Address—H. Brinkmann
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Chapter 22 of Matthew verse one.
And Jesus answered, and spake unto them again by parables, and said.
The Kingdom of heaven is like unto her certain kings, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding.
And they would not come again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden. Behold, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my paddling are killed, and all things are ready come unto the marriage.
But they made light of it, and went their way, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. The remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wrought, he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then said he to his servants, the wedding is ready.
But they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highway, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was furnished with gifts, and when the king came in to see the gift, he saw there a man which had not a wedding garment.
And he said unto him, Friend, how came is thou in? Hit her not having a wedding garment. And he was speechless, Then sent the king to the servants, Find him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into.
Outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen.
When we found in the last parable.
That the same statement was made that is made at the end of this parable.
Many are called, but few are chosen.
And we didn't explain what is communicated in this statement. I believe we see it illustrated or have seen it illustrated in the net. The last parable in Matthew 13 had brought up every time to the shore, but they were the good and the bad.
So many are called, many will answer to the gospel. Call, make a profession.
And claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus.
But proved to be false.
Many are called, but few are children. It's really a wonderful truth in the word of God that only those who got in His grace should.
Will answered, and there will be reality in them. It's a very humbling thing for you and me that have come to know the Lord Jesus to realize that it it wouldn't have been for the grace of God picking us out in the eternity past. We would not have responded. And if we would have responded, we might have responded like those that outwardly made a profession. But.
We're not the chosen ones. They were not real.
The solemn thing, the things that they are, those that might take.
A position and making a claim, but they are not real. But what we have seen in the 18th chapter is that the spirit of forgiveness in that parable of the 10,000 that are the 10,000 talents that are dead and the underpants that are that the spirit of forgiveness should characterize those who follow the Lord Jesus.
And you know, you and I, all of us are 10,000 talent debtors when it comes to our relationship to God, you know, but in our relationship with one another.
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Underpinned debtors and how often the unforgiving spirit spoils the Christian testimony.
To think that we have been forgiven 10,000 talents and then are not willing to forgive.
100 pence.
And as can be manifested in the followers of the Lord Jesus.
But we also have seen that in the vineyard and I believe consider that that is not so much blessing be sold upon the lost by bringing them to know the Lord Jesus, but their joy is brought to God.
There is something in our lives, if we are faithfully carrying on for God, that will spring joy.
To the heart of God, and you and I can contribute to that. But now here in this parable about the wedding.
The marriage for his son. This is very evidently bringing in the law, going out and calling the laws in, but I believe those that were bidden and did not come.
Saver. Do you know, we see in the Jude those that were bidden and wouldn't come and you find first of all that?
They wouldn't come, but then we find a more serious condition.
They made light of it.
They mocked. They made fun of the message that was brought to them from the king.
And he went to their own farm, to their merchandise.
You know that was more important to them than to consider the invitation and come and impart in their marriage fees. But they also ill treated the service.
And they killed them. But we find that what is open of here.
When the king heard thereof, he was wroth, and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city that took place when Jerusalem was destroyed.
Then sent him to his servants. The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find.
Bit through the marriage.
You know, you and I come in there, I believe we were not part of the people of Israel.
Those that originally the message goes out to.
And we were the beggars, you might say. You know the bum.
That I called in. You know, we were without hope, without God in the world. Yet God in his grace has reached out to us.
And he has brought us to his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And isn't it wonderful that you and I can have part in the work that God is doing?
That we may have part in being messengers and declaring this good news and looking for those that are to be brought to this marriage peace.
At one time before we were saved, we were totally useless for God. There was nothing for God in US and there was no blessing for man.
In our lives. But now we can be the servant of the one who has loved us and brought us to himself, and we can be a source of blessing to others. We can go out with the gospel. Now we might not be all called particularly to do.
Thoughtful work or having gifts of an evangelist, but we can all as part in bringing the news to others. And what a joy it gives to you if you experience in your own life that sold abroad to the Lord Jesus and then to see them go on for him. What a joy, a grace to your own soul. But how much more? How much joy it brings to the heart of God and how much blessing is God to these souls?
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You know.
Sometimes we have to labor for a long time before somebody really comes to noodle artist. You know, we had a Bible study with former neighbors of ours who lived across from us and when we were living in the country and we had Bible studies with them for 2 1/2 years and.
But for a long time, it didn't seem as if we were getting through. And sometimes we would go home and I would say to my wife, are accomplishing anything. Are we getting through?
OK, so one day we came there and he said, you know, I was sitting in front of my television the other day and listened to this gospel preacher and all of a sudden he said what you have been trying to tell me all this time became very clear to me. You know, he was saved. And I believe he has proven that he has gone on for the Lord Jesus save from being.
A staunch Catholic.
Going to church all the time.
And, you know, we did not rundown the Catholic Church and asked if he was saved. He said to us, you know, if you would have run down the Catholic Church, that would have ended the Bible study right then and there. But when he was saved, it didn't take long. He said to us, you know, we haven't been in the Catholic Church for three weeks already. You see, it didn't take him long to be delivered from the error of Catholicism. And then he came through.
John's Gospel, where the Lord made water to wine. And when he told Mary what have I to do with thee, you know, they saw the teaching of the Catholic Church that he never refused anything to his mother Mary. False. The word of God accomplished that which we with our talking could not accomplish. You know, it's not a question of convincing people by our.
Convincing arguments. The Word of God by the Spirit has to be used to bring souls into blessings. Well, how wonderful that we can have part in the work that God is doing, but how sad.
Those who make a false profession like this one that comes in not having a wedding garment, what does that speak of? He didn't have a garment. He wasn't clothed in the righteousness that God can give the garment of salvation He was lacking and he is.
Passed out. Find him hand and foot.
You know what a solemn thing that is?
To even hand the nerve, as this one did, to come to the wedding, not.
Threats in an acceptable way, in a way that would.
Be acceptable to a holy God. Remember how Adam and Eve after they had fallen.
They realized that they could not face God the way they were. They were unfit, They were naked. So they covered their nakedness, trying to cover it with strictly. They firmly well, it was unacceptable, and made himself instinctively felt that they couldn't face God with these big believements. They were still hiding among the trees. And then God takes the initiative and called him Adam. Where art thou?
What hast thou done? And he does give a garment to Adam and Eve. He takes skins and covers their nakedness, blood tattoos to shed in order to cover their negatives. And this is how we, any one of us can stand before a holy God, by being clothed in the garment of salvation, by having taken hold my faith of the death of the Lord Jesus.
The substitution of death of the Lord visa. And of course there is more to that than just him being our substitute. You know, he has overthrown the power of the enemy. He has broken the power of sin, and we ourselves have died with him. But here the point in this parable is of not having a garment of salvation. You know, sometimes it's a shameful thing, even humanly speaking, when a wedding is put on and people come.
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In Blue jeans 2 already. You know that's an insult really. Even in our day, I believe to those who put on the wedding, I'm using that as an example. You know we dress up when we go to such occasions, but.
The garment of salvation is the only thing that will be acceptable when we stand under in that day before holy God.
The Lord turned to Matthew 25.
Press 1.
Notice everyone of these parables begins with Then shall the Kingdom of heaven be likened unto, and so on. It is a similitude of the Kingdom of heaven. It tells us what the Kingdom of heaven is like.
Then shall the Kingdom of heaven be likened unto 10 virgins, which took their lamb, and went forced to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lambs and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lands. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept, and at midnight there was a cry. Behold the bride through here in the King James it says, the bridegroom, Comma that you read Mr. Darby's translation. It says, just behold the bridegroom.
Go ye out to meet him.
All those merchants arose, and trim the land. And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil, for our lambs are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go, ye matter to them that sell and find for yourself. And while they went to buy the bridegroom cave, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the dog was shot.
Afterward came also the other virgin, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you now Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
His last word here were in the Son of Man. Cometh should not be there. Why is that?
Because the Lord Jesus does not come into character as Son of Man.
For the church.
And this parable being a parable.
It's a militant of the Kingdom of heaven has to do with our present day and the coming of the Lord. Jesus as the bridegroom is connected with the hope of the Church, and He comes for the Church as the Son of God. How do we know that in First Thessalonians one we read that these Thessalonians turn to God from idols to serve the true and living God and to wait for his Son from heaven, the truth of the Church?
Is based upon the very truth that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God. Remember thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of haters shall not prevail against it. It's the truth of the Person of the Lord Jesus being the God, the Son of God, that is the basis for the truth of the Church.
And we're waiting for God's Son from heaven.
And and it is him that we are waiting for. That's why I believe.
That is so much better. What Mr. Dabris renders when he says, Behold the bridegroom, Our attention is to be directed not to the truth of his coming, but to himself. You know, we might well be well familiar with the truth of his coming, and can spell out accurately what will take place and distinguish between his coming for his own, his coming with his own, and so on. But the question is.
Where are our hearts? Are we truly waiting for the Lord Jesus? Do we long to see him?
Are the attention of our hearts directed to step blessed, one That makes all the difference?
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You know, it's sometimes outright change for the way things are presented in Christendom. You know, in a dramatic way they present things. You know all the accidents that will happen and so on and so forth and.
We don't find the truth of the coming of the Lord Jesus presented in such dramatic ways in the word of God, but it is the most enjoyable truth for the heart to enjoy that we will see Him.
You know, when a loved one has been away for a long time, we're looking forward to seeing that one personally to be again with him. And so it will be if our hearts are in tune, and if the Spirit of God is able to occupy us in a right way with these things, our hearts will be drawn out to him. We will be looking for Him. But what is here foretold is.
What has happened during the time of the Kingdom of Heaven?
The present aspect of the Kingdom, those who took a profession, those who have a land, all went to sleep. Those who were real and those who were false, those who had a mere profession or those who had life and the Spirit of God dwelling in them, they all went to sleep. And we see that in the dark Middle Ages the hope of the coming of the Lord Jesus was lost.
And with losing this hope, they went to sleep, you know? And when you look at a sleeping person and you look at a dead person, you have to look real close sometimes to see that the one is only sleeping and not like the other one did, you know? So sleeping Christians.
Outwardly appear less different than those who are dead, you know. And if the truth of the coming of the Lord Jesus is not a living hope in our lives, we'll go to sleep.
You know, and we will become occupied with all kinds of things and settle down in this scene and find all our energy devoted and going after the dollar and getting comfortable in this world. But our hearts are not in truth. We're not our life for God.
But how wonderful.
The truth of the coming of the Lord Jesus was revived.
More than 150 years ago and then truth was spread throughout Christendom and many picked up on it. Many Christians.
Realize indeed this is their hope, not like Mr. Schuler and others, that we become.
Wealthy. You know that we become successful in this world.
Possibility thinking, you know, was not the occupation of the hearts of the people of God when his blessed hope revived that the Lord Jesus is momentarily returning. You know we have to expect that anytime. This is the proper attitude.
You know, wouldn't it be a good attitude for us?
Consistent with this truth being living in our souls that we when we get up in the morning.
By saying you miss the day and he will come, or when we go to bed in the evening that we might have, the thought will be awake in glory in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
There's sometimes when we get older and feeble, then perhaps these thoughts are more in our minds.
Especially when we feel weakness and sickness and pain.
And you know, we do a dear old sister and Wausau WI you know, she would tell us she would get everything nice in her apartment in the evening, straighten everything out, and then she put on a nice nice gown. And then she would go to bed. And she would hope that the Lord Jesus would take her home during the night. And when she woke up, wake up in the morning, she was disappointed that she was still there.
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But what's a nice inter exercise? She didn't want the world to come into her apartment. That and find it as a mess.
And herself she wanted to believe. And nicely dressed, I thought it was a nice exercise that she had, but how beautiful it was. She was so living in that hope that she hoped that this night the Lord Jesus was going to Take Me Home and was disappointed when she woke up.
And what happened at home that she was still on earth? You know, it's really a painful thing that sometimes to meet Saints that are getting older and feeble and you hardly ever hear them express.
To desire that they would like to be with the Lord Jesus, that they're looking forward to leaving this world. Have you met people like that? We have, and it's a painful thing, but we met a brother in Wisconsin.
In the fellowship where we used to be that he was told that he had lung cancer and it was terminal, it was just a matter of time and he lived in a small community, invested Wisconsin.
And he would go to the restaurant, and the man they all knew him there in that little community would say, Irvin, I hear that you're really sick. Oh, yes, he said. It's only a matter of time, and I'm going to see my savior. I'm looking forward to seeing it. He was a wonderful testimony.
To those he met in his last few months of his life, that was a living hope with him that he would soon see the Lord Jesus, and with joyful anticipation he was looking.
Forward, to adapt the desire that the Lord would like to see in everyone of us, that we long to be with Him not only when we are sick and feeble at all times. I believe even young people can have their desire.
But I'm afraid many times the Lord might have to lead us into circumstances.
That are not very pleasant disappointments, sickness, or what, In order to arouse that desire to be with the Lord Jesus and to be delivered from this scene of sorrow and pain and suffering. But how wonderful.
Behold the bright truth. This is what awoke all 10 verses. But very soon it became evident that there was 5 foolish virgins didn't have oil. They had a land, but they didn't have oil. They did not have the Spirit of God. You know what really makes you and me a Christian? Have you ever thought of that? Is not that we are born of God?
It's that we have the Spirit of God's dwelling within us.
In a new birth.
Is not just a Christian truth that was already true before.
Christianity the Lord could have never told.
Nicodemus.
At our teacher in Israel, and Norris is not, if he couldn't have known it, that new birth was necessary for seeing and entering the Kingdom.
Or to seeing and entering anything that God has. For us to have capacity for divine things, we have to have the Spirit of God dwelling within, or the new life, I should say, to have that within.
But what really makes you and me different from any Old Testament saying is that we have more than new bird. You know, in Christendom, those fundamental circles that present New birth as the ultimate of Christian blessing. It's only the beginning.
If you want to have new birth, you couldn't see or couldn't enter the Kingdom. We have that in John's after three. But the Spirit of God dwelling within makes me and you a question.
You know, and this is what the foolish relaxing they were not real. They didn't have the Spirit of God dwelling within. And so the oil speaks of the Spirit of God. How do we know that? Well in First John.
That the word is used the anointing for the Holy Spirit clearly referring to the oil being the Spirit of God. And that gives us the ability to know all things that be shown that that would give us the ability to know the deep things of God even is that the Spirit of God dwells within us, and that is what is characteristic of Christianity.
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That the man 5 Jesus is at the right hand of the Manchester High, and that the Spirit of God came down on earth to dwell in the church collectively and in the individual individually, He shall be with you We have in John 14, with you collectively, in you individually.
And that's what that oil speaks of. Here we have a wonderful picture in the Old Testament.
When the priest was dedicated to be a priest, what took place? He was given a bath. You know, that's new birth. You know from John 13 that the Lord says to Peter he that has been given a bath or is washed all over need not to wash to his feet. That's a one for all things that takes place when we're born anew or born of God.
But what was next?
Blood was applied to the tree, you know by faith after we are born.
Of God we can by faith lay hold of that which God has for us.
The death of his son.
He reclaimed by water and by blood because the true cleansing agents that we have in the Word for God and water for cleansing and blood propagation from sin. Well and what is next?
The Spirit of God typically comes to oilies applied, you know. So if this order still got work today, Newburgh faith and the atonement death and then the Holy Spirit comes, you know in the tentative, in the tent of Acts.
Cornelius was born of God.
But he wasn't safe. You know, when they explained what happened to the church after they got back from the House of Amelia, they relate that Cornelius was told that he should send for Peter and he would pursue a word by which they were to be saved. But he was obviously born of God because.
What I have made clean Do not thou make unclean? And his prayers and arms had ascended to God. God heareth no Sinner. We find that in.
John's Gospel. But God did hear the prayers of this man and accepted the arms. If that would have been the prayers of a Sinner and the arms of a Sinner, you would have a justification for the teaching in the Catholic system.
But if it was the result of this man being born of God, God can accept it. And he did accept it, but he still needed to hear words by which he was to be saved. Salvation in the New Testament sense is not new birth merely, but to come into this wonderful truth that a divine guest will indwell our body. And what is the message that Peter brings to?
Him.
You read Acts chapter 10. He presents the person and work of the Lord Jesus and when death is accepted by faith then the Holy Ghost falls on them.
So in order to be indwelt by the Spirit of God, we have to lay hold of the work and the person and work of the Lord Jesus, and then the Spirit can come and involve us. So how wonderful this is true of you and me if we are saved.
Salvation is more than new birth. Salvation is to come into the good of the work of the Lord. Jesus by faith and in the Spirit of God dwells in US and then and then only can we really be like bearer for the Lord in this world.
We can't do it in our own energy and strength.
You know, to be really alike for God, for the Lord Jesus, we have to have the Spirit of God dwelling within. That's the power that we have. Remember the fish? You know they have fins and scales. You know the scales answer to the divine nature and the thin speak of the energy of that nature. And that is the indwelling Spirit that gives us the ability to go against the stream. We are not pressing along and let ourselves be influenced by what?
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Influences the world in their thinking and in their practice.
Because we have higher standards and we have the teaching of the word of God.
As we are able to walk for him going against.
The evil screens of the world, but how wonderful the cry goes out, not only the bridegroom.
Behold the Bridegroom. It also says, Go ye forth to meet him. What does that mean, to go forth? To go out of whatever is hindering our being led to him. You know, when these truth came to our spiritual forefathers, they came to see that they couldn't remain in systems that are contrary to the word of God, where man takes the place of the Lord Jesus. What is the cardinal Sinning?
The clergy system, because it replaces the spirit of God, is the leader and the Lord Jesus is the head of the Church. That gives a pure immortal a place that only belongs to the Lord himself and to the Spirit of God.
Go ye forth.
To meet him anything inconsistent with the truth of the word of God, those spiritually exercised through that call reaching them. Behold the bridegroom, They will turn their back on the and still find strength and grace to do it.
And then they will go forward, then they're ready to go forth.
To make it.
And then the foolish 1 to buy oil from the wise version. Well, it conveys this truth, does it not? You have to, in personal faith, come to an extent the person and work of the Lord Jesus. I can't do it for my wife or for my children. They have to do with each one for themselves. But what we can do is plant.
The seeds.
One has used the water path being filled and then the log turns it into.
Wine. You know, we can fill their hearts and minds with the word of God and trust that the Spirit of God.
Will use the word of God in good time and bring the joy of salvation to them.
Now, it doesn't mean that they did go and did buy oil and then the door was shut anyway.
It just indicates that it came too late. They missed the boat as we would say. You know, they were going along with an empty profession and then.
When the Lord Jesus came, they were unready. The door wasn't shut, the door being shut. And I tremble at the thought that there might be children of the Saints of God that might be in that position in the coming days. To hear the gospel over and over again, to be exposed to the truth of God and then just have an empty profession, solemn thought, that is an adore being sharp and the Lord Jesus saying.
What does he say?
I know you not. That doesn't mean that he doesn't know about them.
This means there is no relationship existing between you and me.
I don't know you.
If they're outside, and they're outside for all eternity, what a solemn thing.
Now verse 14, the Kingdom of heaven is a man traveling into a far country. It's in italics and it's not a parable of the Kingdom of heaven. But we don't have much time. I like to briefly comment on chapter 5 of Matthew. We read from verse one. And seeing the multitude, he went up into a mountain and when he was set, his disciples came unto him. He opened his mouth and taught them saying.
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Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the mercy fall, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness.
For theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Notice, I think I referred to that.
Earlier here you clearly see that the term Kingdom of heaven is used for the future aspect of the Kingdom. That is what is properly called the Kingdom of the Son of Man when he comes back in power and glory and rewards are given. Blessed are ye when men shall revive you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake, rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
Or so persecuted day to prophets which were before you. You had the salt of the earth. But if the salt had lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is then forth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden on the foot of men. We are the light of the world. The city that is set on a hill cannot be hid, neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle stick, and if giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
The Sermon on the Mount. When we read it in man, you might get the impression that it was all given at one particular time. All.
One after the other. All these things we find in the Sermon of the Mount. I don't believe that's correct. The Sermon of the Mount is compiled in Matthew in the chapter 567.
So.
These three chapters, but what we find here is the principle.
Of the Kingdom and what is explained we haven't read them, is the difference between.
What was before and what is now and what we find that the principles are so?
But higher than that which we have under the law, but these beatitudes that we have read.
Are especially so instructive and we don't have much time. But what I can point out is that you have really.
Some of them, you might say, speaks of grace.
Others speak of righteousness, and you have these two principles that are very clearly.
Brought out and you know, we have sometimes in the word of God when the Kingdom of God, the term Kingdom of God is used. We have the moral principles and the moral side of things that are for instance in Romans, that the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, you know, and here we have righteousness.
And grace or mercy? Stress. Why is it so important? Because this is what the Lord Jesus looks for in you and me. And what we find is that whether it is the family life of the believer or whether it is the assembly life, you cannot do without both.
If you stress grace at the expense of holiness, you have corruption. And if you stress righteousness without tempering it with mercy and grace, you're going to drive everybody away and a brother.
With a younger brother in an assembly of believers, came to another brother and he said, you know how come?
That there are two such different brothers in this meeting. The one is always pressing for order, discipline and this kind of a thing. And the other one, all these fences, grace and love and so on. And brother said, well, let's say what he said. If you wouldn't have a brother like the first one, we wouldn't have any order into your sense with it. Evil would not be dealt with, but if he wouldn't have anybody like the other brother, he wouldn't have an assembly.
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You know, because if you have only stressing of righteousness.
You drive everybody away. You know, we find even in the law of Sinai.
It wasn't strictly law, you know. It was tempered with mercy.
And so here we have that. And when it says blessed are the poor in spirit, it doesn't mean mental ill people, as some people have applied. No people who come to this book and to the things of God, acknowledging that no matter how high of an IQ they have, that when it comes to this book, they can't do anything with it without.
Divine help that they are really helpless.
Without the Spirit of God, open these pages to us.
And we have found that, have we not, that people of a high intellect have come to this book they can't make.
A tails out of it because they don't have divine health. So we have to acknowledge that we don't know anything, that we have to be taught of God and that we get wisdom from the Word of God.
Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Now does that mean that this refers to those who lose a loved one, and they shall be comforted? No, I believe not that this isn't true. That God cannot comfort and he does comfort. And how often have you experienced that? That he is a comfort? That he can comfort more than a mother can comfort?
But what this refers to is the morning that takes place here is because the believer sees what takes place in the Christian profession.
How the name of the Lord Jesus is this honor and how many awful deeds are committed in the name of Christ throughout the history of Christendom And there is a morning. I think we have an illustration of that and.
Ezekiel.
1St 49 Chapter 9 Verse four The Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the forehead of the men that sighed and their cry. For all the abominations that be done in the midst there are and to the others, he said in my hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite. Let not your eyes spare, neither have you pity.
Slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children and women, but some, but come not near any man upon whom is the mark, and begin at the sanctuary that they begin. Then they begin at the ancient men which were before the house.
So on. So he'll be fine. Those who sigh and cry are those who mourn. That is an example of what the Spirit of God wants to bring before us.
You know, if you know of some evil taking place in any group of believers or amongst the gathered things, do we feel His sorrow?
Do we breathe over the name of the Lord Jesus?
Being his honor, You know, what did the Prophet say to David when he had committed adultery and murder to cover it up? By this sin he had made the enemies of the Lord the blasphemy.
You know, they might be right to indignation.
Which in its place is OK, but if their desire is broadly sorrow, considering the dishonor brought upon the name of the Lord Caesar.
And all of this here at the beginning is connected with righteousness.
Blessed are the Me, for they shall inherit the earth.
You know what is characteristic in the world is that you try to get ahead and you use your elbow. You know that's not the way it works. And the followers of the Lord reads us, you know.
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Meekness is what should be characteristic and if anyone wants to be great.
Among those that follow the Lord Jesus, he will take a little place, He become a servant.
Used to go. I had a man and he was in the Church of Christ. I said, how do you pick your minister? Oh, he said he go by the scriptures that he that is the greatest among us should be our minister. While he totally misunderstood that worse. You know what this verse conveys is minister means servant. He becomes the servant of the others. To be great in the followers of the Lord Jesus is to become a servant.
And that is greatness and meekness. Mr. Kelly, I think, once made the statement that Ameet brother lets his brethren use him as a doormat. You know how many brethren they'd have sought to maintain godly order, and the assembly have experienced that. You know it has been abused. You know they have been trampled upon by their brethren.
Hopefully the Lord's honor and glory has been maintained.
By dealing with evil whenever it benefits itself. But how often especially, you know, we are not very good Levis many times among Christians when it comes to our own fashion plot, you know we.
Defend when we should take science with the laws and with the truth, even if it is against our own flesh and blood.
But oh, how much meekness is necessary. But we find that Moses, the meatless men in the earth, failed in meekness.
And the same, that is, the people of God provoked him. But that was not an excuse in the sight of God. We know he didn't enter into the land because he failed in there. Blessed are they with true hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. There is nothing wrong with desiring things to be done according to the word of God, and that righteousness be maintained amongst God's people. Remember what it says in Hebrews.
The scepter of his Kingdom is righteousness.
You know, and to pursue holiness.
You know we have that in Hebrews, do we not?
Below the lack of that austerity if you find that amongst those people said, whereas in Hebrews too.
He was 12, I believe, there.
Of the 12Th chapter followed peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see God well. Holiness and righteousness the.
Two things go very closely together, do they not?
And they shall be filled now the Merciful.
Shall obtain mercy. Blessed are not a pure part, for they shall see God. You know all of these things, now that come, speak of grace, and to peacemakers especially.
How much they are needed among the people of God today.
You know, we many times neglect to consider the importance that mercy should be readily extended when scripturally.
Committed. You know, if you try to.
Claim mercy and grace to cover up evil. This would not be pursuing peace.
With holiness, you know there's no problem. If you consider all of God's claims and have the desire to maintain his glory, God will help us. But how often have we spoiled things by the lack of utility, the lack of weakness, when things have to be taken up? I believe this is so important to be stressed.
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And certainly.
I needed, as much as anybody here should be exercised, about exercising grace and mercy and not just deal with matters in the judicial way.
And to work for the peace.
And to maintain peace, to pursue peace with such a sense, to seek peace and to pursue it, to really make an effort to maintain peace, but never at the expense of God's holiness, never at the expense of truth. Well, we still have. Again in verse 10. It goes back to what we had in the 1St fall behind it through.
Those who are persecuted for righteousness as they theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
And then blessed are ye, when men shall revive you and persecute you, and shall say, O men are evil against you falsely, for my sake rejoice, and the exceeding glad for great if you reward in heaven. And so we find again things mentioned here that have to do with righteousness, and things that have to do with mercy and praise well Brother Bauman once made clear.
What the difference is, And he illustrated it in this way between suffering for righteousness, say, and suffering for Christ sake. And he said, suppose there's a young lady, a Christian.
For her to say I don't go with to the dance with you. But if she says I'm a Christian, I belong to the Lord Jesus, and for me belonging to the Lord Jesus, this is not the thing to do. And if she is then ridiculed, she is suffering for plastic because she has shown her colors and she suffers for them. You know, a young man went to the army, I'm told.
Actually happened and when he came back after his term was over.
He was told by somebody.
I suppose that wasn't always easy, to be a Christian and that could be in the Army. You know, they speak that drop language and all these kinds of things that people do. There always said it wasn't bad for me at all. Why not? Oh, he said they never found out I wasn't crystal, you know, he never showed his color. Well, is that the way we want to live? Should we not let our life shine? Should we not?
Ignore.
Where we are, where we stand. And to go behind that light you find it could be hidden under a push up or it could be hidden under the fear. And what does the bushes speak of And what does the fear speak of? Well, I believe the Bush of peace of our business. You know, you farmers know what it is to have so many push-ups of corn or beans and so on. Well, it speaks of business, but our business feelings might be such that our light is hidden.
You know that our business dealings are not consistent with what you could expect from a follower of the latter, but the best speaks of ease and comfort. You know how often this is the enemy successful tactic? That our comfort and our ease mean more to us.
Than to be a testimony in life for the Lord Jesus. Well, I think what we have seen in these parables and also in the attitudes is that the Lord Jesus expects something different from us now that we belong to him than what was characteristic of us before we came to know Him. And that there be things in our lives that will show that we belong to the Lord Jesus. That we act consistently with the being followers of a rejected Christ. That we don't seek a place of dominion and power and authority in this world. That we can tend to be what the treasure speaks of hidden.
In the earth, and to wait for the day when he will have honor and glory, and we will have it with him.