The School of God

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Address—A.M. Barry
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That perhaps the Spirit of God would give us instruction this afternoon.
From four of the Lord's own who were instructed in his school.
I have before me two brothers and two sisters.
That were greatly blessed.
I'll firmly read in the Word in the school of God.
And all that the school of God is quite different from the school of man.
For when you go to school that man has set up.
You get your diploma, you graduate and the you're through with that school.
But if one if we are in the school of God, and if you are a child of God, you are in the school of God.
You never graduate in that school.
You will be in that school as long as you're down here in the wilderness.
And the four that I had in mind to call attention to.
Were two brothers that were the Lord's disciples.
One was Simon Peter and the other was the beloved John.
And the two sisters I had in mind was Martha and Mary.
You see, his sisters were just as much in the school of God.
As the brothers are in the school of God.
And the the as much as we know has been spoken about.
In connection with God's discipline and ways with Simon Peter.
Because Peter was a man that required much discipline.
Now to fit him for the service that the Lord was going someday to entrust him with.
But perhaps we haven't considered so much.
How?
They they discipline or the training that was necessary for the beloved John, for John required discipline as well as Peter.
And my thoughts turn to the 9th chapter of Luke for a moment, where we get some of the training through which John was taken.
In the 46th verse. And there rose a reasoning among them, which of them should be the greatest.
And Jesus, perceiving the thoughts of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by him, and said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this little child in my name, receiveth me.
And whosoever shall receive me received him that sent me, For he that is least among you shall be the greatest.
Now there was one of the first lessons that it was necessary for the beloved John to learn to belittle, to be the least among the apostles, if the Lord could entrust him with.
With a place and with a service of responsibility.
You see, as we are found, that John was like the rest of our of God's failing children.
Were earlier in this same chapter.
It tells us that.
That.
In the 43rd verse that they were all amazed at the mighty power of God, the while they wondered everyone at all the things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples.
Let these things sink down into your heart for the Son of Man.
Shall be delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this thing, it was hid from them.
And they perceived it not, and they feared to ask him.
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For that question.
Well, that leads to this.
Reasoning As you know, if we get our eyes off of Christ, reason will surely take over.
They, they had this wonderful experience of the mighty power of God that cast out the power of Satan and they were carried away with that power because power, you know, is something very attractive to the natural man.
But the Lord says to let these things sink down into your hearts.
For the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men. Don't get occupied with power. Remember that your Lord and master is one that's going to be delivered up to the shameful death of Calvary.
They didn't ask the Lord the Lover. Do we fail to ask the Lord when something is disturbing our minds and our hearts?
You see, it will lead to the exaltation of self if we fail in that way. All beloved, may we get low before the Lord when these questions arise, instead of being in haste and instead of.
Of acting.
Without the certainty of the Lord's mind, may we get low before Him, and get His mind, and that will be the deliverance from this state of soul that follows. When there there are. This question arises among them, which of them should be the greatest?
And then the next thing we read, and John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name.
And we forbade him, because he followed not with us, with us.
You see, there's not only the danger of exhausting self, but there's also the danger of exalting.
Those that are gathered to the Lord's name. It's a wonderful thing to be gathered to the Lords name alone, but if we get this thought in our minds that we are something important.
That we are becoming quite numerous and that we are more devoted and more consistent than other Christians.
Beloved, we're in serious danger. You remember another occasion when the Lord had to correct Peter?
And it was on occasion when.
We remember that the disciples there are those who had up to that time followed the Lord. We're leaving him and he said.
To the disciples, will ye also go away? Oh, what a touching word. Will ye also go? Will you lose? Leave me. Oh beloved, let's consider that. And when questions and problems arise, there is a place where the Lord has put his name.
And sometimes just as our brother was mentioning about.
One considering because of some troubles of leaving just that little word, Lord, to whom shall we go?
Well, Peter beautifully replies, He says, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou ask the word of eternal life, and we believe in our shore that thou art the Christ.
But the Lord has to give a word of caution. He says, Have not I chosen you? 12 and one of you hath a devil?
Be careful that you don't exalt your little party, even yours. That company of the 12 apostles, there was a danger there. Well, we see that same danger with John here. There was one that was casting out devils, but he wasn't following along with the 12. And the Lord has to correct John.
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He says that to John.
Forbid him not, for he that is not against us.
Is for us in another place that I think we read that no man can.
Can perform a miracle in my name and speak lightly. We have to remember, beloved, even though we have the assurance we're gathered to the Lord's name alone.
That there are others that God is using and not despise them, and only long that they might be.
LED on and get clear lighted from the word but let's not ever despise any that God is using although we couldn't associate it ourselves with them. Lord didn't tell John how you go out and go with that man that's casting out devils. He did not but he told him that he.
He says forbid him not. John would have said no. He look here, you mustn't be casting out devils. You're not going along with the 12.
Don't do that, the Lord says. But he doesn't tell John how you go along with that man. But he gives them a wise caution that was very needful for John, who was exalting the company of the disciples.
Well, I suppose we remember the time I think that is also in and Luke's gospel when the I believe it's in the same chapter. Indeed.
And the 51St verse. And it came to pass. When the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face.
And they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him. And they received him not, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them even as Elias did?
And he turned and rebuked them, and said, You know not what manner of spirit here of For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.
When the Lord chose the 12 disciples, he called James and John, Bowen urges, which means funds of Thunder.
And here was one time when John and James thundered.
They would have acted in the spirit of Elijah.
And the days of the long call down fire from heaven on those Samaritans, and the Lord rebuilt them. Oh, it's necessary. They love it for the Lord to rebuke you and me. John profited by it as well as Peter. And how lovely the result we see in his life.
Of one who was naturally and he has.
And he has a natural temperament.
To be very severe, a son of Thunder, and yet who is so gentle and so mild.
And so gracious in his ministry as the same John. Beloved, we can all learn in the school of God.
And if we take the corrections that he surely gives to us.
He can correct those things that hinder our usefulness, indeed may spoil our testimony and turn us out of the path of true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Think of John leaning on the Lord's breast to suffer. And yet it was at a very time when they were again quarreling among themselves who should be the greatest.
That the Lord had voiced their feet in the chapter where we read of.
Of the John leaning on the Lord's breast. Peter had to turn to John to get the Lord's mind on that occasion. Well, a very interesting fact that we find this this that those two men.
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Peter and John we were speaking about.
Were so closely associated together in the Lords service.
Because they naturally were very different dispositions and temperaments. Peter, as you know, was an impulsive man.
Very quick, quick to speak up and speak up at the wrong time. John was mild and gentle and gracious to us. He learned his lessons from the Lord. And yet, isn't that beautiful, beloved? How these two servants of Christ could go on so happily and so usefully together.
And why was it? Why was the Why is it that one man so impulsive?
So ready to speak up at the wrong time, to go on with a mild, gentle, quiet man like the beloved John.
Well, I believe it's this, beloved. They both had Christ as their object. And, the letter goes, different characteristics and dispositions and personalities that often clash among the Saints.
Will correct themselves the more we have Christ as the object before our souls.
Now it's a very different thing when a matter of that concerns the glory of Christ is in question or something that.
Is an attack upon his glorious?
And precious work, then it's another matter, for we must stand for the glory of Christ at all costs. But they are all different kinds of dispositions.
And personalities among God's children. And many things that are.
Necessary that we should bear with one another and not.
Get.
Unhappy or disturbed because one has an entirely different approach to his way of going on with the Lord.
Well, those lessons are very instructive, I believe, for us.
I'll just mention briefly about Peter. We all know more about Peter's corrections, I believe, than John's corrections. For we remember well how that how that the Lord had to say to Peter, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desire to have thee, that he might sit thee as weak. But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.
The Lord corrected Peter about what was about to lead to his dismal fall and denying his Lord and Master.
So he warns him, calls him so graciously by name, and he followed his work as an advocate until Peter he is truly.
And happily restored, though I've often thought, beloved, when Peter had denied the Lord, how the Lord turned and looked at Peter.
That one look.
More than.
A whole volume of words. Peter was there in company with the enemies of Christ, sitting at their fire and warming himself. So what happened?
He immediately went out. That one looked separated. Peter from the enemies of the Lord. We never find him among the enemies of the Lord again.
It broke his heart. It started a work of true self judgment that led to a full recovery and restoration. Now I had before me, as I said, also two sisters and how they went through the school of God and in the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Luke.
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And the 38th verse.
And it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received into her house, and she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving.
And came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bitter therefore that she helped me. Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha.
Lord careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken her.
Lord, I mentioned that I would consider two sisters in the school of golf.
And I'm sure we have.
Mary at the feet of Jesus.
In the In the intent of Luke Marriott, Jesus in the 11Th of John and Mary get the seed of Jesus in the 12Th of John.
Or she learned most precious and valuable lessons and sitting at the feet of Jesus.
And hearing his word. But we need to remember.
That Martha was just as much in the school of God as Mary was in the school of God.
They require different lessons, where Martha was something like Simon Peter, an impulsive person and getting out of her place indeed, whereas Mary was more of a spiritual woman like the beloved John.
But the Lord loves it tells us that he loved Martha and her sister Masters. He equally loved these sisters who had been such a comfort to him.
In his lonely pathway there at Bethany.
So we find that Martha would have robbed her sister.
Of the greatest privilege that is granted any of the Lord's own here in this world, and what is beloved, the greatest privilege we have here on earth, it's sitting at the feet of Jesus.
And hearing his word.
Oh, how wonderful it is that we can enjoy that privilege any place in this world where we live. Being at the feet of Jesus and hearing His Word. You know there are three things that are granted God's people.
That are very important.
One is the word of God, one is prayer, and the other is the assembling of ourselves together.
Now, we may not always be privileged to assemble ourselves where those that gather in the Lord's name around the blessed Lord of the other privileges will never be denied us.
Those two wonderful privilege sitting at the Lord's feet and hearing his word.
And engage in prayer, telling him our needs, telling him about all the things that.
Distress our hearts.
Will always have those. Even if we're laid aside in a bed of affliction, we still have those two blessed privileges.
Well, we find that Martha was ready to deny her sister those privileges, the privilege that she was enjoying.
Because it tells us here that Martha.
Was comfort cumbered? She made it a burden about much serving, or she was just carried away with service?
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And loving service is very precious, as I trust we may see farther on that. In the end, Martha's service was accepted, but Martha had to learn the lesson of that being cumbered, allowing these things to sow, absorb and fill our time.
That how we neglect a prayer and the work of God and remember that the service that Martha was engaged in was a service for the Lord too, and we might be very active in service. That seems very important because we're seeking to do gospel work or work among the children.
But we allow that to have such an.
Faith that it crowds out the time should spend in the Lord's presence.
Where he has worked before us and looking to him.
For health and guidance.
What a lovely thing it has the feet of Jesus and to hear his word.
I think it was dear Mr. Darby in that home of his, where doubtless he was just beginning to get the.
Recovery of the truth. He wrote this, he says, low at thy feet, Lord Jesus, this is the place for me. There have I learned deep lessons, truths that have set me free. Well, it's one thing to read the word, you know. Just study it as we would any other study to.
Try to get the main thoughts and of course we don't condemn.
Getting an outline for the.
Part of Timothy's instruction. Heaven outline of sound doctrine. But whatever way we we take up the word, beloved, may it be in that loneliness.
In the sense of our own nothingness, sitting at His blessed feet and letting Him through the Word speak to our inmost souls. You know God speaks to Him through His work. And that's the way we should read the Word, not just read it as we would.
Some ministry, but remember that when we're reading the Word that we're in the very presence of the Lord and that.
The Lord is present to speak to our souls and to our it may be, to instruct us.
Haven't you had the experience of sudden elbow worse suddenly coming as a as a strong correction?
Remember being.
I was about to make what would have been a very bad mistake one time, and one verse delivered me from making the mistake, and it was a verse in Colossians. Set your mind from things above. I was getting too much sticking up earthly things.
And that verse showed me that I was thinking up too much with earthly things and was the voice of the Lord. Or we all have had those experiences and how many times the Lord has used His word to correct us and to deliver us from a wrong path. But it's always when we're sitting.
Lowly at his feet, taking the low place in his presence.
Where if we are filled with our own importance or if we are allowing self will to.
To control our thoughts and feelings. We all miss his mind. There is a danger, you know, brethren, of making up our minds as to what we're going to do and then searching the Word to find some scripture that would.
Would.
Agree to what we are considering and then getting down and asking the Lord to bless it. What a danger that is.
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But oh, if we're like Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing his words, we'll get corrections that will spare us from many from many A mistake and failure. Well, I'm sure we're all familiar with the 11Th of John.
And I'll not read the chapter, but just call attention to a few thoughts.
In that portion.
You remember how the sisters sent a message to Jesus? Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick.
Oh, the Lord was the tenderest.
Man that ever walked this earth. But he was also a divine man, and if he had been moved just by human compassion, he surely would have hastened as quickly as possible to Bethany, to those distressed sisters. But he waited until he had the mind of the Father, and then he went.
And you remember how Martha met the Lord before he reached the city.
And.
In the.
21St verse.
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. I think I'll be able to call attention to what another brother mentioned, and that is that both these sisters said the same word to Jesus when they met him.
But we could put our believe right by the emphasis on a different word in what Martha said and what Mary said. Martha said, Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died. She said it in a complaining way. Lord, we sent for you. And if you had responded to our request.
Our brother would be still alive.
Well, Martha couldn't meet the Lord.
And she fell out to her.
Our insufficiency to meet the Lord. She wasn't in a state of soul, so she could meet the Lord.
And so we read that.
In the.
28 verse And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister, secretly saying.
The master is come, and calleth for thee.
I get this from our dear brother Billets writings.
That he didn't feel that the Lord told Mary in just so many words, youth, Martha, in so many words you go and call Mary.
Nor did Martha go with with a false report, but it was the fact that Martha felt in her soul that she couldn't meet the Lord and knowing that her more spiritual sister could meet.
The heart of the blessed Lord, she goes and whispers to her, The Master is come and call it for thee.
Well, as soon as Mary hears that message, it tells us that as soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to him.
We were speaking about both Martha and Peter being hasty in their ways. Haste may be very consistent when there is a definite call from the Lord, and it was a call from the Lord.
She waited until she received a call from the Lord, and then with all haste she goes to meet the Lord, the Jews said.
The Jews which the 31St verse then which were with her when they saw her in the house, and comforted her when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her saying.
He goes under the grave to weep there.
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Well, they didn't know the secret that instead of Mary going to the grave as they supposed.
Where to weep out her sad heart that she was going to meet the Lord?
Yes, beloved, she was going to meet the Lord, and Mary did meet the Lord.
And she comes and falls at the feet of Jesus and says the very same words that Martha said.
And the end of the 32nd verse. Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died. I believe that.
Mary emphasized it in this way. Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died.
While Martha said, Lord, if thou hast been here, she put the emphasis I believe on heater and you notice this difference to and it's very important that what Mary said at the feet of Jesus. Martha did not say at the feet of Jesus. Mary had learned that precious lesson there when her sister would have robbed her of her privilege.
Of what it meant to sit at the feet of Jesus.
And to hear his word. And now at his blessed people, he says, Lord, if thou has been here.
Well, Mary really meets the Lord's heart, for he doesn't give any reply at all to what she says. But beloved, and Mary, meeting the heart of Christ, drew forth, what is more precious and more wonderful than all the words that were ever spoken here on earth, she drew forth.
The tears of the Son of God.
Yes, we have that word with just two. That verse was just two words.
Let's have spoken volumes to God's people through the ages. Jesus wept.
And he groaned in spirit. All the Lord traveled, as it were, through all the valley of the shadowed death, what death had brought into this sad world. Although he was on his way to raise Lazarus, which he did with mighty power. And there's something to notice here too, because we usually think, you know, that Martha would be the sole winner because she was one so active.
Service, but just look at.
Had the 45th verse. Then many of the Jews which came not to Martha, but to Mary, and it seemed the things which Jesus did to lead on him. For you see that on this occasion, instead of Martha being the soul winner, it was the one who was nearest to the Lord.
In communion with the mind of the Lord, that was used so that many.
Believed in Jesus.
Beloved, what a lesson for us. As our dear brother Harry Hale used to say, there is no substitute for communion.
No amount of activity, no matter of knowledge, will take the place.
Of that quiet, holy, sweet communion with our blessed Lord.
Well, now this was the time when most Martha and Mary were learning lessons in the school of God. Martha had to learn the lesson too, again when she objected to the rolling away the stone. He didn't have faith in what the Lord had told her, that He was the resurrection of the life.
And what the Lord said to Martha was.
Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst believe, thou should see the glory of God.
Said I not unto thee or beloved, what words to penetrate into our souls.
Said I not unto thee. Have you forgotten his words? Have you forgotten the message that has come from his heart to you? Said I not unto thee.
And beloved, that the order in which the truth is taught, it doesn't say if when you see, then you will believe, but he says, if thou shalt believe, thou shalt see the glory of God. Man says, prove to me and then I believe the word of God is believed, and then you will see. I know that I love it how we have seen.
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The mighty blessings of God as we just quietly and simply trusted and rested.
On his precious word. Well, now the last lesson. Maybe I shouldn't say lesson in the 12Th chapter. It's more.
A scene where the lessons are learned.
But we have to be careful. I believe, even in saying that we have learned our lesson.
Because if we were to dare to say, well, I've learned my lesson, I will never do that again, that is.
We're likely to do the very thing again. But if the lesson is this, beloved, that we have learned through our trials and maybe sad fears and maybe a fault, and the Lord in grace has come in, if we have learned our own utter weakness so that we just say, I'm a poor helpless thing, Lord, I just have to depend.
On your help, I cannot go on without you if we've learned the lesson.
Of our utter weakness and our absolute dependence on him. That's very precious.
But we see the outcome in the 12Th chapter of the lessons these two dear sisters had learned, because in the 12Th chapter it says in the second verse. There they meet him a supper, and Martha served. But Lazarus was one of them that sat at a table with him, then took Mary a pound of ointment.
A spikenard, very costly and anointed his feet with her hair.
And the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
And that beautiful, those three in that family at Bethany, each in a distinct place.
That was according to the Lord's mind, and here Martha's service is not condemned.
She had learned not to put service before Communion, and now the Lord could use and value her service.
Without a rebuke or reproof. And Mary had learned through.
Her experience at His blessed feet, first learning from His Word, and then at His feet in her sorrow to take the alabaster box.
And pour it on those blessed feet that had trod Earth's weary pathway on his way to the cross.
And fill the whole house with a fragrance.
Of the ointment. Oh, what a beautiful scene it is. And Lazarus, the one who had lain in death and whose body was corrupt.
In corruption.
Now sitting at table with him.
Expression of communion, Martha.
Was in service.
Mary seen as the expression of worship or that precious ointment that filled the house with its sweetness, just like the heart was filled with Christ growing up in worship and praise.
To our blessed Lord. And then in Lazarus you see one sitting at table.
In communion, where the blessed Lord? Well, what a sad thing that even on an occasion like this there was a Judas Iscariot.
Who found fault with Mary spending so much?
On the precious body of the Lord Jesus. And sad to say, we find in and we read the other gospels. Maybe here I just haven't read it lately, that they all agreed with Judas Iscariot. Isn't that strange that Judas could become the leader of the other disciples?
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But the Lord doesn't have to reprove Martha on this occasion, does he?
How truly Martha had learned her lesson. She doesn't complain about her sister spending this ointment on the feet of the Lord and wiping His feet with her hair.
Martha had learned her a lesson in the school of God was lesser than precious for her. Mary had learned the lesson of the preciousness of Christ himself and even the disciples, John included, sad to say.
And Peter were not in communion at this occasion, but here too, dear sisters.
Were in communion with the mind of Christ, the mind of God the Father.
On this occasion, oh beloved, what an important thing it is to consider that we are in the school of God, and may we let Him teach us the lessons, may we not?
Seek to avoid the reproofs, the corrections that we surely need in our pathway as we go on through the scene.