Address—Norman Berry
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A notice on the card that the schedule of the meetings on Friday, it said that there would be an address to the young people and then another one wasn't addressed to the family. And again on Saturday I saw.
An address to the young people and address to the family. But this meeting, it just says an address. So I just want to say this, that I want to point us all to one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. That's all I have to say today, to exalt that blessed man and to relate it.
To you who are young here, young people.
To those who are fathers and mothers.
And then, most important to the to the assembly. I'd like what is before me with the Lord. I trust us. Laid on my heart is to speak of the steadfast mind, the steadfast heart, and the surrendered will.
I'm going to look at a number of scriptures with the spirits help.
And I'm not going to be speaking about types and shadows. I'm going to try to bring before you this afternoon.
The Facts from the New Testament.
I'm not going to try to elaborate on them. I'm going to let the spirit apply these words.
These scriptures to your own heart and conscience for your own blessing.
I'd like to trace from the very beginning just one reference to the Old Testament.
And we might turn now to Genesis chapter one. And there we will see the beginnings.
Chapter one verse 27 So God created man in his own image, and the image of God created he him. These three parts.
The mind God gave.
Capable of understanding his thoughts, the heart.
He gave to man to be able to respond to his love.
The will to be surrendered to God's.
Will these three parks, they're basic. They are that which applies to everyone of us here this afternoon. And we're going to see the sad story, how that though man was able to a limited degree in innocence, to walk with God. He had those three parts, his mind, his heart, his will.
God walked with him in the cool of the day, it tells us.
And yet there was lurking.
An enemy, an enemy that is present today.
That would be working on those three parts of you and me.
And in that garden.
The woman was deceived.
She used that mind.
To listen to what Satan said.
Instead of having her heart's affections centered and her husband and God.
She listened to the enemy.
That will that should have been surrendered to God.
He exercised it and she was deceived.
She gave to her husband. He ate.
The whole of that beautiful creation.
Ruined.
The mind was changed.
And it became.
Blinded.
The heart became cold.
And fearful.
And the will became stubborn and rebellious.
The story of the world.
God allowed that to go on for 40 centuries. 40 is a picture of testing. God looked to see if there would be 1.
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In that whole creation that would turn to him, he didn't find one at 14000 years rolled by. We know the story, the sordid story of sorrow and rebellion and fear and corruption and death.
But in the glory blessed to say it, the Son of God, God's eternal Son, in the bosom of the Father.
As to where he would lay aside that glory, and he would be He would come down to this earth.
We know the story well.
The only perfect man that ever walked the face of this earth.
I'd like to speak a little bit briefly about that blessed man in the connection with these three things.
His steadfast mind.
His steadfast heart.
And his surrendered will to his father. Let's turn over now to John's Gospel chapter 10, verse 30.
I and my father.
R1.
The mind of the man Christ Jesus in perfect unity and oneness with the mind of God.
Always.
As he walked here on the face of this earth, the mind of the Father, we sometimes sing The mind of heaven is 1.
This man, blessed be his name, he walked with that perfect.
Communion with his Father, his mind and the Father won.
The heart of the Lord Jesus. Let's go back over to the 14th chapter.
When I use the word heart, I'm referring also to.
Love last verse but that the word verse 31 John's Gospel 1431. But that the world may know that I love the Father. Isn't that beautiful?
The mind and tune, the heart in tune. I love the Father.
Perfect love. The world knows nothing of it.
In harmony.
Let's go over to the fifth chapter to see the will.
Verse 30 verse 30, yes.
John's Gospel chapter 5, verse 30.
Because I seek not mine own will.
But the will of the Father which hath sent me there is that surrendered will.
Always doing the will of the Father, Beloved ones, I am taking these verses now to show you what that man was in those three parts. Speaking reverently his mind, his heart and his will surrendered. Steadfast minds steadfast in heart and love to the Father.
And then that will always doing the Father's will. Now it's through God's grace that that work of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not only who of his life, of course, but that perfect life was laid on the altar first, for God's glory, could say in the 14th chapter. I have finished the work, 17th chapter, which thou gave us me to do. I have glorified thy name on the earth, Blessed Lord Jesus. He has finished that work with which the Father gave him to do. He has lived and died for the Father's glory and for the blessing.
Of everyone of the redeemed creatures, the gift of the Father to the Son.
And if you and I have put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, now through grace there has been restored, now I shouldn't possibly say restored. There has been given to you that there has been a trust. I use the right words.
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Implanted in you and me, those three same things.
Steadfast.
Mind.
A steadfast heart of love.
And a will that is surrendered to God.
Let's go over to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and see what the scripture says about this.
Verse 17.
I want to explain a few things as we go on. Let's read it first. Therefore, if any man be in Christ.
He is a new creature or there is a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.
As I look into your faces, beloved ones, young and old alike, if you have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, God has given you and me. Now there is a new creation. We're not of this world that's passing away. We are heavenly citizens now. We have been, as it tells us in the first chapter of Second Peter. We have received those blessed promises that by these we have been made partakers of the divine nature.
Do you realize that your dear young people here this afternoon? I trust that these scriptures will will grip your souls to realize that we are a different people.
We have been redeemed by that precious blood. Now there is a new creation. We don't belong now to this fallen creation. We have a new life. The life of Christ could not sin. The person of the Lord Jesus could not sin. Neither can you and I in this new life that we have. It's a new creation. It's a life now like the it's eternal life, just like the person of the Lord Jesus Christ in our position.
Fruit of the travail of his soul. And so now we're going to look at the physician that you and I are in, in connection with these three things, the dead of the steadfast mind.
And the steadfast heart and the surrendered will, these three verses, now that I'm going to look at, are in connection with the position, not a responsibility. We'll look at that later. The position that every believer now is in every one of us, you dear young ones, that are here this afternoon, this verse, next verse that I'm going to look at. The last verse of the second chapter of First Corinthians is the first one having to do with the mind.
First Corinthians chapter two, last verse, last sentence of the verse.
But we have the mind of Christ.
Startling, isn't it? Years ago, and as a young person, and that was brought tonight before to my attention seems so overwhelming. We have the mind of Christ. Do you have the mind of Christ? God says so. Are you using that mind? We're going to come to that in a minute. But first of all, I want to establish this fact that this is your position by God's grace. This is what God has equipped you with and me with now.
Hear the very mind of Christ.
Contrary to everything that you dear young ones here in school and in university and what we hear in the so-called vaunted minds of of the present age.
We have the mind of Christ.
Now what about the heart?
What about the heart? Let's go over to the Second Corinthians chapter 4.
These are well known verses but.
Want to?
Show them to you.
Chapter 4.
Verse 6.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness.
Hath shined in our hearts.
To give the light of the knowledge of God.
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Of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Oh, what a statement.
How profound this is. Do you have that? Yes, you have. This is the position of every believer. Now that light of God first that shone into that dark heart of mine, and revealed the filth and the corruption of sin, and blessed be his blessed name, through the shedding of his precious blood, that those sins have been erased and the record is clear.
And through his precious blood, now you and I have had that light of God shine into your heart to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Oh, how precious that you and I have this.
Mind and heart. Now what about the will that is to be surrendered? Let's go over to Colossians.
Chapter 4.
Middle of verse 12.
That.
Ye may stand perfect.
And complete.
In all.
The will.
Of God.
Do I need to have that?
Do I need to ask God for it? He has told us now through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we can stand now in all the perfect will of God.
This is our position. I want to emphasize it, not responsibility. Yet now we're going to look at the responsibility side in connection with these three things. First, Now the responsibility that you and I have to use that mind to bring that divine mind, that mind of Christ that has been imparted to you and me.
Now we have a responsibility. Let's go over to Philippians chapter 2, beginning of verse 5.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Now, beloved ones here is responsibility. Have the mind of Christ.
Now it is responsibility. Let this mind be in you.
Now we come to the serious side.
God is saying this. He's beseeching you and me to use that mind. Let me just say, well before I do that, I want to read another verse. There verse.
Verse one, if there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, there's the heart, if any fellowship of the Spirit.
There's the mind. If any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded, like minded, having the same love. There's the mind and the heart being off 1 accord of one mind. Is that possible? The world is trying through the ecumenical movement and things of that kind, to bring about a consensus, as they call it.
Impossible. There's only one way that you and I can be like minded one with the other. And as I said, our individual life, so important to realize this in our family life, you dear fathers and mothers, to be in harmony one with the others. Is it possible? Yes, it is. Yes it is. It is possible because you have been and I have been equipped with this.
But now the responsibility is for you and for me.
Let this mind work. Let me explain this that the divine mind is the mind that Christ has, that we have set.
And when I'm going on in communion with the Lord, I can use that divine mind that is in me. I have the mind of Christ, But let me get my eye off Christ, and I'm going to revert back to my old mind, and I won't even know it. And I'm going to start to reason and use that mind not subjected to the word of God, not to to the mind of God. I'm going to miss the mind of God.
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And our families, our family life. I'm speaking about the family now. Oh, what sorrows are coming in amongst us? It's just heartbreaking. Why? Oh, because of the falling down on this one point. Let this mind be in you then. The assembly life. I'll come to that in a few moments. But we must realize that this is where responsibility is.
To let that mind be formed by the mind of Christ. Now then.
We go over to Hebrews chapter 3 and we will see the next.
Point.
14 verse 14.
Sweet verse, beautiful.
Verse 14 Hebrews 314.
For we are made partakers.
Of Christ. Let me read it from the new translation, the Darby translation.
For we are.
Become companions of the Christ.
Isn't that profound? Does that touch the heartstrings of your heart?
Companions of Christ. He's the head. We're the body here on this earth. Companions of the Christ. Is there a chord struck in your heart and mine when we realize that this is the privilege that we have? Let me finish that verse.
If not there, whenever you get an if in the scriptures, it's always responsibility. The Ifs are the wilderness of the Old Testament. If we hold the beginning of our confidence Steadfast, there's that word again, steadfast.
To the end.
Do I need to ask the Lord for this? No, He's given it to me.
Nothing is going to weaken me but the sin that I allow in my life. Nothing.
We have this.
Full equipment. Now to be companions of Christ. Who are your companions? When we get out of school or university, who do we drift to in our social life? What about the and also in the assembly life, our family life? What do we do on the prayer meeting night? Are we there at the prayer meeting or are we having social?
Intercourse with other, with others.
That possibly.
Are the Lords but or we companions of Christ? In this corrupt world there is the beautiful verse, for we are become companions of the Christ. That's the heart.
Now the will.
Well known verse again. Second Corinthians chapter 10.
Verse 5.
2nd Corinthians 10 verse 5.
There's the will now, the responsibility that you and I have.
Individually.
Our family life, Our assembly life.
Casting down imaginations, Margin says Reasonings.
And every high thing that exalteth itself.
There is the work of the enemy that will come in.
Against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought.
To the obedience of Christ.
Are we surrendering that will?
I ask you that. I asked myself. I trust this is touching my own conscience as well as I want to reach into your conscience.
Are we doing this?
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Or are we using that old, mind you, dear young children?
Are we obedient? Obedience is the expression of a mind that is in tune with God. Obedience is going to produce in your heart and mind a response to the heart of Christ, our companion.
And obedience is God is just means what it says, the surrender of our wills.
Then what about our family life?
What about our As fathers and mothers, are we insisting on obedience with our children?
I brought up my children. I trust on these verses.
I've told them over and over again, I'm not running a popularity contest.
But I am teaching you, and I'm going to insist on obedience.
Because I want to train you to learn that you and I have a Father in heaven, and I must obey my Father too. And I want to train you to instant obedience, not delayed obedience. Instant. Because that is going to be the blessing in your life. No substitute for this beloved once. None.
None.
Everything that we're hearing in the world.
Self-expression, don't punish children.
As we heard the other day, it's.
Just producing.
Life of We don't know what if the Lord doesn't come soon? Beloved ones, we just can't know what's ahead. But I believe that the storm clouds are gathering so fast.
That we are in desperate need to let this truth get ahold of us.
The mind it must be obedient to the mind of God to.
Know his thoughts?
To have communion, sweet communion, as companion with Christ, and to surrender that will.
Let's go over to.
1St Corinthians 15. I think it's the last verse 58. First Corinthians 15.
Therefore, my beloved brethren.
Be ye?
Unmovable, immovable.
This is what the Lord is saying to you and to me.
Everything today is changing. Everything is getting a new name.
It seems so.
Resisting to be.
Read to be resisting the pressures that are around us, you dear young people. I know nothing of the pressures that you are receiving.
From your peers.
You young couples that are here.
The pressures to compromise, to give things new names.
To allow things in your home and mine that are just bringing the world into our into our homes and and teaching our children all the corruption and the filth of the world. I hear people saying well, we control what they see on the.
Are we immovable?
In the assembly.
How sad a sight we're seeing it.
Developing.
Trials difficulties.
Break up.
What lies behind it these three things?
Having our own mind instead of going by the word of God in the assembly.
This is our final authority, Beloved ones. This is the mind of God. This is truth. This is truth.
Are you and I willing to? In the assembly where we are, are we willing to bow that mind to what the Word of God says? Here we are haggling over the translations.
Missing, missing the fundamental facts that the Lord is saying my word. Psalm 119. I think it's verse 128 says I consider all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, to be right.
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Is this the mind of God? It certainly is.
Are we bowing that mind or are we? I should say, are we using that mind that you and I have received in the assembly?
I'm sure you know what centrifugal force is.
Everything flying off in all directions, going in. That's the work of the enemy, beloved ones.
What's the work of the Spirit of God?
Ephesians 4 and Three, endeavoring to maintain, not to establish a unity, maintain the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace.
I noticed that when there are difficulties in the assembly.
That there is the tendency to fly off an independent thoughts, just the opposite of what the Word of God says. The blessed Lord Jesus speaking reverently, Let me say it with a heart that is in a little bit conscious of what is happening.
The Blessed Lord Jesus in the glory.
That precious Blood that he shed, powerful enough to save every person, 4 billion people or so in this world. That precious Blood of Christ is able to save everyone. Many saved. No indeed.
Of those who are redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ, are we willing to go on in happy harmony, all gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? One testimony on this earth, Anything but.
And those of us, sad to say, who have the unspeakable privilege of.
Gathered to the blessed name of the Lord Jesus Christ to his name, that means the authority of his name. And if you and I are by the Spirit of God gathered to that blessed name he brings, he vouchsafes his presence. He says, There am I in the midst.
Does this touch your heart? Do you want to say, Blessed Lord Jesus, we know that that is not have very much glory left on this earth. I want to live for thy glory.
Is that the desire of your heart?
Or are we?
Using our mind.
To think our own thoughts.
Is our heart cold toward Christ individually in the family life?
In the assembly life.
The air, beloved ones around us, it's polluted.
With the smoke of the pit, It's getting worse every day. Beloved, once I want to stir my own heart to the realization of the desperateness of the hour. Let's beloved ones close our ranks, close our ranks. Let's not be like Aiken, a disturber, a troubler of the Saints. Let's be like Caleb. He was a Stiller of the people. May your heart and mind.
Beloved mind at once may our mind first of all be subject to the word of God to that blessed one, as I said, doesn't have much glory left here on this earth. For what He has done are we wanting to use the last strength that we have to live for His glory now to have to have that, let this mind of Christ be in US.
To have that sweet.
Companionship of Christ and that you and I might be surrendering that will of ours. That is the root, I believe, of all our problems. If we are honest. It's the attacks of the enemy that is making inroads into the personal lives of young ones and older ones. It's the work of the enemy that is breaking up marriages as we've never seen it before.
And in the assemblies.
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I don't want to be dwelling on this, but I just believe that we're going to come to know, if the Lord doesn't come soon, what that expression two and three really means. I believe that our assemblies are being tested and sifted as never before. Oh beloved ones, may our eye be single and upon Christ it's our only, our only resource, but it is our all sufficiency.
I quote this old saying.
Is nothing less an object.
Can fill the heart of Christ of God.
That object being Christ, it necessarily follows.
That it overflows our heart.
And if our heart.
Is filled with Christ. It overflows.
And the overflow of the heart.
Is called praise.
Everything comes from God, all blessings. It's not a democracy that's not.
God's method. You're president of the United States, Mr. Lincoln, he said. Government off the people, by the people, for the people. That's not what God says.
Its authority that comes down.
But are we allowing this democratic spirit to come in amongst the end of the assembly?
Are we asking? I know participation is a wonderful thing. I hope I'm not stepping on people's toes, but I do believe that teaching comes down from God.
All blessing comes down if you and I, beloved ones, walk in those blessings. If we walk in them in our life, they're going to go back up to God in praise and adoration and worship. May it be so.
And Lord Jesus.
Come soon.