St. Louis Conference: 1993
Table of Contents
Philadelphia Revelation 3:7
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Revelation Chapter 3 and verse 7.
And to the Angel of the church in Philadelphia. Right these things say at the that is holy he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth and shutteth, and no man openeth. I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door.
And no man can shut it, for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word.
And has not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not. But do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, And to know that I have loved thee, because thou has kept the word of my patience. I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly.
Hold that fast which thou hath, that no man take thy crown.
And that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God. And I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, and unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans. Right these things saith, the Amen, the faithful, and true witness.
The beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou Wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art Luke warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew the out of my mouth, because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with thyself, that thou mayest see as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will Sup with him, and he with me.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame.
And am sat down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
That we must remember.
In the second and third chapters of Revelation. And that is God is setting forth.
A prophetic History of the Church.
This is what God is doing.
Mostly what he's done already.
But it is his work.
It's his affair. He is seated on his throne in heaven. The Lord Jesus is there, having finished the work that the Father sent him to do in the world.
Now he has received him back into the glory to sit on his throne. And what happens?
In this world.
Particularly that which effects God and his people is recorded for us.
In these two chapters of the Bible, and I would.
Just say that God knows what he has prophesied. He knows what he's about. His plans are.
In concrete, shall we say?
That is what he has prophesied will take.
Place we are in these last last days now of Sardis Thyatira the the Protestant Reformation. This artist Thyatira Sardis Thyatira comes first from about 500 BC AD and.
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1500 AD with Sardis and about 1825 or 30 was.
The revival of church truth, and that's Philadelphia, and subsequent to that was Laodicean. Things are not happening by chance, but rather God is ordering all things after the council of his own will.
We would like to see things better than they are, but remember God is on His throne and He.
Is not allowing anything to happen by accident or by surprise.
What he really brings out is that failure in man. When it's committed to him, he doesn't order the failure. That's not the council of his will, but he could foretell. And two verses in the first chapter express what you're saying.
Dave, I'd like to read them in the first chapter, the third verse. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy. That's what you were telling. It's a prophecy. God knew the whole of this 2000 years, and he set it out in a wonderful form in chapters 2 and three. So we're to read and we're to hear the words of this prophecy and keep the things that are written in them therein.
For the time has had, I tell you, the time is at hand for the happening of all these things. Then if we go down in the same chapter, one to verse.
19.
In a simple way, we have a resume.
As the whole of the Book of Revelation in verse verse 19 write the things which thou hast seen. Well, that was what John was getting hold of right then, and the things which are are chapters 2 and three. It's this dispensation when grace is shown to man and the church is raised up, and man becomes the responsible builder to hold the truth and fails in the first church.
Left their first love and the phaser goes on and develops to its fullness, I guess in.
The last four, and especially the last one and the things.
To conclude that verse and the things which shall be hereafter begins chapter 4 to the end of the book.
So I think for the sake of.
Young people that haven't studied church prophecy like was.
Explained to us yesterday, it's a good thing to get a hold of what is past and his history and recorded by faithful men as to what has happened in these 1900 years at least, and see that when God prophesied, He knew it and could write it as.
That is, history and prophecy are all the same. To God, God is ever existing. And to God there's no difference between history and prophecy. You can't hardly believe that, but it's the truth. And so, giving a little resume of the seven churches, Ephesus was the beginning and.
They left. Their first love there was departure. Smyrna came in quickly. When did you say that began, David Smyrna did you say?
It began sometime in the 2nd century. Yeah, yeah, that's right. That's right. And that was a terrible persecutions and then.
Pergamus comes in, and that was the days of Constantine when he.
Outwardly embraced Christianity and being the emperor at Constantinople.
He.
Decree to stop the persecution.
But it was kind of like a marriage, I guess that's what the word means of the world and the church. And it turned out that the world was ruling in the church, then came as you said, I guess you said Thyatira began about 500.
I think so. Well, that's that's potpourri, somebody said yesterday. And what happened in potpourri is that.
The church got so powerful she ruled in the world, turned it around.
1St and Pergamus the world power was ruling in the church and the church got more powerful and she rules in the world.
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Now these last four churches remain to this day, as we said yesterday by Atara and Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicea and explained about Laodicea when she began.
I'd like for you all to get Walter Potter's book, gathering up the fragments, and read it. He was a brother that a few of us who are old enough remember when he was.
In the days of Darby and knew him well and he was at a conference up in Guelph ON.
I guess over 100 years ago.
And the question came up was asked when did Laodicea begin?
Voter, Potter said. A voice spoke up, and I never did know whose voice it was said.
1848 then, he said. Brethren, I believe that's kind of strong.
Thing to take, but I think what's happened in the last two or three years.
Ought to put before our vision what it is.
And it did indeed begin with independence, openness.
An indifference as to the person of Christ and his glories.
Or, sad to say, many who have departed from the true testimony.
Have scattered and are caught in what is indifferent.
Neither cold nor hot.
What a thing to say that we're living in the days when we can see these things happen.
What about it? Clamp. Yes, yes. Need sauce.
I was thinking that.
Question might ask what? How can we go on in this? Well, there never was a time when the God wasn't, the Lord wasn't.
Equal wasn't quite able to take care of his Saints and and so they could go on in the truth. Mr. Potter, you remarked on. I was thinking of that verse him in our chapter, Chapter 12. A chapter 3 and 12. Him that overcometh.
Will I make a pillar in the temple of my God? Mr. Potter gets that overcomer was one who went on with the Lord and his circumstances.
When on with the Lord and His circumstances.
And I remember. Perhaps I you'll forgive me if I may have repeated something, but I remember I asked Mr. Hale one time about some problems we had, and he wrote me and he said, well, he didn't exactly answer my this was his answer, he says A quiet walk with God and an evil day is of great price with him up there.
A quiet walk was gone, going on with the Lord. In our circumstances, I think what you say is very good for us to get ahold of, particularly those of us who are younger. Because while we will never return to the Pauline days of the church, nor to that which was in the 1800s, God's provision for his people today is still the same. In fact, the supply that we have in Christ today is the same limitless supply that the people of God have always enjoyed.
And it's interesting that in Philadelphia he's the holy and true, and in Laodicea he's the faithful and true, because if we believe not he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself. And I've enjoyed in the book of Malachi, where you have the people of God in the Old Testament at their lowest point, spiritually days, brethren, parallel to the days in which we live. There are two things very wonderful in that little book.
First of all, you find a confirmation of the Lord's love. He begins the book by saying, I have loved you, Seth the Lord and brethren. His love hasn't changed. He loves us even when we grieve Him, even when we're not faithful. His love is absolute, and it's interesting that in the Old Testament God always confirmed his love to His people at a time when they were going on poorly, such as at the end of the wilderness journey.
Our journey, staying with fault, finding and murmuring and complaining and idolatry. At the end of it he could say, yeah, he loved all the people in Jeremiah day when they had turned to idols, and he had to accuse them of adultery because they had those divided affections. I have loved thee with an everlasting love in Malachi at the end of their history in the Old Testament I have loved you, Seth, the Lord. And then there's something very precious later on in that book, it says.
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I am the Lord. I change not. And so, brethren, He hasn't changed. He's the faithful one. And as our brother dear brought before us, there's still a path of faith for us amidst the ruin because he has provided everything that's needed. I don't want to sound repetitious, but.
I would like to, in our chapter, just go back to the eighth verse, to the end of the eighth verse, for a comment or two, which again, I think is important in the days in which we live, he says. Here thou hast kept my word and has not denied my name. Brendan, I think the order here is very, very important. Just turn over to the 138th Psalm for a thought in this connection.
Psalm 138 And the last part of verse 2. For thou hast magnified thy word.
Above all thy name. Now you will notice the same order here, that it's the word 1St, and then the name and brother. And I think this is important in the day in which we live, when there is so much done in the name of the Lord Jesus that isn't in accordance with his word. Because, and again I say this to those of us who are younger, we are never justified in doing anything in the name of the Lord Jesus unless we have the sanction and authority of of the word for what we do.
And this was the commendation that was given to Philadelphia. First of all, they had kept his word and not denied his name. We spoke yesterday of the precious privilege of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus to remember him in death. But, you know, there are some here, we might say. Well, aren't there many who remember the Lord in death? There will be many, perhaps in the city of Saint Louis tomorrow, who break bread. But when I go to this book, I find he's magnified his word.
Above his name.
If if we meet to remember the Lord in his death, it must be in a way that conforms to the word of God. Sometimes folks say, well the only thing that matters is souls be saved rather than that's not so wonderful thing for the gospel to be going forward. And Paul said whether in truth or pretense, Christ is preached and I there in due rejoice, yeah, and will rejoice. But again brethren, it's kept his word and not denied his name.
The word above the name. And if I go out with the gospel again, it must be in a way that conforms to the word of God. And I want to be careful, but I would just say this, that we're never justified in placing the name above the word. God says He's placed the word above the name.
Because everything I do must conform to the word of God, even when a difficulty arises in the assembly and we feel some action needs to be taken.
Brethren, if we don't have the authority of the word of God for what we do, then all we can do is commit the matter to the one who is head over all things to the church, which is His body. And if there is a collective exercise and a searching of God's word in His time and in His way, then he will give the.
Scripture, so that when we take the action in the name of the Lord Jesus, we have the authority of the word for what we do. And so the commendation to Philadelphia was two things that go necessarily together, and two things in their proper order. Thou hast kept my word and not denied my name.
At first, our brother read in Psalm 102 was read at the Des Moines conference this spring.
And it set up a real question in my mind as to why.
God would exalt his word above his name.
And this the Lord brought me for me. We had read to us last night. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This is the person of our Lord Jesus Christ in the He was in the beginning with God. And so the person of the Lord Jesus Christ is that which is brought before us in His Word.
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He is the Living Word, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And in the Word of God, a man's name is that by which he is known.
His character is often given us in his name, a notable case, of course, his neighbor.
As Naval is, so is his name, and his name is a fool. So a man's name is that by which he is known.
So the person of our Lord Jesus Christ is superior to the way that he has revealed himself.
If you can use that terminology. So in setting his word above his name.
It is his person that is everything. If we give up that.
How he has revealed himself has no meaning, so it says that his.
His person above the way he is known.
My word, little pronoun, my name and you go right through it. We spoke yesterday about the personal pronoun I. It's found many times. You go down to chapter 10. It's a verse 10, it's my.
Patients and then four times in verse 12 my.
God think of the Lord writing that to us, my God, four times, and lastly at the end of verse 12, my new name.
Very special. Name the horse. I wonder, can we have a few words on that 12 verse we didn't get? We left that yesterday, I believe. It was so full of precious comfort. And it's the reward for the overcomer. How about a word on it, Clem? I'm listening to Clam.
Well, him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God.
Maybe I might just start things off a little Here, he says to them. You, you're a thou has a little strength, but one who has just, even if he just got a little strength, but goes on with the Lord, the Lord says, And here's the reward, because I will make thee, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Well, the pillar speaks of of strength, doesn't it? And the church on earth is a pillar and ground of the truth, just to think.
The Lord takes everything up to heaven, as it were. We're down here. He's down here seeking to go on to the Lord and His circumstances.
And the way is rough, the Lord knows it, he says. I know, I know all about you, but the Lord hasn't worries at the end. Takes us up to heaven, and that's the dwelling place. That's that's the true dwelling place of the Spirit. And that's where we belong and that's where we're going. He takes us up there and he says, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. And this isn't only a brother, but this, this surely could takes it. A sister who seeks to go on faithfully.
And.
Whatever her circumstances are, it might be bringing up a little family for the Lord. It might be seeking to encourage the Saints. It might be. She might be all alone. Her companion is gone. Maybe she spends hours in prayer.
And. And there are some that do well. They'll have a little strength, But I will make thee a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. What a reward.
There is a very important principle in being made a pillar.
Of my.
It could be said from the beginning of this prophetic history that we also have the moral history of the Church of God.
In this scene, the history of the testimony that God left here unto himself.
With the responsibility of being in the world what Christ was here.
When he was here. And so for those who do not deny the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and keep his word.
Those who go on faithfully for Christ in the midst of ruin, he will give them in the glory the character that the Church should have had all along. He They will be a pillar. Our brother quoted that verse to Timothy that the church is a pillar and base of the truth.
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And those who overcome in this day of ruin are made to be after the character that the Church should have been all along.
I like in the temple.
And they had names.
I think the meaning of the names is very interesting. Jason and Boaz.
I think they mean he shall establish and in him his strength. And indeed it's proven out here. Who's going to establish I my me, the one that's talking. And he's going to put these people that keep his word and don't deny his name in a most prominent place. The pillar is right out in front. We got over here, the Ramada last night, great big pillars in front of that place. It's kind of a picture, you know?
Of the reward to those who are despised and suffer reproach for His name now, and who have no great building together in now, because these Saints themselves are the dwelling place of the Lord, and He values those few that keep His word and make a place. The desire of David to have a dwelling place for the Lord in the midst of His people, I think, is fulfilled.
In Philadelphia, and he appreciates it, and the world does not. Christendom does not. What's going to happen in the display? A pillar?
I like to think I will write upon him my new name. We just go back to the ninth verse, the middle of the verse. I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. I believe writing the name could carry the thought that these people belong to me and God is going to manifest.
Those that were down fraudulent. These people belong to me, their mind.
We belong to him, and he's going to manifest before the world that we are is.
What is the name that he has now in in his resolve, his redemption, redemption, glory, That which has come, that which he has won through his work on the cross, that redemptive work on the cross which has glorified God?
The 2nd Corinthians 5 The apostle said, yeah, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know him no more. They look for the Messiah, but this is not the Messiah that that belongs to the Kingdom.
But he speaks here of the heavenly glory, the temple in glory, the dwelling place of God. And this is the home. This is the home to which the Lord is going to bring us. What a marvelous grace, delightful to notice, too beloved, that he says, enable no more out the exhortation to us, to you and me, today, in the midst of the ruin to which we have made reference repeatedly.
Is therefore let us go forth unto him.
Without the Kim, we have to bear the reproach of a rejected Christ now, but going on, as has been suggested, faithfully in our souls with God in a quiet way. The time is coming, beloved, when we'll have to no more go out. We'll be in the presence of Him who loved us and brought us to that Father's house, and we'll go no more out.
That's wonderful encouragement, because as we sit here this morning, perhaps we're thinking about what will take take place when we go back to the cares of life, to school, to work, to the situations in our home assembly. It's a wonderful privilege for the people of God to be together for two or three days like this. But think of it rather than there's a day coming when, first of all, we won't have to put forth any energy to be in His presence because many of us had to travel a great deal to be here today.
Some of us had families and it took energy. I know it's a work of the spirit of God that gathers us together, but there is that energy of faith that's needed. And so we, some of us yesterday had to battle the weather and so on. But in that day we won't have to go to be in his presence, collectively will be there because.
He will be that. He himself will be the temple. He'll just be in his presence, and then we won't have to watch clocks either. We won't have to worry about having to go back to the circumstances.
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To the situations, to the pressing things of life. And what a day it will be when we're not governed by the physical hindrances, nor are we governed by time like we are now. I was thinking of this expression the city too, before we pass on, because in the end of Revelation he takes up the church in the aspect of the city. Just notice a verse in that connection in Revelation 21.
And verse 10.
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her light wasn't like unto a stone most precious, even a Jasper stone, clear as crystal. And he goes on to describe the heavenly city in that day. And so he brings before us the church in this way.
And I believe it would speak to us of a day of public glory and manifestation, because the Lord Jesus said himself, a city set on a hill cannot be hid. And isn't it of tremendous encouragement to think that there's a day when those who have gone on quietly and faithfully for the Lord down here, amidst the persecution and the trials and the circumstances, gone on quietly for his glory, we're going, they're going to be associated with him in that day.
He's going to reign in righteousness. He's going to have his rightful place, but we're going to be associated with him. Just like when the president of the United States is elected to office and he moves into the White House and he is the figurehead for the country. Now you'd be surprised if his wife didn't appear at his side. You'd be surprised if his wife didn't move into the White House with him and brother. There's a day of glory coming when every eye is going to be on him.
And he's going to be the center of everything, and we're going to be associated with him. And he gives us this encouragement to those who were at Philadelphia, who went on faithful to his word and to his name. He encourages them to say, you go on quietly now. There's a day when you're going to be associated with me in glory, public manifestation, brethren. It ought to thrill our hearts, because this day is not far off.
I would just like to draw attention to that first eleven in Revelation 21.
Having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a Jasper stone, clear as crystal. We'll go back to Revelation 4.
And we'll read from verse two. And immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven.
And one sat on the throne, and he that sought was to look upon like a Jasper.
And the Sergeant Stone?
All He has placed his glory upon us.
He was like a Jasper stone and the church is like a Jasper stone. He has placed his glory upon us and he will display us in that glory in that coming day. Now I believe I would like to suggest.
In Revelation 4, is a Jasper stone and a sardine stone all. He has his own intrinsic glory that belongs to him.
And still He has put his glory upon us in the.
The apostle speaks of five and 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the Church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
And so here we have in the reward to the Overcomer. Here the Lord is telling us of that perfect identification with Himself, perfect association with where one with him, one with Him and everything, everything short of the Godhead. He has blessed us with everything short of the Godhead, which of course that he could not do. But everything else he associates you and me with him. And that's what we get. Comes out so lovely in Philadelphia.
As Brother Clem was saying, we get my and my and I and I.
Like to say in connection with the overcomer that we have here in verse 12 and we get it in each church, I think it is really good to think about it because many of us come from situations that are extremely difficult to deal with, and many times it doesn't seem like there's any answer for the difficulties in which we.
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Find ourselves. In fact, it seems like the lack of power, the little strength that there is, doesn't seem to be able to address problems that exist. But I think it is a tremendous encouragement, this fact that it is addressed to the overcomer brethren, because every true believer in the Lord Jesus has a life that is.
Characteristically.
Overcoming.
If you turn back to first John, chapter five, I think we referred to yesterday, but I think it's so precious and an encouragement.
Verse four of chapter five of First John. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world. Even our faith, faith is what brings God into the picture and when there are situations that seem completely impossible.
As far as man is concerned, still they are not impossible when you bring God into the picture.
Because God is the God of the impossible, and it's tremendous in these days of weakness. Maybe there's some here who come from situations that they absolutely have no answer for.
Sometimes I've been told of stories and situations that I honestly don't have any answer for. Why does God allow that to come in our lives is because he wants us to turn to Him.
To come to him in the simplicity of faith and bring him into the picture. We're trained in such a day when we're told to be self reliant, to have confidence in ourselves.
And it's in this day when there is little strength, brethren.
Still, there is a way to overcome. I'd like to read a portion that was referred to yesterday in Zephaniah again of a situation that seemed to be terribly difficult, perhaps almost impossible, in the time of Judah.
And the answer that there seemed to be for it Zephaniah, chapter 3.
It's speaking about Jerusalem. Woe to her that is filthy and polluted.
To the oppressing city she obeyed. Not the voice she received, not correction she trusted not in the Lord. She do not near to her God. Her Prince is within her roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They know not the they know not the bones. Till tomorrow her profits are light and treacherous persons. Her priests have polluted the sanctuary.
They have done violence to the law.
Pretty discouraging picture.
What is the next verse?
The Justice Lord is in the midst thereof.
He will not do iniquity every morning, doth he bring his judgment to light.
He faileth not, but the unjust knoweth no shame. What a tremendous comfort, brethren, to realize in the most difficult of situations. If we have the confidence of the presence of the Lord Jesus in the midst, brethren, we have every reason to look up, to take courage, to hope he faileth not. And maybe there are situations that seem to go unchecked.
Remember, there is one that is walking in the midst of the candlesticks.
Who observes everything that is going on and overcoming brethren is simply going on. Maybe in our weakness, in our confessed failure, going on with our eyes on him, waiting for him to act. I think it's so important.
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In the day in which we live, not to give up hope to get your eyes off of all else besides.
But remember.
The Justice Lord is in the midst thereof. He will do no iniquity. He faileth not.
We could turn the Psalm 11Th.
Psalm 11 and verse 3.
If the foundations be destroyed.
What can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple. The Lords throne is in heaven. His eyes. Behold his eyelids. Try the children of men. Everything may seem gone as far as we're concerned, but the Lord is in His holy temple. It's not beyond him. He is still in control and nothing is taking place.
He does not allow.
What a blessed God we have. We need the whole scripture to tell out the wonders and the glories of God once thinks of how when the first man fails, the first man said God is God is not taking off guard. He knew all about it. He brings in Christ the second Israel had set up in this set up in this world to be a testimony to God, to the righteousness of God in in the earth Israel.
How miserably they failed. But the day is coming when grace is going to bring that little remnant of that people through the great tribulation. They're going to be the nucleus of a, of the nation that's going to enter into the Millennium. And in the Millennium, under the grace of God, they are going to fulfill what they never did in their previous history. And so it is with the church, the church set up after Israel failed.
Then the Church.
Umm. The Church is brought in to be a testimony in this world.
Testimony to God under Christ and about a heavenly testimony. The church has failed miserably. But God, the day is coming in the glory, the church is going to be a blessing. Under the gracious hand of Christ, the church is going to be a blessing and she's going to fulfill all that she fails in in the past.
It's going to be a blessing to the whole earth in the coming day.
I wonder if you might just realize when we saw the picture of the New Jerusalem that the verse. Let's go over there to chapter 21.
Again please.
And read verse 11.
The last part like a Jasper stone, clear as crystal and inverse 24 correction.
Verse 23. And the city had no need of sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamb is the light thereof. I was thinking of the reflection of a diamond, maybe in comparison to a Jasper stone, and it was a reflection of Christ. And I was thinking again here at this city, because I don't know if it was clearly brought out that this is the church.
That God presents. Lord Jesus presents it. At this time, it is the church. It's all believers that are members of the body of Christ. He's it's a mess today, but he's going to present before him a glorious church without spot where they only He could do it.
There's a little touch in David and his men when David was in rejection.
That the day that Samuel took a sucking lamb would bring before us. The Philadelphian day warns them of what they're going to expect if they want to have a king, that the king is going to to clothe their sons and daughters, and so on.
But David goes into rejection and.
What about the men that are with David that come to him? Well, they were men that didn't fit into Sauls economy. They lost their property. If Saul was going to lavish all this good on the young men and the young women, where was he going to get it? He'd have to take it away from somebody. And so?
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I believe that we're in that position today by His Grace, that we don't fit into religious Christendom.
And so consequently, we've got the stigma like David's men had, that they were runaway slaves, they had broken away from their master, and so they had to go on in rejection with stigma upon them not being vindicated. But David was waiting for the day of the Lord's power, and that's what we're waiting for, and that's what has been brought before us in the ministry.
Of the heavenly Jerusalem. But that day came. The day of the Lord's power came after they went wandering and misunderstood. The day came when they were brought to Jerusalem. And you think of those men that were with David, as Jerusalem was established under David, and he would unite all Israel together. Of these men, as they took their responsible position, they were like pillars in the House of God.
And so, as has been mentioned, there are those problems among us that we wish could be dissolved.
But we may not see many things dissolved here below, but we can wait for the day of the Lord's power. And as all this review, this manifestation, is brought before us, and everyone is in their position, I believe we're going to say Amen to the whole panorama. So may this be an encouragement to look for the day of the Lord's power, But today it's man's day. I've enjoyed Brother Ron in connection with that verse that was read to us in the 21St of Revelation.
Describing the city, it says it was clear as crystal, and I've just thought of that because it says Now we see through a glass dimly.
And there are many things that we don't understand, I'm sure, as those men follow David and his rejection.
Resorted to him in The Cave of Adelaide and so on. There were many things they didn't understand. Here was the one that had been anointed king, and now they were associated with him on the mountains and in the caves. But I enjoyed how that in that day when we get home to glory, everything brethren, is going to be clear as crystal. There are things we don't understand Now. Sometimes the Lord does show us why He allows circumstances in our lives and in the assembly.
But I really believe there are many things that are not going to be clear until there is that display of glory. And we view things through his eyes and as we view it and see the whole purpose of blessing in its fruition and in its completion, we're just going to praise him for his ways with us.
Again, I've often used an illustration, but sometimes when my wife is with me, she has a little handiwork that she keeps to do while we're traveling and visiting, and sometimes on the back of that canvas, it looks like just a tangle of threads. And you say, can all those seemingly tangled threads go to make up something, some pattern? Do they all have a purpose? Well, when the work is completed, you turn the canvas over, and on the other side of the canvas is that beautiful picture all in its completion. And you say.
Everyone of those threads had a purpose, brethren. We view things from the backside of the canvas now.
There are many things that seem tangled. And you say they're never going to be undone? Oh yes.
Solomon said that which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is rough cannot be made plain. But there's a glorious answer to that in Isaiah 40, where he speaks of a day of glory and manifestation. It says, the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places playing, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. It takes faith to count on that brethren, and to leave those things with the Lord, knowing there's a day of glory when we will view things from his sense and his value, and will praise him for eternity.
For his ways with us down here.
I will write upon him, then, in the name of my God, just to think of the Lord Jesus as the man in the glory and what God means to him.
Of the name of God, all that God is, and I will write upon him the name of my God. The Lord Jesus took manhood in order.
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Order that he might die for sinners like you and me, but in manhood he has glorified God and he'll he never cease to be a man. He's gone back to heaven as a man. He's a man of the glory of God. And you and I are going to be there and we're going to enjoy him forever. That blessing, man of the glory. Well, he says the name of the city of my God. God is going to have a city. God is going to have a city. Well, this is of Abraham. Abraham rejoiced.
Abraham says that he looked for a city which hath foundation.
Whose builder and maker is God? Well, we've been having a little bit before us of the city that coming was going to be displayed in the coming glory, that city that God himself will own. And by his grace, oh, how wonderful beyond all thought that we're going to have a place in the we're going to be in that city, we're going to be part of the city. And so he says the name of the city, my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down from heaven out of heaven from my God.
Heaven and his character, heavenly in his character and from God. God is its source.
The the the the church in glory. The church, it's heavenly in character and it's its source is in golf. Caves comes down from golf. We spoke of the pillar being made of the overcomer being made a pillar in the city in the temple of God as being given the character.
Of what the Church should have been. And that's exactly what we also have in.
Having written upon us the name of the city of our God.
We read in the first chapter of John's Gospel that the law came by Moses but grace.
And truth came by Jesus Christ, the view of the assembly as the city.
Is the aspect of the Church's being the administrator of God's grace in this world.
How miserably has the church failed to be an administer of Greece? But in that coming day of display and manifestation, it's going to be the city, the administrator of God's grace in this world, coming down out of heaven through the nation and to all the nations of the earth. The Church, the source of God's administration of Greece. Samuel 22.
And verse.
Two, and everyone that was in distress and everyone that was in death.
Everyone was discontented, gathered themselves unto him as David.
He became a captain over them.
This is the material.
A picture of ourselves that Christ is taking and going to make into that beautiful thing we see described in Revelation 21. We must remember the pit from which we were digging, but we are going to be made.
Suited to his presence, his nature and be with him and will be displayed as.
His old those that he is loved.
Whilst we recognize that this 12 verse looks on to a future day of glory when he will, as it says in the end, and I will write upon him my new name, there's always something for our present portion and enjoyment. And if you just look in the chapter before in connection with the address to Pergamos, notice in the end of verse 17, he says.
A new name which no man knoweth saving, saying he that receiveth it.
Well, brethren, this is for our present enjoyment. We look on to that day when he will write his new name upon us, and there will be that glory and manifestation. But He's given us something for our present enjoyment. He's given us now a new name which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Now we know that a new name in Scripture speaks to us of a it was a mark of favor, those that were brought into relationship and special places of favor with Jehovah.
In the Old Testament and with the Lord in the New Testament, they were given a new name, such as Abram.
When he was when he answered that call by faith and came out, God gave him a new name.
The Apostle Paul. His name was changed from Saul of Tarsus to Paul.
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And so it brings before us that mark of favor and relationship and communion. And I've thought of this new name, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. Sometimes, as I visit in various homes, I noticed that the husband has a special little name, a special mark of favor, that he addresses his wife or the wife to the husband. And it wouldn't be appropriate for anybody else to use that name. It's just a name, something that's enjoyed between those two individuals.
If I used that name, it would be very inappropriate and I've thought of that in how Connection with how?
When we're brought into relationship with the Lord Jesus, he gives us that new name, something that's enjoyed.
Just between yourself and him, that favor, that communion that he has for us now, it's true his new name will be placed upon us in that day. But, brethren, there's a present portion for us now. He wants us to go on in that relationship in the enjoyment of himself, in the position that we have been brought into. And He's given us the Spirit of God and the word of God that we hold in our hands so that there can be that present enjoyment in our souls while we wait that day of glory.
I'd like to ask a question that we might consider. What would What would it be? What does a person have to do? Or what are the requirements to become Philadelphia?
The word entry. Doesn't this verse answer it?
The eighth verse now has the 8th little strength.
That's kept my word and has not denied my name. I don't think there's anything else.
In addition to what our brother Glenn brought before us of why to go as to the new name being given to the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a glorified man.
In the second of Philippians that we have enjoyed before so many times.
God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name that which is above every name that at the name of Jesus.
Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ of the glory of God the Father. In the resurrection it was Jesus, this same Jesus that was exalted and given the name of Lord and Christ, and in the first of Acts this same Jesus which he saw ascend up into heaven, shall unlike manner come.
So in one very real sense, though, he has the name.
Of a glorified man. It's the same blessed man that was here below.
So that it is Jesus that is on the throne, but there as one who is having glorified God.
Even in the place of sin. And now has been exalted to the right hand of the Father, to sit there until this day of manifestation of which we have been speaking. So in one sense it is His blessed name that is upon us, but it's that name that he has been given in resurrection and glorification.
Same Jesus.
Being in Philadelphia and it's the first part of verse 10, I think it's very appropriate because of the late date chronologically in which Philadelphia is found. It says because thou hast kept the word of my patience. That's still his word, but he's the patient one and he is waiting and we should be waiting just right down at the end time and he's going to come so.
That's another qualification, I believe, of being seen by him as Philadelphia.
David and his men have been suggested as a picture of what we have here, and the word of my patients being kept is like Shema, who stood in the field of lentils and defended it as his inheritance. When David would come to the throne, Nice thought it was just a field of beings, we might say. But the faith, though the king was now rejected, he would defend it with his life because he anticipated that day of glory when the king would be on the throne. So keeping the word of his patience is sharing the rejection.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ now going out unto him, bearing his reproach, waiting as he waits until that day of glory, when he will come in power and bring us back with him.
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My brother to be Philadelphia. But to esteem myself, I have to look in the mirror and I have to see that there's failure in my own walk, keeping the word of God.
And I have to say, have I denied the Lord's name? Have I kept Lord's patience? Because our the teaching of who Philadelphia is amongst the president's writings is that it is a state as well as Laodicean? And that's how we want to judge ourselves. And so I do want to recognize, and for us to recognize that God began a work which we know as at work known as Philadelphia when he laid down the groundwork. And that work began in 1820.
And there was Saints again gathered into the name of the Lord Jesus. It was the sovereign work of God, and he established it. We can say our feet are there, and we have to judge ourselves. We might not be able to say that I Philadelphia. I think we ought to be on guard about bringing this question up for us to pronounce Who is Philadelphia? The very reading of it is is written to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia.
A representative. Now, I can fit in there if I do fit in there as that representative of what he says Philadelphia is. But he's the one that looks down upon it and in my own thinking.
I think he sees different people in Philadelphia every day of our history. He knows them all and we don't have to know them all. We just have to keep his word, the whole of it, and it's the word of his patience and not deny his name when.
Eve was brought to.
To Adam. God called their name Adam.
One in One Corinthians 12/12.
Let's have let's read that First Corinthians 12. I think it's verse 12.
To get the right reading of what it is when it's Christ and the Church.
It's similar to Genesis 5 that we're talking about.
1St Corinthians 1212 Whereas the body is 1, and as many members and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also Christ.
Well, coming back to Philadelphia, he looked down and sees those who are representing him in this character of The Remnant, that doesn't take any other name. Their denominations, they're just denominations. There's that denomination. They take names, but they're groups that say they don't take names.
But there's one.
The Philadelphia that doesn't deny his name, that confesses his name and gives him that prominent place.
Of the Lord in the midst. And keeping the Word is a very full thing. It amounts to the apostles doctrine. It amounts to all the teaching concerning Christ and the Church in this age that we practice it, and He is there in the midst.
Speak by grace to go on in faithfulness, and then let the Lord answer as to who is Philadelphia.
They was brought out yesterday very clearly, and I just echo that. It's not for us to say, but it's to leave it to the Lord for His approval. I think in connection with the word of His patience, I believe it. What has been brought out is summed up perhaps in Second Thessalonians.
Because we're right at the end now, the Lord Jesus, I believe, is about to come.
And he says here in two Thessalonians, chapter 3 and verse 5.
And I'll read this in a little better translation. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of the Christ. And so he's the one who has been waiting patiently for 2000 years to have his bride. He's waiting for that day when he will have his rightful place not only in heaven but in this world. And he's waited almost 2000 years. And the apostle would exhort the brethren that they would have that patience too.
To keep the word of his patience. And it's interesting that you never find the church.
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Asking the Lord to come quickly notice that in the end of revelation.
Well, just turn to it. So we we have it from his word.
Notice in the 20th verse of Revelation 22 he which testifieth these things staff. Surely I come quickly, not the church here, but he's saying surely I come quickly. And then when he says that, then there's an immediate response on the part of the Church. Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus.
Because he would have us to have our hearts directed into the patience of the Christ.
To realize that he, as the man of patience, is waiting now for that time when he has his own and we need to have that spirit, well, we are in a sense longing for his return and look up and say Even so come Lord Jesus, Why do we say that, brethren? Because he said, surely I come quickly and so he wants that response. But I think it's a wonderful thing to enter into his heart and see how his desire to have us there in glory with himself.
His desire for that day when he will present us to himself a glorious Church.
His desire far outweighs our desire. Thank God for any desire in our hearts, brethren, that would make us look up this morning and long to be there. But think of his patience. Think of how long he has waited. What are a few years in comparison to what the Lord Jesus has waited?
And I was visiting in a home some time ago, and there was a young man there in that home, and he was anticipating marriage. And every morning he would come down to the breakfast table and he would announce to us how many days it was till the wedding. First day was 45 days, the next day was 44 days, 43 days, and so on. And so after two or three mornings, I asked him if he had the numbers, if he had the numbers backwards on the calendar, and he said yes, he did. And it was reminiscent of a day when I'd done the very thing myself.
But I thought, as that bridegroom came down each morning and announced with joy and a glad smile that it was one day sooner to the marriage when he and his wife would be to get his bride, would be together, and they would share their joy and love together. I thought how much more the Heavenly bridegroom who's waiting for that day of glory when he will have us around himself and brethren. I trust there is that response in our hearts. But we need to, as we wait His coming, have him direct our our hearts into the patient.
Of the Christ.
Enjoyed a farmers view of the seven churches, not to go into that, but as we anticipate going into the meditation on Laodicea that in Philadelphia you might look at it, I'll say a wheat crop and there it is lush green and it's headed out and there it is in vitality and life and we might say, well why don't you go in and harvest that crop.
Well, the farmer would say, well, there's nothing there, there's nothing edible. The adversity has to come to bring this crop to fruition. And so in Laodicea is that period of time that we're in. But still the Lord is working with the same product. And as farmers know, when this critical time comes, they they trust that the adversity won't be too strong, the heat to pinch the kernels and too much rain that they can't get in and harvest it. Well, we understand, but it's in this adversity, is it not, that the crop is brought to fruition?
And then it can be harvested. And so that's why there's a need of patience. I've seen that wheat fields when the wind is blowing and it's just banging those heads together and you wonder if it's going to shatter it with us going to survive. But it's all necessary to bring it to fruition.
In connection with that, one was going to make a statement and they were referring to the Jasper stones and the various precious stones in Revelation 21.
Man was made of the dust of the earth.
And the Church is made-up of individuals which have come out of that.
The stones are from the earth.
And they have been made by pressures and processes, and all those precious stones are from the dust of the earth. And even the Pearl had to be introduced by a grain of sand, which was an antagonism to the oyster. And so all of precious stones that we read of, they formed from the earth when it was processed, that pressure that made them.
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What they are?
Like to say to in connection with what Jim was mentioning about the Lord.
Waiting for the time when he's going to have us with himself.
The importance, brethren.
I remember Brother Albert Hagel asking the question when is the last time you asked him to come?
I call home when I'm gone on a trip. I don't detect the longing.
Of my family to have me back home. It makes me wonder if the Lord Jesus doesn't hear from our own hearts that longing desire to be home.
Is there some concern, perhaps on his part? Isn't that perhaps one of the reasons maybe he allows adversity here?
Maybe we long to go home because of the adverse circumstances.
Maybe that isn't the highest reason, rather than for waiting his return.
But maybe that's the only way he gets a response from our hearts too long to go.
Brethren, its glory before but the.
Present day, it seems to me, the affluence of life, the comfortable way of living, we have here in the United States.
Tends to make us comfortable down here.
No wonder the Lord has to allow the thorns in our lives. But may He give us to understand more of his own heart, of love, of his own desire.
And to truly say from our hearts, I like to listen to prayers sometimes, brethren, but it doesn't seem like we hear very often the prayer and our prayer meetings, at least. Come Lord Jesus, Come Lord Jesus.
I don't hear it a whole lot. Isn't there something that should weigh?
On our hearts in this connection, brother.
I read the first verse of Psalm 4 connection with that.
Psalm 4, verse one, there's a beautiful pamphlet by.
F Lavington on this Psalm.
We read the first verse. Hear me when I call oh God of my righteousness.
Do we hung our thirst after righteousness?
But here's the part.
Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress, Lavington says. That's pressure. That's pressure, brother. We've had a lot of pressure the last two years.
Bacor to enlarge our prospects, our view, our appreciation, our appreciation of Christ and all He has done for us, the blessed prospect before us.
To rise above those things that are immense pressure and think of the one who allows it because he's looking for enlargement of heart.
Thinking enough, in the 110th *** Lords of the Lord and Jehovah said unto my Lord, Sit though at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. So the Lord is God has taken Christ back to heaven. He's.
Giving them the highest place in glory of the Father's right hand. And there he is, sitting. He's waiting.
Waiting for the for the time when the.
God orders everything. Everything is is according to God's time, and the Lord is waiting for that day. But in the meantime, as this leaves room for the calling of the church. And so this has been going on now for these nearly 2000 years, but evidently there's some more yet to come.
There's some more yet to come, but the Lord is waiting. But then it also we get a word that says that, but on that day and of that hour knows no man name, not even the Son, not even. Well, perhaps this gives a.
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Some a little, perhaps an understanding of how the Lord could say that not even the Son of Man knows well God keeps everything in his own power and but that when God sends tell the times come, then he's going to send Christ. And the Lord is coming in power and glory and all heaven is coming with him, and by His grace we'll be there. But in the meantime the Church is being gathered out and so everything moves on schedule.
And when that last one is gathered in how wonderful it will be, then it won't be long. The Lord is coming, and we'll all be with him. He's coming back to reign, but He won't reign until He has us all there.
Told yesterday that this had a terrifying effect.
I was reminded of the servant in Luke's Gospel chapter 12.
Who said in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming?
And he began to eat and drink with the drunkards and to beat the men servants and the maidservants. So if we do not keep fresh in our hearts the expectation of that moment when we will be caught home to be with him forever, it's going to allow our behavior to degenerate. And that's exactly what happened in the history of the Church, as we saw from these prophetic utterances when the Church in Pergamos invited the world in.
And took her into her bosom and lost the hope and expectation of the Son of God's return.
The Dark Ages crept in and Pope regained ascendancy, and the world became the Church and the Church the world.
And so here we are in these last days looking for may it be.
Indeed, the purifying element in our life to Even so come or Jesus.
Like to say too that the proper Volvo the believer is not only the hope of the Lord's return to take us to glory. It says in Titus 213 that well known verse looking for that blessed hope. But then it goes on and says, and the glorious appearing of the Great God in our Savior Jesus Christ. That is part of our hope, brethren.
That is part of it.
And we look forward to the coming of the Lord, because that's going to be our deliverance from sin.
And from sin's presence here.
But in that day of his glory.
It's going to be when all creation is going to be liberated from the ******* of corruption.
Into the glorious liberty of the children of God, just think of the joy of this whole world.
When Jesus will reign from sea to sea.
The similes that are quoted in the Old Testament are just so beautiful. How?
All creation rejoices, the trees of the fields shall clap their hands.
All creation is going to be so liberated from the ******* of corruption, and as we see the misery around Brethren, it's right that we should feel it. Think of millions starving to death in Africa rather than we don't have a hardly a concept of how to get ahold of the idea of that we have so much plenty in this country and of the wars that are taking place and children that are being slaughtered.
It is awful, brethren. It's down in South America. This time it just tears me down in the city of Lima, there in the corner of the one of the main classes where 8 little children laying there in a corner together to try to get heat. They were in the early morning hours sleeping there.
Doesn't that rip your heart? What can you do about it? The misery is so great, there is no other answer.
But that Jesus come to reign, there is no other answer.
3 124.
Or let us longer roam apart from Thee in that bright place where we shall see thee face to face. Lord Jesus comes.
Lord Jesus.
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God.
Why our love is our right place.
Where we shall see the right away more evil.
All in my crown by the sea.
And all.
The riders must come and wait for ourselves by all.
We're walking.
Our.
Way proud.
When they are.
Why the glory?
God bless God.
More peaceful.
Bless the Lord Jesus.
When we consider what we have had before us.
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An assembly called Philadelphia.
When we consider the one who.
Describe this recorded it that we could consider it this afternoon.
John.
The Isle of Packness alone.
What a comfort to his heart it must have been.
To be able to write.
Those words inspired by thy spirit.
Concerning that beloved city.
And that assembly that was there.
And now this afternoon, as we.
Bind ourselves and truly.
Denial of patents.
Desolate and barren.
We pray that the workings of thy Spirit, Lord Jesus.
Would be such in our hearts.
That even today there could be something that would console and comfort thee, Lord Jesus, as Aldous, look down.
Upon this world.
Lord Jesus, so worthy of Thy church.
We pray, Lord Jesus, that there might be in each of our hearts.
Rekindling of affections.
For the evil.
And we think blessed Savior of the meaning of that.
Named Philadelphia.
And we pray that even as we are amongst each other's presence.
There might be an entering in to that brotherly love.
We ask now, as we commit ourselves to thee.
That thy spirit may not be hindered.
In our lives, Lord Jesus. Amen. Amen.
Philadelphia Revelation 3:7
Reading
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And to soften our hearts to thyself.
And to draw all our reflections in a special way under the.
May it be?
True to our of each other that we will shun unholiness.
From all untruths to flee.
The time of our sojourn is so brief, our Father.
We desire communion with thyself for the rest of the journey.
In a very warm and special way.
That the world may see that light in US which reflects the glory of Thy will. Beloved Son, our Lord and Savior.
Our friend Jesus.
Now, our father, we look to thee for the meeting that's before us.
That it may be refreshing, as the other meetings have been to us.
Bringing Christ.
To us consciously.
Making thyself extremely real to our hearts.
Help us, Father, Help us to see Jesus.
And him only.
Precious Savior, we commit this meeting into Thy hands, trusting the Spirit have liberty and Jesus precious name. Amen.
I suggest we go on with the.
Anyone has thoughts?
Regard to Philadelphia, Feel free.
Revelation chapter 3 and verse 13. Even half a year let him hear what the Spirit set under the churches, and unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans right. These things set the Amen, the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou Wert cold or hot.
So then, because thou art Luke, warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, And knowest not that thou art meant wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich and white, raiment, that thou mayest be clothed.
And that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with I salve.
Thou mayest see as many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will Sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame. And I'm sat down with my father in his throne. He that hath an ear let him hear.
What? The Spirit said unto the churches.
And.
I'd like to make just a practical comment or two, particularly for those of us who are younger and for those of us who have families in connection with this 13th verse where we begin. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And I just like to make an application because God still has a message for us brethren collectively. And I know the assembly doesn't teach, but it's in the assembly we learned as taught by the Spirit of God.
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The assembly, as we were reminded earlier, is to be the pillar and ground of the truth. And I believe that God has given us in a very wonderful way ministry in the assembly. And I really believe, brethren, that we need to avail ourselves of this and of this in the day in which we live. It's a wonderful privilege to be able to sit under the sound of the word of God in the way that God has given us in the Scriptures, because I believe that, as I say.
There's a message for us collectively. He still delights to speak to us in the assembly. And when ministry is taken up in the assembly, we receive a balance because there are many who will put a man at the front, and they may get one part of the truth, they may get one aspect of the truth. But when truth is taken up in the assembly, if the spirit of God is given liberty, there's a balance. Because if I bring out something that's not correct.
The Spirit of God by another can correct it. If a brother brings out something, that's one aspect of the truth by the spirit of God, another can balance that. Some can bring out the doctrinal principles, others can make a practical application. Another can take the same scripture and apply it in the gospel. And so we need to avail ourselves of ministry in the assembly that we get that balance, and especially brethren in the day in which we live, when it's the collective aspect of things that is being given up.
There's two great lines of truth in the Scripture. One is our individual position and responsibility before God.
And when you have that line of things taken up, then there's always a comparable truth connected with the collective side of things.
And that's the side of the truth that I fear is being given up in the days in which we live. And so we need to have the word of God before us, like we've had this weekend. But also, brethren, when we go home to our home assembly to avail ourselves of the privilege of sitting under the sound of God in the assembly. And I think of what it says about Ephraim, it says Ephraim, is a cake not turned. And if you put a cake on the griddle and don't turn it, you know that it gets too well done on one side.
And not enough on the other. And those who do not avail themselves of ministry in the assembly. Sometimes they're like that because we're extremists by nature. But I believe God has given us a precious provision in the assembly. And for those of us who have young children, I never realized till I had children of my own just how much they get out of what is taken up in the assembly. We need to be exercised that there would be that which would be for the children.
And for those of us who are younger, but nevertheless, sometimes we feel perhaps our children aren't listening. They're fidgeting around and they're not getting anything out of it. But you listen to your children afterwards, and you'll find out that they get much more out of the ministry in the assembly than we ever imagined. And so I just say to those of us who have families, we need to bring our families to the assembly meetings. We need to have them under the sound of ministry. And we need brethren to have an open ear as the spirit of God is given liberty in the assembly.
That we might seek to learn what he has to say to us and to go over those precious fundamental principles of Christianity that he has given us in His word, and especially in the day in which we live when these things are being given up and undermined.
And with that, that in the second chapter of John, There the question is raised in connection with the good wine.
The good wine was not served at the first, but all enjoyed what was served. But then at the end there was that good wine and I believe as you say if we are exercises to the balance of the ministry, that from the youngest to the oldest will be able to identify it. Now it says the good wine. I wonder if we make a mistake to say the best.
So they didn't lay at a sea in days. I believe it's God's desire to feed us richly and to fill our hearts with that good wine, that joy, that will endure forever. I think we need to be careful too, because when we go back to our home assembly, perhaps sometimes the tendency in our hearts is to say, well, there isn't much real gift in the local assembly, and the word of God is taken up in perhaps ever so feeble away.
00:10:26
But, brethren, one of the things that grieved Jehovah very much when Israel was in the wilderness was that they despised the simple manner that God gave them. And I say to my own heart, I need to be careful not to despise the simple manner that God gives in the local assembly. Perhaps it is in a feeble way, but I believe if we came together and read the portion of Scripture, and perhaps very little is said on it, I believe that there can be a tremendous blessing.
And that God still delights to feed his people in the assembly despite our weakness. Because the Word of God hasn't changed. He hasn't changed. And the Spirit of God can still take the things of Christ and make them good to our souls.
There's another real danger connected to what our brother has just said, relative to the lack of gift and the weakness with which the Word of God is handled on the local level. If you go to the Book of Numbers, you see that Miriam and Aaron murmured against Moses.
If you go to the four, that's in the 12Th chapter. If you go to the 14th chapter, you see.
Entire congregation was murmuring. So if there is a spirit of discontent in my heart with that which God has raised up locally.
It's very infectious and has to be judged immediately or will fall into that horrible situation recorded in the 12Th of Hebrews, that the lame will be turned out of the way and many will become defiled thereby. A murmuring spirit is an infectious thing.
And it spreads from one to another very rapidly, so that where it is Moses and Aaron and Miriam in chapter 12.
The entire congregation in chapter 14 and then God has to deal with in a very public way. So we need to guard against, not.
Esteeming whatever God allows to develop locally in the way of opening up the word and how, regardless of the weakness in which it's handled.
Is there not a danger?
Of looking to someone.
Who may well be gifted, and yet we must remember it is the Spirit of God.
That in the midst and would take the things of Christ, and show them unto us.
And the Spirit of God can use.
Whoever he chooses.
We are not dependent on some gifted brother being there.
It all goes back to the Lord who is the Word. When we get right teaching and hear John by the Spirit was getting the word and giving it. And so when it says he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear What the Spirit says to the churches, goes back to what came from Christ himself through John. But when the Lord was here in the gospel.
He mentioned hear and understand when he was talking, and his doctrine, of course, was perfect and good, in contrast to what the Pharisees were teaching for doctrine, the commandments of men. So we got to take heed what we hear, Paul could say.
Those things which thou hast.
Received and learned and seen and heard and heard and seen in me do.
Then he wrote to Timothy, I think we referred to it yesterday in chapter 314. Continue down the things which thou hast learned, and has been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them. So we going to get light, We're going to get the truth. It's going to be the words that Christ ministers. It's written out in the New Testament by the apostles and prophets.
And there is a blessing just for reading this book.
But I would like to notice that in the difference between.
Philadelphia and Laodicea. It seems to me that in Philadelphia.
00:15:02
The Lord is on the inside, and in Laodicea he's on the outside. Isn't that a sad condition?
But he still talks about himself, so he begins to talk about himself and says.
These things, saith the Amen. Well, that's the ultimate, that's the last word. Let's go back to.
One Corinthians chapter.
Two Corinthians chapter one.
Where we get the promises of God, and God hasn't forgotten his promises.
He's going to take up the promises concerning the Earth with his.
Earthly people.
But he's getting a heavenly people now.
But.
What it says about the promises in First Corinthians 120 is this.
All the promises of God in him, there it is in Christ.
Are yay. That's all positive. There's nothing that ever can stop.
One of God's promises from being fulfilled and in him Amen. So be it. Under the glory of God by us. So he talks about says I am the Amen these things say at the Amen. Then I think somebody remarked about the faith will untrue witness here.
When unfaithfulness was so pronounced.
In the Witness here at Laodicea, he can say about himself, the faithful and true witness.
Then he says the beginning of the creation of God. Now I think the creation of God is in contrast to the first creation, which was marred and spoiled by sin. When God had finished the first creation and put man on it, he said it's very good.
And God knows something. It is good and very good, but the enemy got into that old creation and spoiled it. But God lets it go on.
Now he is beginning a new race, and that's what we have in the beginning of the creation of God is.
The head of the new race.
It's the second man.
It's the last Adam and we see him.
In resurrection standing in John 20.
There is the beginning of the creation of God.
And it's the creation of God, because it will never, ever be run. Satan can't get into that city we've been talking about.
The walls are exceeding high. It's just a superlative way of saying, well, Satan won't get in there.
This creation of God will never, ever be ruined. Now we come into that creation.
So it says in Two Corinthians 5 of him, that's of God.
Are ye in Christ Jesus?
I will have to read that.
Maybe I'm not getting that right. I'm quoting a wrong version?
Let's see.
Yeah, Clemson got it. It's the 517 Second Corinthians 517. Therefore, if any man that's me be in Christ, he is a new creation. That's what it says, really, in the in another translation, there is a new creation.
We're in that creation too, in Christ, and we're going to get the new body like His body of glory too.
But what a comfort there is. That is therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. There is a new creation. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. Now that's the character the Lord presents himself when he talks to this last phase.
Of the church and laid a sea.
It's Christ and resurrection, isn't it? The beginning of the creation of God, new creation.
The old creation is judged in the cross of Christ before God is judged. Now it's still going on, but the before God, the old creationist is judged, and we had part in the old creation, but we too belong to that new creation. If any man be in Christ, he is he is a new creature and new creation. All things have become new, all things have passed away, and all things have become new.
The last link, the last link that we have with the old creation really before God are these bodies of ours. And when we get those new bodies, will the Lord Jesus comes and utters that assembling shout and everyone we're going to get those new, those bodies just like his own body. And then our last link with the old creation will be gone forever.
00:20:23
What about the old nature, The old flesh?
You're going to take that along with you? No. That link will be broken too, won't it? It's all gone, yeah.
As we say then in the layer of seal that we have those that make a profession of Christianity, but in reality they're walking in the old nature.
Contrast Christ is the beginning of the creation of the new creation.
They are still walking in the old creation.
In First Corinthians chapter 3, where the seed of Laodiceanism was sown in division amongst the people of God, the apostle Paul charged the Saints are ye not carnal and walk as men.
What we are reading in this chapter relative to the church in the end of its history, is the fruit of that noxious weed that was sown in its full blown fruition. It is the church walking as men conducting the business of God's house on a purely natural basis, as our brother has just said.
The truth of the utter ruin of the of man. The other ruin of man was unknown to many and many. A dear child of God who has served the Lord like a man. Like John Wesley, he served the Lord for years, and God used him.
But he never did he. No, really the truth that the old, that the the old man is ruined. And there's.
And that that enemy in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. So there is the constant tendency on the part of someone. And as you're saying, is it not true that there is a continual desire to rehabilitate the old man? The old man is gone on the death of Christ.
To but to rehabilitate the old man, and to give him a place, give still, give him a place which doesn't exist before God.
It was mentioned this morning in connection with the meaning of the name Philadelphia, but I believe the name Laodicea has a significance in its meaning too, because it means the rights of the people and brethren, isn't that what we see around us today in these closing moments of the churches history? Human rights and rebellion against authority are not just practice today. They've been practiced from the Garden of Eden down, but we see how full blown that concept has become.
And human rights is glorified and preached today. It's ingrained in our children from the very earliest days of their schooling that nobody is to tell them what to do. But I think we need to be careful as gathered to the Lord's name, because whatever spirit characterizes the world in any age eventually affects the Lord's people. And brethren, we need to remember that the assembly is not a democracy. It's interesting that in Laodicea the headship of Christ is brought out in connection.
With the new creation, because he's head over all things to the church, which is his body and brethren, he just doesn't want the 1St place. He wants the only place that in all things he might have the preeminence. And when there's some situation arises in the assembly, is it the majority that decides these difficulty? That's the way many in Christendom operate. They take a vote and the majority decides the situation.
Is that the way it is to be with those who profess to be at the Lord's table? Brethren, His authority must be owned and maintained. He must have the supreme authority. And where are we going to get that direction? It's from His word. As we said this morning, he's magnified his word above his name. And so we need to be careful that the spirit of the age, the rights of the people and the people on every hand, and nations asserting their rights, wanting their independence. We need to be careful that that spirit of things does not seep in amongst the Lord's people, because submission is always the key to happiness.
00:25:03
In any sphere of our Christian life, whether it's children to their parents, whether it's in connection with the relationship of wives and husbands, whether it's servants to masters, whether it's to governmental authority and to the supreme authority, the Lord himself, I say submission is always the key to happiness.
You're Speaking of the two dangers of weather plain deer did.
When was it Around 1820? Or was it even before that, that it was clear from the Word of God that man had two natures? That the people from the Reformation know that?
Individuals may have, may have had. I don't. I don't believe though that I.
I can't. I really am not the best one to answer that question.
Well, I know that today there's in Christendom on the whole amongst our brethren and the systems of men. They're ignorant of the two natures.
Like you said, next one what Jim was mentioning.
The tendency toward human rights and.
Democracy and rebellion, I think we have to say, Brother Jim, I think you'll agree with me.
That not only do we have to watch for that, but I really believe we have to confess that it has entered amongst us. We need to confess it before the Lord.
And I really believe it is because.
There is a lack of focusing on the glory and the perfection of the person of our Lord Jesus we live in a day of.
Humanism.
Where man is the center of everything man is the center of.
Everyone's thoughts. That's the way children are taught in school. It's not God, the reference point any longer. It's man fact so much as it becoming the reference point that many people.
The doctrine of humanism is saying that I am God. I determine my future. I'll say where I want to go.
That's humanism and that has affected.
The Christian testimony, more than we like to realize it, has affected us, brethren, and we need to confess it before the Lord and own it. But what really comes to my own soul is the importance, brethren. What is the remedy? For this is to seek in our own souls, to set Christ before our dear brethren, in all his glory, in all his beauty.
When we see the magnitude of the glory of his person, what place do I have?
In relation to it all.
Can I ever talk about my rights?
When I see the Lord Jesus who had every right.
Lay down all his rights and go to the cross to save. How can I dare to talk about my rights? It's because man has become so prominent a figure that this evil has come in to the professing church and we need to set Christ before our souls. And the more he is set forward, the more I really believe.
We will correspondently have our right position.
We are just zeros, brethren, nothing more. There's a big one up front, and that's what counts, that what's, that's what gives all the value brethren. Not the zeros, just the one in front.
Wonderful teaching, I believe, on what we're hearing in Philippians 3.
That brings in both the warning.
And the very blessed position.
A being before God in worship.
It is rather simple. Philippians 3 and verse two says beware of dogs. That's a shameless evil.
That rips and tears the poor sheep. Beware of evil workers. That's false doctrine. There's plenty of that out there. But then the next thing is beware of the concession. And that's what you're talking about. It's rules and regulations. It's trying to fix up the old nature.
00:30:05
And God won't have it. We've got to beware of all these things. They can get into our hearts because we.
Do you have that old nature? And we like to think, I can do something, but there's no fixing up of that. There is the cutting arm. And so it says we are the circumcision, those who have locked off the flash. And then three things which worship God in the Spirit by the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and then it's sealed up, have no confidence in the flesh. The flesh provided nothing. We have a hard time learning that.
There was one word of caution that we need to keep in mind when we think of laodicea.
And what has been referred to a number of times in the ministry that we've had before us relative to the ruin of the testimony, and that is that we're getting descriptions and these epistles of the entire Church of God. And when we speak of judgment beginning at the House of God, we are referring to the outward testimony of the church as a light bearer in the world.
And so when we see of the ruin, we are Speaking of the complete failure of the assembly as a whole.
To reflect the marvelous glory of Christ, and the righteousness of Christ, and the love of Christ, and the grace that came by Jesus Christ. All of this was ruined at the very outset, and what we are seeing in Laodicea and these preceding.
Groups or assemblies to which these letters were addressed is the.
Dribbling down of the stream after the stream has been dammed up.
The stream was damned and the water stopped flowing when.
The assembly of Ephesus left his first love and where, as we just heard this afternoon, the heart is not right, there is going to be failure. And So what we are talking about is the history of the drawing up of the stream after the water of blessing has been shut off. And so when we refer to Laodicea into the ruin, we're talking about the whole Church of God. Now we did have a wonderful presentation.
Of reprieve that God granted in this Philadelphian Assembly.
But even there, beloved, that little company that God called out.
Only had a place in the whole that is drying up as a witness for Christ in the world.
So when we come to Laodicea, it becomes a very nauseous thing that the entire.
The Assembly of God has so failed in its fervor of representing Christ, in its failure to take Christ into its bosom, and it's opening its heart to the world so that as a witness for Christ in the world, it is entirely false witness in contrast to the faithful and true witness that we have brought before us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. It gives a wrong impression. It's saying that the world's way of sectarianism is great.
That this principle of clergy and all of this theology and humanism that we've heard about, they're saying this is right.
As a false witness. And so when we were Speaking of the ruined beloved, we were speaking about his failure to represent Christ and to reflect Christ to the world.
Don't you think the character that we're living in is very manifest in?
Verses 15.
And 16.
Lukewarmness. Indifference. Oh, it doesn't matter. You can go where you want to go.
You can have your idea. You can have your thought. We all serve the same God. That's the character that's taught so openly in so many places. The best thing you can do is go out and start a new church. Never do we find such a thing in Scripture.
Indifference. It doesn't matter. Just do what you want to do. You ever run into that kind of thing? It's all over. That's what's nauseous to Christ. It's not the word of God at all.
There's one word I.
Like to add to what you just said, and that is, it's not only indifference to Christ, it is that, but it's the insensibility to the state of being indifferent. As you say, they're saying this is the way it ought to be done. Insensible.
00:35:12
You see that in the book of Malachi?
Because they're where the prophet comes and warns them and speaks faithfully to them as to their condition. When he brings these things very faithfully before them, one by one they always answer by saying, Wherein have we done this? So even when, as you say, they were rebuked for what they were were carrying on with and with their indifference and that which they had allowed that was not of God, there was complete insensitivity to the fact that they were going on with these things.
And it's remarkable that he uses this expression, lukewarmness. Here I don't want to go too far with applications, but up where I come from, in Canada we appreciate a cup of nice hot tea, particularly in the middle of the afternoon. And when I visit my dear brethren in the South, that usually they serve iced tea and both are delicious and refreshing. But to me there's nothing more repulsive than a cup of lukewarm tea. It's good hot and it's good cold.
But it's nauseous when it's lukewarm, and so he uses this expression to show how nauseous and repulsive this indifference and insensitivity is to himself.
We get faithfulness throughout the course of the Lord Jesus, and one thing that was faithful in the Lord Jesus walk was that though he would eat with the Pharisees, he could touch the lepers, He could heal the blind. We don't see him having any contact other than with the Sadducees other than when they came to him and they came against him. There is a tendency in Laodiceanism, Lukewarmness.
Latituditarianism to be indifferent.
With regard to separation from evil, on ecclesiastical grounds, we're talking about the grounds of separation because there have been those that have left the ground of the truth. They now oppose the ground of the truth, and we can't really walk with them. And yet they want, well, we're brethren too. We love the Lord. And then there's a tendency, well, we have to be friendly and kind to one another. There's separation from evil requires us to be devoted to the person of Christ, and it has to be weighed in my heart.
Before him, the Lord Jesus.
What is faithfulness to Christ requires me to be separated.
Even when it comes to natural ties, even when it comes to dear, dear friends that I love very much, because they won't, not with a repose themselves to the one who is faithful by leaving where he is in the midst.
Just like pass on a statement that was conveyed as to the last four of the churches, that each one comes out of the previous church. And I think that's an important point. And it's an important point to realize that Laodicea comes out of Philadelphia, that the rejection of Philadelphian truth really the enraptured heart with Christ.
The Like we have the midnight crying. Matthew 25 That's Behold the Bridegroom. In Mr. Darby's translation is not Behold the bridegroom comment, but behold the bridegroom Christ.
Meant everything to them. Now I I would just like to say the first two of the churches, thy tyrants, artists were our identifiable bodies. The last two we have moral characters.
And brother and I would just like to say I agree and concur with the statements that have been made. But I think there is a danger in each heart to say that I am rich and increased goods and have need of nothing. The spirit of self, of self in each heart is something that Christ finds nauseous and.
We have spoken, Brother Henry referred to the those that have left and there is was a a judgment of God on the assemblies. But if you'll excuse me there has been a judgement on.
Us who have remained in the place where the Lord has said his name, and we need to have a sensibility of that as well.
00:40:02
That we would have that individual communion with Christ, though I might Sup with him and he with me. That we would have. That I trust you'll excuse me, but I I just really fear sometimes that because this is a pervasive spirit, there is a side to lay to see. It is materialism. It is a Christ Jesus, not of the Bible. It's a Jesus of the world.
It's a Jesus that the New Age movement can embrace, but not the Jesus of the Bible. That's one aspect of Laodicea. It is also a moral state, and he says to buy gold and ISAB. There's discernment needed. And I think it's striking if you reflect on the fact that Sampson, as a fallen Nazarite, had his eyes put out. There was a lack of discernment and he had his eyes put out.
And yet God comes in our hearts. It's the servant saith in his heart, while Lord delayeth his coming. It's in our hearts where the.
Corruption of self, of the pride of place, the pride that we have.
Found ourselves in the place where the Lord has said his name? No, It is as much a work of the spirit of God to gather a soul as it is to save a soul. We have a responsibility, and we need to act on it and walk before God. But if you'll excuse me, there is, I think, a danger of thinking of Laodicea is out there in the systems of men and Laodicea. You and I could be gathered to the Lord's name and be as much a laodicean as someone sitting.
In a system of matter.
Chapter 4 that may well bear on what we're talking of.
Ezra 4 and verse one. Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity build of the temple under the Lord God of Israel, then they came to the rubble and to the chief of the Father.
And said unto them, Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do.
And we do sacrifice unto him, since the days of Isarhat and king of Asher, which brought us up, hit her.
There was that temptation to allow these others.
To come in and build with them, but there had to be separation.
And the Spirit of God tells us they were the adversaries. Now to go on but the rubble.
And Joshua and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God, but we ourselves together will build under the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. Then the people of the land weaken the hands of the people of Judah, and trouble them in buildings.
There needs to be entire separation from anything that is tainted with the world.
Here are these were adversaries. They weren't true invites at all, they professed to me, but they weren't. They were not true infra lights.
If they wanted to merge with them when that didn't work, well, we'll just weaken them. Good morning, Lord.
Most interesting if you go back to where those adversaries claim their origin and look where the King of Assyria transplanted them from.
All five places have a very very.
Degenerative origin every the meaning of every name is is a bad influence.
Will the Lord ever God out of his mouth?
The warning here, it isn't done yet. We'll be gone when this takes place. Don't you think so?
Out of the mouth of the Lord, as I understand it from what I've been taught by my brethren, is the rejection of the assembly as His witness in the world, very much along the same line that Israel was rejected as His witness in the world if we turn to the 11Th of Romans.
00:45:08
What word of warning do we get that if he who spared not the natural branches?
Well, let's turn back to Romans 11 and look at that, because I'm not doing a good job of memory here.
But this is exactly what.
We're reading in our chapter of the Spewing out of the mouth is in Romans 11 verse.
17 And if some of the branches were broken off, that's Israel rejected.
As a witness of God in the world and the responsibility of government turned over to the Gentiles.
And thou, being the wild olive tree, is the assembly.
Principally of Gentiles grafted in among them.
And with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree. That's the blessing that came to the Gentiles when God set Israel aside and took up the gospel of His grace to call out the assembly for his name.
Boast not against the branches, But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee thou will say Then the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off.
Thou standest by faith, be not high minded, but fear. For if God spared not the Brattle branches, take heed, lest he also spare not leave. So really what we are looking at in our chapter is the assemblies as a whole being so unfaithful in its witness, as a representation of Christ in the assembly, that it has to be rejected as that witness.
And then God turns again to Israel and takes them up, as we know He will after the church is raptured. So the spewing out is not a matter of the rejection of individuals, certainly not, but it is the witness, being so unfaithful that it can no longer be owned as God's witness in the world. And so he comes and takes what is himself out of it, and leaves the rest to go on, so that the apostasy may be developed in the man of sin revealed.
To come in in the 25th verse. That's the very end of the age. And then so all Israel shall be saved. Then he brings them in the blessing again. So the judgments in the next part of the book from chapter 6 on compare in my thinking to the spewing out of his mouth of false Christendom. It's a nauseous thing to him. She gets a horrible judgment. Chapter 17 and 18.
There may be a thought in Ezekiel 10.
And verse 18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house and sit over the cherry of hims.
We find there not to read the chapter The Glory of the Lord departing from the temple.
And gradually with over the city and then up over the mountain, it leaves Israel. But then in Ezekiel 43.
Verse one after he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east, and behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east.
So we find there the glory returning to Israel.
And that's what we have in Romans 11.
Israel will be restored, that is the remnant, but we never find the church is restored to her original place. We're simply taking the glory.
The heavenly.
Entity and gets that glory and her witness on the earth is gone and the Ruin comes out and is judged. The Book of Esther takes that up too, doesn't it?
And the Gentiles didn't show their glory. Vashti was removed and Esther was put in her place. That's the bringing in of the the the Jews, Israel into blessing in the coming millennial age. And we'll have our part in the heavenly side of that Kingdom.
Oh last, fortunately, God will deliver me and preserve unto his heavenly Kingdom. All is going to be on the heavenly side of the Kingdom. You and I are too. So that's that heavenly city that we read about.
00:50:13
Chapter 21 Well, that's a Long Ways from Laodicea.
Gentiles blessed during the Millennium, and I think it's good to see on this basis because it's the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in which God said, I will give you the Gentiles for an inheritance. We're part of that right now because the church is pretty much a Gentile figure, and here it is. We'll get to be ushered into that blessing on the heavenly side. But right now he's speaking to us on our hearts about the lay of the secret.
Oh, what about that?
Principle. I've heard you preach on Elijah.
And the verse.
How long halt he between two opinions? If the Lord be God, serve him. If they'll serve him. Now that's that's gospel preaching. But here the Lord says, I want to know how far we can come and find a parallel. I would that thy works were I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would work cold overhaul. I think we heard a good explanation of that. And possibly we're not getting the same thing in.
That case of Elijah, But there he says. How long holds he between two opinions? Do you think we ought to halt between our opinions of who we're going to serve today? We've got some work to say on that, Bob.
Definitely not.
And.
It's Laodiceanism. Is is just that, isn't it? It's it's neither one nor the other.
What Jim had to say is worth considering and I think is beautiful. I have wondered too if cold or hot. Cold means definitely against Christ and hot for Christ.
That.
I'm not sure that I can say definitely which it is, but instead of being in that intermediate undefined territory, the Lord says I would that thou Wert cold or hot.
He would prefer other than being lukewarm.
Coldness.
Or hotness, but not lukewarmness. There's more hope for one who is cold than there is the one who is Luke warm, right? You can reach somebody perhaps that's cold easier than you can somebody that's indifferent and lukewarm.
Lack of definition between cold and hot. If one is cold, he is against Christ.
If he's hot, he's for him. But where there is not, where there's neither, then the testimony goes out as an uncertain sound. But there's no uncertain sound with a cold mind, he said. I don't have anything to do with it. As we heard yesterday, you'd rather have Iowa than heaven. That's cold. So the danger is giving an uncertain sound and giving a false witness to the world.
Is there not a far greater danger?
Drawing others away.
When they're that lukewarmness, that profession with no actual reality, I believe there is first they'll leave somebody that refuses Christ completely alone.
And they may not like those that are out note for Christ, but they'll go along and be drawn away with those that are lukewarm.
Would you say, Brother Bob, that in the thought of the warmness we could bring in neutrality? And if so, perhaps you could give us a word on that?
Go ahead, Jim. Well, I I'm just thinking of it in this connection because I don't believe you'll find in scripture neutrality and Christianity. It's one or the other. Just read the book of Proverbs. In that connection, things are righteous or unrighteous. It's good or it's evil, it's right or it's wrong. And I believe in Christianity. There's no neutrality with God and those who seek to take a neutral position.
I don't believe can ever find scripture to justify it. I'd like to hear what some others have to say on that.
00:55:06
Another thing that impresses me is that while there is this indifference as to the person of the Lord Jesus, his glory, really like you say, when he is presented in the right way, there is no place for neutrality. Either you're for or you're against. There is no ground to stand on in between. There absolutely is not, but that's the way that the enemy is combating.
The true Christian witness in the day we live in is by that indifference. You believe that way, Jim? OK, it's fine. I have my own ideas and anything goes. Your idea is as good as mine, brethren. It's not my idea. It's not your idea. We have to lay those things completely aside. It's Christ's precious word that must be supreme.
In our lives, it's something that goes right along with that attitude of indifference to Christ.
Is the self approving?
Judgment that Laodicea makes of itself.
Self complacency, brethren. This is something that really hits home to my own soul, and I think we need to let the light of scripture really search us here. Self complacency because thou sayest they are making their own judgment of where they are.
O brethren, may the Lord spare us. Thou sayest I am rich, I am increased with goods. I have need of nothing. This is their own estimation of what they are, and it's pretty good what they think of themselves. May the Lord deliver us from this attitude, brother, especially as it relates to the truth of being gathered to the Lords name.
Thank God, I truly believe that there is a place, as has been clearly stated in these meetings.
Where we can gather to his precious name. But brethren, may the Lord give us, in speaking about that not to speak in a in a way that makes us self complacent.
May it be always as we speak of it, that it leaves us in exercise of soul as to what is due to the glory of his name.
That's the true effect of proper ministry, not.
Ever to make a self complacent, but to exercise the heart.
Times 2 we feel that we are going to be a help to our brethren by taking a neutral position. But I've enjoyed in connection with Joshua when he addressed the people of God he said choose you this day whom you shall serve. But he didn't stop there. He said, But As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He made that statement before the people of God had an opportunity to respond to the 1St to the 1St admonition. But he said as it were whatever the people that you do, whatever the people of God do, I'm going to take a firm stand and follow the Lord.
And sometimes I fear that we feel in taking a neutral position, we're going to help two parties that seem to be at a variance. But Brethren, a double minded man, is unstable in all his ways. And as I look at my dear older brethren, I have appreciated those who have taken a real stand. As the people of God go through trials and difficulties and tests collectively, those who take a real stand there are tremendous blessing.
And an encouragement. And in the world, the principle in business is that you're always an arbitrator. And those of us who have been in business can appreciate this a little bit perhaps because in business, you're always trying to bring two parties to an agreement. You're trying to keep the office staff happy with the warehouse staff and the salesman happy with the customer and so on. And to do that, you have to bring two parties to a compromise to the lowest common denominator.
But, brethren, we need to be careful that we don't introduce those principles amongst the Lord's people and in the assembly. Because I say again, a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. And I fear that those who have done that have been little or no help to the people of God. And God honors those who will take a stand in a day of ruin in a day of weakness. We'll take a stand when the test comes. And just like Daniel, he took that stand at the very beginning.
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And it was a tremendous blessing and encouragement to his three friends.
We're told to buy the truth and sell it not And here in verse 18 it says, I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire. Here is the remedy for this neutral position that we might feel or be infected with.
Gold right in the fire is certainly.
Righteousness gotten from the one who gives it.
Oh, says, not having my own righteousness.
Which is with the law. But that which is of Christ, we've got to have that righteousness to be in the right place, and we should know that we're there.
And then there's riches in that place, because we have the person.
Divine When we have that divine righteousness, then that produces practical righteousness. Doesn't know, yes.
Personal pronouns to which the Lord referred to himself so many times to Philadelphia. Where do we notice that this righteousness comes from?
By me so it is as we are occupied with Christ.
Who is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. There is the source where we can recover or be spared from the noxious weed of laodiceanism in our own hearts. In the midst of the gathered few, it's by of me. Righteousness dried in the fire. He went through the fire, didn't he? He bore the judgment of God.
And is at the right hand of God. What does he say in John chapter 16?
Righteousness. Because I go to the Father. There is where we see righteousness at the right hand of God. Serve God in faithfulness and obedience. Walk independence and submission to God. It ends up in the glory. So it's by of me. Righteousness right in the fire.
What's the thought of buying? How can you buy righteousness?
By web.
Yes.
Oh ye the thirst, come ye to the waters.
Saying Can you buy wine and milk without money and without price? No one.
So it's it isn't that It's bought with, not with money. But it's a transaction, isn't it? It's a it's a it's a spiritual transaction.
Let us go forth therefore unto him without the count bearing his reproach. These are things that are part of the price, I believe, of the gold buying the gold of Me.
We have the verse by the truth and sell it not.
I believe that bears out what her brother just said. There's going to be a price to pay. If we're going to seek to follow Christ as we should, there will be a price to pay. But he is indeed the righteousness.
Last year, I've heard several times.
Kind of an analysis.
To explain a little bit of what happened to us amongst us.
And is concerning buying the truth. We have been a little bit relaxed in teaching the truth and practicing it.
And God has looked at us.
And a generation must come up.
The poo apparently hadn't bought the truth.
I hope I'm right saying this, and it certainly has taken place and the Lord, as it were looking down, says.
I'm going to make them buy the truth.
And when you buy the truth, you have to pay for it, and bearing his reproach.
Is a part of it and suffering persecution and getting these things.
Into the mind and into the harvest Henry brought before us, and living in them and living Christ is buying the truth. What do you say to us, Henry? You've got something good to say.
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And I was thinking of what Brother Don was seeking to bring before our hearts and.
We realize in our soul that Laodicea.
Was an assembly that Paul had great conflict for.
I believe in its origin. It answered every bit to Philadelphia.
But as time went on, you know there in Colossians, Paul says read the letter from.
Colossi, that from Laodicea. That probably was the Epistle to the Ephesians. They were unquestionably, I believe, in a very good state of soul, one that would probably be indistinguishable.
From Philadelphia.
But here in our verses it isn't Philadelphia, it's Laodicea. And it has come out of Laodicea, I think of Saul when he is there. And in Getty with David.
All that that experience of Saul did because he said I am an increase with goods and I don't have need of anything he had acquired for himself. Everything.
All that experience that Ingetti did for him was to have his garment removed and the nakedness of his shame exposed to all.
Now I would like us to think of this goal tried with fire in respect to.
Responsibility for that is what you have. I don't think we should introduce the thought of eternal life. I think in the sense of Laodicean and the warning here in each of the churches it says Let if any man have ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith not to the church.
But to the churches. Everyone of these seven assemblies has a word for us as believers. And there is an aspect of our life that I, as a believer and an assembly that had a good beginning, formed by God, can be spewed out of Christ's mouth as a lamb bearer or a star. The star and the lamps. They don't have life.
We've known a brethren.
We've come under and Brother Buchanan and you who are older, remember the stories. And I don't remember the names of who went to visit them. But he said. The brother said, don't pray for me. It's a sin unto death. The Lord is going to Take Me Home. The assemblies that we knew once somewhat prosperous assemblies are gone from the face of the earth. All seven of these assemblies are gone from Asia.
God has removed the Candlestick, but in First Corinthians chapter 3.
There's verse 12, and it's speaking about what we are doing in this position as being identified with the House of God, the Assembly of God.
Now if any man build upon this foundation goal.
That's gold tried with fire.
Notice if he builds of the other material. It says in the end of verse 13 for the fire shall try every man's work. What sort it is? Well, I believe the gold.
Is already tried with fire. It's been proven acceptable to God and a life ordered and in subjection to the word of God, whose heart is attached to Christ. He's going to build on this foundation with gold that has already been tried with fire. But it's going to cost us to do that. And we don't want to build wood and stubble because when this day a fire comes.
01:10:04
It's going to manifest that we didn't have the gold, We weren't building with the gold, so I would just offer those few thoughts.
After a revelation in that coming day when umm, we have had.
1St Corinthians 3 as past, And then we are at the marriage supper of the Lamb, verse 8 of Revelation 19 Speaking of the Well, verse seven, let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him.
For the marriage of the lamb has come, and his wife had made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, or the fine linen is the righteousness says should be the righteous deeds of the Saints. I believe that.
That we're sending up, as it were today, material for that garment individually and collectively and the so.
The righteousness, the righteous deeds of the Saints is what God is taking cognizance of in the present day for the coming garments of the wedding garments.
Wonder if there is something in Laodicea following right on we have for Philadelphia in Second Timothy 2. Timothy has said, said to Timothy the same commit vow to faithful man who shall be able to teach others. Also, I think of a passage in Deuteronomy 11 Speaking of Israel, but I believe it can apply to us.
Deuteronomy 11 and verse 18. Therefore shall ye lay up these by words in your heart.
And in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. Believe that's for me, and ye shall teach them your children. Speaking of them, when thou sinnest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou lie us down, and when thou risest up, there it is for my family.
And thou shalt write them upon the doorpost of thine house.
And upon thy gates that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children.
In the land which the Lord, swear unto your fathers to give them as the days of heaven.
Upon the Earth. Now we find the sequel to it in Judges.
Believe it's Chapter 2.
Judges 2 and verse.
Seven And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua.
All the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord.
That he did for Israel now in verse 10. And also all our generation were gathered under their fathers. And there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
Oh, do we not have a responsibility to faithfully pass all these precious truths?
That are very entrusted to us. If there had been painful of in carrying out Deuteronomy 11, how could a generist arise, which do not the Lord to speak to my own heart?
19 first before we brought out.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Then exhortation Be zealous, therefore, and repent.
That fit into our picture today.
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Does the Lord love us?
Is he rebuking us?
Really exercise my own heart and conscience before God.
That is, that when we go back and see the same history of Israel in the Old Testament, we see a moral history that has its parallel to the history of Christianity in the earth. It has its parallel to what we see in the history of the seven churches as an expression or picture of the history of the church. And that is.
In Ezra's day, there was a restoration.
Not the total, but there was a restoration of the people of God to again be in the land, to be in and occupy the city of Jerusalem, and to have the sacrifices in the temple for them. But there's declension from that point on to the end of the history of the people of God, and it came out of not Israel, not those that were they them.
Others, etc. But it was from within that that declension came. And so Ezra Day is a high point, but if you go to Nehemiah Day it drops down and there's no longer that affection for the Lord Jehovah that caused the people to respond to the Lord without rules and regulations to maintain an outward thing. And so Nehemiah has to come in.
To try and maintain things, and he does so. But the heart isn't what it was. And the saddest to me book in the whole of the Old Testament is written to that remnant of people. It was the remnant that came back, and it's in its Malachi. It wasn't written to Israel. It wasn't written to others. It was written to those that were restored and had enjoyed the tremendous value of that place.
But every generation thereafter it came down until it came to Malachi's day and to the point where the Lord opens it up and he says, I love you.
But what was the response? The insensitivity to their state was so bad that they say we're in hast thou loved us? And so the Lord here to Malachi, or I mean to those who Laodicea, has to repeat the same exhortation. And to me there's a solemn warning in it for his brethren to be careful to take to heart what's said in Laodicea, and avoid for our own benefit.
What may be true in its place?
But for our benefit, we need to be careful not to just apply this to the word they as if it was someone else that needed this word of exhortation. I think it's Brother Potter who said lukewarmness is a heart divided between Christ and the world. I'll repeat that. It's weighed on my soul tremendously. Lukewarmness is a heart.
Divided.
Between Christ and the world. And what's being exposed here is the state of the heart.
He saw their hearts, and he saw in their hearts that which had been Philadelphian. Tremendous it was. But it was now linked with the old man, the world. And so when the Lord introduces something and he tells his own character.
To each of the seven churches. And then he judges the state based against that. And so it was the beginning of the creation of God. And what had happened, They were now bringing in their hearts the world and mixing it with Christ. And the consequence was a lukewarmness. There was a tendency for us to want to have the broad things of the world.
And enjoy our place before God on the Lord's day. And it's nauseous to the Lords. We can't. We want to have the entertainment of the world. We want to have the good things of the world, the things that Christ at the cross died. Because Adam, or I should say Cain, after he had sinned, he went out from the presence of the Lord and tried to make this world a pleasant place to live in.
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And that's what happens when the spirit of Philadelphia becomes Laodicea. That is, the heart wants something of the world. It wants Christ as well. And the two mixed together produce a Luke warm heart. And the Lord says, I can't have that as a testimony for me in the earth. And so it's the final state of the church, and I believe it springs out of the working of God's grace.
To restore to his people the truth as to his place and position.
But then when there isn't the maintenance of it, when the when that place of his having a place on our breast is not there, then our Philadelphian desires really become a Laodicean state.
168.
Touch Not the Unclean Thing
Address—R. Klassen
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Let's sing together a part of 337.
The God who dwells above we call our Father.
And our friends and blessed thought, his children all shall see him in the end.
Like to sing the 1St 3 verses only of 337?
And we ask God's blessing.
Our God and our Father.
Even the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ we address in this hour.
We thank thee for revealing thyself to us.
As our creator God.
But also to know thee as our Father.
That draws the affections of our hearts to Thee.
And we thank thee that thou hast cared for us as sons and daughters.
Along the pathway, we thank Thee for that divine Ultimate to have us in Thy house very shortly.
And we do ask our Father that in the reading of Thy word, that a few more impressions might be made of Thy heart upon our hearts, and that when that moment arrives, that we would enter there in full and happy communion to be at home and at rest. And so he thanked thee for this very precious privilege of being gathered together.
And to have the liberty of thy spirit to.
Direct and to meet the secret needs of our hearts.
And so we wait before the in expectation.
Of a blessing in the worthy name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Let U.S. Open this very precious book 1St to 2nd Corinthians chapter 6.
Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 17.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord.
And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.
And will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Everyone in this room that has been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
Are expecting to shortly arrive in the father's house.
Where love there is without any alloy, the hymn writer could say.
And so as we anticipate this glorious moment.
Just to spend a few moments to get a little more acquainted.
With our Father.
And the setting of these verses.
Are verses of exercise.
To come out to be separated from this world and touch not the unclean thing.
Well, we're in a world of much defilement. Easy to be defiled.
When we go to the grocery store or driving down the highway seeing billboards.
Going to school on the job.
But when he says here touch not the unclean thing, there's just been a list that has been given in connection with being unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
What a defilement that is.
Then there's the thought of unrighteousness that's always defiling.
What communion hath light with darkness, darkness, darkness, spiritual darkness?
00:05:04
There's Belial, yes, the God of this world that has one thing in mind, and that's to corrupt its inhabitants.
There's the infidel that says there's no God.
Don't touch it. To touch something is to have the least amount of contact, but we're called not even to touch it.
Oh, why? Well, because we have a Father that is holy and he's righteous. He's a God of love and of mercy and kindness and were his children.
And their fathers here this afternoon. And mothers, you know how you look at your children. You know how you desire that they would be preserved in purity and with a tender conscience. How much more our Father.
And then he goes on to say, saith the Lord Almighty.
First time we get that word Almighty is in respect to God speaking to Abraham.
As to having children, And in that word Almighty lays a promise.
That regardless of when we live in this world and when we're blessed with a family.
He's there, Almighty, to save, to bless, to preserve, and to keep for his own pleasure.
I'd like to say as a failing father to fathers here in this room.
You have the privilege of giving impressions to your children.
As to the father that you have and if we give right and proper impressions of our Father.
Our children will love us for it.
Some of us have had a heritage where our fathers.
Walked in the fear of God and we valued those impressions that they gave to us.
Of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. There might be some here in this room that haven't had that privilege.
Maybe were raised by an ungodly father. Let me say this, you've been brought into a sphere.
Where all this can be made-up to you in the Father that we're going to meditate upon a little.
This father will never fail. And with that, you'll find fathers in the assembly that are going to do your heart good as you commune with them and seek counsel from them.
Let's turn now to First John Chapter 2.
One John chapter 2 and verse 12.
Are right unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake.
All right unto you Father's, because ye have known him, that is from the beginning.
Are right unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because you have known him. That is from the beginning.
I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
I want to draw on the expression.
That I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him who is from the beginning.
We wouldn't have been surprised if it had said, I write unto you, fathers, because you have had a lot of experience and you can be a help to others.
But it doesn't say that I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him.
Who was from the beginning experiences. All right, but there's something that's more valuable than that, and that's to know God as our Father. And so is the apostle John lengths these three companies together, the fathers, the young men and the children. We find them united, do we not, in having their hearts directed to the Father.
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And when our hearts are directed that way.
Then we're able to carry out what's written of us, and I think of the young men here today.
Just to think of the thrill of hearing it said because you are strong.
And the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
Well, we lift up this standard, should we say, and back away from it and say, well, we haven't hardly answered to that, but that's our Father's desire and he has given us, should I say, the ability to be able to answer to this through his love and through his guidance and through his discipline in our lives.
Now if we'll turn to John, chapter 17.
John 17.
Just a few days prior to this chapter.
The Lord Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration.
And he was there praying and as he prayed.
His face shone as the sun.
What was it that made his face to shine as the sun?
Oh, that's the face of radiant joy.
He had tread the weary paths of life. He was the man of sorrows and the grief acquainted 1.
What happened there in that holy mount?
All there was that communion with the father.
And perhaps at that time there was that committing into the hands of the Lord Jesus as man all things.
As we have pictured in Abraham and Isaac, that that day came when Abraham gave all into the hand of the Son.
And to think of what that meant, oh, I can't tell you the dimensions of what it was that day.
But in the dimensions, dear ones, we were there in his thoughts.
We have been committed into his hands and now he's coming.
Just a few moments away from the cross, and here comes this chapter of mighty intercession.
Oh, what intercession? Even as we read it, we say.
I enter into it so feebly.
But in this chapter we have the Father mentioned six times.
The first two times that the Father is mentioned, it's in connection with the Lord Himself.
And I don't have that before me at this time because I want to go on to the other four.
Times in this chapter that he said, father.
I don't know where this was delivered. It could have been in the temple just prior to the Lord's going out to be taken by the hands of men.
But to think of his heart as he anticipated leaving his disciples.
Anticipate leaving those that were in Bethany and in other places whose hearts affection had been attached to him and he had experienced they had experienced his wonderful grace to them in manifesting the heart of God to guilty and.
And so the first one we'll notice now is in verse 11.
And now I am no more in the world. But these are in the world.
And I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those.
Whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are.
He addresses the Father as Holy Father.
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Well, we can confidently say, well, I'm sure that the father heard this petition.
But I would like to notice what the Father did about this petition. Let us turn to James Chapter one to see.
James chapter one and verse 16.
Do not air, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Oh just look at those 3 words. The father of lights.
Lights, Here we are, down in this World of Darkness.
And if we read this chapter carefully, we find that there are temptations.
There are evil men, there are seducers, but here's the Father of lights to give light to our pathway that we might be able to discern and see things for what they are.
Oh, what an answer to that petition that we might be one with him.
One this world talks about equal rights.
But you know what would happen to our marriage is if we embrace the thought of equal rights.
Why? It would destroy our happy oneness together, would it not?
A man and a wife, they're one.
And so.
The Lord's desire that we would be one with Him, not equal rights.
Not insubordinate, none of that, but to be one.
And so to think of our Father becoming the Father of lights to us here in this Dark World.
That we might have safe passport through it, that we might have light in our dwellings, that there might be lights in the assembly, all what rich provision he has provided for us. And we're here this afternoon as a testimony that he is light.
Let us turn back to the second one there in the 17th of John.
Verse 21.
That they all may be one as thou Father art in May, and I in thee, That they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Oh, what a petition this is.
That the world.
May have a testimony before their very eyes.
Of the father as seen in the characteristics of his people.
The like to find how the Father responded to this in Two Corinthians chapter one.
Two Corinthians, chapter one and verse 3.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.
All here's the answer. He's become the father of mercies.
Why has he become the father of mercies, that you and I might not faint in the way because of trial?
Every one of us in this room, no trial.
We've known what it is to shed tears and felt like we could never dry our face.
As the pressures came in and we were disappointed in one thing and another.
And there was the father of mercies to support us.
You know there has never come a trial in any of our lives.
00:20:00
That we can't. That we had to say He tempered it all with his mercy.
And if he hadn't have done it, we couldn't have borne it.
Yes, not a trial.
We've experienced his mercies and you know the world is looking on.
And they say we don't understand. How can they take this?
Why aren't they crushed under it? Why are they glorifying God?
In the trial.
Because our Father has come to us as a father of mercies.
It's been mentioned in the prayer meeting connection that.
Family in Florida.
The Father of Mercies is there.
And if we were to draw an air, I'm sure we would receive a blessing, though it seems so hopeless and it's such an extremity.
The father of mercies.
Let us turn back to John 17 for the third one.
Verse 24.
Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.
That they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.
For thou lovest me before the foundation.
Of the world.
How is the father going to respond to this petition?
Let us turn to Ephesians chapter one.
Ephesians chapter one and verse 17.
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 Father of glory.
Has been revealed to our hearts.
What does the Father of Glory mean to you this afternoon? What does it mean to me?
The Father of glory is to take our hearts, our thoughts out of this world.
Into the glory that we're going to shortly arrive at. Don't we need a glimpse of the Father this way?
As we live in a world where the glory of man prevails.
And is exhibited in all its varied forms to distract our attention.
And prospects, perhaps, of making a good living if we strive just right and.
Play the game just right. Here comes the Father of Glory to distract all this.
And to say, what does it really mean down here? Why are we here?
Are we here to make money and to get rich?
The words of dear old brother Harry hail come before me.
He said God has a tuition for everyone of his children.
A divine tuition so that we're just passing through this world.
In view of being trained for that day of glory.
Oh, what an answer. I think of the Lord Jesus as He knew that His Father would respond in these petitions, would strengthen His heart to be able as a man to go forward and onward to the cross, to bear our sins in His own body on the tree.
That He might have us there in glory with him, but O to have an earnest.
Of it should I say in our, in our passing through this world.
The Father of glory.
Oh, let us go back to the 4th one there in John 17.
Verse 25.
00:25:03
O righteous Father.
The world hath not known thee.
But I have known they and these have known.
That thou hast sent me.
O here.
He says righteous Father.
All this petition.
Is a searching petition. How would the father?
Respond to this one.
You know, when the thought of righteousness comes up, it might frighten us a little bit.
It might make us realize that we're not just Wanderers here, below and.
Walking after the council of our own will, Righteous Father suggests that now He must come in in righteousness in order that we might be preserved.
Before we go into this one, I'd like to think of the disciples for a moment there in the upper room.
As they heard the last words of the blessed Lord.
And among those last words he could say as the father.
Hath loved me, so have I loved you.
Continue ye in my love.
Toward one another, I believe is the thought.
We see that exemplified beautifully in the life of Jacob and Joseph.
Jacob loved Joseph.
And as we read the chapter, we might think that Jacob was showing favoritism and causing difficulty in his family. We know that his fathers, if we do that in our families, that we're going to bring difficulty.
No, we love our children equally. Each one of them have something to contribute to our hearts, to our homes.
And so Joseph had proved himself, and on him was put the coat of many colors, because he had proved himself.
And the day came when Jacob sent Joseph out to seek the welfare of his brethren.
And we remember how he went to Shechem.
Because that's where he expected to find them. And he was wandering in a field and a man.
Met him there and he inquired if he knew where they were and he said yes, they've gone to Dothan.
You know, Joseph could have just said to that man. Well, how did they seem to you?
And he could have said, well, you know, everything looked OK to me.
They seemed healthy, they seemed happy to go on to the next pasture ground with their flocks and and Joseph could have turned back and gone back to his father.
And brought the report that everything was all right, but he wouldn't do it. Why?
As a father hath loved me, so have I loved you.
And so Joseph goes down to Dothan.
And they see him coming. Why didn't Joseph just survey things from a distance and kind of justice draw a conclusion that everything was all right rather than to go well, knowing what was going to happen?
It was love.
Love that took him right up in the midst of his brethren.
Continue, ye, in my love toward one another. Joseph certainly exhibited that.
We know the rest of the story.
And the end of the story is.
That love won the day. Love had its way. It overcame all.
The obstacle and they're restored to him.
Oh, this is wonderful. Then the Lord Jesus could go on in the upper room to such a wonderful climax when he said.
The Father himself loveth you because.
Ye love me.
That's oneness, isn't it? Yes, this is the love that is to be exhibited.
In this world, in the assembly toward one another and beloved brethren.
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Love is going to win the day. It doesn't look like it sometimes, but it will have the last word. And it's good if it has the last word with us today in our lives in a practical way.
But now the answer to this will turn to Hebrews chapter 12.
Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 9.
Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us.
And we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection?
Unto the Father of spirits, and live, for they verily for a few days chastened us after their own.
Pleasure or wisdom, but he for our prophet.
That we might be partakers of His Holiness now, No chastening, for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous.
Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Unto them which are exercised thereby.
Oh, to that petition of righteous Father.
He.
Is the father of spirits.
He became the father of spirits because of the many roots of pride.
Within our hearts.
Those secret roots of pride that we did not even realize were there. But.
They have been exposed 1 by 1.
Terribly painful.
Those of us that have been blessed with children.
We know that.
There is native discipline in the home.
And the spirit of a child tells the story. If the spirit is not right, nothing else is either.
We often don't know what's the matter.
As fathers and mothers, we seek it out.
We try to find what it is.
How important that verse is in one John chapter, one that says.
If we confess our sin.
I know when we became parents that.
We certainly didn't know that role at all because we had never been in it.
But we weren't in that role too long when we learned the wisdom of God if we confess our sins.
We felt it was very important that they say they were sorry and that is important.
But to name what brought about the chastening is very, very difficult. But we might say that the pride of the will must be cut off, and so by confessing it, we cut it off. And so if we just go halfway with our children.
We may search a little deeper and find out that the trouble lies here and how many times in our lives the children were marrying something. I couldn't understand what they were seeing that they were marrying, but they were marrying their father. And so when discipline was taken up, it was one for them and two for their father.
The father of spirits.
And you know, when we're, we've all experienced it, we've seen it that when a child is disciplined properly, that the result is that the soul is tempered and the spirit is sweetened.
And that's the way our Father deals with us. What a faithful father we have.
And as he exposes these roots in our of pride in our heart.
We recoil at it, we don't want it, we want to protect it, but it has to go if we're going to enjoy the fullness of what the Father has for us.
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And so.
The word is the Father of spirits and live.
You know if we've got a bad conscience about violating the word of God.
Violating our father's will, we may try to look happy and.
And rise above it all and so on. But down underneath there is such heaviness.
Our feet just drag because we're not in communion.
With our Father, and so our Father.
He doesn't come short like I did as an earthly father.
But will bring us to that point where we confess our sin.
We don't have to ask for forgiveness. No, there's no need for that.
Forgiveness is with the Father immediately.
But he must deal with the pride of our hearts. Why?
That we might be partakers of His Holiness.
Roland Dean heard him make this lovely statement that.
Happiness always follows holiness.
Be holy, for I am holy.
And I feel that as we near that glorious moment.
Of being called into the Father's house, that this mounts up in of great importance.
That it seems just as though we would be willing to.
Fall into the arms of our Father and to rest there.
Oh, to know him, to know his love.
You get a hint of it, do you not? In the Song of Solomon, when the writer says, who is this coming up out of the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?
I believe that's the whole point of why we're here in this wilderness, is to learn to lean.
Upon our Father, upon our beloved and.
Being born with independent natures, this is not an overnight work.
No, it's a slow work.
But would to God, as we're come together for these special meetings, I believe we have been through enough to know that this is a very precious privilege that perhaps a few years ago we took for granted and thought would always be.
But our Father has taught us in his faithfulness.
That we don't take anything for granted, and above all, we don't leave pride unjudged collectively in the assembly wherever He must meet these things, that He might be the father of spirits to us. And to think of the Father's desire to have every one of us enter his house with exceeding joy.
Yes, we'll enter there in that character, if we have responded to His discipline. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
All the Father.
Someone has said, are we going to see the father?
In the Father's house.
I enjoy this answer.
Will ever and forever enjoy the presence of the Father.
And will see the Father in the Son all what nearness.
What intimacy? And as we feebly enter into this, does it not just give us a longing to be there?
To be ushered into the Father's house with dignity.
The Lord Jesus bringing us in.
To that inner circle.
To enjoy communion forever.
I long to be there, and I believe we all feel we shortly shall be there. So may our hearts respond then.
To the father of lights.
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To the Father of mercies.
To the Father of glory, and here to the Father of spirits.
And as we anticipate going on in these meetings.
To realize that our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And with one another shall we close by saying the last two stanzas?
Of 337.
We feel lost for words as we speak.
To thee, but as we speak to thee, we can say that we are a company that are loved.
Of the Father, and we are here in that confidence.
And we think of the day of our salvation.
When we put our faith and trust in our precious Savior.
But to realize later that we had to do with thee first.
For we read that no man cometh unto the sun, except the Father draw him.
We thank Thee for that drawing power that has drawn us into this circle of blessing.
That cannot be measured. We thank Thee to our Father for Thy faithfulness to us as Thy children.
As thou art bringing us along the pathway, we confess that we have been naughty.
And thou hast had to deal with our spirits, for they were wrong.
But all, we thank thee for that restoration.
When we have confessed our sin, thou hast been faithful and justice to forgive us our sin unto.
Cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Our Father.
We thank thee for thy family. We thank thee for every member in it.
Thank thee that thou hast brought us into that family.
And thou and thy grace has chosen our friends for us, and it has dawned upon us what friends thou hast chosen.
To help us in the hard place, to be there when we would faint.
To represent thee as the Father of mercies. To give those words in season to comfort our hearts.
All to think of the day of manifestation when all this will be reviewed.
And all praise will be thine. Our God and Father, we thank Thee for the Lord Jesus who has manifested Thy great heart of love that has cast out all doubt and fear from our hearts.
And when it lurks in the pathway to have it removed yet again.
We thank Thee for divine love, and so we count now upon Thy blessing and the reading of Thy word.
To direct us to that portion that will lift us up.
Give us to see more, our heavenly portion. We thanked thee for this privilege together in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Open Mtg.
Open—C. Buchanan, R. Thonney
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Father, for this precious hope of which we have been singing, that hope of soon being with and like our blessed Savior, there in those realms of the blessed, there in the Father's house, to sit down around Himself and be occupied with Him for all eternity. We long for that day when we will lift up our voices with all the redeemed and praise Him who is so worthy. But we thank Thee that in the meantime Thou hast made full provision for us down here.
We thank Thee for this happy season we have enjoyed with Thy word before us, and we pray that that which has been before us already might exercise our hearts and our conscience, and we might get these things down into our souls and enjoy them there, that they might have a practical effect on our lives. And now, as this hour is before us, we pray that there might again be that which would be for our edification, for our exhortation, and for our comfort. Thou knowest our need, and we thank Thee.
Thy word, by the power of the Spirit, is able to meet that need. And so we pray that it might be a time of real refreshment and encouragement. We pray for those who are traveling home. Keep them. We do pray. We thank Thee for all thy love, for all thy mercies, and we thank Thee and the precious and worthy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen.
Romans chapter 14 to begin with this summer.
I was asked very earnestly.
What's necessary to?
Come to you, brethren, and break bread with you.
Not much written on reception that I know of.
And I think it's because there's not much to say about it besides what the scripture says.
And it's a very happy.
Privilege to have somebody want to come.
And break bread at the Lord's Table.
Romans 14.
Verse one says him.
That is weak in the faith.
Receive ye.
But not to doubtful disputations.
That's enough to read here in this chapter.
The person.
Major requirement is to be in the faith.
Anybody who is in the faith.
Is one of God's children.
And a member of the body of Christ.
Has the same right and privilege that anyone here has to be at the Lord's Table.
But there is control.
The simplicity of this verse says.
Receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
That is those who come.
Cannot introduce.
Convey thoughts to the Word of God.
Nor practices.
So there's a control.
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Now go to the next chapter. Read a few verses in chapter 5.
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Whenever I read this verse.
Really strikes home to the soul.
These are those that are strong.
And who are those that are weak?
Well, God knows.
But The thing is, we're not to please ourselves. Let everyone of us please his neighbor.
For his good to edification.
For even Christ, please, not himself, but as it is written.
The reproaches of them, that reproach thee, fell on me.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.
Now we want to remember this part of this verse here, whatsoever things were written before time, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you.
To be like minded one toward another, according to grace Jesus.
That she may with one mind.
And one mouth.
Glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wherefore.
Receive ye one another as Christ also.
As Christ also received us to the glory of God.
This last verse we read and the first verse we've read, I think.
Contain all the requirements that are necessary.
In reception at the Lord's Table, we use that term receiving the break bread receiving at the Lord's Table.
Really, I believe what we're doing.
Is recognizing.
That that person has already been received by the Lord.
** *** is one of God's children.
Well, we are not to please ourselves.
We are to please our neighbor.
For his good to edification, to help those that are strong, or to help those that are weak.
Perhaps this is in spiritual things and the model is Christ please, not himself.
As it is written, the reproaches of them, that reproach thee fell on me.
We are speaking about buying the truth and not selling it. And how do you pay for it?
On one of the payments.
Is reproach reproach? There's going to be reproach at that place.
But Christ says the reproaches of them that reproach thee.
Fell on me for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. We're going to turn to the Old Testament to use something there that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. How wonderful this is patience and comfort of the scriptures in any problem, in any joyful situation like receiving comes up.
Turn to the scriptures and find that which will give us hope in all the cases that come up before us now. The God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another. According to Christ Jesus, there's a going on together.
Like minded and again it's according to Christ Jesus he is set up.
As the model, the standard in everything.
And the purpose is that we can be together.
As God's children.
In fellowship and received at the Lord's table.
To praise and worship and bless and adore and give thanks.
United that we may with one mind.
And one mouth glorify God.
Here's one of the verses.
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That eliminates the use of musical instruments in a meeting for worship.
Nothing about harps here like we read about in the heavenly scene.
Revelation 5.
Nor, like men, Israel tested under the law.
Using.
Musical instruments and dancing.
Hands and feet.
In their worship as Israelites under the law.
That has changed.
Here is the one mind and one mouth. You see, God has given everyone of us a mind.
I believe it's the greatest of the creation that God has put on the earth.
Is the mind of man.
And he's made it that way so that we can communicate.
With the creator.
Man is a moral being who has a lot of capacity.
And can receive communications from God in this precious book.
And he's given enough to fill these minds of ours, and that's what he wants to do.
Fill these minds with Christ, the knowledge of Him, get it down into the soul and practice.
And that's what worship is, to be filled up with what comes down from heaven with Christ.
And then have an overflow in the mouth. Is the overflow to express what's in the mind. Singing, praising, giving thanks to God. That's the purpose of bringing us together as his people, to worship, to praise, to adore unitedly.
One, they did this in Acts 3:00 and 4:00.
Great grace upon them all. A wonderful time for the beauty of the Church.
We've turned in our readings to.
The end of Revelation and seeing the church coming out of Christ, coming out of glory.
Heaven from God having the glory of God.
Well, the church was beautiful in her beginning in Acts 2-3 and four.
Before the 1St failure came in and she's going to end up.
Having the glory of God.
But we're under a wonderful dispensation of grace, and the Spirit of God is here working.
Any saving souls he's bringing in to the faith?
Do you recognize those who are in the faith? Everyone of them?
Has the right to be at the Lord's table if he or she.
Wants to be and can present themselves according to these requirements.
Not bringing doubtful disputations nor anything like that, but being there.
And being received to the glory of God, that requirement.
Is all embracing takes care of everything that's foreign and alien.
To the person who is in the midst, who participates at the Lord's Table.
Takes care of any immorality.
Any bad doctrine or any association with evil? I mentioned these three things because brethren have learned and known this for a long time that.
Separation from evil is necessary in order to participate at the Lord's Table. This covers the whole thing.
To the glory of God recovers the whole thing.
Now let's go to Acts Chapter 9.
To get a man.
Who speaks of himself as a pattern to them which should hereafter believe.
Here was Soul of Terraces.
Who speaks to himself later on as the chief of sinners?
Yet breathing out, threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.
Verse one.
This is Saul of Tarsus at.
That time.
But he ends up to be a chosen vessel to bear the name.
Of Christ before the Gentiles and kings, and those that are in authority, where God had his eye upon him.
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To bring him into the faith to meet personally with Jesus.
To be stricken down, to be blind for three days.
To receive instruction.
From one of the people up there in Ananias, up there in Damascus he'd been going toward.
To catch and persecute and perhaps murder Ananias.
Was a brother up there and he was instructed. Maybe we can read a little bit about it.
We'll go on down to in the chapter.
Well, let's just touch on what Ananias had to go through.
Verse 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man's soul how much evil he hath done to thy Saints at Jerusalem.
Notice that Aunt Jerusalem, and here in Damascus he has authority from the chief priest to bind all that colon thy name.
That was the purpose of going up there.
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel, for I will show him.
How great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Did Saul, who was later called Paul by the truth, did he pay for it? How much did he suffer to get from Christ, from heaven what he gave to us?
Didn't they pay very deeply for it? Yes, he did.
But ananias.
Verse 17 went his way and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him, said Brother Saul.
Isn't this nice?
There was an old disciple.
And found a converted man who was in the faith.
Many call him Brother so.
All of these people, they're saved, are brethren, no matter what they have been doing.
Or where they are.
Brother soul, the Lord, even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest hast sent me, that thou mightest received thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it had been scales, and he received sight there forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
He preached Christ that he's the Son of God in verse 20.
But it surprised many.
But the Jews in Damascus sought to kill him, and after many days were fulfilled, Verse 23 the Jews took counsel to kill him, but they're laying wait was known of soul.
And they watched the gauge day and night to kill him. It was a locked up city with oils gates.
Then the disciples took him by night and let him down by the wall in a basket. And when soul was come to Jerusalem, see, he came right back where he started from.
In the history.
There's apparently three years.
Between verse 25 and 26, but it doesn't change the story.
When he got back to Jerusalem, where he had gone out from as a persecutor.
What did he try to do?
Verse 26 When Saul was come to Jerusalem, he has said, or he tried, he attempted to join himself to the disciples, but they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple, but Barnabas took him.
And brought him to the apostles.
And declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way that he had spoken to him.
And how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. This is the simple reception of the chief of sinners in the first assembly that was ever formed at Jerusalem.
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And it just took one man to introduce him.
Let's go back and pick up a word or two about Barnabas who was used.
Back in chapter 4.
The last two verses of chapter 4 and Joseph.
Who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas?
Which is being interpreted the son of consolation. I want to impress that upon us.
The son of Consolation.
What a nice name to have.
It fit this man, the son of Consolation, a Levi of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.
Him that's weak in the faith, receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations, and receive as Christ has received us, to the glory of God.
Saul was received to the glory of God.
All his doubtful disputations were gone. He got in the light into his soul a complete change in that man.
Now let's go to the Old Testament and use a picture from Nehemiah to illustrate this when the time of recovery had made progress, and not only the 6th chapter.
The 7th chapter.
Of Nehemiah.
As we heard yesterday, it's a little later than Ezra when they'd come back.
To build a temple.
Set up the older and build the temple.
Nehemiah's chief work was to build the city.
And from the date of the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem in the second chapter is the beginning of the 70 weeks of Daniel, from which all prophecy relating to the earth is dated.
So it's the city, it's the city of Jerusalem rebuilt.
And here in the 7th chapter, they have made the progress. It is built.
Let's read the 15th verse of the 6th chapter.
So the wall was finished in the 25th day of the month, Ello, 52 days Chapter 7. Now it came to pass when the wall was built and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed. The setting is Jerusalem completed the wall there the gates and the doors.
And the porters, but they had the singers, you know, they were there to praise and worship too. And that's what we do when we come into the Lord's presence. I received at his table.
We sing.
Nehemiah speaking that I gave to my brother Hanani.
Hanani means.
Gracious.
Baramus means son of consolation.
These people had fit names for the position they fulfilled.
And Hananiah.
There's two of them.
They're very like Hananiah means Jehovah is gracious.
One is gracious and the other knows that Jehovah is gracious.
The ruler of the palace overcharge over Jewish. I gave my brother Hananiah and Hananiah the ruler of the palace.
Charge over Jerusalem. They had charge over the city.
For he was a faithful man and feared God above money. I judge that's Hananiah.
Speaks out about Hananiah, but there were two of them, because he said, I verse three, I said unto them, these two.
00:25:07
And here's the thing to notice. Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot.
And while they stand by, let them shut the doors and bar them.
And the point watches.
Of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Everyone in his watch, and everyone to be over against his house. Now I want to speak about the first part of this verse. I said unto them, that's Hananiah, Hananiah. And Hananiah. Let not the gates of Jerusalem be open until the sun be hot.
These two.
These two only.
Had the control of opening up the city.
To receive anybody who made application to get in.
And there were enemies wanting to get into that city.
Now, that city was the divine center in those days.
The assembly is the divine center now.
And the wall of separation was up.
And there were two here in Jerusalem that had the charge about opening.
Or leaving the gate shut and closing them at night. Just the two.
But the last part of the verse says this.
Well, I didn't finish that while they stand by and let them shut the doors and burn them. That is the opening to let some in and then the closing behind them.
Then the last part of the verse and the point watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, everyone to be over against his house. Now what took place when they opened the door and let somebody in was that they were in the city.
And then there was care over the people who were in the city by everyone in the city. The picture is so simple for the assembly.
There are those who have responsibility and I think as authority too, according to Mark 13.
In admission.
To the Lord's Table.
We saw it was only one.
With Jerusalem, it was only two that had control of the gates to let them in.
But when they got in, everyone where they lived looked out for those who were near.
And helped them and cared for them and watched for them.
Now the city was large. Verse 4.
And great.
But the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.
I think this fits.
The Lord's Table today in a marvelous way.
Says the city was large and great. Brethren, that table of the Lord.
Locally.
Is a big enough place to receive everyone who will come?
Wants to come and can present himself according to the person that's there.
Big a large upper room. There is no limit to how many people can be at the Lord's Table according to the doctrine in this book.
Why are there so few? Well, it says the people were few therein.
And the houses were not builded.
Gatherings today are of few people.
It's gotten down to the two or three because.
Because.
Of weakness and lack of desire.
And corruption.
That excludes some from being at the Lord's Table.
And then it says and the houses were not builded.
Perhaps our families.
Aren't in as good an order as they ought to be.
00:30:07
So I don't think I'll say much more.
The.
That we meet in.
Is like it was at the beginning, a large upper room. It's.
It's big enough to hold everyone that will come and present himself.
According to the heavenly position.
When Paul was preaching.
In the 20th.
Of acts, there were many lights.
In the upper chamber.
And it was the 3rd lot.
The table of the Lord.
Is.
High above.
The moral standards of this world.
But it shouldn't be difficult for anyone who wants to be there to be there.
And I just encourage to follow out what was read at the beginning of the meeting this morning.
But when the Lord first instituted.
The remembrance of the Lord which we have kept in Matthew, he says at the close of it.
Tricky hole of it.
And Mark changes that gives us the answer.
And they all drank of it. Or that we would all hear that.
And present ourselves at the Lord's table according to the holiness of the person that's there. And I think that brethren will be able to receive us. I know we live at a late date.
And it's not quite like it was in Acts because of all the confusion.
But people can get clear of the confusion.
If they can and it's a happy and a simple thing.
To know that somebody is in the faith to control them, not doubtful disputations.
And to receive them as we have been received, to the glory of God.
Like to brethren, just.
Return.
Reverse and.
3rd chapter of Revelation again where we.
Had our readings.
Didn't really get down to the last verses of Laodicea.
There's one particular verse that.
Seems to have a particular voice to my own soul that I'd like to share.
In connection with what we have been meditating on in Laodicea, as we remember, the picture in Laodicea was not very encouraging.
There is indifference to the person of the Lord Jesus there.
There was.
Self complacency as to their own.
Moral condition. Spiritual condition.
And.
There was the direct council to.
Repent.
19 As men, as I love, I rebuke and chasten, chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent.
The verse that comes especially before my soul is verse 20.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
Any man hear my voice and open the door?
I will come in to him and will Sup with him and he with me. Isn't this a sad condition of things?
The Lord Jesus is outside of a closed door.
Laodicea. There is no place for him inside.
And as we meditated, perhaps as we view the Christian profession as a whole, we have to admit that.
Lead acea perhaps characterizes the Christian profession of which we are a part more than any other of the.
00:35:07
Different churches.
We see these attitude of self, complacency and indifference to the person of Christ so prevalent. Don't have to go any further than my own heart to see it and to have to judge it, brethren.
But the Lord's word here in verse 20 seems so applicable.
Where am I going to start in view of this situation that is so sad.
The Lord on the outside knocking.
Where am I going to start? Am I going to wait for other brethren?
Before I do something.
Here's the Lord's word again. Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
And notice he puts it in the individual, if any.
Man, he doesn't say if you all inside hear my voice and open the door I'll come in to suck with you all. No, it's completely individual. The call here, if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and Sup with him and he with me.
To me, this is exceedingly precious and what I want to encourage.
This afternoon is.
The cultivation of individual fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
I think it's so extremely important, this, dear brethren.
In our day, do you and I know what it means to.
Walk day by day, step by step.
In fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
Cultivating it diligently, cultivating it when things come up that hinder that break, that fellowship, to have a conscience that's tender, to recognize it as soon as possible, to judge it in His presence, so that we might be restored again in that fellowship.
Brethren, it is as you walk in that fellowship, as you respond to his call.
As I respond to that call that there will be automatically, as a result, fellowship between ourselves.
I think it's so important to see this individual call at the end. To me, it relates to what we have in Second Timothy Chapter 2, where you have also an individual.
Responsibility in connection with the great House and the contamination that there is in the great House. We are part of that great House of Christendom. We are not outside of it, brethren, we are in it.
We are part of it, but in that house it is a responsibility. It says if any man therefore purge himself from these again individual.
Something a position that you must take yourself.
You must act before God because of that call of the Lord Jesus.
I must act there. And I think the danger is sometimes for those who are younger to listen to those who are older Speaking of the truth of gathering, tremendous to listen to it. But if you're going to buy the truth, as we've heard during these meetings.
Vine is making it your very own.
You have to get it from scripture itself. Remember an older brother and.
Oak Park, when I first went there as a young person who said I cannot tell you where that place is.
He says if I believed it was anywhere else, I would not be here. But I he said I cannot tell you that you must get your directions from the Lord himself.
And subsequently if you get your directions from him.
And I get my directions from him. We are not going to be divided in two different places that are not in fellowship with each other.
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But I think this is so important and I want to really press it home to those who are younger.
As well as to all of us that we act because faith is not acting because some other brother has done so.
I may find encouragement from another brother, but faith always acts.
Because God has said faith is based on the word of God.
So it is imperative that you get your directions from the Lord.
Imperative that I do as well, and as a result there's going to be a fellowship.
It's going to be a result. Rather not an object to be looked to, but a result.
Of walking individually, each one in fellowship with the Lord Jesus. To me this is exceedingly precious.
Right down here at the end, when everything is in such a disastrous state of affairs.
The Lord Jesus gives this invitation. I'm at the door.
I'm knocking if any man hear my voice.
Open the door, I will come in. I will suck with him and he with me. That individual fellowship.
I really believe, brethren, that many times.
The difficulties that arise in our gatherings to the name of the Lord Jesus manifest that we are not walking on the individual level in fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
We can maintain for a time the outward public collective.
Show of things, but it's not going to last long.
If there's not that individual fellowship with the Lord Jesus and This is why I really feel it's so important that you and I be stirred in our souls to.
Cultivate fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
That takes time.
And it takes energy. You can't just.
Think that this is going to happen in the general flow of things? It's going to take time to get up to read your Bible.
To spend time in prayer, I have to confess that oftimes when I get down on my knee. Energy, brethren.
And this is what it's going to take. Don't wait for anybody else to do it. Don't say I'll do it when you do it.
No, they call us individual, from the Lord to your soul to my soul.
If any man hear my voice.
Have we heard His voice speaking to us in these meetings, brethren?
I trust I can say I have.
And opened the door.
Are you going to open the door to the Lord Jesus? Are you going to cultivate that individual fellowship with him? It's going to show in your life. If you're going to do that, there will be, as a result, fellowship with others who enjoy that individual fellowship with the Lord Jesus as well.
Just like to touch on one other point before.
Leaving this brethren, it was mentioned in the first meeting of the.
Father of Spirits and the Importance.
Of the right kind of spirit that we carry.
In these days that we live in.
I just would like to share a verse perhaps first of all in.
Luke's Gospel, Chapter 9.
Beginning with verse 46.
There arose a reasoning among them which of them should be greatest.
There's no wonderful brethren, that these things came out during the life of the Lord Jesus.
Because as in water face answers to face, so the heart of man to man. As we see these difficulties that came up amongst the Lord's disciples, we have to admit that there are a true reflection of our own hearts.
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There is this attitude, which of them should be counted the greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, and said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name, receiveth me. Whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me. For he that is least among you, all the same shall be great.
Verse 49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him.
Because he followed not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not, for he that is not against us is for us.
Just to point out here, brethren, the reference point in John's.
Comment here was not Christ, it was us.
Isn't this common often? Rather, I have to challenge my own soul again and again.
What is my reference point? Is it us?
To confess that many times that's the case in my own thinking.
But the Lord Jesus had to reprove John to correct him. Brethren, the reference point is not us. The reference point is Christ. It's Him.
Notice now in verse 51. And it came to pass when the time came.
Was come that he should be received up? He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.
And sent messengers before his face, and they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him.
And they did not receive him because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
When his disciples James and John saw this, they said Lord.
Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them as.
Even as Elias did. But he turned and rebuked them and said, Ye know not.
What spirit, What manner of spirit you are of?
Seemed like Peter or James and John here. Really felt.
The rebuke that it was to the Lord Jesus when they refused to receive him.
He was going through Samaria and they didn't want to receive him because he was going up to Jerusalem. There was always that rivalry between Samaria and Jerusalem.
And when they didn't receive him, James and John, I think, rightly felt.
The affront it was to the Lord Jesus.
That he wasn't received into their villages.
But what was wrong with the response, brethren?
They wanted to do. They even took their example from the Old Testament, from a prophet of God. Shall we do like Elias did?
That you know, brethren, so often the responses to something that is.
Not right.
The responses in spirit from our heart.
To something that is not right, manifest that our spirit is not right either.
And the Lord had to rebuke his disciples, even though they felt.
And rightly felt for him he had to rebuke them, saying ye know not what spirit you're Oh how important it is the spirit we carry in relation to the present ruin of the Christian testimony. Just like to go before I close to the Old Testament to two or three verses rather than that speak of.
The spirit that we need to cultivate.
In Isaiah chapter 57.
Verses that perhaps are well known. Not showing you anything new here, but just to share these with you.
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They really believe is proper spirit in view of.
The present.
State of ruin of the Christian testimony and the dishonor that has been brought on the name of the Lord Jesus.
Isaiah 57 verse 15 thus saith.
The high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place with him also, that is of a contrite.
And humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Isaiah 66.
Verse one and two. Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house that ye build me unto me? Where is the place of my rest?
For all those things hath mine hand made.
In all those things have been, saith the Lord. But to this man will I look even to him that is poor.
And of a contrite spirit.
Then trembleth at my word.
Dear brethren, this really speaks to my own soul.
Where is it that the Lord will look to him that is poor?
Don't preach, not pretentious, not like Laodicea who was self complacent.
Admittedly.
Needy, admittedly needful of the help of the Lord Jesus.
Poor.
And of a contrite spirit trembled at it by his word. You know, I really believe when there is this brokenness, this contrition of heart, there's not going to be brethren, discouragement.
A truly humbled person is not a discouraged person.
No, brethren, only the Lord can truly humble us, and He does humble us.
In his faithfulness. But remember, to be humbled doesn't mean to be discouraged necessarily, brethren.
Really believe that if we get into his presence, brokenness as to the state of God's people is what characterized a man, beloved man like Daniel, one like Nehemiah that we've heard of this afternoon.
In the first part of the book of Nehemiah, one like Ezra as well showed that.
Brokenness as to the people of God not to be discouraged. Brethren, we have everything to take courage about. The Scripture is full. Those divine principles that we've been meditating on have not changed. The foundation of God stands firm. The Spirit of God is with us. We have the precious word of God in our hands.
We can enjoy, we can lay hold of, by faith, that precious promise.
Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
We can lay hold of these things. We have everything to be encouraged about.
As we look around and see the ruin of things, we cannot ignore it, brethren.
The Lord give us then to walk in these last days in.
Humility of mind in contrition because.
Of the dishonor that has been brought on the name of the Lord Jesus by that which carries His name in these last days, may the Lord give us to cultivate that individual fellowship with Him, and then, as a result, to go on with those whom we may find are also cultivating that precious individual fellowship.
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Ephesians, chapter one.
Verse four. According as he had chosen nothing him.
Before the foundation of the world that we should be holy.
And with Oakley before him, in love.
All the Father is going to have us.
According to the eternal counsels, part of his family there in glory.
Holy without blame before him in love. Revelation 3.
Verse 21.
To him that overcometh.
Will I grant to sit with me in my throat either as I also overcame?
And I'm sat down with my Father in his throat. There. In spite of all our failure, Christ is going to have us, His bride, his consort, associated with himself. When he takes that throat, we reign with him, His bride, his consort, one with him.
Gospel
Gospel—R. Thonney
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You won this evening.
I will sing of my Redeemer.
Wondrous love to me.
And the cruel cross he suffered from the curse to set me free.
Sing, O sing of my Redeemer with his blood He purchased me on the cross. He sealed my pardon, paid the debt, and made me free.
Ah, he will sing of my Redeemer.
Let's pray.
Gracious Father, it's wonderful to be able to sing of our Redeemer.
Our blessed Lord Jesus.
Who died on the cross to save our souls?
Our purpose here this evening, gracious Father, is to speak of Him and of His love.
We don't know who in this crowd here this evening.
Knows him in truth, and who doesn't?
But Father?
As thou dost look down and see each one, let us know exactly where each one stands, and we would ask that if there is one person here.
Who doesn't know the Lord Jesus in truth?
That the outer shell of profession might be shattered, and that they might realize themselves deny holy Presence.
And realize that they have to do with Thee, and what a serious thing it is. And so we ask thy blessing upon Thy precious word, as is spoken this evening, not only here, but wherever the name of the Lord Jesus is pronounced as the Savior of sinners. We ask for blessing, Father.
And the liberty thy Spirit we ask in the name of our Lord Jesus.
Amen.
Let's see also number six.
God in mercy.
Send his son to a world by sin and done.
Jesus Christ was crucified.
Twas for sinners Jesus died.
Oh, the glory of the grace shining in the Savior's face, telling sinners from above. God is light and God is love.
God.
The last line of the chorus that we sang God is light.
And God is love. Tremendous truths of the gospel message.
That never growled simple words.
Each one monosyllable words still the truth.
That we find.
In these two short statements that are really from scripture.
In the first epistle of John is tremendous God.
Is light and God is love. Oh, tremendous truth. To get a hold of in our souls. I'd like to turn to John's Gospel chapter one to begin with this evening.
To speak about the person of the Savior, our Lord Jesus, as we often say in South American preaching the gospel.
We have not come to preach religion. We have come.
To speak of a person, no religion can save anybody. Only Christ can say he is the Savior. He is the one who died. He is the one who paid his precious blood to purchase redemption. And it is a question of dealing with the person of the Lord Jesus. You know, sometimes I find it easier preaching the gospel to people who have never heard the good message.
Than I do to congregations like this here. I think everyone here in this room.
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As we were singing, I looked over the crowd. But I don't think there's one year who has never heard the message of the gospel.
It's harder, perhaps, to speak to a congregation like this. I remember down in.
Oaxaca. Not in Oaxaca, but in the state of Durango in Mexico, Speaking in the town of Los Reyes to a group of people who had congregated in the front porch of a home where we preached the gospel.
There were not enough chairs for everybody. They were standing around, some squatting.
Still remember an older man squatting there with his pistol on his hip.
And he listened pretty well the end of the meeting, he said.
I thought this was bad stuff. This is good.
This is good. That was his only comment. Let me tell you, it's easy to tell the gospel message to a person like that. That's listening. But here in the United States of America, it is rare, especially in a group of people like we have here this evening, to find a person who has never heard the gospel message. But the tremendous serious reality is that there are probably.
People here who make a profession of being believers in the Lord Jesus and have never accepted Him as their Savior.
And who are on at this present moment their road to a lost eternity, to be spent in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels?
With the God, we could wake you up tonight to the awful reality it's going to be.
But it's happened too often. It happened when our Lord Jesus Christ was here in this world.
One of her 12 apostles who went around with Jesus in his public ministry down here, who preached, who did miracles, evidently who cast out demons.
Was not real and is burning in hell tonight.
The Lord Jesus knew about it.
None of the other disciples.
Seem to understand it.
And when the Lord Jesus said, one of you shall betray me?
Nobody seemed to know who it was. Nobody seemed to know who the traitor was.
As I look around here I see you all pretty nicely dressed and all have an outward smile and cordial and nice.
But I want to tell you that God is dealing not with the outward. God is dealing with what's inside. And if you're not real with God tonight, leave off the sham.
Far better to be real with God and let.
Know what is really on the inside.
A little over a year ago, in a conference in Bolivia, in the area of the country where we used to reside, a young fellow came up to me after the conference and said I'd like to for you to come over to visit where I'm staying. After the meeting, went over there and he and his family.
Were there, he and his wife, they wanted to talk and he said, you know, I was raised in the meeting. I was baptized. I was breaking bread. But I want you to know I wasn't saved and I want to get saved. I want to make sure I'm right tonight.
He and his wife.
Bent their knees to the Lord Jesus that evening.
I don't know.
If there was anything real before that, but that was his testimony, I just want to say that.
To encourage any of you who have made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus.
But you know it's empty on the inside.
You know that you haven't accepted the Lord Jesus.
Face up to the facts tonight. Don't try to put anymore face on the matter.
When you know it's empty inside.
Come to the Lord Jesus.
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He's waiting for you. He wants to fill that heart of your soul full. You can't contain it all. That's the kind of God we have. He's not a God that's trying to deprive you of something. He's a God that wants to fill your soul so full that you're just going to positively have to overflow. That's the kind of God we're speaking about tonight. Let's read the first few verses of this book of John.
To me it's so majestic. Just think this was penned by a poor, ignorant, unlettered fisherman. Think of the majesty of the Word of God that was given through this man. 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 men.
The tremendous beauty of these words. We want to speak of Jesus tonight.
The Savior, the Son of God, the one who wears the title that we have in this first verse.
Called the Word of God.
When I have a thought in my mind.
That I want to express to you. I have to use words so that you understand what I'm thinking.
God is light and God is love, but unless God reveals himself.
He is so great in his being that there would be no way that we could know God.
But Jesus is the word of God. He is the full expression.
Of all that God is, do you want to know God?
Get to know Jesus and you will know God in every sense of the word.
In the beginning was the Word his eternity, and the Word was with God, his distinct personality.
In the deity and the Word was God. His deity, Jesus is God in every sense of the word.
The same was in the beginning with God.
It wasn't something that He began to be at a certain time. No, He always was. He is the eternal Son of God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. He is the creator of all things. Nothing that has its being by creation was made apart from Him.
He made it all. There is a false doctrine.
In this world that says that Jesus was the first of God's creation and then he created all the rest. If that were so, verse three would not be true.
The fact of the matter is, the truth of the matter is.
That Jesus was not created.
He was the creator of all things. He must necessarily then be before all things.
Verse four says in him was life and the life.
Was the light of men. Oh, this is beautiful.
The life was the light of men. His very presence as the Lord Jesus passed amongst men was a light that exposed everything. Yes friend, God is light and God is love, and light is that which makes everything manifest.
You're here in the light of this room tonight, and I can see everything about you.
In an exterior way, but the Lord Jesus not only sees everything exterior about you, He knows you through and through.
Neither is there anything that is not manifest in His presence.
For all things are naked and open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
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You cannot hide from him, friend. You cannot.
You may have secrets. You may think that there's somebody that that there's nobody that knows what you actually have done. There's one who knows your life through and through. You will not escape from Him. You must come face to face with your Creator and the person of the Lord Jesus. Sooner or later. There is no way to escape that encounter.
Well, I'd like to go on down the.
Chapter here a little bit, verse 14.
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
Here is the incarnation of the Lord Jesus.
He didn't begin his existence at this time.
No, He was the ever existent, 1 The eternal Son in the bosom of the Father.
And yet the time came when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Just think of this. To me, it's tremendous.
To meditate on the fact when the Lord Jesus came into this world, it says in verse.
Ten he was in the world, and the world was made by him.
And the world knew him not.
When he was born into the world in Bethlehem, there was no room for him in the end.
There he had to be born where the animals are cared for.
Who is this one?
It's the creator of the universe. Oh, the marvel of it. And as Mother wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a Manger, just to think of him there, the creator of the universe.
Lay in that Manger at the same time he was laying as a being, a physical human being in that Manger. He was controlling the universe and its extension by the word of his power. No wonder wise men, when they saw him, worshipped him. No wonder.
Friend, I worship him. Do you worship him?
And then?
Says he dwelt among us. Just to think of that he dwelt among us.
God, there was a man.
A flesh and blood.
Here in this world.
Who was God in every sense of the word? Nobody seemed to understand. Not only not only even His disciples seemed to grasp the tremendous reality of who He was. Remember when they were in that ship crossing the sea? The Lord Jesus was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow.
Does God go to sleep?
You know he doesn't.
But the Lord Jesus was man in every sense of the word, and as man he swept.
Could that boat sink with the creator of the universe on it?
Absolutely impossible.
And so those poor disciples, I'm afraid, quite a bit like myself.
They got scared when the waves filled the boat.
That happens to me too.
I get scared of life sometimes.
But there was the Lord Jesus, and they came and they woke him up.
And they said, Master, we perish.
He stands up and he stills the winds and the waves. What did they say?
Kind of man is this, that even the winds and the waves obey him?
What else can you expect from the creator of the universe? And yet they didn't seem to grasp the mighty power, the greatness of that person that was walking through their midst in human form.
00:20:03
Oh friend, that's the person we're talking about tonight, and our desire is that your eyes might be opened.
As to the grandeur, the glory of this Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, oh the marvel of it, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father.
Full of grace and truth. In this beautiful full of grace and truth we mentioned at the beginning of the meeting, God is light and God is love. Grace is the expression of the truth that God is love.
Truth is the expression that God is the.
Expression of the truth that God is light.
And in the Lord Jesus, there was the perfect balance. Oh, I have to confess, friends.
That I'm not very well balanced. No human being is, for that matter.
But here was a man.
Amongst men who was completely perfect.
They could find no fly in him. He was full of grace and truth. How often I tend to one side or another. Maybe I'm full of grace and I forget about truth. Maybe I profess to be full of truth and I forget about grace. That's the way we are friends. But here's one who is completely perfect.
Full of grace and truth.
Verse 15 John bear witness of him, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I spake. He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me.
We know that the Lord Jesus.
In this natural birth.
Of the Virgin Mary was approximately 6 months.
Younger than John the Baptist, but John the Baptist recognizing.
Somewhat of the grandeur of this person, says he that cometh.
After me is preferred before me for he was before me.
He recognized in the Lord Jesus something, someone.
Not a mere man, someone who is eternal in his existence, the Son of God, as he says later down in the chapter verse 16. And of his fullness have all we received in grace for grace. Notice verse 17. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. The law was a principle upon.
Which man could try for God's blessing on the grounds of obedience? It was conditional blessing. It was conditional upon his compliance with the Law. You know its totality.
You could not break one commandment of it if one kept the whole law.
And broke one of the commandments. He became guilty of all.
That was one principle upon which man could seek for God's blessing.
That absolutely no one could.
Gain God's favor in that way now God, after having tested man.
Under the law, remember, their law wasn't.
Defective. The law was good and perfect.
There was nothing wrong with the law, only the law showed that they.
Defect, the imperfection, was on man's part. It was a mirror to show man his sin, his iniquity.
But now God has set that principle aside, and in the coming of the Lord Jesus there is a completely different principle involved now.
Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Oh, the tremendous truth of this verse. The law was given by Moses.
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Grace and truth.
Came by Jesus grace. Not only grace, not only truth, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.
Ye hath declared him.
I'd like to go now into the book of John briefly to two cases.
Of persons who met with the Lord Jesus and how the Lord Jesus, I marvel how he treated each case as it came.
No rules but these tremendous principles of the Gospel.
Grace and truth were ever evident in the way He dealt with each soul as they came.
I marvel at the souls that were attracted to Jesus.
Did that mean he overlooked their sin, that he made light of their sin? Absolutely not.
There was truth there, in the fullest sense of the word, as well as grace.
Let's go to 3rd, 3rd chapter of John John's Gospel.
Here we have a man who is a religious man, a man who is a man of stature amongst his people.
Nicodemus.
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher came from God.
For no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I send to thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered. Verily, verily, I sin to thee.
Except the man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit.
His spirit marvel not that I said unto thee, must be born again.
Here's a man, as we said, who was a ruler amongst his people, a religious man. The Pharisees were known for their strictness in the Jewish religion. And he comes to Jesus by night, doesn't say why he came by night. We can suppose perhaps that he didn't want to be seen. And maybe there's people that don't want to be known as Christians before their friends.
That Nicodemus, even though it was dark all around.
Came to the man who was light in himself.
He was the light of the world.
He was the expression of the truth that God is light and everything must be exposed in the presence of this one. So the Lord, So Nicodemus begins to talk, and it sounds like nice religious talk that he starts out. It's all true in its place, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher. Come from God, for no man can do these miracles.
Thou dost accept God, be with him. Pretty good start there, Nicodemus, but the Lord Jesus.
Says with one word.
In effect.
Nicodemus, all your religion, all your stature.
Is not going to help you one iota if you want to enter God's Kingdom.
You must start right at the start.
All your religious education means nothing.
And I want to say here to those of you who have been brought up in Christian homes, that's where Nicodemus had to go right back to step one.
He had to be dealt with about the principle of being.
Born again Everyone here this evening has been born once.
00:30:01
The question is, have you been born again?
Once is not enough to enter God's Kingdom, you must be born again. Nicodemus couldn't understand this. He says how can that be? And the Lord Jesus explains it briefly in verse five. He says except the man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
It's interesting.
The Apostle Peters statement in his first epistle.
In the first chapter he says being born again, not of corruptible seed.
But of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
That's the water. You must be born by water.
And the Spirit and the Spirit of God is present here this evening to take the Word of God and to press it home to your heart and conscience.
Young person.
Children.
Are you letting God's Word penetrate into your heart?
Are you holding it at arm's length? You know?
You don't have to try to fool yourself if you're holding God at arm's length.
You may know all the answers, but you're not going to be able to enter God's Kingdom that way. Absolutely not.
You must be born again.
And it is when the word of God penetrates into the heart.
And it is believed that God gives.
New life, That's the way God does it. Faith comes.
By hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Further down in this chapter, the Lord Jesus says in verse 14 as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.
Even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Isn't that beautiful?
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
Oh my friend, God is a God of love.
And the Lord Jesus, in faithfulness to Nicodemus, had let the light shine into that life to show him that he wasn't ready.
That he had to get back to square one. That he must be born again.
But now the Lord Jesus also shows the love of God.
Oh, what a God we have, a God that loves.
And all how he loves.
God so loved the world.
That he gave his only begotten Son. You know, it's awfully easy to talk about love.
It's awful easy to say I love you.
But true love?
Is not so much something that's spoken as something that's shown. And how is it shown? Through sacrifice. Oh, it cost God terribly to love us. It costs God terribly. It cost him his only son. When I think of the love I have to my own sin sons, and I think of how they took Jesus.
To Calvary, how they nailed those nails through his hands and his feet.
How they beat him in the face. How they crowned him with thorns.
How they plowed across his back with that Roman whip.
I say, why didn't God intervene? Didn't he love that son of his? Oh, my friend, He loved him. But let me tell you, God.
So loved the world.
That he gained his only begotten son. He gave him all the way friends. He didn't allow man to treat him bad a certain distance and then says OK, that's enough, no.
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They killed him. They killed the Prince of Life. That's what scripture says.
Oh, to God, we have God's son, the world. That's the God we're talking about.
That's the God that loves you, that wants to fill you, that life of yours.
With so much joy that you can't hold to the end any longer.
The Lord Jesus here, and Speaking of this, refers to Moses.
In the wilderness, lifting up a serpent.
And many of you will remember the story of that serpent in the wilderness when there were poisonous snakes.
In amongst the people biting them, and they were dying. Why, when they finally cried to Moses, Moses was instructed to make a serpent of brass, and to set it up on a pole in the midst of the camp. And they were to look to that serpent of brass. And as soon as they looked, in obedience to the word, look at the serpent of brass, they were healed.
You were saved and the Lord Jesus is laying this out as a picture, as a figure of what He himself was to do. Even so, must the Son of Man be lifted up? What was he talking about? He was talking about the cross of Christ, the cross of Calvary, where he was lifted up, nailed on that cross.
Why the serpent began.
Friend, in the Old Testament the serpent had a curse put on it, and when Jesus hung on that cross of Calvary, he was made a curse for us.
God laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. In all. God's holy righteous judgment fail in all its fury on the head of my safe.
He bore my sins in his own body on the tree.
He took the punishment for it all.
Before he died, he said, it is finished.
All the judgment that was against me as a guilty Sinner is gone.
Spanish, the work is done.
Jesus bowed his head. He died.
A soldier came up that hill and pierced his side, and out flowed blood and water. It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. Without shedding of blood there is no remission. The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanses from all sin.
Oh, the works done.
God was so satisfied, so glorified by the work of the Lord Jesus.
That he raised him from the dead the third day.
Jesus.
Lives, lives in the glory of God.
Mighty to save. He's looking down at you right now. I don't know if you've made it real with God. The challenge that I want to present to you tonight, friend, is this. Are you ready to meet him?
Are you ready? Have you dealt with God about the question of your sins?
I'd like to go over to John chapter 8 briefly to deal.
To see the case of a woman who met with Jesus as well.
Verse one.
Jesus went into the Mount of Olives, and early in the morning he came again unto the temple.
Then all the people came unto him, and he sat down and taught them.
In the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery.
And when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act.
Now Moses and the Law commanded us that such should be stoned.
But what says thou?
This they said, tempting him that they might have to accuse him.
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But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them.
He that is without sin among you.
Him first cast a stone at her, and again he stooped down and rode on the ground, and they.
Which heard it being convicted by their own conscience, went out 1 by 1.
Beginning at the eldest, even unto the last. And Jesus was left.
Alone and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself and saw none but the woman, he said unto her.
Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?
She said no man, Lord.
Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of light.
Here we have a case of a woman.
The first case we talked about was a man, but whether a man or a woman, the need is the same.
But here is this poor woman who has taken in an act of adultery in the very act. Think of the shame of it.
Being dragged right into the temple and set in the midst.
These awful religious hypocrites, why didn't they bring the man to? They only brought the woman. But that's the way religion is. It looks at one side, it doesn't look at it objectively. And they only brought that poor woman. Wretched woman, awful sin. It is the sin of adultery. It's a very common sin in today's world.
And the tendency is to look rather lightly on this sin of adultery.
But they drugged that poor woman into the midst miserable.
Or what? There's Jesus.
The Savior of sinners. Now they think we've caught Him.
He preaches forgiveness of sins.
That Moses in the law said that we should stone.
Such as these, What do you say?
Beautiful the way the Lord handles the situation. Remember, He was completely perfect.
He was never stumped. I would have been, I'm afraid.
But not he.
He doesn't answer. He Stoops down and writes in the ground.
And they keep on asking him and finally he gets up.
And notice he does not answer their question.
He answers their conscience.
Oh, in this important.
He's going to let the light shine. That poor woman was guilty. There was number.
Question about it. They had taken her in the very act of adultery. No question about it.
But if he's going to condemn her?
If he's going to stone her, everyone of those men must be stoned.
Their marriage laws were very loose in those days and they were all probably guilty of the same matter.
And so Jesus.
Doesn't answer their question, He answers their conscience. You know you have a conscience that tells you the truth of the word of God.
That is telling you that you've got sin that's not dealt with.
Don't try to quiet the voice of conscience. God has put that voice within your breasts.
To warn you.
And so he says, when he rises up, he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her, and then he began writing again on the ground. And it says they, being convicted by their own conscience, went out 1 by 1.
Beginning at the eldest, and even unto the last. And notice the end of verse.
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Nigh extremely beautiful moment.
Jesus was left alone.
Than the woman standing in the midst.
Think of that. Have you ever been alone with your creator God?
Have you ever dealt with the matter of your sin with Him?
The Lord Jesus was the only one without sin.
He was the only one who had the right to pick up the stone and the Stoner.
But what is his question to her woman? Where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemning?
Is Jesus going to condemn her? Her sin is to be condemned, no doubt about it. Serious, serious sin.
But we read, God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.
But that the world through him, might be saved.
And hear his word when she says, No man, Lord Jesus saith unto her, Neither do I condemn thee. Go that symbol.
The Lord Jesus, what mercy, what love, and yet at the same time what truth.
He didn't make light of that awful sin that she had committed.
He let the light shine and it shined so brightly.
In the hearts and minds of those religious hypocrites that they're, everyone of them had to go out. They couldn't stand the brilliance of that light. They had to leave.
There was that poor woman.
And he says, neither do I condemn. Was he making light of her sin? No, for that sin He was going to Calvary. He was going to pay the punishment for that awful sin in all its fury to God.
He wasn't going to make light of that sin. God cannot pass sin by lightly. Impossible.
But God in his love.
Gave her, not only did he forgive her, he gave her the word to go and to sin the more because when someone comes to Jesus, he gets a new life, a life that does not sin. It's the life we get through new birth. It's a life that delights to please God. That's the sin. That's the life that we have now that does not like to sin. Any luck?
And if you've come to the Lord Jesus, you have a life.
That does not like to sin.
That's the truth of the matter.
All the tremendous truth that we have in the Lord Jesus, how perfectly He met up with each one.
We could continue through the Gospel of John. It's a tremendous gospel to see how he met with each one and he always met them. In that perspective, God is like and God is love.
But before we close, I just want to give a word of warning.
God is light and God is love.
If you refuse.
You still must meet him.
There is no way that you can escape meeting.
Face to face with a person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Either you meet him as your savior, or you will have to deal with Him as your judge.
It is now to bow your knee to Jesus there, right where you're sitting.
To open your heart to accept Him as your savior, to deal with Him.
Now.
Or it is in the coming day of judgment.
God cannot let your sin go by. And if you refuse?
The salvation that God has provided through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You will meet God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In that coming day of judgment.
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When he sets on the throne of his glory.
All nations will be gathered before him. Or if perhaps.
You should die before that judgment day arrives. You will stand.
Before that great white throne in awful judgment and have to deal with God about the question of your sins.
It says the books were opened.
And everyone was judged according to that which was written in the books.
According to their works, yes, God has all the records straight. You may have forgotten, but God has them all straight.
And then it says there was another book, the Book of Life, and he that was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
It is our responsibility to warn you of the terrible consequences of.
Rejecting the Lord Jesus with all our hearts. We who are believers want to say to anyone who may not be a believer here this evening.
Don't put it off any longer.
Bow right where you're sitting, bow in your heart to Jesus. 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.
Gracious Father, thanks so much for thy precious word.
For the simplicity of it.
And our concern, Father, again we repeat to thee.
For those in this room.
Who haven't made it real in their own souls.
We ask Thee that they might not wait any longer, but we know that that Judgment Day is near. We ask thee that thy Spirit might strive with such person. We ask Thy blessing and the worthy name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
Gospel
Gospel—J. Hyland
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I'd like to start this evening with him #14 Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb? Are you washed in the blood in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the lamb? Hymn #14. Will someone please start it?
Are you watching? Maybe I can stay there when it's like, why you watching the world?
Here, and it's all men in the crazy life like you washed in the blood of the land.
Let us know why you are in the blood.
We have no right to come and get a rose. You like you and why there's no blood on the earth.
Where you're all here and it was a dangerous.
We ask God's help. We thank Thee, our loving God and Father for the Lord Jesus Christ.
We thank thee for that Savior who is there at thy right hand. We thank thee that there is one who has died and shed His precious blood.
To wash our sins away. And we think of this solemn question that we have sung together. Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? And we pray that if there's someone here tonight, and they have never availed themselves of the cleansing power of the precious blood of Jesus, that tonight they may be, they may turn to thee and to thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That their sins might be forgiven and washed away forever in that precious blood. We look to thee tonight for blessing. As we open Thy word, we think of each one here We know that thou just look down into the heart.
And thou knowest the need of each one in this audience. We pray that if there's someone here.
Who, having heard the story many times, is still on that broad Rd. that leads to destruction.
Still not washed in the blood of the lamb, we pray that tonight they might say yes to thine invitation to come to the Savior.
And receive the forgiveness of sins. And so we look to thee for help. We pray that there might be a real work of thy spirit in this room tonight.
As Thy Word is read that it might touch the heart and conscience of each one who is still in their sins, we pray too, that those of us who know Jesus as our Savior might be refreshed and encouraged. As we hear again the sweet story of Thy love and grace, we pray for Thy Word wherever it's going forth.
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We thank thee that tonight it's going forth in many places and by many means, and we pray that the seed sown.
Might bear fruit for thy glory and honor, and for the eternal blessing of souls. So we look to thee. We ask thy blessing.
And we ask it with Thanksgiving in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our precious Savior.
Amen. I'd like to begin this evening by reading two questions from God's Word.
The first one is found in job chapter 14.
Job chapter 14 and verse 10.
But man dieth, and waste of the way, yeah man giveth up the ghost.
And where is he? And then I'd like to read another question in the New Testament, Matthew 27.
Matthew 27 and verse 22 Pilate saith unto them.
What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called?
Christ. Well, I sometimes like to begin a gospel hour such as this.
By reading a question from God's Word, because I believe that God asks us many, many questions in His word.
And when God asks us a question, it makes it very, very personal. And that's the way I'd like us to see the gospel tonight. And as you sit in your seat this evening, if you don't know Jesus as your savior, if you have not been able to sing from your heart concerning the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus, I'd like you to realize this evening that the gospel is personal. God tonight is speaking to you. God loves you as an individual.
We're just specks in God's great creation, and yet God looks down into this hall tonight.
And he sees you as an individual. He knows your great need.
And oh, if you're lost and in your sins tonight, you do have a great need, A need that only the Lord Jesus can meet tonight. You can't do one thing to rid yourself of your sins tonight. There's nothing that I did to rid myself of my sins. I'm thankful that I can say on the authority of God's Word that I'm washed in the blood of the lamb tonight, but it's nothing that I did. It's a work of God. It's a work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary's cross.
And tonight he looks down and he sees you. He sees me. He loves you tonight if you're lost in your sins.
And he wants to meet your need. He wants to wash those sins away in his precious blood. God has provided, thank God a remedy for sin. Tonight there's a cure for the disease that affects everyone born into this world. Because every one of us are born as sinners. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And the wages of sin is death.
I don't think there's anyone would argue with that with me tonight on that point. We don't have to drive very far in our automobiles to find the effects of death and sin on every hand. You drive by a graveyard very frequently. You drive by a hospital very, very often. You perhaps often visit in a nursing home. You see the effects of sin and that which was brought in by man's disobedience. And we know the story well.
Adam was placed in that beautiful garden. Everything for his enjoyment and happiness was provided by God himself.
But God said there was one thing that Adam was not to do, and that was to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because God said.
In the day when thou eatest of it, thou shalt surely die.
God wasn't fooling, was he?
When God speaks, He speaks the truth and all. As God speaks to us tonight, let us realize that it's the truth that God is faithful. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. God is faithful. I don't know why you've come to this gospel meeting tonight. Perhaps you were invited by someone. Perhaps your parents brought you.
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Perhaps you have come tonight because the other young people are here, but whatever, for whatever reason you have come tonight, I know one thing.
That God has allowed you to come tonight so that you'll have one more opportunity to be saved. That's the proof of the love that's in his heart. Oh, I wish I could tell you tonight how much God loves you. But oh, may tonight the love of God so melt your heart that you'll turn to the Savior. Because this is a solemn question where we began here. And I say God often raises very solemn and searching questions in His word. In fact, I believe it's interesting and significant.
That the first words addressed to man after he sinned in the garden were in the form of a question. God walked in the garden in the cool of the day. Adam had failed to recognize his responsibility towards God by reaching out and taking that which he was forbidden to eat of. And God walks, and he calls to Adam, and he says, Adam, where art thou? Oh, I trust that that question will burn into your soul tonight. If you don't know Jesus as your savior, where art thou?
Are you still in your sins tonight? The Lord Jesus is seeking for you. God is desiring your blessing tonight.
He says where art thou? He wanted to bring Adam to himself. Adam had separated himself by sin.
But oh God was desirous of Adam's blessing. And Adam of God did bless Adam on that occasion. It's true he had to bring in judgment because of Adam's sin and death passed upon all men. For that all have sinned by one man's disobedience, sin entered, and death by sin. But oh God in his grace on that very occasion provided a covering for Adam. God is providing a remedy tonight. He's providing salvation.
The blood of Jesus is still able to cleanse from every sin. The garments of salvation are available to those who come with all their need, like the prodigal son. Own that need. Own that. Guilt and all he's ready to forgive and to bless. But here's a solemn question, man. Dia and wasteth away. Yeah, men giveth up the ghost and where is he?
I want to speak for a moment to those of us who are younger in this room tonight. To the boys and to the girls and to the young people that are here, those who have heard the gospel so many times and two young people were heard to say just before a gospel meeting like this, well, it's just another gospel meeting. It will probably end around 8:00. It probably will end around 8:00. But no gospel meeting is just another gospel meeting.
It is God's grace and love reaching out to you. It is a thrill to our souls to be able to speak.
Of God's provision through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
But you have come to this Gospel meeting like you have come to many before.
But I wonder, I wonder, as you sit here tonight, and as we have God's word before us.
If you knew with certainty that this was your last gospel meeting, that this was your last opportunity to be saved, I wonder if it would make a difference tonight. I wonder if you would be so concerned about the person beside you. I wonder if you would listen a little more intently tonight. If you knew that you were going to go out of this building around 8:00 and that it would be your last opportunity that never again would you sit in a gospel meeting. Let me tell you about a young man.
First cousin of my wife's, He lived in a place called Lark Harbor, Newfoundland and Lark Harbor Newfoundland is a very beautiful setting. You look behind you and there are the mountains. You look in front of you and there's the sea. You look down the hill and there's that beautiful little village at the foot of the hill by the sea and the water rolls in. The clouds blow across the sky. It is a beautiful setting and for many years there has been a gospel tent pitched.
In Lark Harbor, Newfoundland, than these souls in that area have heard over the years of the love of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. But there was a young man there some years ago. His name was Bud Byrne, and Bud Byrne had come several times to the Gospel meetings, but he was indifferent to his soul's need. He felt he was young, he felt the vitality of youth. He felt he had a lot of time and he wanted to do some living.
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And he knew that if he got saved, there would be a reproach connected with it in a small community like that.
Because I'm sure he looked at those who had been saved and those who were rejoicing in Christ, and he had seen what they had suffered in that small, close knit community. But one night Bud Byrne came to the gospel tent. He listened with somewhat of an indifferent attitude to the gospel and someone spoke faithfully to him at the door and they said, Bud, what about your soul? He said, I have lots of time, I'm going to live a little before I get saved.
A couple of days later, he and his friend got into a Dory and they rode out into the Humber arm. And as you look out over that community, you see the Humber arm in the mouth of the Atlantic.
He got into that, they got into their Dory, they rode out some ways to do some cod jigging and as can sometimes happen on the coast, a storm came up very quickly.
Several weeks later they found Bud Byrne's body. They never did find the body of his friend.
There was a young man who had lots of time, a young man who thought he had a lot of opportunity.
And at that funeral, the man that took that funeral, it broke my heart.
He spoke of Brother Bud. He spoke of how Bud was in heaven.
Oh, let's not be deceived.
Man Dieth and wasteth away. Yeah, men giveth up the ghost. And where is he?
I don't know what happened in those final moments of Bud Byrne's life.
But I know this.
That that night was his last night to hear the gospel.
And as far as I know, he rejected that faithful word. And oh, I look into the faces of those who have heard it so many times and those who perhaps feel that they will hear it again and again. But oh, I want to warn you, this may be your last opportunity. God may not speak to you again, because God has spoken to you many times, and God speaketh once, yeah, twice.
Thank God he speaks more than that, but he doesn't promise to speak more than twice. And yet man perceiveth it not. How many gospel meetings have you sat in? How many times have you heard the word of God read? How many times has someone pleaded with you to be saved and to come to the Lord Jesus Christ? I don't imagine many of us could count the number of times we have heard the gospel, not just in a setting like this, but some of us from the earliest days of our childhood.
Our fathers and our mothers opened the word of God. Perhaps our grandfathers or our grandmothers open the word of God and read to us. And we're faithful. Just like Timothy. He had a faithful mother and a faithful grandmother who brought the word of God before him. And perhaps you have had that. But I wonder. I wonder tonight if you're truly saved. Are you washed in the blood of the lamb? Man dieth and wasteth away. Yeah, men giveth up the ghost. And where is he?
Where would you be tonight if you were to close those eyes in death tonight? Or if the Lord Jesus was to come and give that shout and call every believer from this world? Where would you be tonight?
Sometimes up in Maine, when we speak to the boys and girls, we try to impress upon them.
The need of being saved not just while they're young, but being saved now.
And we try to impress upon them what it will mean when the Lord Jesus comes and calls the Christians to himself. And we try to tell them that if they're sitting in a meeting like this and listening to the man preaching the gospel, that if the Lord Jesus were to come, the preacher would be gone. The person beside them might be gone. The person that drove the van and brought them to that gospel meeting would be gone. And they would look around and see all those empty seats.
Of people who are gone and they would know what happened and they'd say, well that's what the man was telling us about.
That's why they came back summer after summer and told us about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is there someone in this room?
And if the Lord Jesus were to come before 7:30?
You would look around, mother and father gone, the preacher gone.
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You would know what happened.
I've often said, but I find it a very solemn thing in reading of the life of Elijah when he was taken away to heaven in a whirlwind. Who was it that missed Elijah? It was the sons of the prophets. They were the ones that missed him. It wasn't what we, shall we say, the general public, but it was the sons of the prophets, and I think of the sons and daughters of praying parents and grandparents in this room tonight, because if the Lord Jesus were to come, you would look around.
And you would know what happened. You would miss mother and father. You would miss those that of your friends, those that you have enjoyed a happy time with this weekend. Oh, I beg of you, I beg of you tonight. If you don't know Jesus as your savior, maybe this question burn into your soul. And where is he? Where would you be tonight? Eternity is a reality. Man tries to tell himself that when he draws that final breath, he dies as a dog.
Because if man can tell himself that, then he has no responsibility to God. But you know, I believe that there really are no atheists in this world, because while man may put on a front and a bravado, he knows deep down in his soul that he must do with God. God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.
I remember an incident that took place some years ago, but it's as fresh in my memory as if it just happened.
I stood by the bedside of a dear old Saint of God as she drew those final breaths.
Her journey here was ended. She was on in her 80s and she was looking forward to seeing her blessed Savior, whom she loved and had known for many years.
And I stood there as I saw that peace and calm sweep over her face. A few last breaths and a glad smile, and I knew she was home, and I was thankful that she was.
But as I stood there and looked into that face of peace, knowing that there was another St. of God safe home in the glory.
I remembered well a man in that hospital on that hospital floor just a few nights before.
And he had come to the end of his life. He was a fine, respected man in the town of Smiths Falls.
He was one who was charitable. He was one who was recognized as being helpful in the community and having contributed to the town of Smiths Falls. And he also had come to the end of his life. But he had come to the end of his life not knowing Christ. And oh, I'll never forget, as he drew those last final breaths, as he entered eternity and realized that there was something beyond this life.
The whales and the cries that rent that hospital floor I'll never forget.
What a difference. What would it be for you tonight? You know the Bible, which spans a period of time of about 4000 years. It only tells of 1 deathbed confession, and that's the thief on the cross. It tells of 1 so that none may despair because there have been those who have come in the 11Th hour. Thank God.
But it only tells of 1 S that you, my friend, might not presume.
That you will have an opportunity in the 11Th hour, God's Word very faithfully declares.
Now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day.
Of salvation. And I read this other question in the New Testament.
And here is the blessed Lord Jesus. He had come in lowliness and grace.
He had walked through this world. He had come to show out the heart of his father. And what was the heart of his father?
It was a heart full of love and grace. It was a heart desiring the blessing.
Of mankind. You know when a gospel meeting is called like this.
If people in the city of Saint Louis just knew how much God loved them.
If they knew how much God desired their blessing when a gospel meeting like this is called.
Rooms wouldn't be able to contain the people that would want to hear. Why does man stay away? Why does he close the pages of this book? Why does he say I don't want to hear about the Lord Jesus? Because he thinks God is a God who delights in judgment because he doesn't enter into the heart of God. He has little conception of the blessing and the desire that's in the heart of God for mankind. Oh, just.
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Story of the Lord Jesus, his life as he walked through this world, as the man of sorrows, as he walked through this world. Desiring the blessing of those people, he could say that he desired to draw them to himself. How OFT would I have gathered thee? As a hen gathereth, or brood under her wing? And he would not. He wanted the blessing of those people that he had come to minister to.
And yet they wouldn't have him. It says He came unto his own, That is the Jewish nation, and his own received him not, but all to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God. He desires to make you his child this evening. He wants to draw you to himself. He wants to bless you. Sometimes when the gospel is presented, people think of what they will have to give up.
If they come to the Lord Jesus, there's only one thing you'll give up, and that's your sins.
Oh, do you want forgiveness of sins? Do you feel the burden of your sin tonight? Because you know, really, if you don't feel the burden of your sin tonight.
You're not going to receive the blessing that God has no the Lord, Jesus said himself.
They that are whole need not a physician, but they are they that are sick, he said. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. If you don't feel you're sick, you're not going to seek the advice of a doctor. But oh, when you realize that you are sick and you realize there's nothing you can do to cure your illness, then you seek the help of one who who is trained in that profession. Oh, tonight. Do you realize that you're a Sinner? Then drew near all the publicans and sinners.
To hear him. It wasn't those who felt they were self-sufficient. It wasn't those who thought they had something in themselves to merit favor before God. It was the publicans, It was the sinners. It was those that felt their need. Oh, I trust there's someone here tonight and you're going to feel your need, but you realize that you're you're helpless, that you're a Sinner, that there's nothing you can do to rid yourself of those sins.
And that you're going to turn to the Lord Jesus.
The Lord Jesus walked through this world in lowliness and grace.
They wouldn't have him from the very beginning. There was no room for him in the inn. There was an occasion when they came, and they tried to cast him over the brow of a hill, but his hour was not come. They sought to get rid of him from the very beginning, and then the hour of Calvary approaches and he they are allowed to take him. They bring him to pilots judgment hall. They mocked the precious Savior.
They spit in his blessed face. They platted a crown of thorns on his blessed head.
They smote him with a Reed. Does that touch your heart? To think of the Sustainer of the universe? The one who, while he stood there and allowed those men to slap his face, he held their very breath in his hand. The one who ordered all the planets, the one by whom all things subsist.
And yet he allowed that very thing that had once come from his hand in creation and been pronounced very good was the very instrument that God allowed to meet out that kind of treatment to His beloved Son.
And pilsify him, as they say in their hearts. We will not have this man to reign over us.
A solemn question is raised, a question that I believe you need to answer tonight.
What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?
This is the issue at stake tonight. You know the way of salvation. You've heard it many times.
You know that Christ is the Savior of sinners you've joined in the singing of that precious hymn. Christ is the Savior of sinners. Christ is the Savior for me. When you sing that hymn, do you sing it from your heart? Or is it just some words that you sing because they're there on the hymn sheet and because Mother and Father and everyone else in the room join in the singing of that hymn? But can you truly say that Christ is the Savior for me?
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Can you put your name in there? I said at the beginning of this meeting that the gospel is personal.
It's individual. It's for you tonight, you know, sometimes when the gospel is presented.
People think that that that's the right kind of message to take to the down and out, to take to a foreign land, to take to those who are in the darkness of heathendom. But oh, the gospel is for you tonight, You know, we like to measure ourselves by others. Perhaps you present the gospel to the man who is a good living man by the standards of this world and society.
And he says, well, that's not for me. Take that kind of a message to the man who's drunk on the street.
And so you take the message to the man who's drunk on the street and he listens. And he says, well, he says, I'm not all that bad. I drink a little, then I hurt myself, but I don't hurt anyone else. What about the man who goes out and steals from others? And so you take the message to the thief and he says, well, everybody's dishonest. What about the men in behind prison buyers who's taken a life, who's killed someone? You see, we can always find someone who's worse than ourselves.
Someone that we feel is needs the gospel, but it says men measuring themselves by themselves are not wise. Don't measure yourself by someone else tonight because has been often said sin is the great leveler. I remember one time near St. John, NB, I had picked up a vanload of young people and we were going to the Gospel meeting that evening and as we were driving down the road.
There was a lady walking along the side of the road and it just seemed with one accord that those young people pointed to that Lady and they said she's bad, she needs to come to the Gospel meeting. I thought, isn't that the heart of man? We look at somebody else that we feel is worse off than we are, Someone else that we feel has tasted of sin, has participated in sin a little deeper than we have, but all we forget that all have sinned.
And come short of the glory of God, God is of two pure eyes than to behold iniquity, and cannot look upon sin. But oh, tonight Christ is the Savior of sinners. He's the one and the only one that can save you tonight. And what are you going to do with the Lord Jesus Christ? You heard about him last night. You've heard about him over and over and over again. How long, halti? Between two opinions?
Are you going to go out these doors again tonight and say, I'm going to put it off? Are you going to be like Bud Byrne and say, well, I'll have another opportunity? Oh, I say, you don't know if you have further opportunity. God's time is now. He doesn't promise you the future. You know, there is a solemn verse in James. It says what is your life? It is even as a vapor that appears for a little time.
And then vanish it away. I've sometimes illustrated it this way to the boys and girls.
When I was a young lad I used to like to go out on a nice cloudy day and lie on my back on the grass and watch those clouds as they drifted across the sky.
And sometimes, as I lay there in my imagination, I could pick out different shapes in those clouds. Perhaps one cloud looked like the head of a bear, another cloud looked like a horse, and so on. But you know, as you watch that cloud.
It wasn't very long till that cloud broke up, change shape, and passed on over the horizon. God says your lifes like that. It's like a vapor. It's like a cloud. It's there for a little time and then it vanishes away.
Just plug in the tea kettle and you'll know what a vapor is. As that water boils and you see that steam rise up, it rises up so far and then it vanishes into the air. God says your life is like that. That's why the decision for Christ is so important tonight. That's why God in his faithfulness has allowed you to come. And they had him here on trial in pilots judgment hall, but oh, they wouldn't have him. They chose a man who was a murderer.
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They chose a man who was a thief. They chose a man who was on trial for insurrection or sedition.
Which is rebellion against authority. That's what the world wanted, and that's what they have got.
Has there ever been a day when violence and corruption and rebellion against authority are as prevalent?
As the day in which we live. They rejected the Prince of peace. They rejected the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we know the story. We've read it. We've gone over it many times. They take him from pilots judgment hall. His cruel trial is over. They lead him out to Calvary and there they they crucify him. There, nailed to a Roman jewettes lifted up between heaven and earth because the Lord Jesus had said.
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of man be lifted up. And as you follow these chapters, and as you see not only what man heaped upon the Lord Jesus, as you see not only that which he suffered in connection with crucifixion, but you see how God dealt with His Son as to the sin question.
Does it touch your heart? If it doesn't touch your heart, I wonder tonight what goes on.
In a heart like that, who looks to Calvary, who sees the blessed Son of God with his arms stretched wide? Who sees the blood run down?
If that doesn't touch your heart, I don't know what goes on within a heart like that. And where is the heart so hardened? And who is so vile as he who seeth the Savior suffer and saith? It is nothing to me. No, there is a very solemn statement made in Lamentations One, and it's raised in the form of a question. Is it nothing to you? All ye that pass by, behold, and see if there be any sorrow.
Like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me as we pass by Calvary once again as we see the blessed Son of God suffer there.
As we see the mocking, as we see that sun wrapped in night and the Lord Jesus become the sin bearer. As we see that soldier after the Lord Jesus had given up his life come and with a spear Pierce his side.
I say, does it not touch your heart? Why did he die? Why did he allow man to treat him like that? Why did he become the sin bearer? Because he loved you. He loved me. He desires your blessing tonight. Think of the cost. Think of what he paid. Can you say tonight that Jesus has died for you? You know, in the Civil War as you well know, Abraham Lincoln.
Was president of the United States of America, and it was felt that being President of the United States, he should not go to war, although he desired to serve his country in that way.
And so there was a substitute sent for Abraham Lincoln, and that substitute went in his place, and he did not die during conflict. He returned to his home after the war in Stroudsburg, PA, and he died a natural death some years later. But in Stroudsburg, PA, there is a monument erected to that man with these words on it. J Summerfield staples a substitute.
For Abraham Lincoln, can you say that tonight about the Lord Jesus Christ?
Can you say that he has borne your sins in his own body on the tree? Can you say that Jesus has died for you? You'll allow another illustration for the sake of those of us who are younger.
The Great Lakes as you know are large bodies of water and there are many ocean going vessels that.
Traverse those lakes. In fact, vessels can come down the Saint Lawrence River.
Into Lake Ontario and then on through and some years ago there was a ship named the Swallow.
And it was a cargo ship that carried tar between Detroit, MI and Buffalo, NY And there was a pilot on that ship. His name was John Maynard. And they were making their regular run from Buffalo, NY, from Detroit, MI to Buffalo when a fire broke out on that ship. And you can imagine the concern on a shipload of tar when fire would break out and everything was done and every man available was put on the job to see if they could extinguish that fire.
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Before it was out of control, but you know the fire was beyond them.
And as they realized this, the crew and the passengers went to the front of the ship, because as that ship moved forward through the water, it seemed to keep the smoke and the heat towards the back of the ship. And everyone was at the front of that ship except one man, the pilot John Maynard. And he fell faithfully held on to his post at the wheel, and the captain called back to him. He said, John.
How far are we from Buffalo, NY? He said about 45 minutes.
Some time later, the captain called back again. He said. How far are we from Buffalo, NY?
He said, I think about 10-15 minutes, he said. Can you hang on?
He said, by the grace of God, I'll hang on. Those were the last words that John Maynard ever spoke.
Because at that moment, the flames were swirling about him. The smoke was choking him.
But he knew that the safety and the salvation of those passengers from that fire depended.
On his faithfulness to hold on to that wheel and to guide that ship for justice, another few moments.
When they reached Buffalo, John Maynard had given his life. He had died.
And if you were to go to the city of Buffalo, to a large graveyard, you would see a large gravestone erected in the memory of John Maynard. With these words on the stone to John Maynard, the pilot of the Swallow, from the grateful passengers, he died for us.
Oh, what a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus. Can you say tonight that he died for you?
What are you going to do with Jesus tonight? He has not only been mocked in Pilate's Judgment Hall.
But He has been crucified. He has died. He has shed His precious blood. Oh, think of the price that he paid. Think of the price that God has paid in giving his Son the Son he loved, allowing men to treat him in that way, and then pouring that judgment on the head of his blessed Son. My sins and yours, if you'll have them tonight.
Think of what he suffered there. Think of the great price. Are you going to turn away and reject again tonight?
You know, when the gospel is presented, there are really three ways that the gospel is received.
You see that very clearly in the book of the Acts because, you know, the Apostle Paul was one, I suppose, of the most faithful gospel preachers that ever lived in this world. He never missed an opportunity to speak to souls of their need of Christ. He never missed an opportunity to speak of the glories and the beauties of the Lord Jesus.
And I think of three men that the apostle Paul spoke to on three different occasions, and how they received the word in three different ways. There was a man. His name was Felix.
Well, we'll speak of Agrippa first. There was a man named Agrippa. He was a king.
And Paul was very faithful with Agrippa in bringing before him his need. And what did Agrippa say at the end of it all? He said, almost. Thou persuade us me to be a Christian. In other words, he said, I'm almost ready to come to the Lord Jesus. But he said I don't want it. He rejected. Oh, I trust there's nobody in this hall tonight who's going to go out of here a rejecter because the Lord Jesus.
Said he that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my word hath one that judgeth him.
The word which I have spoken the same shall judge him. In the last day we have read this question, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ? And you know, if you reject the Lord Jesus in a lost eternity, alone, and with your memory you will recall a scripture like this. You will recall a scripture such as John 316. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him.
Shall not perish, but have everlasting life. The word which I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day.
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But as you recall, words like that that were given, as in loving entreaties, from the heart of God.
You will remember those words, but you will realize that they are no longer applicable to you.
As to refuge and salvation, what a solemn thing to reject and to remember for all eternity that you had opportunity to come to Jesus. But there was another man. Felix, and Paul spoke to Felix. So faithful was Paul. Paul with Felix, that Felix trembled.
But what did he say? He said. When I have a more convenient season.
I will call for thee. He didn't reject, he neglected. He put it off. You know, the boys and girls here know what it is to put something off to neglect something. You come home from school and mother says, do you have any homework? And you say, well, yes, but it's just a little bit. I'll put it off till later. I want to go out with my friends. And so you go out with your friends and dinner time comes and mother calls you in and she says, did you get that homework done? And you say I'll do it right after dinner.
And after dinner, something comes up and you go to your room and you get involved in something else.
And after a while, mother comes up and says it's time for bed. Did you get your homework done?
And you say, oh, I've put it off, but I'll do it now. And mother says it's too late, you've got to go to bed. And maybe the next day there's a little problem. At school. I used to hope that the teacher wouldn't check the homework on occasions like that, but there's a little difficulty. You have to stay in a recess or lunch hour and get caught up. But, you know, in the long run, it's not a great, a great thing. It passes. But all for those who neglect the scripture is very, very clear.
It says, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? I believe there are those in a lost eternity this evening that are there because they put it off and they put it off and they neglected. And then it was too late. Oh, don't neglect tonight. Don't put it off. No. There was another man that Paul spoke to in the 16th chapter of the Book of Acts. We sometimes refer to him as the Philippian jailer.
And you know, Paul didn't preach a very long sermon. Perhaps you feel I've talked too long tonight.
You know you don't get long sermons in the Bible. Paul and Silas gave him a very, very short gospel message.
He asked a question what must I do to be saved? And the answer was believe.
On the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. You know that man accepted that gospel message.
He received it. He rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Do you want joy tonight in your soul? Do you want happiness in this life and in eternity? There's no happiness apart from the Lord Jesus. Come and accept the gospel message. Turn to him. What are you going to do with Jesus? What shall I do with then with Jesus, which is called Christ? I can't save you tonight. I wish I could. I wish I could save you, but only God can save you. But oh, I trust tonight.
That the spirit of God will work in your soul so that you realize your need and his love and provision for you. That you will answer this question in the in the affirmative. That you will take Jesus tonight as your savior. Oh, he wants to bless you. You know, people are looking for happiness. They're looking for joy in this world. Are they finding it? I'm afraid they're like the woman in the 4th of John. They have to come again and again to get that water that only satisfies for a little time.
And I've often thought of that woman too, as she came to that well, from week to week and year to year.
No doubt she had to go deeper and deeper to draw that water that only satisfied her thirst for the moment. That's the way it is with sin. There's pleasures in sin, but they're only for a season. And those who have delved into these things know that they try one thing and it satisfies for a little time, and then they have to try something else and something else and something else. They have to go deeper and deeper and deeper to get that which only satisfies for a little time.
But all that woman came to that well one afternoon. And who did she find there?
She found the one who could give her living water. And oh, there's one who says, Oh, everyone that thirsted, come ye to the waters, Yay, come, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. The Lord Jesus stood on that last day, that great day of the feast and pride. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Is there a thirsting in your soul tonight? If you don't know, Jesus, there is.
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There is a thirst that only the one that made us can satisfy. You'll never find satisfaction, true joy and satisfaction in this world.
But you will find it tonight in the Lord Jesus Christ. I beg you to come to him.
Say yes to his offer of salvation.
All think of how it will grieve the heart of God.
As you go out of this hall tonight and you say once again, I won't have him.
As you go out of this hall tonight, and once again you neglect, you put it off.
We spoke of the joy that comes to our souls as we receive Jesus as our Savior.
And many of us can well remember that joy that flooded our soul when we came.
But all the joy that will be in heaven tonight over 1 Sinner that repenteth.
Is joy far beyond earthly joy, joy beyond anything that man has ever experienced?
Because there's joy tonight in the presence of the angels of God over 1 Sinner that repenteth.
Are you going to cause joy to the heart of God tonight? Are you going to cause joy to the heart of the Lord Jesus tonight as you come in repentance, as you own your need and as you take Jesus as your Savior tonight?
Before I close, I want to repeat something that I realize some here have heard me tell before.
But I think it is very applicable to the gospel.
And to the fact that God has sent his Son, the Lord Jesus into this world as the Savior of sinners.
If you were to step out of my front door and walk two blocks down the street, you would come to the Rideau River.
And the Rideau River flows from Brockville up through Smiths Falls into the nation's capital, Ottawa.
It flows through the nation's capital and downtown. In downtown Ottawa, it dumps over the Rideau Falls into the Ottawa River.
And as you know, it gets very cold up where I come from and the ice freezes fairly thick in the winter time. In fact, so thick that they take out plows and they plow that portion of the Rideau Canal that goes through the City of Ottawa. It's reputed to be the longest skating rink in the world. I believe it's about 7 miles. They keep clear in the winter time and the ice freezes to be two or three feet thick. But you know in the spring when the rains come and the ice begins to melt.
Sometimes that the water backs up and it causes flooding because sometimes there will be two or three water, a feet of water.
On top of that ice. And so they will send out government workers in boats.
To place dynamite at strategic points to back off and then ignite that dynamite.
To blow up that ice so that the water will flow freely down the river and not 'cause flooding.
And some time ago, there was a man went out in a boat. He placed his dynamite where he was told to place it, and in his haste to get away from the spot, his boat tipped over. He knew he wouldn't survive very long in those frigid waters. You can imagine how cold two or three feet of water would be on top of two or three feet of ice. And so he knew his only chance was to get out of those waters rather quickly. And so.
He was able to scramble up on top of his capsized boat.
Well, it wouldn't have been so bad, but the water was moving towards the Rideau Falls.
And those who saw his plight on the shore knew that he wouldn't survive if he went over the falls in that way. And just before the Rideau Falls, there's a bridge goes over the Rideau Canal. So someone called the fire department. They rushed to the scene. They could see that man coming towards them as they stood on that bridge. And as he came towards them, they lowered a rope, expecting that man to grab that rope and be pulled to safety.
And to their horror.
As he passed under that rope, it seemed that he made no effort to reach up and.
Grab that rope and as he went over the falls, he was heard to say.
I'm frozen to the boat.
His hands, as he clung to that boat caked with ice, had become so frozen to that boat.
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That he was unable to lift up his hands and to grab that rope. And as that audience, those that were there, dispersed and turned away in sadness, some one was heard to say, oh, if they'd only lowered a man they could have saved.
Brethren, those who are lost friends.
That's the story of the Gospel to night.
God has sent a man into this world. There's nothing you can do tonight to rid yourself of one sin.
You are just as helpless as that man who was frozen to the boat.
But oh God, I speak reverently, has sent down a man into this world, just as they could have sent a man down on that rope and grabbed that man and saved him and been pulled to safety. So God has sent a man into this world, the Savior of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has died on Calvary's cross and shed his precious blood. And God has done all he can for your blessing.
Are you going to refuse tonight the offer, that gift that he is offering, of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you going to refuse that gift? Oh, he sent His Son. The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world, and this was manifest, the love of God toward us in that he sent his Son that we might let into this world that we might live through Him.
God couldn't have done more, you know, We had that verse for memory this summer as we presented the gospel to the boys and girls up in Maine, and that was one of the gospel verses that we had them memorize. And I wondered what the word manifested meant. And so I looked it up in Webster's dictionary and I have enjoyed ever since the fact that the word manifested means to clearly show God has clearly shown.
His love beyond a shadow of a doubt, He's clearly shown his love in sending the son.
What are you going to do with him tonight? What will ye do then with Jesus?
Which is called Christ. Will you receive him tonight? Will you come to him? I'd like to close.
By singing hymn #21.
Decide for Christ today.
And God's salvation, sea yields soul and body, heart and will.
To him who died for thee, Christ alone can save break the power of sin.
Christ deathfully satisfied the heart that cleaves to him #21 Will someone start it to know Jesus as Savior? Because, you know, as we come to the end of a gospel meeting like this, and the solemnity of eternal issues have been before us, as surely as I pray and say Amen, the enemy is going to be busy to interject every kind of distraction and thought.
So that the seed is plucked away tonight, and to distract those who are perhaps exercised, as they're to their eternal salvation. And brethren, I just say this to my own soul. May there not be that which would be used by the enemy, but may there be a conduct and a solemnity with us after a gospel hour, so that if there are those who are exercised.
David & Engedi
Address—H. Short
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May we open our meeting this afternoon by singing part of hymn #79 number 79 and I would like to.
Sing only the 1St 6 verses of hymn #79 the 1St 6 verses.
Blessed Lord Jesus as we.
Anticipate.
That's certain and coming.
Moment when?
We will be identified with Jerusalem above.
Dwelling there in its courts.
Our hearts are filled with joy.
Now this afternoon, as we open Thy Holy Word.
We pray that we might sit still.
In thy presence.
To have our hearts exposed.
In order that Lord Jesus, thou mightest feel them.
So we ask for help for this hour before us.
We feel the need.
Of the Blessed Lord.
For all blessing must come from me.
Yes, thy help in thy name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
Like to call attention to the last verse of that?
We sang.
God and the Lamb tis well I know that source divine of joy and love. No tongue can tell yet. No, that all is mine, we know.
A young man of some 45 years wrote those words and what's on my heart this afternoon for the hour before us.
Where do we learn? How is that love well known?
That will so fill Jerusalem which is above.
Is it something, brethren, that we have to wait for till that coming day? I'm sure that's true of the fullness of it.
But I want to follow on as to what we've been having before us in our reading meetings.
About Philadelphia.
To me, Philadelphia is not so much a position or a place where the Lord Jesus is in the midst, though I believe there is such a position and there is such a place.
The Philadelphia is the state of my heart in that place.
And it's a state of heart. Where? Jerusalem.
Which is above.
Could be ministered to that little company of God's people.
And so as those who would hold fast.
What they had the name of that city.
Would be written upon them.
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The Philadelphia.
Is not the New Jerusalem.
But it is a state of heart.
Where that beloved city of God.
Could be set forth.
For their blessed joy and hope and expectation of going there.
Love and joy of that city.
God's desire for us is that it be known even now.
In that place where Jesus is.
I want, I won't turn to it. We know it so well.
But the Lord Jesus, we might open our Bibles to the book of Joshua.
Chapter 15.
And while turning there.
The verse we know so well I want to quote.
For where two or three are gathered together unto my name.
There am I in the midst of them.
Now that's a promise.
For the wilderness.
And that's a promise.
That anticipated great departure from the Lord Jesus.
It's a promise that knew that from amongst themselves men would arise and draw disciples away. Wolves would come in and scatter the sheep of God.
And various things.
Acts of discipline.
Would diminish the numbers of the Assembly of God as a testimony here on earth.
Where Jesus loved.
But there was this promise for the wilderness that yet if two or three.
Would gather unto his name, he would be with them.
He would be there in their midst.
In the assembly.
Now I want to turn to Joshua Chapter 15.
And I just want to read a part of a prayer or a request.
Found in verse 19.
The middle of the verse.
Give me also springs of water.
And then I want to go down to verse 62.
In this chapter we might say the portion of Judah is being designated and distributed amongst the children of Judah in the land of Canaan.
But I just want to notice an expression at the close.
Of verse 62. One word there.
The end of verse at the beginning of verse 61.
In the wilderness.
And then toward the end of verse 62 in geday.
That expression in the wilderness in Getty.
What is the connection between?
Give me.
Springs of water.
And in Getty. In Getty, I'm told means fountain of God, Fountain of God.
And I want to look at this little town, this little stronghold.
As it related to David when he was in rejection.
When the children of Israel had chosen for themselves King Saul to rule over them.
And God's anointed David had to flee into the wilderness, it says here in the wilderness in Getty.
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Let's turn now to First Samuel.
For that instance where David was found there.
Chapter 24 First Samuel.
And the end of verse one.
David is in the wilderness of Angadi.
But rather in. That's why I quoted Matthew 18 and Gaddy was where David was.
For our purpose this afternoon, for our observations this afternoon.
When Saul had dominion and reign over most of the people of God.
I believe in Gaddy would answer to our day to the assembly of God's people gathered by the Spirit of God, those two or three, unto the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
There he is in the wilderness, there is where he would.
He was to be found. If you were going to pursue and identify yourself with David in his rejection, you would have had to go to this place.
As I said, I believe there is a place and a position.
That we all of us here this afternoon occupy, who are gathered unto the name of the Lord Jesus.
That's not so much the burden on my heart.
But what's on my heart is what is the state of my heart in this place?
What is the Lord looking for from you and me as we take our place with our David?
And the wilderness of Angetty, you know, we think and when normally we speak of Israel in the wilderness.
We're talking after they leave Red Sea, after they come out of the Red Sea, and before they cross the Jordan. But here is a wilderness in the land of Judah. Some of their inheritance was in Hill Country, some in valleys and some in Getty. In the wilderness. Here was a wilderness, you might say, within the sphere of God's people. Where they dwelt, we might say, as I probably believe Brother Jim brought out in our meetings.
Of someone did about the House of God, and there is a wilderness in the House of God.
There is a wilderness there. It's as real as the wilderness in.
Between the Red Sea and the Jordan. But we want to find where the Lord Jesus is in that wilderness. He's in in Getty. David is there, and I want to look now.
Before this.
That we have read some of the circumstances that precede this expression, that David is in the wilderness of Ingetti, and we see at the beginning of that verse. It came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of ingetting. Now Saul had pursued David.
Most of their.
Life.
What does he represent? I don't want to think so much of Saul as a man.
But something that a man that represents a principle or principles, that's endangering you and me as gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, lest all come, You know, in Philadelphia it says a whole fast, lest another take thy crown, and Saul represents that movement of the enemy.
00:15:04
Bent on one thing and that was destroying David.
From the midst of that company that was following him and were gathered to him at in Getty and in chapter 23 it says in verse 25.
Saul also and his men went to seek him, and they told David, Wherefore he came down into a rock and abode in the wilderness of Mayon, and when Saul heard that he pursued after David in the wilderness of Mayon.
This relentless pursuit of David by Saul. Why? Why was this man so incensed at David?
Well, if we trace the history of Saul and his relationships with David.
We find that Saul enjoyed David when David came to him as a young man and Saul was troubled by an evil spirit. David was able to harp and play for Saul and Saul's hard found rest, and he valued David the son of Jesse.
Or when the Philistine giant came out and sent terror through all the hosts of Israel.
And all the army of Israel trembled in the presence of this Goliath.
Saul found great joy that one called David, whom he did not know.
Would come in and deliver him on that occasion? Can't we relate to these things in Saul's life?
Isn't that how in a great major, and I trust it won't be the limitation of our.
Experiences with the Lord, But it isn't that often the case that we have time for the Lord.
When we're troubled and we find him to be a source of comfort for our hearts.
When we are troubled, or when the enemy comes in and threatens our well-being in whatever form it might be, whether naturally in the family or in the assembly, we find ourselves looking to him to deliver us from the enemy.
How many times has trials in our family?
Taken us to the Lord.
Trials that are a result of our carelessness and indifference to Christ. And He loving us so much He doesn't let us go. And so He introduces these trials and those very trials take us to the to our Lord. Well, Saul was content and happy to have David in those circumstances of his life where David bore the character.
Of the servant.
Of Saul, you know our selfish hearts attend to think that way about the Lord. We like him to serve us, and we look to him to help us get what we want or our desires, or comfort us, whatever it may be. But there came a day when Saul heard these words from those singing women.
And the words that he heard was Saul hath slain his thousands.
And David is 10 thousands.
That expression I think, is repeated some three times, and each time it is a testing as to what someone is going to do with David. And Saul says, as it were, If this man David is going to be exalted above me, I cannot tolerate him any longer. How does that answer in our lives, brethren?
It answers in our lives as to whether or not we are going to own.
The preeminence of Christ in our life, and vowed to him.
As Lord, it's one thing to have him as our servant, ministering to our needs.
We will all accept that, but it's another thing.
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To give him that place of preeminence. And it was that expression that turned the heart of Saul against David and began Davis''s flight into the wilderness. And so then it says down in verse 26 of chapter 23 of First Samuel, and Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain.
And David made haste to get away for fear of Saul, for the Saul and his men compass David and his men round about to take them. So here we have a mountain.
David and his men are on one side of it, Saul and his men.
Are on the other side of it. I say, let's look at these two companies of men and let us ask our hearts with which company do we want to be identified?
Let's look at Saul's company Saul and Saul's company Saul, a man head and shoulders above all of his brethren, it says of him in his early days of He was a beautiful man.
A humble man, a naturally.
Attractive person.
And who were these? I think it says there were some 3000 choice men who followed Saul on this occasion. Who were they?
Choice men, Samuel, when they said we want a king to Samuel, and he gave them Saul, the Lord gave them Saul. Samuel said, He's going to take thy choice of sons. He's going to take thy daughters as we had this morning.
What would they get in return? When Saul is slain? David mourns his death, and he tells the daughters who have followed him who had followed Saul. Saul had clothed you with Starling. These people followed and remained in communion and fellowship with Saul. Because of what he presented to their eye. It was naturally more attractive to them.
And it looked like their hope and their joys were going to be met by Saul and the mighty men on this side. There they are beautiful men, strong men is one place, it says. If Saul saw any valiant man, he took him to himself. These were not the off scouring of Israel. They were the choices company.
You look at David's company and we had about them this morning. You look at his company David, and his company David was described by a fool.
And likened to a servant who had broken away from his master.
Yes, the Lord Jesus cannot retain simply the character of servant in your life. If there's going to be blessing somehow, you're going to have to put him on the throne of your life and own him as Lord. Yes, David, I cannot be just. We cannot content ourselves with the Lord serving us. So David is on this side of the mountain.
In his company we heard of discontented in debt. You know, Brother Denny pointed out to us at the lower conference. There were those, we would read of them later who followed David. Men of Belial. Bad men.
Now you look on these two companies and which one attracts your heart?
There's no question in my soul where I would have chosen to be that day, on which side of the mountain I would have chosen to be in that day, were it not for the operation of faith in my life which would have given me to see David as God's anointed, to see David as God saw David one after his own heart.
Now, how does that apply to our hearts, brethren, if we look at ourselves as a company at here at in Getty, with our David in the midst?
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Let us identify with their company that was identified with David, the poorest of the sorts. That's where I want to be. I remember when I think I may have mentioned this, but I will mention it again. A brother was anticipating leaving the gathering, and he did leave and the basis of his.
Leaving, was that?
He would rather be with the Lord and he was referring to that in Luke when the family left the Lord.
At Jerusalem and the Lord was not in their midst.
And he said, I would rather be with the Lord than with his friends and relatives, and him not there. And when I answered, this was before he left.
I say you would be hard pressed to find a nicer company than the relatives of the Lord.
You would be hard pressed to find a woman.
Higher character than Mary were more honorable than his father Joseph or John Baptist or Elizabeth.
Amongst his relatives that had returned without the Lord.
There was beautiful people.
But I said to this, brother, I should rather be with the poorest of the sorts where the Lord is in the midst.
Than with the best brethren there is upon the face of the earth. And if you're looking tonight or this afternoon.
For good brethren.
You may as well not look for the Lord, because that is not the kind of brethren He has brought to himself, the poorest of the swords, those of us in debt, those of us discontent. There is nothing beautiful about its brethren, but the Lord is in the midst of those who are at in Getty. But then it says this mountain was between them.
And it speaks of this mountain. It says in verse 28, wherefore Saul returned. He heard about the Philistines coming, and he said he returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Palestine. Therefore they called the place cela hammer telecath, which means.
A rock of division.
So now we see that this mountain range represents a division.
That came in between the followers of Saul and David and his followers.
I do believe the Lord does use rocks of division to separate those who are bent on destroying David in the midst of the two or three who have gathered to him at Engadine.
Upon our hearts. And he sees even this afternoon as he looks into the recesses of our hearts. He sees what is there, and he sees if there is no attraction to the lordship of Christ.
He sees it well. And maybe we may fool one another and profess a good profession, but with no reality in our hearts, and we really are bent. You know, Saul was bent on him having first place. Reminds me of the sons of the prophets who say to Elijah there, the place where we dwell with thee is too straight for us. There's no place here for us. That's right. Southern.
There's no place in the Lord's midst for us as men. He is supreme.
God and the Lamb are there we don't have.
A place where we can be displayed as being gathered to the Lord's name, when Saul in his life he says to some, Ye have not felt sorry for me, he says to Samuel, You know.
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Yeah, glorify me. And in the midst of his people, when Saul had sinned, he wanted that place. That only belongs to David. And brethren, we can't have that place.
And remain gathered to the Lord's name. And when there arise those who are determined that they are going to take the authority of the Lord Jesus away from the gathered Saints, the Lord may bring up a rock of division and separate them from us. But notice what happens.
Is Saul now content? This division has come in. He's gone off to pursue the Philistines.
Is he content now to go his way in separation from those who are following David? How many times have we heard?
In the last year of those who?
Would not submit.
To the Lordship of Christ, and who have gone out in the Mount of Division, the Rock of Division.
Are they content to leave those alone who we would trust by the grace of God want to simply follow our David through this wilderness? Are they content to leave us alone? No. Saul returns and verse two, Saul took 3000 chosen men out of Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
Does that sound like an attractive place to be?
The rocks of the wild goats, you know, that's the nature of those who follow David in the wilderness from the beginning. They were those who had the character of men who made raids, it says. They went out and they made raids. I think that's quoting from the new translation.
That is, they were men who were not going to allow.
Themselves to be destroyed. They by their swords sustained themselves in the wilderness. That's the principle of the present Kingdom as we've been introduced into it. The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force. These were violent men, you might say, who were following David. They were men of war and they were not going to be denied and they were not going to let.
Their beloved David be taken from them by this man Saul, and the principles that he represents.
Let us hold fast that which we have, lest another take thy crown. So Saul comes back.
The brother was just telling me, oh, and I got the same literature that he got from someone who didn't want to stay with David, Ed and Getty.
But he's sending us literature trying to draw us away from David, trying to undermine the authority of Christ in the midst.
They won't leave us alone.
And he comes back, and now notice.
Verse 3 And he came to the sheep coats. By the way, where was he cave? And Saul went in to cover his feet.
In this rock where these wild goats are.
There were sheep coats or folds where sheep could be cared for. David is a shepherd.
And he makes provision even in this rocky wilderness for his sheep. You know, earlier a chapter or two earlier, David had fallen recourse to the city of Kilaya that he had saved. You might say the Lord has done that for every believer in Christ Jesus.
But that city was described as a city having bars and having gates.
And when David inquired of the Lord if the men of that city would deliver him up.
To Saul, David was told. They will.
You see?
The bars and the gates would represent some kind of legality, religious legality in our hearts.
And that will never keep Christ. And when the task comes, we will give him up if all that we have is an outward.
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Show or display?
Of religion. When the test comes, we will deliver up Christ.
But here is a sheepfold. Here is a place where the sheep can come in and out and flying pastures. David the shepherd is there. This represents the character that the assembly was to have when the Lord the Good Shepherd would draw.
His own from Israel, and take us own sheep out of the nations.
And make one flock. And he took care of them there. But now Saul.
Has come back to this place where David is.
Can the two men dwell together?
Can Saul and can David dwell together?
Saul lies down, seeking to find rest there, and it says he covers his feet.
David and his men remained in the sides of The Cave, And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day.
Which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him, as it shall seem good unto thee.
You know we have to be careful when we can recognize the enemy working.
And we know in some measure even whom he is working through.
And Brother Bob was mentioning earlier today, the little power that we realize sometimes doesn't seem enough to deal with the circumstances, the adverse circumstances that come into our assemblies and I think most of us have experienced that.
What is David going to do now? Is he going to take the sword?
And destroy Saul.
Some of us have had.
A hard time learning to leave our swords, she.
In the presence of the enemy.
When that enemy has taken its place.
In ngetti, where David is.
You know us through our carelessness. Oftentimes, in fact, it is through our carelessness we got ourselves and get ourselves into these low conditions and states of soul where the enemy can traffic amongst us.
But David does something and though, and I would be careful because he repents even of this.
But he does something and I would like to draw a moral application from it. He cut off Saul's skirt. It says in verse.
The end of verse four. Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privately.
That skirt a Jew? An Israelite?
And it says he had covered himself with this in Deuteronomy, it says.
In the garments that you cover yourself with, you were to put a fringe on that four corners thereof, and I think it's numbers. Somewhere around chapter 15 it said the Israelites garment was to have a fringe on it of blue.
Avenger.
God's people, wherever they went, if they went on a journey to another country.
Those around would say there is a Hebrew. He has a fringe of blue on his garment.
If they covered themselves, their garment would have this fringe on it, and David cut off that fringe.
I believe showing us the character of Saul.
And the character of the enemy found in Philadelphia.
Saw the ribbon of blue, would tell us of being heavenly men, and Saul was a man of the earth.
An earth dweller and if we want to keep our crown, if we have one to keep.
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We're going to have to have this string of blue, and David manifests the character of Saul and removes that which was.
Inconsistent with Saul's walk, Saul was interested in Saul and the exaltation of Saul. He was living for himself in this life. That's what an earth dweller is. Those that dwell upon the earth are those even amongst believers.
Who have earth as their hope, their joy and their aspirations are all down here.
Well, may we not get?
This skirt cut off.
But David?
Repents of even doing that.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have that spirit?
Is now found in my heart very often when I see something wrong. I think should be corrected and should be corrected perhaps. How do I go about doing it?
Do I do it through repentance? Do I say Lord Jesus?
What can I say? But my own carelessness has allowed this thing to be introduced into the assembly for my own. And you who are fathers, can I pause a moment and address you as you raise your children? There is a principle that I think is vital if you're going to realize blessing in your family in spite of your failure, and that principle is this.
That you must say I am the Father.
Of this child.
Why is the child doing as they come to years? Why are they pursuing a path that you don't approve of?
There, the child that you raised, and I think a door of hope can be opened simply by saying this is my son that was dead.
I am the father of Him, our own. God gives us that pattern, It repented. And I'm not saying God fails.
But it repented the Lord that he made man, and it says of the Lord.
It repented the Lord that he made Saul king over Israel.
I don't want you to misconstrue that, but I'm just saying our own father has given us a pattern.
Is there difficulties and trials in the assembly?
Do you want to look at Brother Smith as the source of it, or Brother Jones or Brother Brown?
Wouldn't it be better to look in the recesses of our own hearts, and judge there the unfaithfulness that would allow us all in our midst?
Now I want to go on.
I believe with all of my heart.
That I am in the place, the place of his appointment.
And we have often.
Heard it sad.
The Lord will preserve a place.
Until the end, and I believe that.
And then we've often heard.
The question is whether I will be there or not.
15 months ago.
I wondered about my own soul as to that issue.
Whether I would be there?
My fear at that time because of my distance from the Lord.
Because I knew he could see in my heart such Luke Warmness.
That I know I'm not in that place.
Of his appointment.
Because of my faithfulness to him.
In my faithfulness in keeping His word, and my faithfulness in submitting to Him as Lord.
But he preserved me at that time.
When I feared I might be disciplined by the Lord.
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Through his ***.
Through his assembly.
Even though.
There may have been, and I believe there was.
Not administration according to God's mind.
But I would have had to take it from the Lord, not from the administrators in the assembly.
But now for my own soul.
I don't say this boastfully. My soul is pretty much at rest.
Somehow I would say, to whom could I go, Lord?
And I believe all of us here who have had some working of the Spirit of God in our soul.
Are spoiled for Saul's company.
And it really doesn't hold an attraction to us.
And now, today, as I speak to you, my exercise isn't so much whether I'm going to be in the place.
Of his appointment when he comes.
So much as what is going to be the condition of my heart that he finds me in in that place and now that's what I want to look at a little further in the Song of Songs as we look at in Getty.
Let's turn to the Song of Solomon chapter one.
Verse 12.
While the king sitteth at his table, my spike nerd sendeth forth the smell thereof.
The Lord our David has a table, brethren. By His grace, there is no question in my soul that I sit there.
I can personally separate the Lord's Supper from his table.
I believe I am at his table.
There.
But what about the spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof? That's our state of sober just being at his table outwardly in that place where he is in the midst. That in itself isn't a fragrance going up to God.
But the condition of our heart?
That's what causes this spikenard and this odor, verse 13, a bundle of mirrors, my well beloved unto me.
And this verse.
Just searches my heart.
He shall lie.
All night.
Betwixt my best.
You know, we often hear that John lay on the breast of the Lord, and much to be coveted is that.
I don't think we'll ever realize it in our life.
If there is not a place between our breasts.
For the Lord to lay his head.
All our love in the wilderness for Christ.
Is his present portion.
This is what I longed for.
This is what I pursue. This is what my heart could not be satisfied without.
A place in this heart of mine for my Lord to lay his breast, it says, through the night.
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You know, there were two harlots.
In Solomons day.
You might say both of them were giving given living sons.
But the night told a sad story for both of them.
The One overlaid her son and it died.
And rather, don't we by now.
Do we by now have some sense in our soul as to our our responsibility? We're but harlots. We're very unfaithful Saints of God.
Both of them dwelt in the same house. The one overlaid her son and he died. The other one didn't, but she didn't keep him between her breasts.
And somewhere in the process of that night hours.
A false A dead son was committed to her, The mother.
And when she wakes in the morning, she realized through the night she had embraced.
A dead child.
Not her son at all when every tragic brethren if we come home.
And finish this night season here in the wilderness, only to awake that the Lord had found no place between our breasts. That our breasts through the night season had embraced the dead sun, Something without life.
Oh, that we might be exercised as to what our.
Affections are set upon at this very moment. Give me the whole world of what value it is.
I stood beside a friend of mine, a boyhood friend of mine. The past two weeks have seen him twice.
I'd heard that he was sick and I went to see him and I was shocked. I'd heard he was having trouble moving his hands. But here was a man my age lying on the bed, a death bed, unable to move his arms, unable to do anything.
Wiggle his toes and press some buttons to turn on a radio and a television.
And as I spoke to him.
He was thankful for knowing me in my life and some of the other brethren that knew him.
And he said to me, I've never had much time for the Lord and His word in my life, and I regret it.
I regret it. I believe the Spirit of God has wrought a work, a measure of work in his soul.
And I would think that I will probably see him in the New Jerusalem.
But he never knew anything, brethren about Ingetti.
His days perhaps number in days or weeks.
I don't know.
But as I looked at Don, I thought, now here is a picture of what the world has to offer. Because there is nothing in the world, nothing in the world that exists, that I could offer my friend Don, that would bring him one speck of joy.
Would you like a Caribbean cruise?
He's come home to his house alone to die.
Would you like a beautiful mansion in the finest city in our fair country?
For it's no interest to him.
And yet is that world that all it has to offer?
This afternoon finding a place betwixt your breasts? Or does the sun? Does the king have a place there?
Now notice verse 14. My beloved is unto me as a cluster of campfire in the vineyards of Ingetti.
Oh, brethren, may our hearts be stirred.
Does this sound like a wilderness to you?
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The vineyards of Ngati. It doesn't sound like a wilderness to me.
And rather, our hearts can be satisfied. We can save rather than truth.
To whom shall we go? Thou hast the word of eternal life. Now this is what the Lord wants in our hearts. He's glad we're in the right place. That's not Philadelphia in itself.
He wants this heart to be opened, that he can lay his head upon our breath, between our breasts if our love to him, that brings him joy in the wilderness of Angetti. And when he gets that brethren, we're going to have fruit. We're not going to feel the wilderness.
Let's all have it. Let's all have whatever he wants.
We're going to be content.
With this beloved one because he has found a place between our breaths.
In closing, I want to refer briefly to one last verse concerning this city in Ezekiel chapter 47. Ezekiel gives us these days of judgments and governmental ways of God.
But in chapter 47 there is a house. And you remember to Philadelphia there was going to be an identification as a pillar in the temple or the House of God, and there would be that city, New Jerusalem. But here is that fountain springing forth.
In Getty where do we?
Learn to have our hearts expanded to We want to look forward to that millennial day, and for that day when the assembly with her Christ will share in the administration of this world. But what about?
In that day will we have?
The memory in our souls when the fishermen shall stand on that river.
From Engadhi, will we be able to say oh?
The wilderness experience that in Getty with Christ.
I wouldn't trade it for anything else that this world has to learn to go often.
Brethren, may we not leave this beloved city where Christ is and while we occupy a place in that city.
That stronghold that preserved David from being consumed by Saul.
May he may he rest here.
Our joy we will know about the vineyards of Ingetti.
When we know about him.
Like, yes, yet between our breasts.
May we go back to that hymn we opened with?
And start with verse 11.
There in the Unsullied way, which his own hand hath dressed.
My feet press on where brightest day shines forth on all the rest. Verse 14.
God and the Lamb shall there the light and temple be.
And Radiant hosts forever share the unveiled mystery.
But brethren.
That stand on the shores of Hingedi today, and we will have a blessed precious portion the name of that city can be written upon our heads.
Jerusalem of God.
Verse 11 to the end.
3rd Reading