Address—Jim Hyland
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Like to begin the meeting this afternoon with 234. We're not of this world which fadeth away. We're not of the night, but children of day. The chains that once bound us by Jesus are riven where strangers on earth our home is in heaven. I'd like to sing just verse one and verse 5 of 234 if someone could please start it.
Not of the world.
Will fail by.
The show.
Sin shall we enter?
Our own.
I don't get strike from.
Glory.
Shall stand.
Our son can fall asleep and fall asleep forever.
Ask God's help and blessing our blessed God and Father how thankful we are this afternoon for the Lord Jesus Christ. And we thank Thee for that mighty work of Calvary that has separated us from this world. We thank Thee that we indeed belong to another world, and that we anticipate very soon being safe home in the Father's house with and like our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, but now in the meantime, as we have opportunity to open Thy Word and to read it and meditate on it.
God, we pray that Thou teach us this afternoon. We think of this meeting being specially for those who are younger. We pray that there might be a message that would be relevant and that would be helpful in edifying for those who are just starting out on the path of faith and service. We pray that there might be something for each one of us as well, and that we might be refreshed and encouraged in our souls as we read Thy word together. So we ask Thy help and blessing. We ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for His glory.
Amen. By way of introduction to the subject on my heart this afternoon, I'd like to begin with a portion in Hebrews chapter one, and we'll begin reading at verse one. God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time passed under the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things. And then this is the expression I want to notice particularly.
By whom also he made the world's. I have it on my heart this afternoon to take up the subject of the world, and I want to take it up under 3 headings. I want to take it up under the subject of the heading of the planet, the people, and the program. Because I believe as you go through the word of God, you find that the expression, the world is taken up in those three different contexts. We're going to find that sometimes when the subject of the world is taken up.
It has to do with this physical planet on which we live. And that's where we started here. Sometimes we find it's in connection with the people that inhabit this planet. And then what is particularly on my heart is a program or a system of things set up by Satan in independence of God. And so we're going to look at it in this, this way, and I begin here because we want to establish at the very beginning.
That as we take up the subject of the world under the heading the planet, that there is a create. There was a creator, and that creator was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. But it says here by whom also He made the world. We know that all things were made by Him, and without him was not anything made that was made. And not only is he the creator of the world and the universe, but he's the sustainer of it as well.
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If we were to take the time and go to the book of Colossians, we would find that there it tells us by him all things subsist. That is, everything works together. I know in the King James it says consist, but another translation translates it subsist, and the thought is really that everything works together under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ. He upholds all things by the word of His power.
You know, when the Lord Jesus was here in this world, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes as a babe in the Manger. He was upholding all things by the word of His power. Here was the Creator, not only of this planet we call Earth, but the Creator of the universe.
Lying in a Manger as a helpless babe, accepting limitations in that way, well, his hands were stretched on a cross of wood. He was again a sustaining the universe and upholding all things by the word of his power. And so by him all things were made, and so he made the world's. And I know sometimes you young people, you hear other theories and things at school that would get you to doubt, to seek to put a doubt in your mind.
As to the fact that the Lord Jesus is the Creator, that God is the Creator, but oh go back to the word of God. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, but in connection with this subheading the planet, I'd like to back up a little in time.
And to do that I'd like to read 3 port, 3 portions, 3 further portions. The first one is in first Peter chapter one.
First, Peter, chapter one and verse 18. For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your Father's, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.
And then in Ephesians chapter one.
Ephesians chapter one and verse three. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. And one more portion in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 25.
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 25 and verse 34. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye, blessed of the Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Well, as we mentioned, there was a moment in time when the Lord Jesus came into this world again. We're speaking about the physical planet, this globe, that on which we live.
And it says Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, that is, he came in incarnation as a man to this world. But you know, the Lord Jesus was the eternal Son of God, and he was verily foreordained before the foundation of the world.
And as that mighty sacrifice, God always had it in view, even before the foundation of the world was laid, even before he called into being this creation, there was one in the thoughts of God, one who was with him before the world was. And in the thoughts and plan of God he was verily foreordained. And when the fullness of time came, then God sent forth his Son, born of a woman.
I say that because again, the enemy will come along and plant seeds of doubt in our minds as to the eternity of the person of the Lord Jesus. This is perhaps just a little aside from our talk, but, you know, it says prophetically of the Lord Jesus in the book of Isaiah. It says unto you, a child is born. That's his incarnation. That's the moment in time when the Lord Jesus came into this world.
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As a man. But then it says unto you, a son is given, that's the eternity of his person. And you know it never speaks of the Lord Jesus. As the Son being born. It always speaks of him either have been as being sent or given, because it shows that he was always with the Father. He never came into existence, He always was. I don't have any sons, but if I had a son, I could send a son maybe to help you in some difficulty.
And God had a Son, and when the right moment came, he sent that Son. The Father sent the Son to be the savior of the world. And so I believe it's helpful to see that. And when someone comes along, young people, and tries to tell you that the Lord Jesus became the Son when he came into this world in incarnation, go back to those scriptures that show that God could not have sent or given something he didn't already have.
He had the Son, and it says prophetically of him, that I was there with him as one brought up with brought up by him. And I was daily his delight. And so he was always the delight and the joy of the Father. He was always there in the in the Father's bosom. And then as we read, he was fairly foreordained, and he was sent into this world by the Father at that right moment. And then we find that the blessing for you and for me.
Was before the foundation of the world too. Now young people, I believe that it's very important to notice the difference between what we read in Ephesians and what we read in the book of Matthew. Because I'm going to comment on the the verse I read in the book of Matthew first. Because there we find that he's talking about the future Kingdom for Israel, the future blessing of Israel when the Lord Jesus.
Jesus will establish his Kingdom and as it says again prophetically, there'll be the shout of a king amongst them a king shall reign in righteousness and Princess shall rule in judgment. And he speaks there of the blessing for Israel being from very important to see that word from from the foundation of the world, because their blessings are connected with this earth, their blessings are connected with this world.
They were given the land of Canaan, an earthly inheritance. Through their folly and sin, they they lost that that for a time. But God is going to establish them in their earthly inheritance in a way that they've never been established before. Jerusalem is going to be the capital, the center of the world. All the nations are going to recognize Israel and Jerusalem as such.
But remember, their blessings are from the foundation of the world, because their blessings are connected with this world, with this earth. But you'll notice in contrast that we were in we were chosen in Christ not from the foundation of the world, but before the foundation of the world. And I suggest what the Spirit of God is very careful to guard in the New Testament is the fact that our hopes.
Our aspirations and goals and our blessings are in no way connected with this world, and we're going to see this as we go on to some further scriptures in a little while. But to understand that you and I do not have blessings connected with this earth. In fact, the only thing that really connects us with this earth is the fact that we are still physically here on this planet. We are. We're still here.
We spoke about the Lord's coming this morning in the Reading meeting, but it hasn't happened yet. The moments going to come when we're going to be snatched away from this planet and taken to another world, to a sphere of things that is beyond our comprehension, but that hasn't happened yet. We're still here physically in this world, but that is the only thing really, brethren, that connects us with this world. The Cross of Christ separates me.
From this world. And that's why the Apostle Paul said, God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto this under the world you and I have not only been.
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Delivered from the just penalty of our sins. But positionally we have been delivered from a world that's under judgment. Because young people, this planet is under judgment. The Lord Jesus feeling the imminence of judgment hanging over this world. As he looked around at those who rejected him in his day, he said now is the judgment of this world and we read that God has appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness.
By that man whom he hath ordained. This world is under judgment. It's going to pass away. It tells us in Second Peter that the elements are going to melt with fervent heat. And that's why, again, we ought not to have our aspirations and goals in this world. We need to get through this world, but we ought not to have our goals and aspirations in this world. Because you and I have something eternal. We were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world.
And we were chosen in Christ for heavenly blessing. The temporal mercies that we enjoy here in this world, on this earth, are only that. They're only temporal, and they're transient and passing at best. But what we have in Christ, that was ordained before the foundation of the world to be our possession, those things we are going to enjoy for all eternity, those things are eternal, and no one, even the devil himself, can take them from us.
And so we first of all have the world in this context, the planet on which we dwell. But now I'd like to read a familiar verse that brings before us the world in a little different context. It's in John's Gospel, chapter 3.
John's Gospel chapter 3 and verse 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Well, this is not the context of the planet. This is the context of the people. Again, I just want to say when you go through scripture and young people, I know we stress this so often, but it was helpful as a young person.
For me to get a hold of this concept and that is that you must always take things up in its context.
And don't assume that when you read something in one place that that word or that phrase is always going to mean or illustrate that in every place you have to take it up in its context. And so when we read the expression, the world, it isn't always the same. And when you come to that expression, as you read through the scriptures, seek to discern from the context what he's really speaking about. Is he speaking about the physical planet as we've just spoken of it.
Or is he speaking about something else? And here we find that God so loved the world. Now I think we see very quickly that God didn't love a planet. He didn't love this globe as such. The physical globe. It's the inhabitants of the globe. It's the people that live on this planet. You know, this planet is just a marble. It's just a speck in God's great creation and as men send their probes further and further out into space.
And as they realize the greatness of the universe, they're realizing how small this planet really is, this planet to which the Creator came in incarnation. But think of the inhabitants of this little marble in God's creation. He looks down. The Lord Jesus looks down this afternoon. God looks down this afternoon, and he loves the people that inhabit this planet. He doesn't love their sin and waywardness, of course.
But he loves the people, and he loved the people so much that God sent his only begotten Son into this world. And as I say, Christ Jesus came into this world. He came because he loved the people in this world, and God loved you and me so much that he sent his Son. And aren't you thankful? I am that God loved me that much that he sent his Son, And not only so, but having been chosen before the foundations of the world of this planet.
He set his love upon me, and when the moment right moment came, he drew me to himself. And you know, one reason we're still here on this planet, one reason that the Lord hasn't come up until now, is because the love of God for the people that inhabit this planet is so great.
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That he desires that the gospel would go out a little bit for more, a little longer, that his son might be presented as the savior of sinners. And I just want to say this to my own heart, and perhaps to exercise your heart as well, if God loves the people on this planet that much.
How much do we really have a desire for their blessing? Those that we go to school with, those that we work with, those that we rub shoulders with on a day-to-day basis, do we really have a love, that same love that God has for the Sinner, a love that desires their blessing? And in some way, we then live and present Christ to them. And so we've taken up the subject of the world as the planet, the physical globe, and the people.
That inhabit it, But as I say, what is particularly on my heart now is to take it up in connection with the program.
I chose these three words to describe these different contexts because sometimes if we have words that all start with the same letter, it helps us to remember a little better what we have taken up and the body of the subject matter. And so again, we have the planet, the.
People, But now we're going to talk about the program. Let's go to John's Gospel, Chapter 17.
John's Gospel, chapter 17 and verse 14. I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou should have take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Now again when we speak of the world in this context.
It's a system of things, as we're going to see from some other scriptures set up by man in independence of God, of which Satan is, is the head. It's illustrated to us. If we were to go back to the beginning of Genesis, we would find that after Cain had brought that sacrifice that was not acceptable to God, the fruit of a cursed earth and godly monstrated with him and gave him opportunity to repent. And he refused it. It says he went out from the presence of the Lord.
And he built a city. And we often speak about Cain's world and the things that characterize Cain's world, because so often a city in Scripture speaks of man in in independence of God. We spoke of a city this morning in connection with administration, but so often it's man in his confusion, having built a great system of things where God is completely left out.
And isn't that what man has done? Later on, Nebuchadnezzar looked around in his pride.
At the city that he had built. And he said, is not this great Babylon that I have built? And here we find the Lord Jesus. He's about to leave this world. He's going to go to the cross, rise from the dead, give confirmation to his own that he had bodily risen from the dead, and then he's going to leave this world and his, as we mentioned this morning, that moment came when his feet left this physical planet, the Mount of Olives.
And the cloud received him out of their sight, and here he prays for his own.
I just want you to go to take a little challenge and sometime go through this 17th of John what is often referred to as the Lords High Priestly Prayer. And notice the many times that the word world is used. And you will find the Word world used in all of the three contexts that we're Speaking of this afternoon. But here the Lord Jesus in praying for his own, he says that the world is going to hate them.
You know, again, he's not talking about a physical planet. He's talking about the people the people in this world hate will hate their Christian. Why? Because they belong to a world system of things that is opposed to God and to Christ. And so you and I are in this world, we often say, but we're not of it. And that's why we want to be careful young people that as we pass through this world.
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We don't get intertwined with that system of things. I realize that we have to survive in the world. I realize we have to go to school. I realize we have to get an education to some degree. If we're going to get through this world, we must have employment. We're to provide things honest in the sight of all men. And we're going to notice later on that there's a way to use what is in the world in a proper way and in the proper order. But we want to remember again that we do not belong to this world.
That is, we are not to be part of that world system that goes on with no thought of God and in independence of himself. And so twice he says here they are not of this world earlier on the Lord Jesus in speaking to the unbeliever in John's Gospel.
Told them they were of this world, but he was not of this world. The Lord Jesus came into this world, but he was not of this world. He was the heavenly man walking in this world in complete separation, not isolation, because we're not to be isolationists. You and I are here to be a testimony in the world. You know, I just say in passing, we are the light of the world. You know, when the Lord Jesus was walk, was here walking in this world.
He walked through this world in a way that he could say I am the light of the world. But you know, he said to his own before he left this world, ye are the light of the world. The Lord Jesus is not the light of the world today. He was when he was here. But you and I are the light of this world. And isn't it a serious thing to realize that all that this world is going to see of Christ today is what is manifest in the believers life, especially in a day when they've closed the pages of God's word?
They've rejected the light of God's word. What light is this world going to see? What testimony is this world going to see? We are, we're epistles, known and read of all men. Ye are the light of this, of the world. But the Lord Jesus was not of this world. He was the the man that came down from heaven not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent me. And we need to realize that we are not of this world. Yes, we're here in this world.
But not to get entangled with its programs. You know, there are many Christians who are very entangled with the betterment of this world. You know, young people were not a moral force to change the world. We're here to represent Christ. We're here to tell people how they can get saved and no longer be part of this world. That's under judgment. But we are not here as a moral force to change the world.
Simply to represent Christ. And if we try to get entangled with the programs of this world, whether it's political or whatever it may be, we're going to be disappointed. In fact, I've talked to a lot of Christians and they're very discouraged and disappointed because through Miss Teaching, they've been taught that we're here to get involved in the programs of this world. And they have, and they're realizing that it's not doing a bit of good.
This world is not getting better. It's ripening and ripening fast for the judgment of God. And as we said, this world is indeed under under judgment. And so as we go on to some other scriptures, now let's remember we're not of the world, even as the Lord Jesus was not of the world. We are connected, as we said this morning with a man at the right hand of God. Now I'd like to connect.
Four further Scriptures. The first one is in Luke's Gospel chapter 4.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 4 and verse 5. And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them, for that is that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will give it. And then in John's Gospel, chapter 14.
John's Gospel, chapter 14.
And verse 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. And then in Second Corinthians chapter 4, Second Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.
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Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. And then a verse in first John, First Epistle of John, chapter 5.
First, John chapter 5 and verse 19. And we know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness. Or if you notice another translation, the wicked one. Well, what I want to point out by reading these scriptures is first of all that Satan is the God and the Prince of this world. You know, the world, perhaps in in regard to these scriptures can be taken up in three different aspects.
We spoke of three different contexts of the world, but now we're going to speak for a moment of three different aspects, because we find that Satan is the Prince of the the God, the Prince of this world politically. He's the God of this world religiously. And there's another side to the world, that which we might call the social side of the world. And in that regard, he's the wicked one. You see, as I said, it's a system of things set up by man.
In independence of God.
Of which Satan is the head. And so we find that Satan takes the Lord Jesus in the temptation.
And he shows him the kingdoms of this world in a moment of time. You know, young people, that's what the kingdoms of this world are.
They're a moment of time. I know that the glamour of this world seems great.
I know that especially when we're young, everything seems at our doorstep. And I know that when you go to college and university, it's presented to you in that way. Everything is at your disposal. Now again, don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying we we don't. We shouldn't work hard at school and whatsoever our hand do find it to do or to do with all our might, and we're to do all for the glory of God. And there are certainly examples in scripture.
Of men and women who were, who were raised by God to places of prominence in different ways, we think of Nehemiah. He was the King's cup bearer. That was a very responsible position.
Under all the kings in Daniel's day, he was promoted and given a very responsible job. Esther became queen to the to the king and so on. And so I'm not saying that God can't use individuals in various spheres of life. In fact, we're thankful that back in the 1800s God raised up men and women of position and rank and means so that the truth could be propagated.
And their homes and their resources were used for that very purpose, and we're thankful for it. But the question is, what do we set our hearts on? Are your? Is your heart and mind set on the things of this world, the things that are only for a moment of time? Are we seeking to be to better ourselves in this world as our goal and our aspiration? If we are, then our hearts are not right.
Then we are seeking that which is not going to satisfy and that which we're going to see burned up and destroyed in the end. Now, it's true that every person who knows the Lord Jesus as their Savior in the end is going to be snatched away at the rapture. We've often used, Have we not the illustration of Lot in the Old Testament? And I think that it's very apropos because we find that Lot was a true believer.
You know, Lot was one who was never restored to the Lord this side of heaven. But he was a true believer because it tells us in the New Testament that he was a righteous man and that he vexed his righteous soul from day-to-day. But sad to say, Lot chose simply what was for present advantage. It's interesting that when Lot lifted up his eyes, he only lifted them up as high as the horizons of this world.
Is that how high you and I are lifting up our eyes this afternoon? Just as far as the horizons of this world. If we do that, like Lot, we're going to choose that which is simply for present advantage. He chose the well watered plain of Jordan. And what did it remind him of here? It reminded him of Egypt. You know, I just want to say a word to those who of us who are older for a moment, because it has really exercised my own soul.
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To realize that lot got a taste of the world.
Got a taste of Egypt because his uncle Abraham took him down there. Not solemn to think of. Now Lot was responsible for the choices that he made. But I just want to say to those of us who are a little further along in the path of faith and service, let's be careful that we don't give those who are younger a taste of the world. Abraham gave Lot a taste of Egypt and it led to a very sad decision.
In Lot's life later on, let's be careful. Those of us who are older, that we don't, in one way or another, put the world before the eyes and hearts of those that are younger. We may not see the results of it immediately, but it's going to have a detrimental effect in in the end and Lot. Sad to say, he took up with Sodom and Gomorrah and we know the sad end. He saw all his hopes.
All his aspirations, as well as many things that he allowed in his life, that he ought not to have allowed in his life, that were not for the glory of the Lord.
And though he was saved in the end, yet he lost his testimony, his testimony even to his own family. This is just a little aside, but you know, Egypt is such an apartment type of the world in the Old Testament and.
You know, one of the first times I went to Egypt, some of the brothers were sitting around between meetings at conference. And I said to the brothers, I said, you know, there's a question I'd like to ask you because, you know, you don't want to be in Egypt and be talking about the Egypt being a type of the world and putting their country down. I said, brothers, when you hear the Brethren or in the writings talk about Egypt as a type of the world, does it bother you? They all kind of looked at each other and smiled and they said, no, Jim.
They said it is so clear in scripture as to what it is a type of that we understand it very clearly. I thought that was very interesting. And so Egypt is an app type of the world, and Lot didn't choose Egypt itself, but that which reminded him of Egypt. And so the devil showed the Lord the kingdoms of this world in a moment of time. And then we find that in John 14 he's referred to as the Prince of this world again in keeping.
With what we have noticed as to the kingdoms of this world, because there is a vast system, political system in this world that leaves God out. Man is seeking to arrange things on the world stage according to his own schemes and by peace pacts and summits and negotiations and revolutions and government. And I'm thankful for government. You know, just again I've just come from Egypt and I have been have said to some, you know, bad government is worse than no government.
It's anarchy in a country like Egypt today because there's really nobody in charge, and bad government is worse than no government. But let's be careful that we don't try to get into the political arena, young people, and straighten out this world again. This world and its program is under judgment. And I've talked to Christians who have been in the political arena in one way or another, who have gone in with a genuine desire to clean up a city or a state or a country.
But they have learned very quickly that they cannot do it, that it's just not going to work, that things are deteriorating and deteriorating fast. And it's interesting in John's Gospel that Satan is referred to as the Prince of this world three times.
And we find that the Roman government who was in control at that time, that system of things, took the Lord Jesus and nailed him to the cross. I say that because while the Jews are held very responsible and it was they who cried away with him crucify him, they said we will not have this man to reign over us, we have no king but Caesar and so on. Yet it was actually Roman, so Gentile soldiers who took the Lord Jesus and led him away.
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To crucify him. And so this world and its political schemes are under the judgment of God. But then we have the Satan in another aspect, not just as the Prince of this world politically, but he's the God of this world religiously. Because you know, today there's plenty of religion without Christ. You know, again in the days of the Lord Jesus, there was religion. You know, the Jews had religion and they had their forms and their ceremonies.
And the Lord Jesus warned them so often about those forms and ceremonies and how they kept the outside of the cup and the platter clean and so on. But they had religion without Christ because, again, they they they cried for His crucifixion. They're very religion was what they was used to reject the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, to reject the Prince of life and glory.
And so we find that God, Satan, is the God of this world, and he's the God of this world, seeking to blind the hearts of men and keep them from coming to the true knowledge of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan has a vast religious system of things to keep man insensitive to his ruin. Very solemn isn't it? Man is a religious being he got. Man is a God conscious being and he needs to have religion. He needs to have worship of some sort and the enemy is there with all kinds of things to interject to keep him, as I say, insensitive to his ruin and insensitive to true Christianity.
But then we find in first John, where we read, we find that the whole world lies in the wicked one. And I just want to apply this in connection with another aspect of the world, as I mentioned, and that is the social side of the world. You know, again, Satan is so clever to come in with with amusement and entertainment, and I'm not here to condemn things and to say that our young people and children don't need diversion and so on.
But let's be very, very careful. And I want to just make this comment. And again, I want to make it young people, very, very carefully and cautiously. But I do believe that one of the great works of Satan, one of the great subtleties of Satan in the day in which we live, is to take that which is evil in itself, that which has to do with the social side of the world apart from Christ, and attack the banner of Christianity on it.
And there are many things that are Christian, such and such. And you know what? Exactly what I'm talking about all be careful.
Be very careful. Satan is so subtle. I've sometimes said Satan is the greatest dealer in antiques there ever was. You know, he goes to the antique store and he buys that old piece of furniture that's tattered and worn and he brings it into the shop and he puts a new piece of upholstery on it and a little different color of veneer on it. And he presents it in a little different way, in a way that looks perhaps very acceptable even to to believers.
But be careful. Underneath it's the same old piece of rotten furniture. And so the whole world lies in the wicked one. And if our hearts are truly centered on Christ and what is ahead, as we spoke of the Lord's coming in the Father's house this morning, we're not going to have such an appetite for the things of this world. You know, I suppose there's never been a day when the word amuse is as prevalent as the day in which we live.
There's amusement on every hand, and it's interesting that the word muse is the Latin word that means to think, and you put a in front of a Latin word, it gives it the negative meaning. It gives it the opposite connotation. The word amuse literally means not to think. And isn't that the attempt of Satan today? Everybody's got something plugged in. Nobody can even take a walk in the woods without something plugged into their ears.
Something to amuse them, something to occupy the mind. And it's Satan's attempt to keep the unbeliever insensitive to his ruin.
But it is also to keep the believer from really enjoying his portion in Christ and to get the believer to become so earthly minded that they forget that they are a heavenly people just passing through this this world. And so I want to say before again, before we pass on, don't become so over occupied with the amusements and pleasures of this world that you lose sight of the fact that we are not of this world.
00:45:17
Even as he is not of the world, we are looking at these verses very quickly. But I do want to cover a number of verses before our time is gone. Let's go to Revelation Chapter 11.
Revelation Chapter 11 and verse 15. And the 7th Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever. I read this verse at this juncture because maybe there's someone here and you say, well Jim, it's all right for you to talk like this, but you know we need to be an influence in some way and how are things going to improve?
And get better if we're not out there lobbying and.
Hoisting our colors, and so on.
Well, here we have the answer to what we've spoken of. You know, there is a day, young people, when the Lord Jesus is going to take the reins of government in this world. Now, perhaps I better say too that as far as the present time, make no mistake about it, God is in control. You know the Most High rule within the kingdoms of men and setteth up the basest of men in the kingdoms of men. And so things may seem out of hand in the world today.
But they're never out of God's hand. He's in full control. He's letting Satan have his way to a great extent.
He's letting man run his course. This is man's day as we get in the book of First Corinthians, but God is behind everything that is happening. Just read the book of Esther and you'll see that illustrated.
You know God is not mentioned by name in the book of Esther, and things seemed out of control. Seemed like the people of God were going to be completely annihilated.
But by the end of the book, you realize there's somebody that's in control. There's somebody greater than the king who was in control, and that was God himself. And God is working all things according to the counsel of his own will. And there's a day when the Lord Jesus is going to take the kingdoms of this world. Satan offered them to him, the kingdoms of this world, in a moment of time. But there's a day coming, and it throws my heart to think about it when he's going to rain, not for a moment of time.
But he's going to reign forever and ever because when he takes control of the kingdoms of this world, he's going to bring about righteousness and equity and justice. He's going to bring about peace and what is established in the thousand year reign of the Lord Jesus. I realized that the eternal state is not so much a Kingdom, but it's what is established in the Millennium is going to go on into the eternal state. I like the way an older brother put it years ago.
He said the Millennium are the Kingdom is the front porch to the eternal state. It really is what introduces to us the character of the eternal state. It's not perfect as the eternal state will be, but nevertheless it introduces to us that character of things. And so the Lord Jesus could refuse the kingdoms of this world at the time. Why? Because he knew there was a day coming when the kingdoms of this world would be given to him, not by Satan.
But by God that those kingdoms would be turned over to him and that at that time he would reign forever and ever. And young people, when that happens, we're going to reign with him. We're going to reign with the Lord Jesus. He's going to say according to our faithfulness in following him in a Christ rejecting world. Now he's going to say be thou over 5 cities, be thou over 10 cities. Do you want to rain before the time or do you want to wait till the king is really raining?
You know the Corinthians, It tells us they were trying to reign before the time, because as far as the Lord reigning now he's the it's the parable of the the man who took his journey into a far country to receive for himself a Kingdom and to return. The Lord Jesus has not returned yet. The Lord Jesus has his rightful place in heaven this afternoon. But I trust there's no thought even in corners of our hearts.
As to this being the reigning time now, the Lord Jesus does not have his rightful place in this world now.
We see not yet all things put under him. He does want that place in our hearts, as we often sing rain thou within our hearts alone. But are you and I content to wait till the reigning time when he will come and he will set things right? Not regards to what we think should be right, or how things should be established, but regards to how he thinks it should be established. And that's going to be the very best for this world.
00:50:23
Let's go to Matthews Gospel Chapter 10.
I'm sorry, Mark's Gospel.
Mark's Gospel, chapter 10, Mark's Gospel, chapter 10 and verse 28. Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, in the Gospels, but he shall receive in hundredfold. Now in this time houses and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands with persecutions.
And in the world to come, eternal life. Well, here we have the expression the world to come, because there is a world to come. John Wesley, I've often told the story, was passing one of the great Manor houses in England years ago. And he noticed as he was passing that Manor house that one of the groundskeepers was working around the front gate of that beautiful home. And he stopped to talk to this man, and the gardener offered to show him through the grounds of that beautiful manner house.
And after they had had a little tour and he came back to the gate of the grounds to take his leave, John Wesley said to this man, he said, I too have a liking for these things. But there is another world, you see. John Wesley was living in view of eternity. And here we have Peter coming to the Lord Jesus. And Peter might have felt more than all the other disciples, that he'd given up more to follow the Lord than the rest. Why? Well, Peter is the only one of the disciples that we read from scripture.
Who had a family, You know, he had a wife. We read that his mother-in-law was sick and Peter might have felt that he'd given up maybe more than some of the other disciples to follow the Lord.
But the Lord showed Peter, if you've given up anything for me, you'll get a lot more, not only in this life, but in in the life to come. In fact, he said, you'll receive 100 fold. Do you realize that that's 10,000% that that's quite a return on your investment. An investor would like 10,000% return on their investment, wouldn't they? But, you know, if you're willing to live in view of eternity and to walk in separation from this world.
For the glory of the Lord Jesus and the glory of Christ and the blessing of his people, He says, I'll give you a return of 10,000%. You'll reap a hundredfold in that future day. And young people, when we stand before the Lord Jesus in a coming day, what's going to matter most how well we planned our lives and got along down here. You know, I often see that little motto. You've seen it too in people's homes. I like it. Only one life to assume be passed, only what's done for Christ.
Will last. I want to very quickly go to the book of James now.
James chapter One and verse 27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father. Is this to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world? You know, we spoke about Satan being the God of this world religiously, but you know there is a type of religion that's very acceptable to God and we have it in this verse. And not only to visit the fatherless and the widows and their affliction and so on. Do you ever do that, young people?
You ever just stop in and see somebody maybe that can't get out to meeting someone that's going through a difficult trial that's pure religion and undefiled, and then it says and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Oh, it's so easy to become tarnished from the world. I've often told about a young lady who approached a guide that was taking people down into a coal mine and she had a white dress on and the guy looked at her rather askance and she said, well, is there anything to keep me?
From wearing a white dress down into the coal mine, he said. No, but there's everything to keep you from coming out with a white dress. And so if we seek to rub shoulders with the world in that way, we're going to become spotted by the world. Now I'd like to go to Titus.
Titus chapter 2 and verse 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. What is it that's going to keep us from worldliness, young people? It's the grace of God. And I believe in the measure in which you have a sense of the grace of God in your soul. You will be taught to live in the way that we have here.
00:55:27
Because it's grace that teaches us. Grace is a teacher, and it teaches us to deny those things that are not according to the nature of God, and then to live soberly, righteously, godly in this present world. And when I see a a young person who denies unworldly and ungodly, not lusts whose living soberly, righteously godly in this present world or present age, I say there's a young person, there's a Christian.
Appreciates and understands the grace of God. But I want to close by reading two further portions of the Word of God. The first one is in First Corinthians Chapter 7.
First Corinthians Chapter 7 and verse 31. And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away. And then I want to read one more portion in first John chapter two, First John chapter 2 and verse 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes. And the pride of life is not, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. I read this verse in First Corinthians because there is a way that we can use the things that are at our disposal in a natural way for God's glory. It's referred to in another way by the Lord Jesus as the unrighteous mammon. And there's a way to use it in a proper way. For instance, the Internet can be abused.
Cell phones can be abused. Any of man's inventions can be abused. But you know there is a way that they can be used for the furtherance of the truth and the glory of God as well. Many of us who have opportunity to travel to other countries and do work in other countries, we couldn't do what we do without utilizing the technology that God has allowed man to develop. You can use the world without abusing it.
And so I want to encourage you in that regard because again, I'm not here to condemn those things, but they must be kept in their proper context and used in their in their proper way. And remember that we're not to love the world.
And at the end of this meeting, I want to ask our hearts, each one what is our heart set on? Is it set on simply the things of this world and bettering ourselves down here, or is it set on Christ? If things are set on Christ, then they're going to be set on that other world as well. And I trust that we're living in view of that other world that we're going to share with the Lord Jesus for all eternity. I would like, in closing, to sing one verse.
Of 16 in the appendix.
16 in the appendix and we'll sing just verse 5 if someone can start it.
I swear, sorry, I found that in the world again.
Whatever, I saw the place where it had been passed in heaven.
Let my Lord.
Show my hands on chains.
Let's ask God's blessing our God and Father. We pray for blessing on my word to each of our hearts this afternoon in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.