this before us, that the whole secret of of growth in the Christian life is this. And we may not see everything all at once, but this is the secret of progress. Don't we have a similar thing in John's epistle First, John Chapter 2.
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Apostle John is writing to the children.
And then they're divided into little children, and young men and fathers. But notice what he writes to the fathers. Verse 13. I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him. That is from the beginning.
Then again, in verse 14 I've written unto you, fathers, because you've known him that is, from the beginning. Now it's the same thing in both places.
But in the case of the children and the young men, there's something added here. The second time they're they're mentioned. But here with the fathers, there doesn't seem to be anything beyond knowing him. That is, from the beginning, well.
When we think of that.
I wonder how many fathers there are today among us.
Oh, surely this ought to speak to our hearts, and we ought to be exercised about being, and not condition.
Of maturity.
Where we just know him. That is from the beginning.
We're satisfied with him. We find our joy in him. We find our All in all in him.
Well, certainly it's something that should exercise our hearts and we should have it before us, just like the apostle speaks of here, that I may know Him. It wasn't a matter of knowing him as his savior, but knowing Him in this way of maturity and full growth.
Well, certainly there's plenty in the word of God to exercise our heart.
And isn't it true to learn what the apostle says here?
And if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. That is, the more the people of God have Christ as the object before the soul, the more they'll see alike.
And the less opportunity there is for the enemy to come in and divide and separate them.
So that we we think alike, we have the same desires before us. Well, we can see that practically carried out as we go on.
We see that, don't we? In the second chapter of Acts, where it says.
The second chapter of Acts at the end of the 1St and the 2nd chapter.
It says they were all with one accord. Neither said any man that ought that he possessed was his own. What made this oneness of accord? Well, the reason was that the Spirit of God was having his way to know how often these things are as a result of the Spirit of God not having his way himself. And other considerations come in. Christ is not really the object before the soul, and we're always learning we're changed into the same image from glory to glory, and each one of us, if we're honest before the Lord, have to confess how.
Little we know of him and of his love and of his truth, but the great thing is, are we seeking his honor and his glory and having himself before the soul? That, I believe, is the point.
Reference is made just now to Psalm 27. Our brother mentioned it.
And the fourth verse one thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life.
Psalm 23 The last verse we read, Psalmist says I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever, but now he speaks of dwelling in the House of the Lord all the days of his life. Well, I suppose that's having Christ.
Before us constantly, isn't it? Living in the enjoyment of Christ, heavenly things day by day, all the days of my life. And he says one thing, have I desired of the Lord? Well, merely to desire is not sufficient, because in the 13th chapter of Proverbs.
It says the soul of the sluggish desireth and hath nothing, so he goes beyond that. He says that will I see God something to see Garter, to be occupied with Christ. Now, all the days of my life I can enjoy that heavenly atmosphere and companionship now, not merely when we get home. How precious it is that we can enjoy heavenly things now and be occupied with Christ all the days of our lives. Finish the verse, brother. It's so nice in connection with what we're Speaking of.
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The beauty of the Lord love our own beauty, or the beauty of others. But the beauty of the Lord, how precious that is, and the rest and and to inquire in His temple, That's a great thing, isn't it? We have himself before us and His truth as the guide by that will. That's the place of happiness, isn't it?
There's a quick result for that in the next Paris garden or in the time of trouble.
As a result of seeking after this, for in the time of trouble, he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his taxation.
On a rock, Tyson. Yeah, public. That's the same thought that I had. I was just going to ask your thoughts on it, and now we have it, the Lord said in connection with Mary in Luke 10 verse 42.
But one thing is needful.
One thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. Well, what was she doing? It says, back in verse 39 Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word, two things. There she sat at Jesus feet. He was hearing his word.
We get close to the Lord.
We get into the presence of the Lord. We become occupied with the Lord. What do we get? His word. And I believe we get away from the truth in the measure. We get away from the person of the Lord, Jesus Christ. And if there's any departure from truth, I believe it's because there's a departure from the person of the Lord Himself, leaving devotedness to himself.
Oh, what a treasure.
Mary has what a season that must have been for her to sit there, the feet of Jesus, and hear his word. What an exposition, what a revelation to her heart. We don't. We're not told there what she was getting, but I suppose it's left that way so that we would seek to sit at his feet too, and then we would find out something of what Mary was finding out.
It's nice too, in this connection. In this next verse. Nevertheless, where two we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us mind the same thing. We can get occupied seeing the word perfect has the thought of full growth. We can get occupied with how far we've got along. Well, he said, let's not get occupied with that, but rather get occupied with himself. The rule for the Babe or the rule for the one who is older.
Has the same rule. It's the same thing.
That is, to have the person before us, and his truth is our guide. So instead of saying, well, I am further along the path, and another brother, I ought to know a little more, he says Nevertheless, don't think about that. Get Christ before us, get His word for the guide for our past, and then we will, as it's been said, have the spokes of a wheel. The closer they are to the center, the closer they are to one another.
Let us walk from the same rule. The only rule of the Christian life is Christ and glory.
You get in Galatians 6.
Where it says that neither circumcision is available, anything or uncircumcision but a new creation, and he says as many as walk according to this rule, peace beyond him and upon the Israel of God.
So we don't have a lot of rules and regulations like the Jews had under the law. Their system was full of rules. But the one rule is just what we have been occupied with, That is having Christ as the object before our souls. And if we're walking according to that rule.
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Well, then there's going to be peace in our lives.
Doesn't say we'll not have trials and have troubles and sorrows and disappointments in this scene, but still there'll be peace in our souls as we go on our way.
Paul as an apostle was set up as a as a sort of a pattern for those who after should live godly in Christ Jesus. So we have in the 17th verse Brethren be followers together of me. But another place he speaks of as he is of Christ, and I believe that's what he refers to, but here particularly in connection with setting aside all.
That was religious in his life before and having one object and pressing on to it. And so he sets himself up in that way simply as a guide for the Saints, not only his ministry but his his own life. And isn't that?
Isn't that proper that if there is to be ministry, there should be a life in keeping with it in some measure, and so we should be exercised about that each one?
If we do speak for the Lord, that there should be a consistency.
In our lives here the apostle, of course, as an apostle, was given a special grace to set forth this pattern for the Saints. But then he grieves. As he sees the other side, he sees that there are those who.
Are not occupied with.
Heavenly things. They might be among the Saints, but they are not occupied with heavenly things.
They don't have this object before their soul and so he can he can weep over such in this chapter.
Paul is the only one of the apostles that ever says follow me even as I follow Christ. We don't find Peter saying that or do we find John saying that. I believe that the reason why as you rightly say Brother Lundeen, that Paul was the pattern St. and could say to follow me.
Is because he had seen Christ in glory, the only one of the apostles that had seen Christ in glory, and the only man that ever lived that was caught up into the 3rd heaven and actually saw that very one who had lived down here in that glory where he'd taken his seat. And that had a tremendous effect on his whole life and ministry really was.
The What had caused him, as he says here, to count all things?
But lost for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, so here is one who can rightfully say to follow me, because here's the man that has seen Christ in glory, and that is surely a lesson for us. The one to follow is a man who has seen that one in the glory into which he has entered.
It was the effect, wasn't it, brother? And the effect of that heavenly glory that he had witnessed that made him willing.
To even go to die, he was willing to take all the shame and all the suffering goes along with the rejected Christ. It was the effect of that he'd been caught up into glory. Handy, He couldn't. He couldn't explain what he had seen. Words wouldn't suffice, but it was the effect of that glory, heavenly glory, that he had seen that caused him to talk like this. Otherwise, he couldn't have talked this way.
Peter was a witness of the sufferings of Christ and decide a desire to share in his the glory that should be revealed. But Paul was the witness of the glory of Christ and.
Desire to share in his sufferings down here.
So it's just reversed in the connection with these two apostles. Yes, thus they were partakers. One of the pita was a witness of the sufferings, as you say was in the partaker of the.
00:45:08
Glory. Yes, the opposite of Paul. He had witnessed the glory of Christ and was a part taker of the sufferings. It was the effect of that heavenly glory that he had seen that made it possible for him to honor his save in that way. And I believe that's a very practical thing. Beloved, in our own Christian life, it's only as we are occupied with Christ that we can be of any service at all to him.
Aye, Pardon.
I just wanted to say to Brother Lundeen that I think his thoughts that.
One that ministers his life and walk and behavior should be in full agreement with the ministry that he is giving out now Paul and away sets before us that which you speak of and it's very important. I just brought in the other because.
It certainly is a fact that Paul was the only one of the apostles.
So that they follow me in false ministry. I believe what you don't get in the ministry of the others, that is the detailed account of his life as that example. We get it in the act. We get it in Corinthians in connection with his ministry, in Second Corinthians particularly. And I believe it's very important to to see the progress of it, the history of it.
As he goes on until in Timothy at the end, Second Timothy, where he's about to lay down his life, as it were.
He commits everything to Timothy, and he speaks in that way of the solemnity of the trust that is now to be committed to Timothy, who would carry on after him. But I believe that he insists with Timothy.
To keep himself pure because of the ministry, I believe it's a very striking point in the ministry of the Apostle Paul.
What it says here in First Timothy chapter one and verse 16, albeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him.
To life everlasting, that he was raised up very specially to be a pattern. And that we might say, well, all this truth is very wonderful, but does this work? Does this truth work out practically in the life? And so God raised up a man who not only ministered the truth, but showed in his own life that it did work out practically because he was it was all of mercy and all of grace. A man picked up who was the enemy of Christ and of his people, and is the one who is completely transformed.
Naturally, as we remarked before, he was a covetous man, but Grace had taught him so that he could say I've coveted no man's gold or silver or apparel. Naturally, he was an overbearing, insolent man, but Grace had made him a nursing father. And so we might sit in these meetings and say, well, it's nice to talk about these things, that the things that we have to meet, it's not practical in our life to live this way.
Well, God picked up a man who was the very opposite of this, naturally, and showed what it could do. The power of the Spirit of God could completely transform this man's life and make him a pattern to those which should hereafter believe. And I believe indeed what has been said, it's most important, and as Paul exhorts Timothy in this line, that it should be so in our lives. I think it comes in in this very chapter that we're reading also, brethren.
That he brings the truth before us and the practical effect it had upon his life, and then the warning that it was quite possible to know all his truth and still not to have the practical effect of it in the life. There's often been a discussion as to whether he is referring in the end of the chapter to those who were unsaved. I I believe that sort of missing the point. I think the point is that we might know the truth and not walk in it in an our practical life.
The enemies of the cross of Christ, even although we know it, and I believe is gathered to the Lord's name.
It has a voice for us that we should not only know the truth and of our standing, and that Christ is in glory in these precious things, but we can each one be exercised as to whether, knowing all this, we're minding earthly things, we're going after that which robs us of the enjoyment of the truth that we're talking about this afternoon. And so I think he sets the two things before us that the grace of God enabled him to make Christ his object and to count all things but lost. But the danger on the other hand, which we all feel, especially in this day and age.
00:50:35
Going on seeking those things that satisfy self and the flesh instead of Christ.
And the second official to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul gives us something that makes us understand that we're not to make a God out of him. He is not to be the object. That is, Paul is not to be the object. Because here in the 12Th chapter of Second Corinthians.
He gives us something of his experience.
And in verse seven he says, after he's had the experience of being caught up into the 3rd heaven, and seeing these wonderful things, that he couldn't even give expression to here. And lest I should be exalted, leave out the above measure through the abundance of the Revelation that was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to Buffett me, lest I should be exalted well, and he has this thorn in the flesh.
And.
He wants to get rid of it, and he says, For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me. Well then the Lord says, my grace is sufficient for for thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness. And when the apostle Paul sees this, then he says most gladly. Therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me, while this reminds us that he was still a man, he was a human being.
And it was possible for him to be exalted.
To get pumped up. And the Lord knew how to take care of that. And oh, it's it's wonderful to see how the Lord dealt with him and kept him sustained him. And how the grace of the Lord was ministered to him. Well, This is why he could be the pattern the Lord setting up set him up as such, but the Lord took care of it too, that he might go on as he ought to. And the Lord can do the same for us. The Lord can give us grace.
To be what we ought to be here in this scene, Paul said. By the grace of God, I am what I am, and that's our only hope, is the grace of God, which can enable us to be what we ought to be.
I agree with what has been said about the.
The theme here of having Christ in the object, and also the warnings of those who might.
Even as believers mind earthly things.
But we dare not set aside the solemn truth that there is such a thing as those who are enemies of the cross of Christ, and that their end is destruction, and they're characterized beloved by minding earthly things. I believe this is a special warning for the day in which we live, and this is what is taking over in this world.
This age will close.
With men being overcharged with the cares of this life, we get that in the gospel in the Gospel of Mark, 23rd chapter. I believe it's the character of the day in which we live.
Men who have outwardly professed Christianity, but perhaps brought up in a Christian home, but turn aside, become enemies of the cross of Christ, and the solemn warning to such is whose end is destruction.
This is the course and this is the end of the course, and all had even wept over these.
A man that he speaks of Godless, they were those that had that. He had hopes for that. At one time he really thought they were the Lords and were quite happy to think they might be used of the Lord. But we have to weep over them. Is starring to see that those very ones had turned away as and were going on.
00:55:06
Enemies of the Cross are endless destruction, so there is, as you say, a most pulmonary to any mere professor that may have.
Have a lot of knowledge of the truth and yet has never really accepted Christ from the heart of the personal Savior. In other words, has never taken His place before God of the lost and guilty Sinner.
Remember one time I was talking to a man?
And he started to give him the gospel, and he gave me the gospel as clearly as I could give it to him. Or he could explain how the Sinner could be saved. I said, are you saved? Well, he says I'm just as much saved as that man down the road. He says he swears before his family, and yet he says he's saved. I said, Harry, have you ever taken your place before God?
As a lost, guilty, hell deserving Sinner, no, he says. I never have. Well, I said that's that's where your your trouble is. He knew the gospel, but he'd never taken his place before God as a lost Sinner. And though he knew the gospel could explain it, yet it had never produced life in his soul.
The Apostle Paul speaks of demons. God forsaken me, having loved this present age.
Would he come in with this class? No, I don't think so. He would in the first application, that is to those who as believers may drop to the level of this world. But I believe we'll see Dimas in the glory. But I I believe Dimas failed for what his name stands for. Popularity.
But brethren, you know it's been said of Abraham that the symptoms of a Pilgrim.
Our simple appetite and simple dress, a tent and an altar, Well, that that speaks to our hearts.
A simple appetite, simple dress, not going after this world and all that it presents to us, but going through it as pilgrims and strangers. May the Lord keep us in this path, because unless we are, we're going to be turned aside. And although the Christian can never be lost, he can lose his joy.
As he goes through this world before us, the end of the path doesn't they? That's where the path ends. That ends in destruction. And so those who come under the judgment of God in the Revelation are called those that dwell on the earth or could be translated the earth dwellers, those who had really made this earth, their portion, and so they come under its judgment. But God will never allow one of his own to go to the end of the course. Lot went and lived in Sodom, but in Hardy was not of Sodom. It says that righteous man. That's where he dwelt though.
And he got right down to the level by being there. But he was a true child of God, wasn't he? And so I believe there is the warning for us here that that's where the path goes, and God, which is exercise anyone who's going on the path to where it ends.
We have a beautiful picture of the Pilgrims Path in numbers 20 and verse 17.
Numbers 2017.
Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards. They may have looked very attractive, but we will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards. Neither would we drink of the water of the well could speak of the measures of sin. For season, the pleasures of this world we will go by the King's Hwy. That's an official path laid out.
By one authority you'll go by the King's pathway. We will not turn to the right hand, nor to the left until we have passed thy borders. Isn't that a beautiful picture of the pilgrims far through this world without encroaching on its right?
There's a special lesson in the call of Abraham concerning the Pilgrim he was He went out to a land that God showed him.
But we do notice that he did something that we sometimes forget.
He builded first of all an altar unto the Lord, and then he pitched his tent. Will the tent speaks of the Pilgrim, of course, but there was a secret there that he had his altar. Well, that's a good thing to remember, isn't it, To build the altar first as a Pilgrim, and then God takes care of the tent. I've often thought of that, that some of us make a great deal of effort to get the tent up.
01:00:30
And without the altar, consequently, the testimony is not a very good one. It's weak.
Hey, Brother Smith, that the order suggests faithfully in Abrahams life the place of worship rather than the place of sacrifice. I don't know if you read of Abraham offering sacrifices on the altar, but it was the place of worship, wasn't it? Yes, I suppose you would say too, would you, Bella Maria, the pledge of the presence of the Lord. Yes, that's beautiful.
Well, there's a contrast brought in at the.
20th verse better being among those whose end is destruction.
Who mind earthly things?
It says for our conversation is in heaven.
I believe I've worked conversation used to read it. Our citizenship or our Commonwealth is in heaven and whence also we look for the read that the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. It isn't the thought here of the Lord the Lord's saving our souls.
That took place when we accepted Christ as as a savior, But here it's the as the subject is of His saving these bodies.
Of humiliation and the saving us out of a world that's right for judgment.
The not word conversation there is the thought of association of light.
Our association of life is in heaven.
Not association with the world, not association with those who go on with the things of the world, who who are the earth dwellers. But our association of life is in heaven.
It's on a heavenly plate, and this is because our head is in heaven.
The Lord Jesus Christ, and we are united to him up there. We are the heavenly people.
It's not that we're trying to be a heavenly people, but we are a heavenly people. But because that positive truth is brought before us, that we have that position, then we're put into a place of responsibility to act according to it, to be what we are. And we find that in the word of God, that first of all the truth or the position is brought before us that we're in, and then the responsibilities brought before us to live.
According to the place into which we've been brought.
There's a special word from the apostle to Timothy in First Timothy 4:00 and 12:00.
Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in Word, in conversation. Well, there, it's more behavior, isn't it? The other place would be citizenship more, But the thought here in Word, in conversation, in charity or love, in spirit, in faith, in purity, that's a wonderful verse for young Christians to memorize.
And to walk in it, then further down, he says, Take heed unto thyself, and to the doctrine. Well, if we'd have written that, we'd have said, take heed unto the doctrine. But here's the great apostle speaking to Timothy his son. Take heed unto thyself.
And to the doctrine. So how important these things are? Will that word conversation just came to my mind there.
Was thinking too of how what is mentioned here in this 20th verse is in.
Perhaps contrast with the end of the 18th verse. Not the enemies of Christ, but the enemies of the cross of Christ. That's the difference. The cross is the what the world gave to the Lord Jesus. They gave him the most shameful death possible. They gave him a malefactor death. And so we often sing in the little hymn. Thy cross has severed ties which bound us here. The Lord Jesus presented himself to the nation as their king.
01:05:13
They ought to have accepted him as their king, but instead they gave him a cross. And now when he's about to go away, he said, my Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight? But now that's the emphasis on the word now, now is my Kingdom not from hence. Now in a coming day we read in Revelation the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. He's going to come back.
His Kingdom is going to be in that day of this world for his earthly people. But it has been a change and the cross has separated us from this world. The one with whom were associated was given that death of a cross. And now to mine the things of earth. To profess that we're part of it, is to deny and practice that we actually belong to the heavenly scene, so that he says our conversation in contrast with what the cross represents. Our conversation is in heaven.
From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We look for him to take us up there. He's going to set up the Kingdom and Israel are going to be blessed when that is established. But that's not our hope. We don't belong to this scene or to the improvement of this scene.
The hope of the Christian, we should, we could say, is to be like Christ. Well, we've dealt with that. It's been a great blessing to our souls. I'm sure the the believer.
His standing is in Christ. The hope, the object of the believer is Christ, and the hope of the believer which we've come to now is to be like Christ.
Now are we the children of God, And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him.
Oh Mr. Mr. Darby, when he wrote that wonderful hymn like Jesus in that place of light and love supreme once man of sorrows full of grace heavens.
Blessed and endless theme, that that dear man was walking through those courts of light by faith when he wrote that don't you think? Yes, heaven's blessed and endlessly so. The hope of the Christian is to be like Christ, and thus we have here.
The bodies, vile bodies. But we've translated that our bodies of humiliation. Is that right, Brent? Into the anchor tongue?
Of humiliation are going to be changed into bodies of glory fashioned like countries own body of glory. Oh what a blessed prospect, brethren going to be like Christ, like Jesus. In that place of light and love, supreme wants man of sorrows full of grace, heavens blessed and endless theme.
Endless thought that he remains a man forever. We have him brought before us in Luke's Gospel.
The end those 40 days, and he reveals himself to his disciples as he eats with them. And he says, the Spirit hath not flesh and bone, as you see me have, And so there He's with his own.
In resurrection.
Ready to depart to be with the Father. But He's there with His disciples, eating with them, and I believe it'll be.
Just as real.
And justice as simple, just as precious as it was for those disciples that day.
Only there will be the glory scene, but it will be a man in the glory.
Only three passages that take us into the eternal scene.
One is the 1St 8 verses of of Revelation 21 and there's a third chapter of Second Peter who speaks of the dissolution of all things.
And the coming of the day of God, which is the eternal scene. And then we get in the 15th chapter of First Corinthians and the 28th verse. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then tell the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be All in all. And I felt that that.
01:10:13
Passage carries us farther into eternity than any other passage that we have. That is, the Lord is trying to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords during the Millennium, but he's going to deliver that Kingdom up after the 1000 years have run their course. And then it tells us that.
Then tell the Son himself with marvelous thought here.
The Son himself being subject unto him that put all things under him, That shows the Lord is a man, because in his Godhead position there was no occasion for him to be subject. He learned obedience by the things which he suffered, but which he suffered as man.
Hello, what is filled my heart with praise? Here's the things, beloved.
But in that eternal scene that's brought before us, we have that blessed One associated with us in the very in the very blessings which will be our eternal joy. For we have all proven, and often through mistakes, that the only path of real blessing is a path of obedience, heavenly subjection to the will of God. We see in the Lord a perfect man who was always subject to the Father's will.
Now that Blessed One is going to associate himself with.
His that redeemed company in that place of manhood, in subjection to the will of God, which will be our eternal portion too, and that for all eternity. And even the Spirit of God doesn't carry us any farther than that. It just the curtain falls. There we are in the eternal ages.
With the blessed Son who became a man forever associated with us in the very place that will be our eternal joy, of perfect obedience to God Himself in that eternal scene.
To think in this verse that you've called our attention to, of how it carries on to show that he delivers the Kingdom up to God, even the Father, that God may be All in all.
I just mentioned this because it's a part of that work of Christ that has brought in all that perfection that is we have been accepted in the Beloved Ephesians tells us.
We we've been, we've been given, as it were, three particular blessings mentioned in Ephesians. One first is adoption.
Then we've been joined with the Lord Jesus in the day when he takes his inheritance.
But also the body is mentioned ceiling. We've been brought into that position.
But we'll never lose the enjoyment of that position of adoption. Never were children before the Father. Now, in the Old Testament, I'm reciting truth. Perhaps most no, but I just want to recall it because it's so precious. And that is that in the Old Testament, if a man stole, not only if he were found out, not only was he to restore what he had stolen.
But he was to add the 5th part to it. Well, that's a type. It's a picture.
We could never restore what we had taken away, but the Lord Jesus restored that which he took not away.
And when he did so, he added the 5th part and so.
Have in Ephesians the third chapter. How that?
There are various families and they're named by the father.
Every family in heaven and earth, that is, those who are to be blessed. Not under the earth, of course. But there's a new relationship, there's a new position in which all created being, shall we say, are brought into blessings.
And that's in relation to the Father. Now, of course, the Church.
01:15:04
Has a very near place. I go unto my father and your father, he tells.
The disciples in the 20th of John the nations come, ye blessed of my Father.
But I was thinking of how this all connects with what our brother Gladding brought out before us in the beginning of the meeting of the Prodigal. Here we have it. The Prodigal is brought home to the Father's house and all the blessing that is poured out upon the Prodigal.
And the day when he's going to show the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness starts us through Christ Jesus.
And we don't have a few minutes now for this wonderful clothing verse. Who shall change our vile bodies? Heather Smith has our body of humiliation.
That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
I've heard Brother Clifford Brown speak of this that where reason comes in, man says oh how can that be possible?
For these bodies of the Saints that have been devoured by sharks, where are those bodies? Bodies that have been burned in the dye and the ice is scattered to the four winds. How can those bodies ever be restored and brought back?
And he says there are just three words that answer the whole argument. And there are these In this verse. He is able, and that settles it, doesn't it? And when we think of the immense and mighty power of God, why should we ever question anything that God is not able and capable of accomplishing? Look into the heavens and figure out where myriads of stars.
That are his creation.
Think of how he keeps that whole universe in motion and in the traveling and their orbits in perfect time. And think of how he had took a man out of the dust at the beginning. Well, if God can do all of those wonders and amazing things, is it any stretch of imagination to think that God cannot bring back?
Again.
The bodies of his Saints, nor indeed the very beginning of the word of God, is very important, and that is in the beginning God give God His place, and then every other subject.
Of no difficulty to understand and to receive.
Rather to receive and to understand many things that we have difficulty understanding.
But we can't believe because if the word of God and if God who has spoken.
Let me sing 135.
This world is a wilderness wide. We have nothing to seek or to choose. We have no thought on the ways to abide. We have not to regret not to lose.