Address—A.M. Barry
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First prayer this afternoon or for this meeting about the open heaven. Perhaps the Lord would have us consider a little.
4 occasions when heaven was opened.
Brother mentioned in his prayer the first occasion went Heaven was opened, and the third chapter of Matthew.
13 verse.
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and promise thou for me. Jesus answering, said unto him, Suffer it to be so now, for thus becometh us.
Who fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered it.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him, and lower voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son.
And whom I am well pleased.
When we think, beloved of mine, sad history, where he had sought in every way to shut out God from his thoughts and from His ways.
To just like heaven had become brass over mine's head. And now.
I believe that I'm correct in saying that for the first time, we have heaven.
Open to her Father. Blessed occasion this surely brings before us when God blesses Son.
Comes to the waters of Jordan be baptized John the Baptist.
No, there is much concerning the life of our blessed Lord that curiosity would like to cry into, and some have invented stories to fill in the gap.
And the Lords early life down here.
But God hasn't been pleased to tell us about the Lord's life as he grew up there in Nazareth. We know about the time that he went to Jerusalem when he was at the age of 12 years.
And then he returned with Mary and Joseph and was subject to them. But now he comes out when there has been a work of God's Spirit in working repents in the hearts of the people of Israel.
And you know whenever there is no worth of repentance in the heart of man, that God is always delighted in seeing that work. Indeed, we read in the 15th chapter of Luke these words. There's joy.
In the presence of the angels of God, over one Sinner, that repatha. And so we find that all in the land of Judea had come to be baptized as John and Jordan, confessing their sins.
What a remarkable sight, surely to see a nation move to repentance All the lava would deserve that there was more of our pretend seen in these days.
Well, that's the occasion when God the Father opens heaven, and as to in view of that blessed One.
And we learn from these words uttered by the voice of the Father, how perfect that life so hidden from man was to the heart of his Father above. And that's all we need to know, beloved, of that life where he labored as a Carpenter known as the carpenter's son.
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In the village.
Where there was poverty, where they were those so that were despised, being one said when?
Told about this man and any good thing come out of Nashville, God the Father was looking down at the perfect light of a perfect man, and now when he sees his beloved son identify himself.
Without repentance, God can withhold nor longer hell delight. So we hear his voice from that open heaven, as he says, This is my beloved Son, and the better translation of those words are these in whom I have found.
All my delight.
Wasn't as marvelous to think after all, man's history of failures, every man has come short of the glory of God, that there came a time when God could see a perfect man in this world below, and doubtless the reason why the Father.
Would.
Speak of his son in this way.
Because one might think, well, if the Lord was baptized, when John was baptizing, with the baptism of repentance, here was a God's.
Son below, and yet he needed to repent himself.
Oh, God will never permit, He will never allow, anything that will bring the slightest of dishonor or discredit upon that Blessed One. And so the Father declares that here is one in whom is He is found all his delight.
And how marvelous, beloved, that the object of heaven.
Is down here in this seat, in this world.
Here was a man here on earth that all heaven was occupied with. The object of heaven is down here.
I believe the brother in his prayer also mentioned about Steven.
And the in the book of Acts the the 6th chapter.
For the 7th chapter, 7th of Acts, and the 54th verse. And when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart. They night on him with their teeth, but he being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven.
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 to stop 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 Steven, calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus received my spirit.
And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice.
Lord lay not this sin to their charge. When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Now we have heaven opened again.
But all the lovers of heaven is not in this poor world. They haven't. The object of heaven is up there in glory. What a story it tells of this world. Rejection of that One who came in infinite love in this poor world.
What about doing good and healing all that were possessed of the devil? For God was with him, blessing mine wherever he went. He had all the gratitude, or the rather the ingratitude that this world shows showed that Blessed One.
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Was to crown him with thorns, and spit in his face, and nail into the cross. God has taken that blessed One out of this scene of His suffering and rejection, and seated him, and crowned him with glory on high at His own right hand, The love of the object.
Of God's affection is no longer here below.
But it's up there where Christ has taken the crown, where his feet is now, and glory above. And now he has sent down God the Holy Spirit to gather out of pride for thy coming glory.
Where our forerunner has gone before.
Oh, beloved me, our souls enter into the preciousness of the work of the Spirit, preparing us to share the glory of that rejected.
Will exalted man.
Who is now the object of all heaven? And marvelous fact, beloved, that a man is in the glory of God. Now we see a perfect man below.
Here the object of God the Father. Looking down now, we see that same glorified man up there, and the love of the Spirit of God in wondrous grace.
Has won your heart and my heart through that blessed One, so that we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. We found that which have given us peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We know that through His work at Calvary.
Our sins, our many sins, are all forgiven.
That there is nothing between US and that Blessed One that can hinder us from enjoying His love.
Say as far, I mean as far as the that which fits us for glory is concerned.
Of course there is another matter, and that is of allowing anything in our lives that breaks our communion and enjoyment of His presence as we go on.
With that glory before our souls. So let's be watchful.
That we do not allow anything to go on unjust. That injuries our enjoyment.
Of His blessed presence, the thorough often been said and can be often repeated. Keep short of counts. Result. That is when we fail, because we all fail to love it, just as James tells us that in many things we all offend.
That's never set ourselves up to be better than our brother because we're all for failing creatures.
And we make lots of mistakes. But beloved, it isn't the fact that we make mistakes that gets us on the wrong course, that leads to such sorrow and distress and perhaps defiles others too.
Yes, the unwillingness to judge ourselves when we have failed. Let's always be willing to get down before the Lord and have a tender conscience to allow nothing to go on that is dishonoring to Him that lets us judge. You know the lover that the only way that our blessed Lord could wash.
The fate of the disciples that at the at the feast of the Passover was by getting down in the lowest way that he could get down before his disciple laid aside his garments.
Then he washed the disciples feet, unless they remember the love of that. The only way that you and I can be restored when out of communion is a humiliation of that Blessed One. Indeed it cost him.
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That humiliation, that going to the cross, that suffering, the untold judgment of God.
To fit us for the presence of and make us His children. And it takes His humiliation to restore us and to cleanse us so we can go on in the enjoyment of His friends.
We find in Stephen a man full of the Holy Ghost.
And, beloved, what is it that in and has transpired when one is full of the Holy Spirit?
It certainly isn't self occupation for self occupation only.
Turns our hearts away from.
That one that the father is occupied with.
Ohio. It's full occupation with Christ.
And I say again, may we allow nothing in our lives?
That hinders.
Our full enjoyment of His blessed presence.
And if there is anything that we can consider that is not?
Right in the sight of the Lord, may we judge that thing.
With an unsparing hand, not allow it to go on.
So that we might be like this dear man of God.
Who will fill with the Holy Ghost, looks up into that open heaven and sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Oh, here we have brought before us.
The assurance asked where a child of God departs in the event of death.
For to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Oh, how beautiful. And yet in a way, how simple it all is. Scripture doesn't give us a confusing, mystifying thoughts. It brings everything with clearness.
Before our souls. And so here is a man just like any other.
One that God has chosen, looking up and seeing an open heaven, and seeing Christ standing at the right hand of God.
And then we find that he departs. He says, Lord, Jesus received my spirit. Well, the Spirit is that part of our being. You know all that.
Have not is eternal in its duration. The animal has a soul, but he has no spirit, and we divide the triune.
Being of man, the spirit of man is that which has a definite connection with God, and His spirit is hard. The blessed One who is waiting there in glory to receive Him. Oh, what a comfort for those who have been bereaved of their loved ones.
To think of that blessed One waiting, therefore.
To receive their loved ones into His presence very well standing to receive His faithful servant who had borne such a glorious witness for him, waiting there to receive His spirit.
Devout men carries even to his burial, For God has wonderful things spoken of in connection with the body. For you know, when man fell, he fell bodies, soul and spirit.
And when God provides a remedy, He doesn't provide a remedy that short of man's needs. And the work of Christ would not be complete without the resurrection of the body. And so the body is laid away to wait for that glorious resurrection day.
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When?
Spirit and soul and body are all united. And then?
In full rapture they'll be with and like that blessed One, even in bodies of glory, like unto his glorious body. Will that suggest another?
Subject in the 4th chapter of Revelation.
4th chapter of Revelation and verse one.
After this argument, behold, the door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up, hit her, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And then he tells us, after describing the throne, and round about the throne, verse 4.
The four and 20 feet and upon the seats I saw 4 and 20 elders sitting.
Glowed in white raiment. They had on their heads crowns of gold.
Star striking that at the end of the third chapter we find Christ standing at the door knocking in the 20th verse of chapter 3, saying, If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, I will stop with him and he with me.
So when we find the door closed.
Man's heart door closed to Christ below the finds. Next thing the door opened in heaven to receive his redeemed ones above.
I believe that this is the way the Spirit of God brings the promise of the Lord's coming before us.
In the Book of Revelation we get the history of the Church set forth in the addresses to the seven churches.
But it's given there as to man's responsibility and when man's responsibility is in question.
Man is a complete failure and you couldn't then bring in the coming of the Lord for the church. That would be out of order.
So the only way the Spirit of God brings his coming before us.
Is in connection with this door opened in heaven and the voice saying.
Come up, killer. Well, beloved, we're waiting for that event when we shall hear the voice of that Savior. We've heard it in a certain way in our souls.
When those words were spoken to our hearts, when he said, Come unto me or all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, We heard that voice, oh sweet, so precious in our soul.
But the day is coming when we are going to hear the very voice of that One who has brought such peace in our souls.
We're going to hear him, as it were, say, come up, hit her.
Or when we think the love of the state of things in this poor world and how rapidly.
Yeah, it's going on.
Is downward course.
At every moral principle is being given up and the dark war cloud going.
Settling over this Dome scene or what a comfort for us to think of that time.
When we'll hear his voice saying.
Up together then, instead of here in this scene of His rejection, you'll be in the scenes of His glory. That's what we're waiting for, beloved. May the Spirit of God keep that event fresh and frighten our souls. May we be like those.
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That not only wait for their Lord, but like those that are watching.
The first sound of his voice.
All that when he cometh and not, he may throw open the door immediately, nothing between us and the glorious event, but just waiting and listening and longing for his return.
Oh, there's just one more place where an open heaven is mentioned that comes to my mind, and that's in the second chapter of John or the 1St chapter of John.
Is in connection with what the Lord said to Nathaniel when he owns Jesus in the 49th verse. In this way Nathaniel answered and said unto him.
Rabbi, thou art the Son of God. Thou art the King of Israel.
Well, that was in keeping with what we read in the second Psalm where you get the Lord spoken of as being put on the on the throne of Zion.
And where God owes him.
As his son.
But then you read in as on in the portion Jesus answered verse 50 and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the big tree, Believe us thou thou shalt see greater things than these. He said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open.
And the angels of God are spending and descending upon the full of man. That's the 8th song. We're in the eighth song. You'll get the Son of Man put his head over all things. And that brings us into a wider range of glory than even in connection with his title as Son of God, because that gave him.
The throne of David exalted him and Zion.
But all Zions Hill was not high enough for the one who had done all the Fathers. Will might just read then in that 8 Psalm a verse or two to see how his exaltation is set.
Before us there it begins around Jehovah our Lord, our Adenai, how excellent is thy name, and all the earth, where set thy glory above the heavens. And then you get in the fourth verse, What is man that thou art mindful of him.
And the Son of Man, that thou visited him, thou made us him a little lower than the angels.
And that frowned him with glory and honor, and made him to have dominion over all of the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under his feet.
Theirs is exaltation, or were the full last creation.
And we get a lovely thought here in connection that is in this last verse of the first chapter of John.
In connection with his glorious Son of man. For Jesus says, Thou shall see greater things than these. He said to him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God are spending and descending upon the Son of man.
We're right back to Jacob's dream, you know. Poor Jacob, a wanderer.
With a stone for a fellow.
So in his dream, God in heaven and the angels, a ladder stretching to heaven, and the angels going up and down on this ladder.
And then he was promised.
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Those blessings connected with the earth God promised to Jacob and to see.
Well now the way we have the man, the Son of man is the one who is their glorified and we have.
Heaven and earth connected now.
The angels ascending.
Between heaven and earth.
And that looks right on beloved to it, after we have been translated to glory, as we saw on the 4th chapter of Revelation, when the voice is called us up there to be in his friends, then the time coming when that one was rejected.
And only wore the crown of thorns.
Below going to be exalted, and all heaven and earth will be united together and blessing under his under his name and title as some of man. Oh think of it, to love a man.
And all connected with him.