Address—J. Hyland
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I'd like to get the meeting this afternoon to 326.
I'm particularly thinking of the third verse, our name from the palms of his hands, eternity will not erase impressed on his heart. They remain in marks of indelible grace, and we to the end shall endure as sure as the earnest is given. More happy, but not more secure, the spirit departed to heaven. I realize that afternoon meetings are sometimes the most difficult, and so I'm going to suggest that those of us who can might stand up to sing this Him 300 and 22126. And if someone would please start.
300 three 126.
Mercy.
Nor.
Everything for all this prayer.
Of introduction to the subject that is on my heart this afternoon I would like to read part of a verse in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah, chapter 43.
Isaiah chapter 43 and I want to read just the last part of verse one.
I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. Well, I have a burden on my heart this afternoon, brethren, to look at some individuals in the word of God who received a call. We're going to notice that in some ways their call was very similar, at least in one way, and in other ways their call was very different. But I'd like to look at these individuals, and there are seven of them. We're going to only look at them very quickly, and we're going to make some practical applications that I trust will encourage our heart. You know, brethren, God has given us the stories of men and women.
And young people who actually lived in this world lived at all kinds of different times. Times when it was not easy to live for God's glory. And he's recorded their histories, not just as interesting stories and historical facts. It's true they are interesting stories, and it's true they are historical facts, but they're more than that. They're recorded for our learning. The things that happened to them were written for our admonition.
And these things were recorded to encourage us rather than to go on, and to warn us too of choosing our own way. Now we're going to notice with these seven individuals, and they are the only seven I know of in Scripture. They all, when they were called, had their name called twice. Now, when I say these seven, you will notice that their names were called either by God or the Lord Jesus when he was here. There are other individuals whose names were repeated twice.
But those individuals were there when they were called, were called by someone.
Other than God or the Lord when he was here, I'll just give you an example or two. When David wept over Absalom who had been slain in his lamentation, he said all Absalom, Absalom, my son. When the king came to the mouth of the lions den in the 6th of Daniel the morning after Daniel had been cast in there, he cried, oh Daniel, Daniel. And then of course the Lord Jesus after those hours of darkness.
Cried with a loud voice and said, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? But I say these individuals who are going to look at received a direct call from God himself. But I read this verse in Isaiah chapter 43, because what I want to point out before we go on is that a name makes it very individual. There are those of us here this afternoon who have or have had children, and when we named our children.
It was perhaps a great deal of thought and consideration, and prayer went into the choosing of that name.
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Because that name, among other things, sets that child apart as an individual.
We don't name all our children by the same name. It's true they have the same last name born into our family.
But wouldn't you be surprised if you went into a home and you found that all the sons were called David and all the daughters were called Mary? You'd say, what a strange way to name your children. No, our children are individuals and they have individual names. And isn't it wonderful, brethren, to think that God looks down and he has a vast family this afternoon and he looks down into this auditorium and he sees every one of us by as individuals, and he calls everyone of us.
By name. I don't know everyone's name here. Sometimes when I haven't seen people for some time, I forget their names. Their names flip. But there's one who knows all about us, and he calls us by name. We're going to notice, too, with these seven individuals, that four of these individuals received a change of name after they were called by God, two in the Old Testament and two in the New Testament.
And a name change in Scripture has to do with a special mark of favor.
It has to do with personal communion and relationships. The reason I say that is because.
To the overcomer in Pergamos in Revelation 2 you find that one of the promises was that they would be given a new name which no man knew, saving he that receiveth it. Maybe I can illustrate it this way. When I enter the homes of many of the people of God, I often notice that the husband in that home has a special name by which he refers to his wife. He addresses his wife by some little special name.
And it would be very inappropriate for me or anyone else to enter that home and address the wife in the same way. No, it's something that's just shared between she and her husband, the one who gave it and the one who received it. And again, it brings before us, I say individual, personal communion and fellowship. Oh, brethren, what a place of relationship we've been brought into. He's redeemed us. He's called us by our by our name. Well, we're going to look at these individuals.
And we're not going to look at them in the way that they appear chronologically in the Scripture.
We're going to look at them. Perhaps I could suggest more as to a moral order of things, and I think you'll see this as we go along. Let's go to the first one in the book of Acts, Acts, Chapter 9.
Acts Chapter 9 and verse 3.
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him alight from heaven.
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecuted. It is hard for thee to kick against the prick. And he trembling an astonished said, Lord.
What wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city.
And it shall be told thee what thou must do. Well, I read this one first, because this is what we might say is the beginning, the first thing. And here we find this young man, and we know the story so very well, this young man named Saul of Tarsus. Perhaps I could just say this too. But one thing that has encouraged me in taking up these seven individuals is to realize that they are 7 individuals who received a call at all different points in their life.
In their physical life growth and in their spiritual life. And what encouraged my own soul was the fact that God is interested in us no matter where we are.
Both physically and spiritually. You know, there may be those of us here this afternoon who are young. There's boys and girls, there's young people. There's those of us that are referred to as middle-aged. There's some who are further along in the past. Maybe there's somebody here and you're just saved. You said there's a lot of things I don't understand about the Bible and following the Lord. Some here have gone on in the path of faith for many, many years. But isn't it wonderful that wherever we find ourselves this afternoon?
God is interested in us. His desire is to speak to us and to encourage us on in the past. And so we began here with this young man Saul of Tarsus. And we know that Saul of Tarsus up to this point had spent his whole energy seeking to stamp out the name of Christ and persecute the Christian. After he was saved, his whole bent and his energy was turned around to propagate the gospel, the name of Christ.
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And to encourage the Saints of God, That was his whole energy after he was saved.
But what a difference. Before he was saved, in fact, he said. I thought verily within myself that I ought to do many things.
Contrary to the name of Jesus. And here we find him on his mad course, rushing with letters to Damascus to bring any that were Christian followers of Christ, any believers bound to Jerusalem. But you know, God had his eye on this young man. Maybe there's a young man here or a young woman, and maybe you're not saved. You haven't come to this point yet. God has his eye on you. Maybe he's speaking to you and he's calling you.
Calling you by name, just as he called Saul. Saul not just once, but he called his name twice.
When I think of this, I think of what it says. God speaketh once, Yeah, twice. Have you listened to the call of God? Many of us look back, some over a few years, some over many years, to that time when God called us and finally we listened. Now, no doubt the Spirit of God had been working with this young man prior to this event because the Lord said to him it is hard for thee to kick against the prick. His conscience had been pricked. The Spirit of God was working.
But now, just at the right time, God the Lord calls to him. He struck down with this light, and his name is called Saul. Saul. And all we know from the context here, if we read on the Saul of Tarsus, finally listened. He listened to what was said, and we know that there was a real conversion here, a real turn around, because he immediately addresses him as Lord. Lord, what will thou have me to do? One of the proofs, And there are several in this chapter.
One of the proofs that the work had begun and that there was a real turn around. But I just might mention this too before we pass on. But I think it's precious to notice here that the apostle Paul or Saul of Tarsus, who later became the apostle Paul, he received at this time the very seed of the truth that he was later used to develop for the blessing of the Church of God, because when the Lord spoke to him, he said.
Saul, Saul, I want you to notice this. Why persecute us out me?
He didn't say, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting the Christians? Or why are you persecuting the believers or my followers on earth?
It is true he was persecuting the Christians. He was persecuting the followers of the Lord Jesus.
But it was more than that in touching one of the Lord's own here in this world.
He was actually persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ because the Lord Jesus, as we were reminded this morning.
Is our glorified head at the right hand of God? We, the members here on earth, are not only connected by the Spirit of God to one another, but we are connected to our glorified head, the Lord Jesus. You know, I've been shattered to realize how many of our brethren are suffering real physical persecution in this world today. We don't think about it. We sit here with calm. We're not afraid of the authorities coming in this afternoon and breaking up this meeting.
Or shooting us or arresting us for having Bibles. But you know, there are many of our brethren who meet in real fear, many who give testimony in real fear of physical persecution and for their lives. Do you think that escapes the notice of the Lord Jesus? Now he knows all about it, just as these ones that were persecuted in the early church were part of his body. They were. He felt it so very keenly. So he feels it today. But before we pass on, I would just say this is the first call.
And if there is someone here and you haven't heard this call, as it were, then the things that we're going to speak of in the connection with the other six individuals have no relevance to you. This is the beginning, this turn around, that time when we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. But now let's go back to First Samuel.
Chapter 3.
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I Samuel, Chapter 3.
And we won't read all of this week. Let's begin reading at verse 8. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou didst 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 called thee, that thou shalt say, 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. Well, we've spoken of a young man named Saul, but here's a boy. Now. There's boys here in this audience, there's children. And you might say, if the Lord really interested in me, can the Lord really use me? I've been encouraged in going through the word of God to realize how many times God used children in his service. Naamans maid who brought before her mistress that there was a prophet in Israel.
The little lad who had the fishes and the loaves that the disciples pointed out, and that lunch that he had brought along, was used to feed the multitude.
And so here we have Samuel. And again, we know the story. He had been brought by his mother, particularly up to the temple and dedicated to the Lord. And yet it says that Samuel did not yet know the Lord. I think that's an interesting statement, and we'll notice this as we go through these verses. But Samuel did not yet know the Lord. Now I want to apply this not so much in knowing the Lord for salvation, but in a little different aspect.
Because I believe it's possible to know the Lord for salvation and then just to be content with that and not develop that personal relationship. It says in Hosea we shall know if we follow on to know the Lord and Paul. Later on, after his Damascus Rd. experience, he said that I may know him. Didn't he know the Lord? Didn't he get to know the Lord on the Damascus Rd. Indeed he did, as far as salvation but the whole desire of Paul's life.
Was that he would get to know the Lord better, that there would be a deepening of the relationship.
I think many Christians, sad to say, are content to know that their sins are forgiven and that they're on their way to heaven. But all there's far, far more than that. Maybe I can illustrate it this way. I went to school in Canada and I learned and studied a lot about the British royal family. And I could probably to this very day, tell you many things about Queen Elizabeth the Second, who sits on the throne of England. But I don't know Queen Elizabeth the Second, personally. I know a lot of things about her.
I've seen her pictures, I've read things about her, but I don't know her personally, but we'll suppose for the sake of illustration.
I get an invitation in the mail to come to Buckingham Palace and everything is provided and to spend a month with the Queen of England. And so I go to Buckingham Palace and for one month I sit down every day with the Queen of England and we commune together. After I leave Buckingham Palace now, I can say I don't just know about the Queen of England, I know the Queen of England personally. We've communed together, an old brethren. That's what he wants. He wants us to go on, to follow on, to know him.
To get to know him better. And always you get to know him better. You'll find no imperfections in him. Sometimes we have an earthly friend. And the better we get to know that friend, the more we find. There are some things that we just wish were a little different. There's some things that aren't quite as pleasing as maybe we thought. A thought at first. But when the bride enumerated the qualities and glories of her bridegroom in the Song of Solomon, did she find any imperfections there? Oh, no, She had to stay. At the end of it all, he is all together lovely. That's what you'll find with the person of Christ. Oh, young people, there's nothing like following on to know the Lord.
And so we find Samuel here, this young boy. And the Lord calls him three times prior to his name being called twice. And on each of those 3 occasions, he simply calls his name one. But Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and Samuel didn't understand who was calling him. He thought it was Eli the priest. And finally Eli the priest realized that the Lord was calling Samuel. Now you know, Scripture is tremendously accurate.
The more I read scripture, the more I'm impressed with its accuracy. Read it slowly and carefully and prayerfully, and notice the accuracy of Scripture. Will just notice one little thing here that I've enjoyed. Notice what Eli said to Samuel when after he had called the third time. Notice verse 9. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go lie down, and it shall be if he called thee that thou shalt say. Now I want you to notice this carefully. Speak.
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Lord.
For thy servant heareth, but Samuel did not yet know the Lord. But notice when Samuel goes.
Back and lies down. And now the call comes not once, but Samuel. Samuel. And notice what Samuel says.
In the end of verse 10, speak, not speak, Lord, but speak.
For thy servant hearers. Now Samuel had a listening ear, but he did not follow to exactly what Eli had told him to say. He had not yet, shall I say for our purposes this afternoon, learn to own the Lordship of Christ in his life. You may know the Lord Jesus as your savior, but have you learned to own his headship in your life? Have you learned to say yes, Lord? Heard of a young man who had those two words on his desk at work? Yes, Lord, He wanted to be able to say yes to the Lord.
To own the claims of Christ in his life. When we were growing up, we sometimes sang a hymn.
Lord of my life I crown thee now thine shall the glory be. Sometimes we sing that hymn.
Reigned out within our hearts alone, there's no happier portion. For us, brethren, to own the Lordship and the claims of Christ in our lives is a blessed thing indeed. I just want to encourage you to own the Lordship of Christ in your life. Well, we find that the Lord had a very solemn message for Samuel. It was a very solemn message. God was going to come in and deal with Eli in His governmental ways. You know, the older, I guess, the more I'm impressed with the reality of the governmental ways of God. In our life. We don't get away with one thing.
We might hide something. Young people. You might hide things from your parents. You might even hide them from the Brethren at the meeting.
But you can't hide them with God, and sooner or later it's going to be brought out and we do reap what we saw.
If we sow to the flesh corruption, we're going to reap in that way, a farmer doesn't go out and sow.
Thistles and expect to retweet in the In the harvest? No. We read exactly what we sow. Well, Samuel received this message, and it's interesting that he delivers the message Eli received. It is from the Lord. And then later on in the chapter, we find that that Samuel grew and the Lord was with him. Two things that ought to characterize us. There ought to be spiritual growth, you know, in the chapter before there was physical growth.
We know that because his mother brought up a fresh coat from year to year and we're glad to see physical growth in our children. We'd be concerned if there wasn't that physical growth.
But there ought to be spiritual growth. And when it says in the end of this chapter that he grew and the Lord was with him, I suggest here it's not so much physical growth, but it's growth in the things of God. It's growth in the things of the Lord. Some of us were here a year ago and the year before. As we look back, can we honestly say before the Lord that there's been growth in our Christian life, That there's been a going on with the Lord walking with him, following on to know him, and that there has been some growth. At least it's normal. It ought to be what's normal.
In a Christian, a baby that doesn't grow properly in physical things, we take it to the doctor. We're concerned it's not normal. And a Christian who doesn't grow in spiritual things, that's not a normal situation either. And so we find this young boy and he receives this call and this message. Now let's go back to Genesis chapter 22.
Genesis chapter 22 and verse 10.
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to splay his son. And the Angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here am I. Well, here's another Call, Abraham, Abraham. Now before I bring out what is particularly on my heart in connection with this portion, I would just say that the remarks I want to make I trust brethren, will in no way take away from the preciousness.
Of this chapter, Because in this chapter we have a very beautiful picture of the Father and the Son. That time when the Son went to the altar and was offered up as a sweet smelling sacrifice. And I suppose that's why so often on Lord's Day morning when we're together, to remember the Lord Jesus in death. This chapter is often read. And so I don't want to take away from the preciousness of what we have illustrated here by figure and type and shadow.
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But I would like to just make a practical remark or two, because this was a real test in Abraham's life. You know, the tests come in our lives, and they're very real. I don't doubt there's people here this afternoon and you're going through some real tests of faith. And I don't want to minimize that test, but I do want to point out that the Lord knows all about it, and He never tests us above that we're able to bear. And we find here that Abraham had gone on with the Lord now for many years.
He answered a call by faith, and come out of Ur the Chaldees, and he had proved the Lord in so many, many ways.
Up to this point, because, brethren, I believe that that's how our faith grows. It's to put it in operation.
I really don't believe it's an intelligent prayer for a Christian to pray and ask the Lord to increase their faith. You know the disciples did that.
And the Lord gave them an illustration to show that the way their face was going to grow was to put it in operation. So if you've had a friend, and you've known that friend a short time, you might feel that you can trust that friend in certain areas. But if you've known that friend for 20 years, and that friend has never let you down, has always been worthy of your confidence, doesn't your faith in that friend grow? You see, I've proved that friend isn't that the way it is with the Lord Jesus Christ.
We trusted him for salvation. Now can't we trust him for every situation along the path of faith and service? Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. And I want to say this very carefully, but I would suggest that if Abraham had had some great tasks like this, very shortly after he was called out of Ur the Chaldees, he might have failed.
Wouldn't have been up to it, but God knew the exact moment when his face was up to this great test. And it was a great test. I don't think any of us realized what a great test it was Here in his old age, he had finally received the promised air, and then he told to take him and offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that God would show him what must have gone through Abraham's mind. Well, scripture doesn't leave us in any doubt, you know. We know from the incident here.
That he had faith by what he did. But if we were to go over to the New Testament, we would find that he had faith even by what he thought.
Accounting that God was able even to raise him from the dead. In other words, Abraham said, even if I have to lift the knife and slay my son, the promise has been made through Isaac and he's going to. He can raise him even from the dead. That's why it says he staggered not at the promises. He had utter confidence in his God, and nothing turned him back from going and taking his son in this way.
But you know, isn't it beautiful to see that when the right time came?
And he lifted the knife with every I suggest of plunging it into the heart of his son. All of a sudden the call comes. Now the test is over. His face has come forth, the trial of our faith being much more precious than gold, that heritage, so it be tried in a furnace. And that face that was precious to the heart of God had been tried now. And the call comes not once but twice. Abraham.
Abraham.
I'm thankful Abraham listened. If Abraham hadn't listened, what would have been the sad result?
And, you know, sometimes God has called me to.
And I trust I say it humbly. I haven't listened. And it's got me into a lot of difficulties. Things would have been spoiled here. Would they have not? Would they not have been if Abraham hadn't listened to this call at this time? Maybe God is calling you. Maybe he's speaking to you about something in your life. Or maybe speaking to teach you something in his schooling and some trial, some tests he has allowed in your life. Are you listening to what he has to say? And Abraham listened. And what a blessing there was, why Isaac was spared. He didn't have to plunge the knife into his son. And then if we were to go on, there are wonderful promises and blessings.
Made to Abraham from this point on, because Abraham listened when God called. And I say what a test of faith it was, but what a blessing at the time. You know, the trials and the tests, they don't always seem pleasant, do they? Remember sitting in school writing exams, And it didn't seem very pleasant at the time. But then when the exam was handed back a couple of weeks later and I got a good grade, oh, it made it all worthwhile. I said. Well, it seemed hard at the time, but I come through and I've got a good mark.
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And the test must have been hard at the time for Abraham, but what a wonderful blessing there was following it. Now let's go to Exodus chapter 3.
Exodus chapter 3.
And verse two. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in 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. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight. Why the Bush is not burned. 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. Well before I comment on this portion. It's often been pointed out, but I think it bears repeating that the life of Moses is divided into 3 different segments in Scripture.
Each consisting of 40 years. 40, as we know, is a time of testing in the Word of God.
And we find that for the 1St 40 years of Moses life, he spent it in the palace in Egypt. He spent it, as another has said, in the school of man, learning that man is something. Isn't that what the schools of men teach us today? As my children and young people get older, I'm appalled at how much this is ingrained in them, in their in their schooling. But man is something, and that there's a spark of divinity within each one of us. And if it's placed in the proper environment and sand in the proper way, it's going to eventually flame in up into something wonderful and beautiful.
That's what the schools of men teach us. But you know, God couldn't use a man that had come out of the palace of Egypt. He needed, if he was going to use Moses, he needed to spend some time in the school of God. And so Moses, subsequent to his years in the palace, spent 40 years in the backside of the desert, learning that man is nothing rather than it's a good lesson for us. One of the great lessons of the wilderness is that the flesh.
Profiteth nothing. And so Moses needed to learn that. And now, where we read here, he's about to embark on the last 40 years of his life leading the people of God through the wilderness and learning that God is everything. So if I can just sum it up again, He spent 40 years learning that man is something, 40 years unlearning that and learning that God that man is nothing, and then 40 years learning to lean on God, learning that God is everything.
They're good lessons for us to seek by the grace of God to learn in their our lives.
And I say God couldn't use a man who'd come out of the palace. He needed a man out of the backside of the desert. It's interesting in the book of Acts where this is summed up, think it's in the preaching of Stephen. He refers to Moses when he came out of the palace, the school of man as a man mighty in Word and deed. But that's not the Moses we find here in these chapters. When he came out of the school of God, he said, well, I can't go in and stand before Pharaoh. I'm slow of speech and how I'm this was just the kind of material God could use.
And when we've learned these lessons, then we're the kind of material that God can use in His service. As long as we're full of ourselves, God can't use us in that way. But when we learn our own nothingness, but we learn that He's everything, then He can use us. And God had a wonderful service for Moses at this point, and he appears to him in the burning Bush. The burning Bush is perhaps a picture of God in the midst of a redeemed people, and the people by His grace and mercy, not consumed.
It's true. Our God is a consuming fire, and he seeks to consume that which is not according to his truth.
Which is not according to His Holiness in us, but his people, where he was going to carry them up and they were not going to be consumed because of his mercy. And so he appears to Moses, and he seeks to get Moses attention. He doesn't call him just once. He says Moses, Moses. And there was immediate response. You know, it was mentioned in the reading this morning that God has a path of service for every one of us if you belong to the Lord Jesus, no matter how young you are.
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Here this afternoon, he has something for you, something for you to fulfill.
Something that he's equipped you for. Maybe he's speaking to you about it. Maybe he's seeking to get your attention. He's calling your name. I'm glad Moses listened when the Lord called to him. Moses, Moses. And hesitatingly it's true. But finally he goes in response to the Lords call and oh, what a mighty deliverer he was. He was used in a tremendous way. And if you answer the call of God in your life, all who can tell what a blessing you will be.
Oh, he might not have some great place of leadership like he had for Moses, but I say he has something.
For you to do. I really feel that there are assemblies who suffer a lack because there are those in the assembly who are not fulfilling what God has given them to do. And I'm encouraged when I visit Assembly and I see brothers and sisters and young people busy serving the Lord in the little sphere in the corner where God has placed them. I love it when I see the young brothers after the team meeting pulled up the tables and put them back in the in their story, Jerry and the sisters.
Working in the kitchen together.
And all these kinds of things. Because if we're faithful in that, we'll just leave. We'll be faithful also in much. God doesn't start us at the top of the ladder, so to speak. No, He entrusts the little things to us, and if we're faithful in those little things, then he'll entrust more. I've noticed that the young people that help in the little hidden, quiet ways in the assembly are the young people that later on God gives more to entrust with a greater service.
The young people that just float outside and don't consider that they need to help a little bit and there's things need to be done before the next meeting.
They're not so much the young people that God uses later on. Well, Moses learned these lessons by grace, and I say God called him, he said, Here am I. There was obedience, and God used him in a wonderful way. Now let's go to Luke's Gospel, chapter 10.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 10 and verse 40.
Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?
Bid her therefore, that she helped me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.
While we're here, we have a lady called in the previous one. It's been men or boys, but here's a lady. God is interested in the sisters here. He has something for you and he seeks to speak to you as well. You have a little different sphere of things than the brothers, but nevertheless it's a very important fear. And I believe a sister who goes on in that fear is a great blessing in the home and in the assembly. And here we find, and again we know the story so very well.
We find the Lord Jesus coming to this home in Bethany. You know, when the Lord Jesus was here in this world, there were very few homes.
Where the Lord Jesus was really welcome, it says the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head. On another occasion it says every man went to his own house. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But you know, there was one home at least where the Lord Jesus was welcomed. And just picture us so often he turns his weary footsteps to that home in Bethany, where he could sit down in the midst of those that loved him and have his spirit refreshed here in his pathway.
Is that what our homes are? Are our homes really a place where the Lord Jesus is welcome? I want us to think about that for a moment. If the Lord Jesus came to my home this afternoon, would it be a place where he's really welcome, or would he see things there that perhaps made him uncomfortable? Would he detect a formality in the hospitality that is given to him? There was none of that. It fascinated all he loved so often in his pathway to sit down.
At this little home in Bethany, surrounded by those who truly loved him, and here we find he comes to this home. And when he arrived, I think both these sisters were busy preparing for the arrival of the Lord Jesus. The reason I say that is when Martha complained. She said, cares thou not that Mary hath left me to serve alone. In other words, they were both working side by side, but when the Lord Jesus entered that home and sat down.
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Mary said, as it were. Here's an opportunity that can't be missed. I'm going to sit down and hear what the Lord Jesus.
Has to say, and we sometimes sing a hymn. We sit as learners at thy feet, thy words, and honey far more sweet. We had some expressions to this end this morning in the reading meetings that I thought were very good, but oh, to take time each day to sit at Jesus feet. Did you get your Bible out this morning and read a chapter before you came to these meetings? Before you go to work, before you go to bed at night? Do you spend time sitting at Jesus feet? You say life is so pressured and I I agree with you. We're on a treadmill of society.
That just being cranked up faster and faster all the time and it just seems that the moment you wake up in the morning.
Satan is there to interject every kind of thought and activity to keep us from time spent in the Lord's presence. But you know, if you're going to sit at Jesus feet, if you're going to spend time reading his word and in prayer, you're going to have to leave something. Mary had to leave. Her sister Martha might have said, well, we're getting a meal ready, and you can't leave. In the middle of getting a meal ready, Mary said yes, I'm going to let something go and sit at Jesus feet. I want to encourage you with all my heart this afternoon. Spend time at Jesus feet, even if you have to let something go.
It might seem very important and it might be important, but how well you'll be repaid?
You'll never be sorry for time, and I realize you're going to have to discipline yourself in this day and age. You've got to set aside time. So I'm going to spend this time at the feet of the Lord Jesus. And so Martha complained and she was cumbered about with much serving. But all how the Lord loved Martha, he wanted Martha to enjoy what Mary was enjoying. And he wanted to enjoy her company at his feet just as he was enjoying Mary's company. And so he speaks to her.
And I can just hear the tenderness in the voice of the Lord Jesus as he says, Martha, Martha, can't you just hear the pleading, the tenderness in the heart of the Lord Jesus, and in his voice? And he said, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful, brethren. It is needful, especially in the day in which we live. The enemy is busy to undermine the truth and subvert our souls, and get us discouraged and turn us aside, it says.
Your adversary, as the devil is a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. He doesn't give up, but all time spent in his presence is what's going to preserve us. And so Mary had chosen the good part that would have eternal, lasting consequences. But I would just say this before we pass on.
That I believe Martha listened to the Lord here. Why do I say that? Well, you know when the Lord Jesus in John 12 came again to this home for the last time before he went to the cross. I love what it says there, it simply says. And Martha served. And no rebuke from the Lord. No calling her name twice, trying to get her attention. Nothing about the service being cumbersome. It just simply records Martha served because I believe that between Luke 10 and John 12.
Martha learned the lesson that the Lord was seeking to bring before her, and that is that true joy in service spring.
Than sitting at Jesus feet. Service is a wonderful thing. But don't go out and serve unless you have come out of the sanctuary, unless you've come out from the presence of the Lord. I will go in that's first and out and find pasture. And so Martha learned this lesson and what a wonderful lesson it was. Let's go on in the same book to the 22nd chapter.
Chapter 22 and verse 31 and the Lord, said Simon.
Simon, the whole Satan has desired to have you that he might sift you as wheat.
But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not, and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Well, here we have another individual, Simon Peter. Simon is one who received a change of name after he was first called. When he had left all and followed the Lord, he received a change of name from Simon to Peter. But here we find that Simon Peter was at a low point in his experience in following the Lord. Now we don't have time to go into this, but we find that one of Peter's difficulties was he followed a far off. Another difficulty was that later on he associated.
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With a little company around the fire who had no love for his Lord, you know, evil communications, corrupt good manners.
Our friends and associates that affect us more than we think. Who do you spend your time with when you're at liberty? I know you have fellow students and fellow workers and so on, but who do you spend your time with when you're at liberty? Is it those who encourage you in the path of faith or those who discourage you? But we find here again the Lord sought to get Peter's attention. Now it's interesting that when he called him, he didn't say Peter. Peter. Because Peter is what what he was by grace.
But Simon was what he was by nature. And you know Peter was a true child of God. There was restoration. It's prophesied right here that there would be restoration for Peter after the fact. But Peter was acting like a man in the flesh because at this point his heart was filled with self-confidence. He could say though all deny the yet will not I deny thee, you know, that wasn't just an idol. Both he really loved his Lord and he didn't want to see him suffer. But he had to learn by bitter experience the truth of that verse that says he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. And yet you know you find here that Simon is the one of the seven.
The only one of the seven that didn't listen and take heed to what the Lord had to say to him. If he'd only listened here, it might have saved him that bitter experience. But again, I want you to notice the accuracy of Scripture, and this is one thing I appreciate about the King James Version. I know no version is perfect. Every translation loses something in the translating. But what I've appreciated with the Old English and the King James is that it does distinguish between the singular.
And the plural. And that's very important in the word of God. In our watered down English we use today, we don't always distinguish in that way. Just notice what I'm Speaking of. It says in verse 31, Satan has desired now I want you to notice this to have you, that he may assist you as sweet you know you is plural in the Old English. And to me it's just as if the Lord looked at this little company of disciples and He knew that they were all vulnerable because we are, we're all vulnerable to the attack.
Of the of the enemy. And so he says, I prayed for you, but he knew something else. He knew what was in Peter's heart.
And so he turns to Peter, and he doesn't say, I prayed for you notice I prayed for these that I say fail not. That was very individual. Again, isn't it wonderful that we have one in the glory who's interceding for us? And he knows us by name. He intercedes for us by name, as it were. We were not lost in the crowd. And so this was a real test here in the life of Peter. And it's true, Peter did deny his Lord three times with oaths and curses.
But isn't it wonderful that the Lord could say, and when thou art restored, strengthen my brethren And there was restoration? I might just say this too in passing, because several times in the last few months this subject just come up and it might be helpful. You know, I don't believe, young people that Satan ever indwells a true child of God. Because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We're indwelt by the spirit of God. Now Satan can harass the believers.
And we find here that Satan desired to have Peter, that he might sift him as wheat. But it's interesting in contrast, when Judas, who was an unregenerate man and remained so till the end of his time, when he was going to carry out the awful deed of betraying the Lord Jesus, it says Satan entered in.
To Judah, Judas was an unregenerate man, and so paramount was the betrayal of the Lord Jesus in the mind of Satan.
That he entered in himself to Judas to make sure that that awful deed was carried out. Well, I just mentioned that in passing because I know the subject has come up. There's a very real warfare and conflict going on about us. We're not aware, we're very little aware of what there is around us and we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but it's a very real warfare nonetheless. Well, I think Simon here is a good warning to us.
Simon. Simon, get Simon, Listen. Not really true. Later on he saw the Lord look at him. It broke his heart. There was real repentance. But I say he could have saved himself this bitter experience had he listened on this occasion. And now let's turn to the last and 7th. Back to the book of Genesis, this time to the 46th chapter.
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Chapter 46 of Genesis and verse one. And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to bear Sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God speak unto Israel in the visions of the night. And said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father. Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make a sea a great nation. Well, we've looked at individuals at all different points in their pathways, But now here at the end we find one who is an elderly man.
When I read this, I think of that verse in the 37th Psalm that says I was young and now I'm old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken and his seed begging bread. The thrill when I go in and visit somebody who's elderly and they're rejoicing in the Lord, They've proved the care and provision of the Lord for them all through their pathways. But here we find Israel takes His journey. Notice that it's Israel that takes His journey because again, Israel is what we are. By grace, Israel means a Prince with God and he's brought us as beggars from the dunghill and set us among Princess. That's what we are positionally.
And so Israel takes this journey. He's going down, finally, to see the sun that he thought had been dead for so many years, the son of his love, Joseph. But you know, as he gets to the border now, as he gets to Beersheba, he's evidently afraid. That isn't that remarkable. You know, that's not the Jacob you read of earlier on, because the Jacob you read of earlier on seemed to always have everything together. He tried to get the blessing by scheming and making bargains with God. He thought he could do it on his own.
But Jacob is learning lessons of dependence. He's beginning to learn that there's nothing good in Jacob. He fully learned it, perhaps at the end of his life where it says he worshipped. Leaning on his staff, he learned finally took many years, I think 140 years. But it took many years for him to learn his to depend wholly on his God. But here I believe he's learning it, and we find that he comes to the border. And now he offers.
A sacrifice.
And he prays. And isn't it wonderful? God speaks to him now again, he doesn't say Israel, Israel.
Because, you know, if we're afraid, we don't get that from the Lord. If you're afraid here this afternoon, you got that somewhere else. Because it says he hasn't given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. You know, I've talked to a lot of Christians in the last few months and with events that have taken place right here in North America. Seems to me a lot of Christians are afraid. And I'm not saying that we're not concerned. We need to be intelligent as to what is going on in the world around us. We need to be prayerfully exercised by these things, but rather not afraid because we have one who's in control of it all.
He knows the end from the beginning, and so Jacob was afraid. And so God meets him where he is. And he doesn't call him Israel. He calls him Jacob. Jacob. I'm glad he's the God of Jacob. So often you have these two names brought together in the word of God. Why speak of thou, O Israel, and sayest O Jacob? My way is hid from the Lord. And so sometimes we act like men in the flesh. We're afraid. We think the Lord doesn't understand or see, but the Lord comes, and he's the God.
Of Jacob, and he takes care of us. He was going to provide for his servant here. There was an old man now.
His heart was could almost not contain the thought that he was going to see Joseph again. But the Lord says to him, Jacob, Jacob, fear not. You go down and I'll be with you. Now I'm going to apply this just a little bit different than the way we usually apply this event in the life of Jacob. I hope it's relevant because, you know, Egypt is sometimes used as a picture of this world in the scripture. And that's the way I'd like to apply it this afternoon because, you know, maybe there's somebody here and you say I'm just afraid to go back on Monday.
I just. I'm just afraid to go back to school. You don't know what I face at work. You don't know the situation in the assembly I come from. Oh, he says, Fear not. I'm going to go with you. I'm going to take care of the situation. I'm going to help you through it. You might not see the removal of the difficulty, but he's going to be there and he's going to help you. Don't be afraid. Just trust in him. And so the verse we began with this afternoon said, fear not. I have redeemed thee. Can anything change that, Braden? Nothing.
He's redeemed us. We're exhorted to fear not, have been impressed how many times we have the exhortation in Scripture.
To fear not. And then he says, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. Well, brethren, we've looked at these individuals very quickly. We've just made some very practical remarks. But I trust it will encourage our hearts to go on. Go on with the Lord. He's there. He'll guide you and lead you. And, brethren, where is it all going to end? It's all going to end in the glory. And we're going to rehearse his ways with us there. And we're like the children of Israel when their history in the wilderness was summed up.
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They said he led us by the right way. That's what we're going to say when we see it all from His perspective. And we're just going to praise Him for all his ways and all his grace and all His goodness to us here. Let's pray our God and Father how thankful we are. For again for the Savior. We thank you for the man in the glory. And we thank thee that we're going to see Him very soon. But we thank thee in the meantime that we have Thy word to encourage us on blessed Thy word that's been before us this afternoon.
Continue to undertake forests in these meetings. We ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for his glory. Amen.