Open—Mark Rogers
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Our God and Father, indeed we thank Thee that by Thy grace we are pilgrims here.
Though often, perhaps, our ways do not reflect it, but we thank thee our God that we're on our way home.
We thank thee for all that set before us, the glory, and most of all, Lord Jesus, myself, we thank you that we've been reminded that it's our privilege.
To serve the Blessed Lord on our way home.
And now we think of this meeting before us.
As has been expressed, it's our desire, Lord Jesus, to hear thy voice.
Particularly in connection with what we need right now.
And so we know that it's the head of the body.
Dark, able, blessed Lord, to give us that from vessels that would be yielded to the and led by Thy Holy Spirit. So we ask that it may be soul of Thy goodness.
My grace, we look to thee and seek thy help, and bless thee our God and Father in the precious name of the Lord Jesus. Amen. Amen.
I'd like to perhaps continue the topic that we had in the Remembrance meeting this morning.
Where we were encouraged to look up and see our Lord Jesus.
It's a wonderful privilege that we have around the table on the first day of the week to do such a thing.
I'd like to look at 3 instances, the first instance of three individuals and the first one would be in John chapter 19.
Recently been enjoying this little portion here of someone seeing something I haven't quite seen before.
To see the Lord Jesus.
I'd like to look at it from the thief's perspective.
The thief that railed on the blessed Lord Jesus along with the other thief.
And I'd like to look at this through this thieves size because earlier.
We read that the Lord Jesus said today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
What peaceful that was, to see the one in the middle, give him that assurance. But I'd like just to read here in in John chapter 19 and verse 30 it says When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost, the Jews, therefore, because it was a preparation, that the body should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, for the Sabbath day was in high day besought Pilate.
That their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.
Then came the soldiers, and break the legs of the 1St and then the other, which was crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they break, not his legs.
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water, and he that saw it bear record.
And his record is true.
That you may that and he knoweth that he set true, that he might believe.
Well, we know that the Romans were masters at execution. They had the art down. They knew that someone could be put up on a cross and could survive for days on a cross. We know from history that the roads were lined with those crosses for those that did whatever deeds they were doing and judged, they were hanging there for days at a time.
And here we have the Jews make a request that these bodies not hang on the cross during their high holy day.
And so they are a masters at their execution. They know how to kill somebody. So the means, obviously, to do such a thing was to take a club of some kind. Because when you're sitting there on a cross, you're using your legs to push yourself up to get breath, and you're able to sag back down, you push up your legs again to grab breath and you go back down.
Well, the means to bring that to an end is to club the legs so that you suffocate. You just drag, you hang on the cross, you suffocate because your legs are broken.
Well, this, uh.
They they see the soldiers.
This is no surprise. The soldiers are masters at this and so they know what's coming. They know the club is there. And so it says here verse 32. Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the 1St and the other was crucified with him. Now I don't know how long one can survive in that situation when your legs are broken and you're slowly going out oxygen. I don't know. I'm assuming you might be might be able to go for a minute or so.
00:05:26
Because here's what the point is. What did the thief see? Possibly the last thing he saw.
His legs were broken, but I have anticipated that soldier, that spear what didn't take long to stick him in his side, to stick the Lord Jesus in his side.
I haven't just thought about that. The last thing that the thief might have saw was to look over in his pain that he was and to see.
Stick as a soldier with tremendous anger, you could say. Stuck the Lord Jesus in his side.
And that to me is something else. To see the promise that he was given merely who knows how many minutes before hour before we don't know. And I off the top, I don't know when he, when he was gotten given that promise there on the cross today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
But to have that fleeting glance as your life is expiring to see the blood and water flow.
I'd like to look at the next instance here, just kind of a precious one here. Mark chapter.
15.
Mark 15 This follows.
Chronologically from the scene we just left in the Gospel of John. It says here verse 42 mark 1542 and went now when the even was come because of the preparation that is the day before the Sabbath. Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable counselor which also waited for the Kingdom of God, came and went in boldly into Pilate and crave the body of Jesus.
And Pilot marveled if he were already dead.
And calling into him the centurion, he asked whether he had been any while dead, and when he had knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
And he brought the fine linen and took him down and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in the supplier, which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone under the door of the supplier.
And Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of Joseph beheld where he was laid.
This is a precious verse. Here sinneth the end of this chapter to see these two sisters viewing where his body was laid.
And that to me is just an absolute testimony to see where that body is laid, gazing in at that tomb as to where that body was laid.
In silence, we can gaze on the Lord Jesus.
But the last one here, I'll just take it up here in Acts chapter seven. We took up part of the chapter this morning. This morning part of it was read. I'd like to read further on down in the chapter in Acts Chapter 7 with regards to Stephen.
Here again, we have a fleeting glance.
One of his last glances that he had.
It says here and he had the complete sermon but in verse 54.
His sermon was cut short.
In verse 54 it says when they heard these things.
They were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth, and he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up.
Steadfastly into heaven.
And saw the glory of God.
And Jesus.
Standing on the right hand of God.
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
And they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, cast him out of the city, and stoned him.
And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice. Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
This portion is precious because here again we have the last glance of a man.
And the glance happened to be of a glorified Christ.
00:10:01
And this particular verse here in verse 55 has been much meditated. There's there's been writings on it, just beautiful. I'd just like to review that.
He looked up.
Part of the problem is, is when we don't see the Lord Jesus.
Because maybe we're not looking up. I speak into my own soul in this. Looking up is the first thing in this verse.
Steadfastly is the next is the next word.
To gaze steadfastly.
But it's just not gazing steadfastly anywhere because the next verse, the next word that comes along, says into heaven.
Looking up steadfastly into heaven.
And saw the glory of God.
And Jesus.
He saw the only man in the glory right there in his vision, Jesus.
Meaning you and I to enter this room, have had loved ones, no doubt, that have passed on into the glory.
But they do not have their bodies with them.
But there is one who has his body with those wounds, and that's who Stephen saw.
Jesus standing.
On the right hand of God, a beautiful position.
Think about The last viewpoint that Steven saw was this beautiful scene as he looked up steadfastly and saw that man who he loved so much.
And then he commit, and then he says, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. He has a conversation with the Lord Jesus, putting them in a specific position.
It's beautiful to see this. The thought I had on this is that we had a we have a privilege every Lords day.
And there are those of us that have been, having have been gathered and been able to be at the Lords table for many years. And may the prayer be that we do see the Lord Jesus every week fresh.
You know, I recently met a brother in the Lord.
From down southeast.
That says that he they have their breaking of bread once a month.
So that it doesn't get old, he said.
I beg to differ.
But particularly on my heart, maybe the young people here or someone that's older, but particularly those that have not taken that step.
Realizing they have a seed at the Lord's table.
Because anyone of us may take our last step on this earth would have been nice to say. I did remember the Lord Jesus in his death as he requested last Lord's Day.
And if you're not at the Lord's table, consider the privilege that you have while you're on this earth.
The Lord Jesus didn't make a whole lot of requests, but he did say this, this due in remembrance of me. It's a very simple request.
And if you pass off the scene, if you know the Lord Jesus as your savior and pass off the scene and you haven't had that opportunity because you never took that step, I believe you're missing something on this side of glory.
And so that's what's on my heart.
Because when we're all done with this life, however long that may be.
I maybe have just a few more steps. You may have a few more steps. I don't know how many steps you have. I don't know how many steps I have but to be able to say.
I answered his request.
And I too get to see.
The Lord Jesus in his glory.
Stephen got to see it. The thief on the cross.
Got to see a unique scene I believe. I believe that he gave he was conscious enough because that spear, that anger from that soldier was there.
To look over and realize that all was accomplished.
And he had that promise from the Lord Jesus. This today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
So may it be on the hearts if you're not. If you're not, if I haven't found your place at the Lord's table.
Perhaps it would be soon while the Lord comes. This may be this morning, may be the last time.
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It may be the last time for all of us, and it's a privilege this side of glory to do such a thing.
So would ask anybody that has not taken their step at the Lords table do so and enjoy your privilege this side of glory.