Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Titus, Chapter 2.
The Jeff verse 6.
Titus Chapter 2, verse 6.
Young man likewise exhort to be sober, minded in all things, showing thyself a pattern of good works in doctrine, showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the Country Park may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Exhort servants to be obedient under their own masters, and to please them well in all things.
Not answering again, not purlining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. 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.
00:05:19
Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the Greek God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity?
And purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Been an awful lot then, and it's rather surprising near it to the young men.
And I think the reason for that is that.
There was to be a pattern.
And Titus was to provide the pattern.
You don't need to say a lot. If there's a good pattern, I'm reminded of a poem that Count Zinzendorf.
Wrote in honor of his grandmother, which starts out pattern of faith.
And.
Count Zinzendorf was a real servant of the lawyer, and as most of us know.
Gave a lot of refuge to the followers of John Huss when they fled from Czechoslovakia into Saxony and he had a pious grandmother who was formed his life.
And I believe what Count Zinzendorf was was largely the result of the pattern of faith that his grandmother displayed to him. So he.
Remarks in his poem, Pattern of Faith in Regard to her and I.
Covet that for myself, and I trust you do too, that as our younger brothers look at us, that they might see a pattern.
A pattern of good works. A pattern of what a believer should be.
May not be ashamed of that.
Of walking in that same pathway and that's where we fall down, isn't it?
And yet, there's one word.
In connection with the younger men that they're to be discreet or prudent.
And there's an important principle there that is found in each one of these groups, that is that there's to be a discretion or a prudence in how we walk and we can be so imprudent sometimes. And it it ruins the testimony. It's a very practical thing.
Be discreet in what we do.
I give a practical example about it.
There was a brother in Brooklyn years ago.
Who when he would come to visit at a home?
Would make some people laugh, because if the sister was home alone and he'd come to visit, maybe arriving a little bit early for supper.
Stand on the porch or sit on the porch until the brother came home.
And people would laugh at that, but that was prudence. It was discretion. It was wise. And nobody ever raised a charge of scandal against that brother. He had a lot of other things that people complained about with him, but never did I ever hear a whisper in connection with that brother that, well, you know, he, he's doing this or he's doing that. And I don't say you have to go that far, but I believe that brother acted with prudence and discretion.
And this word that the young brethren are to be that way, they are to be exhorted to be that way, is not in vain. God had a reason, and we need it, and we better pay attention to it. I'd better pay attention to it because you can fall and it's one of the the easiest ways to fall is in imprudence and lack of discretion. Or there's nothing to that. I can do that. And then the next thing you know, there's a fall.
00:10:19
And the testimonies ruined, and the word is evil spoken of and a life of service is put on the sidelines. We shoot ourselves in the foot, so to speak, and we're not able to be used for the Lord. Maybe that is a brief word to us here.
But if we show ourselves as a pattern.
Then.
There's a model to follow, and that's what I believe is so very, very lacking among the Lord's people today are patterns that we can follow. Patterns of faith, patterns of good work, patterns of integrity. And when you see one, it's an encouragement, isn't it? And it's.
Help to us. There is what I wanted. That's one I'd like to be like. And I know there have been those in my life and I thank God for them. My own dad. I just thank the Lord for a pattern that I could. I didn't say a perfect pattern. There aren't any perfect patterns except the Lord. Is that right, Brother Clem?
I believe that is right. Only the writer of this epistle calls himself a pattern to them which should hereafter believe.
And I suppose he could say that because he lived what he taught practically.
And he had seen Christ in glory. He knew the end of the story. But he does call himself a pattern. To them which should hereafter believe Christ is the only perfect pattern. We believe that.
Well, it says young men likewise. And you know, it's not just the aged men, it's the young men. Likewise in all things. A pattern of good works in doctrine and sound speech. And I like that. You know how we need them. We need everyone, of course, but like all assemblies, we've had a little problem in our assembly. But you know, we've been blessed as a result.
Young men with little families who weren't even calling a hymn or or prayer prayer meeting are now reading and buying the truth. And they're a great help, those young men. What an encouragement it is and that's the result. Sometimes, you know of these things that we think is nothing but sadness and trial. It exercises some and those young men.
For a while I didn't even feel free to leave the assembly. I just felt they need me. But they don't. They have those young men that were reading. I didn't realize it. When they started to speak, they were reading. And that's a wonderful thing, isn't it? So it's not just the aged men, It's young men. Sound doctrine, you know. There isn't anything unless it is that according to the truth. And when they're feeding, we all get blessed. They bring out things that I've known.
30-40 years ago. But when they bring it out they just discovered it. It is just like freshness to me.
When they bring it out, oh, how precious it is. Like Genesis 22. After breaking of bread, One young man got up administered on that like I've never heard administered. He just bought that truth. And so it's a wonderful thing, young man. We need you. We all need you. It's it's it's wonderful, isn't it? Young men likewise.
The book of Ruth.
Ruth, chapter 2 and verse nine. Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them. Have I not charged the young men, that they shall not touch thee? And when thou art a thirst, go under the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
Now that is remarkable because.
It was really the women that drew the water, but here.
And when our thirst go under the vessels and drink of that which the young men have drawn, well, I believe we can apply it to each one of us. Are we drawing water from the wells that others may drink? Others may be refreshed? Oh, dear ones, we're exhorted here that others might be refreshed. And also the warning.
00:15:24
Have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?
The Apostle says or the word of God says it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
I have a question.
About your remarks, do you take it then that verses 7 and eight are directed to Titus instead of to the young men?
Yes.
Do you take it that way? Seems to be right. I was afraid we weren't all getting it.
I take it, but it's Titus that's told to afford himself a pattern. So he he wouldn't have to say an awful lot to the young men. He'd just show them what a he'd be a role model for them, a pattern for them. And that, I think, is so very precious. But then he it brings out immediately in teaching he was to be careful that the Doctor didn't become corrupted.
I've it's been a heartache to me to see brethren that I knew when I was younger.
Who seemed to be straight on things, and you talked to them more recently and it sounds like they've changed the book. They're not reading the same book anymore, and I remember the joy with which.
Some 40 years ago, 39 years ago, the Lord gathered me over there in 226 Gates Ave. in Brooklyn, and I remember the joy with which the truth was made good to my soul.
And I thought, this is wonderful, but then I find that that wasn't true. According to a lot of people today, what's happened? The truth has become corrupted in their minds and they no longer hold the truth. And it's sad when an older person who has gone on and held it, we thought in his soul, we find out that he really didn't hold it and he's been a traitor to it. So it warns us about.
Corrupting the truth.
And I just say a word to all of us. Let's be careful. It says by the truth and sell it not. And there isn't a price that's worth selling. The truth for God's truth is so precious there isn't any price that's worth it. Popularity.
Whatever, it might be a wider circle.
Approval of the brethren, or whatever it is, if we have God's truth, don't ever sell it.
Don't corrupt it either. Don't. Don't allow it to be turned into something which is less than what God has given us. Go on in it.
The two things are constantly brought together in the scripture, aren't they? Soundness in the faith and godliness in Walk. I was just thinking of First Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15. I believe we have them brought together in a collective way there.
First, Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long that thou mightest know how the oddest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene of angels, preached under the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in, into, or in glory. And in our chapter it says too.
It says.
For seven in all things showing thyself, a pattern of good works in Doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity.
Sincerity. That's all we have the two brought together there, and I believe in Titus. It's more of an individual thing.
Because every man shall give account of himself to God. But there is also a responsibility for the assembly collectively and I believe, believe the collective sense is brought before us in First Timothy chapter 3. Where is the truth of God to be maintained now? The Church doesn't teach, but the Church is responsible to hold a deposit of truth. It's not our truth, it's not Brethren's truth, it's God's truth and we are given a deposit.
00:20:01
Responsibility as an assembly gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus to stand for the.
Whole truth of God. And then how do we behave where the whole truth is?
Well, that's the practical side, and I believe that's what's brought out in the 16th verse and without controversy. Great is the mystery. It doesn't say of God, but of godliness. Because the point is, what is the secret or the mystery of godliness, the pathway of the Lord Jesus.
And I've thought of it in this way, Brethren, if others come into the assembly, what should they find? They should find people who stood for the whole truth of God and whose walk was Christ. Like that's what ought to be seen in the assembly. And we see these things aren't divorced. We often divorce them. We say, well, I'm loving the Saints, and I'm going on faithfully myself. Well, that's all commendable. But we need the whole truth of God, too.
And in Scripture, the doctrine is put first because it is most important, because it's God's truth.
Responsibility, a heritage given to us. Well, I believe that's so important and so we have the pathway of the Lord Jesus.
We see him as the babe Bethlehem Manger. We see him when he began his service, justified in the Spirit marked out by the Spirit of God. The angels looked down, and they saw for the first time a man on earth in whom God could find delight.
Isn't that wonderful?
We know that as soon as sin entered, it was all spoiled. But the angels looked down and they saw someone in manhood form. And the Father could say, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And then it says.
Preached under the Gentiles. I believe there's a nice thought in this brethren that when he was rejected by the nation.
The love of his heart couldn't be restricted. And it reached out beyond. Sometimes you or I might feel rejected or made nothing of. Does it shut us up? Do we say, well, President, don't appreciate it? I won't say any more. Or does it make our hearts out? Go out further and reach out and seek?
The blessing of others never allow those kinds of things to hinder you from.
Showing the spirit of Christ and reaches beyond. Just like when you dam up a stream, what do you do? You just make it rise higher. As long as there's plenty of water in the source, the dam will only make it cover a wider area. And so God often allows those things. As the brother mentioned, he allows pressure to come in our lives. He allows it worth something to stop, as it were the flow. He thinks he's succeeding, but it should be the results that we ends in enlargement.
Ends in a water as we sing in a little hymn, the river of thy grace through righteousness supplied is flowing or the barren place where Jesus died. And then it says, believed on in the world. There were fruits from that blessed work even although the nation rejected him and sat away with him, there were those. There was result. We're not to look for results, brethren were to leave that with God. And so it's received up in glory.
And we often sing, O God, thou now has glorified Thy holy, blessed, eternal Son.
The crucified the Lamb once slain, now sits exalted on thy throne. Never expect to be necessarily vindicated down here. Leave that for the coming day. Leave that the Lord doesn't make any mistakes wasn't as beautiful as we see then the collective sense in First Timothy, but now in this portion we have the individual sense addressed to each phase of life, whether it's old man, young man, whether it's the younger women or the older women.
There's an individual thing because, and I think that's important, we might say, well, I don't know whether the assembly is always so, but I have an individual responsibility. Am I holding the truth? Am I showing the spirit of Christ? So we see, I believe in Timothy the larger circle and how we behave in the House of God, in the larger circle, and in Titus.
They're individual exhortations that each one of us can take to heart.
I believe J&D has the last word in verse 8, US instead of you showing the apostle Paul was Speaking of Titus and the others.
00:25:09
I'm not sure I don't have before me, but in the seventh verse it's an all things show thyself. It's Titus, but it isn't you, it's us. I think he made it plural. So he is speaking to Titus and up Titus it is brother Bob.
Well, there's a reason for that I believe too. And that is that if we say if we.
There is opposition out there to the truth.
The opposition to the truth is looking for occasions.
They're looking for something to point out in those who speak the word.
Those who hold the truth and those who seek to manifest the truth, and if they get an occasion, it doesn't just impact the individual.
It impacts all that are seeking to maintain the truth of God and I think that's why the.
The verse the correction you call attention to is important because.
They would. They would have something evil to say about us collectively. If I don't walk in the truth, if I go on in a pathway that discredits the truth of God, it isn't just me that's impacted by it. It's all that seek to minister the truth of God, or live the truth of God, or hold the truth of God.
And that's why it's so very important that we watch our testimony individually. Because when somebody speaks against it, they don't just say that's **** gorgeous, they say that's those brethren that hold that truth and they begin to speak against them. What an exercise that is for our souls.
Who confound the issues thereof. Sometimes we think that we might do something that will only impact an immediate circle, but it doesn't work that way. We don't have control of it once it's let go. A father may sin and impact the whole family and the children suffer. The president may stand and impact the whole nation. That's what we're having here. We don't represent in our lives faithfully the Lord Jesus. It impacts the whole testimony.
Where we're connected.
When Daniel was being.
Was the the target of jealousy on the part of the other presidents? They were looking for an occasion. They were the opposition and they were looking for an occasion. And you know, it's so sweet that as they look at his life, they said the only thing we're going to get this guy on is something to do with his God. How nice that would be. I think of that so many so often. And I say Lord.
Or that it might be so with me that the only thing that they could find against me. I'm afraid it's not that way. But it's my prayer and desire. And it should be each of us that if they're looking for something, the only thing they're ever going to get against us is something to do with the fact that we're faithful to the Lord. The only thing they could find was that he got down on his knees three times a week a day. And not some new custom he started in order to antagonize the king either.
Or antagonize those presidents he got down, as was his custom, just went right on with his godly custom, and that was the only thing they could find to say evil against him. Well, would it be so with us dear ones?
It's interesting that the on the exhortation in that sense, in the connection with walks of life, is the servants or slaves. They're the only ones that there's this special exhortation. I think it's just a show that is not only our lives, which we live before our brethren, but we work and the people in the place of employment look on us too. They know whether we're consistent in the way we act, in our associations of public life, in business.
Other things. So it's all very important. It isn't only our relationship with one another, most important as brethren, but also the relationship publicly, before the world and in our place of employment where people are looking on. That man says he's a Christian and they're judging not only you as an individual, but all you're associated with, aren't they?
00:30:12
Think this is this exhortation is to bond slaves those that were considered chattels property and it's really interesting when you read it how the exhortation to them be obedient to their own masters and please them well in all things you know if we look at.
Ephesians chapter 6.
In chapter six of Us of Ephesians verse 5. Again it's Bondaman.
Slaves, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh.
With fear and trembling and singleness of your heart as unto Christ, not with eye service as men pleasers.
But as the servants of Christ doing well, doing the will of God from the heart.
With goodwill, doing service as to the Lord not to men, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall I receive of the Lord, whether he be bond, slave or free. You know it's it's interesting in Ephesians 6 he talks to the slaves who had believing masters and told them how to behave themselves. This is really the truth of being heavenly. This is really the truth of shining where you are.
Because I know when election time comes around and Christians mostly rebuke you, if you're not a registered voter and you don't vote in this world to make it a better place to live. And they say, how is it going to be a better place if we don't get Christians in government And if we don't vote in the best people to make it a better place, improve it? Well, what do you say? I tell them what's our example? And they usually say.
Christ, tell me one thing he did while he was here to make it a better place to live.
They don't answer. They they just can't answer. He told slaves how to live where they were. He didn't free them. He didn't make. He didn't rebuke the masters. He told the masters how to treat the slaves.
11 only answered me once. He was the mayor of Toledo, and Christian thought he was doing a great work. And he said, when I said, tell me one thing that Jesus did, he said he died on the cross. I said not to make this a better place to live, that judged and condemned the world. He died to take one out of the world from it, not to make it a better place. Well, he didn't even like that answer. But you know, Christians who think.
We should be painting the ship as it Sinks are so wrong, I merely tell them I haven't lost an election since I've been saved.
And that praise for the one God puts in, It's so wonderful, isn't it? Our position?
The Lord Jesus said my Kingdom is not in the world. If it were, my disciples would have fought with fight. If his Kingdom were of this world, then we should be in there fighting with the rest. But it's not. He was rejected here.
Most complain about the ones the Lord puts in office, but don't forget he says Nebuchadnezzar, my servant.
Nebuchadnezzar, my servant. And that tells me a lot. That really helps. In other words, if Bill Clinton my servant, I pray for him every day.
So that that's important to see, Brother Bob, I I think we have to realize that the Lord sets up over the kingdoms of men, the basest of men. And I I don't think there's any question that most of us as Christians regret things that Mister Clinton has stood for. But he's the Lord's servant in that position, isn't he? And we have to remember that. And we're not in in the business of putting men in office or taking them out of office.
We go on a subject and and ambassadors for Christ.
Controversy against the nation. And he's using what we believe to be the basis of men. Perhaps, at least.
We have a very low opinion perhaps, but God is has his purposes in using men whom we disapprove of.
These these servants.
To me, they're the greatest of all Christians. They perhaps couldn't even read or write. They had no way of studying the scriptures like we do.
00:35:09
And here God had not given them a gift about He had put them in a place where they were just servants. So all they must have been able to do was to have communion. And yet they were exhorted to even if they had masters that treated them badly, they were to submit. I have to say that I can't relate to that, but they must. If there was any who could walk on this path, they must have been the greatest of all believers.
And so I I think often of that scripture in Acts 20 where it says, you know, we often as gathered Saints, where we put the emphasis upon the word of God. But Paul, he said, I commend you to God and the word of his grace. We often command each other to the Word, the Word and.
Very sparingly to God. But that's all these servants have. Was a was an open line to heaven. What?
Magnificent Christians they must have been. Were there any to walk on this path?
Remember Fall sent Anesthesis back to his master Philemon, and having done wrong to his master and being a fugitive slave, he could have been put to death as an example to the others. Law wouldn't have touched Philemon.
But Paul sent him back, and he sent him back with this message. Thy love to All Saints is what he commended. Philemon's love to All Saints. Now I'm sending a St. back. And that's why Paul with confidence, could return him to his master. Wonderful. And we hear then that Philemon is in the assembly. A very great help in the gospel. I mean, ones of us, the slave. Lovely, isn't it?
Many slaves during the Civil War when they were freed.
After they were freed forcibly, they wouldn't leave their masters. They were freed forcibly by an army.
Went back to their masters, Christian masters. They loved them. They didn't know what to do free. And they went back. And I believe it was beautiful fellowship down South and some of those places, you know, my thoughts are not your thoughts and neither are my ways. Your ways. We have to remember this. We're not, we're not involved with all this. We're just going through this scene.
Verse 10 Not parlining.
In other words, stealing.
And how often we are apartment to steal time.
From our employee, our our employers.
It's been done. I don't know of any greater robber of the employer's time than the coffee breaks.
As it does, it robs the employers time.
We need to be careful that we don't rob our employers time. I did a little arithmetic and if they're only 5 minutes late and getting to work in the morning.
And in the morning coffee break, at noon. In the afternoon coffee break, just 5 minutes. I lost the whole nine year. In other words, the services of a man for a whole year.
If that pie veteran was wasted.
Not purloining? Well, there's many ways unconsciously we might rob our employer.
And perhaps consciously too, if that is, I read a statistic not long ago that.
American businesses lose millions and millions of dollars a year in notepads and pencils and and pens that are taken home from the office.
That's included, isn't it, Brother Lloyd? And not robbing our masters, not purloining. Just because you get away with it doesn't doesn't justify it. And we need to set an example as Christians. And you notice that it's the servants that are given the privilege of adorning the doctrine. Not. Not masters, not.
Great teachers of the word, these servants that our brother Vern was talking about and.
00:40:03
Perhaps not even able to read and write, but they are the ones that are told to adorn the doctrine, that is, make it look good.
Well, with this kind of ministry, we need grace, don't we?
We need that grace, the grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared.
And that's the grace we enjoy daily with mercy. We need it.
That's the range of where the grace of God goes, isn't it? Doesn't necessarily mean that all heathen have learned about the grace of God, but is for them. It's toward them. The range of the grace of God is toward all men.
It speaks here about this grace of God teaching us, doesn't it? Because there's a place where it speaks about turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness. And we are in danger of doing that, sometimes saying, well, we're not in the period of law, we're in the period of grace. And this is an occasion then to sort of act as we please. But the Scripture shows us that otherwise, instead of that, God teaches us through grace.
He said I saved you and you didn't deserve it at all. You only deserve my judgment. And now that I've shown grace to you, you act in a way that will adorn the doctrine, show to others what is the fruit of that grace in our daily lives. But there is a danger of saying, and we've all heard the expression, we're not under law but under grace. Well, that's certainly true. It's 100% true. But that doesn't mean that the standard that is pleasing to God is lowered. I would rather say it is raised.
Because when we think of what God has done for us, His wonderful grace, when we didn't deserve anything but judgment.
It ought to produce a result in us that the standard is higher instead of lower.
And that's why the slave adorned the doctrine of God our Savior. And this teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. How perfect the Scripture is always gives a proper motive for our actions, doesn't it? Never. That they slave doing this is not to be treated a little better by his master. Or if I'm a servant, I do go to a good job, so I'll get a promotion.
But the object that is set before the Christian is always higher than a earthly motive. He adorns the doctrine of God our Savior, and the motive set before us always President is to bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus by our conduct, not to get some benefit by it for ourselves.
Was there a special, was there a special giving of grace to these servants? It seems to be in connection with it. I think of many Christians, You know, they go into business for themselves because they don't want to take orders. They cannot stand to have anyone else telling them what to do. But it seems that the the grace of God must have overwhelmed these servants, that they were willing and had the ability.
To do this, it's just seems to me that this is something that's so against our nature to have somebody telling you.
Treating you badly and you submitting to it.
In all good fidelity.
And it it's.
It's almost unbelievable to me.
A hope set before us that soon will be with Christ and glory. So let us not give up here. They were looking for that blessing hope.
12Th verse.
Is very interesting in one translation that I was looking at not long ago.
Have to pick up a Bible that I would not ordinarily use because it's not a very fateful translation, but I thought that it helped in this particular verse, the word denying sometimes.
Is a little difficult for us to understand, and this translation gave it this way.
That teaching us to say no.
00:45:01
To all.
Impiety and worldly lusts teaching us to say no, and then we have to learn to say no to wrong things. And it's hard. Sometimes we think, well, I might offend what teaches us how to say no. The grace of God, the very grace of God that saved us, teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly lusts. And if you find it hard to say no to ungodliness.
And worldly lusts. Perhaps you need a little more lesson from the grace of God.
That teaches us that. And I was thinking too, in connection with what Brother Vern was saying about the slaves of A.
Wonderful story that perhaps most of you are familiar with, but maybe there might be some of the younger ones that don't know it.
During the time of the Moravian movement in Germany.
There was a slave from Saint Thomas in the Virgin Islands who.
Was employed in the court of the King of of Denmark. His name was Anthony, and he came there and touched the hearts of many of the Moravians, particularly consensus endorphins.
The gentleman who accompanied him, David. I can't think of his last name at the moment, but anyway, they.
They.
Their hearts were touched by his story, and he had a great desire that his family might hear about the Lord Jesus.
And Count Zinzendorf returned to Saxony and told the little group of Moravian Christians about the the plate of the slaves there that some of them were whipped for, for even putting their face in the door of the church, had their ears cut off for disobedience to masters.
And the hearts of two young men in the community were very much touched. Leonard, Dauber and another man by the name of Tobias. And they had a great desire to go, and the Lord allowed that desire to mature in their hearts for almost a year before they.
They had the right hand of fellowship from the other Christians to go.
And.
Anthony said to them, there's one thing that I want to show you before you go. And he lifted up his shirt and showed them the scars on his back from the beatings and he said.
If you want to reach these men in Saint Thomas, perhaps you should look at this first, because you may have to. The only way you may be able to reach them is to take your place as slaves with them, and that made the two men think for quite a while and pray. But they did go. They didn't actually become slaves, but I believe that they were tested, and they certainly adorned the doctrine.
Albert worked. Dauber worked there for a long time in the Virgin Islands, and God gave.
Fruit. There, that was, for his glory and honor. But I wonder how many of us You mentioned the grace that's needed for that position. How many of us would be willing if the only way we could reach souls would be to take the place of a slave?
I don't know that I'd have that grace unless the Lord gave me something special, but.
He does give grace where he gives exercise, doesn't he? But the grace of God teaches us to say no. Let's learn to say no. Child doesn't have to be taught to say no.
To good things. It's one of the first things our children learn, isn't it? You tell them to do something? No. Well, we have to correct that. But then the grace of God has to teach us to say no.
To what's wrong and to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. There's a lot of compromise in our lives, a lot of caving in under things because we don't know how to say no and we're afraid to say no. Well, grace will teach us that if we're willing to follow on in the path.
Grace and responsibility are brought together in this here too, looking for that blessed hope. That's the rapture and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Because when the Lord Jesus gives the shout, it's not a question of responsibility. It says they that are Christ that is coming. Every true believer in the Lord Jesus will respond to that shout, that blessed hope the Lord is coming. But between the rapture and the appearing, the manifestation takes place.
00:50:21
And we are to think of that too. So Paul had that blessed confidence, and he was looking forward to the Lord's coming. He said not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon mortality might be swallowed up of life. That was the blessed hope of the Lord's return. But then he said, when he spoke of the judgment seat of Christ, he said, We labor, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted or agreeable to him. He knew that his life was going to pass into review.
And that brought in the thought of responsibility. And so, brethren, those two things should.
Be brought together in our blessed prospect too. We know the Lord is coming moment of exceeding joy.
But between the rapture and the appearing is the judgment seat of Christ, the manifestation of our lives. And at present we are living in this world, and all that we do from morning to night is going to pass into review. What has not been for him will be eternal loss, but what has been for him? He'll find his joy in rewarding it. And as it's often sung in the little ham, how will recompense his smile, the sufferings of this little while? I think it's beautiful here.
Where he's talking a great deal about responsibility, he brings in this blessed hope, but also.
Side by side the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
There's a positive side to the teaching, too, of the grace of God in verse 12.
There's a way to live, and we need to have the grace of God to teach us that that we should live soberly.
Justly. Piously.
When, when we get home in glory? No. In this present course. In the present course of things. And that's the wonderful thing about the grace of God. It doesn't require a change in the social order or change in the system. It teaches us to live for God now, in whatever system we might be born into, so that a Christian who is.
Living in the Soviet Union this year, he can find in his Bible, and the grace of God will teach him how to live in this time and a Christian that lives in the United States. And it's changing. A moral atmosphere. It's changing.
Attitude toward Christians, he can still he can find in the grace of God the teaching as to how to live.
Soberly. Justly.
Let's watch that because justly or piously is perhaps sounds like a puritanical thing. But it's God's word that we're to live justly and righteously in our dealings, and we don't want to let down in any way just because the whole world is changing. Just because the standards are let down, let's not.
Change the way we live. The grace of God teaches us to go right on living as Christians, no matter what the.
Prevailing morals and prevailing attitudes are around about us, but we need grace for that, don't we?
And it's in the present course of things, whatever the present course of things is.
We know that the present course of things is bad, isn't it?
In our own part, we're never to forget the grace that's been shown to us. We need grace for it. But when we look back and think of what the Lord has done for us, how He has met us, we didn't deserve salvation at all. By grace He saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God and that deeper the sense of what the Lord has done for us, the more we'll be our desire to live for Him. It's true we need grace to do it, but.
I believe we need a deep sense in our souls of what the Lord has done for us. As our brother mentioned in the talk, What is it that constrains us? The love of Christ constraineth us that we should not live unto ourselves, Not a, shall I say, a list of duties that are laid before us. And you should do this as a Christian. That's true. But why? Because we want to live in such a way that shows our appreciation. Our lives show how much we appreciate.
00:55:03
What the Lord has done for us.
How is that distinguishable from fleshly lusts?
Could we say that the flashlight's an easy path as well as an evil path and her brother brought before us? We can want the things of this world just to have an easy path through this world where our Savior was rejected and nothing particularly wrong but just worldly. That it shows that our hearts are taken up with this present evil world. And then there's fleshly less. I believe they're evil things that we might do, but both are a hindrance to truth.
Christian Testimony and progress. The world looks on and sees me just striving for the things of the world like they are. That's a poor testimony. I may not be doing anything wrong, but they ought to see that I have an object outside of this, and so were delivered from both fleshly lusts and worldly lusts, aren't we?
Yes, I suppose freshly lust you generally thought of as immoral thing. But the worldly lust may include greatness in this world, and that in that case would be something we ought to deny.
How do we how do we go about having more of this sense of the grace of God and our souls? It's not hard to understand it intellectually, but if I I've always felt that if I could just believe in my heart that God loved me like he says he does.
I would have the victory and and the same with the grace of God if I could, but we sing in that last hymn often.
In Tacoma it rather gives us out. And how do you overcome this? Just read it. Here it says the cross, the cross. So that's our game. Because on that the Lamb was slain to us. There the Lord was crucified twas there for us. The Savior died. What wonders cause could move thy heart to take on thee, our cause and smart well knowing we should ever be so cold and negligent of thee.
Well, it's it's you know, I've often longed for the burning heart. You know that those on the road to Emmaus hat. Could you tell us, brother, why we don't have that we have it spasmodically. If if, if one can speak for others, perhaps one can't but.
Your heart didn't burn until their feet turned and they started back to the place Jerusalem. Their heart didn't burn until the word of God in Christ was put in it on the way to Emmaus. Their heart wasn't burning. They were going the wrong way, weren't they? But I think the grace of God to be really to appreciate it is to realize more than you've been safe from hell. I believe to really appreciate it. And I think Peter in second Peter chapter one.
Brings it out in Peter. I only use one part, a very little part of a verse.
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Peter learned about the grace of God. He really did. We have those lessons he went through. But Simon is really what he was before the Lord picked him up and found him. That's his. He didn't forget that. He forgot what we were. You know, Moses reminded them in the wilderness. Remember you were bond slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, Simon. And then Peter is what he was or now is.
Because of the grace coming in, he's a little stone, Peter.
But he's in the church, the building a living stone. Isn't it lovely?
So he reaped. That's great. And then it says, a servant. That word is bondslave.
Rightfully bond slave like Paul loved to call himself. I'm purchased. I belong to Jesus and that lovely word bond slave. When you can be a bond slave, you belong to him. You're his property. That's what he said. And then he said. And an apostle. Well, that's what the Lord made him in spite of himself. An apostle isn't that precious? What are we, ambassadors in spite of ourselves?
This is grace, isn't it? It's all grace. And then, well, I believe that's it. I could go on. I don't want to get on anymore. But this epistle really brings it out. He's about to die, and he's the only one that was told how he's going to die.
01:00:10
Martyrdom. Martyrdom. Really. The cross in that solemn. But all he had on his heart was his brethren. In that epistle, that first chapter, his brethren put into remembrance. Grace did that. When you begin to sense the grace, I mean a a slave with a lost master, think what he realized, what he was. He was going to go to heaven and be with the inheritance reserved for him. And he's captain. Here's this master going to burn in hell for eternity.
When we begin to realize what we have in Christ, grace, then is something to us.
Grab a hold of our souls best, Abraham said. I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord with am but dust and ashes, if we can grab what we are before God, what we were, And then in Second Corinthians chapter 8.
Morning. Know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. If those things really meant something in our souls, we'd have a burning bosom. We'd have something in our hearts that would be occupied with the person of Christ and rejoice. But you think we're in danger of being like Paul said about the Corinthians, they comparing themselves among themselves and measuring themselves by themselves.
Are not wise and I think this is brought out in the case of Job as long as he was measuring himself by his so-called friends.
He thought he was superior to them. He wouldn't put their fathers with the dogs of his flock. And it was true in a sense, because God said that Joel was a perfect and upright man. Sometimes, brethren, we might get occupied with our own godliness and how we have gone on a little better than some other brethren have. And so we don't appreciate grace in the same way, because we're measuring ourselves by our brethren. But what made the great change with Job, he got into the presence of God.
And he said, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ears, but now mine eyes seeth thee, and I, wherefore I repent, and ablore myself in dust and ashes. Why did Paul call himself the chief of sinners? He said, concerning the righteousness which is in the law of blameless. He had been as far as outward life is concerned, a wonderful man. An example, you might say, but in the presence of God, and realizing what he had done to what was so dear to Christ.
He calls himself the chief of sinners, and as he went on in his Christian life, he even went down. I've often thought he says he was the chief of sinners, and he said he was the least of All Saints. Then he goes a little further down and he says I'm less than the least of All Saints. Then he goes to the bottom, as it were, and he says he's nothing.
And yet I believe that he probably appreciated the grace of God.
More than most of us, I suppose, because he lived in the presence of God.
And that's why he felt that way. But, brethren, we're in danger of being like Job, of saying, well, I wouldn't do a thing like that. Imagine that brother, that sister, acting that way. Oh, couldn't we do the same? Or aren't we the subjects of grace? We ought to say, I could have done it, I would have done it. It's only the grace of God that I haven't done it. So we are really, when we are in His presence, we realize we're nothing. And that's why the songs are going to be so deep when we get to heaven.
Is we're going to realize the wonder of the grace that brought us there.
Like the woman who asked William Carey, when did the Lord first start using you? I loved his answer as soon as I realized he didn't need me.
He started to use him. He used him mightily too. Well, it's nice to see what we have before us. Our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us. Doesn't that put it all into focus? Who gave himself for us? All These exhortations are based on that thought He gave himself for us. Why? It says that he might redeem us and purify unto himself a peculiar people.
Zealous of good works, we are the peculiar people.
And it doesn't mean peculiar like we use it today. It means.
Very, very special. I love that Peter brings it out. You know, we are, we weren't a people before, but now we are a people peculiar people, the people of God. And that word peculiar is so precious, if you notice in the margin it says.
01:05:22
Maybe I thought it was in the margin. I think it's where it's brought out in Peter. It says purchase possession.
You'll find this word peculiar if you sometimes have to go to J&D from way back in Deuteronomy, and you'll find it all the way through up into Malachi, and then you'll find it many times in the New Testament. And peculiar was a word that was used then in business and law, and is used now the same way. And from the beginning of time it's always been used that way.
Two things have to be for it to be peculiar. One, it has to have been purchased and belonging to one only, and the second, it had to be so unique and so special that it couldn't be replaced by anything else. You know, in law, when there's breach of contract, you go to court the one who was suffering under the breach of contract by another, and you let them know you paid something for the item.
And the judge will get you that money back plus damages. And if the person tried to defraud you, or if there was maliciousness involved, he'll give you triple damages and your money back and so on, so that it can be restored in money. But if it was peculiar according to the law and business peculiar, that means the Pearl of great price. There was none other like it. 1 Pearl of Great Price. That's the church.
And it's lovely. But if someone could prove that what he bought, and he rightfully owned it belonged to him, but they wouldn't deliver it, he went into the court of Equity for special Remedy. And that Special Remedy meant he didn't just get damages. But that very object, wherever it was in the world, could be traced and returned to him by the court in that lovely. And that's the thought of us as peculiar People were purchased. But it says, who gave himself?
That's how we're purchased as a church. And there's one Pearl of great price. He sold all they had and bought it. There's none other like it. So he's going to have that which he purchased his peculiar people in glory. And that's a wonderful thought. So when you see that, you'll find it even in Malachi verse 17 of the third chapter where it says jewels. J&D has it his special treasure or peculiar people, and it follows right on through that word is very wonderful.
Maybe we could cut three in first Peter two and verse 9.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and a holy nation, and I believe we could read special treasure. We go back to Exodus and Deuteronomy. We get the thought of a special treasure.
That he should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness.
Into his marvelous light do we show forth the glory and the beauty of Christ as we go through this sea.
And 212 The second verse, he says, And this is what we look forward to. But this is, I think, this is beautiful, he says, where all the Saints, every climb shall meet, and each with all shall all the ransom de greet. And you think of that. Perhaps there's nothing greater than that. But then the hymn writer says this, but all the height, my Lord, the height of bliss.
Thy Lord shall be. This is the line.
To owe it all and share it all with me.
Beloved brethren, with we.
Are about to see his face.
We're speaking the question you asked to Brother Verne. What will stir our hearts toward him? We sing him a little hymn. I think it's number six, 168 old Kindle within us a holy desire like that which is found in thy people of old, who tasted thy love and whose hearts were on fire as they waited in patience Thy face to behold the precious fact that we are about to see his face, how it should change our perspective of everything.
01:10:14
Down here there's another little hymn that I've so often enjoyed. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Part of it says one look. I've often enjoyed this precious thought and we're about to enter into the reality of it. Brethren, we're going to leave this seed. One look at his dear face. All sorrow will erase so badly run the race till we see Christ.
Or what he has given us to stir our hearts, to look at his face, as the apostle could say, the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
May that hope have its proper effect upon each one of us, the little wild that were left here. Brethren, there's temptations and things that come up in our pathway that would divert our attention from him. And I believe that's what the work of the enemy is today, to divert our attention away from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
May we fall on our faces before him.
As we consider what is just before us, may we have eternities.
Values clearly before us, because we're going to spend eternity there with the one who gave his all for us.
Oh, what there is there to stir our hearts, To warm our hearts as we think of our portion, that which He gave us at greatest cost to himself.
It's interesting to notice that that peculiar people are to be zealous for good works. I think we've gotten to a terrible state in that we despise zealousness. Say you know he's zealous, as if there's something wrong with that. God wants us to be zealous.
You get somebody that gets involved with Amway and they get all zealous and they're they think it was the only thing in the world that that to be talked about and or some cure or some diet that people get involved in that they want everybody to follow. And then when we get to the question of good works and somebody zealous about it, it seems like there's something wrong with that but God's purpose in redeeming us.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's purpose in redeeming us from all iniquity, from all lawlessness, is that he might purify for himself just that kind of a people that are zealous for good works. We can get all worked up over some some team or some product or or some concept, and we can even be obnoxious to our brethren with it, but we ought to be.
Zealous for good work.
And on fire for the Lord, for doing what's right and doing what is pleasing to him. Not because for good works sake, but for, as we were reminded earlier, because we love him and because he died for us. I just feel sometimes we we pour cold water on zealousness and I think we have to be careful about that. The story is told about Billy Bray, the the Welsh evangelist.
A couple of 100 years ago, I guess. Who?
Had a habit of shouting, glory to God, and somebody tried to quiet him down, he said. I didn't hear you trying that when I was shouting for the devil. And it's true that people you can get a a crowd can get out to a ball game and shout and yell and and make a terrible ruckus. But when we say when we get enthusiastic for good works or for the Lord, wait a minute now. Not, not too much of that, you know?
We don't want too much.
Said to the Galatians to go on with what you're saying.
It's 418, but it is good to be zealously affected.
Always in a good thing, and not only when I'm present with you.
No limit to that zeal when it's rightly directed.
Without works, your faith is dead. We know there must be the effect of the Spirit of God in US, and that'll be the works, won't it? But we can't get the works ahead of worship. We can't get the works ahead of Christ. It has to be in the right order. And I'd like to just bring that out with Hebrews 13 quickly, because I think it's important. In verse 13 of Hebrews 13 we have the place or the center. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. Now we know where.
01:15:29
And it's lovely until you know that the worship it cannot be precious or real. 15 By him. Therefore, let us offer sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. That's next. It's worship.
Its adoration is exalting him, making much of Christ now notice 16 But to do good.
And to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased, He classifieds both as sacrifices, and I think they're both very necessary. But there's an order, a proper order. And I've always felt that when you put the gospel ahead of Christ, you put the gospel of head of doctrine and orderliness in the assembly. You're off the wrong way if the assembly is going on properly.
In unity with joy, the gospel just naturally goes out, and that's the way it ought to be. The gospel naturally goes out. Sisters are gospel preachers when they check out their groceries. I know it happens because they're filled with Christ. We can't get the works ahead of Christ. It's works, that's all. And I really feel it. I feel for a while that was happening and you could see it happening and you couldn't hardly do anything about it. It was great works and competition with this world of chrysanthemum.
We can't compete. Why should we? It's the spirit of God, brethren, and if it isn't the spirit of God, it's only works.
Brother, what does that mean? In that 15th verse there in Hebrews 13, the the praise, it says, the sacrifice of praise to God continually. Is that something that we should look at as Sunday morning, or is this something should be night and day? I think it's always, don't you? But we have a special opportunity tomorrow. Very special by his own request and his own provision, but it should be continually. That's right, the fruit of the lips.
And you know, we read and Isaiah, I think I create the fruit of the lips that has to be of the Spirit. I was thinking of that admonition to the Ephesians in the second chapter of Revelation. He says I have a somewhat against it because I was left thy first love, but the first love isn't it when we come back.
On the first day of the week we come back to the remembrance of the Blessed Lord. Is not the occasion, brethren, to draw our hearts out, to think of His love that He gave himself for us? He laid down his life for his sheep. His shepherd, so kind, had me in his mind. We can say together when He laid down his life for the sheep. And that should stir my heart, that should wind my heart up for the week. I should have my heart wound up every moment when I think of His love.
When I think of my failure and how far short I fall, or maybe even I might want to think about my love to the Lord, I'm going to be disappointed. But when I think of His love to me, and I think of John 15/9, it says there as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.
Continue in my love. I can't think of another verse that is such an encouragement to my own heart.
Anytime that I need encouragement, I think of that first brethren and the Lord. He always gives me a lift. It's like the wings of faith. I can fly up into the heavens and think, oh, there's where my Savior is now. The man in the glory. And as you and I go through this world and we think of His love to us, this is what is going to prevail to keep us. It's like winding our our clock, you know? The clock runs down and we we do get run down, but we can wind it up with a fresh sense of His love.
If we try to put ourselves under the law and say, well, we need to do this or we need to do that, I don't. I don't find that wise Michael the clock of my heart the way, just a fresh sense of his love to me. And so we've got so many scriptures that tell us of that His love to us, not perhaps how well we're scoring or as our brother remarked, comparing ourselves with ourselves. Well, his clock has wound up tighter than mine and all that sort of thing.
Now the Lord wants us to wind our hearts up with a fresh sense and His love to us. Could we sing number one 18118 Awake? He says, awake each St. with joyful lays to sing the great Redeemers praise. He justly claims the song from thee his loving kindness. Oh how free soon shall we mount and soar away to the bright realms of endless day, and sing with rapture and surprise His loving kindness in the skies.
01:20:35
#118.
Awakey St. And joyfully to say the.
Song from the.
Loving God is full of great love. Be kindness.
He saved us.
All great.
Love behind us?
Love be kindness, his love is so outright.
He safely leads his days along his love and kindness of how strong.
Love.
As gathered.
Under love.
He wear this shirt always good in love because.
Behind us, loving kindness is love.
Kindness.
Surprises.
Life behind us in the sky.
Loving, kind, loving kindness is love because.
In the sky.
In light of the hymn we just sang.
Verses 4:00 and 5:00.
It's #76 in the appendix.
Then let me.
Live. Continue.
Till I hear next my.
Pregnant Lord.
And.
Where the Lord?
He loved our Lord.
So that feeling.
01:25:04
Till thou shall.
And bear me to my home.
Forever.
Bring.
Care.
Eternally.
I love you. Share, Lord.
Chapter 4.
Verse 2.
We do have.
Thank you first Peter 4 verse 2.
We do have the rest of our time.
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of man, but to the will of God. Can we give thanks?