Address—Bob Thonney
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Umm, the Father's house.
Oh, bless the home the.
God.
Why all the good times?
Of God's way.
I love that hymn. How blessed the home.
The father's house and sometimes.
I ask myself, what is the Father's house? When we think of the Father's house, we think of heaven.
And what it means, I love to think of it just as this brother father's house is the place of the enjoyment of the father's love. There is one that occupies that place.
Of special affection from all eternity. So it says there, the Father's house, the Father's heart, all that the Son is given, made ours, the objects of his heart. So we're going to be introduced into that. But my desire this afternoon is to speak a bit about.
The House of God.
As it affects us right here and now, I think it's important and Scripture speaks quite a bit about it, you know?
We often speak about the church as the body of Christ, and that's a wonderfully beautiful subject as well.
But the church has different aspects, and as one of the aspects is the body of Christ, another aspect is that the church is the House of God.
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Here in this world right now, and I'd like to look at verses that deal with that and speak about its practical implications for it. Let's go, first of all, the First Corinthians chapter 3.
Where we have it presented.
Verse nine First Corinthians chapter 3. Verse nine For we are laborers together with God.
Ye are God's husbandry.
Ye are God's building. There it is.
We are God's building, brother Heinz read that verse in, uh, Psalm 27.
In the prayer meeting beautiful verse, David said one thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the House of the Lord forever. David had a special place of affection for the Lord and to dwell in his house forever. In Psalm 84 I think he says.
Blessed are they that dwell in thine house.
You know, at that time the revelation of God was not complete as we have it now in Christianity.
And David wanted to be in that house. He longed to be there.
But brother, we have a step better not only to be in that house, but we are that house right now. And I think it's important that we learn to enjoy that in our souls. And it's in the measure that you enjoy it that it will have the proper effect on your life practically as well.
So here Paul continues to say, let's just read a few more verses here verse 10 according to the grace of God, which is given unto me as a wise.
Master Builder, I have laid the foundation and another build that they're on, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. So here we have the house in the aspect that it is.
Men's work in man's building. Did you know that if you're a believer in the Lord Jesus, you are a builder? Don't look at the brethren that take part in the meeting and say they're the ones.
I really am not in that category. We all are and we're going to all be Val evaluated at the judgment seat of Christ. But the apostle Paul was the wise master builder. It was given to him, this truth as to the church as the House of God.
And he says other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ.
It is the foundation work. When you rest your souls on him, you become part of that house. Then it says verse 12 and here's the part that is for.
Our exercise, brethren. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every.
Man's work of what sort it is. So there's six types of material that it's mentioned here in these verse 12 gold, silver, precious stones, things that are valuable and things that are enduring. I'd have a hard time piling up much gold and silver and precious stones on this podium.
And all my life. But you know what?
If you take a match and put it to that material, it's going to stay there. It's not going to be affected by the fire. But notice the other three.
Wood Hay stubble You can fill this hole room with wood hay stubble in your lifetime. But you know what? If you put a match to it, what happens?
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Not too much later, it's gonna all be ashes, and here comes the wind and it's all gone.
What is our life going to be like at the judgment? Cedar Christ? That which has been done according to the light of His Word is what is going to remain. No, brethren, how we need to live our lives in view of that. I'm not talking to those who get up to speak the Word merely. I'm talking to everyone of you.
Our lives count now and notice.
Then it speaks about verse 13. Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it. And here it's talking about the day of manifestation, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. Then we have three options. Verse 14.
Verse 15 and verse 17.
Verse 14 is a real believer whose work abides. If any man's work abide which he hath built, thereupon he shall receive a reward. Not only is your work still there, but on top of that you get a reward.
Is that worthwhile striving for? I say yes, it is. But there's another case in verse 15. If a man's work shall.
Be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved. Yet so as by fire. Here's a real believer.
And even though his work is lost, he's saved because his faith was in the Lord Jesus.
But.
Loss. Is there gonna be a sense of loss at the judgment seat? That's what it's saying. There will be and I'm not saying.
Brethren, that I won't suffer a lot. I'm sure there will be areas of my life where I will see that wasn't really what the Lord had in mind, and it's gonna be burned. I say I'm sorry about that. There will be a sense of loss.
Oh, may the Lord help us to evaluate things.
We have in the Old Testament an illustration of these two and Abraham and Lot both were men of faith. Although if you would read the story of Lot in the Old Testament, you would be hard pressed to believe that he was a real believer some of the things he did.
But Scripture tells us in the New Testament, he vexed his righteous soul from day-to-day. How do you have a righteous soul? Was because there was faith. There was that true faith in God.
But what did he end up with at the end of his life?
Oh brother, may the Lord help us not to be like Lot. He lost everything, even his testimony. Terrible end for that man Lot. And he's not mentioned again in scripture.
Well, he's mentioned in the New Testament, like we said, that may it not be that way. Now you have in verse 17 another case. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy. Which temple ye are. Here we have a worker who's not a true believer. He professes to be. He takes that position as being a worker.
But what he has done?
Has been a defilement to that temple, and not only is his work gone, he himself is destroyed. And of course that takes place not at the same time as the believers are evaluated, but it will take place.
Like to go over now to Ephesians chapter 2 because we have it there as well presented the.
House of God or the Household of God?
Chapter 2. And let's read from verse 19 of chapter 2. Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God.
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Or you should say the House of God, the family of God. We are the family of God. It's our relationship when it's the body of Christ that's taken up the church.
As the body of Christ, it's our relationship with Christ as head. And there we're gonna will. We could see. We don't have time to do it this afternoon, but it takes up in the question of the church as the body of Christ, the gifts that Christ, the risen ascended head has given to the body down here for their profit and for their edification.
But here we have it. The church has the House of God.
And it's our relationship with God as Father to enjoy that, brethren. David longed for that down here, and many times he was far off because he wasn't.
Where the House of God and the earth was at that particular time.
And so he longed for it. But oh brethren, that we can enjoy that here and now. I challenge you. Do you enjoy the fact that you are part of the household of God and are built upon the foundation? And notice in First Corinthians chapter 3 it says Paul says I have laid the foundation because he was the one that went to Corinth and laid the foundation.
There in that city, but here it says our build upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Interesting that says the foundation of the apostles and prophets. And I think it's very important, brethren, that we have an understanding, you young people get an understanding of the New Testament epistles.
The writings of the Apostles and Prophets.
It's not only the apostles. You know, the two of the four Gospels, we have two, only two were written by apostles, the apostle Matthew and the apostle John. Mark was not an apostle, but he gave us Mark's Gospel and he's a prophet because he gave us the word of God. Luke is another one, something that Luke was a Gentile could have been.
But.
He was a prophet and he gave us two books of the New Testament that are extremely helpful, especially the book of the Acts as to the church and how it came into being and how it progressed in the times of the apostles.
So we're built upon the foundation. You know, when a person is building a building, he makes sure that he's doing it right over the foundation. It's important.
They have what they call a Plumb line. You're seeing a bricklayer uses the Plumb line to make sure that what he's building is right straight above the foundation. It's important because he gets off the foundation where there's not foundation, it won't last. And I say when we build, when we live our lives, when we do work for the Lord, make sure.
What you do?
Has foundation in the Scriptures the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself. He is the foundation in that in First Corinthians 3, but he is here referred to as the chief cornerstone.
And that is a little bit different facet of truth. You know, when we lived in Bolivia, in the city of Cochabamba, we, uh, bought a piece of ground and decided to build a hall on it. And when we build it there, there was big piles of stone on the property.
And so I said to the brethren, instead of buying bricks to build with, why don't we use these stones?
They're right there and there's a brother that is pretty good at building, and so that's what we did. But it's interesting. In one corner of what was to be the building, they put a large stone. It was called the cornerstone. It was the reference point in the whole building. How long was this building going to be?
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They measured from that stone.
How wide was it gonna be? They measured from that stone. How high was it going to be? They measured from that stone. All the measurements were made from that stone. And that's so important. It's not about us, brethren. Sometimes people think it is about us and they want to assert their own rights. I have my rights.
That does devastating.
Damage to the testimony of the church. When we insist on our rights, it's him that is the cornerstone. I remember the story of a brother.
There was some problems in some place and.
This brother came in, he was a brother that God had used largely, and one after another, one brother and another laid charges against him. And finally, at the end of all, when everybody else was quieted, another brother said, Uh, brother, what do you say about this? Don't you have anything to say?
You know what his answer was? She says. They haven't said anything wrong about the Lord Jesus. I really don't have anything to say.
He insisted that the reference point be not his person, but the person of the Lord Jesus. And that's the way it should be, brethren, in connection with this building. It's He that is the cornerstone. But notice verse 21 now.
In whom all the building fitly framed together, growth unto and holy temple in the Lord, That is what it's going to be.
In the future, sometimes this house is called a temple, sometimes it's called a building, and notice in verse 22, it's called a habitation. For in whom? In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit, the Spirit of God dwells in.
Us as believers in the Lord Jesus.
What is He here for? What is the purpose of His presence? Says very clearly in John 16 that He is here to guide us unto all truth. He's there to show us the Scriptures. And it's so important when we come together, brother, to let the Lord.
Guide us. Sometimes we think, oh, it has to be predetermined what we're going to do.
Well, if there is a brother that has a gift and a brother and see fit to give him a meeting, why I don't have a problem with that, but I say I must. I appreciate increasingly are there Latin brother in the South. And let me say to you this simply, I think I've said it here before that if you come to visit in Bolivia.
Or Argentina. I don't think you'll ever be ha asked to have a meeting.
They might say, well, since that brother has come to visit us, perhaps there's something he might have for us. So they announced a meeting. They don't ask you to have it. And I appreciate that because of times I'm accompanied with other brethren that also the Lord may say fit to use. And so that gives liberty for the Lord to use them as well.
Important thing is that the Spirit of God have liberty.
To use whom he will, you know, in many uh, areas of Christendom or what we call where, where the name of Christ is named.
In their public meetings, it's predetermined who is going to have the meeting and in the make sure that that's done with the Spirit of God has, uh, not been taken into account.
Sometimes the Spirit of God is hindered in opening the Scriptures like He would want us to do. So it's important to let the Spirit of God have liberty. That's why I enjoy so much, brethren, what we call our reading meetings. Scripture speaks in First Corinthians 14. Let the prophets speak to or three, and let the others.
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That's not judging people, but it's judging what is said. And so when we have our reading meetings, one or two or three for anything, give the sense of a certain, uh, amount of scriptures or certain number of verses perhaps. And perhaps there's another brother that can implement it more.
Sometimes there's need of correction and what is said and that gives liberty.
So that the truth of God is upheld. How important that is in our public meetings that the Spirit of God have liberty. Another thing that I have been impressed with, brethren, and the years I've been raised in amongst those gathered to the Lord's name, is that the Spirit of God gives testimony to the truth of God.
Remember hearing.
After a particular meeting.
As everybody was on their way out of the hall.
My sister said she was heard to say, you know, maybe it was me that the problem was with.
But I just didn't seem to get very much out of that meeting tonight.
Well, when it's the Spirit of God leading, the Spirit of God gives testimony to the truth of God. And if it's not according to the truth of God, there should be opportunity left to minister what is correct. And I've heard that done in reading meetings. I remember a reading meeting out in Walla Walla.
Years ago and a brother made.
A comment that was not correct as to the person of the Lord Jesus. I was surprised Brother Albert Hayhoe was there and he spoke right up and he corrected it. I don't know if everybody realized that it was a correction, but it was and that's what Scripture says. Because this is the place we are the Spirit of God.
Dwells in US, and His purpose is to open us.
To us the scriptures and the enjoyment of the person of the Lord Jesus. So here is what we are today in verse 22. We are build together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. Brethren, I really don't think we lay hold on the import of these versus God the Holy Spirit.
Dwells in US.
You know Scripture exhorts us in Ephesians.
To be filled with the Spirit.
Thee not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.
You know, a person that's filled with wine, you know, and by the way he's walking around and the way he's talking to you can tell he's under the influence.
And it's the same when a person is filled with the Spirit of God. It's evident by the way he talks, by the way he walks.
So it's something to exercise our hearts. Scripture says be filled with the Spirit. Why am I not filled with the Spirit? Sometimes use the illustration, if I have a glass, I want to fill this glass with water.
But you know what? That glass is half full of dirt. Can I fill it with water the way it is? No, there's a problem. There's something impeding water to fill that I've got to empty that dirt out. And sometimes there's things in our lives that do not allow the Spirit of God to fill us.
Oh brother, And it's such a blessing to see.
The example of people who were filled with the spirit we have a number spoken of in the book of the Acts. One of the most notable perhaps, is Steven.
The first.
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Martyr for the Lord Jesus in the book of the Acts says he was filled a man full of the spirit, full of wisdom, full of power. You know, a person that's filled with the Spirit of God is not occupied with himself.
Not talking about himself. So in Chapter 7 when you have Stevens coming to his end there you're looking up into heaven. He's not working about the stones that they're thrown at him to kill him. Looking up into heaven, he says, I see heaven opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God, he was occupied with the Lord Jesus that's.
Characteristic of a person that's filled with the spirit Now let's go on to.
Another portion in umm.
Timothy.
Chapter 3.
Often we've heard and I think it is helpful.
To remember that when we read First Timothy, it is the House of God in its order.
How is it to be so? We have 6 chapters which give details as to our testimony as to the House of God in its order, because God's house is a kind of supporter.
Should there be anything else?
And so when you come to Second Timothy.
Does it talk about a house? Yes. What does it say?
In a great house.
Why does it say a House of God? Because there's so much that is out of order.
That the apostle Paul doesn't call it the House of God, he just says a great house. And we'll look at that in a minute. But let's look at first Timothy chapter three first. And we're going to read from verse 14, the last three verses of this chapter. These things right eye into thee. This is an individual.
Letter of Paul to Timothy, a young man.
Leaves things right under thee, hoping to come into thee shortly. But if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou art us to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. Oh, that's beautiful.
The Church of the Living God is the House of God.
Is the pillar and ground of the truth. We have some pillars in this building. What is the purpose of these pillars Is to uphold the roof in this building?
And what is it that the House of God is to uphold?
Is the truth the pillar and ground of the truth?
The precious word of God, the Lord Jesus said.
Sanctify them by thy truth. Thy word is truth.
The Lord Jesus also said.
I am the way, the truth. And so when we talk about the truth in its absoluteness, and I think this is important to understand, we're talking about God's Word and the person of the Lord Jesus.
Absolutely, that is the truth.
Can you speak about truth when you look at me?
I hope so, but I ask you not to look at me very clearly closely, because you're gonna see some faults. And so you might say the truth is here. Subjectively, yes, I should be a manifestation of the truth, but sometimes it's not so. But let's be careful, brethren, when we speak about the truth, not to make ourselves a reference point. It's Christ, and it's His Word that is the truth.
Objectively and absolutely. Oh, how important it is to understand it when I say that it's that beyond which there is no appeal. It is the final word of the truth. Sometimes I see brethren speaking about the truth, but it they leave the impression that we are the truth.
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Brother, let's be careful not to do that because.
That is lot brought a lot of dishonor in the Lord's name sometimes. So the Lord help us, the Lord, the assembly or the church, the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, is the pillar and ground of the truth. You'll remember, brother.
Uh, Eric Smith speaking about this chapter, he said the Assembly is not the truth.
The assembly is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is that which upholds Yahweh. We've already spoken about how, When?
In a reading meeting, the truth is being ministered and perhaps some brother doesn't minister it real clearly that there are others who can come in and help to clarify it so that the truth is upheld. How important that is. That's what God's purpose is for the church as the House of God.
One other detail here in verse 15.
He speaks about behavior. Behavior is important in the church as the House of God, and when there is not the proper behavior, there is what we sometimes speak of as discipline. When I use that word discipline, I want to be careful how that is understood because sometimes people think.
That what we're talking about in discipline.
Is, uh, correction of what may be wrong that may be included, but that word discipline really comes from the same root word as disciple. Disciple is a follower and a learner, and that's the thought in discipline is to train.
Not only to teach, but to show.
The Lord Jesus had 12 disciples. They followed him. They saw not only what they heard, not only what he taught, but they saw what He did. And that's so important. Sometimes I believe, brethren, that new believers are not discipled and they need help in getting a groundwork of where we stand. Where are the foundations?
I think it's so beautiful to understand that brother, and you know how important.
Foundations are.
Some time ago, after 911, I had the opportunity to go with my two boys to.
Uh, Ground Zero, I guess they call it. And at that time they had removed all the rubble.
And we went in there and we stood on the edge and there was a huge hole. They were gonna start building the building that is I believe now complete there because I've not come back since. But but it impressed me. It was about 5 stories deep that hole. And from there they were going on down in.
To lay the foundation work, How important foundations are, you know?
Foundations are not visible. Can anybody show me the foundations of this school? Sorry, they're below the ground, but they are so very important. You know, in the Old Testament when?
The temple was destroyed. Solomon's temple was destroyed. They broke up the foundation work.
Wasn't left so when there was a restoration in the time of Ezra.
They came back and they relayed the foundation.
You know, when we come over to the New Testament, brethren, there's been a lot of ruin because of what man has interjected into the circle of the testimony of the Lord Jesus and the truth of God.
But what is such an encouragement to me is that word in Second Timothy chapter 2. Thus foundation of God stands firm. It was never broken up.
Even though there's a lot of ruin in the Christian testimony today, the the foundation stands firm. You know, sometimes you have to dig down through the rubble of your own thoughts, but there it is. The foundation is there. I find that such a consolation even in today's world where there's so much confusion in religious circles.
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The foundation there, yes.
It is and it will never be broken up. We can go back to the foundation work and we can build on the foundation. How important that is. Now look at verse 16 in this chapter. I find it very interesting without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
Justified in the spirit scene of angels preached unto the Gentiles.
Believed on in the world, received up into glory.
6 phrases.
There.
And I suppose we could say that when the Lord Jesus was here in this world, the mystery of godliness was seen in his glorious person.
The Lord Jesus is not here in this world at the present time, not visibly.
Is there a manifestation of the mystery of godliness?
In the measure that we walk according to the principles of the Word of God, the mystery of godliness is seen in the church as the House of God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And so, just to go over those six little phrases, God was manifest in the flesh.
You go to 1St Corinthians chapter 14, it says if someone unlearned.
Believer come in he is convicted of all if they're if we prophecy he's convicted of all and he will fall down and confess God is in you of the truth. In that sense, God is manifest in our pres in our midst, justified in the spirit, because the Spirit of God is the one who presses.
Home the message.
Remember the story of a man who came to a gospel meeting?
And our brother got up and preached from Romans chapter one.
And if you remember, Romans chapter one talks about a lot of shameful sins committed by the Gentile world.
He got up. That man got up after the meeting and stomped out quite annoyed.
How dare he talk about my secret sins in public. He didn't know anything about that man, but it was the Spirit of God who gave testimony as to where he was.
Scene of angels. We're not only a testimony to the world around, we're testimony to angels. Those principalities and powers in heavenly places learn in the church the manifold wisdom of God. Isn't that amazingly wonderful? That's why our sisters have head coverings on because of the angels they're watching. It's not only when we are here together in public meetings.
The scripture says whenever you pray or prophecy, the woman is to have her head covered because of the angels.
It really has bothered me sometimes I've been in public places where I see those who profess to be believers. I'm talking about men who leave their hat on when they're praying. I don't understand it, but they don't understand this part, that we are testimony to angels and as soon as it's in reference to God that we're speaking or to God.
And the man is to uncover his head. A woman is to cover her head.
Sometimes a big point is made that the woman's hair is her covering. It's two different words in that chapter, First Corinthians Chapter 11. It's not the same word. You don't take your hair off when you're done praying. No, it's speaking about something different, speaking about something you put on when you pray or prophecy. Then it says preached unto the Gentiles and when the testimony is proper.
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There is a, uh, a blessing amongst the unbelievers believed on in the world. And then the last one is received up, and it should be.
In Glory.
You know, in the case of the Lord Jesus, he was received up before he was believed on in the world. So it's not really primarily talking about the Lord Jesus here. It's primarily talking about the church as the House of God when it goes on in its proper order. Want to say a few words to in the beginning of this chapter we have the.
Bishops.
Spoken about in verse.
Eight forward we have the deacons. The Bishop is the same as an overseer or sometimes referred to in Scripture as an elder. If you look carefully at the book of the Acts, they were named by the apostles and in connection with.
Titus. Titus was an Apostolic delegate.
And Paul told him to appoint elders in every church in the Isle of Crete, and I suppose he did. But beyond that, we don't have in any place in Scripture that we have the ability or the authority to name elders. This is something that is commonly done in Christian circles, but I think it is important to see that it is not scriptural to name.
Elders.
What it does say here in verse one, this is a true saying if a man desire the office of a Bishop.
He desires a good work and then it gives the qualifications for a vision.
When you look down that list, they're not a whole lot of us that can fulfill that list.
No. In Bolivia, in the high Alta Plano, a brother came to me one time and said brother.
I'm afraid I can't fulfill the requisites that are mentioned in First Timothy Three. I really would enjoy trying to be a help to the Lord's people, but I'm afraid I don't qualify.
So I had him read verse one. This is a true saying, if a man desire the work of a Bishop, he desires a good work. So I said to him, rather you may not qualify.
Of all the requisites. But do you have that desire? He says. Yes, I do.
Know that you desire a good work, do what you can. We're not gonna be telling you're an elder, but you desire a good work. Do what you can. And I think that's what has to be recognized in today's world, brethren, that, that, uh, we don't qualify very much, very many. There might be a few.
But then we come down to verse 8 and we have the deacons. That word is a minister.
A servant.
And we have the record in Acts chapter six of the first deacons that were named. And it's interesting, one of them we've already talked about was Steven. So in the House of God, brethren, there's order.
In connection with the spiritual needs of God's people, there are those who are the elders. We don't name them, but we might recognize them as those that carry the testimony. And you younger people, if sometimes they come up to speak a word of correction, take it.
I remember when I was young, I've gotten up to speak in a particular meeting.
And maybe the Lord saw there. There was a bit of pride as I got done with my message. My brother walked up to me afterwards and said.
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Did you say such and such in the meeting?
Yes, that's what I said.
Well, if that's what you said, you better go at home and get out of your knees and ask the Lord what it means, because you're really mistaken.
Let me tell you, I was human inside. I didn't say anything to him, but I did go home and I felt so uncomfortable. I did get down on my knees.
And the Lord said, showed me, Bob, if what you said was right, why were you human? You could have just left it. The Lord showed me that, yes, there was some pride inside.
And he brought that to light through that brother. So listen to your brother. And I don't say that your brethren are always right, but learn to listen to them. They have responsibility when they see a young person that is maybe going in the wrong direction.
To say a word, to be a help in season, oh, how important that is. So there's help in connection with spiritual matters.
There's help as well in connection with material matters and that's what we have in the deacons, those that were involved in the daily ministry, in the handling of the collection and how it's distributed. There are those that should take responsibility in a responsible way, in that way. And let me just say that all times when assembly is small.
There's not very many.
But it speaks of the deacons in the plural, and so there should be at least two, because in the mouth of two or three witnesses is every word established. Now before we get to the end of our time, I'd like to go over to Hebrews chapter 3 because we have there's some more about the House of God.
Hebrews chapter 3 and verse one. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Jesus Christ Jesus. Interesting.
Go to chapter one. Most of Paul's epistles start Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. It's not there in chapter one of Hebrews. Why not? Because the apostle in Hebrews is Christ Jesus. He is the apostle and high priest of Our Calling, of our profession.
Perhaps we can say that in chapter one we have him as the Apostle, in chapter 2 we have him as the High Priest.
Who was faithful to him that appointed him? As also Moses was faithful in all his house, not Moses house, but the House of God. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, in as much as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house. For every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God.
And Moses, verily, was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of hope, firm until the end?
So Christ is the Son over his own house.
In today's world, brethren, and later on in this book, in chapter 12, we find that.
That there is discipline in the House of God.
There is discipline. There's a discipline that God has with all his people, says if you didn't receive discipline, it might mean that you are not truly one of God's people.
But he disciplines, and we all participated in that sense of the word. We're all under discipline.
He loves us too much to let us go our own way. You know what I find, brethren? That children that are raised sometimes in homes that are just recently saved. The parents I know love those children, but they don't discipline them. You know what? Those children are very insecure because they don't know where the line is. They go across that line.
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We need discipline and I thank God that I have someone.
Who is always faithful? Am I always faithful? Was Moses always faithful? Moses was faithful, it says, in God's house as a servant. But the Lord Jesus is faithful, always faithful in his house as a son over his own house. And I know that he's not going to let me get out of line without speaking to me in one way or another.
Oh, brother, and he's speaking to us.
It's evident. I think he must be getting this ready to go home to the Father's house in heaven.
That's why he's allowing so many trials. And it's not merely that there's a fault in that particular person that's suffering that trial. No, not necessarily, because sometimes trials are allowed to.
Uh, prevent further problems. Paul was given a thorn in the flesh. We don't know exactly what it was.
So that he wouldn't be exalted.
Why did possible Paul need? Did he do something wrong? No, it wasn't that he did anything wrong.
But it was to prevent him doing something wrong. And we don't see that. The Lord sees that, and He allows things in our lives. But to realize it's Him. Brethren, I must say the Lord in my past allowed me to pass through a trial that was extremely difficult at that time, as before I was married.
And I was in a stoo.
I couldn't figure out why when I wanted to please the Lord. Why did the Lord allow that on top of all the rest?
And a brother came up to me and said brother.
Everything in the Christian's life comes directly from the throne above.
You know, it hit me just like a sledgehammer. Lord, you have something to say to me. I don't understand it, but here I am. I hope I'm listening.
And brother, and thank God, we have one who is always faithful because he's a son over his own house. What a wonderful thing to be part of the household of God.