Richmond BC Conference: 2009
Table of Contents
Ephesians 1:1-4
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Wonder if we might, uh, read Ephesians chapter one, brethren and.
The chapter that brings before us our present portion in Christ, but at the same time touches, uh, the future of God's purposes to this world as we're getting down to the end of this dispensation and.
Getting close to the dispensation of the fullness of times which it touches, I trust that it might be something that we would find encouraging. What am I brethren say?
Mm-hmm.
Book of Ephesians, chapter one.
Verse one.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the Saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who have blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself.
According to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He hath purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one.
All things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.
That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory. Wherefore I also after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus.
And love unto all the Saints, feast not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inherit of His inheritance in the Saints.
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power?
To Oxford, who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might.
And dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
The chapter brings before us the eternal, uh, the revelation of the eternal purpose of God.
For Christ in the Church, it takes us back into eternity past where we have.
God, our revelation.
Uh, for Christ in the church.
00:05:10
I'd like to make this one statement in verse one as an early one. Janet.
Uh, I felt that the the verse one which says the Saints which are of Ephesus and to the faithful and I mistakenly divided those two the.
And Harry Hayhoe corrected me right away on that. They're both the same.
Even today we have that tendency, uh, some to divide that there's some faithful and there's just some Saints. But uh, that isn't what the word has gone before We're all born.
It really is those that have faith, isn't it? And that's all believers, all true believers have that faith and the characteristic of the faith of God.
Is that it overcomes the world. It may be more evident in some than others, but like you say, it's the same class. It's all those at Ephesus he was addressing.
Another thing I think that is helpful to in reading this chapter is to see that in this first chapter, God is the one who does everything.
And when you get to chapter 2 Then you have the will of man. The 1St 3 verses manifested. But in this first chapter it is the will of God that is so evident in verse one. Call an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.
And verse five, according to the good pleasure of His will. Verse 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will.
And uh.
Somewhere else here flips me right now somebody else see it verse 11. Thank you. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. And so when it is God's purpose is it's all blessing. Brother, when you get the 1St 3 verses of next chapter, it's a pretty dark picture.
Because there it's the will of man involved. But isn't it wonderful to leave ourselves out of the fixture here and focus in on God's thoughts and God's purpose is a blessing from that past eternity.
Need to see how that the apostle or the Spirit of God leads the apostle to bring out this wonderful truth with regard to Christ in the church. And we often speak of it as the highest, uh, line of truth in the scriptures that he would bring it out in such a way as it's like prayer and, or praise and prayer. It's in, a, uh, priestly tone in which it is written for after the first 2 verses, which give you the, uh, the, uh, introductory salutations and so on, you get from verses 3 on to 14, the apostle.
Blessing God and we're privileged to listen in as he is just exalting in the, the, uh, these wonderful, uh, privileges and blessings that are ours in Christ. And so we learn from a perspective of him praising God. And then from verse 15 on to the end of the chapter, his, uh, his praise passes to prayer. And again we listen in and we hear him praying for us that we might have the right spiritual state to enter into.
And understand these things. And so we might say that the chapter divides in two parts after the introduction, the apostle blessing God and the apostle praying to God. And so as I say, the chapter really is an inscription of praise and prayer. And, uh, in it, God is able to, uh, we're, we're well, we're privileged to listen in to this and we're instructed us to the great and eternal purpose that God has for.
His son and our association with him.
It's beautiful, too, to see in connection with the purposes of God and in connection with His will that nothing ever frustrates it. You know, man is frustrated today. Man takes counsel. Man has purposes and plans, but often those purposes and plans are frustrated and in the end they don't turn out the way that they had hoped that they would. Whether it's in government or sometimes even in our personal lives. Sometimes I've sat down with my family and we've taken counsel and come up with some plans and some things we purpose to do.
00:10:18
So when we look back, we realized that those things didn't come to pass. Sometimes we're thankful that they were because we see perhaps they weren't according to the mind of the Lord. And so we're thankful that he, uh, intervened and, uh, LED us in another direction. But isn't it wonderful? There's two things in connection with the purposes of God. They're never frustrated and He never has to change them. Sometimes we have to change our plans. Sometimes even halfway through something we see, perhaps this isn't the best for ourselves, for our families.
Or for whoever is involved, if we're in business or whatever. And so we have to come up with Plan B uh, as we, as they say, But God, I speak reverently, never has to come up with Plan B when he establishes something, those eternal councils and purposes, they're for the blessing of man and for the eggs, full exaltation of his son. And rather nothing is going to frustrate those purposes. All that man can do, all that the work of the enemy can do, it's all going to come to fruition.
So whether it's in our purse, God working in our personal lives, whether it's in connection with this earth, earthly blessing, the heavenly scene, everything is going to come to fruition in His own time and again for His glory, in the full exaltation of His Son.
Who live in the West?
Have to be especially reminded.
Uh, we have the opportunity to collecting financially, you know.
But remember, as Christians, our real blessings are not money or houses and this kind of a thing, spiritual blessings, you know, we can lay hold of that only by faith and.
And so it's very important that we have spiritual blessings and they're not on earth.
You know, so our homes are set on brighter things above the Humira says. You know, so you better remember that in the land of plenty where we live, you know, there are a lot of people in the world that go hungry.
And when you tell them?
About heaven and spirit of blessing, they are not tied down so much by earthly things, but their care for earthly things many times are so prominent and they're worried about it so much that it hinders them to lay hold of these things. And I'm so thankful that we are in the West. We have liberty. We can come together in meetings.
It can come to conference and hopefully we come with the desire to learn, to get to know the Scriptures better and to get to know the Lord Jesus better and all we have in Him.
I'd like to ask a question. Uh, Bruce, you mentioned that, uh, the book of Ephesians is considered the highest truth. Understand what you mean, But perhaps there's people in here that the young people specifically, they don't understand what, what do you mean? Or when you say, well, in the book of Ephesians, it's pretty easy for us to say, well, you know, by the way, in the book of Ephesians, the highest truth, what are we talking about when we say that?
Well, uh, the uh.
We see the height of our blessings here in this epistle. Other epistles do mention some great Christian blessings, but in Ephesians we get the pinnacle of them. So we see our place in the big scheme that God has purpose for. Yeah, for His Son. And we have mentioned the purpose of God, the great eternal purpose of God. Well, what is that purpose? That purpose is to glorify His Son in two spheres, in heaven and earth, in the world, to come through a specially formed vessel for that purpose.
The church.
The body and bride of Christ. And if this epistle is the one that really discloses that, in fact, it is only one of two epistles that we have the truth of the mystery disclosed. The mystery is mentioned in four epistles, but there's only two epistles that really disclose the details of it, and that's Ephesians and its counterpart, Colossians. And these two epistles are, uh, give us the highest, uh, line of truth with regard to the Christians.
00:15:04
Blessings in Christ and God's great purpose, uh, to glorify his Son. You also get our identification with Christ and our position in Christ is seated, whereas the other epistles don't go that high.
You see, you get with, uh, Romans, you see Christ crucified and dead, but uh, in Colossians you get him, uh, uh, dead and risen and our place identified with him in that. But Ephesians goes beyond that even, and it takes us from, uh, being identified with Christ Quicken, risen and seated at the right hand of God. That's chapter 2, verse 6.
Where you don't see that in the other pistols?
And it's important to see too that really in the very opening words when he says Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, that should be translated Christ Jesus. Paul was an apostle of Christ Jesus, Peter, James and John, they were apostles of Jesus Christ. There's a difference when it's Christ Jesus, it, it's, uh, well, first of all, when it's Jesus Christ, it's not by mistake that the Spirit of God puts this in the scriptures and it's referring to the man that's come down from heaven.
Uh, for the glory of God and God into death and accomplish redemption. But when it turns it around and puts the title before his name and says Christ Jesus is talking about the work being completed and he's risen from the dead and now seated at the right hand of God. And so that's the character and sets the tone of the epistle. He's an apostle of Christ Jesus, and we find that all our blessings are found in him as he is up there in heaven. And Paul styles himself in the various epistles that he writes as the apostle of not Jesus Christ, but of Christ Jesus.
As I say, uh, Peter, James and John and the others received their apostleship when the Lord Jesus was here in this world. And you'll turn to Peter, you'll see he calls himself an apostle of Jesus Christ because that's where and when he met the Lord and received his apostleship, as you know, from the Gospels. But Paul got his call as an apostle after the Lord had risen, gone back to heaven. And so he styles himself in this way. And I believe that he puts it in here because it really sets the tone of the epistle. And again, it's mentioned with regard to the Saints and the faithfulness.
They're called in Christ, and that expression in Christ is something that's found, what is it, 21 Times in this epistle, and it really denotes the believers position of acceptance before God.
And, uh, it really means to be in Christ's place before God. That's our place and that's where our blessings are found.
I don't know if that could be more to that, but he looked at us. That's a simple explanation. That's how closely I'll be associated with it.
Epistles in the New Testament can generally be correlated with examples in the Old Testament, and it's always been helpful to me to see some of that correlation there. Several times, of course, we have this illustrated in the Old Testament, but one of the most common illustrations and most helpful of course, is Israel's journey from Egypt to Canaan. And so our brother Bruce mentioned Romans, for instance, and that speaks. That correlates with the book of Exodus particularly, doesn't it?
Where they're taken out of the land of Egypt, the land of slavery, and they're delivered first by blood and then secondly by, by, that's under the Passover and then by power, uh, as they're delivered from, uh, the condition they were in, not only from their sins, but from sin as well. And we see that in the Red Sea. And then what happens there? Are they in Canaan right away? No, that was the promised land.
That was the proper hope for the Israelite to be in Canaan. But in fact, once they were delivered from Egypt, they were in the wilderness, weren't they? And so Romans, as I say, particularly is, uh, is the, uh, is correlated with Exodus in the Old Testament, uh, our deliverance by blood and by power in the Passover in the Red Sea. But then a number of the other epistles are wilderness epistles, aren't they? Philippians is a wilderness epistle. We're seen as walking here below, and we're looking to Christ, who's in heaven.
He keeps us going and, uh, we can have joy in the midst of very difficult circumstances because the Lord Jesus is, it's often been mentioned, there's four different chapters in Ephesians and Philippians and he's brought before us in different ways, but he's our object, our example, our life. And So what a wonderful privilege that is. So we're seeing as strangers and pilgrims as we have in the book of Peter as well, which is also a wilderness book where we're seeing as strangers and pilgrims. Not yet.
00:20:18
Seated in heaven, we have it in Second Corinthians, which is also a wilderness book. Hebrews has often been spoken, somebody in their prayers spoke about the open heavens this morning. And so in the book of Hebrews, the riches of heaven are displayed, but still they're to a people that are seen as in this world. The Tabernacle was always mentioned in Hebrews, isn't it? The temple was not mentioned because they're seen as strangers and pilgrims in this world and, uh.
Not yet in Canaan, but when we get to Colossians, it's often been said that Colossians is an advance then on the wilderness. And it speaks really of the Jordan. And so they're passing from being strangers and pilgrims into this world to being dead and risen, uh, in that epistle. And so it's been said that it speaks particularly of the Jordan River, where they're passing now to their true, uh, their true, uh, hope, remember.
What kind of Israelite would a person be who didn't desire to be in Egypt and in Canaan? And so that's what the book of Ephesians brings before. It doesn't brings before us. It brings before us our proper Christian blessings and privileges. What God has done. It's often been mentioned, it's what the church is to Christ. And so these are blessings that are distinctly Christian. And as our brother Bruce was saying, the highest of all privileges if we don't understand the book of Ephesians.
We haven't really entered into our Christian portion. We may see ourselves as strangers and pilgrims struggling to get through the world day by day, but do we sit in heavenly places viewing things from God's perspective? That's Canaan, isn't it? We're there. That's the promised place. We just read not long ago, just as a brief illustration of this in the book of, uh, First Samuel. We're reading in our little meeting there in Spokane, and it was helpful for me to see the, the uh, names that are given.
You know, Saul had no faith, King Saul had no faith. When he speaks to the people of Israel, he calls him Hebrews. If you look there in, uh, First Samuel, I think it's, uh, 13 and 14 or maybe 14 and 15. I'd have to check. But it's interesting to see the interplay between the names Hebrews and Israelites, Those who did not appreciate the call, distinctive calling that Israel had called the people Hebrews, the Philistines, when they talk about them, they said, oh, the Hebrews are about to come out of their holes now.
They're just Hebrews to them. They were just people who had a place among the nations, No distinctive calling whatsoever. But what about Jonathan? When he spoke about the people of God, He calls them Israel. They're the people who had a special calling from God, and he recognized that. What is the Spirit of God? Call him? Well, if you look at those chapters, you see the Spirit of God uses both names. There were some people that were afraid of the Philistines, and so they fled the land of Israel.
What's the Spirit of God calling Hebrews?
There were those who stayed and fought. What does the Spirit of God call them? Israelites. It's a beautiful picture, isn't it? Well, May God grant that we realize that we are Christians and that our distinctive calling is what we have in this book of Ephesians, as we're going to see particularly. Not that not to downplay the others. They're beautiful and important in their place because the Christian is seen really in all three places at once in Egypt. That's where we live in this world, day by day, don't we?
So as to our personal presence, we're in Egypt. As to experience, that's been said. We're in the wilderness. We pass through this dreary land and we feel it. But as to faith, we're any seasons, we're in Canaan. The Lord help us to understand that as we go through these things. That's why in the end of the chapter, the Apostle Paul praise and in his prayer he does not ask that they would be more blessed.
What He asked is that the eyes of their understanding would be opened, that they might know it. And brethren, that's what we need today. Every single believer in the Lord Jesus is equally blessed. But there are those who may understand it more. And it's when we understand it, brother, not only understand it, but let it sink down into our souls and enjoyment. This is true.
00:25:06
Right now, we don't have to wait until we get home to heaven to enjoy these things. It's supposed to be enjoyed, understood and enjoyed here and now. And I really think it's a challenge to us because we're living in days of materialism. We're living in days when man asserts his will like Jim was bringing out, and so much is occupied in our thinking of what people think.
President, it doesn't matter what they think so much. Yes, I have my thoughts too. And yes, my thoughts have been changed quite a bit too, but it's getting into God's thoughts about things And this is where we have them. And in verse three of our chapter, it, it gives that highest place that we've been brought into what a blessed, uh, verse that says blessed be the God and Father.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. In Christ, our blessings are not in earthly places. That was true of Israel in the Old Testament. Let's go back to Deuteronomy chapter 28 just to see that contrast, because there are a lot.
In Christian circles today that think that they are blessed when they have a greater portion of material things.
Brethren, material things are not necessarily a blessing. They can be a hindrance.
And often are, and I and I fear, are too much a hindrance to us in this country especially. But notice in Deuteronomy chapter 28 shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
To observe and to do all his commandments, which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth.
And all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, and the increase of thy time and the locks of thy sheep. Blessed shalt thou be shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. That is characteristic blessing for the people of Israel in the Old Testament.
But now we our place is completely different, our place is heavenly, is very clearly brought out in this epistle, and we are blessed.
Not conditionally, as Israel was blessed if they would obey. No, we are blessed if there is that faith in Christ Jesus as we were brought, as we had brought out earlier. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing. You can't ask for more blessing than you have right now. Sometimes we pray in our premise that we might be blessed, and I understand that to understand.
These blessings is a blessing in itself. In that sense, yes, but in the sense we have here.
You can't ask for more blessing. You have it all right now. What you need to ask is that the eyes of your understanding would be open to understand what is yours here and now. Wonderful brethren, Oh, it's a lot of sink into our souls. And brethren, I really feel that sometimes we understand these things in our mind, but we don't let it sink down into our souls. You and I are going to enjoy the fact that we have all blessing in Christ Jesus.
Our hearts are going to.
Be content to pass through this world without amassing a bunch of material things.
It will be characteristic of our life.
How is it, Bob, that, uh, we could be so blessed? I mean, it's very easy for people to understand, uh, conditional blessing. I mean, we were taught as young children, you know, you obey your mom and dad, you'll be given something, you'll, you'll be blessed with something, you'll be given a gift or something. So we were conditioned continuously all our life that, and that's why we can look at Israel and say, well, I understand that if I do right, I'll be blessed. If I do wrong, I won't be. And yet here.
00:30:11
It's unconditional. It is. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings. How can a righteous, holy God do that?
Because of redemption, the Lord Jesus has fully met all the claims of God in connection with the whole sin question, so much so that he can come out and the fullness of his being and bless according to his heart and not be not according to our poor little capacities to understand and enjoy. And that's the seventh verse of our chapter, isn't it? I'd just like to maybe take a minute and we've spoken about.
In connection with the book of Joshua and what it typifies to us and Bob, read us in Deuteronomy, and it might be helpful just to take a minute and go back and notice just three portions in the book of Joshua that bear out both what our brother Eric and our brother Bob have brought before us. Sometimes it's helpful just to take a minute and to see how these types and foreshadows really fit into the picture and scheme of things because the pictures and the types help us.
To understand the truth and the doctrine, the teaching that we have in the New Testament, go first of all to the first chapter of the book of Joshua.
And verse 2 Moses, my servant is dead. Now therefore arise and go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people under the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel, every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon.
That have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses, just a couple of things that I think are helpful that set the stage for the book of Joshua and confirm what our brother brought before us. And first of all, he states, Moses, my servant is dead. You know, there was an inheritance apportion on the other side of Jordan that could not be enjoyed in the presence of Moses. You say why? Because Moses was the lawgiver.
Moses springs before us that.
Uh, God's earthly people under the law and the blessings, the conditional blessings that were connected with that. And not only were those blessings conditional, but they were temporal as Bob brought before us. And so for Israel, it was right and proper to look for earthly blessing when there was faithfulness. And there will still be earthly blessing for that nation in a coming day, Not not conditional, but on the grounds of the new covenant and so on, when Zion is addressed in the grace of God.
But Moses, my servant is dead. There was a setting aside of an old order of things. And now this man Joshua, whose name actually means Jesus, and he's a picture to us of the Lord Jesus as the captain of our salvation, bringing many sons to glory and leading us into the good of our inheritance. And I want to just stress, because it's important has been already alluded to, that brethren Canaan in what it typifies.
Is something that we should have, can and should have an enjoyment of. Now not so much the hymns we sing, but some of the hymns that are sung in Christian circles bring before us Canaan, Azat, which comes after death, after the Jordan, and more in connection with heaven and what we're going to enjoy on the other side. Now brethren, it's true we only know in part and we prophecy in part. But brethren, Canaan, I say is something that you and I.
Can have an enjoyment of now we're seated there positionally, we're linked with our risen glorified head who's there. And because of that link, by the Spirit of God, we can enjoy heaven before we get there. But then there was a responsibility. Every place that the sole of your foot has, it treads upon that have I given you. It was given to them. It was laid out before them. Our vast panorama of heavenly blessings of which Canaan is a type, just a pale reflection and feeble foreshadow. It's all there, brethren. It's all been laid out before us. The mystery's been revealed. The secret's been revealed.
It's there now we need to take up our responsibility to lay hold of it, as Brother Bob said, to lay hold of it in our souls, to take possession of what is ours. But now bear with me and let's go to a couple more scriptures. First of all, in the 11Th chapter, I believe.
00:35:09
Yes, the last verse of the 11Th chapter, just a beautiful comment in connection with Joshua, is a picture of the Lord Jesus, verse 23 of Chapter 11. So Joshua took the whole land. I think that's a tremendous statement, Brethren, who has secured the blessing for us? Our Joshua, the Lord Jesus has secured it all. Joshua took the whole land.
And as a result, brethren, we have everything that God could give, no more, no less than God could give to us in Christ and based on the work of the Lord Jesus. But now go over to the 13th chapter and we see something else.
First one of chapter 13. Now Joshua was old and stricken in years. And the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years. Now notice this. And there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. You say I thought Joshua took the whole land. He did. Christ has secured all the blessing for us. It's all there, brethren. There's no question about it. About it, But there remains. Don't we have to each one? At least I do.
I have to hang my head and say there remaineth in my own soul very much land to be possessed.
We haven't come into the good of all that we have secured for us by Christ and that God the Father has for us. Brethren, if we get a little greater possession and understanding and grasp of it in our souls as a result of this meeting, thank God for it. There remaineth very much land to be possessed. May you and I be more exercised to seek vice, grace, and in the energy of the Spirit of God.
To take possession of a little more of what we're going to enjoy fully in the coming day. Does that commend itself, Eric? Yeah, I'd just like to make the comment, umm, in connection with Ephesians, the distinction between standing and state, that's really what we're speaking about, isn't it? And I think perhaps, Dave, you'd agree that's part of the answer to your question, too. We have a position before God, which we call our standing, that cannot change. That's given by God. We might say that.
The, uh, the Prince of Wales is the rightful heir to the throne. But then I'm sure when he was growing up, his parents said you're not acting like a Prince. That's his state, isn't it? And so we actually have that very nicely brought out in the book of Ephesians in the first two prayers, don't we? The first prayers are brother Bruce mentioned from verse 15 to the end of chapter one is really the prayer that we might understand our standing before God, how important it is that we understand.
Our Christian blessings that we've been brought into and then over in the third chapter, of course.
Umm, from verse 14 to the end of the chapter we have that we might lay hold, that's our state that we might live up to our standing. And so there's this important distinction in the book of Ephesians, isn't there?
Back to, uh, the chapter, but just one more comment if you'd allow me to do this, to turn you to Deuteronomy 26 and verse one. We get in this one verse really a summary of the whole book of Joshua and how it links with the truth that we are, uh, about to consider and are considering in Ephesians Deuter, Deuteronomy 26 and verse one. And it shall be that when thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and possessed it and dwelleth therein and so on.
You have three things in this verse.
You have coming into the land, you have possessing the land and you have dwelling in the land. Now, as I say, this is really a summary of the whole book of Joshua. The coming into the land is taken up in Joshua one through 4. Then the possessing of the land is from Joshua 5 uh, through 12, where they fought against the enemies and subdued it until the summary that Jim read to us at the end of Chapter 11 is, uh, he took the whole end. And then lastly, you get in chapters 13 on to the end of the book, the dwelling in the land.
Where each tribe was to go in and settle down and enjoy that portion that was given to them. But these three things have a typical significance in regards to us as Christians to come into the land. First of all, that is what we all have done. We have all entered the land in our association with the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are now seated in heavenly places in Christ. We are all in the land. But the next thing is, uh, to possess it. Now this belongs to those who are willing to fight for it.
00:40:16
This requires spiritual energy as we're gonna get in chapter 6IN Ephesians and those who are willing to spend some energy to learn these truths and to, uh, to dig them out and to, as Eric said, to pre to understand them. And then finally we have the dwelling in them. And that there, of course, is the thought of enjoying what we've learned. And the second prayer really takes up more to do with that, that the not only would we understand our blessings, the first prayer, but the second prayer is that we would live in the enjoyment of it. Because when our souls are filled with the enjoyment of these, one of you think wonderful things, we're prepared to walk and act in it, which leads into Chapter 4.
Five and six where you get the practical side of these things being worked out in the believer. So I, I realize we should get back to our chapter, but we're talking about the connections of Joshua with Ephesians and I just thought that would be a good summary to add to what has already been given.
I'd like to just spell a little.
Sorry, that helped me. Maybe it helped young people to understand what it means to possess these things in your soul. Because, uh, it is a practical thing, brother. And it's not just doctrinal, it's practical. And some years ago I was in the Dominican Republic and one evening the Lord gave us this chapter to enjoy in the little assembly in Rio San Juan. And, uh, there seemed to be a real liberty.
In the enjoyment of it.
And I happen to stay with a brother who was single at the time and I was still single too. And during the night, about 4:00 in the morning, somebody pounds on his door just a one room house he had and said, Jago, somebody's robbed your store coming quick. And I watched as he got up out of his bed and before he he didn't hurry getting on his clothes.
He knelt down beside his bed and prayed before he went out the door and he was several hours gone. Came back about maybe 6:30 or seven. And I said, Chicago, that's terrible. That's too bad that they robbed you last night. He says, Brother, when I think of what we have in the Lord Jesus that we were enjoying last night, that's nothing, brother, that's nothing. He had set his feet down.
He had possessed some of that precious truth. And that's what it means when we read these things. They are true of you. Whether it seems like it or not. It's true of you right now. And I think it's we need to be challenged not only to understand these things, but to let it sink down into our souls and enjoy it. It's true, brother. It's the truth of God.
Uh, this is what for the young people to understand.
That election is individual.
You know, and that he has picked us out before the world was. He knew that I would come into the world and he said I want him to be my son that election, you know, and then he has predestinated me. What that predestination means, the blessing.
That I am supposed to enjoy, you know, predestinated us to possess the blessings.
Wonderful.
Uh, to those that got through us before the world was and he picked us out and then as we came into this world, he and his grace brought us in contact with the gospel.
That made us to see our needs and what God has done to meet us in our needs so. But then how wonderful when we lay hold of that too, that it was already settled in God's mind in the eternity past.
You know, chosen, I think Christ before the world was, before the foundation of the world was laid. You know how wonderful these truthful scriptures are, and to lay hold of it, there is no room for glorying in it ourselves.
It's all the grace of God.
The election has to do with our persons, isn't it? He chose us. Predestination has to do with a place he chose us for. I think that helps us put it in that context. But it is wonderful to think that.
00:45:17
Remember India and down where brother Eric Smith began his work amongst the.
Uh, Indians and Bolivia, he put it this way. Election before God ever dropped a stone in place, he was thinking about this poor Indian. That's the way he put it. I thought it was a very nice way to put it.
That wonderful brother, how could he know us before the world ever existed? There's a word that is used in Romans 8 that I think is helpful.
And it's because God is who he is that.
It is true.
Verse.
29 says of Romans 8, For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son.
Or knowledge.
Because God inhabits eternity, He dwells in the sphere where there is no time. We dwell in the sphere of time, so it's hard for us to understand these things. But with God there is no past, present and future. For us who live in the realm of time, there is that because of that, God foreknew every one of us.
And he chose those of us who believe.
Before the foundation of the world. And notice the end of verse one, brethren.
Seatingly precious that we should be holy and without blame before Him, in love, in His eternal purpose.
That is the position you and I occupy, one of holiness and one where there is no blame. And if we enjoy that, brethren, I see so many souls seemingly under *******.
They want to attain a holiness by their own efforts that they never seem to attain.
Brethren, we do not yet holiness by our own efforts.
It is something that he has brought us into.
Perfect holiness, and if you and I walk in the enjoyment of it, it will give us the power.
To walk in holiness of life, to make it practical. And there is such a thing as perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Scripture speaks about that. But why should we do that? Because we already have a holiness in Him that is complete. There is no lack to it. And sometimes say if a girl gets on a wedding dress, beautiful white dress and she goes outside.
I think she's gonna be pretty careful how she walks around not to brush up against some dirty car. Why is she so careful? Because she has a beautiful white dress, and you and I have that, brethren. Now we need to walk in accordance with that truth in a practical way as well.
Just another simple illustration in connection with election and predestination that helped me when I was younger. When they have an election in the United States, we the, uh, man that runs is elected. That's, that's person that, that it's a person he's elected. And of course we don't foreknow who the president of the United States or any elected official is going to be, but whether we know it or not, whether we know who it's going to be or not, whoever is elected.
Is then predestined to go and live in the White House. That's already established. And so that's the place the man is elected. President Obama was elected. He was predestined then to go and live in the White House. And so I think it just helps us understand the difference. But I'd like to just make this comment too, in connection with being chosen in him that it is, as it says here, not from the foundation of the world, but before the foundation of the world.
00:50:10
We were speaking about the contrast with Israel and the church and so on, and how Israel's blessings are connected with this earth. And the Spirit of God is very careful in Christianity to detach the church from this world in every way. The only thing that attaches us to this world is the fact that we're still here physically. We're still here in this world physically. We're not home yet, but as far as our position.
Our standing, Our Calling, our blessings, our hopes, they are all heavenly. And it's interesting that in the 25th chapter of Matthew, I think it's the 35th verse, Speaking of the future blessing for Israel, it's there's an invitation. Come and inherit the Kingdom prepared for you. Notice this from the foundation of the world, because their blessings are connected with this earth and they will be established in a coming day.
In a way that they never were even in the Old Testament. And they'll be the shout of a king amongst them and so on. And so it's from the foundation of the world. But how careful the Spirit of God here is in our chapter to show that we were chosen not from the foundation. Brethren, our blessings are not connected with the foundations or establishments of this world. That is the physical planet on which we live. But be long before that.
He chose us. And to think, brethren, when He chose us, He knew all about us. Isn't that remarkable? You know, I was adopted by the only parents I ever knew, and they chose me. They went to an orphanage and they chose me when I was two years of age. I had nothing to do with my choosing. It was all on their part. Just as with God the Father, I had nothing to do with it, and thank God I didn't. It was all on His part. But brethren, when they choked, when my earthly parents chose me.
They didn't have foreknowledge. They might have had a very brief record of my history up until that point and some family traits and characteristics that were on file that they knew about, but they had no idea what the future held. They had no idea what this boy was going to turn out to be like. But brethren, wonder of wonders, we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. And when we were chosen, God the Father knew all about me.
He knew all about you, knew my failures, knew my down sittings and my uprisings.
But He chose me, and He'll never be disappointed that He did. He's grieved with me sometimes, but He'll never be disappointed with me. He's gonna present me in that day. I'm gonna be presented in that day in all the perfection of Christ, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing as we get later on in this epistle. What a truth to get down into our souls to close out that verse five in the more critical accurate rendering.
Has the word sons, not children. Why is the difference? Why is there to be important? Because sun speaks of maturity, you know, that's the position that Christian is in, you know, and so the more accurate rendering gives it a sun and how wonderful that we are in that position of sun. Yes, we are children by birth, but as to our position, we're in the position of Suns. A child cannot.
Manage whatever he inherits, you know, but a son can, you know. So we are in a position of sons so wonderful to have that more accurate rendering and we can always compare. My wife always has that translation and I cannot. And at home we always read it, you know, read the Darby translation and it is actually the more accurate, the most accurate critical rendering that even rather Christian bookstore where we were looking for.
Books. They were not previous, but they had the Derby translation and they had an explanation.
The most accurate critical rendering available. What's the explanation? I'm thankful that we have that translation in English.
I enjoy the fact, Brother Heinz, that when the prodigal son came home, in his little prayer that he made-up, he said make me as one of thy hired servants. But when he got home, that part didn't get saddened. Why not?
00:55:03
The father wasn't interested in having more servants.
He wanted a son that could sit down at his table, that could enjoy fellowship with him, that could share his thoughts. And that's what sonship really is, isn't it? Being brought into the full intelligence of God's thoughts about his Son and about his eternal purposes. That's what it's referring to here, having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ.
Himself, sons of God, wonderful position that you and I now occupy, dear brother. I'd like to suggest that it is a wonderful position, no doubt. Bob, we went over 4 words at the close of verse four that explains why the father ran to meet his son is because we already mentioned that we are predestinated, chosen before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy without blame. We know that. We've accepted that. We can take that into our heart.
For these words before him in love, it is the love of the Father and the love of the Son that is bestowed upon us. And I was reading the other day in in John the close of John 17 in the words of our Lord to the Father. He's thanking his father. He says before, because thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world. Well, here we're chosen in him in before the foundation of the world. So it is the very same love that the Father had to the Son he has towards us.
That.
Is what's powerful. We can talk about all the positions and standings and States and stuff, but to very to grasp the fact that God the Father loves me loves you with the same love He loves his son and that the Son loves us with the same love. So that's also in the in the Gospel of John, but the same love he loves the Father. That is just absolutely overwhelming. If you really meditate on that, it's absolutely overwhelming. That is what's gonna draw my heart.
Nothing else. This love begets love.
ABBA ABBA father.
To explain that is that a child would say to the father that speaks of intimacy, ABBA.
Berevrentially say we might say daddy, you know, in English, you know, but it speaks of closeness and intimacy. ABBA father, so we can address him. You know, he mentioned a child from the child to say the father. Let us never grow up in that aspect because that's who we are before him. He's our father in close intimate relationship. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The weakest child of God. Absolutely. Let's play a hold of it.
Uh, just make a few comments about perspective or vision here before we see we're running out of time. Uh, we want God's thoughts, we want his perspective, we want his vision of things. As Einstein says, everything else is detailed.
And we have God's thoughts in the Scriptures.
And in Isaiah chapter one, verse five, we have what has been said, the key verse to the Old Testament.
Five and six. Why should you be stricken anymore? You revolt more and more. The whole head is thick, the whole heart faint. What we have here is a description of the first man, the first Adam, from the sole of the foot. Even under the head there is no soundness in us. This is a picture of man and responsibility. Now we want God's thoughts. Here we have them. We don't want to make up the rules as we go along and have a better opinion of ourselves than God has.
But wounds, bruises, putrefying sores, they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with appointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire. This is the condition of the world today, and it's in a hopeless case.
The key verse of the New Testament is in our chapter, verse 9 of 10. Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather in Christ, the last Adam, the 2nd man, God's man. Not the first, as we've just seen the description of an Isaiah, but this One in whom He is well pleased, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him.
That's our only hope. If we're going to place any hope in this world and in its politics and in its education and in its inventions and in its scientific discoveries, we're gonna be disappointed. We have to have God's thoughts. What is going on here?
01:00:08
Who in first John chapter 5?
Verse four. But whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. We have a world to overcome. We want God's thoughts about it. What is it coming to? Where is it going? What is its methods? What is its strength and power? It's all in man who overcomes the world. Whatsoever is born of God, and this is the victory that overcometh the world. Even our faith, the faith in Jude is to be intended for its objective. It's whether we believe it or not. It's the faith.
This is the faith.
It's given to us, He has spoken, but in when it's our faith, it's active, it has energy to keep and direct our steps in faithfulness to Him who loved us. And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God. This is God's man and He puts us in Him and where He vouchsafes to us that security and destiny.
That is in blessing for time and for eternity if we take matters into our own hands and misconstrue the vision by our own thoughts and rude opinions. Life is hard.
Oh, young people, 12 years old, can you get this? What I've said God has a man.
God has a man that He can trust for the fruition of all His purposes and counsels, and they are inevitable in him and in Him alone.
Lessons From the Sons of the Prophets
Address—Bill Brockmeier
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Uh, saying 200-6206.
Oh Lord, we know it matters not how sweet the song may be. No heart, but of the spirit taught, makes melody to thee #206.
Oh Lord, we know.
Mm-hmm.
I want.
December beginning.
I'm strange in the morning.
Right.
Our God and our Father, we thank Thee we can lift our hearts and our voices together and praise to thee and to thee. Lord Jesus, we thank you for that sovereign grace the sought and found us and brought us to thyself. Lord Jesus, a marvel at thee Extend the magnitude, the greatness of the blessing that we have been brought into. And our God and Father, surely thou would desire response from our hearts and we're reminded as we have sung that only praise that issues forth in life.
00:05:01
And suthi our God.
Not of duty, not of ceremony, but hearts responding. Our God to Thy love and Thy grace. We pray this afternoon. Our God and fathers, we purpose to open Thy precious word that Thou hast use it to speak to our hearts and encouragement and blessing and exercise too, as where needed. We desire our God to be part of Thee. We think of Thee.
Few moments that might be left to us, our God and Father. We desire that they might be spent for the glory of Christ.
And walking according to thy mind. So I look up to thee for thy help, our God and Father. Grant his hearts to take in Thy word, as we seek thy blessing. Our Father, in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Like to turn first to a passage in James 5.
Just gonna read verse 10.
Take, my brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience.
James is an interesting book, the only book in the New Testament addressed to the 12 tribes. There's three main epistles written to Israel, and James brings before us the broadest group. He brings out the 12 tribes and he addresses the 12 tribes as still the people of God. The light of Christianity had not yet been developed, and he looks at the 12 tribes still as the people of God, and among them were those that had living faith and those that were not real at all.
And that would explain some of the references we have in the book of James to, uh, such as sinners.
And cleanse your heart. She adulterers, adulteresses. Those are not admonitions dressed to those redeemed by the blood of Christ. But yet it was the people of God in an outward way. Now the book of Hebrews brings things down a little bit more narrow, and that is addresses those of the Jews that had professed Christianity. Indeed, some were real and some were not real. And that was the great burden in the exercise of the writer.
As to those that had made a profession that were not real and were in danger of pasta sizing, Peter's epistles, they bring us to the Jews that were elected according to the foreknowledge of God, that is those Jews that had living faith. But here in James it's the people of God of the 12 tribes, and yet there is ministry to them that they could draw from to help them in their present conditions and needs. And as we read the 5th chapter, we are.
Impressed by the difficulty of the situation.
That many were faced and they were being wronged and abused and violated by those of means.
And it was a very difficult time. They've been defrauded and by their their masters. And James says be patient. Therefore, brethren, to the coming of the Lord. So look beyond the present to that day when the Lord will set things right.
But it has struck me in this way as we come to verse 9, which we did not read. It says grudge not one against another, brethren. Interesting, isn't it? We might say grudge not because of the situations that you're passing through at the hands of those that are dealing deceitfully and unrighteously. But he says grudge not one against another, brethren.
The trial might be coming from those without, but the danger is that they would turn.
In among themselves, and grudge one against another.
Lest ye be condemned.
God's desire is that his people would go on together in peace, and we are to follow those things that make for peace.
But here we find a sad situation. Behold, the judge standeth before the door. First, Peter tells us judgment must first begin at the House of God. And then we turn to those early chapters of Revelation. We find the judge in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. But in the context of this.
00:10:00
Situation and trial that they're passing through there is this word that we.
Read Take my brethren, the prophets, and to take the prophets as an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience, that they were to look at those that had gone before as an example, that had gone through real affliction and hardship, and yet they had continued on. And so similar to what we have in Paul's writings where he can.
Right. Whatsoever things were written before time, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. That's the same basis here that James is exhorting the brethren. Consider the prophets as an example, those that have suffered affliction, those that have gone through trial to sustain you in your present situation.
Well, I'd like to look a little bit this afternoon at some of that line of thing, the profits that, uh, endured affliction. But more than that, I'd like to look primarily this afternoon at the Sons of the Prophets. And there's reasons that I would like to pursue that. But let's turn back first. The First Kings, chapter 20.
Before we read this portion.
Would like to narrate just a little bit what has preceded this time, and I suppose most here are familiar, at least in the general way, with the ministry of Elijah.
Whose, uh, burden was that the people of God would be brought to repentance under the law, that they would own Jehovah as their God and not veil. And we realized how Elijah seemed to have that ministry come to fruition when the, uh, the people owned that Jehovah was God and how helpless Baal was and pleading for himself.
But then Jezebel rose up and Elijah went on the run, and this disheartened prophet found himself in a cave.
Symbolic, no doubt, of his state of soul, the gloom and the doom.
And the depression that was his. And in the low moment, he could say.
I only am left.
And we find in Romans that that was counted against them as interceding against the people of God. And the Lord said, Go anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat, administer in your stead. Elijah's ministry had in a certain sense come to a close, although we find the Lord remarkably using him.
In a couple following instances, one is to staring Ahab in the face and rebuking him for the death, the cold blooded murder of Naboth the Jezreelite. So Elijah was still used, but it was then that Elijah was raised up. He would be the prophet of grace and we find here in the subsequent chapters the Lord had to remind Elijah that there was 7000 that had not vowed the need to bail.
Theirs, perhaps, was not the positive testimony, as was Elijah's, and yet they were faithful and they had not vowed to need a bail.
And we find these different ones such as Elisa in the next chapter you have Makaya. And here in the end of chapter 20, we find a son of the prophets that was used of God in a singular way. And so there's.
There's perhaps seven points, if we can get to them this afternoon, that bring before us the sons of the prophets. But I would like to notice that when we find the sons of the prophets viewed as a group.
The lessons are more warnings. Nothing really good materializes it as we look upon the sons of the prophets as the sons of the prophets. But when we find an individual singled out, there is lessons and instruction of profit and gain. And it strikes me in this way that if there is to be any blessing.
If there is to be any good and gain in our lives, it is as we are individually and exercise and conviction before God, not act and move as a group.
But as individuals before God, because we stand by faith. And so the great exercise in taking this up is that we might each one be individually be personally exercised and convicted before the Lord. Now one more point.
I suppose we've heard the word exercise.
00:15:04
Most of our life, well, I'm exercised about this or exercised about that, but allow me just to suggest rather than that sometimes when we use that word, we.
Really are not saying more than my gut reaction to this is such and such.
For my opinion on this is such and such, it really does not rise to the level of an exercise. And we have shorn the meaning of that word of exercise. What is exercise? And we might say this for further that what we desire is to be convicted about matters, not just have an opinion, not just have a random thought.
But that we might be convicted by the word of God as to what is right, and what is wrong, and what is truth, what is according to the mind and will of God, And that we go on with purpose, as the Proverbs tell us, that thou mightest know the certainty of the words of truth.
So let's look at First Kings Chapter 20 for the first point here.
And start with verse 35.
And a certain man of the sons of the prophet said unto his neighbor, in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord, Behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slave thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him and slew him.
Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
So the profit departed and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king. And he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle. And behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man into me, and said, Keep this man. If by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent a silver. And as thy servant was busy here and there he was gone.
And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be. Thyself hast decided it. And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face. And the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction. Therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria. We know the king of Israel that's noted here is Ahab.
His name is not mentioned. I and I take it the thought is when we have the king of Israel, rather than Ahab, that would bring before us the wicked man that he was. It's not so much the point as to the moral caliber or lack thereof of the man, but rather it takes up a man in responsibility, a king of Israel, a man in responsibility, regardless of his moral caliber and fiber. The point is he was a king and he was in a place of responsibility. That's the point that we wanna know here. Now we find that he had let slip.
The enemy of the people of God he was he was soft on evil. He let things go and now God is going to raise up a vessel to speak to him about what he had done.
Now there's four main players here. We have one of the sons of the prophets. We have the 1St man that he tells him to smite him in the word of the Lord. The man refuses and the lion slays him.
The second man he says to smite him and in smiting him he wounds him. And finally we have the 4th man, Ahab. After this son of the prophet goes through this attack by the man that he told him to smite and the word of the Lord to smite him and the word of the Lord, then he is prepared to give this message to Ahab. You say this is a very strange passage. How is it that God would have one to tell someone to hit him and for the man that refused to hit him that he would be slain?
By a lion.
Perhaps the thought might be something along this line. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
But what I want to notice here is that the son of the prophet, before he was to be used of God, had to go through something in order that he might be a fit vessel to bring that word to bear upon the conscience of the King of Israel. And we'll just anticipate a moment and say, isn't it sad?
That Ahab did not take the message. What did he do? And he did the same thing that you and I will do. If the word of God is brought to bear in our conscience and we refuse to heed it, what will we do? We'll do what he did. He got sullen, heavy and displeased. He got a bad attitude because he didn't repent. And what did he do? He went after Naval, a man of God that refused to give up the inheritance. Why? Because Ahab refused to listen to the word of correction.
00:20:16
And the next thing is we find that he kills a man of God.
But we're speaking now of this, one of the sons of the prophets, and the point I'd like to bring out here this afternoon is formation and preparation through suffering.
It's been said and.
Not that one knows much, if anything about it, but it has been said that no one has ever been used much that has not suffered much.
And we see the history of God's servants as we had in our verse. Take my brethren, the prophets that have suffered affliction. They suffered much.
Just recently reading again in Jeremiah what that man went through at the end.
Of the days of Jerusalem, just before it was plowed under by the hand of the Babylonians. What that poor man went through and suffering at the hand of his brethren at one point. We won't turn to it. They put him in stocks outside the court of the Lord. I I take it it was a public place, like they had in earlier days.
In North America, about putting someone in stocks and then mocking them publicly, Jeremiah went through that and later on we know that he went in the dungeon for perhaps no eye could see him. That was some of the affliction that that dear man of God went through, but he was a fit vessel. You think of the prophet Hosea, how God told him to marry this woman who was impure, and who, as we read the passage, it seems that she was unfaithful to him as well. Why would God raise up a man like that and to be sent to go through these trials? It's an order that he might enter into the very heart of Jehovah towards his people.
The suffering. The suffering can be the suffering of the mind and the heart, not just the body, which is very real as well, but God has.
The furnace of affliction for his servants. I was reason recently there in the 104th 105th Psalm, perhaps about Joseph, where it says they hurt his feet and fetters, and the iron entered into his soul physically he was hurt.
With his feet and fetters. But more than that, the iron entered into his soul. A man rejected by his brother, falsely charged by a wicked woman, and left her rot in the prison. But yet God had his eye on his servant. And it says the word of the Lord tried him. What was the word of the Lord that tried Joseph? I so enjoyed it rather than that it was those two dreams, those dreams that he would reign the sun, the moon, the stars, bowing down to him.
And then those 12 she's of his brethren, bowing down to him. And there he was, languishing in prison, remembering these dreams.
They would just mock him.
The word of the Lord tried him, but yet in that was what sustained him. But we see what the Lord's servants have had to go through in order that they might be prepared for His service. But more than that, to God is also forming us.
Some years ago there was a older sister that I don't know how she came in contact with the little assembly there in Hemet, but it was her desire to come. She had much affliction from heart problems to arthritis and the one medication she took, the one caused her problems on the other side and it was just a vicious circle. This their sister lived in constant pain. In fact, I remember the time when she asked to remember the Lord and.
View just a handful of brethren met in the side of the room to consider it and.
And she said, well, whatever the brethren decide, and.
What do we wait? Well, Scripture does say lay hands suddenly on no man.
But we didn't see what would hinder and my brother made a comment to her and she said I've waited for 13 years to remember the Lord at his table. I can we wait another week, but she has received immediately. But one large day morning I remember coming in early and there was this agent sister with two of the nastiest shiners.
Who was truly black eyes. And she sat there, this woman who had much pain and suffering the day before had been knocked down by two thugs as she took her Walker to the grocery store. They stole her purse. They knocked her down.
00:25:01
But there she was at the remembrance of the Lord, and all I looked at her, all I could say was, God bless you, Mary.
She said, her face just beaming like the face of an Angel. He's conforming me more to his image every day. The formation of the vessel through suffering. What we find here, one of the sons of the prophets, this is what he went through. And maybe we don't understand all the complexities and the nuances of the way God works with us, but we know it's for blessing and it's for good. But an example, we can find this man that was used.
Of God. Now let's turn over to 2nd Kings chapter 2.
The next ones we're gonna mention will find that the sons of the prophets are more viewed not as individuals here, but as a group. How are the young people's group? If you want, if you wanna get the points that way, call it the children of the Saints if you want. The point is when they move together, group think if you will, it's not for blessing. Again, it's the path of the individual where God can come in and bring blessing. Second Kings, chapter 2 and verse.
1.
And they came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elijah from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elijah, Terry, here I pray thee, for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. And Elijah said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elijah, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today?
And he said, yeah, I know it holds you your peace. And Elijah said to him, Elijah Terry here I pray thee, for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho.
And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as the soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho, And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elijah, and said unto him, Knowest out that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today. And he answered, Yeah, I know it whole G your peace.
And Elijah said on the M Terry, I pray thee here, for the Lord has sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they too went on, And 50 men of the sons of the prophets went and stood to view afar off.
And they, too, stood by Jordan.
For the next few verses, they're so instructive to bring before us a man gone up.
Carried a fire the whirlwind. It's a double portion. My father, my father. So we had in the first well the first two hymns this morning at the permitting and so impressed me. The heavens are open now that's what we have a man gone up the heavens open to faith and Elijah was a man that saw the man gone up. It's really here and type the advent of Christianity, the gospel of the glory, but we want to look at the sons of the prophets and here was the end.
Of Elijah's ministry, failure, as with all the Lord's servants, but a man of God, and a huge loss to Israel when he left.
But there was one that linked up with him, that lined up with him, that walked with him.
So they come down from Gilgal. Now this would be the upper Gilgal. If there's three or four Gilgals in Scripture, this is not the Gilgal on the banks of the Jordan where they were circumcised. This is the higher, uh, Gilgal. And they come down from this to Bethel. And Elijah will not leave Elijah. He stays with him. But as they come to Bethel, we find that there's the sons of the prophets. And they run up to Elijah saying, don't you know?
That your master is going to be taken away today.
They had knowledge, but they did not have devotedness. Knowledge without devotedness. They knew it was the end of the path for Elijah.
And they figured Elijah didn't know, because if he did know, why would he be wasting this time going with Elijah?
Sarah Bethel, the House of God.
But they knew.
But they had no devotedness to follow. Then we come to Jericho and we find thing. There's the sons of the prophets.
At Jericho and again, don't you know your master, your, uh, my master's, uh, be taken away from my head today. And Elijah said, yes, I know it. Hold your piece because it was the language of unbelief. It was a language that would cause him to turn aside. And I believe it's so important. I think back in Ruth chapter one or two thereabouts when I think it's the first chapter, when Naomi says to Ruth, turn back, we know that Orpa turn back, that Ruth did not turn back, but what was the pinch? Uh, what was the, the, the point there?
00:30:14
The the the key focal point.
In that passage, it was when Naomi saw that Ruth was steadfastly minded to go with her. She left off speaking to her. Now, since talking to her anymore, her mind is made-up. There was purpose. She had opportunity to return in the language of Hebrews 11, but she didn't. She was steadfastly minded to go. And how many problems we have, not just as young people, but as older brethren, because we're not decided on issues.
Because we're not firm, we're not clear, and how often the enemy can work and get us.
So to speak, treading water on things, but when there is purpose of heart, there may be reproach, there may be enmity, there may be opposition, but there's peace and having a settled word from the Lord. Well, they were saying, don't you know why she says, hold your peace. He didn't need to hear those, uh, cries of unbelief. He was going to go on and what a portion was his. Now we're going to let's, let's speed on to the end of the chapter. I'm, I want to come back to something that's.
This earlier on, but I wanna notice these two places. After Elijah sees Elijah go up, he comes back. He retraces the steps through the Jordan in the beginning of his ministry, his ministry of grace.
Verse 9. Verse 18. And when they came again, the Emporia carried it. Jericho. He said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not? And the men of the city said unto Elijah, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of the city is pleasant, as my Lord seeth, but the water is not in the ground barren. And he said, Bring me a new cruise, and put Salter in. And they brought it to him. And he went forth under the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters.
There shall not be from fence anymore death or barren land, so the waters were healed under this day.
According to the saying of Elijah, which he speak a wonderful type of the millennial days we have in Ezekiel 47, the water is being healed. But the point I want to bring out here is why was Jericho in that condition? They had the sons of the prophets there. Shouldn't that accounted for something?
Their fathers taught the word of God. They were the recipients of those that had heard the word of God.
They were those that knew before Elijah went up that he was going up. What was their impact? What was their influence there at Jericho? It says it was a pleasant place. In fact, twice over at least, it's spoken of as the city of palm trees. I believe it means the city of fragrance. What good have they done there?
The water was not, the ground is not. But oh now Elijah, the prophet of grace, and the energy of the Newman, the salt and the new cruise.
Puts it in the spring and there's blessing and there's healing. Oh, the blessing that can come from one individual.
That is an exercise in earnestness before the Lord. There is many small little assemblies.
Gathered in such weakness to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But all the good one brother, one sister can have with earn earnestness and energy in the things of the Lord.
What blessing there can be, but it's not moving along as this ambiguous, undefined group. It's one person acting before God. So Elijah brings in blessing there to a place that the sons of the prophets had done no good. Now it comes to chapter verse 23 comes to Bethel.
The other place the sons of the prophets were. And he went up from thence unto Bethel, and he was going up by the way. There came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up thou bald head, Go up thou bald head.
And he turned back and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth 2 shivers out of the wood, and tear 40 and two children of them. And he went from thence to Mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria. Well, now we have a situation that is.
It's not neutral. It's it's a very bad situation. We have these children.
Don't know who the parents were, but the sons of the prophets were in Bethel. And what do we find existing there in Bethel and, and name that means the House of God. We find in that place little children that mocked the servant of the Lord. Oh, you say they're mocking his bald head.
Which would speak of weakness.
00:35:03
But I believe it brings before us both the typical and a very literal thought that we would do well to be.
An exercise about that is.
Paul could say to Timothy that he was not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of me his prisoner, nor of me as prisoner. There is a sense in which we are in great reproach because of our.
Our poor walk and our poor ways.
And we have to acknowledge it and own it. Nothing to glory in.
The other point here is this thought of respect not to the Horry head. Scripture does say our rise up before the Horry head, but the bald head. You'll allow me please to turn to First Timothy chapter 5.
We have just been.
In the first Epistle of Timothy back home.
And it's so very practical in this 5th chapter is certainly very direct.
We recognize that the burden in First Timothy is godliness in holding the truth. It is practical godliness. The 5th chapter brings out that piety must first be shown at home. That's where it begins. At home where godliness, where Christianity is lived out first in the home. But now let's take a look at a few verses here. As to the elder verse one, rebuke not an elder or rebuke not an elder. Sharply new translation.
But in treat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren. Drop down to verse 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. And verse 19 against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
I'll start with the last verse. Years ago, one of my peers in the assembly, there were some issues that came up and said verse 20. Then the sin rebuked before all that others may fear it's talking about elders. That elder needs to be rebuked.
I had a sense that he wanted to be the one to issue the review too.
But as I consider that and have considered it in subsequent years.
There is a order to follow in this chapter, and the first one is rebuke not an elder sharply, but entreat him as a father.
I don't know, I I don't remember ever feeling my father needed to be rebuked.
But if I did need to review, how would I have gone to him?
Use the context of an assembly meeting to do it.
Or when I first go to him and say, Dad, I think you're missing this one. I think you're off on this point. Can we have a little discussion on this? I think you're going the wrong way. That's what we're doing to our older brother and treat him as a father.
Verse 17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor. Why double honor? Honor for their age and double honor because the way they have conducted themselves.
Later on we have masters worthy of all honor, but here it's double honor because they roll well, that's to be recognized and respected age for one, how they conduct their service to. And then there's one other note, especially them, that labor and word and doctrine.
And some of us can say, and many of us here no doubt can say in our history, we have seen those that have been the most maligned and most vilified are those that have ruled well and they have labored and word and doctrine. May we allow the force of the word of God to sink into our hearts as to this point before we jump into verse 20, rebuking before all. But there's one other point against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Will you say that's true for anybody, doesn't it? When we have that back in Deuteronomy?
Let every matter needs to be established in the mouth, or two or three witnesses. Why is it brought in here before an elder? Why does he get special treatment? I believe it would bring before us the importance and the care that needs to be rendered to.
Those that are older.
Well, the bald head that was lost at Bethel, they mocked a man of God.
Let's move on to Chapter 4.
00:40:00
Now let's check that out. I want to just comment on chapter 2. We don't have time to elaborate on it, but I just want to briefly make a point, uh, back in chapter 2, where there were the sons of the prophets.
That.
After Elisha went on and thought, Well, maybe the spirit of the Lord has discarded them on the mountain somewhere, let's go get this posse outlook for him. But what did they do? They sent. What does it say in verse 16? Behold, now there be with thy servants 50 strong men. Let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master. Here are the same men that before had such knowledge, but they didn't have devotedness. Now they have the appearance of might and strength. 50 strong men.
But they're unintelligent. They knew a lot, it seems, but now they are embarrassingly unintelligent, as if the spirit of the Lord had just dropped Elijah off, uh, on the way up. But one other point here, while we have here might without intelligence, we find that they were looking at these 50 mighty men to do their work for them.
Perhaps there's a word in there for us, isn't there? Perhaps there is a generation. I think in a certain sense it's my generation. We keep looking for the older brother and to do all the work as they get past their three score in 10 and they're past their four score in 10.
And let the older brother do it. But there needs to be that exercise that we quit farming these things out and take personal responsibility for ourselves. Now chapter 4, verse one another cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elijah, saying, Thy servant, my husband is dead. Now know us that thy servant did fear the Lord, and the creditors come to take unto him my two sons to be bondsman.
This rest of the passage is full of typical teaching.
But that's not my point and noticing it this afternoon, here we have.
A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets just had one husband, but he's linked together here as the wives of the sons of the prophets again bring him before us that that thought of the group of the sons of the prophets, and this man had died.
And what did he left? What did he leave his family?
Nothing but debt.
Let's turn over to 2nd Corinthians Chapter 9.
Or rather chapter 12.
2nd Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 13 or other verse 14. Second Corinthians 12/14 Behold, the third time I'm ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not yours. That is, he wasn't seeking their wealth trying to get that from them, but you.
Seeking their blessing for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I would like to read verse 15 in the new translation. Now I shall most gladly spend and be utterly spent for your souls, if even in abundantly loving you, I should be less loved. That's the heart of a father.
Here was the Corinthians. He couldn't take fellowship form us to say it made Paul rich, but he takes it simply as the place of a father needing to lay up for the children. So I have two things I'd like to mention. One is the literal and then is the typical, and we'll start with the spiritual first in terms of laying up for the next generation.
We've no doubt been struck by the great abundance that Solomon had as the established the temple and the Kingdom, the massive amount of material wealth that was there for Solomon to to build.
But where did he get it? It was in David that had set his affection for the House of his God, and he laid it up. David would have loved to have built the temple. In fact, Nathan thought it was a good idea.
Said, go do all this in your heart, David. And the Lord had to come to Nathan at night. Wouldn't it be nice if the Lord could speak to us that way and we could be adjusted that quickly, that we could be corrected that quickly? And the Lord says, no, Nathan, David will not build me a house. He's a man of blood. It'll be the man of peace, Solomon, that will build the temple. But David had labored so extensively that Solomon could build it up in a spiritual way. That's the burden that we should have for our children.
In the flesh and our younger brethren to lay up for them. But there's also another point. I, I, I we don't talk about these things too much. We live in some tough economic Times Now. There was that great famine in Egypt.
00:45:18
But Joseph had prepared for seven years, and so when the tough times came, he was able to be a help to not only Egypt, but to the entire world.
There is a verse in Proverbs and maybe you'll indulge me. We can just turn to it. Proverbs chapter 13. We won't linger any further on this topic.
Proverbs 13 and verse.
7.
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing. There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
I like to think of that last part of the verse of the Lord Jesus, but we're going to be a little more practical.
There's a man I work with, Jewish man, and he sometimes comes into my office. He's got a bit of a bit of a temper and he comes in and likes to vent on different things and.
He senses I have an appreciation for the feast of Jehovah more than he does.
I trust the Lordal. Yep, save him. But sometimes the subject is money. Let me talk about different topics and.
One of the issues was with, they came in to me, said Bill. I don't understand it, don't understand. He's a man that makes a very good coin. He said. How is it these, uh, these young girls around here can afford these, these fancy cars? I can't afford that.
Well, verse seven, there is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing.
No, we're we're all stewards before the Lord. I'm not having dominion over anybody's faith. I'm just trying to make a few comments this afternoon that might be helpful because I recognize for myself and many of us recognize the pressure that is brought to bear upon us in this environment in this economy to have the appearance that we have more than we do. There is that make it themselves rich yet have nothing except payment plans.
It has nothing. Every man walks into vain show we read in the 39th Psalm.
To give the appearance that we have more than we do, but yet there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. Isn't it nice when there might be one that said, you know, I'm well able to afford that, but I'm not, I'm not, I'm not going there. I'm not going to buy that because it's going to hinder me in different areas. It is a wonderful privilege to sacrifice even in small areas that you can help the work of the Lord just a little bit. If I, if I can just say this, especially when you're young. When I was going to school, pardon the personal illustration, but it was such a blessing to my soul.
Here's a little Italian place. I'd love to get the Italian sausage now and then. It's a little place across from the school. The thought hit me. But if you don't spend that $3, you know, you might have $3 more to put in the box on Lord's Day morning. That's a very simple thing. But are we thinking along those lines? And where can we, where can we move that we might be able to be of help in some way? There's a real blessing connected with it rather than just building up this appearance.
Of being rich and having nothing. Well, let's go back to 2nd Kings chapter.
Six now, So what we have in that.
4th chapter we have.
A posterity without an inheritance.
And how sad that is if we look at that in terms of a spiritual perspective or a spiritual legacy. Aaron's garments were his sons after him. He had something to leave his sons. And how important it is that we have something to pass on to communicate to our children.
Could get ahead of myself back to chapter 4I, apologize chapter 4 and verse 38.
And Elijah came again to Gilgal, and there was a dearth in the land, and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him.
And he said unto his servant said on the great pod, and seethed pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds, his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage, for they knew them not. So they poured out for them in to eat, and they came to passes they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, Oh, thou man of God, there is death in the pot, and they could not eat thereof. But he said, Then bring meal.
00:50:10
And he cast it into the pot and he said pour out for the people that they may eat and there was no harm in the pot.
Beautiful picture here. While these often quote that going on into the world, pour a meal into the pot to neutralize the effect of the poison that you may and will encounter during the day. But here we find the sons of the prophets sitting before Elisha. And whether this one was one of the sons of the prophets, it doesn't specify here. But he wanted to be helpful. He wanted to contribute, so he went out.
And he went into a wild vine. Now what do you think he would get from a wild vine? He got a wild gourd.
The fruit more character to its source.
We need to know where we're getting things. What is the source in this case? Typically ministry, wanting to throw something into the pot, as it were, that the Saints of God might be fed in this man, perhaps unknowingly shred them into the pot. They didn't know where it came from, They don't know who threw it in, but there was death in the pot. Well, Scripture has given us great safeguard, knowing of whom thou has learned them. Though this man went to a wild vine. He wanted to contribute, but he did so without discernment. So how important it is.
For us to consider where we are accessing that which we would bring before our brethren, there's a lot of.
What would be considered conventional wisdom within the Christ under the umbrella of Christendom today?
That, we fear, is nothing more than wild goats. Let's stick with the.
Precious Truth of God now, chapter 6.
The sons of the prophet said unto Elijah, should Behold now the place where we dwell with thee is too straight for us, Let us go. We pray thee unto Jordan. Take then to every man of beam, and let us make a place there where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye and ones that be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was fell in a beam, the axe had fell into the water. And he cried, and said, A last master for us borrowed. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place.
And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, And the iron did swim. Therefore said he, take it up to thee. And he put out his hand and took it.
Here we have possession without ownership.
We know what that is, isn't it using something, but it's not really ours and this caused a real problem here in a little distress on the part of this one of the sons of the prophet when the the iron head fell into the river. There's beautiful tea. Typical teaching here. Oh, you have in Romans 8. The spirit of life have made me free in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death, going contrary to nature and indeed swimming.
But the point I want to make here with respect to the sons of the Prophet is, Behold now the place where we dwell with thee is too straight for us.
I suppose in a prophetic sense, as we have in Isaiah 54, when Israel is restored, enlarged, zitent.
Let the curtains of thy habitation be lengthened.
So break forth on the right hand and the left, and inhabit the desolate cities, and so on. The Gentiles should be an inheritance. I suppose that might be included in the spot. But again I want to take this up very literally. The place is too straight for us. Not straight, STRAIGHT as in the opposite of crooked, but straight in the sense of narrow, restricted straitjacket.
Perhaps we've each heard at different times. I go back in my mind 30 years ago as a young person growing up in a large assembly and the hue and cry of the day was the place is too straight for us.
There was a battling and I could go down 15 points of what the issues were and why it was too straight and there was too narrow.
Well, that path was pursued, and all it resulted in was scattering.
The assembly where I grew up now is maybe half a dozen to a dozen people on a weeknight. Once a booming assembly outwardly, but the place is too straight for us and we have to come to the recognition.
00:55:15
Of the day in which we are living. And again, to know our place and our role as it would seek to strengthen the things that remain. We're speaking some of us earlier that the last recovery, the last revival in the church's history was Philadelphia. And after that is Laodicea. We're not going to resurrect. We're not going to bring back the days of glory in a collective way. But there is a path for faith.
Let's just say this is our time is running out. There's many different points that we could address, but I would just like to say this and then leave it with you that one of the main premises that in my experience and my observations over the years is a emphasis solely on the preciousness of the truth of the body of Christ.
Christ and the Church, but to the setting aside of the truth of the House of God.
These aren't new things. When we come to Ephesians 4, it speaks of endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the uniting bond of peace. What is it that immediately follows? You say chapter 3 immediately follows. No, that's a parenthesis. What is that precede that point? So therefore point, it is the outline of the one Newman, the one body, and then the household of God, the habitation of God by the Spirit that grows unto a holy temple in the Lord, the preciousness of the body of Christ and the House of God.
And it is what marks the House of God is holiness. Holiness becometh thine household Lord forever.
From and we cannot have one.
Focus on one truth, as precious as it is to the neglect and the abandoning of others. If we're going to expect to be kept, we need the whole truth of God.
A lot more could be said on that. I just leave that with you. The place is too straight for us. If we want to break loose, the Lord may allow us to give what we are fighting for. It's turned 11 Chapters, the last or the 9th chapter and this will be the last point.
So, briefly, what we've at least sought to bring out.
This afternoon, the first point is in a very positive sense.
The preparation and the formation of the vessel through suffering.
Then the danger of having knowledge without devotedness.
The devotedness born of love that would follow the one who is a type of Christ.
Until he goes up and we see him there.
Knowledge without devotedness, and then might without intelligence have an appearance of strength, but yet bereft of spiritual intelligence.
And then that great danger of having a posterity without an inheritance.
I speak specifically spiritually, but there is that literal bearing as well.
And then?
The matter of contribution was discernment. Know the source of your food.
And then?
That thought of.
The place is too straight for us. Again, we could call it possession without ownership. Well, my burden this afternoon are those words. The place is too straight for us. Finally, Second Kings Chapter 9 and verse one in the life of the prophet, called one of the children of the prophets and said in him, Gird up thy loins and take this box of oil in thine hand.
And go to Rhema feelings. We find in the following verses that he anoints Jihu.
And verse.
10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. That's the concluding remarks of this son of the prophet. And he opened the door and fled. I didn't read those intervening verses simply because we're out of time.
But what I find here is so important for each of us. We find faithfulness and obscurity. He said go in anoint jihu. The man goes in and gets out. He goes in, says what he has to say. He opens the door and fled and left it there. What an encouragement for us. What an important lesson, lesson for us. He that is faithful.
And now it's his leash faithful now, which is much. I think I'm quoting that exactly, but that's the principle from Luke 12. Faithfulness and obscurity. How important it is that we would seek to walk and act and move before God. The fear of man brings a snare, but to be not only exercised but to be convicted as to what the Lord would have us to do and then to do it. Leave it all with him. Let's pray and God and our Father, we thank you for thy precious word. We.
01:00:29
Thank you for the encouragement of the scriptures our God and we think of the trials and the pressures as I know, and we thank the our God that thou art forming thy people ultimately to be fully conformed to the image as I beloved son our God, what can we say to this? We thank thee and two thou. Let's use these trials to prepare us in the way of service, whatever measure it might be, and we might encourage others with the encouragement where we where with we've been encouraged of the our God.
And two of the danger of walking simply in an outward way without devotedness of heart to the Lord Jesus. Help us to lay hold of these practical lessons. We are each before these individuals, blessed Lord, and we would just yield ourselves to thee and thou is help us and exercises as we have need, and that we might be here more for thy glory, Lord Jesus.
As we come anyway to thee with Thanksgiving for this great provision of Thy precious word and fellowship with our brethren.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Ephesians 1:5-9
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Ephesians chapter one and verse 5.
Having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein He is abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us a mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself.
That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on the earth, even in Him in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the council of his His own will. That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.
And whom he also trusted. After that he heard the word of truth.
The gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the Saints.
Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to ashward who believe.
According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might.
And dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
Meeting that the chapter really has two parts to it. Uh, after you complete the 1St 2 verses, which are the opening salutation that, uh, we have the apostle blessing God with regard to these incredibly wise plan that he has to glorify his son. And then we have the latter half of the chapter from verse 15 on, we have the apostle praying to God that the Saints would have an enlarged understanding.
To take in these things and to.
Uh, understand them for the purpose of walking in it.
I've noticed that this great blessing that he's Speaking of in verse three, these various blessings.
In these, in the first part of the chapter, it breaks down into three heads in relation to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You've probably seen this before, but it needs to be mentioned as we go through these things. Verses 4 through 7, we have, uh, the blessing of God, uh, or the place that we have as sons in relation to the Father sonship. And then verses 8 through 12, we have our place with in relation to Christ, umm, as heirs of the inheritances.
In the coming administration of the world to come, then versus 13 and 14, we have the work of the Spirit of God in us to enable us to know and to appreciate these wonderful things. And it's interesting that each of these little subsections are punctuated with a note of praise. So you get down to the end of.
Verse in verse six is to the praise of the glory of his grace. Then you get it again in verse 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory.
And then again, you have it in verse in the verse 14 to the praise of His glory. So we see the whole Godhead involved with this eternal purpose, Father the Son and the Spirit of God. So let me say that again, he's focusing on verses 4 through 7.
00:05:03
Our place before God has sons in relation to the Father. Then we'll get in verses 8 through 12, our place that we have as heirs in the inheritance with Christ.
Over the the world to come.
Then lastly the Spirit of God that is been given to us to make it good in our souls.
So having said that.
Verse five is speaking about sonship. Now I realized that it doesn't say in this verse sonship. If you get a better translation of Jan Darby's, you'll see from this footnote that that expression, the adoption of children, should be translated sunship.
Sunship.
You've probably heard that Wayne said this morning that sonship is the highest conferred blessing that we have in relation to the Father. It's a special place that God has put believers who receive the Lord Jesus Christ and uh, and believe the gospel and receive the Lord Jesus Christ in this present time. God puts us in that place in his family. It's a favored place. It's a place that Saints from other eras and times ages do not have.
It's a special place that results from the Spirit of God dwelling in US and Christ having first taken that place on high.
So it's a, it's a, a wonderful, uh, blessing to think about, uh, this afternoon that we are made sons of God. He could have lifted us up and put us in a place of angels, lofty as that is, or even gone so far as to put us in a place of Archangel. But he didn't do that. He put us in a place that's far higher than that, put us in the place of his own son, and we're there before him.
Without blame, in love. That's the place that you occupy and I occupy. This is a place that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not know before God.
They are classified in Scripture as children of God. They're in the family of God and they've been blessed of God, but they don't have the favorite place that you have and I have, but by grace and because of the work of redemption being accomplished. So sonship is a very favored and special place that has been reserved for Christians who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. Is that is that why umm the Lord when Speaking of John the Baptist?
Can say, you know, I can't quote it, but there's no greater profit. But the least in the Kingdom is greater than his.
We're in the place of sun, but we'll never take the place of the only begotten of the Father, because while heaven will be filled in a coming day with the sons of God, that one will retain that special place as the only begotten of the Father. God is going to have a vast.
House full of his children, but what a place that Blessed One will retain.
So it's sometimes been said and I think it was alluded to this morning, that in John's ministry where children by birth, we have the very nature of God as born into the family of God. But in Paul's ministry, we're more generally Suns by adoption. We're children by birth and sons by adoption because that has to do with choosing and the dignity of the place that we've been brought into in an in a family, naturally speaking.
There may be some of both. There may be a child who was adopted, chosen. There may be a child or children who were born into the family. But so there may be some of each. But a child in a family can't be both. That child was either adopted or they were born into that family. But in the family of God, we're both, aren't we? We have the very life and nature of God, and we have been chosen and brought into the place of sonship.
Why did he choose you, Jim?
Just because he chose to.
The last part of verse five gives the answer, isn't it? Yeah, according to the good pleasure of his will. That would be a question we'll never perhaps know. But.
Wonderful to realize, dear brother, and that you and I have been brought into that place. We need to revel in it, brother. It's true of us.
It won't make a cloud. Understanding and appreciating this won't make us pride prideful. It will take the pride right out of us if it's properly understood that you see in the third chapter illustrated in the apostle when he spoke about the unsearchable riches of Christ and so on, he spoke of himself as being the least and the least of all the things.
00:10:18
That's what it does for us because the 2nd chapter brings in that it's all of grace, what we were, and apart from the grace of God we have nothing. And an understanding of our position and what we have and are in Christ will give us a true understanding of grace and as Bruce said, that will humble us.
What's the special of our sunshine? What are there some points that we did profit by?
Well, the word sonship means sun place, and it's the work of God in placing us in His family in the favorite place that His own Son has. As Jim said, we'll never have the place in deity or anything like that that the Lord Jesus has. Interesting to notice in this very epistle that were said to be in chapter 2.
Seated in heavenly places in Christ, but only the Lord Jesus is spoken of as being seated at the right hand of God the Father. We are seated in heavenly places in Christ, but only he is said to be seated at the right hand of God the Father. So it, it, it separates him or it distinguishes him of having that, uh, that place. But nevertheless, uh, as you speak, Vern, umm, you know, uh, sunship involves, uh, not only having that place of favor that the sun has.
But we share in the, the life and nature that he has. We have eternal life and, uh, we have the sons liberty. We have this. We share in the sons inheritance and we're going to share in the display of the sun's glory. These are things that are part of sunship.
Were brought into the uh, intelligence of his thoughts. So we have later on in these verses verse 8 he's abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will. So his son is one who.
Has intelligence, understanding of the Father's thoughts. Angels do not have it in the same way, brethren, they do not. They are not.
Indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God that you and I are, and we have that capacity now to enjoy, to understand his thoughts, how important it is if we're going to walk properly in this world, to have such an understanding. And that's why He's given us that. I often think that.
There's no gift in taking in the precious truth of God.
There is a gift of giving it out. Perhaps there's a teacher and but there is no gift for taking it in. So none of us are can say I don't have as much gift as those other brothers. No, you have the same blessing in that way. You've been brought into that position of understanding the Father's love and the Father's thoughts and I find often that some of our sisters.
Are really more alert sometimes than even the brothers in our meetings. There is no difference as to understanding the Father's thoughts. That's part of it, isn't it? This is not eternal that they might not be the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has said that gives the definition in Scripture of what life eternal is about knowing God the way it can be known today.
We know him as Father, you know, He was always known by his own as God.
Uh, not as farther, you know, father is used as the originator in the Scriptures, but when it speaks of it like this in the New Testament, if we first to relationship of being part of the family and only Christians are in that position knowing him as father and Kai ABBA father as we have expressed in him.
Beautiful to come to realize that and that we can approach without fear. Don't be afraid to address him as father. He likes to hear that. You know, any of us who have raised children, when they came to us and addressed us as Daddy, we were happy. We weren't we, you know. And so how wonderful.
00:15:10
That we can know God.
His father and he wants to be.
Looked at by us in that way.
ABBA Father.
That's not something we grew up to either, is it, Hines? I've heard somebody say once it takes teeth to say father, but a little baby can say ABBA. Yeah.
That's like daddy, you know, the way it would be today.
In description, the word ABBA, the meaning is like a child today would say daddy. I'm not suggesting we should address Paris daddy, but it gives the idea, you know, of one that is so close that he can say ABBA and he wants to be addressed by us in that race.
You get it in Galatians 4. You just turned back a couple of pages in your Bible in Galatians 4.
And, uh, just to pick up the thread of our read from verse 4-5 is verse, uh, six that I'm thinking of. Umm, when the fullest of time was, uh, come, God sent forth his son made or come of a woman, made or come of the under the law to redeem that we're, that we're under the law that we might receive. It says the adoption of sons. It could be translated that we might receive sun chip what we're talking about. And because we are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into.
Your our hearts crying ABBA father. So ABBA father is an expression given in scripture to that denotes that, uh, access that we have that Old Testament Saints did not have. ABBA implies intimacy. Father implies intelligence. We have both as we approach God, we can be intimate with him and we are also able to share.
In the understanding of his thoughts with regard to his purposes concerning.
His son and so on. And so ABBA implies intimacy.
Father implies intelligence.
And that's really what the first part of that 4th chapter is bringing out. Because the the child, as long as he's a child, he differs not the heir. As long as he's a child, he differs nothing from a servant. There is an intelligence, a young child sitting here, a very young child may not be intelligent as to.
What their father is doing in the family and his purposes and so on, they know the father and they turn to the father, but they don't have the intelligence that they will have in the normal course of things as they grow up and enter into the purposes and into communion and the purposes and counsels of the father and so on. That comes with maturity. And so in sonship there's also the thought of maturity. Yes, there's the simplicity of intimacy. And brethren, we never want to lose that.
We never wanna lose that simplicity of ABBA Father, but there does need to be that growing in the things of God and the purposes of the Father, so that there will be the enjoyment of that sonship. If as long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from the servant. But as he grows up and matures and communes with the Father, then intelligence comes in, and in our chapter he goes on to say that he's abounded unto us in all wisdom and intelligence.
What marks Christianity is intelligence. He's given us the capacity now to be intelligent. In the Old Testament there wasn't intelligence. There was communion to a degree, and a with Abraham and different ones, the friend of God and so on. But there wasn't the same intelligence that there is now in divine things, because we have the full capacity to take these things in and to walk in the dignity of them.
There's a couple of verses in First Corinthians I'd like to read in that connection.
This is so often improperly read that we need to get it right. First Corinthians 2 and verse 9 quotes from Isaiah and it says, But as it is written, I have not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. And too often that's where the quotation ends, doesn't it? That's the Old Testament position, isn't it? And that's clearly pointed out in the next verse when it says but.
00:20:03
Now here's the New Testament. God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things. Yeah, the deep things of God. That's what we have in Ephesians, don't we?
Are the deep things of God now too often and I SUS I I really believe this is one of the greatest veins of Christianity Today is a shallow Christianity. We're not much different from Jews. In fact, the Lord Jesus warned about that, didn't he? He warned about the danger of simply putting a new patch on an old garment or new wine into old bottles. That's what Christendom has become, hasn't it? Just merely a new patch and so many people well meaning I don't doubt, but they end their quotation at verse 9 because they say, see that's our position.
It's not our position that just as our brother Jim was saying, that's the Old Testament position.
But the Christian position is just this. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit.
That's the intelligence, that's the indwelling by the Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things. Yeah, the deep things of God.
God wants us to enter into and value the deep things of God. Let's not be satisfied with this shallow Christianity. That's that's, that's a mile wide and an inch deep. God has prepared.
A place of sonship, just as we've been saying now, if I, if I understand it correctly, first of all, uh, my father-in-law mentioned that in the German, the word adoption is actually sonship. Mr. Darby makes a note in the eighth of, uh, Romans where that's mentioned. He said sunship and adoption is the same word in the Greek. And so we don't need to be confused about that, do we? They're the same word. And the German was a little clearer on that. We checked it out here too, but it is sunship. So it's a different thought from merely becoming part of God's family.
It's a particular position within God's family. The youngest child is a child in God's family. He's also a son, but he doesn't realize his sonship until in England. What is it until we're 21?
We reach our, uh, our, uh, our maturity, and then we take our position as sons, as sunship before that's essentially its servants. But we should distinguish John the Apostle, we might mention, I don't believe he ever mentioned sons. It's always children. Now I know in the King James it says that a few times. Behold, now are we sons of God? But if you notice the new translation, it's children of God because he speaks of that nature which was with the Father from all eternity and was manifested in the Son. And in John's epistle, it's manifest in the family of God. He does not speak of that peculiar position of sonship.
That's exactly what we have in our chapter is Sonship.
So if I could just add, uh, and sort of summarize what we've been Speaking of with setting sunship in its proper and scriptural light.
Sunship is to, as I said, to share the life that the sun has with the Father, which is eternal life. This is something that not all the family of God from the beginning of time knew or enjoyed. Abraham did not have eternal life, he had divine life. He was born of God as part of the family of God.
Eternal life is what characterizes.
That, uh, which we have is being Suns, not more than that. We have a place of favor and acceptance before God in Christ. Again, that's something that does not mark Old Testament Saints, you know, speak of, of the Old Testament Saints as being in Christ. The term in Christ is connected with the new position of Christ as as uh, opened up by going through death and back into heaven on high in the glory. Well, he wasn't, he hadn't accomplished redemption in the Old Testament time, so.
It would be confusing things to speak about the Old Testament Saints as being in Christ, though with Christ now, and they're blessed and so on, uh, in association with them. But in Christ is a New Testament position that belongs to Christians who are sons of God. Now, another thing, as I said, we have the sons, liberty and sonship, and that is as we've already been speaking, we have that kind of access and intimacy with God to say ABBA father. Well, you'll never read that kind of language in the Old Testament.
They address God at a distance. They did not have that kind of liberty within the veil as we do because of accomplishment, redemption. Another thing, as they say, we're gonna share in the sun's inheritance. Romans 8 picks that up. Uh, Eric has alluded to it. And of course, again, the, the Old Testament Saints are not said to be, uh, having the place that we will have in the administration of the world to come in, uh, sharing in the administration of it alongside of Christ. And then lastly, uh, we share in the sun's glory.
00:25:20
Again, that's not said of Old Testament Saints. Uh, so, uh, you need, we need to realize that we have been born at a very favored time in the dealings of God with men. To be a Christian and to have an opportunity to believe the gospel and get saved and have the seal of the Spirit of God is an incredible privilege that was never even offered to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Elijah and all those Old Testament Saints. We don't realize how.
Distinctly blessed we are, and we need to understand that sunship, uh, is something that is not.
A common thing in the family of God, but it's for a special company that he has marked out for blessing because he's going to use those who are sons with the Father are going to be in union. We are in union with Christ and there's a coming day when that's going to be displayed in glory. And God is forming the vessel, the church, for the purpose of displaying the glory of Christ in the coming day. And so these favors that have been bestowed upon us are nothing to do with because we're any better than Old Testament Saints.
But because God has a purpose and he's not gonna be satisfied until his purpose is accomplished, because it's all been done according to the good pleasure of his will. And it satisfies the heart of God to see this company, this favorite company, brought in alongside His Son as a compliment to share and to to transmit His glory in the coming day to come. Why did God pick us up for such a privileged place? I can't answer that question.
But it's true.
Is that right, Bob?
All right, go ahead.
To the phrase of the glory of His grace, nothing to our glory. You know, the glory of His grace, His grace is magnified and demonstrated by what He has done with us. And the day is coming when this will be realized and witnessed by the world generally when He comes back with us. You know, I've often like to refer to the story of Joseph.
At his brother.
You know what a beautiful picture we have in his rejection He rises to power and glory. And when he spread on our reconciled to him, what do we find? A Gentile bride shares his glory. That's a picture of Christ and the church and Isaiah will be reconciled through the law. They will see the church sharing the glory of Christ the King. We will reign with him.
Beautiful. Not only has He saved our souls, but He will also share His glory with us.
What grace? You know, we didn't deserve that. We didn't deserve it. But there is a side to it in connection with the Kingdom. Some will be over so many cities and some will be over so many cities, depending on how faithful.
The Christian lives is gonna be in the Kingdom a difference.
You know, wouldn't it be nice if he can magnify his grace in showing what he has accomplished in our life in the position that he gives us in the California coming Kingdom? You know, we were laying with him, but, uh, we come to realize and the world will realize.
It's all His grace accomplishers in US, and that's what he's working at. Now you know, to resubmit.
Through his efforts, we better go on in close fellowship with him. You know, that's possible even now to go on in fellowship with him, and it will be demonstrated in the coming day. But our life here on earth now was, you know, when we come back with him.
And it's in that grace that He has made us accepted in the Beloved. I got so precious to enjoy our souls, brethren.
At the highest level possible, we are accepted in the beloved. I see so many people, sometimes young people seem to struggle. They don't seem to be fit in, they don't seem to be accepted. And they like to. They want to be accepted.
00:30:08
Stop a minute, young person, if you're struggling that way, just to consider that at the highest level possible, you.
Are accepted in the beloved Wonderful to think about. If there could be any question as to your position now of favor before God, God would have to call in question the position of his own beloved son, because we are accepted in the beloved. Like the way the new translation reads, it says taken into favor.
In the Beloved God looks at you.
And I in a way of unchangeable favor because of the position that you and I occupy before him in Christ. And even if he has to discipline it, and he does have to discipline us at times, brethren, but why does he discipline us? Because we occupy that place of supreme favor before Him in love. Oh, it's wonderful just to let that sink into your soul and to realize that that's our place.
Remember a story that, uh, was told? I'm sure many have heard it, but I enjoyed it so much of a little country boy over in England who had the desire to see the Queen. And he came to Buckingham Palace and presented himself there at the main gate and wanted to get in to see the Queen. Of course, the guards turned him away and evidently had come from some distance and he.
Was quite disappointed and he stood off to one side crying.
As they stood over there to one side, another little boy runs down the street towards the gate and as he comes to the gate he, the guards stand at attention. It was the Prince of Wales and of course he ran straight in to the gate. But just after he got through the gate he stopped. He had seen that little boy crying and he asked the guards.
Why is he crying? Said, oh, he wanted to see the queen and he can't go in. The little boy walks out onto the street to that little country boy and says, you come with me. And that little boy went right in to the presence of the queen. What made the difference? He was accepted in the beloved. That's your place. We go right in to the favor of God's supreme favor. That's the way.
God looks at you and I in the Lord Jesus. It's not the future acquisition. And I've always enjoyed whenever we find a quotation in the New Testament to go to the Old Testament, see if there's a variation in the one that Eric read about, uh, prepared for them that love him is in Isaiah 64, four and it reads for those that wait for him, but not for us, it's love him.
In First Corinthians chapter 2, because we're not waiting, we have now as a present possession all these things, it'll be manifested future, but we have a present possession now. And the response, a result of that is we love him and I think that's important due to make mention of that all our blessings.
Are eternal and unchangeable and no one can take them away from you, ever.
They're yours forever. That's the difference between material earthly things. You have a house now you have a car. You can lose those things, but not our blessings. Brethren, what is characteristically our Christian blessings are things that are ours now and will be ours forever. We'll never lose them. I'd like to think of material things more as mercies that the Lord loans to us.
Every moment and we use them in view of the fact that he's given them to us, but they're really properly speaking in the sense we're Speaking of here, not blessings, their mercies that he gives to us. One comment I wanted to make before we pass on to chapter our to verse 7. But our our brother Hail, of course, often used to remind us that the things we're speaking about are a mountain peak beyond which God himself could not go. Isn't it? And there is a family of God. We can read about it in Hebrews.
00:35:13
The family that there will be, it has different members and, uh, that's a wonderful thing. But when we ask the question of why did he choose us, we have to stop looking at ourselves, don't we? Because the answer is not in US, but it's in the one who did the choosing. And I've often enjoyed in the First Kings when Solomon was reigning in his glory and the queen of Sheba came up. What did she notice? Just to read it, you know, I need to turn to it, but, uh, First Kings 10.
And umm, and verse four. And when the Queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants.
And the attendance of his ministers and their apparel, and his cup bearers, and the ascent by which he went up into the House of the Lord, there was no spirit in her. And she said to the king, it was a true report.
That I heard in my own land of the accent of Thy wisdom. Howbeit I believe not the words until I came in. Mine eyes had seen it, And behold, the half was not told me. Thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. What credit was it to those who were around Solomon? Well, they had a blessed place, without a doubt. But whose glory did they reflect? They reflected the glory of Solomon. And so it is. We don't need to ask the question why the Lord chose me. It was His sovereign grace. But what He does?
And why he wants us to enter into the deep things of God is because he acts according to his own glory and dignity. What a wonderful position that is. So he doesn't hold us like Solomon clothes his men.
With just, uh, just nice clothes. But he does that which is, as Mr. Hale used to say, that which is a mountain peak beyond which God Himself cannot go. So it's for His glory, isn't it? And it's for our blessing the 2GO together.
But the forgiveness of Finn is such an important point.
Uh, he has cast them from us as far as the East is from the West. Cast them into the depth of the sea. That's what scripture states. You know, there is no fixed point when it comes between east and West like the North and South. So indefinitely he has removed the distance is indefinite.
Tremendous and into the depths of the state. You know, there are some places in the sea that are very, very deep, you know, and people couldn't find anything that falls in there. Uh, but that's what scripture says.
And we are forgiven and we are redeemed.
And it says reconcile.
And well, how wonderful, But it is the richest according to the riches of this frame. If you wanna see the riches of the grace of God, look at yourself as a Sinner. Remember all that you have done.
In Way of Sin, and then to remember that he has forgiven them and that he will not remember them anymore. He has removed them from us as far as the East as they're from the West. Cast them.
Into the depths of the C God himself will not remember them anymore. Not that he has poor memory, but he has selected and chosen not to remember them.
So that's how we can be comfortable in the presence of the Christ, holy God. That's how complete because our things are completely removed from us.
Our privileges in verse 6.
Are according to the glory of his grace, aren't they? It's because of his dignity that he has set us in such a position. But in verse seven you are alluding to our redemption then had to do with what we were. Verse six has to do with what God is. Verse seven has to do with what we were and as a result he meets our needs. That's the riches of his grace that he could save such as one of us. The angels that fell have no recourse.
The lake of fire is prepared for them, but what about the ruined race of men? The riches of grace, of God's grace, have found a way to save and redeem the ruined of mankind.
00:40:10
But as far as this way, the two phrases that we're now focusing on in verse 6, verse 7, the glory of His grace and the riches of his grace, someone put it this way, it's really stuck with me. And that is the riches of his grace emphasize emphasizes how far down He reached to get us, but the glory of His grace emphasizes how high He reached to set us in that favorite place in Christ.
And it's interesting to see that he brings in redemption here. Remember, we're reading about God's eternal purpose.
Redemption and eternal purpose. Yes, that tells us that the fall of man, the entrance of sin, was not an afterthought with God. When He drew this plan and a past eternity, He knew that there would be the fall and the need for redemption. And this whole plan was based on the redemption of Christ to bring out His heart of love that otherwise would not be known if there was not redemption.
Beautiful app puts it here in verse seven. We have redemption present possession. We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. And I think it's important to see that the forgiveness of sins that we have have is on the basis of redemption. There was a price paid and because of that.
We have, as a result the forgiveness of sins. I don't know that this is well understood in Christian circles. You hear so often people in prayer saying forgive us our sins.
Why did they say that? I I don't know exactly. I think it's probably poor teaching, but it is if you look in scripture carefully. Before redemption was accomplished, the Lord Jesus taught his disciples to pray forgive us our sins as we also forgive our debtors. But after redemption has been accomplished, you never again are told to ask for the forgiveness of sins.
Not even the unbeliever is told that.
They can have the forgiveness of sins through faith in His name. God is offering it. And I sometimes say when I'm preaching the gospel in the prison, if I were offering you $100 bill on my hand, would you sit there and keep asking for it? No. What would you do? I'd take it. You don't have to ask for the forgiveness within God's offering it to you.
Through faith in Christ and all you have to do is accept the forgiveness He's offering you.
And sometimes then they say, well, what should we do when we sin as believers? What God says is confession. If we confess our sins, Confession is different than asking for forgiveness.
Sometimes say if I did something bad to Brother Jim, I could go to him and I say Brother Jim, forgive me. Why do I say that? Because I see he's kind of mad at me. I don't really want him mad at me, so I say forgive me.
We don't have to ask God to be disposed to forgive us, brethren. He already has shown himself to be disposed to forgive. What he wants is confession. And confession goes deeper. I have to con to be able to confess. I have to judge myself and say what I did to the Lord. That's confession and that's important for restoration to fellowship.
But we don't ask for the forgiveness of our sins now, and the common practice in Christian circles is to pray that prayer to ask for the forgiveness of sins. It's not understanding the place of favor and blessing we've been brought into. Brethren, let's enjoy it before a thrice holy God, I can say I have redemption.
The forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.
Number one time in the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla preaching the Gospel and we are speaking on this subject. An old man in the back of the crowd came up afterwards and he said all these years I've been asking forgiveness from God. Tonight I accept it and say thank you for the forgiveness that now I have. Wonderful blessing, brother. We're going to enjoy God's thoughts. We have to understand what this means.
00:45:27
Going back to which Brother Bruce mentioned earlier, the fact that redemption is mentioned in the internal councils of God, what's the purpose behind that?
Is it because you you already alluded to it, Bruce, It's not to remind us continuously that we were sinners. It is to remind us of his love again, it all goes back to the love of God. His eternal counsel wasn't to shake his finger at us for eternity to say now what we know you've been bad. His eternal counsels is to have us look at him to say we know you are perfectly good and at perfect good comes out in the love and that love was in these councils that you mentioned Bruce in eternity passed. Why did God.
WW why did they make this this council this this this plan of salvation. It is to show forth the heart, the very essence of who God is. And the only way he could do that was to offer himself as a sacrifice for your sins and mind. And it just elevates the glory of God tremendously to think that in bazillion years ago. Yeah. How do how I don't know how else to measure Eternity passed.
They they'd have that council because.
They love me because they knew that I would be a fool as a man and I would need redemption so that we have the perfect plan for Dave. This is what we're gonna do. And what did that do? I show it brought out love for me because he loved me first. So that's the idea behind it. Don't. And again, in ignorance. Christianity always brings it back to all. You're a Sinner. You're this. Why not? I'm sorry. I'm a St. Now I sometimes sin because I'm a human. But God has so perfectly loved me and exposed that to me in the person of his Son. And that's why this is here.
Versus A to 11 Is that the riches of his grace or the glory of his grace?
The glory of His grace is to set us before Himself as sons in verse 5.
Versus 8 through 11 is more to do with the display of Christ's glory through the especially fashion vessel that God has in mind to make, which is the church which we're part of.
And tremendous.
That there is a day coming when we will reflect fully and unhinderedly the glories of Christ. He's coming to be glorified in His Saints and admired in all them that are about Him. In that day, His purpose isn't going to be frustrated, as we were saying in a previous meeting, it is going to be brought to fruition. And when heaven opens up to reveal Christ in that day, every one of us are going to reflect perfectly the glories of Christ.
We ought to reflect something of it now, and we will in the measure in which these things get down into our souls and we walk in the enjoyment of these things with Christ as the object and so on. But to think, brethren, that there is that day coming. But I would like to just say this in connection with the redempt, with redemption. It's a God can reach out to us and God's purposes.
Are founded on a perfect person and a perfect work.
That's how God can bring in this tremendous blessing, and that's how God is going to display these things in the coming day. In whom you know, it's interesting that when you have a SIM, this similar quotation in Colossians, Mr. Darby leaves out through his blood. Because there is a stress on the person, because it's the person that gives weight to the work. It's not just the work of any person. I speak carefully.
No, it's the work of God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, that perfect man, that sinless sacrifice. And so it's a perfect person. But then that perfect person undertakes a perfect work. And we have redemption, brethren, because the blood of Jesus has been shed. It's in him. But it's through that blood on the basis of that work, and it's a price that has been paid.
00:50:08
A price that doesn't change in value, we're redeemed as Peter says, not with corruptible things as silver and gold not my redemption doesn't isn't based on something that changes in value. If we were to check the price of silver and gold when the markets closed yesterday in comparison to the price of silver and gold when they when the markets closed next with the end of next week.
We might find it's very different, it goes up and down and it varies and money varies in value, the US dollar compared to the euro and the Canadian dollar and the Japanese yen. And I don't understand all that, but it changes. But brethren, to just think that we rest our souls on something and God is satisfied because a perfect work has been accomplished by a perfect man and we're never to forget the cost, even when Israel went into possess their inheritance.
To take possession of what in type, as we said, speaks to us, of what we're taking up as our as to our spiritual blessings. Were they ever to forget what had brought them there, how God could bring them into the land? No, there was to be a remembrance year by year of the Passover. Did they do it? Well, we only read of it done a few times, but they were to remember, they were never to forget that it was on the basis of redemption that they had not only been delivered from Egypt, but eventually.
Brought, uh, brought into the promised land and given their inheritance. And brethren, are we ever to forget? On Lord's Day, we're going to have a memorial, the breaking of bread, because we never want to forget what the great cost was. No, these blessings have been given to us free of charge, but they weren't cheap. They were secured for us at great cost to God. The cost was his Son. The cost was the shedding of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. But that is precious to God and it will never change in value.
And you and I have that security this afternoon redemption.
Go ahead, brother. I like to point out that the prudence.
In Mr. Darby's translation is translated intelligence that helps to better understand it, you know, about towards us in all wisdom and intelligence. You know, it's wonderful to see some of the fine points of difference in the translation, you know, but, uh, how wonderful.
That behalf the word of God in our hand and that we have even a rendering that is more accurate and critical. Prudence has got to do with a practical wisdom in everyday matters of life. Well, that's not the subject here. We're looking at the eternal purpose of God and it should be intelligence because the thought here in verses 8-9 and 10 is that not only has God redeemed us and brought us into this wonderful place of favor, but he wants us to be intelligent as to his counsel and purpose with regard to the.
Coming day of display, when he's gonna glorify his Son in two spheres as we've been speaking. Heaven and earth in the world to come.
And so he wants us to have insights. Uh, so we are now been come because of this great blessing, we have become depositories of the counsels of God with regard to what he is going to do.
And the display of the sun, the world doesn't know it, but we've been let in on God's plan, uh, now. And this is a wonderful, uh, privilege that he's given to us. So it says in verse 8, wherein he hath abounded.
Toward us in all wisdom and intelligence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will. And so the mystery is a secret that God has helped kid in his heart before he even made the world. And he never revealed it through, uh, the Old Testament times until he saved the apostle Paul and gave him the, uh, umm, the privilege to, to make known that revelation that he tells us in chapter 3. And it, uh, the mystery now is no longer a secret. It's been made known.
It's been disclosed and it is of course to do with the purpose of God glorifying his Son in two spheres. And so God would have us to have insight in this and he has purposed that would be so based on redemption verse seven, we have been LED into the the heart of God, a secret that even Abraham didn't know.
00:55:06
So it's not a mystery any longer. As you say, sometimes we think of a mystery in connection with something that's very hard to understand and may never be figured out. You know, there are many mysteries on the books that Scotland Yard or the FBI or the CIA that they've had to shelve and say we're probably never figure those things out. We'll really never get to the bottom of that. But that's not the thought, as Bruce has been saying in the in the mystery, in the sense that it's taken up.
In the Old Testament, I just want to react or the New Testament. Thank you. I just want to re echo what Bruce has said because it's helpful. And that is that it is a mystery in the sense that it was something not previously revealed in a past age or dispensation. These things the prophets didn't understand, Abraham, the friend of God didn't understand. These things were not revealed in the Old Testament, but now they have been revealed.
It's not a mystery in the sense of that it's still hard to understand or something that only a certain element can delve into, or a certain vent of mind, like a detective's mind or something like that. No, these things now have been fully manifest, brethren, for you and I to enjoy. Now. Now I'm going to raise a question. I'd like somebody to perhaps give us a thought. Why is it, if he's abounded to us in all wisdom and intelligence?
We find that there are some believers who seem more intelligent in the things of God than others. Just on a practical note, we could get some help. Brother Eric, what would you say?
Well, that's what we talked about before, isn't it? Some, uh, uh, first we need to understand our privileges and then we need to walk in the, in the good of them. And that's what we have later on in the chapter, don't in the epistle, don't we? And we need to read them. We need to have a knowledge too, don't we? You know, we, we say knowledge isn't enough, but there has to be a knowledge as well. And I, I just wanna on a very practical note for my, I just want to encourage all of us to open this book. And we need all the word of God, of course.
But to go to these portions like this and to get a knowledge of this, then with that knowledge, the Spirit of God can take and apply to our souls and give us the grace to walk in and to meditate on these things. But if you don't know what your blessings are, if you're not intelligent in these things, how are you going to walk in them? We have to. We talk about our walk in a pro and practical Christianity, and that's true.
But if we don't have knowledge and divine things by reading the word of God and understanding them, we're not gonna know how we're gonna walk. We talked about the maturity of sonship. As the Prince of Wales grows up, he's tutored and schooled. And as he grows and, uh, is, is tutored, he's taught that he's the son and heir to the British throne and that there's a conduct in keeping with that, and that there's going to be things he's going to need to take up in the administration.
Of the Kingdom as he grows into that and so that that when the day comes when he takes the throne, he's been well taught as to what is expected of him. Well, it says we're to grow in grace. That's true. And in and in the knowledge we've got to have knowledge if we're going to then have wisdom and understanding. That is the ability to take that knowledge and to walk in the practical good of it. Yep. There's another step too, isn't there? It tells us in John's Gospel.
If any man will do his will, he shall know as a doctrine. And that's why, uh, we have here in, in the verse 8, wisdom and intelligence. As we've noticed when we turn over to 1St Corinthians, we find that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to the Greeks. And so I'd just like to add this to what mystery means. It is a revealed secret, something that was secret in the Old Testament times. It has been revealed in the New Testament, but it's still foolish, foolishness to the Greek.
Why is that? Because even though it's revealed, it still requires what we might call to understand the mystery to be initiated. I don't wanna be secretive by that, but we know that it means that we need a new nature, doesn't it? We need the Spirit of God ultimately indwelling us to understand the deep things of God, as we read in First Corinthians. So a mystery is not only a revealed secret, but it's of such a nature that it requires.
01:00:06
A new nature and the Spirit of God in order to enter into it. So if any man will do his well, he shall know of the doctrine. So it's not merely knowing these things as important as that is in its place, but there's also a right condition of soul, isn't there before we learn these doctors. You're just speaking between the meetings. Our brother Vern can maybe help out and help me out on this some but the very important point that our soul has to be in the right condition to receive the truth.
Doesn't it? The apostle Paul did not give Ephesian truth to all the believers necessarily. Not that he was trying to be secretive or any such thing, but there's a danger of pride when it comes to these things, isn't it? And if we're not on the right sole condition, then it becomes, can become a matter of spiritual pride. So it's important, isn't it, that if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine?
Like to read in the third chapter rather not, I think it's important to see like it's been brought out that these were things that were not revealed in Old Testament times and are now revealed. Tremendous men of God in the Old Testament, Daniel and Moses and Abraham, who, uh, understood many things, but this was a mystery that was not revealed. And it's very clear in the third chapter in verse 3.
Now that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote a four and few words, whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men. As it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel.
Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God-given unto me by the effectual working.
Of His power unto me, who am less than the least of All Saints, is this grace given.
That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery from the beginning of the world hath been hit in God. It doesn't say it was hidden in the Old Testament, was hid in God.
Who created all things by Christ, by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God. In other words, those principalities and powers those angelic hosts learn in the Church, the manifold wisdom of God, the Church has become the display.
Of God's wisdom. And so they learn in us as they watch us. What do they learn, brethren?
210.
210.
Nsnoise.
100.
And 5.
That means the Treasure Choir whenever she is in heaven.
Good morning.
And.
01:05:02
Crying.
Let's go by crying all crystal.
And so far like.
The best of the time.
There we go.
Very easy now the width of the flow.
Gospel 1
Gospel—Jim Hyland
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
And I'd like to connect three portions of the Word of God at the beginning of our Gospel meeting. The first one is in the book of Leviticus.
Leviticus, chapter 17.
Leviticus chapter 17 and verse 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls, and it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. And then a portion in John's Gospel chapter 19.
John's Gospel chapter 19 and verse 33.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already.
They break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water, and one more portion in first John chapter one.
One John chapter one and I want to read just the last part of verse 7.
The blood of Jesus Christ his Son.
Cleanseth us from all sin. Well, I began this evening by reading these scriptures.
Because our burden tonight is to preach Christ and make much of His precious blood.
Because this is the way of salvation tonight. This is the way of blessing tonight. The gospel is available. It can be preached because the Lord Jesus came into this world and went to Calvary cross the Apostle Paul who gave us such precious truth such as we've been taking up in these meetings already. He spoke of the gospel and how the gospel was that Christ died, he was buried, and that he rose again the 3rd day according to the scriptures.
And his exercise in presenting the gospel was that he might preach Christ.
And Christ crucified. And that's our burden tonight, because we are just so burdened to think that there might be someone in this room, maybe someone who sat here all day or someone who came in this evening because they were invited and they're not saved. You do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. You have not experienced the cleansing power of the blood.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, there was a little boy one time and he was playing in the mud and he was very dirty. And you know, in that town there lived amongst others, an infidel and a soap manufacturer. And one day the soap manufacturer and this infidel met on a street corner and they knew one another and they were walking down the street together.
And they came to this little boy who was playing in the mud. But prior to seeing this little boy, the soap manufacturer, who was a believer, was seeking to impress upon the infidel the importance of the blood of Christ. And this infidel kept saying, what good is the blood of Christ? Look at the world today. It's full of sin and sorrow and corruption and immorality on every hand. And things are getting worse and violence on every hand and wars and all this kind of thing. What good is it to talk about the blood of Christ?
And as they came to this.
Little boy.
He said to the soap manufacturer. He said, Look at this little boy, he's filthy. You tell me that the blood of Christ can cleanse from sin, but look at this little boy, he's filthy and you're a soap manufacturer. What good is your soap? Oh, the soap manufacturer said my soap is no good unless it's applied. And just so the blood of Christ has no effect.
If it's not applied, the blood of Christ was shed at Calvary's cross.
00:05:05
But it must be applied in the Old Testament, when the children of Israel took the Passover lamb.
The night that God was going to pass through and destroy the first born.
It was number good that the blood of that lamb simply be shed and placed in a basin.
No, it had to be applied to each home where the children of Israel were.
Suppose they had taken that blood and done everything up to that point that God had instructed them to do.
And then left the blood sitting on a base in a basin on the front steps of that house. Would that have availed those inside the house anything when the Destroyer went through? No, nothing. It had to be applied to the lentil and the two side posts. It had to be taken and sprinkled around the door if it was going to have its effect. And so it is with the blood of Christ tonight.
It is that which we have read that cleanses from all sin, because God has always taught through the history of man.
That if there is going to be blessing and the cleansing of sin, it must be based on the death of and shedding of blood of an innocent victim. I suppose this really takes us back to the Garden of Eden, doesn't it? Because there we find man's history of sin begins by one man's disobedience, sin entered, and death by sin. So death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
There it started. Sin came in, and the human race was brought under the curse and the effects of sin, and there was a separation from God because of it.
Because your iniquities have separated between you and your God. But what did God immediately do? He did two things. He provided through the death of an innocent victim or victim, coats of skin for Adam and Eve. I know we don't actually read of blood being shed there, but we can see very quickly that if he, Adam, and Eve were going to be clothed with what was suited to God, with his provisions for them.
There must be the death of an animal or animals, and God did something else there.
He announced the blessed news that the woman's seed would bruise the head of the serpent. Oh God was looking on to a far, far greater sacrifice.
He was looking on to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The one that we have to present to you tonight is the Savior of sinners, the blood of Jesus that indeed cleanses from all sin.
We began here in the book of Leviticus, and it speaks here of the blood being given as a gift. You know God has given many gifts to man because that's the heart of God. God is a giver, and all we want to impress upon you tonight that God loves you and God wants you for what he can give you. The enemy Satan, is not your friend. He wants you to.
But not for what he can give you. He wants you for what he can get out of you. Just like Pharaoh, when the children of Israel were under the ******* and slavery of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. A very graphic picture of Satan and his hosts. A picture of where we are born into this world in sin by nature and by practice under *******. Because the way of the transgressor is hard.
And we're told in proverbs were held by the cords of our sin. Sin is not liberty.
Doing your own thing is not liberty. Satan is a hard taskmaster.
You know, with Pharaoh, it even came to a point where he told his those that were over the children of Israel, not even to give them straw, and yet they had to keep up the tally of bricks. He still wanted what he could get out of them, but he was not a giver in any sense of the word. But God is a giver tonight. The gift of God is eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, he gave that unspeakable gift. Paul could say, thanks be unto God.
For his unspeakable gift, he's given many wonderful gifts.
00:10:00
And one of those wonderful gifts is the blood, the blood of the Lord Jesus. We have here in the Old Testament these sacrifices that were slain on those altars from day-to-day and year to year.
And those sacrifices, again, were but pale reflections, but feeble foreshadows of what was really in the heart of God when the blood of that innocent lamb or bird or goat, or whatever it was, was.
Shed on those Jewish altars in the Old Testament. Why it was really in God's mind, looking on to a far, far greater sacrifice, and of the shedding of a far, far more precious blood than the blood of these Old Testament sacrifices. In fact, it tells us in the book of Hebrews that every priest standeth daily, ministering and offering oftentimes the same.
Sacrifices which could never take away sin.
There's a hymn we sometimes sing. Not all the blood of beasts on Jewish altars slain could give the guilty conscience peace or wash away its stain. But Christ the Heavenly Lamb took all our guilt away. A sacrifice of nobler name and richer blood than they. You know. We like sometimes to recount the stories and histories of famous people.
I suppose we find it fascinating, and it's always been so, You know, people will spend a great deal of money to read about the rich and famous who are living today. They will spend a lot of time researching the rich and famous that lived in past ages. But you know, sometimes when you read their secular history, you don't always get the end of the story.
JP Morgan was reputed to be one of the greatest financiers and and bankers of all.
American history. He was also an avid art collector, and he amassed a fortune. In fact, they say by today's standards, if you take what he left when he passed away out of this scene, it would be in the equivalent of $68 million today. That's what he left behind when he died in 1913. But you know, when they came to read his will.
His will was prefaced by an exhortation of plea to his family, particularly his son.
John Junior, they called him Jack to tenaciously hold on.
To the truth of salvation and redemption and at all.
Cost to hold on to the precious truth of the cleansing power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because JP Morgan at some point in his life realized that there was more to life than money down here, and that a man's substance doesn't consist in the things that he has here, and that it is no good when he passes out of eternity. Because when JP Morgan died, he left everything behind. He took nothing of what he had obtained in this world in the way of money or properties.
He left it all.
But he was ready to meet God, I suppose. If we were to go home this evening and look in our refrigerators, perhaps many of us would find a bottle or a container with the name HJ Heinz on it. Pickles or relish or something in our refrigerators. And certainly any supermarket of any size in this area will have something that bears that man's name.
But you know when he passed away, the same thing he wanted at the beginning of his will, he said.
That's the most important part of his will was to set forth the fact that he was resting on the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ and that he rested his soul on the blood of Christ.
You know, we were singing My Hope on Nothing less is Built than Jesus and the blood he spilled. You know, things are pretty shaken today, aren't they? In the corporate world, in the political world, things that people once put stock in, things that people once thought wouldn't change that much in value they're finding out, aren't as stable as they once thought.
But there is something that doesn't change in value. I'm going to repeat something that we said in the Reading meeting. But you know, it tells us in First Peter that we're redeemed with the precious blood of Christ and that it is not with something corruptible as silver and gold. Because silver and gold and money, as we said this afternoon, changes in value. It fluctuates.
00:15:27
You know, for years the American dollar was a lot stronger than the Canadian dollar.
The first time, I went to the bank and lost money on American Exchange.
I stood there rather speechless. I'm rarely speechless, but I stood there rather speechless. To think that after all these years, the currency of choice on the world stage was now less than the Canadian dollar. It's bounced back a little bit, but certainly not what it once was. People had questions about the euro when it became the common currency in Western Europe a few years ago.
Now, the euro is the currency of choice. In many countries, it's a lot stronger than the American dollar. These things change in their value. But we're resting on something. If we know, Christ, that doesn't change in value. One more little story.
I suppose most of us at some point in our lives, have eaten a piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken. You know, in the Caribbean it's very popular.
A McDonald's will come and go. A Burger King won't last, but Kentucky Fried Chicken will survive in a Third World country. And sometimes, out of necessity, we have to eat a piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken. I must say it's not my favorite meal, but it fills the hole. But you know Colonel Sanders or Harlan Sanders, as was his proper name. He was a man who most of his life felt he was OK before God in himself.
As he said, by his own testimony, he always gave 10% of his profits to Christian organization. He sought to live a good, morally upright life. But you know, as he got older, he felt an emptiness within his soul, and he realized that there must be something more to life than this world's goods and just living clean and morally upright.
He traveled all the way to Australia for a special evangelical campaign.
Looking for the answers, he didn't find it there. He came back, he looked in other places, he did some reading, He went to different religious UH meetings and so on. And finally, one day on the streets of Louisville, KY, he was invited by an old friend to go and hear a gospel preacher. And he went and he listened to those life giving words and verses quoted.
And as he said when he walked out of that meeting, he knew that he was a Newman. He knew that he was changed his the emptiness of his soul was filled, and he knew that the blood of Jesus had taken care of his sins.
That was he was 79 years of age. He lived another 10 years. He lived to be 89.
By the mercies of the Lord, but at 79 years of age, he came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. But I want to pause for a moment this evening and just bring a challenge home to every soul here.
Has everyone here in this room come to know the value of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? We didn't take the time to read in John's Gospel chapter 19.
But there we find the cross of Christ brought before us the circumstances surrounding the cross of the Lord Jesus, where after his trial and those hours and hours and hours of cruelty.
They took the Lord Jesus and it says they led him away to crucify him.
And it tells us there in that chapter he bearing his cross, went forth.
He went forth to Calvary, and they took him, and by wicked hands they nailed him to a Roman gibbet.
And there they hung him up between heaven and earth as a spectacle for men and angels.
There there were those who passed by and shook their heads.
00:20:03
And reviled him. There were others who sat down and watched him suffer in his agony.
And after man had heaped upon the Lord Jesus all the cruelty.
That their awful, wicked hearts could come up with.
God said that's enough.
And a darkness came over the the whole land at noon.
And the Lord Jesus, in those hours of darkness, bore my sins in his own body.
On the tree.
Prophetically, we read I am the man.
That hath seen affliction by the rod of Israel.
The rod of God's judgment came down on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And no eye penetrated to see what took place there.
You know, a few years ago many people were very impressed to see the Passion Movie.
And I had a friend, a believer, and he was telling me all about the movie. He went to see it and he was telling me how impressed he was with it and how moving it was.
And after I had listened to him, I said, But you didn't see the most important part.
Because no one saw the most important part. The most important part.
Was during those hours of darkness when the Lord Jesus suffered for sin.
Those atoning sufferings that he bore there, and then at the end of it.
He cried. It is finished. He bowed his blessed head.
He said, Father, into thy hand I commend my spirit, and he gave up his life.
Like no other ever did. It could be said of his life, or he could say of his life. No man taketh it from me. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father. And then we read that stirring scene, and I know we pictured this in our mind's eye on previous occasions, Many times, perhaps when they came.
And there was a thief on both sides of the Lord Jesus, and they came, and to hasten the one thief's death, they broke his legs.
And the same with the other on the other side, but they came to the Lord Jesus.
And it had been prophesied that a bone of him should not be broken.
And when they came to the Lord Jesus and saw that he was dead already.
A soldier with a spear pierced his side, and I loved these blessed words forthwith.
Came there out blood and water. You know, if it just said there came out blood and water, that would be enough.
But forthwith, it is just to me, as if God was in a hurry to bless.
No hesitation on the part of God. And you know tonight too, God is in a hurry to bless.
He's bending low over this room to hear the heartfelt breathing of 1 Sinner.
Who will turn to him in repentance and faith?
I say again, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
You know, this is, I suppose, what they call Good Friday.
And, you know, 144 years ago on Good Friday and Good Friday on that occasion was on the 14th of April, a few days later than it is today. But there was a momentous event took place 144 years ago on April the 14th, which was Good Friday because on that date Abraham Lincoln went to Ford's Theater.
To see a play in Washington DC, Abraham Lincoln will be remembered.
For the Civil War, and as the great Emancipator of the slaves, but he went there with his wife Mary, and a few other guests. He had invited General Grant and his wife, but they declined for some reason. But some other guests joined them in the presidential box on that occasion.
And that is the occasion where he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.
But the story is told and it is authenticated.
The story is told of how.
00:25:03
The president as he stumbled forward.
Was taken by a lady in that same box wearing a white silk dress.
She took his head and cradled it.
Until they were able to move him across the street, where he later expired.
When that Lady returned home that night, she realized that this very expensive white silk dress had been stained by the blood of Abraham Lincoln. Her first thought was to take that dress and sit to the laundry and see if those stains could be removed. On second thought, she decided against that and she took the scissors and cut out.
An 18 inch square.
Of cloth with the blood of Abraham Lincoln on it.
And she sent it off to the city fathers of Springfield, IL.
And for many years, that cloth was on display in a museum in Springfield, IL. It is now housed in a drawer very carefully in Camden, NJ, by the Historical Society there. And that piece of cloth is much valued to that very day, you know, the fathers of Springfield, IL, which was the home of Abraham Lincoln for so many years.
They were more than happy to get that cloth and it was displayed, as I am told, under a glass Dome for many years.
And it is still treasured and valued today and put away very carefully.
But if the blood of the great emancipator of the slaves is valued like that?
How much more the blood of the Lord Jesus, the one who shed his blood to free us?
Not from some earthly slavery or ******* but to free us.
From the slavery and ******* of.
Sin I have often been in Belgium and I have on occasion gone to Bruges. I love Bruges, Belgium, I love the arts and Fine Arts and architecture and that kind of thing. And if you like that Europe is the place to be and bruise Belgium especially. In fact, one year it was designated as the Cultural Center of Europe.
That Bruges, Belgium is reputed to be the Venice of the North. It's built with a series of canals through it, and so on.
But there is a cathedral in Bruges, Belgium, called the Cathedral of the Blood.
And if we were to go into that cathedral tonight, we would find behind a glass case, a huge silver urn. And in that silver urn is a piece of cloth.
And I want to say this very carefully. There is reputed to be on that silver, on that cloth, in that silver urn some drops of the blood of the Lord Jesus.
Not so, But that is what is reputed to be in that silver urn. And the cathedral in which it's housed is called the Cathedral Church of the Blood. And I suppose there are many who go specially to Bruges and to that cathedral, to see and to feel something inside, some kind of feelings when they see that urn which is reputed to have this shroud in it with some drops of the blood of the Lord Jesus. But that's not what we're talking about tonight.
No, we're talking about the one who shed his blood on Calvary's cross.
And the one who now is risen from the dead, he's living.
He died, but he was buried and he rose again the 3rd day, and he's in heaven as the man in the glory.
And a man that is going to give a shout at any moment, perhaps before this gospel meeting ends.
A shout that is going to call every St. of God, everyone who is washed in the blood of Jesus, home to heaven, to be with him. But I would be less than faithful tonight.
If I didn't warn you that there is a day when those who refuse God's salvation through the death and the blood of Christ will stand at a throne called a great white Throne. And the one that sits on that throne is not in the character of the Lamb of God, and there's no blood there. There's He's there in the character of Judge.
00:30:28
And those who have not availed themselves of the blood of Christ stand there.
To be judged, and to be taken and cast into the lake of fire.
Where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth, there was a man one time, a Christian man.
Passing a glass factory in his hometown. And as he was passing that factory, he looked in and he saw that the doors of the furnace were open and he stepped into that factory for a moment and he stood before those doors.
Seemingly mesmerized by the seething flames of that hot furnace.
And as he stood there, his mind turned to spiritual things, and to eternity, and allowed, he said, as he turned to leave, what must hell be like?
What he didn't realize was that the Stoker, the man who tended the fire.
Was sitting just around the corner and he heard this man say what must hell be like. He knew where this man lived, and a few days later there was a knock at this man's door.
And he went to the door, and there was the Stoker, and he said in deep earnest.
He said. Sir, a few days ago you stopped at the factory.
And as you looked into the flames of the furnace, I heard you turn away and say what must hell be like?
He said, Sir, tell me how I can be saved, how I can avoid going to that awful place, And that Christian man was only too happy to invite him into his home and to tell him about the work of Calvary and the blood of the Lord Jesus that cleanses from all sin. You know, when the Lord Jesus died on the cross, the separation of the blood from the body.
Was the proof of death. The Lord Jesus had to die for sin because the wages.
Of sin is death.
I'm going to tell you one more little story.
I'm going to call these two children. I'm not sure of their name, but this is a true story. I'm going to call them John and Mary for the sake of the story tonight.
But John and Mary were both very young and they were brother and sister.
And John had been very sick with a disease. I'm not sure what the disease was, but it was a very serious disease and he had recovered. And two years later his sister got the same disease, but she was even more sick than her brother. And the doctor said that unless she had a blood transfusion, she would surely die.
The other problem was she had a very rare blood type which only her brother or her older brother had or was available. None of the other family had this same blood type.
And so they went to this young boy and they said, are you willing to give your blood?
To your sister.
His lip trembled.
He hesitated for a few moments and then he said.
Yes, for my sister.
It wasn't very long till they wheeled these two children.
Into the room where this transfusion was going to take place in the hospital.
They looked each other in the eye, and her brother bravely smiled at his sister.
And the transfusion took place.
And as the transfusion was coming to an end.
This boy turned to the doctor and he said, Doctor, when do I die?
He didn't understand when they had said to him, Are you willing to give your blood to your sister?
00:35:02
He thought he was going to have to die.
You know, if I had thought that, I'm not so sure, I would have been so willing to go through.
With something like that, I don't know. I've never been put to that kind of a test. But, you know, his sister received that transfusion and she eventually cured and lived.
Her brother didn't have to die, but oh, tonight the Lord Jesus had to die on Calvary's cross.
He had to give himself as that great and supreme sacrifice.
He shed his precious blood.
This meeting is scheduled to end in 3 minutes.
If love like that doesn't touch your heart, I don't know what goes on within your heart.
But I know that the prayer of so many here is that these scriptures that we have read and quoted tonight.
Would so touch your heart that before you get out of your seat tonight?
You would receive God's offer of salvation and forgiveness.
Redemption through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That blood is sufficient to cleanse, not just from some sin.
But from all sin not one sin left.
Martin Luther, the great reformer, had a dream one time, and Satan came to him in the dream and he had a scroll.
And he opened this scroll in front of Martin Luther, and it was his sins written there.
In black and white.
And Martin Luther said, is that it?
And Satan reached and said no, and he opened another one.
Is that it? No. You have a third one.
And as he unscrolled, the third one, Martin Luther said, But you have forgot something, you need to write across it. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. You know, tonight I'm not afraid of one charge of sin being brought up against me, because it's all been settled once and for all. By one offering he has perfected forever them that are sanctified.
What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again? Nothing but The Blood of Jesus Precious Precious. Blood of Jesus Shed on Calvary, shed for rebels, shed for sinners.
Yes, thank God, Shed for me. Can you say that? Has it been applied? I say.
Oh, tonight I beg you to have your sins washed away in the blood of Jesus.
Naaman was told 2 words, and in a sense this can sum up everything we've said tonight, he was told Go wash. And what I want to tell you tonight is go wash. Not in the in some river, not in the river Jordan, but in the precious blood of Christ. Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fountain. I know nothing but the blood of Jesus. Go wash tonight, right where you are.
As I pray tonight, receive the Lord Jesus. He loves you, He wants you. He died to redeem you only Believe His word. Our God and Father, how thankful we are tonight for the work of the Lord Jesus for His precious blood shed on Calvary's cross. Our God. We pray that no one would leave this room lost and in their sins, that everyone might be washed in the blood of Jesus. We ask blessing.
In his name, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Well, I can ask everybody in this section here, please put your Bibles and whatever else you've got. We know you want to reserve your seat under the seat because there will be people.
Ephesians 1:10-12
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Reading Ephesians chapter one.
And verse 10.
MMM.
Ephesians chapter one and verse 10.
That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the council of His own will. That we should be to the praise of His glory. Who first trusted in Christ, in Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth.
The gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the Saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling.
And what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints? And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us? Words, who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when He raised him from the dead.
And set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
As we've mentioned yesterday.
The chapter unfolds the eternal purpose of God for.
Christ and the church, and we mentioned pointed out that the chapter really has two parts to it. We find the apostle blessing God and as we listen in, we learn how richly we have been blessed in God's purpose to glorify his Son. And then from verse 15 on to the end of the second part, we have the apostle praying to God. And so it's written in a very beautiful spirit of worship.
And both parts really have.
Both parts of the chapters have three parts to it might say subsections.
And we've mentioned that already yesterday as well, but I just pointed out again, we've had, uh, sonship with the Father in verses 4 through 7 and four through 6, and verses 7 through 12, we have the airship with Christ in the administration of the world to come. Then versus 13 and 14, we'll have the, the quickening ceiling and the earnest of the Spirit of God by which these things are made good in our souls.
So we have all three persons of the Godhead involved in this grand purpose to glorify Christ in the world to come.
I think it's interesting to see in the prayer of the apostle at the end of the chapter those 3.
Sections.
Mentioned notice in verse.
18 He prays that the eyes of their understanding their hearts with the enlightened, that you may know. And then here are three things that are mentioned #1 is what is the hope of his calling? So we get that in.
Versus 3 through six or seven there and then what is the?
Riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. That's the section we're going to consider this morning. And then the third thing is what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us? We're to believe. That's what you get in verses 13 and 14, the Holy Spirit of God, and notice it says that works.
00:05:20
To us word who believe in the third chapter.
That power works in verse 20.
In US.
But here it is towards us who believe. In other words, here he is as head, not exactly head of the church presented. That's what we have in chapter 4, but it's head over all things to the church. In other words, not only is he head of the Church, but he has head over every single situation right up to the highest powers.
Earthly powers.
He is head over all things to the church in that position. Wonderful to, to see that, uh, his present position for us.
But yesterday we were speaking in verse nine, that he's made known unto us the mystery of his will.
Mr. Aho used to call this verse 10 the key to the whole Bible, and I think it really is good to see that God's eternal purpose was to bring everything into direct subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ. And brethren, as we see things developing in the world today, moving, it seems to me, directly.
In that direction, things are getting more and more confused under man's government. This is man's day. When man has his way, democracy is.
Encouraged and human will is glorified. And what is the result?
Mass confusion. Everywhere you look it's moving in the direction.
In which God at last will say that's enough, and he will directly intervene in his judgments, and at the end of the time of judgment he will send his son back to this world.
And he will take control of the kingdoms of this world. We see it moving in that direction. It should thrill us, brethren, if we are.
Understanding of the mystery of His will that He has laid out in the scriptures for us. Do you understand?
And the understanding of this gives us the courage and the grace to go on in a world of confusion, not looking for equity and justice this side of the Kingdom. Men are trying to legislate and force equity and justice and righteousness today. But it's not working because we cannot expect righteousness in an unrighteous world. Not till God's man has his rightful place. He has that place in heaven today.
He's been crowned with a crown of glory and honor, as Hebrews tells us in heaven. But God's heart really will never be satisfied, brethren, till everything is brought into subjection, not just in heaven, but on earth. Everything is brought into subjection under the headship of His beloved Son. The Lord Jesus glorified God on the earth and finished the work that He gave Him to do, and not till He is vindicated and has His rightful place on this planet.
That cast him out and treated him. So will God's heart be satisfied? Very interesting that the spirit of Barabbas is very alive and well in the world today. You know, when the Lord Jesus was on trial, they chose a man over the Lord Jesus. That was characterized by three things. Now, you'll never get all three things in anyone gospel, but if you compare the different accounts, he was on trial for three things.
He was on trial for as a thief, as a robber, he was on trial as a murderer. But there was something else that we sometimes missed, and that is he was on trial for insurrection or sedition, which is rebellion against authority. And brethren, when they chose Barabbas over the Prince of Peace and the Sun of Righteousness, that's exactly what the world got. When was there ever a day when these three things have become as full blown as the day in which we live?
00:10:21
Violence and corruption and rebellion against authority. But brethren, it ought to thrill our hearts and as I say, give us the grace to wait God's time in patience and to go on quietly now, not raining before the time, not taking things into our own hand, but realizing that God has a perfect timetable. As we said already in these meetings, His purposes will not be frustrated. Everything works according to God's schedule.
Are you and I willing and content by faith to wait for God's time, knowing that God's man is going to have his rightful place for the glory of God and the full exaltation of Christ?
Now it says here in verse 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of times or could read for the dispensation or administration of the fullness of times. That is God's great purpose as he mentions in verse nine is will have its culmination.
In the fullness of times, in the fullness of times is the world to come, otherwise known as the Millennium. God has purposed that there would be a time when Christ would be displayed in all his glory, and he's going to do it through his people, the Church. And so you this little expression, the fullness of times is the apostles way of speaking, giving us a term that would refer to the Millennium or the world to come.
And it's the administration of the fullness of times.
Is going to be gathered together should read headed up in one headed up in all things in the Christ. And so this tenth verse tells us that God has a plan to glorify his Son in two spheres in heaven and earth and he's going to do it through a specially formed vessel, the church, which is his body and bride, and she is going to display that glory of Christ.
Now you say, how do you get that out of verse 10? Well, it's seen in that little expression and you need Jan Darby's translation to see it. But in the little expression in the middle of the verse where it says that he would head up all things in the Christ, it says Christ in the King James Version, but should be the Christ. And that is an expression used many times in the epistle and elsewhere in Paul's writings that refers to the the union of Christ and the church, the head and the body together. And so.
He is going to be at the administ head of the world to come and the administration of everything under him.
Is going to be done in the Christ that is with Christ and his church. And when we get down to the end of the chapter, he'll explain a little bit more fully, but just enough to say that now that the this expression here is really referring to.
Christ ahead and the church as many bought as many members.
It's really important to keep in view that.
God has an earthly sphere of blessing, He has a heavenly sphere of blessing, and to distinguish those two is so important. Israel is not the Church, and the Church is not Israel.
Uh, covenant theology, uh, teaches that they're kind of meshed together and they don't distinguish the 2. And so I think they sincerely take up government matters. Christians do and the, and the day we live in thinking that it is their place to intervene in questions of morality.
But it is.
Created a backlash, brethren. And I think it is something that is the Lord has allowed so that we will wake up that Our Calling is heavenly and that nothing will be right until the Prince of priests puts it right and he is coming back to put it right. And I think it's so important to keep this in view. If you say that you're not involved in politics, they look at you cross eyed. I mean, they think you're not doing your Christian duty.
00:15:00
Brethren, why do we? Why do they say that? It's because they've lost the hope.
Of the Lord's coming, the present hope of the Lord's coming, and our distinctive position as a heavenly people.
We we will be involved in setting this world right, but not today. And to force legislation on issues like homosexuality is creating a backlash and it's not the time. That time is coming.
We need to preach the gospel to those people that they would get saved and then there will be the basis of morality in their lives. But beyond that, brethren, we cannot go without forgetting our distinctive position as a heavenly people.
We don't want to ever give the impression that we're indifferent to the abuses of humanity and what we see around us. And I think sometimes people get the impression that we're indifferent to it because we don't get out and join some lobby group or Christian coalition or whatever it might be. And we don't want to give that impression. But we're not here to straighten things out in this time. And it's beautiful when you go to the end of Revelation.
Where you have the church there described, she's described as a city. Why is the church described as a city? Because cities denote administration, they denote government, and it shows there that we're going to have a part in the government in the coming day. We're going to have a very real place in the administration of the Kingdom. When I say the name of Ottawa or Washington DC or London or Paris, you think of the administration of the country from that, from that focal point.
From that city and so the church comes down out of heaven as the city to share in that millennial administration. But the Corinthians were trying to do it before the king Kingdom before the king Paul said would that you would reign because if you really were reigning, we'd be reigning with you. Can I just say this too, brethren, people that say that this is the reigning time now I, I, how can they when they look at the condition of things around us?
You know, I, I knew a brother, if I said his name, many would recognize his name. Many years ago he was at the Lord's table. And the last conversation I had with this brother, because he was a brother who got caught up in thinking this was the reigning time. Now I said to this brother, the last time I talked to him, I said, if you tell me that the rain, this is the raining time. Now that is a slap in the face to the Lord Jesus to look at the condition of things and say that this is the time. But brethren, there is a time. We're gonna have a part in it. It's all gonna be headed up under price and as we've been saying.
It takes grace, it takes patience, it takes wisdom. But are we willing to wait for his time? His time is the best.
That word, uh, dispensation should be translated administration. We mentioned that, but in the epistle we have two administrations. Turn over to chapter 3 and you'll see another one. Christ's two administrations are found in this epistle, chapter 3, verse 9. Paul is speaking about his double Commission and mystery in his ministry about.
Preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ. But then he goes on in verse 9.
To say and to enlighten all with the knowledge of the administration of the mystery.
The administration of the mystery.
And so on. So that's a different administration than what we have in our chapter.
What we have in chapter one is a future administration of the world to come, as we've been speaking, when Christ will take the governments of this world and order them according to the mind of God in perfection, with His Bride at His side. But in chapter 3 we have a present administration of Christ. He is presently at the head of the work of ordering all things and gathering the Church and forming it and bringing it to completion.
Whereby there will be this special vessel that will be used for his display in the coming day, he said in Matthew 16. I will build my church and today he is administering.
00:20:01
That work, he's sending his evangelists out and they are going and gathering the material and they're preaching the gospel and he's ordering all things today to form the church and to bring it into.
Existence so it can be used for the display of Christ's glory. So let's not confuse the administration in chapter three with the administration in chapter one. I say it again that the chapter 3 is a present administration that Christ is now working, but chapter one and verse 10 is a future administration of the world to come. It might be helpful too, Bruce, just in connection with the comments that have been made previously to make this comment as well. And that is.
That even as far as the governments of this world today, God is in control. He, he sets up the basis of man in the kingdoms of men. You know, things may seem out of hand on the world stage and it is certainly man's day, but God is still behind the scenes. God is controlling everything and there is nothing allowed. Even in the governments of this world, there is nothing allowed that God doesn't allow.
He's still pulling the strings and whether these men in power recognize it or not, they are just puppets in God's hands, accomplishing God's purposes in in the end. And again, I think to realize that helps us to just stand back and to leave things as they are. And again, not to be indifferent, but to leave it real, realizing that it is in the go, the Lord's hands. And it says that the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water.
He turneth that whithersoever he will.
Remember that this has managed us to pray for kings and for all that I in authority. We cannot be directly involved in government as Christians, pilgrims and strangers, but this is what we can do. We can pray, you know, and that is our responsibility and duty. We might not approve of the person in government, but we have to recognize their authority and pray for them.
That is something we should do.
As Christian, we have managed to do that.
Toward the authorities. Go ahead.
And they lived under the authority of a self-serving wicked man named Nero.
And in the Second Thessalonians chapter 2, as has been said, we pray for the powers that be, and we're thankful for the powers that we're under today. We can meet like this unhindered, but in Second Thessalonians 2/5.
UH-26 And now you know what? Withhold it. What is an impersonal?
Verse seven is he that letteth or restraineth? That's the Spirit of God. I take the what in verse six to be government. God gives it to restrain evil and retain order.
And, uh, told the story in Los Angeles, uh, last year about the fellow that was on the run and the sheriff's were trying to catch him and I gave them a ride across the river in the boat.
And I told them that I pray for them because they stand between US and anarchy. We do pray for the powers that be in our thankful for them. You don't want to live in anarchy without government.
Bad government is better than no government at all. That's how desperate the human condition is. We need government.
What purpose did he serve in connection with the earthly people that they were in the land? Again, the Western powers realized that the Jews needed a homeland, and that came into existence after he had killed 6 million of them.
Half million gypsies, you know, the rest of the powers realize if that unleashed the homeland. So God allows these difficult circumstances for the Jews to bring about what Scripture has prophesied that they would be again in the land, you know, and there is a nation now, a nation of Israel.
In the promised Land, you know, and the Lord Jesus will come when he comes to reign there. He will bring in peace, not for only earthly people, for the world in general.
Is the print of peace.
00:25:03
John speaks about, uh, himself. John the Apostle speaks of himself about, uh, in the Revelation chapter 19. I, John, who also am your brother and companion and tribulation. And here's a key phrase. And in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. Well, that's our present position, isn't it? It's the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. Well, we might understand the Kingdom. The Lord is certainly in heaven.
Though he's hidden, but what about the patients? Well, the point is that he's patient. So we ought to be patient, shouldn't we? So we were saying, not involved, get involved in this worldwide. Well, Satan is the Prince and the God of this world. Do we wanna be involved in that world? No, the Lord Jesus is patient. He's waiting. Now as to the fact that, uh, God is working behind the scenes, it reminds me of a story that I've appreciated about Frederick the Great, uh, Prussia, who lived back in the 18th century about the time of, uh, Voltaire and so on. And he was a, he was a rationalist and infidel.
And he was quite pleased with himself, as they tend to be. And he had a general oppression general who was a Christian. And so, uh, they used to have discussions from time to time. And, uh, uh, the Prince would, uh, King, King Frederick would say to this general. Now tell me, you give me one reason why I should believe that the Bible is inspired. He says that's easy. He said, well, what is it? He said the Jew? Well, that was some several 100 years ago. But the fact that the Jews have been more scattered and persecuted than any people on the face of the earth.
And still existed proved to him that the word of God is inspired, because God says that they are his chosen earthly people.
What would he say today, brother, look at the Jew. Every day on the front page of the news, we have stories about the Mideast and about the Jews. Is there any question that God is behind the scenes, moving all the scenes? He is behind. But right now it's the Kingdom and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ. He's waiting. So we, we wait, but we know assuredly that he's behind all those scenes and he's be, and he's, uh, he, he's moving behind the scenes and behind all those scenes that he moves.
Connection with our our responsibility with the government.
As it is now in the earth set up of God, three things we're told in the New Testament we are to pray. Heinz has already mentioned that pay and obey is the three things to pray and to pay. That is where to pay our taxes and to be honorable in everything that they require of us and also to obey.
But we're not called to enter into the government now.
As we said we're if any Christians are doing that, they're a day too soon.
What about if they command you to do something that is directly contrary to the Scriptures? Do you obey them? No. I think that's important to think about, brethren, because we're living in a world. Here in the West we have a lot of liberty, but in other parts of the world that's not the case, and we have an expression in these.
Countries that is uh, civil disobedience. That is not the place for a believer in the Lord Jesus. We have an example in the book of Daniel of Daniels three friends. They were commanded to bow down.
To that image that Nebuchadnezzar set up.
What are they going to do?
They didn't bow down because they recognized a higher authority than Nebuchadnezzar, and that higher authority had told them distinctly not to bow down to any graven image. And when it came to being called an account by Nebuchadnezzar, they did not rebel. They allowed themselves to be bound and cast into the fire. And I think sometimes, brethren, that's where we get the tribulation. You mentioned the Kingdom and patience, but tribulation is connected with that too.
If we recognize someone in ultimate authority that is absent and was rejected by this world, we're going to have to experience tribulation and patience in the Kingdom.
And I think those are important words to keep together in connection with that. You cannot own his authority without.
Feeling resistance and tribulation and patience are very much a part of it. We have an example of what you say in the early church in Acts as well, because there came a point where they commanded them not to preach the gospel. They brought them up to the court and they said you're not to speak in the name of Christ.
00:30:22
And why did Peter say we ought to obey God rather than man? Because they had a Commission from a higher authority. Peter appealed to a higher authority. They had been told to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, and no authority on earth could undermine the authority that was given to them by the Lord Jesus Himself. But we want to stress, as Bob said, that the only time we are justified.
In not vowing to authority on earth.
And that's in any sphere of authority is when it goes against the authority of the word of God. The lordship of Christ must be maintained in our lives at all times and the authority of the word of God. But brethren, if we do not have authority from the word of God, a direct command we need to bow. Why do many of our brethren and other countries continue to meet when it's illegal, when they, the authorities tell them not to, they have authority from the word of God. We're not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
And so on. But they do it because they have a higher authority.
So it's correct to say that we are always to obey. If an authority, an earthly authority, gives us a command that is in con in contradiction to God's authority, then we go to the highest authority and we are always to obey.
This driving guitar speed limit. I'm afraid we often break that law, don't we?
I'm afraid we do. You know about them. Even the authorities are gracious. You know, they don't give you a ticket when you go 5 miles over the limit. But as Christians, we ought to be exercised to keep the speed limit. John Krelos, remember that, you know, young girls too. Young ladies, you know, you better remember that we ought to obey the law. You know that isn't that difficult. You know, we can drive quite fast.
On the Interstate, uh, here in this part of the world.
Uh, obey the authorities. That's what the Skipton admonishes. So just to summarize a little bit now as to what we've had in the chapter in relation to the father, three things. He has chosen us, predestinated us and made us accept it in his son, in the beloved. But now we have 3 things, uh, in relation to the sun. He's redeemed this verse seven. He's re revealed the given us the revelation of the mysteries, what we're talking about now. But also we have been through him or in him, we have obtained an inheritance.
Verse 11 goes on to speak about the inheritance. Now what is this?
It's often been said that the inheritance in Ephesians is the material creations, every created thing.
It's a little bit different than what you get in Colossians and in Peter, where the inheritance is seen as being over our head in a spiritual portion of blessing.
It's reserved in heaven for us here. It is the material creation and it's important to see that the inheritance in this aspect is not numbered among our spiritual blessings because it is something material and not of the character of the spiritual blessings that we have in verse 3, isn't it? We haven't we haven't possessed that inheritance yet. It is future we're going to.
When the Lord Jesus takes his place to reign supreme in this world, it says in Psalm 2, ask of me, the Father says to the Son, and I will give thee the Kingdom for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. So the time is going to come when he's going to take it, and he's going to liberate it from the ******* of corruption, and then we will.
Reign with him. That's going to be our inheritance.
Park offset government, you know, but there's a difference in connection with the government. Not all will reign through the same extent, you know, according to faithfulness, there is a greater portion given to one than to another. So when it comes to the Kingdom.
00:35:15
That is based on faithfulness and the portion that we will have to reign with Him there. But in heaven, none is going to be in heaven because of anything that they have done. You know, none of us will be there because of our righteousness. It's the Lord Jesus and His work that has secured out the place there. I hope everyone in the audience here knows the Lord Jesus their Savior. If you know Him, you reign with Him, you know.
But heaven will always be our portion, our home, Even when we come back with Him to reign over the earth in the Millennium, Heaven is gonna be our home. You know it will be heavily citizens for all eternity.
There are a couple of scriptures I'd like to have noticed in that connection. If we could just read a verse in John 17 to show the distinction of the Lord's work in this present day and that day, as Bob referenced, When he will say, Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. But John 17. We often speak of this, of the Lord's high priestly prayer, but notice verse 9.
As He intercedes for His own, I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. What does that mean? Does that mean we should not pray for the powers that be? No, we've already had that before us. Does it mean we don't pray for the souls of men that are in this world? No, but here the thought is, He doesn't demand for the world, not at this time, as the Lord Jesus was going back to His Father. His present work is on our behalf, interceding for us. But there is a day He will demand the world.
He will ask and he will be given the heathen for an inheritance and the other most parts of the earth for a possession. And that's the millennial day. But if we could also go back to familiar type in the Old Testament, back in Genesis chapter.
40.
Time for me now 40.
41 Genesis 41 in reference to.
Joseph we know he was rejected by his brother and he was exalted in Egypt, a type of Christ in this present day, rejected but exalted. But in verse 45 and Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zafnaf Pania.
Savior of the world and the revealer of secrets. And he gave him to wife Asanath, the daughter of Potiphar, priest of Anne. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
Well, Joseph in his rejection now is exalted. He's given a bride. Asked Nath, whose name means beauty. It's a beautiful picture of the Church not seen.
And God reaching down in grace and saving by all sinners. But here as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that He might present it to himself. A glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Beauty that which has raptured His heart. And so in His rejection. But now it's all that He's given, a bride that she might reign with Him over all the land. And so that is our place, isn't it? It's in Him we have the inheritance as associated as united with Christ.
But we the object of his delight, the heart, his heart's delight, and of His joy but to reign with Him. And so that would take us to that millennial day. We're not the inheritance, but we share it with Him and in Him.
Is that the impact that you have in the 1St 11 where it says we, which would refer to, we choose who are believers If, if they had just been brought in under, uh, like in the Millennium in the coming day, they would have just been an inheritance.
But who are they? Well, they're not. They're not part of the inheritance, are they? They're going to have a part of the inheritance. So this must have been a tremendous thing for a Jewish believer to hear.
This wonderful truth, what impact it must have had on this?
00:40:03
We need to enjoy it too, our brother, and I think the enjoyment of it will deliver us from the materialism of the world we are passing through.
Uh, the stream of having things is so heavy in the culture we live in that sometimes we are affected by it. But why are we going to kill ourselves to earn more money and get more things if we're going to inherit all things in him in a few short years? What's the sense of that Doesn't make sense. Remember being down in the Dominican Republic and there was a brother that was beginning to neglect the meetings and.
He showed us his.
His, uh, properties and he told us a little bit about his product, his, uh, purposes of expanding. And I said, brother, you know what, uh, we're going to inherit all things with Christ in the future day. Is there any need to be expanding dramatically like this at the expense of neglecting the assembly meetings?
And I think, brethren, if we really live in the enjoyment of it, these are realities, brother, and we're not talking about some vague doctrines and ideas. These are real things. And I must say, I was challenged.
I didn't know brother Harry hay hole in my youth. Remember him at a Walla Walla conference? I think I was 13 but.
I guess I probably listened to him more on the tapes that there are that that man lived in the enjoyment of the truth of the inheritance and I just, I know some of you have heard this story. At one time he was riding on a train in Ontario, I think it was.
And it was a later summer and outside the window of the train where the fields, the harvest that were, uh, coming to ripen. And a young man beside him, he said.
Isn't that beautiful, uh, countryside young man? He said. Yes. He said, uh, you know, that all belongs to my father.
Interesting, he said. Kept on going a few more hours and he said this Bardu is really beautiful isn't it? Yes, this belongs to my father too and I'm I'm an heir of it all. Young man looked at him and said who are you and who is your father?
Brethren, we we smile at that, but it's the truth of the matter. Why kill ourselves by earning so much things? Let's be about our Father's business down here. He'll give us sufficient to pass through this life, but oh, to live in the enjoyment of it. Scripture speaks quite a bit about the inheritance in the Old Testament, and we need to look those things up, search them out. It should interest us.
Because it's going to be our possession with Christ. Notice in Romans chapter 8 it speaks of this and I I think it is.
An interesting detail it gives here says in.
Verse 17 If children, then heirs, heirs of God.
And joint heirs with Christ.
In other words.
Joint air is one who inherits it all. It's not going to be like an earthly inheritance where a father, if he has four children, divides his inheritance into four different parts. One has one part and another another part, no?
We will inherit it all together. Oh, I think that is so beautiful to enjoy that dear brother. And I love to go through the Andes of South America, see those beautiful countryside, and say this is part of the inheritance we're going to enjoy in that millennial day.
The amount of transfiguration was a little preview of the coming glory and the coming Kingdom.
And one of the men that was seen there with the Lord Jesus was Moses. And I never realized until I had opportunity on more than one occasion to travel through Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. Just the import of that, because when it talks about Moses forsaking Egypt and what he received in in place of it for time, there's it's a it gives a greater import to those verses in Hebrews 11.
00:45:31
Then we realized Egypt was a glorious nation in the days of Moses. And it's interesting, I know there's a little, that part of history, secular history is a little clouded, but many scholars feel that the Pharaoh that was in power at that time was perhaps a Pharaoh that had no sons himself. He had a number of daughters, but he had no sons. And he would have perhaps been willing to make his adopted grandson.
To the throne and Moses could have had the glory of the, of a Kingdom down here at a time when Egypt was one of the greatest nations, uh, and societies, uh, that ever, uh, existed in ancient time could have had a pyramid of perhaps erected to his memory. But there he was on the Mount of Transfiguration. He gave it up for, uh, to lead the people of God through the Sinai desert for 40 years.
And what did he get? Murmuring and complaining and blame and all kinds of things. Will it be worth it all when we, I'm waiting to speak to Moses and say, Moses, was it worth it all? I saw what you gave up and what you got in exchange. Oh, say not for one moment. The glory of what is ahead in the Kingdom, uh, will make it all worthwhile. Anything we give up down here, brethren, that we give up in light of building for eternity and laying up treasure in heaven.
Enjoying our spiritual blessings here. It's all going to be worth it when that day of the, of our glory comes and we're going to reign with Christ. Brethren, not only are we going to reign with Christ in that day, but we're going to be at his side as his bride, as the Lamb's wife. We're going to be joint heirs with Christ. We've got the best of both worlds. We've got a spiritual inheritance to enjoy now.
Now as present portion and we've got, we're, we're going to inherit all things with Christ as joint heirs with him. We can't lose brethren. We've got the best of it of both, uh, both worlds.
Yes.
Hold of them by faith, you know. Hopefully we have an exercise to lay hold of the things that are ours by the faith in Christ, you know. But we cannot have both.
You know, if we go after and our hearts are attached to the things of earth and the world, we cannot come to enjoy our spiritual blessings. You think so? Quote together, you know, you leave the one behind. Just like the children of Israel had to leave Egypt to go into the farmer's land. You know the farmer's land is spiritually Speaking of where our blessings are in heavenly places.
In Christ Jesus, we can lay hold of these things now.
Five feet, you'd have to wait until we get there physically.
So there's two parts to the inheritance, or I should, maybe we could say two ways of looking at it. The way in which, uh, Peter presented is that, uh, it reserved in heaven for you. And it's really the portion of our blessings that we, uh, enjoy, or at least should enjoy. But in Ephesians, it's, uh, it's the material creation. It's every created thing. Mr. Darby put it this way.
In Peter you have it over our heads, but in Ephesians it stretches out under our feet.
The material creation that we're going, it's the stage in which God is going to display the glory of his Son.
Someone asked me one time, how can you say that, uh, if every created thing is the inheritance and it stretches out under our feet. If I look up, I see the sun and the moon and the stars. That's over my head. That's not under my feet. And the answer we gave him was, but you have to look at these truths that we're looking at from the perspective on which the epistle sees you.
And Ephesians sees you as seated in heavenly places in Christ. And when you're seated in heaven, you look down to the creation, you look down to the sun and the moon and the stars, and away down to the earth. But you see in Peter, it's a wilderness epistle. The Saints are seen on earth and their portion of blessing is over their heads. It's in the heaven. And so we need to see it from the perspective in which it is being presented in its respective epistle. And if we bring 1 into the other, we're going to get confused.
00:50:32
So it's important to see that now in this verse two, we have two words that are used and I'd like to just fasten on that for a minute. And that is purpose. We're reading verse 11, purpose, and the other is counsel.
Purpose is the intention of God's will, but counsel is the wisdom that He takes in carrying it out. So what I'm saying is, in the eternity past, God has had one great purpose to glorify His Son, and then divine persons took counsel as to how they're going to do this.
How it's gonna be worked out in time so that in the fullness of time at, at that day of, uh, when all of the ways of God are culminated in the display of Christ's glory, how this would be accomplished. And in the council of God, he has sought fit that he would use the crookedest sticks of his creatures, Gentiles that have gone far from God in sin and picked them up by grace, redeemed them, bring them into a place of blessing and use them.
As an instrument to display the glory of Christ and what it does, of course, is magnify the grace of God before the world. So his counsel has taken, uh, is the wisdom that he takes in carrying out his purpose and the ways of God worked and run along that line so that all will be fulfilled in that coming day.
How important to live, brethren, in the enjoyment and the intelligence of these things, that as we pass through this world.
Hey, somebody mentioned to me some time ago, and I've really enjoyed it, that when the Lord Jesus came the first time, it was an agent of the Roman Empire who tried to kill him when he was a baby.
Period. And then it was another agent of the Roman Empire.
Uh, Pilot, who gave the sentence to have him crucified. Now we're getting close to the time when the Lord Jesus is going to come back the second time to this world. And what do we see rising up in Europe? That same Roman power. And it will be that power that will go to fight with him, to make war with him when he comes out of heaven the second time. So we see these things taking place moving in that direction.
It should thrill us in a way, but it should make us. It should activate us as to getting out with the gospel as well.
OK.
But that doesn't mean that we can, uh, keep the gospel to people, You know, a lot of people have been saved by getting a message from a brother who could not, or a sister who couldn't claim that they had to gift her an evangelism, you know. But what are we to you? And what will the Spirit of God use to bring soulty to blessing?
The word of God.
Put a commemorate so that the Spirit can bring it to your memory when you meet people and give them the right scripture at the right time. It's the word of God that the Spirit of God uses to bring souls into blessing, but he cannot use us if we don't know the Scriptures. So it's so important. And for the young people here, how wonderful that you grow up under the influence of Scripture. You go to Sunday's school and hopefully the Bible is read in the whole and.
You grow up under that influence, memorize the scriptures and uh, uh, then the Spirit of God can bring it to your memory at any given time. He will not always use the same word for blessing, you know, but the Spirit can give you the right word at the right time that the Spirit can use to bring souls into blessing. But it is the word of God, of course, back up.
00:55:14
By a godly life, people will not accept our thoughts.
If they see us living in sin or living.
Contrary to Christian teaching, So while the Lord is able to use people efforts on the part of any of us.
Now it says in verse 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted or pre trusted in Christ that we there is the Jews that have believed the gospel have been called to share in this wonderful new thing that God has, uh, forming, which is the church. But then he goes on in verse 13 and he says, in whom ye also, uh, had trusted.
And he's talking there, of course, Gentiles. And so the work of God by the Spirit of God is to gather out of both Jew and Gentile believers that would form this new heavenly vessel. But it's beautiful to see here in verse 12 when he says that we should be to the praise of his glory. We might read that loosely or quickly and just think, well, we should praise his glory, praise him for what he's doing and what he's done. Well, that's certainly true. We should praise him. But what he's saying here is that in the purpose of God is that he would use.
Believers now who are part of the church for the purpose of getting praise from men in that coming day of display. When this world looks up and sees the the, the wisdom of God and the grace of God and saving sinners and bringing them into this place of favor that is higher than as we've been saying, it's a mountaintop that God himself couldn't go any higher. And bringing them into such a place as that in association with Christ, it's going to produce praise in the hearts of all in the millennial earth to God for such wisdom.
And such grace. And so he's going to use us.
To get praise for himself. When the world looks on and sees that, they'll just wonder and it'll bring praise and glory to God. So it's a wonderful thing to think that we've been brought into this place. It's true. We should praise the Lord, Yes, of course. But that's not this verse exactly.
Perhaps it is via help to go back to the days that our brother Bob was speaking about. There's four days in Scripture that have a dispensational meaning, aren't there? Perhaps there's more, but at least four come to mind. And what you're speaking about brings one to mind. Bob spoke earlier about man's day, and we have that in First Corinthians 4, don't we? I think it's first verse four, if I remember right. He didn't want to be judged by man's day. Today we live in man's day.
It's, uh, Satan is the God and Prince of this world, and man appears to have the upper hand. I say appears, but it is a world of which Satan is the God and Prince. But soon, when the Lord Jesus appears out of heaven in power and glory, the Scripture calls that the day of the Lord, or at least the beginning, I should say, of the day of the Lord. And that goes through the tribulation, the end of the tribulation, when he appears all the way through the Millennium, doesn't it? And I suppose to that great white throne.
When things will be finalized, but there's another day. And this is what uh, uh, I think we have in verse 12. That's the day of Christ, isn't it? When we're going to be displayed as belonging to Christ to the wonder of the whole world. It's not gonna be to our glory, is it? Notice it doesn't say our glory, but it's to the praise of his glory. Remember what Balaam said? Balaam was an unbeliever. There was no faith in Balaam. He spoke.
No more willingly than the donkey he rode. But God put words in his mouth that have meaning because they're God's words. And Balaam said, what hath God wrought? And so when the world sees us identified with Christ, uh, when we're to the praise of his glory, they'll say, what hath God wrought? That's the day of Christ, isn't it? The showing forth of the Lord Jesus in his glory. And then we know the final dispensational day is that day of God.
When, uh, everything is going to be brought to a conclusion, the, uh, uh, Satan is going to be cast into the lake of fire. Uh, evil is brought to an end. And I might just mention, uh, we have that of course referred to at least the, the principle in chapter 3. Uh, just look at that very quickly, perhaps because there's only four places in Scripture, if I recall right, where the eternal state is mentioned. And this is one.
01:00:18
Uh, chapter 321 Unto him the glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Well, in uh, Peter, he calls it the day of God.
Doesn't call it here that here, but I mentioned this, brethren, there's something that's very precious to my soul. Uh, we have in this verse, and that is our brother Bob mentioned yesterday that these, so many of our blessings are eternal blessings. If we look carefully at what scripture says about the eternal state, we find that there's no Israel in the eternal state. There's no Gentiles as such in the eternal state, at least distinct as Gentiles in Israel.
It's gone.
But there is the Church. We have a peculiar place, as it says there in chapter three of our book.
Unto him be glory in the church by Jesus Christ Jesus throughout all ages. World without end. That's eternity, brethren, the day of God. The church will go on in its peculiar position throughout all eternity. That's true of Israel, not true of the Gentiles as such. But the church has a peculiar place.
And it goes on throughout eternity.
That's the Tabernacle of God that is with men.
Isn't it? It's Christ in this church.
Forever united with men.
In that eternal day.
40 and the offending.
The Armour of God
Address—Bob Thonney
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Turn to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 34.
Last chapter of Deuteronomy.
Verse one.
And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is, over against Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead, and to Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea. That's the Mediterranean Sea and the South, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, and the city of palm trees.
Unto Zoar. And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I swear unto Abraham.
The Isaac and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed, I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes.
Thou shalt not go over thither, so Moses the servant.
Of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord like to pause there quite a panorama. We read that Moses wasn't abated in his natural force nor in his sight. So as he stood up there on the top of Mount Pisgah and saw the whole land before him, it must have been quite.
A tremendous panorama. He deeply wanted to go in, and it's beautiful to see in the New Testament the amount of transfiguration. Moses did get into the land, not during his life, because he was the Lawgiver. And the law will never bring you into blessing. No, it brings you to the border of it. But it was reserved for another servant of the Lord Joshua to bring.
Him into that land. And that's what we have in the next book, the next chapter, really.
Just like to tell you about southern Bolivia. A little bit down in southern Bolivia there is a mountain too.
It's called Cherokee, and on the southeast side of that mountain is a little town called Santa Barbara.
Easy for me to remember because named after my wife.
But that little town sits at the altitude of about 15,000 feet. I'm not sure if there's any other meeting on the globe that's quite as high as that one, but it's, uh, interesting place to visit. And the brethren that live there have told me that they look down and they can see the planes fire flying under there altitude. It is so high there that when you walk uphill, you walk.
Pretty slowly and you walk huffing and puffing, but there's a little meeting there. As far as I know, they're still breaking bread there in that place. But it is a beautiful place to look out over the countryside and see how long distance away you can almost see up to the city of Uyuni, which is 100 kilometers away. See a long ways.
Just imagine how Moses looked out over the Promised land, that land flowing with milk and honey and the desire of his heart to go in, but he couldn't. And now Joshua. In the first chapter of Joshua we'll read a few verses here. After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses minister.
Saying, Moses, my servant is dead now, therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people.
Unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
From the wilderness in this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the great river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, this Mediterranean Sea shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Thee strong.
00:05:05
And of a good courage. For unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I swear unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous.
That thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee.
Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayst prosper whithersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein.
Day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.
For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then shalt thou have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. And so Joshua was the one that led them into the Promised Land. Now, before we leave the Book of Joshua to go over to the fifth chapter, please.
For just a couple of verses there 3 verses verse 13.
Came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho, by Jericho that lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him, with his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went up unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay.
But as captain of the host of the Lord, am I now come? And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?
The captain of the Lord's host said unto him unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place wherein thou standest is holy. And Joshua.
Did so. So here's Joshua and he's about now he's across the Jordan and he's about to go in to take the land and he meets this man that has a sword drawn in his hand. You know, Keenan in Scripture is not a picture of heaven when we get there at the end of our lives. It is a picture of where we are right now.
It is.
A zone of conflict. And whenever God wants his people to come into the enjoyment of the blessing that is ours, you're going to find there's going to be conflict.
It starts right when you want to get saved.
Remember being in the South of Bolivia at a place.
Called Ulo where brother Eric Smith started his work amongst the Fukachumpi Indian tribe and there was a lady there. The end of the meeting she said IR that she wanted to get saved. You know what, she had a little baby in her arms and that little baby.
Did not want to be quiet at all. She just screamed and wanted nothing else but to take her mother completely out of that room. And when somebody else offered to take the little baby, it screams so badly that the mother decided not to let that go, let her child go. You know, Satan wants to impede blessing. And that's the conflict that we are in and as soon.
As you desire to go on in obedience to the Word of God and in the enjoyment of those things that we've been talking about in these reading meetings, let me tell you, there will be conflict. There is. We are living in a war zone, not a war, bullets and bombs like there are in parts of this world, but nevertheless, a very real war is going on.
And if you are here a seeking soul for salvation, let me tell you, there's somebody that doesn't want you to get saved.
But you can get saved by repentance toward God for those sins of yours.
And by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior, the sinners, the one that hung on that cross.
00:10:02
The one that paid the price of our redemption. You Simply put your faith and trust in Him. He will save you and He will save you now.
There's somebody that way here. Let me encourage you just simply right where you are sitting to open your heart to the Lord Jesus and to accept Him in your own personal faith as your Savior. But I want to speak mainly to those who are believers in the Lord Jesus. And it has been evident to me when we have taken up these subjects of heavenly blessing, the enemy makes determined attacks to keep you.
You can't take away your blessings.
No, they are eternal, but He can take away the enjoyment of your blessings and that's what the conflict is about.
Remember in southern Peru one time we were visiting the town called Quora Quota. It's way up in the mountains. In fact, it's kind of at the end of the road. And from there we went on in by a foot to preach the gospel into the Andes of that section of southern Peru.
And we met some believers there. I don't know that they were connected with any denomination as such, but they had heard the gospel and they said we'd like to have a meeting and talk about the Scriptures. They were not very well instructed. So we started out with some very basic things about our blessing and the forgiveness of sins that it speaks about that we've been talking about in Ephesians chapter one.
And how that you can have it as a present possession. You know what happened while we were there, some drunky came to the door. It was a WI uh, door was opened onto the street. This drunk guy comes up and he starts hollering in at the door. And thankfully it was in Quechua. And so I didn't understand what he was saying, but all the attention of the people went towards the door.
And the drunk guy, I don't know if he was saying that stuff that interesting that they didn't pay attention to me anymore, but somebody had the grace to go and take him gently by the arm and lead him down the street and around the corner and hope he would stay away that way. Well, he stayed away for a little bit, but he made his way back eventually to the doorway again and started hollering again. You know, Satan uses anything.
Sometimes even good things in themselves, but to keep you from enjoying the portion that is ours in Christ, dear young person, and older ones too, we need to realize that if you're going to live in the enjoyment of it, it is a zone of conflict.
It said every step that you step on will be yours, but every step they took it was contested by the enemy and so they went forward in battle.
I sometimes think we just, I was brought up in the meeting too, you know, and I remember learning lots of wonderful things in the meetings. But just because I heard him and kind of stored it away in my memory didn't mean that I had it. Time came when I had to make it my very own to put my foot on it, to speak in that way.
And to possess it for myself, this precious truth of the forgiveness of sins, to be able to say that I have the forgiveness of my sins according to the riches.
Of His grace, what a tremendous blessing. Some people look at me and say, how dare you say such a thing? Who can know that this side of heaven?
You can know it by simple trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Precious truth.
Their spiritual blessings and so.
Joshua, when he was going into the land, he meets with this man with a drawn sword. Who was this man? We know now that it was the Lord Jesus, and Joshua probably thought himself rather important at the head of the armies of Israel, and he walks up to them to see who this is.
00:15:14
And says, are you for us or for our adversaries? Notice how he answers nay. Why did he say nay? Joshua, you don't have the right perspective on this.
I'm come as captain of the hosts of the Lord.
And dear brethren, it is such a tremendous comfort to your heart because we live in a war zone, because we live in a place of spiritual conflict. Sometimes you might get discouraged, but let's take comfort with what Joshua saw and he how he was reminded there was one who was the captain of the host of the Lord.
Remember Mr. Eric Smith talking about this?
And he said it this way. The Lord said to Joshua, Joshua, there are no ranks in the soldiers here in Canaan. I'm supreme, get back in the ranks, Joshua, you're just a common soldier. And take off your shoes, too. Nothing more humbling to a soldier than have to go barefoot. But he had to do that. And I think it's so important, Brethren, we're going to enjoy these things.
We've got to lose sight of what we are as men in the flesh. It's not.
What I am, it's not what some other gifted brother may be, it's who that supreme person is, the Lord Jesus Christ, captain of the host of the Lord. Now I want to go back to the book of Ephesians. What we've been having in Ephesians is that panorama of spiritual blessing that we have gone over in the first chapter and this last reading meeting we took up the question of.
The inheritance that is going to be ours when the Lord comes to take the inheritance as his own. But I want to go to the 6th chapter because there we have the conflict that we cannot escape.
If you're a believer in the Lord Jesus, this is going to be what you will experience if you're going to enjoy.
These spiritual blessings, let me tell you that the enemy is going to try to shake your joy. You can't take away the blessings. Again, I say you can take away the enjoyment of your blessings. So let's read from verse 10.
Ephesians 410 Finally, my brethren, the strong in the Lord.
And the power of his might, isn't that beautiful?
We live in days of weakness and ruin of the public testimony. Is that reason to be discouraged? Dear young people, maybe you come from small meetings. Let me encourage you that the power that is available to carry you through is just as great as it was on the day of Pentecost.
The strong in the Lord.
And in the power of his might, just like he exhorted Joshua to be strong and very courageous, so you and I are told to be strong. And in the in the power of the Lord, in the power of his might. And then it says verse 11, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood.
But against principalities.
Against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high or heavenly places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, And having done all to stand. Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
00:20:02
Above all.
Taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation.
And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for All Saints. And for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds.
That therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.
Well, here we have the whole armor of God, and I'd like to kind of go over this.
And apply it practically to our lives. Rather, I think it's so important to have the truth in practicality. You know, sometimes we have an understanding of it in the mind and we might be able to even explain things.
You know, when I went to South America, started visiting amongst those brethren and I got closer to them, I noticed that sometimes they were not very able to explain things very clearly, but they did. They had laid hold of them in their hearts. And it was a challenge to me. We as Americans in the North American continent are challenged to try to understand things and to be able to explain them and.
I don't say that that's wrong.
But that is not where you possess the truth of God. You do not possess the truth of God in your mind. The mind is only a channel by which the truth should by meditation, get down into the soul and the heart. It's what you enjoy of the truth of God that's going to have power in your life and mine. And that's so important to lay hold of it in the soul and so.
There are here 7 different things we want to talk about. The first one is.
Verse 14 having your loins girt about with truth.
That means put it on. The soldiers used to have a wide belt that go around their middle and as they battled, that belt would strengthen them. There is nothing that makes you strong like the truth, but put it on.
Not enough to know about it in your minds. Put it on, make it practical. Or I like to use the word practicable.
Practice it. And that's where it comes as a real challenge. And we have to challenge ourselves constantly on this. We have the truth when we speak about the truth objectively, your young people, and when we speak about the truth in its absolute sense, we have to be careful.
To say that we're speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ who said I am the way, the truth and the life and his precious word. The Lord Jesus said thy word is truth. There you have it.
In its absolute mess.
Are there is there to be truth in US? There should be, but don't look at me for believes because.
You might see something else than truth.
So you might see it subjectively in me, but objectively, look at Jesus.
He is the truth in the absolute sense and His precious word that we have in our hands, important to keep that clear in our souls. But what we're talking about here now is putting it on. And one of the points of truth that we have in this book, we have in chapter 4, it says in verse 4.
There is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. One body.
00:25:02
Yes, one body. And what does that body composed of every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
You look around City of Richmond and Vancouver, you say 1 body.
I see so many different bodies that say they're Christians. What are you talking about?
Yes, the public testimony is in ruins and you're not going to see it there. You're gonna see it in the truth of the Word of God, but it's still a reality. Now, in 2009, it is still a reality. There is one body, and it really rejoices my heart. To be able to act in view of that truth doesn't mean that I can have fellowship.
With everyone who says they're a believer in the Lord Jesus, no, doesn't mean that often point out to young people and others too that one thing is to be a member of the body of Christ. It's another matter the fellowship of the body of Christ. There's two different things and you need to distinguish what we're talking about but think about that the truth is there is one body and so.
As we walk in this world, we need to gird ourselves with that truth that there is one body. And wherever I meet a believer in the Lord Jesus who manifests his faith in the Lord Jesus, I say he's part of that same body that I am. And my responsibility is to seek to be a blessing in any measure that I can to him. Well, there's many ways we could speak about girding on the truth, but it is so important.
To put it on, meditate this book, dear young people and older ones too, Meditate on it until your mind is saturated with the word of God. Somebody has said so that when you think it is no longer your thoughts that you're thinking, that thoughts that God has shown us in this precious word, and then make it practicable in your life, put it into effect.
When I see the need there is all around the world of Christians who don't have much teaching, young people, you've gotten tremendous teaching. Are you getting a hold of it for yourself? Now? Gird it on and pass it on to others. That's the truth of the one body of Christ that's saying we have to go join some big organization to mobilize people into action, no?
You obey an individual basis and enjoy that. Yesterday and the address, our brother showed that faith is an individual thing. And I wanna challenge you young brothers especially make it your own, Meditate on it, let it sink down into your soul and then turn it on and go to be a blessing to others. That's the truth of the body of Christ there is.
One body member in Bolivia, we had some difficulties down there some time ago and there was a some that split off. They would not have fellowship any longer. And I happened to be in a town where one of those brothers was and I said to him.
As I visited him, I said, uh.
Still love you, brother, He says, yeah, it's too bad that the body of Christ is all broken up into bits. I said, I've come here, brother, because I want you to know the body of Christ is still one. It's just we that have trouble showing that to the world because of our fleshliness. You know, that was a different idea to him. He hadn't ever thought about that way. Thankfully, he's back in fellowship now.
At the Lord's Table, you know, it's a challenge in the day we live and it's not easy. I, umm, was recently in the country and I'm not tell where it was, but.
With some brothers that I have known for some time.
Was not on this continent, but uh.
When I when the meeting was started, the brother.
00:30:02
Uh looked at me and gave me quite a piece of his mind that he was not happy with me or those that visited there.
So much so that I wondered just what my place should be there in view of his feelings. And after he got done he looked at me and.
Wondered my my reaction was when I didn't immediately react, he says. Maybe I've offended you, brother. If I've offended you, please forgive me.
I said, brother, you haven't offended me, but perhaps you don't want me to interact here because of your feelings. If that's the case, please tell me. I don't want to push myself on you. No, there's there's place for the Word of God. So I opened the word of God in First Corinthians 12, first of all, to show that by 1 Spirit we are all baptized into one body.
And then we open to Ephesians chapter 4, where it says, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. I said to him, Brother, it's evident that we have some differences. But you know what? I didn't choose you to be in the body of Christ, and you didn't choose me.
Somebody else chose us both and they put us in the same body.
We'd better figure out how to get along together because nothing is gonna change that truth as much as we have our differences. Brethren, it takes some endeavoring to do this with all loneliness and meekness. Anybody like to volunteer that they got at all already? I think we all recognize we are lacking in those traits. Loneliness, meekness, long-suffering.
For bearing one another in love. And I looked around to those dear brothers and I said I know the Lord loves them. I can't just hook up and pull out. I've got to see what I can do to be a help here.
Oh brethren, may the Lord give us the GERD on the truth in whatever way it is. Make it practicable. The enemy has done too much damage already, pulling us apart.
Because one thinks they know a little bit better than another. What was the Spirit of our Lord Jesus when He stood before Pilate?
His face running with the spittle of those soldiers, his back bleeding.
Is there any tendency on his part to claim that they haven't treated me right?
Absolutely nothing. Oh, what an example from my heart. May the Lord help us, dear brethren, to gird on the truth. It will make us strong to stand in days of trial.
And then the second part of verse 14, it says having on the breastplate of righteousness.
Breastplate was a plate that covered the breast of the soldier. You've seen pictures of it. Sometimes it was a solid piece of metal. Sometimes it was kind of more like a coat of mail that the arrows as they came in, they couldn't penetrate. And so it would protect the soldier. Very important because one arrow through the heart and that soldier is not going to do much. He's gone.
So what is the breastplate of righteousness? It's practical righteousness here, and I like to think of it as a good conscience. Very important to maintain a good conscience, Paul tells Timothy, in first Timothy, the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart and of faith and faith and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned. Very important to maintain a good conscience. What is conscience?
Conscience is what man got in the Garden of Eden when he ate of the forbidden fruit. Remember, God told him one tree in the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
And he says not to eat of it.
00:35:03
They were innocent before it meant innocent means without knowledge.
Conscience is a word that means with knowledge of good and evil and you. Every human being has conscience. That's why even a little child, he gets ready to do something. He knows it's bad. He looks around to see if his mom is watching. Why does he do that? His conscience. Everybody has a conscience.
You have a good conscience.
You know, Scripture speaks of a purged conscience. That's what we have when we come to the Lord Jesus as Savior and he washes away our sins, his precious blood. We have a purged conscience, but then we need to be always exercising a good conscience. Paul says in the book of the Acts, says herein, do I exercise myself to have a conscience always?
Without a void of offense towards man and towards God.
How is it?
You know, that little favorite sin you just kind of allow in your life, it's going to take away that breastplate of righteousness and you're not going to be fit to engage the battle with the enemy. How important it is to judge ourselves.
I noticed in my own life that often.
The day is so busy that maybe I don't recognize I've misstepped in a certain area. I've found often the Lord wakes me up at night and brings back to my knowledge things that weren't what He wanted them to be, and then I have to judge them to maintain a good conscience.
So extremely important. What do you allow in your life?
The Internet. Are you watching stuff you know is wrong?
Don't you realize that the Lord is right there with you and He's watching that too? I ask you if that's the case, in whatever area it may be in your life, judge yourself.
In the Lord's presence and be done with it.
Maintain that good conscience, Paul says. He doesn't say I always have a good conscience. No, I exercise myself to have a good conscience. So it's a con, constant exercise because we're passing through a world that is contaminated everywhere you look. We need to have that exercise in the book of Hebrews, the end of the book, he says.
Pray for us, for we trust we have a good conscience in all things. Willing to walk honestly. May the Lord help us. Dear brother, we need to pray for one another too, because sometimes we are in situations where contamination is pretty rank. We need to cultivate a good conscience before God. That's the breastplate of righteousness.
Then the next one is verse 15 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
That is very important feed always speak of our walk and how are you walking in this world.
The way you walk prepares the ground for the gospel of peace.
You don't walk right. How can you open your mouth to give out the gospel? It's important. The part of the soldier, the Christian soldiers armor, the feet shod with the preparation. It's not the gospel of peace, but the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Verse 16 We have a very important part above all.
Taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And I think this is such an important part of the armor. The way I have it in my mind is that the soldier is right-handed. At least you'd have his sword in his right hand and he'd have unbuckled onto his left arm this shield, and he could defend himself against the blows of the enemy or the arrows that might come in to down him.
00:40:03
And so it was a very important point. He could raise it to defend them from an arrow that might be coming in. But what are these darts, fiery darts of the enemy of the wicked? I'd like to just say their doubts.
Satan wants you to doubt God. That's the way he always works. He worked that way in the Garden of Eden. He came up to Eve. He said, yeah, as God said. He put a question in Eve's mind, and in the end he fell. And Adam did too, even though Adam did it with his eyes wide open. The woman was deceived. But Adam.
Did it with his eyes wide open.
Oh, trust God, Never let anything take away your trust in God. You may doubt me, You may doubt others who are believers in the Lord Jesus. I can understand if you doubt them, but don't doubt God. Remember meeting with a man. We are having our tire changed. Hit a flat tire in Bolivia and met a man there at the place where we're getting it changed and.
I said that I gave my gospel tract and I said, are you a Christian?
I used to be, I said, what do you mean you used to be? Well, I was a Christian and I was going to this church in La Paz. The pastor turned out to be a fake.
I said, well, I can understand how a pastor might turn out to be a fake, but I say, why do you doubt God? I don't understand that.
Well, I never thought of it that way, but you know, sometimes people use any little excuse.
A failure on the part of some of those who are called Christians to doubt God.
Yes, there's failure in God's people, but you'll never find God unfaithful to His Word. He always stands by His Word, above all taking the shield of faith.
We're with you be be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Trust God implicitly. Let nothing come between your soul and your trust in God, even though you don't understand what's going on in the world around.
And in your life, as it applies to you, trust him implicitly.
A verse that we often quote and I enjoy.
Proverbs 35 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding.
All your heart is there some little corner of your heart? You're kind of entertaining a doubt as to the Lord.
Get it out into the light. Let.
The light of the word of God exposed that little corner of doubt. Don't allow it to be there. It can be fatal. You let in one little doubt and the shield goes down because this soldier has been weakened, and in comes another doubt, and in comes another, and all of a sudden that soldiers done for.
Dear young people, dear older ones too, don't doubt God. That verse in Proverbs 35, the verse six says, uh, uh, the last part of verse five says lean not to thine own understanding. And in the Spanish it's interesting how it reads.
Vietse dejoba de todo tu correzon Y no estrides into propia, prudencia and the word for.
Lean is a word in the Spanish that means the stirrups. When you run mountain, when you get on a horse, you put your feet in the stirrups, and when you start getting off to one side, you put your weight on those stirrups to get yourself straightened. That's the word that you use. You have some understanding about things in this life. I suppose you do have some understanding, but don't lean on your understanding. Use the understanding you have.
I'm not saying you should not use it. Use it, but don't lean on that. Lean on the Lord with all your heart and not on your own understanding. That's what it means. Well, let's go on here because it touched these other parts of the armor.
00:45:17
Verse uh.
17 now and take the helmet of salvation. That's the part that goes over the head. Very important, our thinking. Take the helmet of salvation. I'd just like to read a verse of a hymn that to me explains what the helmet of salvation is better than. Maybe I can even explain it. Listen and I'll try to explain it after I read this. It's the 16th him and the appendix in the last verse.
Says for every tribulation, for every sore distress in Christ.
A full salvation sure help and quiet rest. No Fear of foes prevailing.
I triumph, Lord, in thee, O Jesus, friend, unfailing, how dear art thou to me? That's the helmet of salvation, the knowledge that in the end he's going to bring us out victorious. And if a soldier goes into battle knowing he's going to come out victorious, with what confidence he wages that war, That's the confidence that belongs to us put on.
The helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It's not our sword, it's the spirit sword, and you're gonna wield it. You ought to do it. Independence on the direction of the Spirit of God. Sometimes we think we can wield it on our own. No, is as the Spirit of God gives us. It's what the Lord Jesus used against the enemy.
Every time he came along with a temptation, the Lord said it is written.
And the devil came back with a scripture too. And what did Jesus say? It is written again.
He could not be.
Uh, taken out of the path of complete obedience. He is the sword of the Spirit. You know, there's a tendency in my mind sometimes to reason with people.
And I suppose there is such a thing. Scripture speaks about it in the book of the Acts that Paul reasoned out of the scriptures.
But.
There is something that is more.
Uh, powerful than reasoning. It is the word of God. It's the sword of the spirit. It's extremely penetrating. And I liked what Brother Heinz said in the reading fill your minds with the word of God. Give that because that's what God uses to give to communicate new life.
To dead souls.
I don't know if you've heard the story of Giovanni Graniti in Italy. There was a little gospel tract, maybe some of you have read it. But years ago, when he was just a young man, maybe 19 or 20, he was playing poker with some of his friends and a knock came at the door and it was Mr. Firapata. They let him in and he gave them all gospel tracts and he repeated twice one verse in John chapter 6.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. Just repeated it twice.
Went out, he shut the door, but that was the verse that Mister Granidi could not get out of his mind. He tried his best when he went home to forget it, to go to sleep. He couldn't get out of his mind is what God used to communicate new life to that man. And he was a real blessing in his life. So use the word of God. It's the sword of the spirit. Now one thing more here.
That's six things. And the last thing is verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for All Saints.
Praying, the spirit of the Christian soldier is a spirit of dependence on God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication. Supplication, to my understanding, is something that is more intense than just prayer. Supplicate. God wants us to mean business.
00:50:17
When we pray, dear brethren, may the Lord help us. I really believe that we.
Don't know very well how to pray. We're too busy for one thing. Maybe some of you have heard what Martin Luther said years ago when he was alive. He says. I have so much to do every day. I dare not take any less than three hours to pray.
No wonder God used that man. May the Lord help us to know what it means to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching there into in other words.
Waiting for results.
With all perseverance and supplication for All Saints, sometimes we.
Stop with just those that we are acquainted with, brethren, the Lord give us in our hearts affection to embrace.
All God's redeemed people. And then one further thing. And for me that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in bonds. Pray for God's people. Some are in bonds today.
In different parts of the world, do we remember them? Scripture is pretty clear that we should remember them in prayer.
Lord stir us, dear young people we have, and dear older ones too. We have a tremendous panorama of blessing that's been set out before us. My desire is to see you walking in the full enjoyment of that. But I know, sure, as I'm standing here, that the enemy is going to try to take away your enjoyment of it. Don't let him.
Gird yourself with a whole armor of God. Stand in the evil day. Having done all, stand the Lord help us. We have so much that we can be encouraged by. Yes, there's a lot of things to discourage, but I sometimes say, put all the negatives on one side, put all the positives on the other. Which is greater? Without question, it's the positives.
That God has for us. We have every reason to take courage and to go on. Dear young people, we're getting close to the end. The Lord's coming at any moment. Are you awake or are you asleep? You know, the world around is basically asleep. They don't know where they're going.
And many times Christians are pretty well asleep as well. I think the Lord is allowed things.
In our lives to awaken us. He's coming again, and may He give us even in these days to walk in the full enjoyment of that portion, the Lord Jesus, as one for us. Let's just pray, Father.
Ephesians 1:13-23
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
The last half of Acts 10, verse 33.
Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
Great.
Ephesians, chapter one.
Verse 13.
In whom ye also trusted. After that ye heard the word of truth.
The gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were filled with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the Saints.
Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened.
That ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us word, who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when He raised him from the dead.
And set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
I've had sonship with the Father, we've had airship with Christ with the inheritance, and now in verses 13 and 14, we have the action of the Spirit of God. That would bring us into suitability with God and also give us the ability to enjoy this vast scope of blessings that are ours, that we might have something to enjoy before God will come forth and send forth Christ to redeem the inheritance.
So it's a wonderful thing to see all three persons of the Godhead.
Are are active in this, uh, grand purpose of God?
There's three actions that I would like to point out in this 13th verse. First, he speaks about, uh, that you have heard the word of truth. Now a little further, he speaks about having believed.
The gospel be a salvation, then it says we're sealed and so and then he mentions also the earnest of the inheritance, which is another aspect of the action of the Spirit of God. My point in this is that heard, uh, implies the quickening power of the Spirit of God, his work and souls. He has the power to make men to hear.
And when they believe the gospel, their salvation, they are sealed.
Note that they're not sealed upon hearing, but upon believing the gospel of their salvation. And that's what brings us into this wonderful bond that we are in, I think, dwelled by the Spirit of God and made part of the church the body of Christ.
Perhaps with some people here that don't aren't really clear on what the term quickening means, Bruce.
Well, quickening just seems simply means to be brought to life and in this case it's the communication from God of a divine life. Why we need to be brought to life because chapter 2 and verse one tells us that we are dead in trespasses and in sins in our natural state, having gone far from God by nature and by practice. And so we need life and the Spirit of God would work in our hearts to to.
00:05:16
Create a faculty of hearing the word of God and when the Son of God speaks.
The Word of God souls will surely hear, because God is sovereign in His power, and when they believe and rest in the finished work of Christ, it is then that they are sealed.
I couldn't believe that the period of God gives them faith. Faith is a gift from God. But there is a difference then between being brought into life and having the Spirit of God dwell in our body. Yes, and that's so important to see. That's the truth of Christianity. There always was activity of the Spirit of God since man fell, but it only in Christianity.
That the Scripture says that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, you know, as a result of the work of Christ, He can dwell in US, you know, because we are new creature in Christ. He couldn't dwell in his Sinner, you know. But we are first given life and then seal in order stamp is put upon us. That fellow belongs to me. That's what it means, you know.
And if you don't have the Holy Spirit, you're not even a Christian.
That is what makes you a Christian. You have to have life first, but then the Spirit comes and indwells you. That makes you a Christian. People who are born again in Old Testament times, but they were not sealed by the Holy Spirit. He could even come upon people and leave them again, you know. But that's never true in Christianity when it comes to indwellers. He abides with us now we can as Christians quench the Holy Spirit, not allowing Him.
To guide us, or we can grieve him by sending, but He will not leave us, you know, but how wonderful it is to be a Christian and that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. And what a solemn fact that is to consider the faculty of spiritual hearing which we're Speaking of now is an action of the Spirit of God and quickening, as we said. And there's a verse in Romans chapter 10.
That emphasizes that here's a verse that's often quoted but.
Umm, yeah, Romans 10 and verse 17. Many of you have it, uh, committed to memory. So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It's the latter half of the verse I'm thinking of hearing by the Word of God. The spiritual faculty of being able to hear divine communications comes by the Word of God. It's an action of the Spirit of God taking the Word of God and imparting life to a soul, whereby there is that faculty to receive.
And here, in a spiritual way, a person may have heard about Jesus prior to this action that we are now Speaking of.
You may have heard about the cross, but it doesn't really make much sense to them. But when God quickens his soul, all at once he hears like he's never heard before. He hears the voice of the Son of God. It makes sense. And then when the present, the gospel is presented and he believes and rests in faith in that, there is the seal of the Spirit that comes in and finishes that work in the soul. Is that right? Yeah, as he says, by giving us the Spirit, this fellow belongs to me.
So we're born again, not a corruptible seed, but incorruptible by the word of God, that liveth and abideth forever.
And just on a practical note, I'd like to say this, and that is that when we have opportunity to present the gospel to the lost, use the Word of God. Whether it's from the platform, whether it's opportunity to speak to someone you work with, someone in your neighborhood, whatever it is, always use the Word of God because it's the Word of God applied in the power of the Spirit that God uses to impart divine life to us.
Every one of us here that received divine life, new birth, it was the word of God and the power of the Spirit. My telling a story in the gospel about someone who almost drowned isn't going to save a soul. It might help to make a point, but get on with it and quote the word of God. And that's why it's important to familiarize ourselves with the word of God. You may argue a point all day, but that isn't going to save a soul if you can quote the word of God in the power of the Spirit.
00:10:16
That's what God then can use to impart divine life. So I just want to encourage you. Some young brothers here have a lot of potential in the Gospel. Familiarize yourself with the Word of God. Learn to not only read it, but quote it so that it can come back to you at a time when the Spirit of God can use it to impart divine life. Now we don't know when that life is imparted. The wind bloweth where it lists us, and thou canst not tell whence it cometh.
Or whether it goeth, so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. You've never seen the wind and I've never seen the wind, but you see the results of it. You know, I rarely ask someone if they're a believer. I wait to see some effect in their lives. And if I see some effect in their lives, some movement in their lives in that direction, then I'm I, then I have some assurance at least that there's life there. And then you can go on and continue to present the word.
That they might get a hold of that in their souls. Well, we.
Presenting the gospel to people in Munich, Germany. We were just visiting there and it was years later. I'm Speaking of years and I don't remember where there were seven years or something like that. I get a letter from the lady, she says you sowed the seed in 91.
And it didn't fall on good ground, but now it has brought fruit. I'm saved. Not only did she get saved her husband, her mother and others in the family, but it took, I think it was, if I'm not mistaken, about nine years.
But the Word did breakthrough, she couldn't forget what she had heard. So just quote the scriptures and trust the Lord that by the Spirit He will use it, you know, and He does use the scriptures.
Is there a difference between quickening and born again?
Or is that the same thing? Same thing?
Both by the Spirit and the Word of God. Is that right?
Sometimes quickening is used, but it's born again.
It's, it's an, uh, interchangeable. Thank you.
Perspective there is, uh, is that we are dead and So what a debt person needs is life quickening. But in John it's more the focus is on the family of God and how do you become a member of the family of God as being born again into that family?
And it's through the Word of God, always the word of God, isn't it? It's beautiful to see that verse that was quoted.
The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. Do dead people hear when the Son of God speaks? The dead here, and that through that means they are given new life.
The object is not to quicken only God wants to bring them into full suitability and have that place in the bond of the body of Christ and in union with Christ. So we have goes on and it says after you heard the gospel of your salvation that you believed and he seals the believer. And So what is sealing? Is it not that Heinz, I know you already alluded to it, but uh, sealing is.
Is an action of the Spirit of God when it comes to dwell in us that gives us to know that we belong to Him.
But then it goes on and speaks of another action of the Spirit of God when He comes to dwell on this, and that is the earnest. And the earnest is to give us to know that we have things that belong to us. Let me say that again. The seal gives us to know that we belong to Him, gives us that assurance. But the earnest gives us to know that there are things that belong to us. And God would give us the earnest that we might be able to enjoy.
The uh, the inheritance and the uh, what is coming?
And what is all ours now in Christ?
I enjoy that verse 13 verse. It's believing the gospel of your salvation. It's in the gospel that we learn that the work of Christ has satisfied God's holy demands against us as sinners and that it's completely paid for. And it's when we rest there.
00:15:14
That God can seal us. Sometimes I put it this way, I think it helps. Faith in the person of Christ gives life. Faith in the work of Christ gives peace. And when you believe that the salvation.
That the gospel of our salvation. When you believe that the price was completely paid, you accept that God says that the work of salvation, that soul is complete and he puts his seal upon it when there is that simple faith.
In the work of Christ, I think it's important, isn't it? Faith in this person gives life. Faith in his work gives peace.
And that word after, is there a time frame involved there or is it instantaneous?
It says after that she believed you were sealed.
I think it should be translated having believed you were sealed.
So the moment that a soul rests in faith on the finished work of Christ, the seal of the Spirit takes place.
But there may be a period of time between new birth and stealing, isn't there? And that's important to recognize that we have that, of course, with Cornelius as well as others, Uh, there may have been quite a period of time between the time that he was quickened or born again and the time that he was sealed.
And so we should be clear that.
New birth is not the same as salvation, is it? Salvation isn't complete until sealing is done. And in fact, it's the ceiling or the indwelling of the Spirit of God that makes me part of the church, Isn't that correct? We're really not part of the church. We are children of God. We have that new life, we belong to the family, but we are not.
Part of the Church of God until we're sealed. And so that's one question when somebody asked for their place at the Lord's Table, we wanna make sure they're sealed because they're not part of the church. Though they may be born again, they're not part of the church unless they've been sealed. Have the assurance of their salvation. No, God is their father.
The fellowship we show at the at the Lord's Supper is the fellowship of the body of Christ, and it's when the Spirit of God seals a person. We are united to the body of Christ, and that's important for a person taking their place. You wanna know that they are part of that body.
And, uh, that's the way.
They become part of the body. So for absolute clarity, because I know there's a lot of confusion in Christianity about the subject.
You are not be, be. Because you're born again does not mean you're saved. That's exactly what Brother Eric was just saying. Do you understand that? Because you're born again does not mean you're saved. Born again means you have the life, the capability to accept salvation and be sealed. But you're not saved until you're sealed, right? We wanna be careful here, don't we? Because we don't want there to be confusion. A person who's born again, we say, is safe.
I don't know if that's exactly a scriptural term, but it believes the thought is, remember speaking with Brother Piropado years ago and he said, if the Lord, uh, gave me life when I was a lost and guilty Sinner, he's not about to lose me. So if I have new life, I will be in heaven. That's true. But the distinction you're making is a Christian distinction, isn't it? And so the word salvation belongs to only those who have been sealed by the Spirit of God.
There is a sense in which your salvation still has to be completed. Brother, too, your body hasn't been saved yet. So I think we need to be clear that new birth is something that relates to salvation, but it's not exactly. We need to distinguish without separating. Don't separate it from salvation, but there is a distinction. There is a verse in Philippians, one that says he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, and so when he begins to work.
He completes it, but it's like that verse that Jim quoted The wind blows where it listed and now here's the sound there, but can't not know where it comes from nor where it's going. And so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. So we can't put time frames on God's actions, but when he begins the work he finishes at.
00:20:21
Venezuela says now is our salvation nearer than we first believe? That means that He will take us out of this thing. Then our salvation is complete. You know, that's the final part of it and that's what we're looking forward to. I hope everyone in this room that knows the Lord Jesus as Savior is looking for his coming. You know, we have plans for this life on earth and we ought to be responsible.
Students in school or when we start working and so on, but don't make that the purpose of your life. Your purpose of your life is to live as a Christian and to wait for the Lord Jesus and to be exercised that when he comes and looks at your life at the judgment seat of Christ. There will be something that he can approve of. You know in all of our lives will be evaluated there as adjustment speed of price. We also have an exercise.
We will live in such a way that there be something for His glory at that time, and He will appear before Him when He will judge, not our person.
But our life, you know, we will not come into judgment, but our life will be evaluated, and whatever was of himself will be recognized and acknowledged.
Let's go on in verse 14. It is very It's nice to see here the work of preparing the inheritance so that Christ could reign over it. It needs redemption.
It has been purchased at the Cross, but there's a day coming in the future when it will be redeemed.
So verse 13 we see how God makes us ready and brings us into line with his great plan. But the inheritance Now in chapter verse 14 we see how it is made ready for this great display of the glory of Christ and that is by the power of God in redemption. This is redemption by power here and this is.
When Christ will come, it is appearing.
He's going to redeem the inheritance, the purchased possession.
We have been redeemed by blood with the inheritance will be redeemed by power.
And our, our redemption is present, isn't it? We have that. It's something that we have now. You were redeemed, were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as Peter brings out. But this is something that's yet future. And that's why it's important in Scripture to distinguish between being purchased and redeemed.
Because we don't all when we explain the word redeemed, we don't always give it in its full aspect. Sometimes we simply say to be redeemed. To redeem something is to buy it back. Well, that's true, but it's only part of the thought, isn't it? To redeem something really is to buy it. Not only to buy it back, but to buy it back, to set it free. Like the story we often hear of the man who went to the slave market many, many years ago.
And he bought a particular slave, and when he purchased that slave, he told him that he had bought him to set him free. He didn't just purchase him, he bought him to set him free. And so the creation is not free from the ******* of sin, yet the whole creation growneth and travaileth in pain until now, waiting for that redemption. There's a redemption coming as setting free of the purchase possession. It isn't that the possession that the inheritance hasn't been bought. The price has been paid.
It's been purchased, but it hasn't been set free. We have been set free. We have redemption. But there's a wonderful day coming when this creation is not going to feel the ******* and the effects of sin the way it does now. It's going to be set free. Why? Animals are not going to prey on one another, and in figurative language, the trees are going to clap their hands. Every level of creation is going to feel the effects of redemption.
In a Co in the coming day. So I think it's very important to see the distinction between being purchased and being redeemed to purchases to buy but to redeem is to buy to set free. We don't have the redemption of our body yet do we That's a part of that's why you got Gray hairs on your head Jim. You're not gonna have Gray hairs when you are redeemed. We we're set free. It's it's nice to see you there in the fi Ephesians one that.
00:25:29
The price is verse seven and Redemption with Power is verse 14.
When uh.
The man who found a treasure in a field.
Uh, he bought the whole field and the field is the world. He's paid the price to take the whole creation back and set it free. But those who are not saved are purchased, but they're not ever said to be redeemed, right? And by that, by that means God has the right, the Lord Jesus has the right because.
He has paid the price to come back and take this world completely back for God.
That's what you get in Revelation 5, don't you?
It's a lot for all the things.
You know we cannot walk practically with all the things, but we ought to demonstrate that we love them even when discipline is needed in the assembly. I hope that love is what prompts us to carry it out.
And when we cannot fellowship with one under discipline, we also feel bad about it that we cannot fellowship with them, because it's just like a father having to physically punish his boy. Does he enjoy doing that?
I don't think that should be done that way. Not that sometimes the flesh doesn't come out even in a father disciplining his son, but hopefully what is prompting him to do it is the love realizing that the boy needs correction and even punishment for what he has done wrong. But uh, we will not be getting carried away. But even in the year century, we have to.
Discipline evil, but hopefully that will be.
Love that prompts us to do it with the desire that the discipline leads to repentance and restoration. You know that is what we hope discipline will accomplish.
On verse 14 then, uh, do I understand it correctly that it's, uh, it's not really, although we are speaking about redemption of people, That's not really the thought here, is it in verse 14, which is the earnest of our inheritance. That's the Spirit of God is the down payment of our inheritance. We're speaking before the inheritance here is a physical thing, is it not? Not people, but it's physical. I don't disagree with what was said. It's just that as far as the context goes.
This is he's the earnest of our physical inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. Again, it's not speaking about people, I don't think directly, but rather in the context. He's going to redeem the purchase possession until the praise of his glory. And so that's the Millennium, is it not when he sets the as a hymn writer says, the whole creation will smile and, uh, the burden of creation will be the.
The creational will be released from the curse of sin. And so it's speaking about things here, isn't it, Bruce? And verse 14, Yes, very good. The purchased possession is that inheritance purchased at the cost redeemed when he returns at the appearing, as you've mentioned. And notice also it says unto the praise of his glory. Now why does it drop off that expression that we had earlier in the passage? Remember we said it comes up three times.
But as a part of this phrase that is dropped off, notice what it says to the praise of His glory of his grace, verse six, when it's talking about us.
Of his grace is not mentioned here. Ah because he is Speaking of the material creation. It is not sinned and in need of grace redeeming grace. It it is needs power to be brought into line with God's program in the sense of being cleansed and made ready for that scene and that they have display, but the activity of God's grace and redemption is not toward it. So it's interesting to see that that's dropped off in this expression.
00:30:17
In verse and verse 14.
Well, versus 15 on to the end. Give us that prayer that we were Speaking of. The apostle passes from praise to petition. Maybe we could say from praise to prayer. As we said that the chapter is an inscription of of praise and prayer. It's a it's written in a very priestly tone. And so now he were permitted to hear the apostles prayer and what he's praying for the Saints.
And it's absolutely beautiful to see as we look at this. Bob's already mentioned this this morning, but there's three parts and three things in specifically that he's praying for, all predicated on that word. What you'll see it three times in verses 18 and 19. What is the hope of His calling? What is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints? And what is the exceeding greatness of His power? And so on. And these things linked with the three things that we've had earlier in the chapter.
Now, why would the apostle record a prayer and have the Saints to read it? Is there something we're supposed to learn from this?
What I learned, Bruce, is that we cannot be blessed more than we already are. And when he prays for us because we can include ourselves in this, he prays not for more blessing in the sense that we have it here. What he prays for is that the eyes of our hearts would be opened to understand it and to live in the enjoyment of it. And that's what we need, brethren.
If you don't understand it, how can you enjoy it? That's why we need to get into it and we need to have our eyes opened to enjoy that often. Think of that young man in Elijah Stein when the king of Syria sent and the army of the Syrians was round about the city and the young man, the the Elisha's servant got up and he saw.
The physical army around the city and he was alarmed.
And Elijah prays and says, Lord, open his eyes that he may see. And when his eyes were opened, he saw. And it's interesting how it puts it, Chariots of horses and Chariots of fire round about. Elisha doesn't say round about the city, but there was a totally different dimension that he was not seeing. And brethren.
Physical things, material things tend to blind us as to the reality of spiritual things, and I think we need to be exhorted about it. I know I do. But go back to 2nd Corinthians 4 just for a couple of verses that I know you know this, but we're going to read it anyhow.
Verse.
17 He says the apostle Paul for our light affliction. This is Second Corinthians 417 for our light affliction, which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, how in the world do you look at things that are not seen?
By take. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
So we look around this room, we see chairs and we see people sitting in the chairs, we see the lights, we see everything I've seen. This is just for a moment, just for a moment. It's that which is not seen, which is eternal, and we need to have our eyes opened in that sphere of things. It's impressed me, brother, in that, how that material things occupy.
So much of our lives just stop to think. In your life, as you live from day-to-day material things, what percent of your life does that occupy? How much time do you take to think about heavenly things?
00:35:22
We are exhorted to set our mind on things above where Christ sits at the right hand of God.
What percent of the day do we spend thinking about those things?
I'm afraid the figure is pretty small in my life.
And we need to have our eyes opened as to that. Remember taking up Ephesians one, one time in a home in Bolivia where the people who are fairly well off, fairly prosperous. And I must say I just felt at a total loss because it just seemed to me that the words I said flew right over there heads and hit the wall behind him but had no effect on them.
At all.
They were so aware of material things and material values that spiritual things had absolutely no meaning to them.
But in contrast with that, Brother Clement and I had the joy of sitting in a home of a brother is extremely poor in the Dominican Republic.
Never forget it.
House is just some sticks stuck in the ground for the walls.
And the banana leaves for a roof. When it rained, you had to be careful where you sat. You didn't get dripped on and you had only one table and some benches at the table. We had to be careful how he sat down on the benches because we didn't want to break him.
But that dear brother.
Is black face just shone with joy. She took out his Bible. He didn't have this nice house to show us. He didn't have any nice car to show us.
I'll never forget. It just came as such a challenge to me. Dear brother, in that moment, please Lord help me not be blinded by material things to enjoy the joy I see in that man's face. It was so real. The brother and I believe that in our prosperous country we have been blinded as to what real spiritual values are.
And I think that's the burden of the apostles prayer there, isn't it? Have their eyes opened.
Lord help us, brother.
The lot of money is a route of every kind of evil. Not money is the rule of evil, but the love of it. There's nothing wrong in having money, not that we should try to get out and put all our effort into getting rich. But if the Lord entrusts us with money, we ought not to set our heart on it, you know, and realize that we are sure to be faithful to us.
And that we have an exercise to use what he entrusts us with, to use among the poor, especially his own. You know, there are people in Africa that are starving to death. There was a man my age. I didn't know him very well, but he starved to death. I would have liked to know of his needs. We would have tried to help him. But.
The means of communications are not what we have here in the West. The man my age starved to death. You know, I don't think he was really in fellowship, but he would attend meetings quite regularly. But, uh, and he's not an isolated case where people are starving to death. Children are starving to death in the world. Yeah. And we are in such an abundance over here and we have to re exercise.
To use what he entrusts us with as faithful stewards. There are several recorded prayers of the Apostle Paul indifferent of the epistles, and they really give us an insight into the heart and desire of the Apostle Paul for the Saints of God. And what has been remarkable to me in reading those through those prayers and meditating on them is to see that the Apostle Paul's overhaul desire for the people of God.
00:40:01
Was not so much for their well-being in a temporal way or even a physical way, although that no doubt was on his heart. If there was a temporal or physical need there, that was a burden to him. But there was something that was even greater than that and that was the spiritual growth and well-being of the people of God. Not that they would have more blessings, but that they would enter in more to what they had.
And I've wondered in answer to Bruce's question, if at least part of it I as to why they're recorded for us by inspiration isn't as an example for you and for me in our prayers and concern for the people of God. You know, when we come to prayer meeting, brethren, and don't misunderstand me, but when we come to prayer meeting, we so often pray or limit our prayers to those who have physical needs.
Those who perhaps have temporal needs and those who perhaps have got cold in their soul, they're not going on. They, uh, maybe action has been taken by the assembly. They're not attending the meetings. And we pray for those individuals, rightly so, brethren. We ought to pray for those who have needs, uh, in that way. But the Apostle Paul, when he prayed for the Saints, as a brother said to me one time, it wasn't so much concerning the lost button.
It was more in connection with the spiritual well-being.
Of the Saints of God. And when you and I pray for the Saints of God, when we get down in our in our closet and pray for one another, what do we pray for? Do we pray just for those who have gotten different or cold or going on in a path that we feel will be a detriment to them if they follow that course and so on? Or do we pray for the Saints of God name by name, that they might go on and that they might increase in the knowledge and joy of what they have in Christ?
And that they might avail themselves of the power that's at their disposal. And that their eyes would be open.
To see the precious things that we have been enjoying in in these meetings. You know, brethren, if we prayed like that for one another, name by name, perhaps it would spare us from many things. If I prayed for my brother and or sister who's going on well for the Lord, that they would be preserved and that they would increase in those things, maybe I wouldn't have to pray for them in the context of them being cold in their souls or missing the path or getting discouraged.
Maybe if I used prayer as a preventative measure, it would spare us from we if we used it as a preventative measure, it would spare us from many things. Interesting with epiphras too. You know, epiphras in colossi was one who labored in prayer. And what did he labor in prayer for again? Was it for the health and physical things of the Saints? Well, I'm sure he did. But the Spirit of God tells us what he prayed in regard to the Saints, that they might stand perfect and complete in the will of God.
I can just picture Epipros getting down on his knees and praying for his brother, name by name and Lord, that brother is going on, but preserve him, give him a deeper sense of what he has, and so on.
Brethren, do we do that? And I wonder if that isn't perhaps one reason, a practical reason at least, as to why these prayers are recorded for us.
In the epistles that the apostle writes to the assemblies that were not going on well, there are no recorded prayers. I'm speaking now for Second Corinthians and Galatians. No recorded prayers. Why?
Only in the assembly, only to the assemblies that were going on well, does he give a recorded prayer.
Why is that?
Well, one reason at least is because the assemblies that were going on, well, the apostle Paul understood, would be a special target of the enemy. And again, he used prayer as a preventative measure there.
That I believe that's why in the PER, at least in the epistles, where they're going on well, he prays for them as a preventative measure. Why Bruce then is are they, are there no prayers in the others? I don't know. I was hoping Eric was gonna talk.
I'm sure he was praying for them in Corinthians and the Saints in Galatia. But again, I do believe he realized and brethren, when we see an assembly going on happily for the Lord, where individuals going on happily for the Lord in the enjoyment of what they have, brethren, they are a special target of the enemy. You know a brother or sister is going on indifferently isn't as special a target of the enemy because the enemy's already gained a victory.
00:45:23
That person to be turned aside or discouraged. But brethren, when we see someone going on well or an assembly going on happily, how much more they need our prayers? Well, if we don't have the answer to the question, I'd like to just remind you of something that was told us many years ago through another person that Mister Heywood said, the one that, uh, Brother Bob has quoted a couple of times already in these meetings. He said never let the things that you don't understand spoil your enjoyment of the things you do understand.
We don't have an answer to the question I had. Maybe at some time in the future the Lord will open that up to us and help us. But to speculate is not the answer is to leave it with the Lord and don't let it spoil your enjoyment of the things that you do know and do understand.
That the God of the Lord Jesus Christ in this prayer, but in the prayer in chapter 3, it's to the Father, it's addressed to the Father.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This prayer is to do with power to know and to understand, uh, this great revelation. Whereas in chapter 3, the prayer is to do with capacity to appreciate and to enjoy and, uh, usually associate God with the idea of power. You'll notice that's the double relationship that the Lord Jesus has with God the Father, verse three. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He's not only the God of.
The Lord Jesus Christ He is the Father and 1St prayer is to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the second, as you mentioned, is to the Father of our Lord Jesus. There might be a better answer than that, but.
That's what I know.
Before we pass from the thought of prayer.
I'm sure I speak for many others too, but one of the greatest challenges in our prayers is to pray for those who may have bad feelings against us, isn't it? And even though we don't get, as you say in those corrective epistles, we don't get Paul's specific prayers, we know that he prayed for those dear Saints. And I believe it's a sign of true spirituality, isn't it, that we can honestly pray for someone who has bad feelings for us and seek their good and blessing before the Lord?
In the case of Moses, when Miriam and Aaron spoke against him.
And the Lord smote Miriam with leprosy, he said. Lord, heal her now. Absolutely no indication of resentment. And brethren, we really need to deal with that question of roots of bitterness.
Let's not keep them in our souls. They will damage us. They will damage others.
Two, let's leave them at the Lord's feet. Let's pray for them. To me, it's very significant to what we read at the end of this epistle that he says we should pray for All Saints, those that don't agree with us, those that contradict us. Like you say, let's be exercised to pray in that way. The Lord turned to captivity of Job.
But when was it? Was it when he said, behold, I am vile? No. Was it when he a little later when he said, behold, I repent and dust and ashes the sackcloth? No. Well, when was it? Well, you read that 42nd chapter and you'll find it says then the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed not against, but for his three friends who have made all those accusations against him.
When he could open his hands and hold a forgiving spirit toward them, God turned to captivity of Job.
And different spikes, umm I think Phil mentioned yesterday in case of Elijah's when he prayed against the people of God that God says OK go anoint Elisha to be prophet in your room. Brethren, God loves his people even when they are disobedient and stiff necked and hard headed. Whatever else you want to say about it, he loves them. We need to learn that and pray for them.
00:50:13
Doesn't mean we have to be in agreement with them, but we can pray for them and give thanks for them. And that's what Paul does here, doesn't he? I've been impressed to notice in Philippians as well, he gave thanks for his brethren. Now, you can't hold bitterness in your heart towards someone or speak in a bad way about someone if you get down on your knees and truly in the presence of God, give thanks for that brother.
Or that sister, do we really thank God for our brethren for each one? And again, perhaps someone who's done something that was unjust or said something unkind, can we really get in the presence of God and pray for that one? And not just pray for them, but give thanks for them. And so Paul not only prayed for his brethren, but he gave thanks for his brethren. Brethren, let's learn to give thanks for one another. And if you and I truly esteem other better than ourselves.
We can do that.
Remember a story that, uh, maybe Bob, you can clarify this if I don't have it quite right, but is her brother Eric Smith told the story years ago about some brethren in Bolivia that were at odds. We don't have to go to Bolivia to find brethren at odds, but nonetheless, that's the illustration. And, uh, the one brother was on his deathbed finally and they had never reconciled. And so the brother of did finally come to the brother on his deathbed. And he, he, uh, he felt bad about the whole situation and he said, well, brother.
Is there anything I can do for you?
So there's just one thing I'd like you to do is to take this feather pillow and open it up and spread it out in the wind.
And he said, I'll do that for you. Be glad to do that for you. So he did. It was a good windy day. Apparently they spread over, came back and said, I've I've done what you asked me to do. He said, now just one more thing. Go and pick up all the feathers.
OK, I think the point was, brethren, there's GR grudges and bitterness we hold. And, uh, the point of course was that there's lost time, isn't there? And uh, that was a lesson there. There was lost time could never be recovered now. And we need to bear that in mind, don't we?
We have been forgiven so much.
It's really is on us then, brethren, to have that forgiving attitude.
Well, it says in verse 18 the eyes of your heart, doesn't it? That's the better translation. Being enlightened. I wonder about that. We use the illustration earlier from the Old Testament of crossing the Jordan. There's two things that come to mind there. When the children of Israel first came to the Jordan River, remember, after about less than two years in the wilderness, they came to a place named Kadesh.
And I believe this is one of the secrets to entering into the, the, uh, heavenly portion we have in this chapter, uh, and in this book, and that is, if you look it up, you'll see that Kadesh means consecration. How is it that we're going to have the eyes of our heart enlightened? One of the answers, one of the great answers is consecration. We can't really expect blessing in our lives, brethren, can we, if our hearts are not consecrated?
The word consecration simply means to fill the hand.
That were, that, uh, Christ is our portion, that he fills our hand. The other place that's so important when they cross the Jordan River just as they're entering into the land was Gilgal. And at Gilgal they were circumcised. That's the cutting off of the filth of the flesh. We've been hearing about these things that are such a hindrance to us. They cut them off. Not so much Christ's death for us, as it's often been said, but, but, uh, our death with Christ, I'm crucified with Christ, yet not I.
Who often said, I feel that's probably a good Christian motto.
Yet not I, but Christ. But we don't live that way very often, do we? But I wonder if that's not at least part of the secret here, the eyes of your heart being enlightened. Are we consecrated? Are we actively crucified with Christ? Then the eyes of our heart will be enlightened.
00:55:45
So these three things he requests like you mentioned, Brother Jim, are not material things. They're not to do with the physical health of the believers, but it is the spiritual side and rather than that's what we need to have our hearts opened to understand better.
Uh, what is the whole?
Of His calling, those vast panorama spiritual blessing that is ours. What is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints, that inheritance that is going to be ours when the Lord Jesus comes again and takes the inheritance with his Saints? And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward, who believe according to the working of His mighty power?
It almost seems in that verse 19 that he runs out of adjectives.
It's just so tremendously great that power and it's the power of God, not in creation. You see God's power in creation, but here is a, uh, power that works in resurrection and it's a greater power. It's really what introduces into new creation. The Lord Jesus in resurrection is the beginning of a whole new creation and so.
That power that works to us word who believe in verse 19 was displayed when he wrought incre, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion. I'd just like to think of it that when the when God reached down and raised the Lord Jesus from the dead.
You didn't quit raising him until the Lord Jesus, as a man is far above all principality and power and might and dominion. What a tremendous, uh, display of the power of God. There's a man in the highest position in the whole universe, a man, and that power that put him there is the power that works towards us.
Who believe, uh, now? And this time we're still down here.
With all things under his feet.
You know.
So that shows the elevated position that he has, you know.
That he has he explore the whole and everything else doesn't really amount to much apart from him.
So every situation that arises that affects us as members of his body, he is in full control of it. And brethren, what it it does in my own soul, and I understand this, whatever trial that takes place in our lives, to be able to look up and recognize that that trial came my way.
Because he saw the need for it and to accept it as directly as possible from his hand. I think so often we have bitterness in our hearts because we think that person or that brother spoke that against me. I suggest, brethren, if we're looking at people and circumstances, we are short sighted. We need to look above and beyond it all. There is a man.
01:00:02
At God's right hand.
That allowed that in every circumstance, brethren, absolutely everything in life. Remember when the Lord allowed a particularly trying trial in my own life? A brother pointed out.
And, uh, practical volume of Mr. Darby, he makes a statement, he says looking at anything but first causes is the basis of practical infidelity. Just to put that in simpler terms, simply means.
That everything in the believer's life comes directly from the hand of that man. In the glory of God, we are united to him here and now, and everything that happens in your life comes directly from his hand. Remember talking to a sister in Bolivia who?
Uh, she was not gathered with us, but she said to me, she said, uh, surely brother.
We should vote against the Communist Party, I said to her sister, do you know that God has used the Communist Party in Communist China to make His church grow as in no other time of the church's history? Yes, even the persecution that they suffer in China is being used to make the gospel spread as it has hardly ever spread in the history of the Church.
Tremendous. He uses every situation, and that frees us from bitterness when we realize it's not that brother. Yes, that brother may have spoken to me. Maybe he did it too sharply. I can leave that. It wasn't that brother. It was the man at God's right hand, far above all principality and power. And if he hadn't willed it so it wouldn't have come my way.
But since he did, there was some reason and I have to accept it as directly as possible as I can from him.
That's what it means to be head over all things to the church. It's not exactly head of the church, it's head over all things to the church.
And we're the fullness of him that filleth All in all. I think that's tremendous. You know, he is incomplete without us. In Colossians we're incomplete without him. He's the head of the body, and a body without a head is incomplete and non functional. But in Ephesians it's a head without a body being incomplete. He, our head in heaven, brethren, is incomplete without us. We are the fullness.
Of him that filleth All in all now if that doesn't motivate us to live for his glory now in view of what is ahead then I don't know what goes on within our hearts to think that we are the fullness of the Christ we fill up he's where the fullness of him that fill us All in all our head linked by the Spirit to the members here on earth and God says it's the Christ you can't separate it now he is going to be the head of the Jewish nation when they.
Pay, income effect. But that position is not considered to be his highest position. His highest position is that he is head of the church, His body, and we are members of that body. You know, he is our glorified head now. And what a wonderful time it's gonna be when he comes back with us and whether it will be demonstrated through the world the privilege and blessing that is ours as Christians.
We see number 56.
01:05:06
Don't need to turn to the First Samuel chapter 12.
Moreover, As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord and ceasing to pray for you.
So both of her.
Jesus As Lord
Gospel—Ron Klassen Jr.
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
The Lord's health together.
I heard some boys talking about how the meeting was just 45 minutes tonight and then they get to go swimming. So if you're watching the clock, I ask you to listen to and I'll try to watch the clock.
Because you were prayed for, especially tonight, the children were. So listen the 1St.
Reference that I want to look to is especially for you. But before we go to that, we sang tonight and our hymn.
All who in his name believe everlasting life receive. Lord of all is Jesus. Now every knee to him must bow. Christ the Lord will come again. He who suffered once will reign. We have that this afternoon, didn't we? Every tongue at last will own Jesus Christ. He is Lord alone. Let's read of that in Philippians chapter 2.
Because I'd like to speak about that tonight, how that Jesus is Lord.
Philippians chapter 2 and we are going to look at a number of scriptures. So to get weary of that just listen, you don't have to turn to them. Philippians chapter 2 and the end of verse five. Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and.
Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
To the glory of God the Father.
Now let's look in Romans chapter 14 for a companion scripture to this.
Romans 14 and verse 10 but.
Why dost thou judge thy brother, or why dost thou set at not thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written as I live, saith the Lord.
Every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself.
To God.
And then let's go to the.
9th chapter of Romans.
Excuse me, The 10th chapter of Romans.
Romans, chapter 10.
In verse six. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise say, not in thine heart. Who shall ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down from above? Or who shall descend into the deep, that is to bring up Christ again from the dead? Well, what sayeth it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart. That is the Word of Faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth.
Should read Jesus as Lord, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead.
Thou shalt be saved, for with a heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
You know, in these passages it tells us, doesn't it, that every knee is going to bow to the Lord Jesus. God has decreed that because He as God came down to be a man.
00:05:10
And he came down, down there, seven steps down in this chapter, Philippians chapter 2.
How low God came in order to meet us in our need. He even went to the cross. And as a consequence God has highly exalted him. And to die. He's there in the glory of man at God's right hand. He's on the majesty. He's sitting on the majesty on high.
And God has decreed that every knee is going to bow to Him.
Each tongue is going to confess that he is Lord.
Sometimes I go to the jail and I like to tell those men, I don't know anything about you and I'm not sure what your life is going to be like from this day on. But one thing I know and that is that your knees will one day bow to the Lord Jesus Christ and your tongue is going to confess that He is Lord.
And I like to tell them the story that Brother Dave tells us about the pilot.
Who was not saved? And he was told, Go and bow your knees to the Lord Jesus.
I know there's a pilot here tonight, so I'll be careful what I say. But you know, all pilots, they're honorable. They've gone through a lot. And I like to watch the pilot when I'm sitting at gate 18A or something and watch them go through their dignified men usually. And so this man, he went home to, to get on his knees to be saved, but he could only get one knee on the ground on the carpet when he was trying to pray to the Lord. But you know, this verse came to him that every knee.
Is going to bow and so he said I took that other knee and I jammed it down on the carpet and he got saved. You know, the minute the jail can relate to that, they enjoy that story. And I think we all can because there's a stubbornness in our hearts, isn't there? There's a rebellion. There's a pride that doesn't want to bow to the Lord Jesus. But in this passage, you know, it doesn't say that we shall bow. It does in Romans, but in this passage it says every knee should bow.
Wouldn't you want to bow to one like this one who is very God? And yet he came down, down, down to where you and I were, even to the shameful death of the cross, because.
He wanted to save you.
So every knee should bow. But in Romans it says every The Lord says this, every knee shall bow. So if you don't bow in the day of grace, you will bow after the day of grace.
Yes you will, and from your tongue you will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Well, I want to look at some passages where the Lord has mentioned and again I told the children the first ones for you. Let's go to Samuel chapter 3.
First Samuel, chapter 3.
In verse one.
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was precious. In those days there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax him, that he could not see. And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I.
For thou callest me. And he said, I called not lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I without. It's called me.
And he answered, I called not my son, lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time.
And he rose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I without his call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go lie down, and it shall be if he call thee, that thou shalt say.
00:10:07
Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood, and called, as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak.
For thy servant heareth.
We we're familiar with this story, or you've had it in Sunday school about Samuel. Remember, he was laying down to go to sleep and he heard someone call his name and he just figured it was Eli because he worked in the temple with Eli.
You know, when Samuel was little, his dad and mom brought him to Shiloh, to where the House of the Lord was so he could serve the Lord. You know, it's a wonderful thing, and I know when you're young you really don't realize it, but it's a wonderful thing to be brought to where the Lord is.
And it's a wonderful thing to learn about the Lord. And I don't see any strangers here tonight if if there is one here. We're so glad you came and you're certainly welcome and the gospel is for you. But.
Boys and girls.
Samuel knew about the Lord, but this verse.
Seven says, But he didn't know, O the Lord.
He didn't know the Lord.
But you know, as he was serving the Lord.
That night he heard his name call and we had that this afternoon. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It's a wonderful day when you've heard about the Lord Jesus, but one day it comes through and you realize that God is speaking from His word to you.
Do you hear him speak tonight? I hope you're not distracted by the speaker. I remember that time when suddenly those verses that I had memorized.
Now I heard the voice of God speaking to me in them, and so did Samuel that night. But you know he didn't know it was the Lord.
And Job tells us that God speaketh once. Yeah, twice. Yet man perceiveth it not. You know, we are dull. And we're so used to seeing things that Samuel couldn't see anyone. And so he just figured it must be Eli that was speaking to him. And even Eli, it took him a while. Sometimes as parents, we don't realize that the Lord is working with our children. We like to deliver him from a certain situation, but the Lord is working with their hearts.
Because he loves our children.
He loves you boys and girls tonight and so he didn't quit after Samuel didn't know it was him twice that says he stood and called as at other times. But you know, pretty soon he's going to cease calling.
Don't wait till it's too late, Eli said. Oh, it's the Lord that's calling you, Samuel, it's not me. So when he calls you again next time, answer him and so. But he told him to say, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth.
And Samuel, he didn't say at all, did he? He said, Speak for thy servant, Heareth.
Well, Samuel came to know the Lord that night, and that's our desire for you. We want you to know the Lord. The Lord wants you to know him. He said, Suffer the little children to come unto me.
This such a pleasure and joy to see so many of you here, but we hope you'll come to the Lord Jesus that you'll hear his voice and say speak Lord.
You know, Samuel didn't say Lord because we don't usually own the Lord Jesus as Lord when He first come to Him. It's a process that He works in our souls. Let's go to Matthew 15.
Matthew chapter 15 and verse 21. Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coast, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David, my daughter is grievously vexed with the devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came, and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us.
00:15:03
But he answered and said, I am not come, but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not me to take the children's bread, and to cast.
Yeah, to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, Old woman, great as thy faith, be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Here we have a different situation, don't we? Here's a woman that comes to the Lord. She's crying to him.
She is a gentile woman.
And so when she comes and cries to the Lord, have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David.
My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Does it surprise you the Lord didn't answer her? Now we have someone crying to the Lord, and the Lord is not answering.
And you know, this is a woman with a great need.
Her daughter was suffering from a demon, from a devil.
And she apparently heard about Jesus. The one, the only one.
That could deliver from that awful power and I don't know how far she went.
But a mother's love took her until she finally found the Lord Jesus. And you can see when somebody maybe pointed him out and she went up to him and, and cried out to him, Jesus, son of David. But you know, she didn't have any claim upon him that way. But one of his people, one of the Jews could do, could cry to him in that way, but not a Gentile until the Lord didn't answer her.
He was just quiet.
Are you in earnest tonight?
You know, because.
We're raised under the sound of the gospel. We hear about the Lord Jesus all the time.
I think sometimes we grow up with sort of an indifferent spirit and by and by will come. We know the way. There's time. It'll be again next week and maybe it doesn't take anything but a little laughing from our friends, a little bit of distraction after the meeting and and we'll leave it till next week. But it wasn't so with this woman. No, if the Lord ignored her, it only increased her intensity.
She must have gone to the disciples.
Because.
His disciples came and asked the Lord, saying, Send her away, she crieth after get that woman out of here.
But the Lord answered and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Can you think of that woman coming and thinking of her hope? Here she finally found someone that can help her daughter.
And then to see that he won't answer her, and to see that his disciples say, get out of here.
But she has a need.
She's not going to give up.
And don't you give up.
Know the consequences? Too Awful.
Then she came and worshiped him. Isn't that remarkable, saying, Lord help me, It's not Son of David anymore, it's just Lord. And we read, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And so the Lord does answer her.
But he's testing her.
He answered and said it is not me to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs.
Have you ever gone on a picnic before and you start pulling out this good things, these good things you've been, you're so hungry for and, and then the animals start kind of birds start looking at you, the seagulls and the some of the animals start coming up there. You know, there's nothing that makes you more upset than a scroungy little dog is just trying to get what he can. You try to kick him out and get out of here.
00:20:07
That's what the Lord called her, not just a dog, but I understand it's the kind of dog you don't like.
It's not right to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs, and it wouldn't be what it that's why we don't let them have that good food that we took.
That's quite an insult.
When God tells you that you are a lost Sinner.
Does that offend you when he says there is none? Good. Null, not one.
When he says they're all gone out of the way, they're undone.
When he says to you all your righteousnesses, all the good things you've done to try to.
Gain his favor. He calls them dirty rags.
Does that offend you? Is that enough to turn you aside? It wasn't enough to turn this woman aside. She wasn't going to let go of the Lord.
And so she says, truth, Lord.
You know, if you're going to be saved tonight, if you're going to have God's wonder salvation that he is.
Offer to you at such cost to himself. It must be on the ground of truth.
We live in a world where there's so much fakiness, so much untruth, so much deception, but when it comes to God, you're dealing with a God of light.
And so when he tells you your condition.
You have to answer in truth.
And she said, truth, Lord, she said, I'm that dog. But even the dogs get the crumbs and fall from the kids when they're eaten through the table. Isn't that beautiful?
You know, she said. I don't have any claim. And you know, neither do you and I have any claim.
On the Lord Jesus, just because you are privileged to grow up under the sound of the gospel and you've been able to come to meeting year after year, doesn't mean you have a Because you have Christian parents doesn't mean you have any claim on the Lord.
No, if you're going to be saved, that's by His sovereign grace. It's by taking the place that He has given you, and that is His loss and guilty and undone and in your need.
And then his grace is there for you. He's rich in grace, He's rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us. Oh, he turns to this woman, and he says, Oh woman, great is thy face, be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. Or he won't disappoint, Faith. He may test you. Don't give up on him. No, He wants you to come.
And he is the only one that can deliver you from this power of Satan.
Let's go to the 9th chapter of this book.
Matthew, Chapter 9.
Yeah.
And verse 27.
And when Jesus departed, thence 2 blind men followed him, crying and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus saith unto them.
Believe ye that I am able to do this. They said unto him, Yeah, Lord, or yes, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it unto you. And their eyes were opened, and Jesus straightly charged them, saying, See that no man know it, but they when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
Isn't that a lovely story? You know Matthew, he gives us pairs and so we get 2 blind men.
In this account.
You know of a blind man that had hoped to be here and he wasn't able to. And we certainly miss him. He could tell us what it's like. But you know, by nature we are blind. We are blind.
00:25:05
We need God to come down and to touch our eyes to give us faith, vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. But you know these two men, they knew their need. They knew they were blind.
And they also knew. They apparently had heard maybe about blind Bartimaeus. They knew that Jesus could give sight to the blind.
A miraculous thing. No one had ever been able to do that.
Only the Messiah could open the eyes of the blind, but they too found Jesus Is not something a blind man could find the Lord Jesus. And if you want to find him tonight, you'll find him, because a seeking Sinner will find a seeking Savior. But what's wonderful is what the Lord Jesus asked them.
He said believe he that I am able to do this.
Think of them standing there.
They could not see the Lord Jesus.
Is it hard for you to believe on someone who you can't see tonight?
It may seem hard to you. Again, we're so used to visual.
But you know, that's not faith, but faith vision that God gives is no less real. It's more real because you and I can be deceived by our eyes. You ever looked at optical illusions before? You can be deceived. The face vision can't. It's perfect. But isn't it wonderful? The Lord Jesus, as they stand there blind, they can't see him. And he says he doesn't say notice. Now, do you think this is going to work?
We had a excellent statement made this afternoon, and I think it's worthy for all of us to commit to a memory. I don't know if I'm going to say it right, but it's something like this. Faith in the person of the Lord Jesus gives life. Faith in the work of the Lord Jesus gives peace. That's worth remembering. And so tonight I don't want to give you a formula how to be saved. I wanna point you to a person.
He didn't say, do you think this is going to work? He said, do you believe that I'm able to do this? And, you know, without any hesitation, they said, and I like to think of it in chorus. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord.
Have you ever said yes to the Lord Jesus?
So it took.
And they could see.
Yes, Lord.
All were saved individually. It's one by one. You don't come in groups, you don't come in pairs. But isn't it wonderful that both of these men said yes, Lord, yes?
Let's go to John, chapter 20.
John chapter 20 and verse 19.
Then the same day, at evening being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus.
And stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you, even as my Father hath sent me.
Even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins he remit, they are remitted unto them. Whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the 12 called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, We've seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the Prince of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails.
And thrust my hand into his side. I will not believe. And after eight days again the disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
00:30:03
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach, hit her thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach, hit her thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him.
My Lord and my God Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me and hast believed, blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
You know, we know this man Thomas, don't we? We've talked about him before. We call him Doubting Thomas.
MMM, when the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead is not wonderful. We have a Savior to proclaim tonight who is not in the grave. No, we read, didn't we in Romans 10:00 and 9:00? If thou shalt.
Confess with thy mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved now. Thomas here said he didn't believe.
Let's look at just a couple remarks that came out of Thomas's mouth. Let's go to John Chapter 11.
For the sake of time I'm not going to read this, but this is where Lazarus died and the Lord knew this.
And he says in verse four, when Jesus heard that, he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, but the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
Umm, Verse 7 Then after that say, if he to his disciples let us go into Judea again, his disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou hit her again? And the Lord answers them about working. And then he says, Verse 11 These things say, if he these things said he. And after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lauser sleepeth, but I go, that I may wake him out of sleep.
Then set his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Albeit Jesus spake of his death, but they thought that he had spoken of taking rest and sleep. Then Jesus saith unto him plainly, Lazarus is dead, and I'm glad for your sakes that I was not there. To the intent you may believe. Nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus unto his fellow disciples, let us also go, that we may die with him.
He said in effect, you know, the disciples said, Lord, why are you returning there? They tried to kill you.
When the Lord says, uh, Lazarus is dead, Thomas says, well, we might as well go die with him.
That's quite a thing, isn't it, To say to the Lord.
In the 14th chapter, Lord Jesus is speaking about going away.
And he says.
In verse four that he's going to go to the father's house.
Prepare them a place, and verse four he says, And whether I go, ye know, and the way he know, Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest, And how can we know the way Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No man comma until the Father, but by me you see there again, it's the person.
It's not a formula, it's a person. If you're going to be saved tonight, you have to know that person. I am the way he could say I am, the door by me. If any man enter in, he shall be saved.
But notice here Thomas contradicts the Lord. The Lord says, you know the way. He says we don't know the way. Uh, we don't know where you're going. So how could we know the way? Well, when the disciples come to him and say, Thomas, we've seen the Lord. And Thomas's response is, I wouldn't believe it unless I can thrust my finger in the nail prints and thrust my hands in his side. There's something wrong with Thomas. You know, I believe that, Thomas.
Love the Lord Jesus, I believe he was born again.
But the Lord Jesus wasn't Thomas's Lord.
You know, that can account for much of what comes out of our mouths sometimes that maybe surprises even us, and that is we've never submitted to God.
00:35:00
We've never owned that place that the Lord Jesus has, for God has made that same Jesus, both Lord and Christ.
He's decreed that all are going to bow the knee, but you and I have the privilege of vowing the need and confessing him as our Lord. Confessing doesn't just mean sane, it's the conviction of the heart. And what gives that?
Well, you know, in spite of the way Thomas answered the disciples, I think he saw something that he he couldn't resist. And I can see him going the next week, maybe sort of hanging back. You know, the other disciples are there.
And the Lord says, Peace unto the disciples.
And then he says, Tom.
The Lord knows your heart towards Him.
He knows what you've said, He knows that you haven't owned him as Lord of your life perhaps, and he wants you to. You know, I believe that there are many young people that, and I was one of them that don't have peace as to their salvation because they've never owned Jesus as Lord. And so their life and sometimes what they say contradicts that and pretty soon they develop within them an uncertainty.
Because they haven't given him that place.
Of Lord, but you know the Lord wasn't content with Thomas not owning him that. And so he said, Thomas, come here. He knew what Thomas had said. And I want you to put your fingers.
In my hands.
And I want you to put your hand in my side.
And I want to say tonight.
You know, owning Jesus as Lord.
Is it going to come because you know you ought to?
Is going to come because.
You have a heart for him and there's nothing like.
His wounds, a tale of Calvary where the Bob came through a week ago and he said I need that sight often, the sight of the Lord Jesus on the cross, the nails in his hands.
And the spear mark in his side, you know, though he's risen tonight and he's glorified, he still bears those marks in his body.
And you know, one day I'm going to see them.
And you are too, if you know him. But he longs that now.
Those wounds and the love they express would grip your heart and so you would gladly say, Lord Jesus, I want you to be Lord of my life.
Our time is up, remember this.
Speak, Lord.
Help, Lord.
Truth, Lord.
Yes, Lord.
Mylar, let's pray.
Our God and Father.
We thank thee again for the glorious person Thou hast given, for our heart's affections, a glorious Savior.
In his perfect work.
We thank you that through faith in this person, we have life, eternal life. Through faith and his finished work, we have such perfect subtle peace and our God, we pray for that for each one in this room tonight.
We pray too, that Lord Jesus will place our soul worthy of as Lord of our life, though we might gladly surrender it to Thee and prove the blessing of giving thee that worthy place.
The joy we thank Thee that thou are not content, but what that we would all know Thee that way. So our God, we pray thy blessing upon thy work and thank you for this time together we thank Thee in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Danger
Children—John Bilisoly
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
OK, thank you. 104 was given out.
OK, is it OK if we sing the 1St and the last verses all right?
I'll not do.
Why everything is there?
Uh-huh. But I think you're looking for that.
And, uh, probably, uh.
Uh, I have two.
Categories.
Uh-huh. That's very good.
Oh great. Thanks. And I can't see anything.
But I'll wait for your medication.
For this little bit.
OK children, we're going to pray right now and then we'll sing a few more K and I'll, I'll pick you. And also after we pray, I'd like someone to read these these signs for us, for those that might not be able to read yet. OK, let's ask the Lord for his help.
Our blessed God and our Father, we just give thanks for this opportunity to be together. We think of all these dear children here and we just thank before them. We think of our Savior as He walked in this scene on this earth. He took little children up into His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them. And He wants to do that today. He wants to take them up and bless them. Oh, we just pray for them. We ask for Thy help as we share together.
Something from thy word. We just pray that we might heed thy precious word. We we think of that which is before us and we and these signs and we just pray our Father, that we might take heed, that we might listen. We ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Going to move that down a little bit. OK, Umm. I wondered if you could just tell us what these signs say. This one and then this one.
Warren, did you hear that warning and danger? Now, how many of you boys or girls have seen a sign like this somewhere? Maybe on the street, out in the street somewhere, maybe inside this building?
Have you seen it? OK. Can you tell us what warning means? Give us a little idea of what that means. If you don't be careful, then something might happen. Very, very good. I think that's a good definition of warning. If you don't be careful, something might happen. OK, who wants to tell us what danger means? All right.
If you don't accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, you might danger is you're going to hell. Oh, very, very good. You just you just told the the whole kind of the whole theme of my message.
Very, very nice. That was very good. OK. You know, I looked around a little bit and I found some warning signs in this building. Did you know that here in the Richmond meeting room, there's some warning signs?
00:05:01
There's one way back in the cafeteria up against the wall, and there's an electrical panel box on the wall and there's a little sticker and it's in red like this here, and it says warning. Now, I doubt if too many of you saw that. Did any of your boys or girls see that warning sign over there? You did very good. Umm, usually we don't pay a whole lot of attention to them, do we? And you know.
Children, it's that's why I felt like we need to talk about this because God is faithful and he has given us some warnings in his precious word and he's told us about danger. And this little girl here gave us a a nice little summary of danger. The danger of not accepting Gods invitation, not being not coming to him as a lost Sinner and accepting the work of his son the Lord Jesus.
Oh, how sad that would be. Anyone did that. And so that's why we have meetings like this, children, is to learn about these warnings. OK, I said we'd sing. We'll sing one more. Actually, we'll sing two more. We'll sing one from this little girl. And then I don't think we've had a boy yet that's given out one. So, OK, your name is Brock, right? OK, after after she gives out one, then we'll have one from you. So you'd be thinking, all right, Which 111? She said 11.
OK, again, for time's sake.
Umm, we're just gonna sing 2 verses, the 1St and the last, and the courses. We'll sing the last chorus with the third verse as it's written. OK as you journey through.
If the Grand Blanc.
Detector among our continued blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
David's God began.
Oh man man man, come on by my birthday on the phone number.
OK.
All right, that was nice. Even though we were kind of singing two different tunes at times, it's still kind of harmonized and I thought it was nice. OK, I I think I said rock. Did you have one for us?
88.
Alright, thank you.
OK, let's see.
It's hard to break this one up, so we'll just sing it right along.
There once was a wild little donkey.
And give you that but thinking about that.
In Tesco mastering and supervision.
I have a question to see so I have to pray today. I'm tired of my everything so I'm on my own. That's that's what that wild red colours on the beauty of the one YMCA. Why? Why am I standing down together and standing together and.
00:10:14
1988 by him he went just now when I've been traveling I've like a thumb get that information on being made level by the last time I'm gone and he's from his neighbours to thank you.
OK, now I want to ask you children a question. If you were walking along on a pathway and you came across a sign that said warning and then it told you something about.
What you need to watch out for Or you came across a sign that said Danger. What do you think you should do?
Uh, I don't, uh, that doesn't scare me. I'm vague and brave. What? What do you think you should do? Pay attention, Pay attention, OK? Anything else?
What? Turn around, turn around. Good, good idea. I think that's a very good idea. There's something else that you probably do right away, and that is you probably would stop.
You would stop and you would look around and you would try and find out what is the danger? What is the warning? Uh, you would, you would read it, wouldn't you? You would read what the warning is. What were you going to say? Pray. Very good. Those are good answers. And that's certainly something that as Christians we can do, can't we? Well, you know, children, there are a lot of warnings in life.
And some of them we just ignore and some of them we stop and we consider. And that's too bad, isn't it? Because these things are important. These signs are important and they're put there for our good. They're put there to protect us. And so the authorities are the laws of the land. They require certain signs and so on. And there's some other warning signs that I saw out there. There was one on some equipment there. And I, I saw one at the, the hotel this morning.
Umm, there was a hot water machine dispenser there where you could fill up your cup of hot water and it said warning, hot water. So very hot water or something like that. And so these signs are put here for a reason. And you know, boys and girls, God has put warnings in His precious word for a reason. He wants us to stop and consider and listen to what He's saying. Let's look at one of those. If you have a Bible, you can turn with me. If you don't, you can listen.
But there is a warning.
And it says in Romans chapter 3.
You know, I was noticing this morning. I think it's so wonderful that often when God gives us a warning.
Or tells us about danger.
For something that we might do, He gives us a remedy. What is a remedy? Maybe that's a word that we should explain before we go any further. He often gives us a remedy. You're gonna try that?
A way to get out of it, a way to escape. OK, well, in Romans chapter 6, actually, I think I said three, But in Romans chapter 6, there's a well known verse and I'm gonna start it and I'm gonna ask one of your children to finish it for us.
Because it's one that's well known to us. It starts out like this for the wages of sin. Now let's see. Do you wanna finish it?
Is that, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Through.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, very good. The wages of sin is death. Isn't that a strong warning, children? The wages of sin is death. Wages are something that you earn and what I was thinking of when I said Romans 3 is that we're told there that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And then it goes on to say.
Being justified verse 24 of Romans 3.
Freely by His grace, isn't that wonderful? God tells us about our condition, He warns us about our condition, and then He gives us a remedy, the wages of sin, all of sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified. Freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, isn't that wonderful? And then there's another one, a well known one in the book of Hebrews.
00:15:28
Hebrews, Chapter 9.
In Hebrews Chapter 9.
It says.
That it is appointed unto man or unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. There's the warning, children, It is appointed unto men once to die, and then there's something coming after death. Death is not the end of it. And after this the judgment, but then the wonderful remedy that God provides and has provided through His Son, the Lord Jesus.
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin and to salvation. So what a wonderful provision of God. He gives us the warning. He tells us about the danger of going on in our sins, and then He provides the remedy. But I wanted to illustrate that in a very simple way this morning. And so I brought something along with me to Sunday school this morning in this bag.
And I want your children to know, just so you're not afraid or anything, that this is not real. OK? What I brought along is not real, but it's such a vivid picture to us of what we're trying to speak about this morning, the danger, the warning that God would give us and his remedy. And so I brought something here that we're familiar with.
A snake. Now this is not a real snake. See, its tail is even broken, so.
But there's something about a snake that I don't know how many here like snakes. They really like snakes. All right, let's see. We have a few braver people than I am. Well, you know, umm, I don't like snakes very well. And I know that certain members of my family, if I were to go up to them like this with this toy snake, even it would get quite a reaction. I would get a reaction.
Do you girls like snakes? Do you like snakes? No. OK, so how about you boys? Some of you said you did. Uh, how many of you, your children have pets?
All right, like cats, dogs, maybe other things, Birds. Umm, how many of you have a pet snake?
Hmm, no pet snakes.
Umm, do you think that a snake is, uh, you know, with your, how many of you have dog have a little doggie or a cat Kitty? OK. Do you like to cuddle and pet your little dog in Kitty? Do they like that? Do they like you to pet them? You know, we have a little doggie at home and she likes to be petted and she always comes running up when I come home and she wants me to pet her and if I don't reach down and scratch her a little bit, she'll follow me around. So they're like that, aren't they? They're friendly. They like to be petted. They like to be.
Uh, shown some kind of attention and affection, but you know what? What would you think if you tried to cuddle and pet a creature like this? You think that would work very well? Do you think snakes like to be petted and cuddled? And no, no, they're just not that kind of a creature. They're just something, umm, about them that we don't generally like. We do, we don't, umm, typically want to be around snakes and have them as pets and so on.
But.
You know, we went to a place in, in South Dakota a number of years ago and I think it was called Reptile Gardens or something like that. And the whole thing was full of snakes. We went in there and there was, uh, aquarium and cages and, and they, you know, they had glass, they were behind glass. And we went from one to the other and they had a lot of very, very dangerous snakes in there, poisonous, uh, from different parts of the world. It was quite an impressive collection of snakes, but I tell you, I got tired of looking at them.
Because they're just, you know, all they do is they just slither around.
Like this and they're they're little tongues are, are going in and out real quick. And, you know, there's a reason why their little tongues go in and out like that. I understand that what they're doing is they're kind of what they say, tasting the air and they use that as a sensor to to find prey, to find food. And I'm going to talk about one snake in particular that is well known in our area. It's called the western diamondback rattlesnake. How many have heard of a diamondback rattle snake? OK.
00:20:22
I think we're pretty much familiar with those. And it's called that because it has patterns on its skin that are shaped kind of like a diamond. And so that's where it gets its name. Well, it is a poisonous snake. It has what we call venom, and that's very poisonous. And it attacks the blood system and its victims. And it it it causes a lot of tissue damage and swelling. And people have died from rattlesnake bites. And so we have these snakes around.
And there are warnings in some of the parks and so on when these snakes, when they're known to be in an area where there might be hikers and so on. And I'm going to tell you a story about some hikers.
And an experience they had with a rattlesnake.
And so they are dangerous snakes. In fact, they say that, uh, they account for more of the, the fatalities in North America than any other snake, the rattlesnake and.
Many, many people are bitten by them every year. Now, most people don't die from their bite. Most people are able to survive.
It's it's even like less than 1% of the people that actually die, but people have died and especially children because they're a lot smaller.
From the bite of a rattlesnake. There's something else about the rattlesnake. It has, uh, it's called a pit Viper. It's in, in the, the Viper family. And the reason it's called a pit Viper is not because it lives in pits, which it can, but it lives in many other places too. But it's called a pit Viper because it has two little pits on its, its head, on the forehead area of its body. And those pits are heat sensing.
Devices that the Lord has given this snake and the purpose of those heat sensing devices.
Is to find prey all of us that are alive, we give off heat and so do little animals, little bunnies, little.
Squirrels, all kinds of rodents, rats, mice, they give off heat. And So what this snake can do, it doesn't need any light. It doesn't need to be able to see. In fact, it hunts at night. It hunts through the night. And what it will do is it will be moving along looking for prey and.
Even it it'll be using these, these little tips on its forehead will be activated and working and it consents the heat coming off of the body of let's say a little Bunny rabbit. And let's say that little Bunny rabbit has a sense of danger and it just dives down into its little hole. It's a little house under the ground. What does Mr. Snake do? He goes right in that hole. He goes right in that hole after Mr. Bunny. And he can tell from these.
Pits in his forehead as he's getting closer and closer and.
He can, he can tell how far away he is. He can tell right where that Bunny rabbit is. It doesn't matter if the Bunny tries to hide here or there in its little hole, it it can just slither right in there and strikes it. It has some fangs that are shaped kind of like that. They go right in and little pumps pump this venom, this poison into poor Mr. Bunny. And then Mr. Bunny becomes its meal and it just swallows him whole. Takes a while.
That's what he does, and he may not have to eat again for a couple of weeks and pretty soon he goes and he finds something else. That's how Mr. Snake hunts. He can hunt in the dark and you can't see him. Well, you know, boys and girls, we have an adversary. Mr. Tony told us about what we need to do as Christians to be protected from our adversary. We're talking about Satan that he goes about and he's seeking to.
Deceive. He's seeking to capture, if you will. He's seeking to bite. For the sake of our illustration, boys and girls, men and women.
He's an adversary, he's an enemy. And he he told us that we need to put on the armor, all the armor to stand against this enemy, such a dangerous enemy. He is. And so that's important, isn't it? Well, you know, we first read about this in Scripture. Sometimes Satan is referred to as.
A serpent. He's referred to in other ways. Sometimes he's referred to as a dragon, maybe more in the character to destroy men. He's sometimes referred to as, as, as I said, as a serpent. And there it's more the thought of deceiving.
00:25:13
He's subtle and that's the first mention we ever have of him in the word of God is in that character of a serpent. So let's look at that real quick. It's in the third chapter of Genesis, and I'll just read you a few verses about him. It says.
In verse one of Genesis three that the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field.
Which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yeah, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Or it's like he's saying, he's putting a doubt in her mind. And and Mr. Darby translates it this way. Is it Even so that God hath said?
These, umm, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden, and so on. And we know the story that he deceives her. So he comes in this character of this serpent.
To deceive and he's mentioned later on as a serpent too, you know when he's taken and he's bound first he's cast out of heaven and right now he's, he's in a, a sphere there where he can, uh, influence, uh, men and so on and we see him as an adversary in the book of Job. He comes to God and he speaks against Job and so on he's our adversary he's an enemy well.
Sometimes he's, he's the referred to as the devil too. And I believe that the Greek word for devil, it comes from Diabolus and it, it just, umm, I, I forget exactly what it means. Sometimes he, he's also in the character of, of Satan. As we mentioned, he's referred to often as Satan, but here in Genesis chapter 3, he's referred to in the character of a serpent. Now let's turn over to.
Numbers chapter 21 and I want to read a few verses about an experience that the children of Israel had.
In the wilderness, and I think there's a very important lesson, as we know. So verse four. And they journeyed from Mount Horror by the way of the Red Sea to compass the land of Edom. And the soul of the people was much discouraged or became impatient on the way, as the way it should read. So that the people they came in impatient on the way, and they spake against God and against Moses. Wherefore have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water in our soul loathes.
This light bread and the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and much people of Israel died. Now for our sake of our illustration, I'd like to just, umm, apply this in this way. It says that.
These say these serpents came and it says they bit the people. So I'd like to just apply that in this way, boys and girls, that everyone as it were, has been bitten, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
And you know the prophet Ezekiel, he tells us that the soul that sinneth it shall who can finish it?
Die. He mentions that twice. I think it's in like the, I'm not sure. Is it the 18th chapter somewhere in the, uh, prophecy of Ezekiel, he says the soul that sinneth it shall die. And then a little later in that chapter it's mentioned again. It's like God gives that warning danger, the soul that sinneth it shall die.
But oh, you know, the remedy is, there's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me shall not come into condemnation, but it's past from death unto life. John 524 wonderful assurances from God, you know, if you're a hiker in Colorado, where I come from, where these snakes are very plentiful.
It's probably not a bad idea to carry something with you. And this little thing here is what we call a snake bite kit. And if you're out in the wilderness or out in the the mountains somewhere and you get bit by one of these snakes and you're a long ways away from help from medical help, this might just save your life. But notice that I said it might save your life. I can't assure you that it will, and they don't assure you that it will either. There's a few little things in here. There's really not much.
Umm, there's instruction that's important.
And probably some warnings, I didn't read through it. There's some, uh, topical antibacterial solution and there's a little knife in there because you have to make a little cut where the snake bites you. And then what you do is you squeeze this, you put it on your skin.
00:30:17
And I don't know if it'll work here. There's just a little suction cup.
And that's to suck out the poison. And that could save your life. But you know, children.
How wonderful that we can tell you that you are a Sinner, but if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. There's no question. So God's remedy is perfect. Man's remedies for this snake bite might save your life. You might even go to the doctor and it might save your life.
He might be able to save your life.
But there's always an element of doubt that with God, His remedy is perfect. And so how wonderful that is. But now I told you I would tell you a story and we're not going to go through all of this, but this is such a beautiful picture to us of the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. Because when they were bitten with these serpents and much people died. I don't think I finished it. I will finish it here, verse seven. Therefore the people came to Moses.
And said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee, Pray unto the Lord.
That he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole. And it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole.
And it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, and he beheld the serpent of breath.
He lived. Well, isn't that a wonderful story? And we know exactly what it means because the Lord uses that story.
And speaking in John 3 to Nicodemus, and he says as Moses.
Lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, and he was Speaking of that death that he would have to go into and die upon the cross and shed his precious blood in order that man might have a remedy for his sins. Just like these children of Israel needed a remedy for the from the snake bite. These fiery serpents. I imagine they were called fiery serpents because their venom stung.
And it caused great pain and it was the people were dying. Oh, boys and girls, you know you have sinned. And because you have sinned, you are a Sinner. And the word of is faithful that the soul that sinneth it shall die. The wages of sin is death. But what a wonderful provision God has made. Now my I'm going to tell a story about my father. And maybe you've heard this story, but my father.
Had a brother, has a brother that's still living my father's with the Lord, but he had a brother and they would go hiking a lot with their grandfather and their grandfather was a foreman on the railroad. And so he lived out in the the Prairie in Colorado and they would he would have the boys come over and they loved to do that because whenever they were with grandpa, there was always going to be some kind of adventure. So this time they were with grandpa and they were hiking through this this forested area with some trees and fields and so on. And grandpa was in the lead and he had.
Gone over some, a little goalie area with some rocks and things in it, and he didn't notice that there was a great big rattlesnake in that goalie. Now, when grandpa went over the route over the, the gully that made the rattlesnake, uh, scared and aware that people were around. Now these rattlesnakes are not really snakes are not really aggressive as, as we think of. They're not like a lion that, uh, stocks its prey and so on in that way. They're, they tend to hide from man.
So.
They're camouflaged and that's one of their lines of defense. And then they there's something else that we haven't talked about, about these rattlesnakes. And that is they have some rattles on the end of their tail. And I've heard them before because I've, I've looked for rattlesnakes myself and I've heard their rattle and it sounds a little bit like this.
Kind of like that. Now what do you think that Rattlesnake is doing that for? Why is he doing that?
He's warning. He's saying stay away from me. I don't like you near me, Just get away from me. Now that's that's a little unlike our enemy. But anyway, the rattlesnake rattles and he wants you to stay away. Well, grandpa had gone over this goalie and the snake had gotten a little bit alarmed. And then my, my father's brother, my Uncle Bob, he was the next one through and he stepped over. Well, by that time the snake was getting upset.
00:35:17
And what they do these these rattlesnakes is they begin to go into a coil and they continue to shake their rattle. And he was beginning to shake his rattles ferociously, you know, really making.
Lots of noise. Stay away from me. I don't like you being near me. And he was going into a coil. And about that time my father was coming along. He was the last one lagging behind a little and he was coming along. And at that time, by that time, Mr. Rattlesnake was in a coil and he was ready to spring. He was ready to strike and he was rattling loud.
And my father heard that he knew just a little bit, enough, enough to know that that was not a good sound. And so he stopped and they're down in that goalie. Not far from where he stopped was this rattlesnake already to spring Well, So he called for his brother and his grandfather and they turned around and they came back. And there was that dangerous snake down in that gully in a near a trail where people were walking. There were other people that were out.
And So what do you think Grandpa did?
What did Grandpa do? He was concerned because the snake was a dangerous snake and he was upset. So Grandpa did something. He killed that snake. And then he did something with that snake that my father never forgot. And he used to tell the story. And I remember the story from a little boy, and maybe you've heard it, but I'll pass it on. Grandpa did something kind of strange after he killed that rattlesnake. He took that rattlesnake and we'll pretend that I'm a tree here. And he went over to a tree.
And it had a branch sticking out from it.
And he took that snake.
And he flopped it over that branch like that, and then they went on hiking.
OK, so there's that tree with this branch, and there's a snake hanging over that branch, a big old rattlesnake. And what would you do if you were a hiker and you saw that? Would you say, oh, there's lots of rattlesnakes hanging from trees? That's nothing, nothing different about that. Is that how you would act? No, you'd stop and you'd look and and you'd say, look at that. There's a rattlesnake hanging from that branch.
Wonder what that is?
What's that trying to tell us? What do you think Grandpa did that for? Who can tell it?
What a warning. Very good. What was the warning about?
Snakes, right? The warning was there's snakes. There's rattlesnakes in this area. Be careful, hikers. Watch where you're stepping. You don't wanna step on a rattlesnake.
And so that was a warning, boys and girls, we've heard about warnings this morning. Have you heeded those warnings? Have you listened?
You realize that you're a Sinner and that God wants to save you.
But He can't save you in your sins. You have to accept His Son, the Lord Jesus, and be delivered from your sins. Don't ignore the warnings from God's precious word. And you know this adversary I might just mention in closing, this adversary doesn't leave us alone once we're saved. We heard about that yesterday. We need that armor. We need to be protected from Him. In fact, He continues to seek to trip us up. He can't take away our salvation. Never.
He can never take away our salvation, but he can take away the joy of it. He can be a hindrance to us in progressing to enjoying those things that we've been enjoying in these meetings. He can hinder us from that, and he wants to do that. And we have this adversary with us our whole lives until we pass away or until the Lord comes to take us home. And sometimes he's a roaring lion. Peter talks about him as a roaring lion. He says be sober, be vigilant. That means be on your guard, be on the lookout.
Because your adversary, the devil as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. So it's a very real thing. And I think the problem is, boys and girls, is we can't.
See the danger, We don't see it with these eyes. You know, we live. I was talking to Brother Steve Bambaro. We were sharing some things together. And I was just commenting that we live in a world where it's I, I call it a show me world. We have to be shown. We don't think the world knows nothing about faith. Faith is believing something that we can't see. But this world is a show me world. They want to see it before they'll believe it. And because they can't see this adversary that we're talking about, this enemy.
00:40:26
They don't believe it. They don't believe that. That's sad, isn't it? And so they fall victim to him.
One after another. It's so sad. Well, we don't want that to happen to me, and we don't want you to to leave this conference without knowing in your hearts that you've accepted God's remedy for your sins. His Son, the Lord Jesus. Well, let's just sing a song in closing and then we'll be finished. So who has one? I think someone down here. What was it? You. Someone raised their hand before We didn't get to him. OK. What? 196? All right.
Sorry we couldn't get to all the songs that you wanted to sing. That's nice that you wanted to sing a lot 96.
All right, let's just sing the 1St and the last of #96 when he come up, when he comes.
To make up his shoe. All his shoes.
Or anything to gain anything, right? Uh, let's do the minimum level, right? That's good, yeah.
Thumbnails are.
Blind underneath.
Him and crying round the door, knee breaks upside and it takes you to sleep right down to the bottom.
Umm OK, let's pray.
Our blessed God and our Father, we just pray that if there is some boy or some girl here that still hasn't said yes to the Lord Jesus as we had last night, we just pray that they would do so this morning, that they would not put it off.
For all have sinned and come short of thy glory, but thou hast provided a remedy.
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We just thank Thee, blessed Savior, for going to the cross and for Thy precious blood that can wash the vilest Sinner clean, and we just give thanks to thy precious and worthy name, Amen.
Books to some, Maybe pass your books up towards the middle of the room.
Preparation for His Presence
Address—Eric James
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Well, let's turn back to the book of Ephesians.
Like to look over at chapter 5?
Stop.
Three well known verses in Ephesians 5, verse 25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. That he might present it to himself. A glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle.
Or any such thing that it should be wholly and without blemish, and if you keep your finger there and just turn a few pages over to Galatians chapter 2 and other well known verse.
Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. And then over in the book of Matthew.
Keep your finger if you would in Ephesians 5 because I'd like to turn back there about 3:00 to few verses in Matthew 25.
Matthew 25 verse one. Then shall the Kingdom of heaven be likened unto 10 virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And verse five, while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made. Behold, the bridegroom, go ye out to meet him.
Well, back in Ephesians 5, those verses we've read so often, it speaks about the.
The work the Lord Jesus has done, that's what we have in verse 25. Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it. It speaks of the work He's carrying out right now in the next verse, verse 26, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. That's the subject I really had before me today. And then verse 27, future that He might present it to Himself.
A glorious church.
That's future not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be wholly and without blemish.
I mentioned in my prayer how that it seems like the topic of conversation today often is when you leave it. We've enjoyed these three days before and three, three days together now, and we realized that many are going to leave now, perhaps today, perhaps tomorrow.
But many are leaving and you know, I've enjoyed a subject, brethren, I wanna call this little talk today preparation for his presence because very soon we're going to leave, aren't we? And it's a good subject to be taken up with our preparation for entering into the Lord Jesus presence because very, very soon that's exactly what's going to happen. You know, sometimes we, we, uh, commiserate one with another that we live in a week day.
We know very well, there's no doubt in our minds that we live in the very end days of the church, and we know that before the sun comes up that the night is the very darkest, isn't it? And so morally, it's true too, that before the Lord Jesus appears, it's the very darkest of times. Morally, in some respects perhaps the most difficult I remember, even when I was a young person.
The meetings were much larger. Conferences are much larger. Much, much easier to kind of go along with the flow, isn't it?
00:05:00
But today it's even a more challenging day. And for those of you that are young people, I feel that for you because if the Lord leaves us here for a number of years, we don't know how long, but it will be even more challenging. But the bright side is that we're soon going to be in the Lord's presence.
And so He has, in His precious Word, prepared us for His presence, and that's what I wanna speak about. We read there what He is doing, that He might sanctify speaking about the church and cleanse it with the washing.
Of water by the word, that he might present it to himself. A glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.
Well, that verse 26, I believe is active. It's what he's doing, not the fixed work that's done. We're so thankful for that, but it's the active work, work that the Lord Jesus is doing. And so in those verses over in, uh, Matthew 25, he might have noticed I left the word out that was in the King James because it doesn't really belong there. It's not even his coming that were taken up with. It's his person. If we're in the right state of soul, isn't it? Just think the Lord Jesus is soon going to come. Behold the bridegroom.
Very soon the Lord Jesus is going to come.
Take us home to be with himself. We talked about the patience, the Kingdom and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has waited now almost 2000 years and very soon He's going to take us to be with Himself. But he's still preparing us and we need to prepare ourselves to be in the Lord Jesus presence. Let's look at a few illustrations of this before I get to the main topic I'd like to cover this afternoon or main passage I should say.
Let's turn back to the book of Esther.
We see the same thought, I think.
Esther, chapter 2.
We remember this story here.
The Gentile queen had been unfaithful, had not responded to the king as she ought to have, and so she was going to be replaced. So we know the type here. The type is that, uh, once again, the Gentile church is in the last stages of our existence. I say Gentile, of course we know that Jews and Gentiles, but it's primarily Gentiles today. And then the Jew is going to be restored to a place of prominence. That's the figure.
But morally, it's much like our own day, isn't it?
And, uh, so this Ester was called with a number of other young women and prepared to enter into the King's presence. Look at verse 12 of chapter 2, Esther two, and verse 12.
Now in every maid's turn was come to go into King a Hazarius. After that she had been 12 months, according to the manner of the woman, For so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh.
And six months with sweet odors and with other things for the purifying of the woman. Then thus every came, every maiden under the king. Whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the House of the woman.
Into the King's house, preparation for entering into His presence. Brethren, we're very near to the time when the Lord Jesus is going to take us home. We need to be prepared.
How important it is, You know, part of the reason I wanted to start that hymn that I started was that too often we sing a different tune to it, don't we? The sands of time are sinking. But it's rather a mournful tune. And I wanted to make sure we got a tune that was a little more upbeat. Because we're looking forward to the Lord's coming, aren't we? I went to a wedding here recently, uh, just a few weeks ago. It was a very happy occasion and we were very, very happy to be there.
We had known the bride for all her life and, uh, known the bridegroom for most of his life as well as well as their families. And it was a happy occasion. And in fact, we know that a great deal of preparation went into that wedding. My daughter was the maid of honor.
And, uh, she and the bride spent a great deal of time together talking about things. And in fact, we know that that particular bride had been looking forward to her wedding from the time she was a little girl. We know that for a fact because we know the family so well. And so it's our place, isn't it, To prepare ourselves. The Lord is preparing us. And it's our great privilege, brethren, to prepare ourselves.
00:10:27
For the Lord.
But when it comes to take us home, prepare ourselves for His presence because very soon we're going to be there and we want to be suited to His presence. And so Esther, again, it's just a picture, but a similar picture, isn't it? She and the other woman were carefully prepared before they entered into the King's presence. Let's look over in Genesis chapter 24, we get a similar picture.
Preparation for the Bridegroom's presence. Very, very soon we're going to be there. The Lord grant that our preparation might be suited to Him according to His precious Word. Isn't that what it said in Ephesians chapter 5? The Lord Jesus does the preparing there. There's our side of responsibility as well, but He washes it by the Washington washes us by the water of the Word, and that's what I want to look at.
But chapter 24.
Of Genesis.
Just to read a few verses here, it's hard to know where to start. Perhaps, uh.
Uh, perhaps 50 of Genesis 24 Then Leyden's and Bethoul answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord, we cannot speak unto thee, bad or good. Remember this is Abraham's servant was sent to bring back a bride for his son Isaac his heir. Verse 51 Behold, Rebecca is before the take her and go, and let her be thy master's son and wife, as the Lord has spoken and came to pass.
That when Abraham's servant heard their words.
He worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth, and the servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment, and gave them to Rebecca. He also, he gave also to her brother and to her mother. Precious things. I suppose these are some of this is a picture of some of the precious things we've had before us these days, the gold, the silver.
Jewels of gold, Jules. Jules of silver and raiment. He gave them to Rebecca. We've been learning about these.
Jewels of gold and silver and raiment, haven't we? That which belongs to us even now, but we're gonna enjoy it far more when we're in our bridegroom's presence. And so it's a picture of, of, uh, the church in a distant land. And then verse 54. And they did eat and drink, and he and the men that were with him carried all night, and they rose up in the morning. And he said, send me away unto my master. And her brother and her mother said that the damsel abide with us a few days at the least, 10.
After that she shall go. And he said unto them, Hinder me, not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way, Send me a way, that I may go to my master. And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth. They called Rebecca, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. And they sent away Rebecca their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
And they blessed Rebecca, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions in let thy seed possess the gates, gate of those which hate the hate them. And Rebecca arose.
And her damsels. And they rode upon the camels and followed the man. And the servant took Rebecca and went his way.
Well, this is what's happening now, isn't it, brethren?
We're like that Rebecca. She's a picture of the church.
We're with the servant of the master. He's a picture of the Spirit of God, and he's leading us across that desert to the bridegroom. What do you think he did during that time? I know the Scripture doesn't tell us exactly, but I don't think we have to let our mind wander too much to fill in some of the details. Don't you think He was telling her about her Master, about his master, and about what he'd had?
00:15:04
About Abraham, about the promises made to Abraham, those wonderful promises, about the wealth that the Lord had bestowed upon Abraham and Isaac because of their faithfulness to God. Don't you think he was regaling her with stories of what she would find when she got home to her beloved?
I don't doubt that for a moment. And so we've done that over the last few days too, haven't we gone over stories, true stories of our portion and of our beloved that we're soon going to be with and see face to face as we were seeing in our hymn. And so finally then verse 62 and Isaac came from the way of the well of La Jolla.
Forty, 12Th in the South Country, and Isaac went out to meditate in the field.
At the eventide. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold the camels were coming. I think we live at this time, right now. Isaac's lifting up his eyes. He can hardly wait for his bride. He waited many, many years, and now he sees her in the distance, very close.
And Rebecca lifted up her eyes.
And when he saw, when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. That's what's gonna happen soon, isn't it? We're gonna light off the camera like Rebecca. We're gonna be with the Lord Jesus, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. But we need to be prepared to be with the Lord. It's not just enough that we have our sins forgiven. Thank God for that. It's not even enough that we have these blessings we were speaking about in our meeting. That's the portion of all believers that's true.
But there is a preparation for his presence, just as Esther had to be prepared, just as those in Matthew 25 had to prepare for the bridegroom, even though we're not talking about the bride there. But those others too had to be prepared for the bridegroom because he's coming soon. And that's what we have here too. She, she lighted off the camel. And brethren, it's very soon going to happen.
We're gonna light off the Campbell.
For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master. Therefore she took a veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebecca, and she became his wife. And he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. Let's turn now over to the 119th Psalm.
The 119th Psalms. Largest chapter in the scriptures by far.
Broken into 22 pieces.
It's a particular pattern. It's an acrostic Psalm, which means that it takes each one in order of the 22 Hebrew letters and it spells them out. And in fact each section has 8 verses as you we can see.
And each of those 8 verses in the Hebrew, I'm told, starts with the same Hebrew letter that's at the head. So the 1St 8 verses all start with a left, which is the 1St letter in the Hebrew alphabet. I believe what we have here is a picture of preparation for the Lord's presence. I've enjoyed it that way at least. Like to just share that with my brethren for a few moments.
I will confess that I read a number of sources on these chapters and on these, uh, subsections and it seems they don't all agree. You read what one says and it's, uh, you read what I read with Mr. Grant said, and I read what, uh, uh, what, uh, Mr. Hamilton Smith said and, and, uh, read with Mr. Wigram said, read what our brother Bruce said. I don't know where he got that, but they don't, they don't really say the same. They're close, but you'll find that, uh, the summaries of each of these sections are really quite different. I, I doubt if half of them.
Are even similar before the between those four writers that I read, you might check that out on your own. I thought about that some. You know, I don't really have a problem with that because I do believe this is the pattern that the Lord Jesus is developing, the preparation he's developing for each of us and each of us are different. We do follow a similar pattern, but that pattern is expressed differently in each one of us.
00:20:22
And so I'm not too surprised that the, uh, the different commentators would come up with a little different thought, even though the main thought is the same, there is a similar pattern. The Lord Jesus is preparing us for himself and it does fit an overall pattern. We won't see that pattern until we're home. Uh, and I believe in a certain sense, this Psalm, uh, you'll find it's in the 5th book of, of, uh, Psalms. Psalms, as you well know, has five books.
It's important to understand that, and this 5th book is sometimes called the Deuteronomy of the Psalms, and I think that's quite appropriate because Deuteronomy was the instructions given to the Lord's people by Moses, really by the Lord. But through Moses, the preparation for entering into the land, that land of milk and honey that they were soon going to possess. They had been in the wilderness for 40 years now. Before that they were slaves in the land of Egypt. And now at long last they were entering into the promised land that the Lord had promised to them.
That he would give them and that they where they would be blessed. And so it's an apartment picture again, isn't it, of our preparation for entering into the Lord Jesus presence.
Let's look at these verses. Much more that could be said. Let me just say one more thing. There are 8 verses in each Section 8 commonly speaks of a new beginning. We have seven days. That's completion. The 8th day is a new beginning. I suppose there's several ways to look at that from a prophetic standpoint, of course, perhaps we can say it speaks of the 10 tribes and it speaks of their preparation for entering into blessing in the land. We don't have time to look at the verses that speak about that.
But that's the great theme of this 5th book of, of Psalms is the 10 tribes particularly are being prepared to, uh, they return and they're being prepared for the Lord's presence. And that involves an attack of the Assyrian. Why does the Lord allow such things? We might wonder, why can't they just have an easy life and skate through? No, the Lord teaches us lessons and adversity that we could never learn.
In times of peace. And so that's what happens in this song.
Well, there are eight, eight verses to each, and I think if we can apply it morally to the believer today, we can say that the Lord Jesus is forming us in his image, 8 verses in each section. He's taking us from what we were. He's forming us into what He wants us to be suited for his presence. You say, aren't we already suited? Yes, as far as standing, we're already suited for the Lord's presence.
But isn't there a moral likeness that the Lord wants to develop in US? Absolutely. Be holy, for I am holy. You wouldn't have to tell us to be holy. If we say in our Lord we're already holy, that's true, we are holy. But now we need to walk like it. One is standing, the other is state. It's important that our state live up to our standing, isn't it? And that's what we have here. Well, let's go through.
I know it's a long sum. I think we can go through it fairly quickly. I do remember many years ago that our brother Eric Smith spoke at a conference. I don't remember exactly what he spoke about. I always appreciated what he did speak about. But on this occasion I remember he made a statement that put a thought in my mind and that, as he said years ago when he was a young person, he had studied Greek, knew that relatively well, but he thought he would like to study a little Hebrew.
So he met with a Jewish man, I don't remember whether he was a rabbi or not, but he met with a Jewish man that was well versed in Hebrew.
And he said, just for a short time, they studied some Hebrew together. And he mentioned that they began with the Hebrew alphabet, which certainly makes sense, doesn't it Begin to study a language? It's a good place to start. Start with the alphabet. And one comment he made I never forgot was that each of these letters of the alphabet in Hebrew are more than merely letters. They have meaning.
00:25:01
That's true in Chinese, for instance, and some of the other language, that the words or symbols or letters or symbols actually symbolize something. And so with a little diligence, we can find out that each of these letters of the Hebrew alphabet have a particular meaning. They're not just letters as in our language ABCD. That's all they mean. They're building blocks for words. But in the Hebrew, each of these words, each of these letters.
Has a particular meaning. Let's go over those meanings. It's a key to understanding what that section is about, but we'll have to hurry here. Psalm 119, the first word. As you can see, there is a left.
That means aux and so in these verses, what do what do we have look at the first verse. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the in the law of the Lord.
It's the blessedness of obedience, isn't it? Isn't that what we read about that ox in the New Testament? Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly, and he shall find rest unto your soul. That's not the rest of salvation. That's the peace of God. Not the peace with God. That's the rest of communion that comes from walking with the Lord Jesus in yoke with Him. Aleph means ox.
And so we have the blessedness.
Of the obedient walk. I've often thought of this, as I shouldn't say often, but in my meditation on this recently, I thought of 119 Psalm 2 as a as a quilt made-up of many quilt pieces, each of these separate sections of quilt piece. And brethren, isn't that what our preparation for the Lord's presence is? It's individual, It follows a particular particular pattern, but each one is unique quilt piece.
The Lord Jesus is forming us for his presence, and so in each of these pieces we're gonna see it intricately formed and sewn together with a particular purpose. And so the Lord Jesus is doing with each one of us to prepare us for his presence. So the first is the ox. The blessedness of an obedient walk. I might say too. I know I get sidetracked here. There are 10 Hebrew words.
Used in this, uh, Psalm for the scriptures. You'll see it's quite diverse. Uh, if you look into Mr. Vines, uh, exposition of Old Testament words, for instance, you'll see he says 1010 words and he gives you those 10 words and then he says a lot of them are synonyms. He says, I can't really tell the difference sometimes. I guess if I could put it in my lay layman's language, they do overlap. They are different in some respects, but they also overlap a great deal. Well, here's a laugh and Ox.
Beth, we know that name, Bethel.
We know what it means. The House of God, Bethel, right? L is God, Beth is house, and so this means house. Well, what does this mean? Look at verse 9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto, According to thy word, Verse 11, thy word. Have I hidden my heart, that I might not sin against Thee. We're not our own. We're bought with the price.
Our bodies are the temple of the living God, the house, perhaps we can say, of the living God. And So what we have here is the way of cleansing. We belong to Him, not to our, not to our own. That's why I read that verse in Galatians 2. I am crucified with Christ, you know, Socrates said many years ago.
The unexamined life is not worth living, and many of us have studied that as we had to take philosophical classes and so on in in college and so on and so forth.
He said the unexamined life is not worth living. I wanna make a comment to you, dear young people, particularly I wanna make this. I hope you take it to heart. Rather than saying the unexamined life, I wanna say that.
If we're not consecrated, life isn't worth living. The unconsecrated life is not worth living.
Well, that's what Beth is. It speaks of consecration to the One who died for us and rose again. We're not our own. We don't own our bodies. Ye are not your own. Look it up if you want. First Corinthians chapter 6 towards the end of the chapter. We're not our own. We've been bought with the price. Therefore, glorify God in your body, which is His.
00:30:18
God grant us to prepare ourselves, but may I say that the unconsecrated life for the believer is not worth living?
Beth Gimmel Not too hard to figure out what this is. It's, uh, sometimes moves a little bit to gamble and then it's camel. And that's exactly what it means is camel. It's the camel that we're well known of. Well, what happens when we turn to the Lord Jesus and obedience and consecration? What do we find? Well, the camel is the caravan of the desert. He doesn't live in the lush parts of the world.
You have to go to the desert to find the camel. And so when we are consecrated to the Lord as part of our preparation, we become strangers and pilgrims in this world, don't we? The world becomes a wilderness. This will, this world, the wilderness wide. And so that's the camel. And so we have that here. Verse 19. Look at it. I am a stranger in the earth.
Hide not thy commandments from me, verse 22. Remove me from reproach and contempt. There will be reproach and contempt from those who make this world their home. It's what those are called 10 times in Revelation. Earth dwellers. We don't wanna be earth dwellers. They're ones who have made this world their home, but the believer is an outcast by them.
We're strangers and pilgrims. Look at verse 22. Remove me from reproach and contempt, for I have kept thy testimonies.
So we have that. We're outcast. We've become strangers and pilgrims.
When we belong to the Lord, there's another piece of the fabric the Lord uses to prepare us for His presence, for this quilt. Again, I thought of it as a quilt, each of these little pieces of fabric, and more than fabric, because my wife has made quilts before. Some of the quilts, she hasn't made them, hasn't made a lot of them, but some of the quilts she's made have been very, very intricate, intricate. Each one has a particular theme, I think we could perhaps say like we have here.
But each one is intricate and beautiful in itself. And then finally the whole, the whole quilt is put together at the end and as beautiful to see. But in the meantime, it's kind of hard to figure out. We just see one piece at a time until finally the whole thing is put together. So we have camel where strangers and pilgrims day left. That means door.
What else do we have here then? Uh, we have a door where strangers and pilgrims in this world. But is that all we see? Remember what Jacob experienced at Bethel? As a matter of fact, when he had a stone for his pillow, he was fleeing from his brother Esau. He had a vision that night. We call it Jacob's ladder. There was a door opened in heaven, the apostle John says. And so as strangers and pilgrims were not left to our own resources.
But we have a door to heaven.
We don't just look at the seed world as those around do, but we know there's an unseen world known to the eye of faith, which is far more real than this world that seemed that surrounds us. So there's a door to heaven. Notice what it says here. Look at verse 28 for instance. It is the realization of our own weakness.
But the realization that our strength lies through that door.
Verse 28 My soul melteth, for heaviness strengthened me according to thy word.
Key is interesting. If you look at the figure there, you might guess what it means. It means window. We have a door. We have a window, We have a door into the unseen world. That's the secret of the Christian walk, isn't it? Of the proper Christian walk is that door into the unseen world. We live in view of things that are unseen, and yet there's a window too. And what does that mean? That's where we get our instruction. That's where the Lord Jesus lives.
00:35:02
That's where our object is.
If we might have a reference in my Bible here, our object is in that unseen world. 2nd Corinthians 317 and 18 You might have other verses that are more suitable, perhaps, but that's, uh, uh, well, let's just look at it very quickly. I know our time is limited, but second, second Corinthians 3, So I get it right here. 18 But we all with open face beholding.
The glory of the Lord.
Are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord, we have a window into heaven. That's where our object is. And as we're taking up with that object through that window, we're not quite there yet in that sense. But as we're taking up with the Lord Jesus as our object, we become transformed into His image.
That's that #8 isn't it? We changed from what we were. You know, Paul was an insolent, overbearing man by nature.
Not a very pleasant picture, is it? But he says that of himself, that he was an insolent, overbearing man. The Spirit of God picked him up, saved him, formed him into the image of the Lord Jesus little by little. And he could say, I was among you as a nurse. Cherish with your own children, cares for her own children.
Had been changed from an insulin overbearing man who cared for nobody but himself and what he thought was important to somebody who had the care like a nurse. The nurse is trained, knows how to care for his children. The care of a mother is wonderful, but a mother who's a nurse has even a more a greater advantage, doesn't shape because she's been trained to help the children, to raise the children. And so Paul had been changed from an insolent, overbearing man.
To somebody who was like a nurse caring for his own children when he was among the Thessalonians, what a transformation. That's the transformation the Lord Jesus wants for us. Look at verse 33. Teach me, oh Lord, verse 34, give me understanding.
And then verse 35 make me to go. Sometimes we don't get there, do we? Sometimes we like teaching tickles, the intellect. Maybe we like to understand it. That's good too.
But then sometimes we stop before verse 35, make meet to go.
Well, means a pin or a nail. The Scripture speaks about a nail set in a sure place, speaks of testimony. And that's in fact what we have here. It speaks of testimony to the world. The Lord Jesus has called us not to live for ourselves, but to be a testimony for Him. And so look at verse 42. So shall I have wherewith to answer Him.
That reproacheth me, for I trust in thy word. Verse 44.
So will I keep thy law continually, forever and ever, and notice the next step, and I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts, and then the testimony. Verse 46. And I will speak of Thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed testimony. A nail set in a sure place. The Lord has called us to be a testimony.
Part of our preparation. Another quilt square.
Part of this quilt that he's growing, that we might be prepared for his presence.
Zane.
While we're in the midst of reproach. But the Lord hasn't left us defenseless. Zane means sword. It's a weapon, or particularly a sword. He hasn't left us, as they said, defenseless.
Uh, verse 50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Thy word hath quickened me. The proud have had me greatly in derision. Are we defenseless yet? Have I not declined from Thy law? Not on our own strength, but the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit. So we have a sword, and He wants us to learn how to use it diligently and well. Chess.
The next one means offense.
We don't have to think too long to figure out what that means. A fence. You know, like you have around a property. A fence.
00:40:06
And our preparation there is such a thing as separation, is there not? If we're going to be suited for the Lord's presence, we must be separated believers. Now separation has two parts.
The first part is separation unto the Lord. That's the great part of separation. Separation can be a very, very challenging, legal, difficult thing if it's only separation from things. Don't do this, don't do that, don't do the other. That's not very fun separation.
But if we're first separated to the Lord, that makes all the difference in the world. We know he's preparing us for our for his presence, and he separates us. Perhaps a versatile look at later Paul spoke to the Corinthians, uh, that he was separating them as a chaste virgin.
And so this young lady that got married recently.
She was separated, no doubt, to the Lord, to her, I should say, to her beloved, her bridegroom. She didn't want to defile herself because she had promised herself the one. They said she had looked forward to her wedding almost all of her life. She wasn't going to spoil it. Is that a bad thing? Not a bad thing at all. It's a wonderful thing to be separated solely. And that case to her beloved, and so the Lord.
Builds a fence around us for our own preservation. Notice what it says here.
Thou art my portion. Verse 57. Separation is first unto the Lord. Oh Lord, I have said that I would keep thy words, and then there is other separation. Verse 63. I am the companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. There is separation from others, but the first part of separation.
Is the fact that thou art my portion.
Test.
We heard about this this morning from our brother John. It means snake. There is a snake out there, isn't there? A serpent who would love to trip us up? And if the Lord knocks down a little sense around us like he did Job, what's the snake like to do? He's gonna be there right away, isn't he? He's gonna do whatever he can to try to spoil and destroy our testimony, to make us unsuited for the Lord. Does the Lord allow that?
Indeed he does.
For our, our building up, for our preparation for His presence. Another quilt square, if we can put it that way, as part of this beautiful quilt that the Lord is creating in preparation for each of our lives. Look what it says here. It's the, uh, test the snake. What these 8 verses speak of is the blessing through chastening.
Uh, look at verse 67. Before I was afflicted, I went astray.
As the Lord used affliction for good purpose, indeed He indeed He does. But now have I kept thy word. Look at verse 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn my statutes. The snake has a purpose, but remember, the Lord is behind all the scenes that He is behind.
JAD.
JAD means a hand, and I puzzled about this for a while because the next one also means hand, but it means a closed hand. And I thought, well, what in the world? How can we apply that a closed hand? Well, I think the secret is often as it is, it's pretty close. Look at verse 73. It's not our hands, it's thy hands have made me and fashioned me. Give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments.
The truth is that He holds us and He protects us in his closed hand. That's a wonderful truth, isn't it? Another square. He wants us to learn that He's the one who's holding us and protecting us. Look at verse 75. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hath afflicted me. It's the Lord Jesus holding on to us.
00:45:00
Kaf, we have to move quickly.
Means a fist. What's it a fist mean? It means that we hold on to the Lord. First He holds on to us with a closed hand, and then we hold on to the Lord. By grace my soul faintheth verse 81 for thy salvation, but I hope in thy word, verse 87. They had almost consumed me upon earth, but I forsook that thy precepts, and so we have comfort.
Through the word.
Perseverance holding on through affliction. Lamet means ox gold. You know, the oxen in those days were not too much unlike us. They worked in the fields and there were long sticks, pointed sticks that were behind their their, uh, behind their legs. And as they walked along those pointed sticks would just give a little jab constantly. I suppose oxen, I don't know much about them, but.
I suppose by nature they're like, we are lazy and uh, we tend to sit down and do nothing in much grass, I guess, if we have a choice. But those little ox goats, keep them going, just doesn't hurt them normally unless they kick against it. That's what Paul talked about, wasn't it? When he said it's hard for thee? The Lord told Paul it's hard for thee to kick against the ******. If the ox kicks against that prick, it can, it can injure itself. That hurts.
But left to itself, those little ****** keep us going. What does that mean? That's God's faithfulness daily. Look what he says in verse 90. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations. Thou hast established the earth, and it divided. Verse 91 They continue this day. That's daily according to thine ordinances, for all are thy servants.
Well, there's so much more here, but we don't have time. Look at mem.
The next one, it means water. It speaks of the refreshment of the Word of God. Look what it says, verse 97. Oh, how I loved thy law. It is my meditation all the day. You know what that love is? Dear young people, do you know what it is to love the word of God, the law of God?
It's refreshment when we're in the Lord's presence if we neglect it.
It becomes something we maybe have to do, but if we're walking in the Lord's presence in communion with Him, we find that it's a refreshment. And so the psalmist says, look at verse 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, ye sweeter than honey to my mouth.
Though through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. When we have good food, we don't want bad food. That's what the word of God is, Refreshment. None speaks of fish.
The Hebrew symbol for fish, Well, if we turn back to Leviticus 11, don't turn there. But if you turn to Leviticus 11, we learn something about the clean and the unclean animals. And there we have fish mentioned. Some fish were clean, some were unclean.
What made a fish clean? Two things. First of all, look at verse 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. First, the fish had to have fins to be able to swim against the current, Divine guidance to swim against that current. Secondly, the fish needs scales to protect them from this environment with which we're surrounded, which would destroy us if we didn't have scales. Look at verse 109.
Uh, rather 110 the wicked have laid a snare for me.
Yet I err not from thy precepts. Scales, Samich means a prop. We might say a cane today, but it's a prop. The word of God holds us up, doesn't it? It's a prop. Look at verse 116. Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live, and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe, and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
Pain means I. It's the eye of faith that anticipates deliverance. We're not gonna be here forever, brethren. Very, very soon the Lord Jesus is going to take us home to be with themselves. Look at verse 123. Mine eyes fail for thy salvation and for the word of thy righteousness. 126 It is time for the Lord to work, for they have made void thy law. Don't we see all around us things that tell us that we're in the very last days of the church?
00:50:24
Let's lift up our eyes. Our deliverance is nigh.
Pay means mouth speaks of communion and dependence on the Lord. Verse 129 by testimonies are wonderful, therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light, it giveth understanding under the simple I opened my mouth that's paid and panted, for I longed for thy commandments.
SETI means fishhook.
Recalled to be fishermen. Aren't we not just called to live for ourselves, but to be fishermen? Look what verse uh 39139 says, My zeal. This is zeal for God. My zeal have consumed me because my enemies have forgotten thy words. Verse 141 I am small and despised, yet do not I forget thy precepts. Sometimes we complain that we are small and despise.
But the Lord wants to be zealous for him. Daniel was a man that was zealous even in a difficult day. Think how small and despised he was. Very, very few that were held as opinions. But.
Yet do I not forget thy precepts?
COPS, Anybody who knows German has a little sense of that. Cost is the German word for head, isn't it? But this isn't exactly head. It's actually the back of the head. Head is actually the next word, resh. But cops speaks of the back of the head. It speaks of dependence because in those days when they prayed, they often prayed on their faces with the back of their head up. Look what it says. Verse 145. I cried.
With my whole heart hear me, O Lord, I will keep thy statutes. I cried unto thee. Save me, and I will keep thy testimonies. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cried, I hoped, and thy word dependence, the back of the head rest. That is the head. The head is what encases our brain, our mind. And so we have steadfastness and trial here.
Look at verse 157, We've made-up our mind to follow the Lord by His grace, not in our strength, but in His. Verse 157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies, yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. Verse 160 Thy word is true from the beginning, and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever. Shin.
Means 2.
What do we do with our teeth? Well, we chew food, don't we? And so that's what we have here. It's the light in God. The light in God and in His word. Look at verse 162. I rejoice at thy word. Do we feed on God's word? Do we enjoy it? I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil verse 165. Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing.
Shall offend them.
That brings us down to the last Tau.
What is Tau? Well, if you look at look it up, it looks like a mark or a cross. I believe it's what we would call a signature. It's the final signing off. When a person makes a quilt, they put all the pieces together and they sign it. The work is done, it belongs to them. And so the Lord Jesus is building us.
Quilt piece by quilt piece, forming us into a finished quilt that we might be prepared for His presence. I know I might have to face that here, but let's, uh, just look at two more passages and I'll stop. Second Corinthians Chapter 11.
00:55:02
2nd Corinthians Chapter 11 Remember, our theme here is preparation for His presence.
Verse 2.
I am jealous, the apostle Paul speaking over you with a godly jealousy, For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtleties, so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Brethren, there's many things that distract that wedding we went to recently.
Oftentimes there's many things that distract, aren't there? Let's not be taken up with those things. I don't say not to be faithful. That's not the point at all. But let's not be distracted with things that are a dishonor to the Lord.
Just when the wedding is about to be taken place. That's a sad thing. Too often at weddings that happens, doesn't it? Dissension comes up and, uh, people have their feelings hurt and so on and so on and so forth. Let's worry about the bride and the bridegroom. Let's be prepared for his presence. Not only not be distracted, but not 'cause grief to the one who has waited so long for US1 Last verse, Revelation 19.
2 verses here. The marriage of the Lamb. The time finally comes. The marriage of the Lamb doesn't take place immediately after the rapture. Probably takes place about the middle of the week if I understand it right. There is a preparation time. Read what it says here. Revelation 19, verse seven. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife.
Hath made herself ready. What does that mean? Her wife has made herself ready.
I believe I'm right in saying that that's the judgment seat of Christ. We often fear the judgment seat of Christ, but it's the time when the Lord Jesus will sit down with us and go over our Psalm 19, if I can put 119, if I can put it that way, go over each of these quilt pieces with us and show us how He directed and how He led us in the way until He put His signature on the whole.
And were in his presence the bride hath made herself ready, and to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the Saints, not imputed righteousness, not the righteousness God imputes to us, but the actual righteousness, practical righteousness, that comes from preparing ourselves for the Lord's presence. Brethren.
Of Lord Grannis, that we go on.
We live at the very last days of the church. What a difficult time. And what a blessed time. He's soon gonna come out of heaven. He's been watching, waiting for us so long. Take us home to be with himself. But let's prepare ourselves for his presence. Blessed God our Father, we thank.
Unhindered Communion and Everyday Day
Open—Steve Bambauer
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Uh, just a few comments that verse seven of our him suggested.
It I'll read that again, a verse of him 23 in the back verse seven says with thee, O Lord, forever our souls shall be content. And if I suppose we could jam everything in this world into our souls, they still wouldn't be content.
But only he satisfies the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
He's the only one that can do that. But the rest of that same verse that we read?
It says, Nor act, nor thought shall ever full joy with thee prevent. So it shall be when we are there, because whatever comes from the old nature, the old nature won't be there, and it will be unhindered.
Communion with the Lord and we're never going to have to stop and think. Now, was that pleasing to the Lord?
Was that thought? Was that conduct? Was that attitude?
Displeasing to the Lord, but now we do. But this is future Norak. Nor thought shall ever full joy with thee prevent.
And of course, while we're here, there are certain.
Standards of conduct that uh.
Are due to the Lord.
And I might just look at a verse in Exodus chapter 3.
And this pertains just, I suppose, even to our.
Life, daily life, our daily life, because in this chapter we have Moses keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law. He had some investment in that. It was his father-in-law. It wasn't a hireling. He was shepherding that flock and it belonged to his father-in-law.
He led it to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb, and an Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a Bush.
Moses is startled, and I suppose we are, when we really come to grips with the fact that God.
Is visiting us.
And that.
And just our our daily activity.
And he's concerned with that.
Now, Moses wasn't a foreigner to God, of course.
We're not looking at a salvation picture here.
But it was a unique.
Manifestation of God to Moses.
And it starts with a flame, it appeared unto him, and a flame of fire out of the midst of a Bush.
And he looked, and behold, the Bush burned with fire, and the Bush was not consumed.
Well, I remember in college people saying and they stood up at the podium here and they had the grade book in one hand and they had.
Epaulets with stripes on it and, uh, letters after their name. And it was kind of intimidating. And they would say something like, uh, evolution is a fact of life and God is an idea in the mind of man.
****.
Here God is manifested to Moses.
In this similitude or picture.
It's a flame of fire and there is a Bush and the burn. The Bush burned with fire. The Bush was not consumed.
When God?
Comes to man.
He doesn't consume him. It's mercy. He provides a way.
But.
The Bush burned with the fire. The Bush doesn't support the fire because it's not burned. And so God doesn't need man's thoughts or ideas for him to be.
We're not dealing with a concept that comes from the mind of man. God is objective and outside of ourselves.
00:05:10
So the Bush is not.
Consumed. That's mercy, but the Bush doesn't support the flame. God doesn't need man for his existence.
But anyway, Moses is looking at this, and each one of us certainly would.
And he said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight and certainly it is why the Bush is not burnt. Why is not the Bush burnt?
This is such mercy.
But Moses was going to get, uh, he's curious, while we would be.
And when the Lord saw that, he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the Bush, and said, Moses, Moses.
And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh, hit her, put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place where thou whereon thou standest is holy ground. And so now there is a proper attitude and approach to God in dealing with God.
And Moses was curious, of course, and how he wanted a closer look.
And he was going to get closer to examine this phenomenon that he's looking at.
This is an enigma. Who can sort this out? There is a Bush and a flame, and the Bush is not supporting a flame and the Bush is not burned.
And we're not going to define God or we haven't got him. If we do, we think that we can.
So we're not going to approach in curiosity.
God is holy and reverent.
He says, draw not nigh, hit her. Here are the conditions. Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
And this is how we would approach. There is a reference here given in this picture.
But we wouldn't show up with our boots on, if I could put it bluntly.
And we may think about these things, you know, we sit in the presence of the Lord.
In the breaking of bread, and that's a collective thing. But we walk before the Lord as individuals, and that's an individual thing. And what is our conduct before the Lord and how should it be?
Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Any approaches on that basis?
And gets the mind of God.
Now when I was in the service.
We had a squadron of about 25 aviators with a commanding officer who was a commander in rank and most of us that were flying were Lieutenant JGS and lieutenants. And there is, uh, an, an order of command there necessarily. So every once in a while we would be in the ready room, uh, maybe preparing for a flight or playing AC Doocy would like to play AC Doocy. It's kind of like backgammon. It's a checkers game and sometimes there's spare time and it was an outlet and.
Uh, the commander of the air group would show up. We'd come in through the door, or perhaps even the captain of the ship.
Would come into the ready room, he might have had business there, wanted to make an announcement, wanted to see our particular commanding officer. He'd open the door and come in and we might have our feet spread out there.
It was kind of an at ease position and somebody looked up to you, came in and recognized that it was the commander of the air group or the captain of the ship. Immediately he would announce attention on deck while everybody would sit up straight, come out of a slouch.
Said quit playing their AC juicy game. They put down their cup of coffee and they were all ears and attention because this person had authority. It's just a little picture of what is due.
To the commander of the air group, or the captain of the ship, and even our commander who was a commander in rank.
Well, he got his fitness report from the fellow that was the commander of the air group, and the commander of the air group got his fitness report written up by the captain of the ship. And so of course it was his personal interest to give deference.
00:10:15
If for no other reason than his own advantage. But it was protocol in the Navy. And that's how we behaved. And I've often thought about that, you know it. Sit up straight in the chair, put down a cup of coffee, quit playing our game, whatever we're doing, and give complete attention to the one with the authority who had just entered. There was a reverence or a respect, I could should say, given to that person.
And so it is.
And now, of course, I could get real legal at this point and say, you know, when we're in the presence of the Lord.
Especially in the breaking of Brad, of course there is a demeanor and my own exercise is to sit up straight and you know, I almost hesitate to go into this.
But it's my exercise.
And uh.
To give due respect and to pay attention, especially when the brother is reading the scriptures or praying or were singing a hymn and and discipline myself.
And it takes discipline to pay attention to the words that we're singing.
I don't know if you're like I am. I can go through a whole hymn and not even know what I just sang. My mind can be 1000 miles away.
And I could, uh, live the rest of my life that way. And it's a continual exercise to pay attention and to give proper respect. This is what Moses had to do. And these were the parameters for Moses. So rather than to go into detail and give a list of, you know.
If our hearts are in reverence before the Lord, if we're there with without our boots on, with unshod feet, I'm not saying come barefoot, but in the picture, it couldn't just stomp up there to get a closer look and have his curiosity satisfied. And Moses was a godly man too. Not talking about the heathen here. So in that sense that we're certainly speaks to me.
As one who belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord Jesus Christ is one with whom we have intimacy.
But not familiarity.
Now we didn't have intimacy.
I wasn't invited to the captain's quarters. I was once when I ejected and was picked back up and brought back to the ship and I went immediately soaking wet.
To his office and my commander was there and the CAG was there and the captain of the ship was there because they wanted to know what happened and they wanted to know before I talked to anybody else. But even there, there was the respect shown, even though the seawater is dripping onto his floor.
Put off size shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy, holy, holy ground.
And I know that there was a deportment.
With our older brothers in years past.
And it was one of discipline and reverence.
Now the whole culture in Western civilization and especially North America.
Is getting a lot more slack and casual.
So we could go over to Joshua chapter, uh.
5.
And verse 13. I think this was read within the last few days. I recall this.
Moses then.
In heating and giving respect to God.
Is commissioned for.
A task that has eternal reward. Now there is purpose for Moses.
And we like purpose.
We'd like to think there is, and certainly there is.
And only we that know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and God as Father understand that. And in all its ramifications, it's eternal. It's just not a a spasm of consciousness that we're waddling through trying to find the most that will tickle us along the way. We have a lot more invested.
00:15:20
We belong to God. The next generation comes, and that's Joshua.
So we come to the next generation.
And, uh, he had to deal.
With those in Israel that went through.
And all the old folks died and those over under 20 are with him now.
With the exception of Caleb, who is also with him.
And about to go into the promised land.
Well, you might say the whipper snappers, huh?
Our generation, today's day.
And we can't be so much guided by the fellows sitting next to us anymore, as our forefathers were.
But we can be guided yet.
By what is due to the Lord Jesus Christ. So that in Joshua chapter 5 verse 13 it came to pass. When Joshua was by Jericho and he was about to bring them in, he left it up his eyes and looked. And behold, there stood a man over against him, with his sword drawn in his hand, And Joshua went unto him.
Said unto him, Art thou for us or for our adversaries? Didn't recognize him at this point.
And Joshua had an immense task right at hand.
Is this one for us or against us? This is important to a tactician like Joshua.
And the answer is Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord, am I now come?
Christ is our head. He is our Lord as well as our Savior.
Head of the Church, Lord of each one of us.
And we need to be reminded of that.
And respect him for all that we have in view of what is due to him.
Joshua fell on his face to the earth.
And did worship.
We don't.
Literally fall on our face in a collective way. I know that in our privacy, in our own lives, we.
Be on our knees in prayer. Why? We can't dismiss that.
Provision that we have at the throne of grace.
And succeed in the Christian pathway.
And of course, collectively in the prayer meeting, we do the same thing.
But here it's worship.
Phillip brother stands when he addresses God collectively for the assembly.
And when he reads the scriptures and prays or breaks the bread.
It's protocol, and it's an expression of respect and reverence.
For the one whose presence we're in.
Fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? Oh, to be in his presence, not to have a list, but to be in his presence.
And disciplined there we'll hear a lot more, we'll enjoy a lot more, and we'll have a lot more for him.
We have the same instruction for this next generation. The captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua.
Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place whereon thou standest is holy.
And Joshua didn't say, but Sir.
Joshua did so.
Gospel 3
Gospel—Wim Van Hofwegen
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Hey, I chose that a little him, that little sung. I'm so glad to see many boys and girls here tonight.
I don't intend to turn this into a Sunday school, don't get me wrong.
But I have #40 in in mind to sing. And the reason sometimes we sing these words, boys and girls, I address you now directly.
Jesus loves me. Have you ever really thought about that?
The Lord Jesus, he loves you.
Who is the Lord Jesus?
I hope to tell you tonight, you say. Well, I know all about it.
Through the grace of God, I was brought up in the Christian's family and much was talked about. The Lord Jesus, the one you pray to, he is somewhere up there.
And then my father told me a story about the Lord Jesus walking around here in this world. I don't know how old there was, maybe four. I said. Was he really here? Yeah, he was really here.
He was.
He's going to come back again, too.
But I'd like you to realize that Jesus loves you.
The Lord Jesus is going to come soon, I believe.
And you should be ready. So please think about that precious fact that Le Jesus loves you.
Jesus loves me.
This time.
Tonight I would like to speak about two men.
Who live approximately at the same time here in this world, the one perhaps longer than the other.
They had something in common.
Both of them had difficult lives.
The difference first though.
The difficulties of the one was because they were of his own making.
The difficulties of the other one was he endeavored to live to the glory of God.
And it's this last one I'd like to start with.
Began reading. I'd like to you to turn with me to the Gospel according to Luke, chapter one.
Look chapter chapter one, verse 26.
And in the six months the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin is passed to a man, whose name was Joseph of the House of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And the Angel came in unto her, and said, Hailed with our highly favored, The Lord is with the blessed, art thou among women? And then she saw him. She was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of cellutation this should be.
And the Angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God, and behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name.
Jesus Verse 34 Then said Mary unto the Angel, How shall this be, seeing I know another man? And the Angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over shadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Now a first in Luke chapter 2.
And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a Manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Verse 40.
Now the child drew and worked strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
00:05:02
Verse 42 And when it was 12 years old they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
Verse 51.
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth.
And was subject unto them.
Now, before I say a few things of this passage we just read, I'd like to read a few verses in the first chapter of the Gospel of John.
John, Chapter one, first one.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of man, and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehend. Is it not?
Verse 14.
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.
Full of grace and truth.
For 17.
The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
One more first.
29.
The next day, John, that is Jean de Baptist, see if Jesus coming unto him and says, Behold.
The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
I know a few people in this room. Maybe you have just come here tonight and thought, well, I'm gonna go in this building and hear what they have to say.
Maybe you know very little about the person of the Lord Jesus.
Tonight I'd like to tell you that Jesus loves you.
Right now he is up high in the glory.
We have just read and the Gospel of John that.
He is the eternal God.
We read together that he was with God.
Torvie Reds In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
Yes, that's one of whom we read. And uh, Luke chapter one and two.
We have that explained in verse fourteen of our chapter. We read there and the word was made flesh.
That precious Lord Jesus became a real man.
You know, some 2000 years before this.
There was a man, his name was Abraham.
And we read that the Lord came to him.
Was that the same Lord Jesus?
You know, theologians have a word for that.
I think they call it that's appearing of the Lord to Abraham, like a a a theosophy, something like that.
It wasn't got an incarnation.
But we have the person we had before us here is a real man who was born of a woman. We read the details of it. I did it purposely so we would realize he is a real man.
I'm not saying that he was a real man. He is a real man because he went to heaven as a man and right now there is a man in the glory.
That's fantastic, isn't it?
00:10:00
But it is not fantasy, it is the Word of God. There is a man in the glory, and he is waiting for you with outstretched arms to come to him.
He came here into this world. Why did he come forward? Oh, it says he came to seek and to say that fridge is launched.
Now with sensitive 1St 29, the next day John, that's John the battery sea of Jesus coming out to him and says, Behold the Lamb of God. As a strange expression, you may say, why is all of us? Why is all of us in a lamb?
You know that same man I was referring to who lived 2000 years prior to this?
He was the friend of God and one day God wanted to test him and he said you take your son and you are going to offer him up as a Burns offering. Listen Burns offering on such a such a place.
What did Abraham do? Did Abraham say, well, I have been waiting for that boy for so long? Can't do that. No, you must be. You must be making a mistake. None. The next morning he settled his husband. There he went.
And as they walk together, Isaac, that was the name of the boy.
Here is the fire and and the wood. But but where is the land for a burnt offering? Oh, Abraham said God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.
These words were spoken by faith.
2000 years later the true Lamb of God would come, and then Abraham lifted up that knife to be obedience to the commands. The Angel stopped him, as it were. Abraham, Abraham, now I know you fear God.
But tonight I must tell you.
But that's nice. That was stopped on Isaac, was not stopped on the person of the Lord Jesus.
That blessed month, that blessed one.
Suffered, as I said already, He had something in common with the other men I'm going to talk about the Lord Jesus suffered a contradiction of sinners.
So great contradiction, the better translation.
And that was his life.
And the end of which they said, well, enough of this, we're going to crucify you. A terrible Roman punishments reserved for the worst criminals.
To be hung on the wooden cross, to be a spectacle to passers by.
But before.
That blessed men, my Lord and Savior, was on this cross. They had abused Him.
It says they scourged him. Do you know what scourging is? Have you ever thought about it?
These Romans knew how to do it. It's no pity with those Roman soldiers.
It's a width.
With several leather ends and pieces of metal on the ends and.
They hit you on the back.
That's what they did to my Lord Jesus.
Did she have to do that? Did she have to submit himself to that?
Couldn't he have cried out right there? And her father signed those religions of angels.
No, they took them.
And they said, now you're going to be crucified and they put that cross. How would you bear that cross? I think the easiest way perhaps to bear this or bear that cross on your back.
Bristol has they done to that bank, the Psalmist writes. Abou writes about this.
The flowers ploughed my back. They made long that hurls if you ever I I'm not a farmer, but when a farmer plus I, I don't think he just goes on and skins about two inches on the top of the lens. I think they they like to go real deep to do a good job. Those Romans did a terrible job as the psalmist said, the psalmist prophesied already. They made deep longer furrows.
There was the blessed Lord Jesus, along comes the men, because those Roman soldiers.
They didn't want their victim to die before he was crucified.
They wanted to see him right through, through the end.
00:15:03
That came in and said you come here, you carry that cross.
But then they came to that place called Golgotha. What's happened there?
They laid them there on that cross.
And as the nails were pounded in his hands and feet, that he called in for his father to intervene.
Father, he says, forgive them, for they know most what they do.
Those Roman soldiers had no idea that they were pounding nails in their hands and feet of their Creator.
The one who?
Is the eternal God? They had no idea.
And so there he was, hanging on that cross.
Can you imagine the pain?
The blessed Lord Jesus suffered.
For three hours, uh, while he hung there, people were scoffing and making fun of him.
Then at noon, it became pitch dark.
As if Garth was saying enough is enough, but now I have to deal with him. You might say that sounds very strange.
Yes, it's strange, but it's real.
You and I deserved to be crucified.
The Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
You might say, is it that bad? Do I have to?
Be crucified and a decent living citizen.
I'm obedient to my parents. Are you?
All the time.
We read about the Lord Jesus.
In Luke chapter one.
And prosperity, it says. And the child grew.
Then we're reading verse 42 when it was 12 years events with his parents to Jerusalem and then we read that he went down with them, but it says he was subject unto them. Now that's a big word and I don't just like to keep on talking and then you ha not having a clue as to what I'm talking about. What is subject now I talked here about.
When he was 12. Is there a 12 year old here or younger who can tell me about the word subject means tell me?
Or maybe you don't like to tell me.
Well, I'll tell you.
It says here the Lord Jesus, he was subject unto them. Sometimes my parents told me to do something and I did not do it.
You know what that really is? That's rebellion.
Sometimes they told me to do something and I really didn't like to do it, but I won't do it anyway because I I have to do it eventually anyway. But I have a rebellious spirit.
Now one more question. What is rebellion?
And the 12 year olds are young. You can tell me what is rebellion.
I don't see any fingers there.
Well, I can, yes.
Yes, disobeying is indeed. That's a good answer.
Do you know what it says in the Bible? What rebellion is? Your answer is is good just the same.
It's like witchcraft.
Having to do doubling with idols.
Doubling with satanic things, we don't want that.
Every time you're not subject to your parents, you might say.
You're dabbling with witchcraft.
You're rebellious.
Maybe you might say, aren't you come on a bit strong?
How much sustainers are today in the world? And it's all because of that first couple not being subject.
00:20:08
They were placed in beautiful surroundings. The Lord told them you can eat from all the trees. Trees. That must have been wonderful. There was no blight at that time, yet of sin.
Then every leave perfect. You try and find one leaf on any tree perfect. I've never seen one. There's always something wrong. The throat perfect. They could eat at all, but there was just one they could not eat from. That is just the one they ate from. That's rebellion. That's rebellion. You might say, well, there was only one tree. This world has been.
Put in misery for the last 6000 years.
Because of the disobedience of that one couple, Adam and Eve, they did. They were not subjects. I hope we think about this when you're not subject. And this is not only for children to their parents.
Today we live in A at a time when, uh, you have to, as they say, you have to stand up for your rights.
You have to fight. Oh, it's a spirit of rebellion.
As our brother said the other day.
Three things characterized as magneticide, especially these days, violence and corruption, are rebellion.
Are you boys and girls? You don't like to be rebellious, do you know? I'm sure you.
You don't disobey your parents with a view of being rebellious, but just the same. It's rebellion just the same when you're not subject, even when you do a thing. And you, I don't like to do this.
The Lord Jesus.
He was subject to his parents.
His parents weren't always right, you know. They didn't always say the right thing. You know what's happened to Jerusalem? They were looking for the Lord Jesus. If they had gone through the temple, they would have found him right away. But they didn't look there.
And finally they found the Lord Jesus in the temple. He was 12 years of age.
And then they said to the Lord's users, that was Mary speaking.
I should read the words so that I make no mistake, but did she say?
First 48 of Chapter 2 And then they saw him, they were amazed. And his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father, and I have sought thee sorrowing.
Oh the Lord Jesus.
We read that he grew.
In your strong in spirit he drew and waxed. Strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and grace of God was upon him even already when he was 12 years of age. Oh how lovely he corrected his mother there.
And directly rebuked her two for saying that uh, Joseph Voss's father because she said you're behold thy father and I have solved the sorrowing and his answer was this she noted I must be did you not know that I must be about my father's business.
Mary, yes, was his mother.
Joseph, the husband of Mary, was not his father.
He was born of the Holy Ghost. That's why I read the restriction. Yes, we have here this marvelous person who decided to become a man, not just a theophany or whoever you pronounce it difficult word. This was a real man. He became a real man in the yield forever be a real man, but he is also God. He is also God.
And tonight, he is waiting for you. He is waiting for you to submit yourself to him.
I don't think it should be so difficult to submit to a person that loves you so much. He had no obligation to come down into this world and and suffer all that abuse.
He had to go through it because after he had been.
00:25:00
Handed across, his Father began to deal with him. He was made sin, it says in the Bible. He who knew no sin, He knew no sin was made sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
That's why he suffered so much.
Guard did not allow anyone to look upon his son for three hours from noon till about to 3:00 in the afternoon. They're the blessed Savior was dealt with.
Our mice were laid upon him.
That's the only way I could go to heaven that I had a substitute. Do you have a substitute? I don't know who you are.
The Lord knows what thus are his.
What happened after those three hours?
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Came to cry.
He was forsaken of all, He had 12 disciples.
Right. Where is he?
He hung there, suspended between heaven and earth.
Forsaken of God, all alone, and he was all, all alone with my sins. What about yours?
Oh, I can say.
Christ died for the young country. He died for you.
After all that suffering?
He said something else.
It is finished, Yes, if your eye had hung on that cross for all those hours.
We could not exhaust such a rough but the Lord Jesus is the sinless one. He was able to exhaust the wrath of a sin hitting God.
So he could say it is finished.
No more punishment.
Oh, I mentioned that Abraham was told to offer up his son as a burnt offering. And you know these lamps where when they were sacrificed, they applied the knife, they killed the lamb, and then they burned it.
With the Lord Jesus it was the other way around, although there was no burning.
The terrible burning in the soul of the Lord Jesus took place.
The burning of a lamb takes place after the knife has been applied. That land doesn't feel the burning, but my blessed Savior, he felt a burning wrath of a sin hating God in his soul.
Well, those people who had succeeded in consigning him through the crossword. But we must get this business over with. Tomorrow is a special day. We have to get these classes out of the way.
While they couldn't take down live people from the cross, they had to make sure that they were dead. On either side of the Lord Jesus were criminals.
They could see that one was still alive. They took a Kraft and broke his legs.
In the full weight falls down.
And the man suffocates to death, and the other one too. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was dead already. Why?
Did you just die there? No. After he had said it is finished, he could say, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
And He gave up the ghost. I have power to lay it down, Speaking of His own life, and I have power to take it again. No one took the life of the Lord. Jesus could not, but He laid it down voluntarily there at the cross. The proof that His life was laid down, the soldiers applied to be just sure that He is dead. That spear came and forthwith came throughout blood and water.
Time for some. I'm going to talk briefly about the 2nd man.
The second person I had in mind, John 5.
00:30:03
After this there was John Pfeiffer as well. After this of us a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is a Jerusalem by the sheep market, the pool which is called in the Hebrew Clang. Bethesda, having five porches. And these lay a great multitude of impotent folk of blind halls weathered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an Angel went down as a surgeon season into the pool and troubled the water. Whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in, thus made whole of what so aphrodisiac he had.
And a certain man was there which had an infirmity 30 and eight years, when Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time. In that case he sat unto him. Will dabby may fall. The impotent man answered and said, Sir, I have no men when the water is troubled to put me into the pool. But by our while I'm coming another step down before me Jesus Seth unto him rice take up the bed and walk. And immediately demand was made whole, and took his bed and Bart. And on the same day was the Sabbath.
The Jews therefore said unto him, that prosecute, it is the Sabbath day, it is not love for thee to carry their bed.
He answered them, and said, He that made me whole, the same as you may take up their bed and walk then as they him. What meant is that we sat on to the tick up the bed and walk. And he that was healed with Nazi, with rust. For Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterwards Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole sin no more, less the worst thing come unto thee.
The Mandi pardon that told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole, and therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the 7th day. But Jesus answered, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought to sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal.
With God.
They finally got something straight, these Pharisees, yes?
He was and is equal with God. We have read about that already.
But we have a, a, a sad picture here in this trip to the beginning of the 5th chapter, a very sad picture. We see here a man who's been sick for 38 years. And from what the Lord Jesus told him afterwards, it was something of his own doing. It was punishment for some sin because the Lord Jesus.
Said to him later, Uh, say no more.
I'm looking for the first where it says that.
1414 Thank you first 14 Afterward Jesus find a theme in the temple in Southampton. Behold, thou art made whole sin no more, less, or worse thing come unto thee. So it's clear that men was there in that situation. The Lord doesn't always deal in such a way. In this case, yes, this man was dealt with.
The situation here reminds us of the law of Moses. We read that verse the the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ that men perhaps shouldn't be left alone. We might if you knew what he had done. I don't know what he had done, but.
Perhaps if the.
Find out what he was being punished for, you say? Well, let's serves him right.
But the Lord Jesus comes along, and he has pity on him.
The reason why it speaks here of the law, I believe it says here in verse two that they're in that area. There were five porches and now there is a Jerusalem about this sheep gate that should be a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda. That means House of Mercy having five porches.
The five books of Moses Vedicus number Deuteronomy. These were written by Moses.
Moses gave the Law.
But it says that this Bethesda, that's a House of mercy. Yes, we need mercy, but you know, we need grace. What's the difference between mercy and grace? Mercy is not getting what you deserve.
00:35:08
It's a mercy.
I don't have to go to hell. That's a real mercy.
But with grace.
That allows B2B for all eternity in the Father's house in the presence of the Lord Jesus. That's great.
We all need such.
That man was therefore his own sense.
It says in the word of God of God is light and God is love.
The law was right, you send, you got punished. The Lord Jesus reached out to that man and I'm not so sure that that man repented of his sins. There's no indication the Lord is waiting for you, Yang rang or older one to repent.
Do you feel sorry for your sins or do you say well?
I'm not in prison, can't be that bad.
Remember why this whole world is sunk in Santa misery.
The disobedience of wild men.
God looks upon sin differently from you and I.
When you disobey your parents, he has a way of looking at it.
Not just the same as you.
And older ones too. Do you know what I'm saying? He wants you to repent.
And then what when you feel so bad for your sins of him that cometh unto me, that blessed saviors us ham dot cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out come on to me, I'll ye that labor that men were stuck there at that pool there for 38 years. And he was trying his hardest to get into that water before somebody else got in there. That's what the law.
Does.
You have to do something. You do this and you shall live. And by the way, if you keep, if you're able to keep the law, you would only have.
Everlasting life here in this world with all this misery. Know what we need. We need eternal life. The Lord Jesus said this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God in Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Do we know the Father? Do we know the Son? I try to make clear to you who the Son is, the Lord Jesus Christ, your lovely man that was born into this world, that was willing to be abused, to be nailed to a cross.
Across Is it hard to accept Him as your savior?
He went so far as shining his precious blood.
Oh yes, that's necessary.
For without the shunning of blood is no remission. You accept that blessed man is your Savior.
That sacrifice he made at Calvary's cross comes to your account and you can say Jesus died, but I go free. Oh, the mercy we have. We sang this last night in in our little hymn here. Oh, the glory of the grace shining in the Savior's face, telling sinners from above. God is light and God is love. Oh sorry, my, the time is up. Maybe we can sing that. Number six, God in mercy sent his Son to a world by sin and done. Jesus Christ was crucified to us for sinners. Jesus died. Truth we write in sin number six.
Garden mud.
Separation for His Presence