Address—P.L. Johnson
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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1974, addressed by Paul Johnson.
174.
174.
186.
Jesus of thee, we mare with fire.
New and living food.
And satisfied our hearts desire and life is in thy Blood #186.
It's also.
We've ever been there was.
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I.
Crying.
Oh.
Wow.
To the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18 to that familiar verse.
Already brought before us in these meetings, Matthew 18.
And verse 20.
Far where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Just want to read this one verse at this time as we shall be turning to other verses from the Lord willing.
This verse was brought before us and I feel very.
Accurately explained.
As to the context here where we have the Lord Jesus in the midst of the two or three.
Not only there to bless, but there to give authority to that which is carried out in his name.
You remember in the 16th chapter of this Gospel of Matthew, the Lord Jesus Christ speaks about building when he says I will build my church. And we know of course that that began on the day of Pentecost. There is a sense in which that is still in construction. We know that as each one is saved and added to that structure.
It grows unto an holy temple in the Lord. But also we can say that the church was.
Established and set up here in this world on the day of Pentecost as the habitation of God through the Spirit, so that we can say the Church has been built in that sense already set up.
But here in the verse that we have read, in verse 20, we do not have the thought of building now, but we have the thought of gathering.
And I would like to suggest.
That what the Lord had before him here is what has taken place in the course of the Church of the history.
By the course of the history of the Church, that while it was established on the day of Pentecost and set up, is the habitation of God through the Spirit.
Ruin and failure having come in and scattering, now we have the thought of gathering where two or three are gathered.
For, you'll notice earlier in this chapter.
When speaking about.
A case of discipline.
In verse 17, if you neglect to hear them, tell it under the church or the assembly.
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Well, we know that the day in which we live.
The assembly, in its broadest character and its universal character, is including all believers.
Is not gathered and no one in any particular locality can say they are the church.
To the exclusion of others.
So, one might say.
Well, how can this verse be carried out? Tell it unto the church or assembly. And it seems to me that in verse 19 the Lord Jesus Christ makes provision for the day in which we live, a day of ruin, and scattering that there can still be that authority.
To carry out discipline and to carry out his affairs in his name.
And with his authority, even if it be only the two or three. For in verse 19 you'll notice how it starts. He says again, I say unto you, he had already spoken to them about what to do in the event of one who was not recovered by the visit of the individual or taking others. He said, tell it under the assembly. Now he says again, as if to say I have a further word to say.
But there might come a time when one might be able, might have to say, well, where is the assembly?
He says if two of you shall agree, he brings it right down to two of you. And it might be that in a locality where each one of us come from, we cannot say that all true believers are gathered with us. It might be that we cannot say we are the assembly as constituting every believer in that community, but we can say that we are of the assembly.
Two or three who are of the assembly and exercise as to.
The truth of the assembly, the truth of the one body, Christ his head, and seeking to walk in the light of the assembly, gathering unto his name, he says, Where two or three are gathered together under my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Well, it wasn't my thought to go into detail on this particular verse, but I wanted to start off with this particular thought that here we have brought before us the person.
Who is in the midst of the two or three, who are of the assembly, not constituting the whole assembly, but walking in the light of it?
And finding him his name as the gathering center, where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I the person in the midst of them. And I'm not going to repeat what was said, but I think the explanation was given very accurately in regard to the fact that the Lord is with his people everywhere, but this particular verse refers to those.
Gathered to his name alone, where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I.
In the midst of them, but I would like to say this in a practical way, especially for some of the younger ones.
Reference was made in the meetings that we have had not only in the readings, but I believe in an address of brother gave. Reference was made as to those who profess to be gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But they meet on independent ground and they act on the ground of independent assemblies, and it was pointed out how that.
There might be a case of discipline in one assembly and this person go to another and be received. What I'd like to say this that that isn't always the case, that it works. And I mentioned that because a person said to me, he says, you know, I was once with those that were referred to by in these meetings that we have had. And as a rule, if a man was put out or a woman or anyone was put out, say for immorality or drunkenness in one gathering.
They were not received in the others either because they didn't believe in breaking bread with drunkards and immoral persons. And that's generally true. But the difference I would say to young persons is this, that those who meet on independent ground, it may be that they would not receive a person put out of another meeting, but they're not receiving them is on the ground that they concur in the judgment.
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That is, they say, we agree with what that meeting has done. We agree that if that person had been here in our midst, we would have put him out too. It's on the basis of agreement. But the truth of the word of God is this, the Church being one there being one body, and the Lord acting in authority in the midst. It isn't so much that we go into the matter to determine whether or not we agree with what has been done.
But we recognize the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of the two or three gathered under his name. I mean by that. If a person is under discipline in one gathering, he is under discipline in all of the gatherings and fellowship, not necessarily because everyone everywhere agrees, but on the principle of the one body.
And on the principle of the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the midst of the two or three gathered unto His name. Now of course we know there is always a resource. There's always a resource for failure. It may be that those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be erroneous or maybe an error in their judgment, but the recourse is looking to the Lord, not acting.
In independency.
Well, here I believe we have brought before us in Matthew 1820. But where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I. It's the person in the midst. And I believe this should be before us.
That even though it's a gathering of only two or three, the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst, and not just looking at the persons there, but to realize the presence of that person to give authority to their acts taken in his name. And as I say, if it has not been according to the mind of God, and according to the Spirit of God according to the word of God, we know there is resource in looking to the Lord.
And the Lord will come in, and the Lord will make it manifest. But the the answer to what one might consider to be erroneous judgment is not independency. But now, beloved, what I had especially upon my heart, is this. We're going to turn. I'm not going into great detail, but just a little outline of three other occasions of the Lord Jesus in the midst, the person of the Lord Jesus in the midst.
Here we can say that he is. What is emphasized is the person who is in the midst, and he's there to bless and to give authority. But now turn to the 20th chapter of John's Gospel.
John, Chapter 20.
And we want to look at some occasions of the Lord Jesus in the midst as bringing before us what should exercise.
Each one of us in our localities.
As those who are gathered.
Together under the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I take it?
And at least that is the exercise I have before me, to speak to those who do come from the various localities where they are gathered together under the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and taking that ground.
I feel that there is there are certain things that should characterize us.
We should have certain exercises in regard to that, for God would not have us to merely assume a position.
And to boast in a position.
To glory in a position without any exercise.
As to what belongs to those who would be in that position now in John 20 and verse 19.
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Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you, Here we have again the Lord Jesus in the midst.
Here, I submit that it's not so much the emphasis upon the person there. Am I in Matthew 1820 emphasizing the person there? Am I in the midst?
Here what is emphasized seems to be the position that the disciples occupied.
What is emphasized here is the position they are assembled.
The doors are shut.
And they're assembled with the door shut for fear of the Jews. And then Jesus comes and stands in the midst. Well, as I say, we take the ground as those.
Gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Will hear.
I believe we have brought before us the position in regard to the camp.
In regard to the religious atmosphere, that's all about us.
But notice again in this verse 19 the doors were shut and it's in regard to the Jews.
Now we find in the Gospel of John the Jews referred to repeatedly.
The Pharisees, of course, were mentioned in Sadducees. But the Jews? That expression, the Jews it brings before us, we might say.
The religious man it brings before us man religiously. The Jews religious man. Now the doors were shut.
And you'll notice it's in the plural. It doesn't say the door, but the doors.
And I think that would suggest the fact.
That each one of us individually in our own local gatherings.
Need to be exercised.
That it would not be through me or you as an individual, that the religiousness of the camp roundabout is introduced into the position of those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We know the place that the Lord takes is outside the camp and the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Wherefore, let us go forth unto him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.
And here we see, literally, that's where these disciples are assembled.
For fear of the Jews, the religious man is excluded. Religion is excluded. I don't mean necessarily.
False religion, but religion that that in which man can glory. The religious man is excluded by these doors being shut. First of all, I'd like to point out.
Too that the disciples were assembled, that is they they had come together.
And we come together, beloved, as those who are members of the body of Christ, as those who have been gathered by the Spirit of God unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we want to be exercised that the doors are shut on the religious man, that that which is merely religious be not introduced into our midst. Sometimes I find that they are beloved Saints.
To the Lord's name, and they would never consider going into a theater.
He would never consider going to places of amusement. They certainly wouldn't go consider going to places of debasement, but when it comes to something religious.
Something that is very entertainingly religious. There's a temptation and perhaps even an inclination to go along with that and to enjoy it. And I believe, Beloved, that God would have us as gathered together unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ with the person in the midst, to realize that our position is outside the camp and the doors are shut so that that which is merely religious round about us. And there is much that is religious.
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There is much that appeals to the flesh in a religious way and can be very attractive.
And can be very deceiving because it is associated with the name of Christ.
But it's merely religion and appeals to the religious instincts.
We know, of course, that many of the so-called holidays or feast days that are observed in the professing Church was an effort to attach the name of Christ to the religious instincts of men and individuals who were already observing these days in their various religions and in order to to make them, or you might say, encourage them.
To accept Christianity and make Christianity attractive by the name of Christ was attached to many of these days that were purely heathen. There's a lot of religion round about us and here we see the position of those gathered under the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is with the doors shut. And dear young people I would say that it's your responsibility as well as the older.
The older wants to see that the doors are shut.
May it not be through me or you as an individual that enter anything is introduced from the religious world, roundabout that that would not be in in consonance with the position of those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now turn to Luke's Gospel, chapter 24.
Again, we have the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst.
Verse 36 I'm not going into the context of these various.
Occasions, but to give an outline in connection with the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst.
Verse 36 And as they thus speak, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.
Well, we know that the effect was that here they were affrighted and they thought they had seen a spirit.
Now verse 41 And while they yet believe not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here? Have you hear any meat?
I'm sure that we understand that this word meet here literally means food. Literally translated. Have you anything here to eat?
The Lord is in the midst.
And now he raises a very searching question, we might say to those who are gathered unto his name, with himself in the in the midst. Have you hear anything to eat? Beloved, I've been exercised about this while we.
Can take the ground, and I believe God would have us to do so as those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have felt that it's a very poor thing.
If it is so that there is not food available for those so gathered, so that one has to go elsewhere to find food for his soul, this should be an exercise in each one of our gatherings where we are. Have you hear any meat or food Is there that provided in our gatherings that will be food.
For the souls of those who are there, is there food that would even be an attraction to those roundabout?
Could it be said that they will find in our midst ministry and food for their souls that they couldn't find anywhere else?
Well, one might say we don't have many great gifts. Well, that's true. One might say most of the gifts seem to be outside in the camp.
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We had before us in Ephesians 4 the special gifts of evangelists.
Pastors and teachers.
And I do believe that these are special gifts.
That Christ gives to the Church.
It isn't open to everyone.
While one might be evangelistic in his spirit and seek souls individually in an evangelistic way, it could not be said that each one of us or every one of us are evangelists. He gave some evangelists to the church. He gave some pastors and teachers. That's true.
But in the 12Th chapter of 1 Corinthians we have there what is spoken of as the manifestations of the Spirit. And there it is said that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with all. And also in Ephesians 4 in our reading we had unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Now what I'm saying is this.
That while we may not have great gifts, and while many of the gifts might be.
Outside of those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, where there is an exercise in reading the word of God, in the presence of God, and meditating on the word of God, and a dependence upon the Spirit of God, and a diligence in the things of God. There will be food provided for those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he says, have you hear any meat or any food, There will be food found.
There will be food there for the young. There will be that which will lead them on in the path of faith and faithfulness. There will be food for the older ones.
We can depend, and we can count upon the Spirit of God to furnish what is needed for the blessing of His people, even in a day of ruin and failure. It is not necessary that we have all the gifts with us. It isn't necessary that we have great gifts.
And I submit to you that you read 1St Corinthians 12 and that light not that we have the miraculous gifts mentioned there.
For you see First Corinthians 12.
Gives to us the furnishings.
Of the house in Ephesians 4 we have the permanent gifts. We might say that which is a part of the structure of the house that Christ has built or is building. But in First Corinthians 12 we have the furnishings of the house. Now there was a time when those furnishings were very elaborate, and there were great gifts of healings and miracles and wonders. Well, in a day of ruin and failure we know it would not be in keeping.
With the character of God to have elaborate furnishings, the furnishings are going to be less elaborate, but nonetheless the Spirit of God will furnish what is needed for the souls of His people for their welfare and their blessing, even in a day of ruin and failure where there is diligence.
Where there's an exercise, where there's a reading of the word of God, meditation and prayer. Now I do appreciate beloved brother and the fact that life is very busy these days and the majority are occupied with a livelihood and many raising of a family, and I know that time is limited.
And This is why I'm going to suggest, beloved, that since time is limited, that we utilize the time that we do have to the best of it best advantage by reading not only the word of God, but the best available ministry. I would suggest to young brothers as well as older ones I know who have learned this for themselves, to read the word of God.
Consecutively.
To read it continuously, to read it prayerfully and I would suggest to that you read the synopsis of Mr. Darby along with it.
And if one is going on in this way in the reading of the word of God, and in the presence of God and meditating upon it, then we will find that there will be food available in our gatherings. And when the Lord said, have you hear any meat? Yes, there will be, there will be ministry.
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There will be food, something available for the growth and blessing of the Saints. Now turn to the first chapter of Revelation.
We might say that in Luke 24 we have.
Provision.
What is provided for those gathered?
In Matthew 18 we have the person.
In John 20 we have the position outside the camp with the door shut, the religious man excluded, and in Luke 24 we have that provision for those who gathered food.
And an exercise that there might be food. Now in Revelation chapter one we have John in verse 10. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet.
Verse 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned I saw 7 golden candlesticks, or lampstands, And in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like under the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and gird about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire.
And his feet like a defined brass, as if they burned in a furnace. And his voice is the sound of many waters. Now here we have the Lord Jesus in the midst.
He's in the midst here not to give authority. He's not here in the midst.
Speaking peace and blessing, or even as food for his people. For after all, when we speak of food for the Saints of God, Christ is the food for His people, food for the young as well As for the older. But here we have the Lord Jesus in the midst.
Taken in account and evaluating everything that is going on in the midst.
He is there in the character of one who is discerning the.
And I believe, Beloved brethren, we need to need to see the Lord Jesus in the midst in this character too, that in our gatherings, two or three, or whether it be larger number, whatever it be, gathered together unto His name with himself in the midst, as we have spoken earlier in their other characters in the midst. That we might see Him in this way, too, is the one who observes, the one who discerns, the one who weighs everything.
The one who is taking account of everything.
The one with whom we have to do. But I want you to notice that he's in the midst. Verse 13.
Of the seven lampstands.
And these lampstands are spoken of in verse 12 as gold and lampstands.
And what does this bring before us? These lampstands no doubt speak of the assemblies. It speaks of the local gatherings. It speaks of those little gatherings of the two or three gathered unto his worthy name.
And.
While of course, as I said in the beginning, no local gathering of Saints can claim to be the Church in its entirety as being gathered on the ground of the one body walking in the light of the truth of the assembly, they can take that place, of being the assembly in that place.
As long as we understand, of course, that there are those who are members of the body of Christ not with us.
And yet, I do believe that we can take that position of being the assembly in the place. Now for a moment, keep your place in Revelation, but turn back to Second Chronicles chapter. I believe it's 35.
And I want to explain what I mean about being the assembly.
In the place.
And yet recognizing that there are others not gathered who belong to the assembly in its broadest sense. But we wouldn't want to take any other ground. In other words, the point I'm making is this. We want to recognize that where two or three are gathered together under my name with himself in the midst, that it's not just a miscellaneous gathering or group of Christians.
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But it is something that God himself has established and divine, the Golden Lampstand. Now in Chapter 35 of Second Chronicles we have the keeping of a Passover in the days of Josiah. We know that in this time the Kingdom was divided, the 10 tribes had been carried away in rebellion under Jeroboam, and only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained.
That the divine center in Jerusalem, and not only that, but there had been failure. Many things had come in even as a divine center in the days of Josiah. There was a time of of division and scattering. But when Josiah found written in the word that it was the mind of God, the observance of the Passover, he says, Now we're going to observe that Passover.
Because it's something that has been given to the people of God, the children of Israel, and we know that many were invited.
They didn't all come. Notice verse 17.
And the children of Israel that were present kept the Passover. I want you to notice those words carefully. The children of Israel that were present now, those who kept the Passover there did not constitute the whole nation of Israel, but they didn't take any other name than the children of Israel.
Though they were only really a fragment, A remnant, yet they took the ground of being the children of Israel that were present, that is, those who are there, and I believe that in that sense, in the various localities where there are two or three gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, while they do not constitute the assembly in its entirety, we might say, we can say that they are the assembly, those of the assembly who are present.
Those who are there, those who are walking in the light of it. And so it is not that we farm a sack, a denomination, a group we gather on the ground of the one body walking in the light of the truth of the assembly which God has established. That's the thought of the golden lampstands. It's something that God has set up, God has established the assembly, and the Lord Jesus is here in the midst.
Of those who are on that ground. And he's observing and discerning all that takes place when after you kept your place in Revelation.
I want to point out the effect that this had upon John, for I believe that it would speak to us.
As to how this should affect us, when we see the Lord Jesus in the midst is the one to whom we're responsible and the one who takes note of everything. Verse 17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.
Now we know that Mary sat at his feet and listened to his word.
Well, if we're sitting at His feet and listening to His word, there's going to be food provided for those gathered. But here we find one at His feet as dead. I believe this speaks of self judgment, loneliness and self judgment, beloved brethren, and as those who gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus with the person in the midst.
And in that position outside the camp, with the doors shut, excluding the religious man, food provided for his Saints, Christ as food for his Saints. What will preserve us, and only what will preserve us, is in the attitude of John here to be his at his feet, as dead as we had in our readings with loneliness and meekness.
That loneliness that would be at his feet, and in that spirit of self judgment, being at his feet as dead. And if we see that the Lord is in the midst, observing what we say, what we do, how we carry on, and all that goes on among those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when we recognize that I believe it will lead us.
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To be as it were at his feet and self judgment, lest we might allow the flesh in me are in you to spoil the testimony, to stumble, or to hinder or dishonor the Lord the Lord Jesus in the midst here with his eyes as a flame of fire, as the Son of man, and in that spirit of judgment. And it leads John to take that place at his feet as one dead. So beloved, I thought is we've had so much before us in connection with.
The Lord Jesus in the midst.
I just thought of these. These are various aspects.
Of the person in Matthew 1820, there am I in the midst and the position outside the camp with the door shut.
The religious man excluded, and the provision for our souls, the food that is provided for our blessing and growth, and then for our preservation and protection, to be at his feet in a spirit of self judgment.