Toledo Conference: 1971
Table of Contents
The Lord's Presence in a Day of Ruin
Address—N. Berry
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General Meeting, Toledo, November 1971, Addressed by Norman Berry.
We might turn to the first book of Samuel.
Chapter 4.
That which is before me this afternoon, beloved young people.
Is the presence of the Lord.
With us in the day of Lewis.
The presence of the Lord.
Now in Israel's history.
There was one object that was the most.
Intimate, they might say. Holy glorious symbol.
Of that present.
Throughout their journey. And that was the ark in the Tabernacle.
And I'd like to compare some of the happenings in Israel's history.
In connection with this arc, with the presence of the Lord Wisdom.
And to see how this is so instructive for you and for me.
Young and old alike.
The story is long and we will just pick out a few verses here and there.
As we go on.
So we'll read now to begin with the 4th chapter of the first book of Samuel.
And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle.
And hit beside Ebenezer.
Under the.
Philistine pits in ASICS.
And the Philistines put themselves in a ray against Israel.
And when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines.
And they flew up the army in the field, about 4000 men.
And when the people will come into the camp, the elders of Israel said.
Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us today before the Philistines?
Let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us.
That when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
So the people sent to Shiloh that they might bring Trump. Then the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth between the cherry of him and the two sons of Eli, Hofnigh and Finna has were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.
And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great goat in the camp of the Hebrews?
And that they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us, for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. Woe unto us who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods. These are the gods that smoke the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong, and put yourselves like men, or you, Philistine, that ye be not servants under the Hebrews.
As they have been to you.
Quit yourselves like men and fight.
Philip Stein's thought and Israel were smitten, and they fled every man into his tent, and there was a great, very great slaughter for their fell of Israel 30,000 footmen. And the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli Hofne and Sinahas were slain.
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Well, we'll stop there for a little while.
Now we get a little bit of the picture.
These were very dark days in Israel's history.
And I believe it's very instructive, beloved young people, as we would treat in many occasions in Israel's history when they passed through dark times, how that there was always a way of grace.
Which God brought before them a way of escape and a way of blessing too, as though there was judgment in God's holiness. And so we find this condition before us.
Samuel had been raised up.
At a time when.
The we might say Eli, who was the high priest, had so dismally failed, failed.
Careless with his sons, indifferent to their goings on, God looked down upon this time and very saw this awful weakness. And all beloved young ones, young people hear this afternoon, I believe that we live in such a day.
I believe that the Lord's coming is just about at hand and that what we will learn from this lesson can be truly a blessing to your soul and mind. Though we might get discouraged, and though sometimes you might feel that the the Lord's presence is isn't with us. Why, we will learn as we go on here that it surely was. And although they lost the presence of the Lord in the ark.
Nevertheless, God had the purpose of blessing for them, and as I look into your faces this afternoon, oh, what a privilege it is to be able to in this little way to encourage you now to go on. God is the God of all encouragement. He wants to encourage you. And as the days are dark and darkening, so it is but a platform for God to show you and me that He can be the God of encouragement to you and me individually.
Now in this time.
The Philistines who were constantly the enemy of of Israel and actually were stronger than Israel. They were they were more powerful and here they have come against Israel and have overcome them. They put themselves in array in the second verse against Israel. And when they joined a battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines and they flew of the army in the field, 4000 men.
Well, it was a disaster for them. It wasn't as bad as what it was ahead, but it was at least a signal to Israel if they were only conscious of it, that there was something wrong. And beloved young people, when conditions such as this come into our lives or it is always a signal, a message from the Lord that there's something wrong. And if you and I have a sense of ear, why we're going to get that message.
But Israel here didn't get it.
And in their distress, as they saw the battle going against them, someone has an idea. What is that idea? Oh, let's go, they said, and set the art.
Let's read the wording.
Third verse.
Middle of the third verse. Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that when it tumbeth among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
Well, what do we learn from this?
I believe this.
That when we.
Don't realize.
Are safe.
Here we are. This is when we are in our greatest danger.
They said let us set it. There wasn't any deep consciousness of the Lords presence in this arc. They called it ****. They said let's bring this ark into the battlefield with us. What a sight this would have. Would it must have been that?
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Sacred art that none but the priests were to touch us carry. The Levites could carry it, but not touch it. While here they wanted to bring this.
Off the Holy presence of the Lord in symbol into the very battlefield.
Well, what do we learn from this? I believe this, that when we get cold in our souls.
We turn to the Lord, but always, so often, it is much but a convenience just to ask the Lord to help us.
Without any consciousness that the Lord has a message for us. And so they said we'll get the art, it will help us. And they got us. Their will was in power and they didn't bring the in the ordered way Sinner has and half and I they did come with the ark. Nevertheless, these men, had they been faithful and they would have fed Oh brethren, we can't touch this off.
But here they come along into the battlefield, and what would happen now?
Well, we we have read it, haven't we? The fifth verse. And when the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
Why, this was truly a an unconscious door, I should say. Not realizing the awfulness of what they had done, they showed out in triumph.
Incentives really of the presence of the Lord, or what they had done. They showed as if they had won a great victory.
And the earth rang.
6th Verse. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?
And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
Now here is a little word of instruction.
The Philistines were more conscious of the presence of the Lord than the Israelites were. And isn't this true so often when we are amongst the unsaved? Oh, don't we find that they are more conscious of the way you and I should be acting than we are ourselves? Very often. And it says, And when they understood that the ark of the Lord was coming to the camp, that is the first thing they understood it.
The second thing And the Philistines were afraid. Israel wasn't afraid.
There they were, going on in their in their pride, in their confidence that they could win a victory by the mere presence of the ark. But the Philistines were afraid. Thirdly.
For they said God is coming to the camp. Wasn't this a remarkable thing?
God has come into the campus. They didn't see that that ark alone, but they saw that that was God's presence. And fourthly, and they said woe unto us.
That is a good thing to say, said by the wrong one. Said by the Philistines.
Nevertheless, we learned that they were conscious of the presence of God amongst the Israelites, and Israel wasn't.
So they tell in the ninth verse how they should use.
Courage, be strong and quit yourselves like men or ye Philistines.
That ye be not servant under the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Quit yourselves like men.
And fight. Or it was natural courage. I remember a sister one time visiting her.
And she said, well, he'd gone through a lot of sorrows. She'd lost her husband. Or she said, well, it's like all of life, We have our ups and downs and we take the good days with the bad days. Oh, dear young people, that's not really true. When the Lord allows some circumstances in our lives that are trying, He has a message for us. But Israel here, they weren't sensitive to it.
Would to God that we would be more sensitive when when there are trying circumstances.
So here they are using all their natural courage and their strength. And when you're at college or at school, you, you are just everyday inculcated with this type of thing. He's strong. Develop your personality, assert yourself, demand your own right, Stand up to yourself. That's what the Philistines were saying. That's what the world says.
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What about the Lord?
Henceforth and the Philistines thought, and Israel was smitten.
And they fled every man into his tent, and there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel 30,000 footmen.
Well, God wasn't going to be.
Left out of this and open sin now brings an open rebuke.
And here they are, fleeing now to their tents. 30,000 flames.
And not only so, but the 11Th verse and the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli Hofney and Sinner has whistling.
This line of the priesthood.
Now comes to an end.
He lies to sons dead.
It won't take time to read the balance of these verses, but I'll just mention it. A message. The messenger ran with the news to Eli, who was sitting by the way, concerned for the presence for the ark. The presence of the Lord, when the news reaches him, falls back, breaking his neck, and he dies.
God was speaking. Oh dear young people, are we sensitive? When God speaks to us, He has a message for us. The the circumstances may vary in everyone's life, but all we have, we must realize that God is speaking to us. And so here it was, going from bad to worse, the battle off. And so now Eli and his systems sling. They are also, as we would see, was taken by the Philistines.
Well.
Is a nice little word for.
Some of your sisters.
Wonderful how God has such varied messages. I see some daughters in law here, some young daughters in law. Here's a nice little message for you in the 19th verse.
Eli's daughter-in-law.
And his daughter-in-law Sinner has wife was with child near to be delivered. And when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women that stood by said unto her, Fear not, for thou hast born a son. But he answered not, neither did he regard it.
And she named the child Ichabod, saying the glory is departed.
From Israel, because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband, and she said, the glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.
Well, it's nice to see the order here in which.
Places this news.
And its natural, isn't it, that if personal sorrow comes into our lives, that we place that rather highly on our list of of trials and sorrows. But oh how how instructive this is.
That the her death.
Or all the news.
That he heard. He places it in a very important order. Notice the order.
Middle of the 19th verse. And when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, he bowed herself and prevailed, for her pain came upon her.
What is the order of the sorrow?
The ark was gone.
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That was the most distressing of all the news.
No, I don't mean of course to in any way.
Suggests that we lighten the sorrows, personal sorrows for which we pass. But oh, what a word of instruction here it is to see that this woman, that one object before her, the primary object, was the loss of the of that arc.
God's glory was before her.
And whatnot. The death of her father-in-law. And thirdly the death of her husband.
Do you get the message?
To see that this woman.
Really was in the channel of God stuff.
God's glory.
First, Oh dear young people, and each one of us today as we see the day's darkening sorrows on every hand, tragedies so often coming in amongst us.
Let's not lose sight of the first object before the Lord's glory. Are we concerned about the fact that worldliness is creeping in amongst us? Are we concerned about the fact that so many that once stood for the truth, many, many groups in other days have firmly adhered to the truth, now giving it up God's name?
Lord, the standards being Lord everywhere, all beloved ones are we deeply conscious of.
Or are our thoughts just centered in our own sorrows and in our own lives and our own little problems? Oh, may we learn from this nice little passage to put First things first, God's glory first. Well, what do we further learn? We further learn that the women would try to belittle the fact that the child that she might die.
And so they said.
20th And about the time of her death, the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not.
For thou hast borne a son. They tried to bring comfort to her. He was beyond that. He was more conscious of a deeper star than that. But she answered not, neither did she regard that which would naturally bring her great joy would be the fact that she had borne a son.
With the sorrow of the conditions really overwhelmed her and she named the child Ichabod. Oh, I think this is wonderful.
The glory of God is departed. That was what was before her. And I believe, beloved young people, that when you and I realize the days in which we live and when we keep our eye mainly upon that point, that the darkness is settling down on us, and that the day of the coming of the Lord is approaching, that the signs more and more tell us of the the wickedness and the subtlety of the enemy.
And that we are being robbed of the joy of our salvation through many things that we're allowing in our lives. Or may this be that which would speak to our soul. May we be realizing this and not only to be concerned about our individual sorrows and trials. The glory of the Lord is that before.
Well, let's go down.
Now in the chapter that follows.
We won't take time to read it, but.
God is going to take care of His own glory.
The ark passed into the hands of her Stein, and it went from place to place. No one wanted it, because every place that it went it brought disaster and death. But they in their ignorance, they brought it into their own house. But he even God.
Place vegan their God and they placed the ark beside Dagen.
Well, they came in the morning and they found the Dagan. Their God had fallen over. God's presence there was overwhelming.
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In their ignorance they set it up again. The next morning they came in. They find that Dagan has fallen down again. This God, this fish God, a face in the hands of a man, the body of a fish.
And it is broken.
Superstition comes in. They never walk over the threshold where these parts of this heathen God were found.
Isn't that the way we find in the world these days?
Just a little word here on this.
Many different.
Things are happening.
Five years ago it wasn't drugs.
But now this is in many of the big centers.
That which occupies many young people.
And this may pass, but I would just like to pass on a word of warning.
I believe that there is something coming that is infinitely worth and that is dabbling into familiar spirits.
I believe that this is coming on us, and if the Lord doesn't come soon, we're going to be facing these dangers more and more.
And I would just like to pass on a word of warning to keep away from these.
Things, how dangerous they are. You might say that some of these.
Invite you to these Fiat's and with a bigger centers they're increasing everywhere.
You might say there's no harm in just going there. I'll be warned, dear young people.
He warned. I don't believe you'll escape unscathed if you do. Sometimes young people say, well, it will just go as a matter of fun or see what happens or keep away. The power of Satan is tremendous these days and increasingly so, and it's spreading throughout the world. You can't, and I can't dabble with these dangerous things that are coming in into the world.
Because I believe it's increasingly dangerous. Satan is mounting a greater and greater attack. And I believe that is that more and more that we're going to see these dreadful days. Keep away from them, dear young people, keep away from them.
Well, we go down farther.
The 11Th verse of that fifth chapter, just one verse there. So they sent and gathered together all the Lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let us go again, and let it go again to its own place, that it may slay us not.
And our people, for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city.
And the hand of God was very heavy there.
Oh God, presence was felt.
It was a deadly destruction.
They felt that they were conscious of it and they said, oh, let's get this ark away. Let's get it back to to the children of Israel. Deadly destruction was coming upon them.
And throw the ark.
Was brought back.
Now the 6th chapter.
Seventh verse.
Now therefore make a new car.
And take two milk time on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kind to the to the car, and bring their calves home from them. And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart. And put the jewels of gold which ye return him for a trespass offering in a coffer by the side of the Roth, and send it away, and that it may go.
Now God graciously dealt with these Philistines.
They put this.
Sacred Ark on a new car.
They thought in their ignorance that this would be acceptable. They made an offering to and then put it beside the ark and send it away. But it was a new car. Notice that a new car, something that might appeal to the eye and they said we'll send it away. They also got 2 Cows that had calves and they said now we will send these cows leading the scarf and we'll see which way they go.
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If they went a certain way back toward Israel, we'll know that God's hand was in this.
If not, why? We'll just know that it was perchance. Oh dear young people, God is in everyone of these events that you and I are seeing in this world today. He's behind them. He has a purpose in them all. Nothing is happening by chance. All has a purpose of wisdom from God Himself. And so God directed these two cows totally contrary to nature.
To leave behind their little calves and to go on back into the land of Israel. Well, it's good, dear young people, to see these days that God, God is behind all the events. We can rest in peace with the consciousness that God is behind all these scenes. He's behind them all, and nothing is happening by chance.
And so the cows brought the ark back.
13.
And they are batheamus.
Were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. Now we come back to the children of Israel.
God graciously brought this ark back.
And it's like it can be a picture of the beginning of a restoration.
Sometimes when we feel that we've lost the Lord's presence, we get discouraged. But the Lord is gracious and He's merciful. He wants to restore. He wants to draw you and me back when we get cold in our souls. So often events are allowed in our life. Why? They always have a purpose of blessing. And so here, now, we find that the ark has been brought back, and they have. It has come to this little town.
Of best human the men of Israel are there, gathering their wheat. Harvest, harvest.
And when they see the arc going by, instead of their dropping their work and running to to greet this arc or even to have a consciousness of the goodness of God, why it just says and they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark and rejoice to see it. It wasn't very much work in their soul. There wasn't any consciousness that they had sinned.
Dear young people, I think this is important for you and me to learn that when the Lord has allowed us to pass through some difficult time, we need to realize that there is something that the Lord has seen in our lives that He wants to correct. But here these men of Bathsheimish, why they rejoice and that's all. But we're going to see something worse that happens. Now let's go down to the 19th 1St.
And he smote the men of Bathsheimers because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. Even he smote of the people 50,000 and three score and 10 men. And the people lamented because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
Well, here's another word of warning now.
The men of Israel, these men of best haemish or that outlawing area, the Ark comes back and they have the audacity.
To open the arc and to look into it.
I believe that these are dangerous too. In these last and closing days, beloved young people.
I believe that many of the trials for which we pass these days.
Have this as a character.
Dissecting and looking into the person of Christ.
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Dissecting that blessed persons work, I should say.
How dangerous that is.
Oh, may we see the blessings Lord Jesus in all his completeness and in all His sufficiency for us, and may we not be taking time how Satan would occupy us with all these.
Questions and constantly rob us of time when we could be enjoying the Lord, instead of which so often we're taking up with arguments and discussions of this time.
These men looked into the ark and 50,000 and 70 died. Wasn't only in that little village because this was a little village, but no doubt there were many many in that area. 50,000 more that were slain in Israel by the sword of the Philistines, 50,000 as a result of God.
Interference.
All beloved ones, are we conscious of these facts that when you and I get told in our souls there needs to be that brokenness in the Lords presence?
There needs to be the consciousness that he loves us, but that he is holy.
And there is, there is that brokenness purely. There is not going to be this carelessness. I believe that there are two results that come to us, that can come to us when the Lord speaks to us. One is that it breaks us down and causes us to return with Thanksgiving and worship. The other is that there becomes a familiarity.
And an indifference to the Lord's glory. There becomes a inquisitiveness about matters and so on, as we found find here, only to find that God interfered in judgment upon these people. Well may it be the former. May it be brokenness in your heart and mind. God wanted to restore that arc to its place. He would. God wants to bless you, dear young people here as this afternoon.
Lives and he will if there is that needed brokenness that God is going to put us through these lessons to teach us. May we then be teachable. Well, let's go on.
The 7th chapter.
And the men of surgical Jerome came and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the House of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eliezer his son, to keep the ark of the Lord, and attained to pass while the ark abode in surge. Jeff Sierra that the time was long, for it was 20 years, and all the House of Israel lamented after the Lord. Well, it was a long time, wasn't it? And sometimes when they passed through trials, and we get away from the Lord, it may take a long time.
Quickly to get away, but a long time in restoration. And so here now we find that this arc was 20 long years away from its resting place.
In the House of Abinadab.
But there was a work in their souls. And we would say this again, May God work in our souls. May we have tender consciences. I often say, if I can ask God only for one thing, may it be to ask Him for a tender conscience. The conscience, now the people was beginning to work. And so we find in the next verse, verse 3, And Samuel spake unto all.
Notice that all the House of Israel saying, If you do, return unto the Lord.
With all your heart, then put away the strange God and asteroth from among you, and prepare your heart unto the Lord, and serve Him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of a full of signs. Or isn't that?
The secret, now the secret was coming out now. What was it? Ah, these other gods were amongst the people. Are we allowing things, dear young people in our lives? Might not be very serious, you might think. Just just a little compromise here and a little bit of compromise there. Down the road we will go. Our souls become cold, insensitive to God.
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Claims over us insensitive to the word of God when it's spoken to us.
Come to the meetings. Our hearts are so cold that we don't take, we don't get the message from the Lord. Oh, may it not be so. But here now was the beginning of restoration and.
To this tasteful man, Samuel, it comes out now that they were. He says to them, therefore put away the strange God, strange God, different God.
And so they did.
Fourth verse Then the children of Israel did put away Balaam and Asteroth, and served the Lord only. And Samuel said, gather all Israel to Mispa, and I will pray for you under the Lord. And they gathered together to Mispa and drew water and poured it out before the Lord. Well, that was an interesting thing.
I don't. I can't recall if this was ever done before.
Pouring water out before the Lord. Later on it says we are as water poured out. Well, I believe that it brought, it brings out the fact that they were conscious of their weakness. Just as water poured it on the ground, so they poured it this water. That was a good sign, wasn't it? A sign of the realization a little bit more of their own weakness. Oh dear young people, we need to ask the Lord to make us conscious of our weakness.
And so they poured out the water on the ground and fasted. On that day they were in earnest. Are you in earnest? Am I in earnest through the Word? The claims of God haven't their effect on us, Or are we just saying, well, we can do this and go on with the world? Oh, may it not be so. Here they were fasting now. They had given up their gods. They had poor. They had poured out water as a sign to God of their own weakness.
And they fasted and they said, we have sinned against the Lord.
That was music in God hears.
Do we say that? Are we in the presence of the Lord?
One girl one time asked me where does it begin? Oh.
I said to her on your knees in your bedroom with your door shut.
Open up your breath to the Lord, your heart, the secrets of your heart. Confess them all to the Lord. That's where it begins. Tell the Lord I'm weak. I'm such a failing preacher. Cast yourself on the Lord. Oh, he loves you, dear young people. He wants to bless you. He wants to restore you. He wants you to realize your weakness. Almost of all, He wants to hear those words. I.
And.
We have been.
Before the Lord, it was in the sight of the Lord.
And now the 7th person, when the Philistines heard that, the children of Israel, gathered together to midst with the Lords of Philistines, went up against Israel.
Oh, what's this? Why no sooner was there a stirring in their hearts than Satan was busy.
Many times in our lives don't we experience this When everything is going along fine, Satan leaves us alone, everything seems to be so easy and nice. But when the Lord starts to draw back, that's when the trouble starts here, with Satan immediately stirring up the Philistines against them.
But God now is working and let's see what happens.
And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines, or their fear came in again.
Here comes into our light so often, circumstances frightening us all. We need to get our eye on the Lord now.
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. No longer were they depending on their own strength. He will save us. They didn't say it will save us, He will save us. Or there was returning confidence. Now isn't it a nice time when we feel that the Lord is, is drawing this vast, warming our hearts, increasing our confidence in the Lord?
Never let us down at all. He wants to get matter straight. He wants to, first of all, hear those words. I've been. And so the increasing confidence grows. It continues.
00:45:08
And Samuel offered a sacrifice under the Lord, and cried unto the Lord in the ninth verse.
Middle of the 10th verse. But the Lord thundered with a great Thunder that day upon the Philistine. Oh, the Lord was acting now.
Isn't that grand? He thundered. He took care of those enemies. He will take care of you and me. Have we lost our confidence in the Lord? The reason why we lose lose it so often is because of our will in operation going on with things that we shouldn't. When we come back to the Lord, when He draws us back, and when there's that confession, oh, the Lord comes in. We can tell if so many times in our lives, and I'm sure many of you older ones could testify to how the Lord has come in and thundered and delivered us.
And so there was a great deliverance. That day discomforted them and they were smitten before Israel.
And the 12Th verse. Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Misbah and and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, hitherto half the Lord helps us, or isn't that nice? What a lovely contrast this is to Ichabod.
The glory of the Lord departed. Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
Which state are you in, dear young people, this morning? Have you gone through that stage to realize that the Lord wants to work in your heart? Oh, may you get these messages from Him. May you be encouraged. I want to encourage you. I want to show you, dear young people, that if we put First things first, He will bless us. He will restore us. Never, never do we ever get to a stage where He says, too bad too many times.
Oh no, blessed Lord, He loves to restore. But now we have a further message and let's to learn. Let's go on now to to Chronicles.
Now there's a further development.
David.
Heals the need of the presence of the Lord, this sacred ark.
Notice the mistakes, however. 13th verse, 13th chapter, first verse. And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, if it seemed good unto you.
No mention, dear young people, of consulting the Lord. If it seemed good to you. His heart was right. He wanted the ark back. It was a good thing.
It was where they were ready. Their state of soul was ready now. He longed for the presence of the Lord in His capital. The Lord had given great deliverances.
What do we learn from this? I believe we learned this, dear young people, and that is that though we might be consulting the Lord on how to to act against our against the world, they were often consulting, asking the Lord for guidance against their enemies.
But when it came to a question of bring the ark back, no mention of consulting the Lord and all beloved ones, I believe this, that there is no time when you and I more need the direction of the Lord, when it is a question of worshipping Him.
And here they go on in their own thoughts.
And so they said in the middle of the second verse.
Let us send abroad unto our brethren everywhere that are left.
In all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and the Levites.
That was far down the list. They should have had those first, but the priests and the Levites were almost like an afterthought.
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Which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us. Wasn't under the Lord. And let us bring again the ark of our God to us. For we inquired not as in days of the stall. And all the congregation said, and that they would do so, For the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
Just pause there for a minute. It looked right. It appealed to their minds.
But all there was lack of God perfect way of doing these things.
And I know it sounds old fashioned.
But all when you and I are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no room for our minds.
It must be according to the Word and no other way. If we're going to worship the Lord, if we're going to be brought into His holy presence, it is to be in conformity to His Word. It's a narrow path. It's a narrow way. They may be laughing at you and even other Christians too, but are we adhering to the Word of God in our worship? For David here, he was lacking, and so it was right in the eyes of the people.
Seventh verse and they carried the ark of God in a new car out of a House of Abinadab and other and Ohio drave the car. Oh, what is this? Now, why here they're using just the very same methods as the Philistines have used.
They go and get a new car.
Might have been a very nice painted cart, and it was a new one, but oh, it wasn't God's way of doing things.
And how old, dear young ones, I just want to say this in passing too, that so often.
All the different spirits of the world that creep into our lives.
They so easily, as they say, rub off on us.
Here was David. Now using some of the worldly methods we can.
You can't, though it might be a new car can look very nice and very attractive. It was not God's way. And Oh dear, young people are locked the new carts these days. Lots of new ideas that people are telling us and telling you. No doubt you're hearing day by day. Oh, everything is changed now. All new names to everything. I'll be worn. It's the word of God that we need and it never changes.
Never mind those new cars, let's find out what God has for us in his word and soul. As we know this story. They brought the ark out and other who should have known better because he was in the House of Abinadab. Why the the oxy stumbled and he thought the ark was going to fall over. He puts out his hand and touches it. God modem he died.
Wasn't in the due order.
It was what they were thinking, and God's honor was at stake.
The holy presence of the Lord needed nobody to reach out their hands. Oh, we don't need to defend the Lorde glory. He can defend his own glory. We need to be an obedience to his word and not be reaching out ourselves and thinking we can steady the arc. Blessed Lord, He's able for all these things. And so 11Th verse and David was displeased.
It didn't please David.
When our wheels are crossed, do we get angry? It's a bad sign, isn't it?
When somebody brings the truth before us and we get angry and displeased.
A bad sign. It's a sign that there's something wrong. David was displeased with the Lord.
Do we ever get displeased with the Lord? Sometimes we do, don't we? When we don't get our own way and when we think we're trying to please the Lord.
And so we get this fleas and say I'm going to give it all up. Well, it stayed. The ark had to stay in that house. Let's see what happens in the next versus the 14th verse. And the ark of God remained with the family of Obadivens in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obadiah and all that he had. Oh, isn't that nice? This was individual blessing. Now for Obadiah. He got the blessing.
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David deprived himself of it, and so here it stayed in this home for three months.
Oh dear young people, some of you are setting up your home, getting married and setting up your home.
May that blessed Lord have his place in your home if you do.
Your home will be blessed. God bless this home because of the place that they gave that sacred art, though it was out of place to be there, nevertheless God honored that that individual faithfulness. Now we must go on quickly.
Now we find that David is his.
What will we say? He's learned his lesson. 15th chapter.
Second verse Then David said none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. Oh, why didn't he know? Didn't he know this before? He certainly did.
The new car.
Or the Levi, which was it going to be? Oh, now he says, the ark of God. Nobody should carry that but the Levi, for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever. And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem to bring the ark of the Lord into his place, which he had prepared for it Swallowed and said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.
Under the place that I have prepared for it for because he did it not at the 1St.
The Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order. Or isn't that nice? After the due order? Are we following the word of God after the due order? There was the key of blessing, wasn't it? After the due order might be old fashioned but it's according to the word of God is that.
Is the glory of the Lord before the due order will follow them if we walk in obedience to His Word.
It will be that you order and so they brought the ark of the Lord and here is a lovely verse 16 verse.
And David speak to the chief of the Levites to point their brethren to be singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and symbols sounding by lifting up the voice with joy. Wasn't that lovely? Oh, there's joy now, all beloved ones, there is going to be joy in your heart and in mind if the Lord's presence is felt.
Though He may have sinned, there is mercy and pardon us for Him says, Pardon for you and for me. He longs to bless you. He longs to restore us. He longs to put us through those lessons that are necessary in order to teach us His way. But if there is that walking in obedience to His Word, if there is the conformity to it in our daily life and in worship, what is the result? Joy. Not just one last little, a few little verses.
Just to show the wonderful joy. We haven't got time to read this whole chapter, but it's nothing but joy, just a verse here or there.
17 So the Levites appointed Haman the son of Joel and of his brethren.
And the 19th verse. So the singer.
Human and Asaph and Ethan were appointed to sound with symbols of brass 20 and Zechariah and the others the end of the verse with salt trees on Alamos.
21 and Mattis fire and that list with harps on feminists to a cell. 22 and Ken and I are the chief of the Levites was for song. He instructed about the song because he was skillful.
Well, here they were. Some were instructing, some were engaged in this, making music to the Lord.
But one last little verse.
3420 fourth verse And Obed Edom and Jihaya were doorkeepers for the ark. I don't know whether this is the same Obed Edom, but here we find the same man in a nice little position. Now why? He was the one that had been blessed. If it's the same man in his home now he's one of the doorkeepers. Oh, isn't that a nice place for the glory of the Lord? Not because we think that we're anything but all. We need good doorkeepers, don't we?
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And here was Obadiah, a good doorkeeper. Well, there was Joy 26.
And it came to pass when God helped the Levites that bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
That they offered seven bullocks and seven Rams. Well, I haven't got time to finish off, but you can read those many beautiful verses that follow where joy filled the heart of all the people, where they were engaged in so many different ways of praising God.
Well, may we learn these lessons, dear young ones, here this afternoon, that though we get away and grow cold in our souls, the Lord's presence, He longs to have you conscious. He longs to have me conscious of it, that He will never leave us, though that aren't got away. The Lord is with us, beloved One, and some of these days, one of these days He's coming in the clouds and He's going to call us himself.
Out of this poor world that can offer and give you and mean nothing.
But sorrows and disappointments and trials. May we learn then the lesson, that if we walk in obedience to His precious words, if the glory of the Lord is before us, if we walk in separation from everything that we know is dishonouring to the Lord, and if we follow the Lord in the worship of Him after the due order, there will be nothing but joy in your heart and mind until that moment when we see His blessed face.
The Ground of Gathering
Address—E. Smith
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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1971. Addressed by brother Eric Smith.
May we sing together number 184100 and 84. There is a name we love to hear, we love to sing it's worth.
It sounds like music in our ear. The sweetest name on earth. He tells us of a savior's love.
Who died to set us free? It tells us of his precious blood.
The sinners perfect clean Jesus, the name we love so well.
Name we love to hear no St. on earth is worth can tell no heart conceive how the number 184.
This morning.
Good night.
There we are.
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We shall just read one verse.
From Matthew 18, Matthew 18, one verse verse 20.
That's verse 20 of Matthew 18.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name.
There am I in the midst of them.
We could read it this way.
Where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.
That word unto there.
Consequently, would exclude every other name.
That is not.
His own blessed name.
I repeat that being gathered unto the Lord's name, unto his name, would exclude every other name.
We might mention we'll come back to this verse later as the Lord enables.
But I might mention this.
That if you, dear young people who are not at the table of the Lord, and you really belong to Christ.
You're missing a joy that's the greatest and the sweetest joy this side of eternity.
The sweetest place this side of eternity is at the table of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now.
Many questions have come to me from the Latin Saints.
And as there are a number of young Christians there, the assemblies have grown beyond all our most.
Precious, all our hopes have been exceeded. I'm really humbled.
As I think of the work there in Bolivia, so many have been happily gathered to the priceless name of Christ during the long years.
You will remember that it was in on October 12, 1920, I went to Bolivia.
And took.
Principles there that had been taught me not by anyone particularly.
But through the reading of books.
By Mr. Darby and Kelly and Bill and Billet.
And Wigram, my brother Hugh, who was laboring for the Lord in the South of New Zealand, where Mr. Deck labored in those early days.
He sent me books, those books to read when I was a young minister so-called.
You might not remember, but I was preaching for some years for the Baptist affiliated in the city of Melbourne and other cities, and the Lord spoke to me definitely through the reading of those books.
We do recommend the most earnestly to you young believers to read those books. Read them, and prayerfully so.
And you find out that something will happen to your spiritual makeup if you do that.
Well, I got a couple of questions recently from some young Christians.
And this was one.
Brother Smith, I'm putting it into English.
Define, please, in simple terms the difference between those gathered to the Lords name and other religious bodies.
And the other question was this.
Why do we meet as we do?
Well, we've tried Beloved to answer those questions.
In a simple way.
And.
I suggested to these dear ones.
The quite a large number of young people.
They pose these questions.
And I wrote to them and in a simple way suggested a few things.
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They want to know.
We meet as we do.
They want to know in simple in simple language the difference.
Between those who are gathered to the precious name of Christ and other religious bodies.
They are wanting to know.
Sometimes we wish that the dear young people in our assemblies would have an interest like that.
In these principles of Holy scripture as regards the gathering name.
We would love to see an interest among you, dear ones, concerning this. I know that there are many who do interest themselves, and there are others who are just very casual about these principles that are so precious. Well, I suggested in the first instance.
We'll make this the number one point because of the preciousness of the name of Christ.
Because of his precious the preciousness of the name of Christ.
I'd like to read a portion. I quoted it in my prayer, I think. Would you like to turn down with me to Ephesians, or rather to Philippians?
And chapter 2.
I could quote it perhaps, but sometimes I get mixed up with the English. We read that if you please. That's Philippians 2.
Verse five Let this mind be in you, which was also in the in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God.
Thought it not robbery to be equal with God?
Made himself of no reputation.
And took upon him the form of a servant, and was made.
In the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself.
And became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name.
Which is above every name.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. Of things in heaven and things in earth.
And things under the Earth, that is to say, in those internal regions.
Every knee will bow there with no reconciliation. Remember there.
But the bowing there to that name?
And that every tongue should confess.
That Jesus Christ is Lord.
To the glory of God the Father.
I began to be interested in this question of a name.
And in reading carefully through the Word of God, I found.
That the name I then had was not scriptural.
So that was the first thing that impressed my soul, dear young people.
Was I going to replace?
That blessed name with a name that's really put there by man.
So I decided against that.
I'd like to read from Colossians one for a moment or two.
By the way, these are scriptures that interested me when I was gathered to the Lord's name in 1918, where Mr. Deck labored. Those meetings are folded, have folded up, unfortunately.
They do not exist.
There were godly men there in full fellowship with the English meetings.
And that fellowship was made real by the visit of Mr. Darby to those five meetings.
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And also the visit of Mr. FT Patterson.
Fellowship was linked up with the home meetings in those early days.
It is true that Mister **** failed.
He was a sick man.
Old and he failed to maintain that outside place.
For a period, but he repented of it. And in my library I had I before the band that's broke into my home in Bolivia, I had a copy of that letter that he wrote.
He asked his brethren to forgive him, and he knew that the Lord had forgiven him forever.
Moving away from the divine center.
Well, I was commended to the Lord's work there from that center in 1918.
Colossians one.
These are important verses, beloved.
And verse we might read from 15.
It's Speaking of the Lord Jesus.
Who is the image of the invisible God?
The first born of every creature.
For by Him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are inner, visible, and invisible, whether they be Thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for him. And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body of the Church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things He might have.
The preeminence.
Can we?
Float.
Such a glorious description of the Lord Jesus. This by assuming any other name. I try not if we would be faithful to God, faithful to the Word.
Well, this is one of the points that caused me to make a decision. The preciousness of the name of Christ.
I had an experience in Bolivia that really was a test.
For 15 years the Lord sustained me there. I was the only white man there and the only missionary for for 15 long years.
During those 15 years, there were 15 meetings formed.
Which was a remarkable work of grace among those dear people.
But five of these when 12 missions appeared in that area.
Five of these assemblies.
Left suddenly.
And went over to these other religious bodies.
Well, you can imagine my own spiritual children, all of them spiritual children.
Five of these meetings.
Left and gathered with the other religious bodies.
So for five years I never was able to return to those meetings.
You can imagine the tears and the sorrow. I'm not speaking now against any person you know. You'll understand it. I'm speaking about principles. Principles.
They left and as I mentioned, five years past and I did not have any fellowship there once after.
That period, I got a special letter signed by nine of those presidents saying, Brother Smith, we're in the wrong place.
Won't you come? Won't you come?
Well, I said to my late wife. I said, honey, fix me or something from a saddle bag. That means four days on Mulebeck to get there.
And it was the rainy season and sometimes the water was washing up to the saddle to get across those rivers.
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I had to cross over 30 times the river to get there. Four days.
At the last day I came across a small village that had a phone. Oh by the way, in their letter they said they would rape me if I let them know and so I sent a phone call to one brother.
And said I would arrive at 5:00, God willing would they wait for me. Well, I got there. They they welcomed me.
And we forgot about eating anything, and we sat down with the word of God in our hands.
Nine of them.
And we finished talking at 2:30 in the morning.
It was then launched the morning.
And they said, Brother Smith, we see the truth.
We understand the truth. We've been wrong.
In mixing up with other religious bodies that do not honor that blessed name.
Well, they said, this is large the morning we shall break bread together. Well, I said no, brethren, will you notify all the meetings concerning the step you've taken?
And they did.
You'd like to know the leading men in that, wouldn't you? One is called Lino Bueno.
The other is called Dominguez choking.
The other is called the metric 10 years and the other Philemon garnika.
Four of the valiant labors for Christ.
Well, that happened.
They had seen the truth of the Gathering Center. They had really understood.
That while they could love those who were not gathered that way because they belonged to Christ, they had learned that the scriptures would not put them where the other religious bodies were. And so.
They left those religious bodies to this day, Needless to say, these men of God.
Have been signally blessed in the ministry of the work well.
I mentioned that by the way.
Then I suggested that there's another thought that came to me as I wrote these brethren.
The grace of God we seek to give the Holy Spirit His place.
Now some of you young people may have heard, I want you to turn to the Gospel of John.
For a while you may have heard somebody talking about the Holy Spirit being.
An influence.
True, He's that mighty influence for God. But the Holy Spirit is a divine person, He is God.
You cannot distinguish between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Spirit is God.
John 15.
And verse 26.
These are scriptures, you know that?
These dear ones were interested to read and to study them. And verse 26.
We read here, but when the comforter is come.
Whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth.
Which proceedeth from the Father. He shall testify of me. Note, He shall testify of me.
And over in John 16.
And verses 13.
On how be it?
When he, the spirit of truth, is come.
He will guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself. And we noticed in our translation of the Holy Scriptures into the Inca tongue, it's rather He shall not speak from Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me.
For he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
Notice then.
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That the Holy Spirit is not an influence in that sense that we are sometimes. We sometimes hear other teachers teaching us or trying to teach us. The Holy Spirit is God.
And.
Here we have the gracious work of the Spirit of God. He takes of the things of Christ, and He reveals them unto us, so that.
They learned in those early days, as these young people we trust will learn now.
That the Holy Spirit Himself is a divine person, and that He.
Is able to teach them the word of God.
At one time, some of the younger men years ago thought they would get along very nicely by going to.
Institute.
Well, I believe they were sincere about that.
But in vain we looked for an institute in the Word of God.
Vain in vain, we look for anything like a mission.
In the word of God with this director.
No, there is one dear young people, who guide you into all truth.
He shall take of the things of Christ. He takes of the things of Christ and reveals them to you.
And there's one ordination of the peace at hand. Yes, I had hands laid on my head.
And the uplifted hand saying I believe.
And I learned after what? What was I believing? What was I believing?
The Lord and His mercy, dear ones, delivered me from the grieve clothes of a worn out Ecclesiastes, and we thank God for the gracious work of the Spirit of God in our lives.
Well then.
We seek by the grace of God to give the Spirit of God His place. Now I want to tell you some an interesting point. This might interest you. It's a very great pleasure to recount this.
When I got back to New Zealand, thoroughly convinced of the ground of gathering through the reading of those books.
Who should meet me? Was my eldest brother, an honoured servant of Christ for years?
And long since with the Lord.
And he said, Eric, I'm going to take you Lords the morning to a meeting.
Would you like to go? I said I certainly would. If you go there, I certainly would like to go.
He said. Now remember, nobody knows you there.
So you just sit back and listen.
I said certain I will.
There were 250 odd, more or less in that meeting in those days when I was commended to the work of the Lord.
And I noticed a table in the center of that gathering, and on the table there was a big bread.
And the goblet of wine with 1 cup.
So I sat there. Very interesting. You can imagine how one would feel.
This was something new to me. And then I began to wonder, who's going to take charge of this meeting?
Who's going to lead this meeting?
I don't see any preacher here.
So you can imagine how I felt.
Though about 15 minutes to 11 They were all quiet. And that's a very nice thing, isn't it, to come 15 minutes before you sit down for table of the lawn.
And they were all in their quietly sitting.
At the hour in 11:00 sharp.
One brother. I didn't know him, of course. Anybody except my own brother. He gave out a hymn. You know which one it was.
Oh Christ, one birds bowed thy head.
My load was laid on thee.
Thou studest in the Sinner stared to bear all I'll for me, and so on.
Well, I thought that was a wonderful hymn. They used this little Flock hymn book, not the one we use now, but the smaller version. They use that for years. Even when I left New Zealand, they were still using.
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Well, I thought that was very nice. That's a beautiful hymn.
Then I wondered who will what will happen next?
Well, an elderly brother stood up and he prayed. I never heard a prayer like that. It followed on exactly the lines of the sufferings of Christ.
Now you become very used to this, you dear ones. I know you could become used to these things, but here's one ignorant of everything, sitting there and looking and listening.
Then a brother in another part read from Psalm 22.
And the portion from Psalm 102.
No comments and sat down.
And then they sang another hymn, I just forget which now.
Until it came to the breaking of bread. Then I wondered what would happen then.
Well, 1 old brother got up with his white beard. He stood there at the table and he broke the bread and passed it. They passed it around.
And he sat down, he thanked the Lord, and I remember him saying especially we've come here places save you to remember thee and thy death. All that impressed me, it was to remember the Lord Jesus and his death. That's why we go there. It's preeminently so.
To remember the Lord Jesus in his death is there.
Well.
They partook of it, the same brother came back and he gave thanks for the cup.
And I'll never forget he quoted that Brewers from that same song, same hymn.
Death and the curse were in that cup. Oh, Christ was full for thee.
But thou hast dreamed the last dark drop his empty now for me.
That bitter cup loved, drank it up left but the love for me.
Now at the end of that they sang a hymn. They will. There was a there was a basket then that went round and they put in the the portion that the Lord had given them and then they sang a hymn and the brothers spoke a few words on Psalm 22. I thought it was very nice to follow that same leading of the Spirit of God right through. And in Bolivia you do find that that they follow that same leading. If they begin with the glory of the Lord Jesus, they end with it. If they begin with the suffering, they end with it.
It's very nice. Well, this is my impression. After the meeting came to me, my brother said. Eric, what do you think of it?
Well, I said Brother Hugh, I would love to be there.
I would love to ask from a place. Well, he says. You just wait. You just wait.
And the day came when I asked from the place.
What impressed me, dear one, is the gracious leading of the Spirit of God.
Are we becoming less interested in that glorious fact that the Spirit of God is able and abundantly able to guide us, whether in ministry or in worship?
The Church, Dear Ones, is a is not an organization.
I was brought up to think that the church was an organization. It is not an organization they want, it is an Organism.
An Organism.
Souls redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
Brought into the family of God, whose simple faith what a wonderful thing it is to belong to Christ.
Are we becoming indifferent to this?
That we would.
Instead of the gracious leading of the Spirit of God.
Trust more to organize.
Services. We cannot. We don't want that, beloved. That's not good.
00:35:01
He is able, the Spirit of God is able. Well, this is very interesting to my soul to recount this because.
We seek to give the Holy Spirit His place, the preciousness of His name number one. We would seek, by the grace of God, to give the Holy Spirit His place.
And we long for the days to come back.
When the assemblies were spiritual enough.
To leave the meeting as an open meeting.
Those who were in the energy of the flesh dare not get up because of the power of the Spirit of God.
There was another point we sought to make from the fulfilling of Hebrew 13. I would like to read a little from Hebrews. There's one verse there of Hebrews 13.
And verse.
13 of this.
Let us go forth.
Therefore unto him.
Without the camp.
Bearing his reproach.
What is the camp?
It's this organized system of religion, it is true.
This epistle was addressed to the Hebrew Christians, of course, as you know, and they were much.
Addicted to temple worship and so on.
But God has set it aside.
Is Christianity, dear ones, is not a mere adjunct?
At all. It's a reality.
Now let us go forth unto him, Therefore unto him it says outside the camp. They were seen in the camp, if you read back in the Old Testament.
There was sin there, and we read in Exodus 33, seven that the 10th meeting was moved outside the camp because of it. It was moved out afar off.
Power off.
From the camp.
Are we still unconvinced that we are in the right place by being gathered to the precious name of Christ?
Or are we going tasting sermons? Dear young people listening to this message over the radio, and I warn you concerning that you can be easily tripped up with these messages. There are many preachers who have an element of truth, but suddenly there's something there that's not according to the Word. And oftentimes we do not have discernment to discern this.
Are we satisfied with the Lord Jesus? I want to tell you what happened with the Italians.
One day a missionary came to him and said, tell you, why don't you come to us? We are thousands in the States, we are thousands, and here you are just a handful.
Well, what did tell you say to him?
He said this, dear brother, he says, can you have any more of the Lord Jesus with your thousand than we have with the twos and the threes?
And the missionary had nothing to say. And then he quoted Matthew 18 and 24. Where two or three.
Gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Can you have any more dear young people of the Lord Jesus with the thousands that you can have with the twos and the threes? You just can't.
For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, their mind in the midst of them.
And all the sweetest place on earth, as I mentioned before, is just there, gathered through their precious name.
Apart from all religious systems where the Spirit of God is open and free.
Hmm, to work?
And to think of the things of Christ and reveal the monthly.
00:40:07
I often think of the case of David. You know, a few gathered around him in The Cave of a Dalam.
They weren't very, very nice. They were rather a motley crew, weren't they? Well.
But we do as we read on concerning those who gathered to David, who is a type of the Lord Jesus.
When everything was broken and shattered in Israel, God triumphed His cause, His cause, through the man of His choice.
To David, God kept in his car.
Who? The man of his choice? Yes, he did.
It's nice then to.
Separate yourselves from ecclesiastical error. Now just read with me. Just please. The time goes on.
Timothy, 19 to 22.
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God.
Standeth your having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that name of the name of Christ the Lord.
Depart from iniquity.
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also wood and earth, of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel and to honor.
Sanctify then meet from a master's use and prepared.
Unto every good work.
The professing church they want is indeed in ruin, but the church in the mind of God is ever perfect. It never could be otherwise.
And here we have in these days of conflict.
When things were in ruin, we have this wonderful second epistle, the mast, that poor route, inspired by the Spirit of God.
Speaks of the foundation of God standing, sure.
And he speaks here in a great house. And that's what.
The camp is today a great House of systematized religion.
Where the Spirit of God is unable.
To you to work with the full liberty that belongs to that divine person.
The foundation of gods and the fuel, that's something you can really and truly rest on.
The Lord knows them that are his.
That's the church in this universal aspect.
And let everyone that name of the name of the Lord, it comes back to a local meeting. Depart from iniquity.
And in this great house there are not only vessels of gold. Gold speaks of deity, of divine righteousness.
Silver would speak of redemption, and then the lesser things of lesser value would and of earth, and it says he has some to honor and some to dishonour.
Do you know when I was a theological student, I could never trust my professors.
Never trust them. One day in deep soul trouble, I said, Sir, do you believe that this is the word of God?
And he said it contains the word of God.
So that then I said, Sir, this is rather conflicting.
Then you would say that part of it is not the word of God and part is exactly exactly.
Oh dear ones, how blessed it is to know that this book.
Is the word of the living God.
I believe this book from cover to cover.
I believe that holy men of God wrote as they were born along by the Spirit of God. Here is a sound foundation for your soul, the word of the living God.
00:45:01
Yes.
Now it says as I talk to one minister, I knew him well.
He was a Baptist, I said, Sir.
We had a talk on this portion, Second Timothy 2.
And I said, do you believe that this is the truth that we are talking about? Yes, Brother Smith, he says that is the truth. I said, what are you going to do about it?
He said I prefer to stay with a hierarchy.
I prefer to stay with a hierarchy.
Well, I said. So you stay there as long as you can.
You stay there as long as you can.
That is to say, if you do not understand the step you take.
And you take it, not understanding it and guided by the Spirit of God into the preciousness of the truth of it. Don't take that step, but let that not dissuade you from everything.
It's the precious, it's the blessed and blessed experience to obey God.
To obeying the truth as it's as light is revealed.
Well, it says he if any man purge himself from these. Do we know what that means?
If any man purge himself from this ecclesiastical thing.
He shall be a vessel and to honor.
Meet for the master's youth.
And I believe you can put in there thoroughly and thoroughly purr, thoroughly prepared unto every good work. And the apostle goes on saying, Flee youthful love, and follow righteousness, faith, love and peace with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
And when I sat there in that meeting, I said there may be failures in these dear ones sitting in this meeting this morning.
But but.
It's a scriptural gathering.
And therefore I asked from a place there.
And I've been happy ever since. Below it happy ever since the.
There's another point and that we can make before we close.
We believe that the body is 1.
Yes, we do.
The body is one. We might read a few verses here.
I'd like to read from First Corinthians 12A while.
Now, you know, you may be well acquainted with these truths, and I'm sure many of you sitting here are well acquainted.
But there has come a day, beloved. I speak as an old man to me, it seems.
That the day has come and is already here when we need to stress these principles anew.
In order to save the grief that goes on among us.
The drift away from the divine center. I believe these principles are urgently needed to be stressed just now.
1St Corinthians 12.
Verse 13 For by 1 Spirit are we all baptized into one body?
This is never to be repeated, of course.
Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be born the free, and have all been made.
To drink into one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not from hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body.
Where an eye? Where were the hearing if the whole were hearing?
Where was the smelly? But now hath God set the members, everyone of them, in the body, as it hath pleased him?
And if they were, and if they were all one member, where were the bodies? But now are they many members?
Yet but one body.
And so on.
And in verse 27.
That does speak of schism in the body, and we are driven with their faces in the dust these days, beloved because of it.
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That there should be no system in the body, but that the member should have the same care.
One for another, and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ.
And members in particular, yes, we believe that the body is 1, and you get that in Ephesians 4/2.
There is one body.
Will, what are we going to say? We have no time to go into that question. That's a long, it's a long. It's a big matter to even go into that. We have time for that, the one body truth. But we believe these things to be essential, beloved just now.
The preciousness of his name.
The giving of the Holy Spirit His proper place.
The separation from iniquity.
And the stressing continually that law is true, the one body truth. Now when you come back for a moment to Matthew.
18.
And verse 20 again for where two or three.
Are gathered together unto my name. They are mine.
In the midst of them.
Some of you may remember the old Captain Dunlop.
Well, in his Bible this was discovered. His little study on this verse, it has been copied. I know.
Into other places, but I understand.
That in the first instance of the old Captain Dunlop, who got out a little treatise on this verse. And so I took that with me to South America. My brother Hugh got it. I don't know how, but he got it and he gave it to me and I put into Spanish.
And so I'm going to read this.
Some of you may think that it came from another source. Well, that's all right, but this is what I understand. It came from that source.
And he had it this way.
Where the divine place?
Where the divine place?
Two or three the divine testimony.
Are gathered.
Separation to Christ.
The divine place of separation together.
The Divine Oneness.
The divine Oneness, the hunting spirit.
Unto my name.
The divine sufficiency.
There am I, the Divine Presence.
In the midst the divine center.
I thought that was very sweet. I put it into Spanish so often and into Inca too.
For the dear Saints.
Explains it in a very simple way, the preciousness of this verse. Well, we'll now sing a hymn that's getting near the end of the hour.
There was a him I was thinking of and I can't remember the name that. Would a brother suggest something along this line? I had it picked up that I.
Along the line there is a name.
I just forget the the.
The hymn. Perhaps we could find that.
Number six, yes, that's that's it. Thank you.
Number six, Jesus, how much thy name unfolds to every opened year, the pardoned sinners memory holds.
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None of the half so dear. Thy name encircles every grace that God, this man could show.
There only could he fully trace and divine a life. Divine below #6 some brothers start.
Two Worlds
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1971, addressed by Gordon Hayhoe.
Could we sing hymn #100 and 10110?
For God, thou now has glorified thy holy, blessed, eternal Son.
The Nazarene, the crucified, now sits exalted on thy throne. To him in faith we cry aloud, Worthy art thou, O Lamb of God, 110.
Oh God.
So we look up and ask the Lord. I'd like to turn to a few scriptures. The first one is an Ecclesiastes chapter 3.
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The second book after the Psalms.
Ecclesiastes, chapter 3.
And verse 10.
I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
He has made everything beautiful in His time. Also, He has set the world in their hearts so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Now I'd like to turn also to Daniel chapter 4.
Daniel, Chapter 4.
In verse 29.
At the end of 12 months, he walked in the palace of the king of Babylon.
And the king spake, Kingdom of Babylon, And the king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built?
For the House of my Kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty. And then in Second Corinthians chapter 5.
2nd Corinthians, chapter 5.
And the 17th verse.
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away.
Behold, all things are become new, and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
Well, it was on my heart this afternoon, dear young people, to speak about two worlds, if I might use that expression to speak of that which has been built up by man in his departure and alienation from God, and that which is in the purposes of God, where His blessed Son will be the center of a whole new creation scene of glory. And that we who accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior are already introduced.
Into that new world, into that new scene. I believe that it's very important for us to see this because one is often remarked that the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what is going on in the world is the Christian. And the only way we can have any intelligent outlook is through God's Word. And that's why I read this in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. Perhaps it was a puzzle to you as I read it.
I'll read those verses again. I have seen the travel which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
He has made everything beautiful in His time. Also, He has set the world in their heart so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
That is, God created man on the earth, and we know that when everything had been created and man had been placed at the head of the whole system of things, fresh from the hands of God, God looked upon it and said it was very good.
It was surely beautiful in his time. In its time it was surely wonderful as it came fresh from the hand of God.
For Adam to enjoy in all its fullness and we know that he was given a help me too, a partner because it's very hard to enjoy things alone. We need company to enjoy things fully. And so he was given a helpmate, a partner to enjoy what God had provided. What a wonderful scene it was. And this was as God had planned it and for man's good. And perhaps we could say when this verse says.
He has set the world in their heart. It would bring before us the fact that God has given to man the possibility of appreciating all that God has made. And I want a world that would be if we couldn't appreciate the scenery, if we couldn't appreciate good food, we couldn't appreciate all the things that God has given. Why? It would be very dull living in this world, but God has given the capacity, the ability to appreciate all the good things.
00:10:08
But into that wonderful scene that God had made came one who before himself had aspired to be like God, who had not been content with the place that He had been given. For he was the highest of God, God's created intelligences, and that was Satan. He was one who was full of wisdom, perfect in beauty, according to Ezekiel chapter 28. Now this marvelous being, a Satan.
Was created into such a marvelous place.
About he aspired to be like God. He would be like the most high. He would not abide in the place of a creature, but would want and did want more than what was given. And he fell about very being came into this creation that God had made. He came into the Garden of Eden, so beautiful, so fresh from the hands of God. And now the the question to Adam and Eve was this were they going to believe that God?
Had made those things for them and had provided all that was necessary for their happiness? Or were they going to listen to Satan, who himself was already a fallen being? Well, we know this sad story. I don't think very many of us are ignorant of that story. And how, instead of listening to the voice of God who had provided for their happiness, they listened to the voice of Satan. And what did Satan suggest?
He said ye shall be as gods. He shall be as gods. That is, you can occupy a higher place than what was given to you. That God has given you a marvelous place. That's true. But you can have a higher place. You have to climb. And so that's what they did. They listened to the voice of Satan and sin came in. It's true that part of what Satan said was.
Was a fact now, that is, they did get the knowledge of good and evil, but they lost the power to do good. They lost the power to refrain from evil. They brought death into the world, and with it all the sad light and misery that was stamped upon creation from that day forward.
Oh, how foolish they were to have listened to the voice of Satan instead of to the voice of God.
Well, it tells us that after this Adam began a son in his own image and in his own likeness. That is, he was the head of a fond creation, and all of his posterity partook of the fallen nature that Adam himself had. Every one of us in this room were born with a sinful, fond nature. How much we haven't altogether lost the appreciation of some of the good things of creation. And So what does Satan do?
Well, when sin came in, then we know that.
Cain killed his brother, and then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and he built a city, and he filled that city with all kinds of things to try and make himself as happy as he possibly could away from God. We might illustrate it like this, supposing that my boy was disobedient.
And so I send him to a room where he should be punished, but I tell him he has to stay there for 1/2 an hour in punishment. After 15 minutes I go out to see if there's any repentance in his heart and I find that he has dragged into the room all his toys. And when I opened the door he says, oh daddy, I'm having a fine time here. I'm just as happy as I can be. I don't need you all I would say.
Isn't that sad? The correction didn't do him any good. Instead he has just alienated his heart from me.
That's what Cain did. That's the world system as we see it today, dear young people. It is that which has been built up by man in his alienation from God. And in the posterity of Cain we see the three different worlds now, the world of commerce, the world of education, and the world of entertainment. For one was the father of such as handle the harp in the organ.
The other was an instructor of brass and iron, and the other was the father of such as dwell in tents and have cattle. So we see that there was a vast system of things build up, and where was this city that came built that was so nicely garnished?
00:15:08
That city was out from the presence of the Lord, out from the presence of the Lord. Now do young people. This is the sort of thing that we live in and God has given in his word, the story of certain cities in this vast world system. And Sodom represents to us the world in its moral corruption. We see something of that today. People think, young people think why we're just going to go out and.
We're going to let loose morality of the thing of the past. We're going to enjoy love, but in reality, it's not love, it's lust. And we're going to just have a good time. Now, there was a city that tried that, and that city became so filled with it that God dealt with that city by raining fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah. And so that was one of the cities of men.
And then there was there was tyre, which was a center of commerce.
And God brought terrible judgment upon the city of Tyre. And until we find that the city of Babylon, God destroyed that great city because it was a picture to us of the confusion at which man is brought in. And in Scripture is often identified with religious confusion because I idolatry began in Babylon. Now that is the system. That is what man has built up.
And in the immune system, man is the center. Man is the center of this system that he has built up. Our brother read to us this morning that verse in Esther where the king asked the question, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighted to honor? And then he turned us over to the New Testament and showed that God delighted to honor his son. But if our brother had read on, you would have noticed.
That it says this, that when King has you wear us, ask that question.
Haman thought within his heart, This he said, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself? Notice that to whom with the King delight to do honor more than to myself. And I'm bold to say, dear friends, that this whole world system in which we live has circles around that that man is seeking honor for himself, and in every sphere of his whole system that he has built up, that is exactly.
What he is doing, someone said. What has the world gained by the visit to the moon?
And a Christian man answered all. They've gained very much. They've made themselves a name. That was why they were going to all the expense of building the Tower of Babel long ago. What was it? What was the sense in this building putting all the ingenuity of the very whole world into that Tower of Babel that they built long ago? Here's what they said. Let us make us a name.
Let us make us a name. Yes, we will be very important because we have shown that we're not restricted to this earth, that we have capacity and power to go beyond that which any previous generations ever thought could be done.
So, dear young people, I say that this is the world system, and that's why I read to you in Daniel chapter. In Daniel chapter 4, it says that this great king Nebuchadnezzar, who had built the city of Babylon to the state that it was in, he looked upon all his works, and he said, is not this great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power?
And I, the Excellency of my Majesty. And Babylon is still famous in world history as being one of the wonders of the world at that time. At who took the credit for it all? Nebuchadnezzar took the credit to himself.
Then God had to deal with that proud man, and I might say that in Ecclesiastes.
I believe that the purpose of Ecclesiastes is this, to show us that God did.
Allow a man to try everything the world had to offer in its fallen state.
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Now as far as Adam was concerned, when he reached out beyond what God gave in the Garden of Eden, why he fell, but now in its thorn state, God allowed Solomon to have everything if it was possible for the world in its fallen state to really bring satisfaction. And he uses this expression. You'll read it in Ecclesiastes. I withheld not my heart.
From any joy you say? Wouldn't that be wonderful if I could just indulge myself in everything that I wanted to do? If Father would never say no? If Mother would never say no, if the brethren would never bring the Scripture before me, If I could just let loose and enjoy myself fully? I don't mean to leave God out, but just to have a good time in the world and not to be restrained.
You know, this is the idea of the modern world is to have a good time without restraint. Now, why did God allow a man to do this? And this man was not a man without wisdom. The Bible tells us that he exceeded in wisdom all that had ever been before him. He was a marvelous man, King Solomon, and the wisdom was given of God. He was a wealthy man, for he made he made money like the sand of the streets in his day.
He was a powerful man because he controlled A tremendous amount of land.
And he had, he had the right to do just as he pleased in his Kingdom. He was an absolute power. And this man who had health, who had influence and everything, when he had tried it all, when he had just seen what the world had to offer for him, did he find satisfaction? Did he? Oh, I'm sure that you've read a book of Ecclesiastes.
And you know the conclusion this wise man came to, This is what he said.
All is vanity and vexation of spirit. He made a careful research and study of the lives of people and tried to understand why people did things, to see if there was any possible way, either through things or through a proper outlook on life, of finding a solution that man in the fallen state that he was in could find in the earth what satisfies.
And I just call attention to the expression that perhaps you wondered at that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. That is, God never intended to man through all his research and through all his knowledge, to find the solution to his problems himself. He didn't intend that he made it all, and he didn't intend man to enjoy it.
Independently of him, just as if I did something for one of my children.
And the child said to me, I want to enjoy what you've given me, but I want to enjoy it independently of you. I'd say, well, I'm very disappointed. I wanted you to enjoy it as something that I had given to you and that I could rejoice in your happiness and that we could enjoy it together. But you want to enjoy it independently of me. And that is the world. I say man wants to enjoy it independently of God, but God did not make the world so that you could enjoy it independently of him.
And King Solomon was an example who had everything and didn't find any satisfaction. You cannot. You cannot, I say, dear young people, really find satisfaction if you shut God out, if you don't recognize Him, and if you don't recognize his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus. And so it tells us here that when.
King Solomon had tried all these things, he says in the next verse.
I know that there is no good in them. That's the first clause of the next verse. I know that there's no good in them.
And Jerry had tried them to the full. But this great king that I spoke of, King Nebuchadnezzar, now he had everything. He was able to enjoy all the things that God had provided, and he became filled with pride.
00:25:01
And took all the credit to himself. I can say that Solomon did not do that.
Solomon did recognize that we should remember our Creator in the days of our youth. He was not in the same class as Nebuchadnezzar, not by any means, but he was making a discovery of what could be found under the sun.
What a man could enjoy under the sun apart from divine revelation. But God has given us a revelation, dear young people, and that's why I want to impress upon you this afternoon the importance of this book, God's precious word. And men have made research in all kinds of subjects of the writing of books. There is no end, said King Solomon. Yes, the world is filled.
The printing presses can hardly turn out quickly enough, all the new books and all the bolstered progress of man, because they can't keep up with all that man is finding out. But I dare to stand before you this afternoon, dear young people, and say that this book is a revelation. This is the secret as to why we're here, how God made this world, His purpose in making it, what you're here for.
Don't we hear people say, well, what am I here for? It wasn't my idea to be here. The Bible tells you why you're here. The Bible tells you also the work of God from beginning to end. Isn't that marvelous to think that your Creator is interested in you?
And has written a book so that you might know his purpose.
All men may despise the Bible, men may try to shut out God out of their lives, and men may say we can find out for ourselves. But God says you can't find out for yourself. You can't. All that man's wisdom can discover would never find out.
How the world was created in the 1St place he can't find out. By faith we understand that their worlds were framed by the word of God. That's how we know we have the word of God. And what is man here for that God tells us that He put man there at the head of creation. But all there's more than that. It says that when He created this world, His delights for with the sons of man.
And when he came down to walk in the garden on the cool of the day, what was he seeking?
He was the seeking the company of his creature. He was seeking the company of man. Now let me turn again to that in 2nd Corinthians 5 that we looked at.
Two Corinthians 5 and verse 17.
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. We also turn with me to Colossians, chapter 3.
And verse 10.
And have put on the Newman, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him as I created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, civilian bond or free, but Christ is all and in all.
Well, I've read these verses to show that God has stepped into this creation and it's ruined. God has stepped in. His blessed Son came down into this world. He became a man. And that creation that had been completely ruined under the first man, a God sent the one whom he calls the 2nd man and last Adam, He sent him down into this world for a purpose. He sent him down into this world.
In order that he might reveal his heart, it says in John chapter one, No man hath seen God at anytime. The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him. And so this blessed One came down.
And he is the beginning of the creation of God. Now this doesn't mean that the Lord Jesus is a created being.
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Be the thought that Blessed One is the eternal Son of God. He is from all eternity. He's spoken of in Isaiah. I believe it's the 6th chapter as the Father of eternity. Yes, that Blessed One is the one who inhabits eternity. But he came down into this world and new creation began with the 2nd man and last Adam, God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who was in this world and his disciples looked at him, and they handled of him.
Our eyes have looked upon our hands of handled of the Word of life. That Blessed One came down and He is the beginning of a new creation. Now I want to make this point very clear. God is not attempting to improve man in His fond state. He is not looking for anything good in man in His fallen state. The axe has been laid to the root of the tree.
And the Scripture says very plainly in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. They that are in the flesh cannot please God, and God is not going to try and improve the first man. Now men don't like that because it puts an end to their system. They don't mind you talking about Christianity if you'll at least acknowledge that there's something good in man, if you'll mix Christianity with a little bit of good in man.
If you'll even teach that there's something good in his will and that of his own will, he would accept Christ. Well, he'll say, all right, you have acknowledged at least something good in me, that I might make a right decision. But God says there's absolutely nothing good in the first man. The whole thing is just as it was about Nebuchadnezzar. Cut down the tree. Cut down the tree. Dear friends, let us be clear of this. Dear young people, I want you to get hold of this.
And see what God has done with the first man. It says our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed. It's the complete end of the first man. And God has a new man, and that's his blessed Son. And it says if any man be in Christ, the new translation is if any man be in Christ, there is a new creation, a new creation. And when you took the Lord Jesus as your Savior.
It began by God giving you a new life, a new life smoking out in that verse in Colossians as the new man. He didn't improve the old man. He didn't try to bring something good out of it. And that's what the system of Judaism was. That is, God was testing man in the flesh. Now God knew the result of the test, but you might say, well, didn't God give a good temple?
Didn't he give fine music? Didn't he? Didn't he have raw priests in the Jewish economy? I say yes. Man was under trial and is spoken of in Hebrews as a worldly sanctuary. God gave all that, but what did he give it for? He gave it for the express purpose of showing that no external influences, whether it by that, were by the outward forms of religion, even given of God.
When the Lord Jesus came in and they saw His perfect life, that didn't change man's heart as it was read to us. They have seen and hated both me and my Father. So the whole system of external religion, the presence in this world of the Son of God, did not change the heart of man at all.
And when the Lord Jesus died, that was the judgment of this world. That was the end of man's trial. It was the end of the first man. And I want to impress upon you that Christianity is an entirely new thing. It's not an extension on man's wisdom. It's not an extension of the system of Judaism. It is something entirely new. And if any man be in Christ, there is a new creation.
All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. And God isn't looking for anything good from sinners. He's looking for them to acknowledge that there's nothing good in them. That's what He wants you to do. And if there's a boy here that's not saved, if there's a girl here that's not saved, God's not trying to improve you. He wants to give you a new life. He wants you to become part of this new creation.
00:35:07
The first creation ruined by sin, now a new creation, with Christ as the head of the new creation, and those who are part of that new creation possessing his life. For it's often been said we won't have a different new life when we get to heaven. We have the same new life right now that we'll have in heaven. We're all ready when saved, part of new creation. And so it says, if any man be in Christ.
There is a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new, and all things are of God, that God drag in something of the first man. No, Christianity is a new thing, and the place where we meet is not something.
That is the holy building. Now it's just a convenient meeting place. The building is a spiritual building composed of living stones. The praise is not by mechanical means. The praise is as it was read to us this morning. We go out to bear His reproach, and we offer the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
It wasn't how well you sang this morning, but it was whether it came from your heart.
That counted, and God, who is listening might have seen more worship from the heart of someone who couldn't keep the tune than from the best singer in the room, because all that he accepts is that which is produced in the heart by the Spirit, its new creation.
And so it says there's neither barbarian, Scythian, bond or free. It's not a question of your position in society. It's not a question of your nationality. It's a question of whether you've been brought into new creation. And in new creation, all things are of God.
And Christ is all and in all, there's only one person who God honors in the new creation, and that's his beloved Son. He wants him to be the center. He wants him to be the one who is honored. And until we see this, and we'll always be trying to introduce something of the old thing, that's what Christendom has done.
Christendom has in a.
Outward sense accepted Christianity as an improvement upon.
The old system of things and that which is judged in the end.
As spiritual Babylon in the Book of Revelation. Do you know what it really is? It's a mixture of Judaism and paganism and Christianity. Yes, that's what it is, a mixture of Judaism and paganism and Christianity. And why would why would men have such a mixture? Because as long as man is given a place, as long as man has a place.
Whether it's in the political thing or whether it's in the religious thing or whether it's in the scientific man, the purpose of man is to have a place for himself and our dear brother, Brown once said.
I said Christendomic has become a vast arena where men strive for honors for themselves.
Yes, they want to have a position for themselves and so, alas, we find.
Men can obtain a very, very honorable place even in Christendom. And so you'll find in their religion. They have a place for great men in their religious world. They have a place for great men in the political world. They have a place for great man in the business world. They have a place for great man in the entertainment world. And that all centers around man. But in God's order of things, he has one person who.
He desires to exalt, and that one person, I say, is his own.
Beloved Son, man is the center of man's system and this is the constant danger for us as Christians and we have learned that the Lord Jesus is to be everything but how we allow that which would have would give man a place. I'd like you to turn with me to Romans 12.
00:40:09
Romans 12 and verse one.
I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice.
Holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, or it could be translated.
Which is your intelligence service. And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Now here He is speaking to those who have been saved.
And dear young people, I know that many of you have taken the Lord Jesus as your Savior. Many of you have really received Him. But I ask you, have you entered new creation by the blessed knowledge that He is your Savior? And yet in your life you still give a large place to the great system of this world. Now, when it says here, be not conformed to this world.
I don't intend to speak of this as certain things, but I intend to try and bring before you that being conformed to this world is a principle that is liable to get into any of our hearts. What is the principle on which the world systems are operates? Is not this great Babylon that I have built? It's a system in which man is the center. It's a system in which man is exalted.
It's where like Haman who was an Amalekite and he said, to whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself? And So what does the rural system operate on? I say again, he's not talking to unsaved people here. He's talking to Christians. He's talking to those who have been brought by new birth into the new creation, who have been brought into the place where God.
All things are of God and where Christ is all and in all.
Why then does he exhort them not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind? Because if if you and I are making our Christian life center around ourselves, then we're following a worldly principle in the way we live our Christian life. If I buy a home to attract attention to myself.
And that I've been a prosperous man and that I've got along well.
Then I say, the principle on which I have acted is the same principle that governs the world.
Because the world says make everyone look at you and think that you've done well and your house and your car. Envy your clothes and do something that will attract attention to yourself.
That's a worldly principle. That's the principle. And I ask you, I ask myself, why?
What I buy, the house I buy? Why would I buy the automobile I buy? Why do I go in the store and buy the clothes that I buy? Is it to attract attention to myself? I don't need to say to you, you know it as well as I do, that in this age of prosperity, everything is done to attract attention to self. Cars are more fancy, more stylish. House houses are more stylish.
Clothes are such as to attract attention to the individual and to make people look at the individual and stare at them. This is the whole principle on which the world operates. And dear young people, if this is the principle you act on them, you're conformed to this world. I'm not asking you the color of your claws. I'm not asking you. I'm not asking you whether I approve of this or that.
But I'm asking you this, are you trying to attract attention to yourself or is Christ the center of your life? And when you when you went down and bought that automobile, did you think that you belong to Christ and that you wanted to have a mode of transportation that would be honoring to him? When you bought those clothes, did you want to get something that would be honoring to Him so that others looking at you?
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Would take knowledge that Christ was everything in your life. All these things search my heart. If they search yours, they certainly search mine. Be not conformed to this world. I want you to see that there are two distinct world systems. The one system is a system where man and all his progress and all that he can do is the center and God is really shut out of that.
Vast system. And when you get saved, God brings you into a new one. But what are you and I likely to do as Christians? And this, I say, is the great snare of us as young people and as Christians is to bring something, borrow something from the world and bring it into the new position into which we have been brought. And as someone said in the early church, they turned the world upside down.
But in the modern church, the word, the church turns the, I mean, the world turns the church upside down. Why? Well, because when the Christians went out, they made an impact on the world and they said, why? Look at these people, They've turned to God from idols.
Paul said I don't need to even speak anything. They them, they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you.
That is, the people who looked at these saved Thessalonians said all these people have a new center in their lives. Christ is everything to them. But now what is the what is the image that is presented to this world? What is the image I say that the world, they look upon the church and they see that we've borrowed a lot from them. They say, well, you preach Christ, but you seem to want to mix what you have with what we have.
You haven't got enough. And So what a sad thing. And I say to each one of us, have we really presented ourselves to the Lord? I remember how the king of Syria came up to King Ahab and he said.
Your sons and your daughters, even the goodliest of them, are mine. And you know what King Ahab said? According to thy word, we are thine, yes.
He actually yielded to the claims of this man.
And the prophet came and pointed out to him that he was entirely wrong in doing that. What a contrast to as we read of one in the songs, who says, Lord, we are thine, Lord, we are thine all. Dear young people, I want to speak this to you in a very practical way.
I don't want to criticize you because I see worldly principles in my own heart, but I want to speak to your heart and I want to speak to mine. What is the center around which you and I are living? We have been brought into this new place where Christ is everything. When we get to heaven, we won't need to introduce anything of man's world to make heaven happy. We won't have to introduce anything that man has brought into his vast system.
Can we not see that the Lord Jesus can make us happy even now?
When we speak of being conformed to the world, it isn't that we don't in a certain extent follow its styles. And the Scripture says those that use the world has not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away. I'm glad that I can go to a store and buy a suit in which I feel I can dress in such a way as to honor Christ.
And if you want to please the Lord, you can be very thankful that you can still buy things in which you can honor Christ. Yes, you can buy an automobile, you can buy a house. You can live your life in business in such a way that you can honor Christ. But this speaks to our hearts. What is the center?
System in which we live, is it Christ? Have we recognized this? Have we really presented our bodies to him and said, Lord, we are thine bought by thy blood, once the poor guilty slaves of sin. Oh, I speak to you, dear young people. I've been very much impressed in reading in the 27th of Leviticus where it speaks about the priest putting a value upon.
Different ages.
And from a man, a boy from five years old, from one to five years old, I believe it is, he was valued at 10 shekels, I think it was, or five shekels. And then from 5 to 20, he was valued at 15 shekels. And then from 20 up to 60, he was valued at 30 shekels. And then after he passed the age, the age of 60, he dropped down again.
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And if I remember rightly, it's 10 or 15 shekels. How wide is the Spirit of God bring this before us?
I love to look into the faces of young people. I sometimes think they're more valuable than myself. Because you have life before you. If the Lord leads you here, you have an opportunity of giving your life to the Lord Jesus and living for Him. Many of us the the greater part of our life is past, but you're still young and you can in this good part of your life, this useful part of your life, to recognize the Lord's claims and live for Him.
In that sense, the priest valued the man who was from 20 to 50 at more than twice what he valued the one. I think it was 50 shekels from 20 to 50 and then dropped down to 15 after he passed 60. Want to change? Dear young people, this is the best part of your life. You're making decisions right now at this very conference. Some of you are making decisions. Some of you have made decisions.
You perhaps made a decision to live for Christ. Some of you perhaps have decided to go home and ask to remember the Lord in his death. Some of you have chosen partners. Some of you have made decisions that are going to affect the whole of the rest of your life. All your young people. What a privilege to be brought into new creation where Christ is all Does he want you to rob you? Is He asking for you because he wants to rob you of something?
When God made that world so beautiful for Adam, did he try to rob him? No, it was Satan that robbed him.
God made it beautiful for him, and He listened to the voice of the tempter. When God saved you, did He? Did He save you to rob you? No, these things, right? And you that your joy may be full. And He wants you to know the fullness of joy that He only can give. And more than this, as it was pointed out in the meetings, the joy of the Lord is your strength. I want to tell you something wonderful.
God finds more pleasure in your happiness than all the happiness you will ever have. You know, I have children of my own, and when my children are happy, I think my happiness is greater than theirs. I just love to see them happy. I just love to. It satisfies my heart. And I would be willing to make sacrifices if it would do something for their good and for their happiness. And so at every parent here, oh God, your Father has made the greatest sacrifice that was possible to make. He gave his son.
Because he wanted to make a new world where all would be supremely happy, where God himself would wipe away all tears from off of all faces, and there would be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying or pain. Yes, He wants you to be happy. And I say to you, He's able to fill your heart with joy and happiness right now. But your young people, just as the tempter came into the Garden of Eden, he's coming into your Garden of life.
And he's coming with all kinds of suggestions. He's saying the goodliest are mine, the goodliest. And as I see young people that I felt were really promising, young people who have could have contributed a great deal, and as I see them listening to the voice of the tempter and turned aside, I feel like weeping. I know they're losers themselves, and I know the people of God are losers, but the one who feels it the most is the one who wept over Jerusalem.
Now I just like to say a little more to before I close and that is that in this new creation, it tells us that Christ is all and in all. And I want to point out that he's not only all for salvation, but he's all for your whole life, for the he's the object of your life. He's your example. Perhaps you've had your eye upon some Christian.
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Somebody that you admired very greatly, someone you said all that person's been such a wonderful Christian. I could never, never think of being such a fine person as he or she. And that person disappointed you. That person didn't go on for the Lord and you got a big let down. Well, you got your eye on the wrong person. Dear young people, get your eye upon the Lord Jesus. There's a verse that says I've seen an end of all perfection.
And if you live long enough, you'll see failure in every servant of God. You'll see failure in every Christian. But I don't want you to look at them. In new creation. God may use a servant, but the servant hasn't filled his work properly unless he's hidden himself and pointed to Christ. The one whom God called the greatest among those born of women was the one when they pressed him as to who he was, all that he would say is.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness said I'm just a voice. So in God's program, Christ is all for salvation. He's the example. He's to be your object. And I say he's to be the gathering center too. He's to be the gathering center. Now, you know, in the systems of man, they're often the names of man. And these men may have been great men.
For the Lord, they may have done a great deal for him, but in God's program, I say the Lord Jesus is to be the gathering center too. He's to be the one to whose name were gathered. And I know it takes courage when your friends ask you.
Where do you go to worship? It's not hard to say. Well, I go to such and such a church. It's not even hard to say.
I belong to brethren because you don't really belong to brethren, but it's not hard to say that.
But it takes courage to say I belong to the Lord Jesus. I'm gathered to his precious name alone. I'm gathered to his precious name alone. Now, who's the head of your church? Well, the Lord Jesus is the head of the body, the church. Paul, I mean, who's in charge? Well, I, I hope the Holy Spirit is in charge. That's the way it should be. And the world doesn't understand that sort of thing.
And I believe I can say this, that reproach for the Christian is proportionate to the measure in which he gives Christ his rightful place. If you recognize Christ only for salvation, you'll get quite a bit of reproach.
If you recognize Him as the object of your life, you'll get a little more reproach. If you make Him and Him only the example of your life, you'll get a little more reproach, because people like to set men before you. And if you recognize Christ only as the gathering center.
You'll get a little more reproach. Reproach grows proportionately in the measure in which Christ is given his place because the world has cast Christ out. And they want a system where man is the center. And they're very pleased when Christendom brings in something of man into its system. But they don't like a system. If I can use that, they don't like a position would be a better word. They don't like a position on earth.
Where we recognize Christ only for salvation. Christ is our righteousness, Christ is our pattern, Christ as our object. Christ is our gathering center. They don't like that. And yet in heaven it's going to be Christ. Everything there. And will we need anything more? No, nothing more than that. But just before I close, I just like to turn to a verse in First Epistle of John on the 5th chapter.
Verse 4.
For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. You say, how can I overcome?
Gordon, you don't know what I have to meet when I go back. You don't know the forces that are tugging at me. You don't know what my parents are going to say. You don't know what my friends are going to say. You don't know what even some of the young people in the meeting are going to say. If I really want to make Christ the center of my life, well, there's a way of victory. But it's by faith. It's by faith. And what is faith? Well, faith has an unseen object.
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Before 1 in faith, we have an unseen object, and if you act to please me, you've got the wrong object before you.
And you won't have victory in your life because as soon as you're tested by, it's going to be found that you had your eye on the wrong object. But you know, the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. Oh, you say, I'm afraid I haven't got very much faith. Well, it's possible for faith to grow. You know, faith is the gift of God. It's given to us. But you know how faith grows? Well, faith grows by trusting the Lord in little things.
And so when you meet the first difficulty after you leave this place, just look up and say, Lord, I'm not sufficient for this situation. It's too much for me, but I just look to Thee to help me. That will be the first step. And when you've taken the first step, that's going to encourage you for the next. And without you trying to make an effort, you'll find your faith grows. Your faith always grows in someone when you become better acquainted with them.
If you find there what they should be when you first meet a person, you may not know too much about them, but as you get to know them better, if they're worthy of your confidence while your faith grows as time goes on. Well, dear friends and dear young people, I like a little hymn that says, Able art thou our love to win, worthy of all our trust. The Lord Jesus is worthy of all your trust and confidence.
Don't look too far ahead. If you try to look too far ahead, you might see difficulties.
And say I could never meet them but the first one that comes up after you leave this place.
Or perhaps before you leave this place, just look up and say, Lord, I'm not sufficient for this.
But give me the strength, I say again. You and I have been brought into this place.
For we belong to new creation. May the Lord grant that we'll give the Lord Jesus his rightful place. And I'm sure if we do, we'll be like the wise man. When they had come up to see the Lord Jesus after he was born, then it says that God warned them.
Not to go back the same way. They came, and it says they departed into their own country another way. They departed into their own country another way. They had to go back home, but they didn't go the same way. And you have to go back home. I have to go back home. As the Lord leaves us here. We have our earthly home and we have to go back now. We're going to meet the same difficulties that we left when we get back home, but we can go another way.
We can go having seen the Lord with something of His glory and his beauty.
Filling our hearts something of the realization that we belong to this new creation where Christ is all and in all.
Can't we just?
Don't we just sing that little hymn? As soon now will come again, Jesus our Lord. We shall be happy then. Jesus our Lord forgotten the number.
Thank you, 286.
Then we thy face shall see. Then we shall like thee be than evermore with thee, Jesus our Lord, 286.
Soon at all God.
Who is in his life?
Open Mtg.
Open—C. Lunden, G. Hayhoe, P. Glading
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.
General Meetings. Toledo, November 1971. Open meeting.
When you turn this knee to the 12Th chapter of John, please.
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I.
The 23rd verse.
And Jesus answered them, saying, the hours come, that the Son of Man should be glorified.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die. It abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be.
If any man serve me, him will my father honor.
The chapters that go along with the 17th chapter, which are sometimes spoken of as the Upper Room ministry.
Bring the person of the Lord Jesus before us.
Now this chapter really is the ending.
Perhaps of his public ministry.
And it's the it's the Greeks or Gentiles that come and inquire that they would like to see Jesus.
Jesus.
Oh, what a precious thought, dear brethren, to see Jesus. And so we find that the Lord instructs them that when he's gone, they will see him, but in a different way when the Spirit comes.
And that's been our privilege in these meetings to see Jesus.
It's been expressed in the heap in the book of Hebrews, the second chapter, but we see Jesus.
Made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. Crowned with glory and honor. That's where he is now.
Our brother has been speaking to us about new creation. We have that here.
The corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying.
But it does not abide alone.
And the kind of fruit that's brought forth is just like itself, just like himself.
And how was this? We've had it before us in the meetings.
There's no corruption there.
No, it's all new creation.
It's like himself. The fruit is just like the seed that was planted.
And so he speaks here of glory.
Glory.
Well, in this passage, we're not taken back to our sins.
We're not taken back to our history, but the believer is seen identified with one who has gone down into death and has come up like a corn of wheat that fell into the ground and died.
And so we have new, new creation, We have resurrection life here to start with, and I'd like to associate that with discipleship in the next few verses.
Now we find that the Lord Jesus gave himself.
He spent everything that he had, we learned.
In the 13th of Matthew for that Pearl of great price.
And he appeals to our hearts in these scriptures.
Is there going to be a return to him? And so he says.
He that loveth his life, this life.
Shall lose it.
Lose it.
I remember a young man who began by.
Preaching the gospel in the street, attending the meetings.
Taking part.
In various activities connected with the Saints.
But gradually he began to take up with things outside.
00:10:00
And now he's an old man, he has a family.
Growing up in the world, you can't speak to them of the things of Christ.
He lost his life.
He lost it.
But not in the sense of this.
No, it says here.
He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
He loved his life in this world.
But he lost it, and it says here he that hateth it.
She'll keep it until life eternal.
The Lord Jesus gave himself for us.
Now what is the natural?
Thing for one, who has that new nature to do to respond?
Well, to forfeit this present life and all that nature would suggest to us for the one who gave everything for us.
I'm going to Dutch just on a few points this afternoon in these various chapters.
And this is the first one.
The first one is.
That new creation and discipleship in response to it, if you'll turn with me to Luke.
To a verse in connection with this in the 9th chapter.
The 57th verse.
And it came to pass.
That as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man have not where to lay his head.
And he said unto another, Follow me. And he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my Father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou, and preach the Kingdom of God. Another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, his fit.
For the Kingdom of God. Now it seems to be that what we have here is fitness for the Kingdom of God.
Fitness for the Kingdom of God.
I suppose this passage, this last verse, is taken from the history of Elijah and Elijah.
As Elijah comes out of the country, he finds Elijah plowing.
Now that act speaks typically of repentance. Valleys, ditches, trenches, plowing, all speak of repentance, state of soul ready for the water and the blessing that God has.
He cast his mantle upon him, and he runs the following.
But.
He says let me go.
Bid my mother and father farewell, or kiss my father and mother. Which is the real the same meaning?
He says, go back again, what have I done to thee?
He went back.
Nor did he do.
He slew the oxen with which he had been plowing.
He brings death, beloved, upon everything that belonged to his former corpse.
Why There's a new life, new creation?
And now what does he do? He takes the oxen, and he takes the instruments of the oxen, and he makes a fire, and he.
Prepares the flesh for meat for the people of God. That's the ministry of grace.
That's what you and I should be occupied with, beloved. The Ministry of Grace. As has been suggested in these meetings, we're sent here.
We're not just left here. And what is our ministry, Grace?
Grace And so we find then that as soon as he does all this, he turns his back on his father and mother.
Now of course Scripture doesn't suggest that we dishonor our Father, Mother, but the point is that the issues of the Kingdom of God come first.
00:15:07
First, oh how we need to learn this beloved first.
Are we occupied with that which belongs to the present, or that which belongs to that eternal day that lies ahead that we've heard so much about in these meetings?
I'm not going to say anymore about that, but we'll turn now to John 13.
These chapters have often been opened up to us and I only want to point to a verse or two in each of these chapters.
In this chapter we have cleansing. First we have new creation, and then we have discipleship, and now we have cleansing.
And so.
It says in this chapter.
The fourth verse will not read only a part. He rises from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself.
After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel or with he was girded.
Then cometh he to Simon Peter, and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, that thou shalt know hereafter.
Peter said unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said unto him, He that is washed needeth not saved to wash his feet, but is clean every width and year clean, but not all.
Verse 13.
Ye call me Master and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am.
If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet.
Ye also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.
Now, Peter.
Thought the Lord was Speaking of cleansing him in another way.
He was thinking of the literal side of things, of washing his feet and the Lord to stoop to do this. He wouldn't have it.
But when he tells them that he won't have any part with him if he doesn't, then perhaps the light is beginning to breakthrough to Peter.
Oh yes, we have to have our ways cleansed down here. Now how are our ways cleansed?
Well, I'll read a verse in the next chapter that will tell us.
In the in the no. The 15th chapter and the.
15th chapter.
And the third verse.
Now you're clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Now I know that applies to salvation too, but it applies to the cleansing of our ways.
The word which I have spoken unto you.
And so we find then, that the means of cleansing our ways is the Word of God.
We find the exercises, the disciples, that they do this to one another, that they wash one anothers feet.
Now, this wasn't a literal washing of the feet, necessarily.
There's certainly nothing wrong with that.
To stooping down and taking a low place. But the point here is.
That which we learn for our souls. Blessing.
Oh, how good it is that we are taught to love one another, but we are also taught to wash one another's feet.
The way of correction is the way of life.
And beloved, do I resist correction?
00:20:02
Oh, you say? Well, I'd take it from an older brother.
I heard a brother say not long ago, he's not going to correct me, I'm older than he is.
Is that the Spirit of Christ, beloved?
No.
No.
Way of life, the way of correction, the way of life.
Oh, how blessed the end that's in view.
And so.
You call me Master and Lord 13 first you say, well, for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet.
You also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that she should do as I've done unto you.
Now read the 17th verse.
If you know these things.
Happy are you if you do them.
Now we turn to the next chapter.
In this chapter we have communion.
The person himself leading us into the Father's house.
Oh, how blessed this is.
Now I'm not going to read much in this chapter, I'm just going to read the start with the 21St verse.
He that hath my commandments and keepeth them.
Here it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest.
Myself to him.
Judas saith unto him, Not a scary at Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loved me.
He will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.
Blessed abode this is.
Experienced in the first chapter of John, when the disciples say, Master, we're dwellest thou. And he says, come and see. Have you ever come to see?
Have you ever had the experience of the first chapter of John's Gospel? Come and see.
Oh, what a what a privilege. Now I know it's individual in John.
Primarily.
What a privilege we've had this morning together.
But there must first be the individual.
Enjoyment of Christ in the soul.
And so in the first chapter of John.
They, their hearts, have been drawn to the person, just as in this chapter.
And they said, Master, where dwellest thou? Where do you live? He says, Come and see. And they abode with him that day, it says.
Bless a day, precious day.
To have the person of Christ before us.
In Communion Fellowship.
Oh, it's his desire that we might have this as our continual experience.
Not just for an hour.
And you, dear young people, we're not speaking especially to young people this afternoon.
Have you ever tried when you come home from school or from the job and you older ones do slip in your room and get down your knees just for a minute, Just for a minute? Have you done it to keep in touch, to keep happy in your souls? Have you done it?
This is the secret, beloved, and fellowship and communion.
Awful.
Remember the Prophet.
Who came to the great woman in the 4th chapter of Second Kings? He came once, and then pretty soon, it says, as often as he came, as often as he came.
00:25:07
Is it so with us?
Well, we have then Communion.
Here and is connected with the Father's house.
Now we notice the order here first. There's a new life in the 12Th chapter.
Then there's discipleship.
Then there's cleansing.
And what is the cleansing do? Well, it was a custom in that land and perhaps still is, that if you went to visit someone, they would wash your feet.
Why? To cleanse all the defilement from the road that you've traveled.
But that wasn't all. To refresh you. To refresh you.
Now we'll go back just for a moment to that thought of refreshment.
Do you think a sheep is happy if it's defiled?
No.
A pig might be, but not a sheep.
But all when the sheep is cleansed, it's happy.
Refreshment. Is there something, beloved on my conscience this afternoon? On your conscience?
That hasn't been judged.
Has someone spoken to you and you won't have it?
Well, you can't go on refreshed in your spirit to enjoy the things of the Father's house.
That are spoken of in the 17th of John. You can't do it.
Why, oh Holy Father, we have in the 17th of John.
Keep to thine own name, those that thou hast given me.
Holy Father.
There is no communion outside of holiness, beloved.
And it's reversed due there's no holiness outside of communion.
Again, we speak of that new creation.
And what belongs to it, its character is that, and it was manifested in the person of the Lord Jesus when he was here.
Not His glory, as will be exhibited in that coming day, but His nature.
In his character.
Oh, how beautiful to trace these things.
These moral glories in the Gospels as well as in the types of the Old Testament.
Well then we've spoken of communion and it says.
We'll make our abode with him.
You know we're going to make our abode up there in the coming day with him.
We're going to be with Christ in glory. We're going to be in the Father's house.
Are we going to wait until then to enjoy that fellowship and communion? No, he says.
Keep my commandments.
And this will be the result.
The Walking in obedience and dependence. Then He comes down and the Father comes down to make their abode with us down here. Until that day when we go up there. Is that going to be your experience in mind?
Now we go to the 15th chapter.
Verse 3.
Now we have the subject of fruit bearing, because, you know, beloved, fruit bearing follows communion.
Just as it does in this order.
A new life discipleship.
Cleansing Communion.
Fruit bearing. Fruit bearing.
Verse four, I should have said.
Now we have 3 abides here. The first one is in the fourth verse, Abide in me.
00:30:05
And I in you O what nearness He's not talking about when we get to glory, he's talking about now.
Abide in me and I and you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself.
Except to abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. Now they're in communion. Nice. As you abide there, you abide there.
No fruit unless you abide there.
Oh, precious fruitberry, the result of communion.
Not abide in this doctrine or those set of rules. Abide in me. Oh how sweet this is.
A precious abide in me.
Aren't we in Christ? All right? Abide in the sense of it now, in your soul, by faith.
Read the scriptures prayer.
Abide in me.
Now in the.
Seventh verse. Well, we read the 6th.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. This is solemn, isn't it?
It doesn't say if ye, it says if a man.
If a man.
You know.
In a day like this, when?
Things are getting lighter and lighter in a spiritual way. Sometimes there are those who slip in among the Saints.
And pretend to be real, Judas did.
I remember 1 morning after the breaking of bread.
I noticed a young man who was not in the assembly where we were, but he was visiting with his parents.
And I knew that that there was something wrong with this young man.
I didn't know what it was.
But I know that the word of God has power.
And so at the close of the meeting, he tried to get out.
Before anyone could reach him and I reached him before he got away.
And this is what I said to him.
If you live after the flesh, he shall die, and this is eternal death.
He broke down and he confessed the life of sin.
But he's still gone. He's still living a life of sin.
But he was breaking bread for a good many years.
If you live after the flesh, ye shall die.
Eternal death. Oh, how solemn.
Here's the branch.
The man abide not in me is cast forth as a branch. Now I'm not going to pass judgment on this young man.
But it's an example, a picture to us.
Of one.
Who manifest by his ways that he's not real never come back as far as I know.
He's still living in that kind of a life. Wickedness.
It is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
That's the final end of that course. There are steps here, but there's a final end to it.
So it was with Judas.
But you know, there are also things that come into our lives that.
Where we may slip away and have to be brought back through.
Through this gracious.
Washing of the feet.
The flying of the Word of God to our consciences.
And we should be able to admonish one another. We should be in that state of soul.
So that we might continue in communion, we might be restored to communion and continuing communion.
00:35:05
That there might be fruit. Now this chapter speaks of fruit.
More fruit.
And much fruit.
Fruit. More fruit, Much fruit. How is it with us?
Well, now we have if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Do we have our prayers answered, or is it because we ask amiss to consume it upon our lusts, as James says?
Do we have the happy, the joy in our souls?
I'm seeing our prayers answered. Do we, beloved?
Well, here's the order, isn't it? Oh blessed, the word of God is how perfect the order. New life, discipleship, cleansing, communion, fruit bearing prayers answered.
Living in the good of Christianity, shall we say? I know the fullness of Christianity isn't brought out in John. It's the beginnings, though, And that's what we need, isn't it? To be exercised about these beginnings.
Here it is, my father glorified that she bare much fruit. How? Well, now we're asking. And now we're bearing much fruit asking, and our prayers are answered.
So shall ye be my disciples.
Now the ninth verse.
That little word continue is the same word there as abide.
You get the IT referred to in the following verse.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.
Abide ye in my love. Abide ye in my love.
And now how are we going to abide in His love?
Well, it explains it then in the next verse.
Our perfect How beautiful, how simple Scripture is for the heart that wants to learn.
The truth of God.
If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. Now. Is there anything simpler than that for our souls this afternoon?
And he tells us, as his commandments are not grievous.
So to abide then in his love.
Now, whether you think of it in the sense of being loved yourself by Christ, or whether you think of the love as that very love, that with which He loved Christ as He went through this world, they're both beautiful to think of. He loves us, but the Father loves us just as He loved Christ as he went through this world. They're both true.
Both true.
How do we have this happiness in our souls, as the next verse says, this joy?
Keeping his commandments.
Oh, you say. Well, I don't have a definite commandment for this, and I don't have a definite command for that. No, you don't.
But do you love him?
Isn't that enough?
Isn't it strange that we have to resort to scriptures that give us a direct command as to what we should do when we know by being guided by His eye what to do?
Walking so close as this to be guided by his eye.
We're instructed in the scriptures what to do, there's no question about that.
We're instructed in every detail.
00:40:02
As to our conduct here.
You know, I was Speaking of the practical aspects of these things. I was telling about this young man who had made a profession of Christianity.
I'll speak of something else practical too, because I I have it on my heart to just mention this.
That.
In the day in which we're living, the enemy is coming in. And there's the evidence, beloved, that many of us are not abiding in His love, practically in our souls.
And so I would suggest that.
I won't read these scriptures, but I would suggest.
For the.
Young men and young women and older men and older women to read First Timothy.
The second chapter.
And verses 8-9 and 10.
In the new translation.
And I would suggest also.
That.
Our dear sisters read Isaiah 47 verses 2:00 and 3:00.
There's no mistaking, beloved, that the Word of God covers every part of our conduct.
And we will not abide in Christ if we just slide over these scriptures.
We said we'll keep all these words. Someone said to me, oh, that's in the Old Testament, is it? Whose word is it?
Admit God's word.
Does it have any application to be?
Indeed it does.
Every word of God is pure.
It has its application.
A young couple went into assembly.
A small assembly and they handed their letter to the brother.
And you know what this faithful brother said?
You know, I hate to have to speak of these things, beloved, he said to that couple.
He turned to the young lady. He says to your brother and allow you to break bread dressed like that.
Isn't that solemn?
Isn't that solemn?
Is this abiding in His love? Is this keeping His commandments?
Is this in the enjoyment, beloved of his love?
Bearing fruit, he sent us here.
And it's his desire that we would bear fruit. But how could we bear fruit when the simplest things in our lives are neglected?
That we refuse, absolutely refuse, to bow to the precious holy Word of God.
Oh, it's solemn.
Well.
It says here, if ye 10th verse, if you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Now how is our joy going to be full beloved? By doing our own way.
No, by keeping his commandments.
All that we have in this written word from the beginning to end should command our conscience.
Rightly divided, of course.
Should command our consciences.
Now the 16th chapter.
These things have I spoken unto you, that she should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogue, Jay. The time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service.
00:45:02
And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to Him that sent me. And none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou, but because I've said these things unto you, sorrow that filled your heart.
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he has come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, and so on.
13 First I'll be it when he, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all.
The truth, For he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come.
We have the Spirit mentioned coming in three different ways in these three chapters, the 14th, 15th and 16th, and in each case he's spoken of as the Spirit of truth. Truth.
The only three times that I know of in Scripture, except in the Epistle of John, where it simply refers to truth contrasted with evil.
He is the spirit of truth.
Now.
In the 14th chapter he was going to leave them orphans.
He was going away, and so the Father would send the Spirit.
And he would bring things to their remembrance. In the 15th chapter we find that.
In the end of the chapter, the Spirit has come coming to bear witness, and they were to bear witness too.
When the spirit of truth has come, it's testimony there, but now in this chapter we find they're under persecution.
He's telling about the time when they're going to be in the very path that he took and they'd be persecuted. Perhaps John was the only one that escaped being a martyr, I don't know. History seems to suggest this, that all the rest were martyred.
Persecuted even unto death.
But.
He's comforting their hearts with things to come. That's what the Spirit of God is doing for those who are under persecution.
But you know, it's only those that will live godly in Christ Jesus that suffer persecution.
So remember the order that we have here.
The new life, the new creation. Discipleship.
The subjection to correction, which is the way of life frenzy, and then that sweet communion.
Bearing fruit.
Now persecution. And how does the chapter end? With that, I'll close.
33rd verse.
These things have I spoken unto you, that in me.
You might have peace.
Peace. Oh, it doesn't matter what your trial is, beloved. Here's something for your heart.
That in me you might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulation.
These were his disciples that had set their course to follow him. They're going to have tribulation but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
Just one little passage I'd like to look at, brethren in Matthew chapter 14.
Matthew chapter 14 and verse 15.
00:50:11
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying.
This is a desert place, and the time has now passed. Send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and by themselves vittles. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but 5 loaves and two fishes. He said, Bring them, hit her to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five laws and the two fishes.
And looking up to heaven, he blasts and break, and gave the laws to his disciples.
And the disciples to the multitude, and they did all eat and were filled.
And they took up of the fragments that remained 12 baskets full, and they that had eaten were about 5000 men beside women and children.
I just enjoyed this little portion of God's Word because there are times when we often feel discouraged. There are times when we feel very much like the disciples did on this occasion says it was evening. They said it was a desert place, and the time has now passed. Surely we can say too, that we're getting to the very end of the day of grace. We feel the weakness coming in.
We feel, too, that it is a desert place now that is there's.
A famine not only for bread or for water, but for hearing of the words of the Lord. And how often we hear it commented. Well, there isn't the freshness in the ministry, there isn't that in the meetings to cheer and encourage our hearts like there should be. And very often we are inclined to look at our feeble resources and say, well, what can we do? What? How can we help out in this situation? It's a desert place and the time is now past.
I wonder what was the suggestion of the disciples on this occasion. Now they said, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and by themselves vittles. Now that is, instead of being exercised, that the Lord was sufficient to feed that great multitude, even though it was a desert place, even though it was toward evening. Even the laws that says here the time is now passed.
The Lord was sufficient for this situation. He loved the people. They had come and had followed him. And no, He wasn't going to send them away. But the hearts of the disciples failed on this occasion. And perhaps as we return to our little meetings and we see the few that come out to the Bible reading the prayer meeting and we might feel just exactly like the disciples. Well, what is the use of continuing? Doesn't seem to be much that is sad.
There's not, perhaps much that ministers to the heart.
I'm reliable to just give up. And what will be the result of this? Well, it tells us here that if they sent them away.
They'd go somewhere else for their food and brother and I feel this is a challenge.
I feel this is a warning to we find that there are Saints of God.
Instead of enjoying the precious ministry of the Word and being faithful at the meetings, how often we find them turning to other sources for refreshment, other sources for encouragement for their souls. I've heard it said, well, what is the use of having a gospel meeting? Only Christians come out, but those very same Christians, if you don't have a gospel meeting, will be listening to the gospel on the radio.
They only listening to someone else preaching the gospel because we didn't give them to eat. And I believe there's a word here to encourage us to go on. I've often said the Saints need the gospel. We need to have our hearts warm with the love of Christ. We need to have our hearts drawn out to Him.
I remember a man who came out to the gospel meeting in Ottawa many years ago, and I wasn't the speaker, but another brother spoke. And this man hadn't come to the gospel before, but it was a very small little meeting and a little hall and there were just, I think eight people there. And sometime afterwards he was brought to the Lord. And I asked him, I said, when were you brought to the Lord, brother?
00:55:09
Well, he said, the first time the Lord spoke to me, he said, was when I went to the gospel meeting, and there were just eight people there. But he said the brother that spoke spoke with such warms and such love. I don't remember anything he said, but I thought there must be something to it. Well, dear friends, how this ought to be an encouragement to us. The disciples were weary. It had been a difficult day, and as I said, it just seemed that they said it's no use.
And they said, Send a multitude away, let them go other places, and by themselves ventilates. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart, Give ye them to eat. Oh, let me say, and I say to those who are young, as well as those who are older.
What a privilege it is to be gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
What a privilege it is to be where the Saints of God and all their weakness seek to maintain the truth of God. I don't say it with any boasting, brethren, but I say that God's assembly is to be the pillar and ground of the truth.
And I believe that when we leave the path that has been marked out in the word of God.
We may get numbers, we may get crowds, but there will be some departure from truth. There will be something that's given up. And we listen to things, we read things, often very interesting and pleasant to read, but we find that there's some part of the truth that's missing, something that's important that has either been omitted or has been set aside. Well, isn't it lovely here?
The Lord's words that they need not depart and all. If there is anyone here who is discouraged, if you're perhaps like some and say well, I don't find much use in coming to the meetings. There seems so little for my soul there. Remember those words, they need not depart.
And then let us who have any part in trying to help the Saints of God remember these words, give you them to eat, give you them to eat. And one is often an exercise that when the Saints of God come together, the Lord said, feed the flock of God which is among you.
And I feel that when we come to the meeting, there ought to be, when the meeting is over, stepping up from the meeting and starting toward home with a feeling that we had been fed and those who take part should be exercised, that the Saints would be fed.
Sometimes said to the young people at Otter Lake, we can have a lot of discussions about knowledge.
That don't at all edify the soul, but we would seek to minister Christ.
Supposing that we sat down to the meal table and before we started to eat today, one of the brothers got up and he said, now before anyone eats, I'd like to tell you how many pounds of meat there were for this meal today, how much time was taken in preparing it.
How many slices of bread were caught, how many pieces of butter were put out, and how much coffee was used and how much tea? I think we'd all say, well, we're glad that you knew how to prepare it, but we'd like to eat. Well, I believe there's a danger of us getting so much taken up with little details of that. The Saints are not fed. Give ye them to eat. Oh, but you might say.
We haven't got very much to give and that's exactly the way that disciples felt here. They looked on their tiny resources and we're told in another place it was just one boys lunch. That's all. It was one person in 5000, besides men and children that even had a lunch that could be used. And you might say well what am I? I'm just one person. And if you read the account in John you'll see it was just a lad.
There might be someone here who says, well, I'm just one person, what contribute contribution could I make? What could I do?
And I'm young. Besides, they looked at their little resources.
5 loaves, 5 in Scripture figures, weakness and.
Two fishes another place says small fishes all what a little bit they had. What could they do? Feed one person. That's about all was enough to feed one person? Well where the was the Lord able to use this one boys lunch? Could this boy be made a blessing to over 5000 people? Yes he could. He could be made a blessing to over 5000 people. But what was the secret?
01:00:26
The Lord said, bring them, hit her to me, bring them, hit her to me. That is was, how was this boy willing to present what he had to the Lord, and are you and I willing to take the little bit that we have and present it to the Lord? The greatest blessing that we find recorded in the Scripture was when some person presented a very little to the Lord. Think of that woman at the well, how much did she know?
But while she knew that she had met a person who had told her all things that ever she did, she knew that was the Christ. It was a short message. There wasn't there didn't seem to be a great deal said, but it was such a powerful message that there was much blessing and they came out.
And believed. And then the Lord came to that place. And many more believed. But it all began because one person.
Put the little bit that she knew of Christ into use. She just said come see a man that told me all things that ever I did.
A man in the 9th of John, what did he have? He didn't know very much about the Lord, but he said one thing. I know that whereas he was blind, now I see. And he said, I know that his name is Jesus. That's about all he knew. But all what a powerful testimony. What blessing? Well, may we just say, do we come to the meeting with a little enjoyment of Christ? It may not be very much.
But I'm sure that if there's some little enjoyment of Christ in our lives, some little enjoyment that we have had of himself and that is put into the hands of the Lord, we'd be surprised. The blessing that there is, I've often noticed how richly the Saints have enjoyed some young brother who got up and spoke for the first time. He was shaking in his boots, he said. I didn't know how I could even speak for 10 minutes.
But he brought what he had and he gave it to the Lord. And what did the Lord do? He blessed it and he returned it to the disciples. Did he at that moment say, well, here was one line, I've multiplied it to 5000 lunches and now you can start out.
Oh no, I just had the one lunch, 5 loans and two fishes.
And the Lord blessed it and gave it back. And every step in the distribution, I believe, was a step of faith.
I believe as they went along and one person took his share off the plate, there was still more. And as they went along feeding those people, it just continued to multiply and increase. But each step had to be a step of faith. Each step had to be a confidence in God.
And oh, how wonderfully he came in. And it says that when they were all finished, everyone had eaten, everyone was filled, and there was something left. Yes, something left. Because whenever Christ is enjoyed, there's always something left because your heart and mind can't contain it. It says, behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.
And so whatever is presented of Christ, the heart can never fully contain it. There will always be something left. And so there were five baskets full more than they started with. So it is in the things of God. When we give, we always have more left than what we give. And that's the way it is in spiritual things. And then when they looked at the multitude, they that had eaten were five.
About 5000 men.
Beside women and children. How beautiful this is, how wonderfully the Lord undertook and fed this whole multitude. Well, may this be a voice to you and I in these last days in this desert place. And we look at our own poverty of soul, and we look at what we have, and we say, what can I do? What can I contribute in the little meeting?
01:05:03
If they depended on me, they wouldn't get very much. That's the way the disciples felt, but didn't depend on them. The whole thing depended on whether they were willing to put what they had into the hands of the Lord and have him bless it and return it to them with His blessing. And then when they gave it out, they all that Eden were filled. Oh, may the Lord help us as we go back to the little assemblies where we are.
Realizing it is a desert place, realizing the discouragement of these last days, may He give us grace, brethren, to be willing to put what we have into His hands and realize there is a need, a great need. And in the blessed place where the Lord has gathered His own to His precious name, He wants to see them fed. They need not depart. Give you them to eat.
In connection with what our brothers just brought before us, the scripture came very forcibly before me in the 5th chapter of Marks Gospel.
It's in connection with the daughter of Jairus.
We all know the story very well, but I'll just briefly mention what was before me.
This dear man, Jay Harris came to Jesus and told him that his little daughter was at the point of death and he desired the Lord to come and restore her. Well, we know further down the chapter it tells us that the Lord did He restored this little girl to life. She was of the age of 12 years.
We read of a dear woman in the same chapter who had been slowly dying for 12 years.
But this little girl had been living for 12 years and then died.
But we find here that the Lord came on the scene and restored this little girl to life.
And in the last verse it says, And he charged them straightly, that no man should know it, and commanded that something should be given her to eat. Now Jairus could not impart life to this little girl, but after she had received life, then he could give her something to eat.
And beloved, you and I, as our brother has reminded us, you and I, who have been blessed with divine life.
We need something to eat to sustain our souls.
And we have it in the word of God, particularly in the John 5.
John 657 May we just read it?
N.
John 6.
And 57.
As the living father has sent me, and I live by the father.
So he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. Here we have Christ our food. We have Christ our life in the same chapter. But here it's Christ our food. And you and I who have received divine life, eternal life, as a free gift from our blessed Lord through his work of Calvary. Now we need to be fed day by day.
And so this dear little girl was raised to life. And I take it it was generous who was commanded to give her something to eat? Well, as I said, he could not give her that life, but he could give her something to eat to refresh that life that she had received. And that's just what we each need we find in the Posia.
And the 12Th chapter and verse one says E frame feedeth on wind.
Well.
That's not much of A diet, is it? The frame feedeth on wind.
Israel and Egypt fed on leeks, garlic and onions, things of the earth.
01:10:00
What are we feeding on, beloved?
And we also find Israel fed on ashes in Isaiah 44, I think it is.
And it says in Proverbs, the fool feeds on foolishness.
Tell me where, thou fetus. This is a searching word for us all, isn't it? Tell me where, thou fetus. What do we feed upon, beloved, now that we have received a new life? Do we feed upon the things of this world which are to perish and which can never sustain our souls or strengthen us spiritually? No, we need that divine food. We need to feed upon the Word of God and upon Christ, the living bread.
And so I felt as our brother reminded us.
Of that beautiful story that this came to my mind and reminded me that here we have another example of one who needed something to eat and you and I need something to eat day by day.
Tell me where thou feedest. Well, what have we been feeding on during the last three days? Thank the Lord we've been feeding on the living bread on Christ, haven't we? And all? What a blessing it's been. How refreshing to our hearts and souls.
Has been defeat upon Christ to have the true bread of heaven before us? He could say I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
I'd like to read one of the verses in connection with that in the 6th chapter of John, verse 14.
He says I am that bread of life. Your father's did eat manna in the wilderness.
And are still alive. No, and are dead.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat there often not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eateth this bread, he shall live forever.
And the bread that I will give is my flesh, and I will give, which I will give for the life of the world. Eating and drinking are accents which one cannot perform for another. It's an individual matter, isn't it? You couldn't eat my supper for me. I wouldn't be sustained in that way. I have to eat it myself.
And so, beloved, we do need, as our brother has reminded us from that parable, we need food for our souls after we have received this divine life.
And this dear little girl came before me and just a little girl, 12 years of age and passed away.
The Lord restored her life. The parents couldn't do that, but they could give her something to eat. And it's our responsibility and privilege, too, to give the Saints something to eat from the Word of God. And we need it, beloved friends, we need our souls to be sustained day by day, otherwise we shall faint. By the way, we will not grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So how important it is then that you and I should be fed daily and the feed upon Christ, the living Bread, that Blessed One who has imparted divine life to our souls. We've been reminded that we have the same life as Christ Himself's wonderful thought, and it's true. Well now that life needs to be sustained and strengthened, and it's only done by feeding upon the Word of God.
Upon Christ, the living bread. Well, that's the only thought I had in connection with this that our brother brought before us. Give them something to eat.
Here we have something to eat, the precious Word of God, the living bread. We told the labour, knock on that which perisher, but the that which endureth under life eternal, the feed upon Christ. Oh, how important it is day by day to read His precious Word, to be strengthened and sustained in the inner man, and to have that new spiritual energy day by day to go on, and not to give up.
Because Satan would have us give up and say what's the good of going on? Everything is a failure. But no, friends, we have a divine life. We have the Holy Spirit to indwell us, to bring before us the things of Christ, to teach us, to encourage us to refresh our hearts and souls. And now it's our duty and responsibility after we have fed ourselves to feed others. So our brother says some have stayed away from the meetings. I know that could be a fact too. They say we're getting nothing from the meetings now. There's there's no gift there. There's nothing there will go somewhere else.
01:15:15
Well, it's a very bad sign, isn't it? They've lost their appetite. I remember reading a little dear girl who had TB very severely and her mother thought she she should go to a warmer climate. So she was sent to a warmer climate where her friends live. And there she went and they met her and made a great fuss of her and took her home and provided wonderful meals for her.
And she rode home to her mother, telling her mother what a wonderful.
Meal was provided for her on arrival, but she said Mother, I had no appetite. It did me no good. Mother, I had no appetite. There was a food provided for and beloved friends, as the food provided for our souls is precious word on the Lord Jesus Christ. But do we have the appetite? If not, we shall starve spiritually.
Well, may the Lord help us to have our appetite increased for the Word of God and for the Person of Christ, the true bread from heaven.
#276.
John 17:1-7
Reading
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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1971. First reading meeting.
64.
The last hymn that was sung if it wouldn't be profitable to look at the prayer of the Lord in the 17th of John Brethren, the Lord.
Chapter 17.
These words beg Jesus.
Lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour has come, Glorify my Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.
As I was given Him power over all flesh, they should give eternal life to as many as thou is given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work that thou gave us me to do.
And now our Father, glorify thou me with thy own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were and thou gavest on me, and they have kept thy word.
Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me, are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gave us me. And they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee. And they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me. For they are thine, and all mine are thine thine are mine, and I am glorified in them.
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And now I am no more in the world.
But these are in the world, and I come to these Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom now has given me that there may be one as we are.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name.
Those that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none of them have lost, but the Son of protection that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
And now come I to thee, and these words I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
I have given them my word. The world hath hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I pray now that thou should have taken out of the world, but that thou should have keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even though have I also sent them into the world. And for their sake I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which should believe on me through their words. But they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I and thee, that they also may be one another, that the world may believe that thou has sent me, and the glory which God gave with me I've given them, that they may be one, even as we are one, I and them, thou and me, that they may be made perfect in one.
That the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hath loved them.
As always loved me, Father have willed the altar, whom now has given me be with me where I am. But they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world.
All righteous Father in the world has not known thee. But I have known thee, and these have known as thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare that the love wherewith sorrows love me.
Maybe in them and I in them.
This chapter seems to be the culmination of.
The Lord's parting words given to us in the 1314 fifties and 16th chapter, do they not?
It seems a culmination of it all. And yet he now is not addressing his disciples, but the Father on their behalf.
I suppose we would say better than that this is.
Our Lord's High Priestly Prayer.
Contrast to what we are usually taught.
The most prayers, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
That is really the disciples prayers would you say? But here we have.
Our Lords High Priestly Prayer.
Prior to going to the cross.
I believe it's the only place in John's Gospel where we have the Lord in prayer.
Luke stop for where we have the Son of Man, We have him seven times in prayer, perfect number, pressing his dependence as a man upon the Father.
But in this gospel where we have Him presented as the Son of God.
It's the only place where we have him in prayer and that prayer is entered in is intersession for others, not for himself.
You were saying, Brother Smith, that is the large priestly prayer, and it's a sort of a culmination.
Summing up what we get in the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th chapters. Chapters that have often been spoken of as the upper room ministry, the Lord preparing his own for his departure.
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Our brother Bella give a precious thought of when he says that in the 13th chapter the Lord is washing the disciples feet.
That is, he's looking down the defile feet of his disciples.
In the 17th chapter we read that.
These words picked Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven. I'm looking down at the disciples feet. He now looks about into heaven and to the Father's presence. And as it were, he fills the whole distance between the defiled feet of his cycles right into the glorious scene where the.
He can address his father.
I suppose what you say Brother Smith, that this is definitely the Lord prayer, not the disciples prayer that the Lord taught them which was needful for that particular time.
But the prayer of the 17th of John.
Especially characteristic of the way we approach God our Father now that the redemption work is accomplished.
And the Blessed Lord has gone up on high, and the Holy Spirit has come down.
For there's no such thing as any distance now which the disciples prayer would suggest.
For the very fact they were to say Our Father, which art in heaven would suggest, as it were, a certain distance.
But here, when the Lord prays, he lifted. He lifted up his eyes. He just said, Father. She was right in the presence of the Father. You didn't have to speak as though it was something that had to be carried.
Help there to where her father is now abolished, but he could just look up and be right in the presence.
Of his Father and God.
So that is our privilege too, isn't it, Brother Smith?
I like that Brother Bear. We do notice in verse 5 the method that the Lord uses in addressing the Father.
All Father.
Well, we would say that his intimacy there with the father, oh, father.
But then again we noticed that he addresses.
The Father in another way.
In verse 11.
He says, Holy Father.
Well that would be as regards his own would you think problem bearing as regards his own?
But there is another.
Verse in verse 25.
Oh, righteous Father. It's rather noteworthy to notice that the method that the way that the Lord Jesus addresses the Father.
Well, would you say that this is regards the letter one? Would the last one would be as regards the perishing? Would you say perishing world?
Would that be all right, brother?
All righteous, Father.
Righteous would have the thought of judgment. God is a righteous God and must execute judgment upon a guilty world. And it's a world that's under the condemnation of having rejected God's Son when he was here in this world. So that is especially.
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In keeping with the character of the world.
When the Lord was speaking in that way, but when it's his own, it's all wholly followed. World hath known thee, but I have known thee that as we know God in that character.
Now God of infinite holiness, yet go and die. Though he was known in that character, he's known in his infinite love toward us.
Because all His Holiness has been satisfied in the work of his beloved Son.
I suppose we could connect it with first Peter chapter one and verse 16.
Well, the 15th verse.
But as he which hath called to his holy, so be holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, be holy, for I am holy. And if he call on the Father, who without respect of persons, Judith, according to every man's work past the time of your sod yearning here in fear.
So in this verse that you referred to the the 7-11 first, rather it has to do with our walk, doesn't it?
And so it tells us, Holy Father, keep through thine own name Thou have those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are. That is, if we're going to walk in fellowship with God as our Father, we must remember his holy character.
When it speaks of our relationship in a positive way, its Father and that blessed relationship is always true of us, because having received the Holy Spirit now we can address God as Father.
God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying have a Father. But if we're going to enjoy a relationship, if we're going to walk in His company, so to speak, we have to remember that He's a Holy Father.
A sometimes illustrated it like this. My child is in a relationship to me. I love it. Love it very much. But supposing I'm going to walk down the street in my child's face, dirty. Well, I say to the child's.
You must wash your face if you're going to walk down the street with me. So that is if the child is going to enjoy my company, it must remember that it must be clean. And so it's a wonderful thing to know that their relationships have said it's ours. And I believe particularly in John's gospel, it says possessing the life of the family because new birth is brought in in John, but in the 11Th verse where it's walking in communion.
Oneness and Communion. God our Father is a Holy Father.
I suppose we would say that holiness, brethren, is really the exclusion of everything from my life and yours. That would be contrary to God's mind and to God's nature. There is a verse, I think this is very interesting. Our brother brought up there is a verse that says the application of this would be.
Perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Well, would that be the exclusion, brethren, of everything from my life, that would be contrary to that blessed ones, contrary to his Word, contrary to his mind, and contrary to his nature. For God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
So this verse here, Holy Father, I think it embraces that.
I suppose Brother Smith that.
You speak of exclusion. It would be that something else would replace it. We do not. And so we find in these chapters.
That have been mentioned.
Which are spoken sometimes as the upper room ministry.
The person of Christ brought before us perhaps more than elsewhere.
I have noticed in the.
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14th chapter for instance, where the the person of Christ is brought before the disciples.
If you believe in the Father, believe also in me.
And so his person is before them there particularly.
Well, that chapter, this one.
And have the Lord refers to himself perhaps the same number of times in each each chapter. Over 60 times he refers to himself, either I or my or myself.
Setting before us in the 14th chapter.
Because it was going away. This person is our brother, Smith has said His Holiness.
That becomes the children of God. But how is it to be accomplished? Well, everything else is replaced with Christ. And now, in this chapter, as we're given, as it were, a little glimpse of what's going on up there now is He's He's there for us.
We find that it's his person that engages the Father and it's his in person that engages all heaven.
Person that will engage us when we get there now in this chapter.
We're taking up. It's been mentioned before, but we might just say in connection with these references that have been made.
Not at the beginning. We have the Lord Jesus receiving a gift, as it were, from the Father, those men which thou has given me. We don't see any mention of sins there.
They're all gone because when God gives the church to Jesus.
It's after all this work has been accomplished.
Now we're free.
Now the guilt All that belonged to us before is gone and were seen an entirely new relationship.
And what characterizes this relationship is holiness.
And so that verse that was referred to in the 11Th verse.
All Holy Father keep as the Lord Jesus goes away.
He entrusts his disciples, that heavenly family, a picture of that heavenly family on earth with a Holy Father to keep them. And it's only in a sense of holiness.
That we are preserved down here. And how can we have that sense of holiness to be occupied with the subject of the chapter? It's Christ. We can't be occupied with other things when we're occupied with Christ and he replaces everything here, but then at the end of the chapter.
In his prayer to the Father, he prays that we might be with him to behold his glory. That's the destiny of the believer.
So here in this chapter we have the origin, a gift from the father. We have the present safety and preservation of the believer, and then we have that destiny that we were singing about in our little hymn.
That's nice, brother. Love being we have here in this prayer, beloved. A perfection of security.
Now 7 times these words appear the first time. Notice please.
As many as thou hast given him.
If there should be a young person here.
Doubting concerning light, eternal light, we would seek to let you know from this chapter that we have here a perfection of security.
For each believer is the love gift of the father to the son.
Will you ever perish? Never. You are the love gift of the Father to the Son.
How do you know? Well, it says here as many as thou has given him.
Now the next time, if you don't mind me, just mentioning these going on a little.
In verse six I have manifested by name.
Unto the men which thou gave us me, here we have it again, this wonderful fact.
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And in the same verse nine they were and thou gave us them me. This is the third time.
That precious saying that repeats this glorious factor.
And looking down, Father in verse nine, I pray for them. I pray not for the world.
But for them which thou hast given me.
Isn't it wonderful That's the 4th time.
Mentions this glorious fan.
And in verse 11.
We have these words.
Holy Father.
Teeth through thine old name.
Those whom thou hast given me.
There is another one in verse 12. I have kept them in my name. Those that gave us me I have kept, and none of them is lost. But Judas, son of produce.
And there's one more problem.
We may find the threat to define before I do 24. Thank you.
Father I will that they also whom thou hast.
Given me be with me where I am, that they may be made, Behold my glory.
Was a picture of perfection. Do you doubt that that you have not eternal life?
You are the love gift, dear young Christian, of the Father to the Son.
All of the glorious proof this is.
You will find in this prayer.
That the Lord takes the position as though he was no longer in this world. Now I am no longer in the world as though he was above.
By instructing His disciples in view of that place and that portion which there would they would share with Him, but preparing them for the journey on the way as they go on through this scene that He had passed through before this, that they might be prepared for the for the doors of the last thing before us.
So in the first verse of our chapter.
He says the hour is come.
Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify these.
The Lord speaks as though He's just ready to step right into the glory, as all the cross will pass, and even the resurrection, so that He's ready, as it were, to enter.
But seen.
That we know he has entered.
Then another thing this.
Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. Remember hearing Brother Potter say this one time. It's just as though the Lord said this. I've done all I can to glorify you in this world. Now Take Me Home and I'll glorify you up there.
To be better read in the fourth verse along with thyself, wouldn't it?
With thyself.
I believe that that's the proper reading, along with myself.
In the fifth verse.
Yeah, you see there, he says. I finished the work which thou gave us me to do. Of course, that's anticipated.
For he hadn't even been at the cross. And the Lord does speak in that way because God and Christ is God can speak of things that are not as though they be.
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The beautiful picture of it in the 17th of Exodus isn't there where the children of Israel had a drink of the water that came from the smitten rock. And we're told in John 17 that this refers to the Holy Spirit. It says, Any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me as the scripture has set out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And it says.
This fake he of the Spirit which say that believe on him should receive.
For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because the Jesus was not yet glorified. So when they had had a drink of the smitten rock, then Amalek came out to fight with them, and Moses went up and stood on the top of the hill, and there he was in the presence of God on their behalf while they were fighting in the plains below. Well, so we see a picture here. The Lord had spoken of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the chapters before.
And now he's telling about how he's going up on high just as Moses did and we're going to have a conflict with the world. But just as Moses holding up his hand, it says when Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. And this the Lord is doing here is going up on high there to intercede for us and saw the precious Savior is there on our behalf. So it anticipates this position that.
He has now taken and as you remark, and it's lovely to see this. The expression Heavenly Father has to do with an earthly people, doesn't it?
That is, Israels blessings are on the earth and so in Matthews gospel we have that our Father which art in heaven and again your heavenly Father having to do with an earthly people. But isn't it blessed to know brother that we now have the Son's place before the Father?
And just as the Lord Jesus is there, and so we are there in Him. And because we are there in Him now, we can address God as our Father in the same blessed nearness.
And when he does undertake for us and even restores us when we have failed, it's not inconsistent with his character. So when it speaks of his advocacy and the first epistle of John and the first chapter in the ninth verse, it says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. Well, He's faithful in that blessed work as our advocate. And he's just because he has already glorified God in connection with those sins at the cross.
And so he's there in my father's presence for us. And when we have failed to restore us, the work of redemption being all completed, God having been glorified, and He is glorified there now at His Father's right hand, and we are accepted in Him.
It's noticeable and blessed to see is not that the Holy Ghost having come.
We we have that privilege of speaking to the Lord as our Father. It's noticeable, author, that in the 14th chapter the Lord speaks of my Father and of the Father. In the 16th chapter, over and over again He speaks of my Father and the Father, but He cannot speak to the disciples in the language that they know him as their father. Yet not until he gave that word to Mary, I ascend unto my Father and your Father.
Could they use that language? Could they? But now we are privileged because having the Holy Spirit, we can look up to heaven too and address God as our Father, not the Father or the Heavenly Father as the.
As our brother was Speaking of in connection with those who do not know this blessed truth or seem to enter into it, the dispensation now.
And as that distinctive character, that the children of God can speak to God as their father.
Has very blessed, isn't it? The Holy Ghost is present with us to give us this liberty and to make us understand.
The wonderful position we're in.
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I suppose power over all places in judgment.
That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. The one who has been crowned with thorns and rejected by this world is nevertheless the one who is to sit on the throne of judgment, and every knee must bow to him.
That's the solemn side of things, for the conscience of anyone who is not has not yet put their trust in the Lord as a Savior. If you have not, put your trust in the Lord and the Savior.
And you go on rejecting him. You may have to experience.
The solemnity of this that He has power over all place, and even though you may be laid away in the grave, your body will be raised. And that the Great White Throne you will have to meet the very one who once could have been your Savior. You'll have to meet Him there as your judge. But here is the other side of things most blessed and precious.
I said that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Now if you accept that.
That savior as your own.
If you, if you believe, that is, it says, if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, Jesus has Lord and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. And when you have accepted Christ as your personal Savior, then you can also know this wonderful fact that He has given to you he eternal life.
That is a life that brings you into full.
Communion with his heart and mind, that is its eternal in its character. It has no beginning and it has no end. Remember a rather close correcting me one time in a way that I never forgot it. I thought there was a difference between.
Everlasting life and eternal life. He gave me a nice.
Helpful words very gently, because I had made this mistake publicly.
He told me that in the Greek there's only one word, and it's always eternal, eternal life. That is, It isn't a life that might begin when you got saved, but it's a life that had no beginning. From all eternity, that life was in existence.
Well, it has no end either, for it goes on forever so that one will accept the savior.
To that one is imparted the very life of God himself, that eternal life.
So that we not only have that eternity before us of heavenly glory, and as John chapter 10 tells us, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. We have that assurance, but it goes on into the into the eternal scene before us.
But that very length that we shall possess through eternity brings us into full communion and fellowship with the mind and thoughts of God, even on our way and our journey home. And we'll possess it in the firmness when we're in our Father's house.
What we can say here that it's in contrast to with Adam's position.
God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. And so Adam was placed at the head of the first creation. But Adam fell, as we know and brought him death. And after death the judgment saw that Adams position was at the head of a fallen creation about how wonderful to think that the Lord Jesus came into this world and he is the one who is the beginning of the creation of God.
Now that is a blessed One, who is the eternal Son of God, and now in manhood takes the place at the head of new creation.
And in resurrection He breathed on the disciples and justice God had breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life. He breathed on them and said, Received ye the Holy Ghost. That is, it's by the Spirit of God that we enter into and enjoy this blessed relationship, and we possess a new life, a life that Adam didn't have. Adam had an ever existing life, but not what is spoken of as eternal life.
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For as our brother remarked in this third verse.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God in Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. We know that Adam had a life in innocence about he didn't enter into the heart of God, he listened to the tempter, and he fell. But isn't it, blessed brethren, to think that God has given us now this new life, so that we might be able to enjoy, and not just for a time, not something that we can lose?
But for all eternity to enjoy what is in his heart? Well, man, when he gets the position of headship, he uses his power, often in the wrong way. But isn't it lovely to think the Lord Jesus, the one who was rejected here and cast out in resurrection, takes this place as the one who communicates new life. And every believer in this room this afternoon possesses that new life and.
Unless we are allowing the Spirit of God His way with us, we may not be enjoying that life, but we possess it, and will not possess it any differently in heaven. Except there will be no hindrance, either from the old nature within or from these bodies of humiliation that often hinder our enjoyment.
And they shall and we shall never perish. Well, I remember leading a skeptical engineer to Christ on that verse.
He said it was impossible that anyone could be a have the knowledge of eternal life, possess eternal life.
And so I said, Would you like to read?
John 1027 and 28 in the Greek Well, he knew Greek. And I said, if you'll read that faithfully, Sir, you'll find out there's a double Greek negative there, the strongest in the word of God. And he read it, and he just got on his knees and accepted Christ as he saved. I never saw a man so overcome.
They shall never, never.
Now he went on to the Lord.
After his place at the table with Indian burn, he's.
Moving along, went home happily. That one verse they shall never, never perish. Oh, how blessed it is. But we do know, Reverend, that the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary.
Definitely and eternally dealt with a question of sin, both as regards its root and its principle.
And our sins he has formed in his own body on the tree, that we being indeed dead, we putting indeed there dead, until not sin, but sin might live unto righteousness, by whose stripes we've been healed. For we were a sheep going astray, and are now returned unto the shepherd and Bishop of our souls. How blessed it is to remember.
And as we grow and grin His service, it becomes increasingly precious to the soul. The Lord Jesus has definitely dealt, and eternally so, with the question of Sinner on the cross of Calvary, both as regards as Ruth we repeat and his principle.
We have a glorious savior, beloved.
An all powerful, glorious, loving sage. Not a sage.
I finished the work thou gave us me to do. Is that what you referred to his death and resurrection? And in preaching the gospel it's important, is it not, to bring in the resurrection? Because God has ordained a day in which he will judge this world in righteousness by that man that he's ordained? And he's given witness unto all men that he's raised him from the death. So resurrection is important, and this connection is it not?
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The death and resurrection. That's how man has been brought into blessing. In the 12Th chapter we have the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying. Otherwise it would have been alone.
In the then we have discipleship. In the next two verses we have new life and discipleship following. Then in the 13th chapter we have the cleansing.
Of the of the waves.
You might say that that is the advocacy of Christ.
In the next chapter, the 14th, we have communion, the Father's house.
The 15 fruit bearing.
And the 16th persecutions. And in this chapter the Intercessor who keeps us in the midst of all the trials and testing down here the lovely Order, isn't it?
This third verse is a very important one when we meet with so many people that will refer to believing in God and they never refer to believing on the Lord Jesus. At least it seems that way with some that you have known and they talk about God.
And that they they believe in God, and so on. They have faith in God, but never mention the Lord Jesus. And unless there is that acknowledgement of the connection between God the Father and the Son, there is no eternal life known, is there?
That's brought out in the 14th chapter business very forcibly. The first verse, he believed in God.
He says. Believe also in me.
So just to believe there isn't God doesn't save our soul, doesn't.
Brings us in responsibility, but then we have to believe in God's beloved Son.
To be saved, our thinking is.
In the 17th chapter, we have two blessed inseparable truths mentioned. Our brother Smith is mentioned one.
The safety of the believer.
A stake in sanctification in this chapter rather not. And we have the same truth in the Old Testament in the 12Th chapter of Exodus. We find the children of Israel were sheltered by the blood of the lamb, and that constituted their perfect safety from judgment.
Very next chapter begins with sanctifying you on the first born British mind. So they will be set apart for God. They were his. And we have the same thought in this 17th of John, do we not? We have the safety of the believer.
In the.
12 First, while I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost.
Well, we know Jacob was a shepherd, and in spite of his unceasing vigilance, he lost some Visi. He admitted that. But when we come to the Good Shepherd, he'd say, those whom thou hast given me, I have lost none, and he never will. And yet there are people today who charge God with such a dishonorable act as losing his sheep after this aid.
They claim that you can be lost after you're saved. What a positive insult to the person of Christ. So we have the same thought brought out in this chapter, Safety of the believer and sanctification set apart for God.
In the fifth verse you'll notice.
How the Lord speaks with such absolute equality to the following. And now Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee, before the world was, thou know, mere man.
Could dare to speak the God of God in that way. I've done so and so. Now you must return what I have done and honor me.
Solely divine character.
Of the Blessed Lord, his full equality with God the Father comes out very blessedly in that in that verse I have glorified the glorified Thee with my own Self, with the glory.
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Which I had with thee before the world was Now you notice that this is a special glory. He speaks of other glories as he continues the prayer. But this glory is a glory which he had with him before the world was made. I will have redemption, glory as we continue our subject.
Now we can never share in his glory which he had before the world was.
But we're going to see our blessed Lord displayed in all that marvelous display of that creatorial glory and that coming day.
How many glories will be his when we're there?
And that scene where he is now waiting for us.
So the Lord himself was the Creator.
All things were made by him and for him.
Now as man you see.
Now the Lord never entered into that glory.
Back in the past ages, it was when he became a man that he could ask that he might be glorified with the glory that is as man.
He now enters into a glory which he had with the Father, but now that glory is displayed in a man at God's right hand.
Still, in this marvelous world, to think that one of our own races, just think of what man he has fought is man. The spirit of God says in the second chapter of Hebrews. What is man? When we think of what a failure man has been, the awful wickedness and corruption and horrible history that man has. And yet, out of this ruined, sinful race, God has taken a man and seated him in the very highest place in the universe.
And the very glory that belonged to him has creator that belongs to him. Now in that new position he's taken on high as a man in the glory.
We know that it says in Romans chapter 8 that he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. I just mentioned this lest any should think. When the Lord Jesus became a man, he did not take on him sinful flesh did he. He that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And the Lord Jesus could say when Speaking of Satan, the Prince of this world cometh and ask nothing in me.
We find many attacks made today on the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus that we must be very clear that the Lord Jesus, while in the likeness of sinful flesh, was always holy.
It's very important brother. Feel glad you mentioned it and.
That doctrine that is quite widespread over Christendom, that the Lord could have been but didn't see him, is a very evil doctrine because it really is an attack on the glorious person of Christ.
There are those that there are those that say that because the Lord was tempted, that it implied that he possibly could have sinned, But the temptation was to prove who he was. And I just mentioned too, that when the Lord Jesus himself was speaking in the temptation, He said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, And if the word temptation meant that a person possibly could send.
Then it's applied to God the Father. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And it also says in Malachi they the temp God are delivered. Does this mean then that that human man could possibly make God himself sin? We must always remember that the meaning of words has to be taken in their context, and when it is referred to God the Father or the Son, it does not in any way imply the thought of the possibility of sin.
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But it is a possibility that man might tempt God, or that Satan might come to tempt the Lord.
But it doesn't imply any possibility of failure, only shows what the heart of man and what Satan really was in attempting such a thing. Maybe you tell it, brother. Hell, your father's illustration about the ring. Well, I thought it was a very good one. He.
He spoke about how he might have a ring on his finger, which he knew to be pure gold, but someone looking at it might say that he didn't believe it was gold, but only brass. So how is this going to be proved that it's gold and not brass? Well, they go down to the jeweler and ask the jeweler to make a test on this ring. The person who maintained that it was only brass is expecting that. Perhaps it's going to be proved to be brass in the test.
But the person who knew that it's gold has no doubt at all. What does the test prove? Any possibility that it's brass? No, it just brings out what it really is. It brings out that it's gold. And so the temptation of the Lord Jesus was just that. For Satan tempted our first parents with the same temptations that he attempted to use upon the Lord. And our first parents fell, but when he attempted those tests upon the Lord Jesus.
It only proved who he was. He was the perfect dependent man, and more than this he was also God. And so he met the temptations as a perfect dependent man should beat them by the word. But he also showed who he was by saying get the hemp, Satan.
That was divine power.
I think it's well to be established in this because one of the leading.
Radio Preachers of today.
Well known everywhere.
Come out boldly and says that the Lord.
Could have sinned but didn't see him. I saw that in his own statement. So we have to beware where we get our instruction. Or unconsciously we might imbibe an evil doctrine without realizing that we are involving such a doctrine. In Romans, the first chapter, there's a verse I think we should notice.
In this connection, it's the fourth verse. Romans is the subject of righteousness, and it brings before us those things which are right.
In this fourth verse, a better reading marked out the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness.
By the resurrection from the dead, now there's two things that mark the Lord Jesus out.
Here as the Son of God.
The first is the spirit of holiness, and then also that he has.
In himself, that power, as he said to Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. It isn't simply that he raised someone from the dead. This was what he had within him now when Moses.
Of the Lord Jesus, and I believe this to be most important for us in this connection.
When he spoke of the Lord Jesus prophetically, he spoke of a prophet that God had raised up like unto me, he said.
And the soul will not hear that proper shall be cut off from the midst of his people.
Now he was like him in that he saw.
Him face to face. At least that was the thought. However, there's another sense in which he's like him.
Moses was the one who was the leader to lead the children of Israel.
Into their inheritance.
But the Lord Jesus came to lead his people into the heavenly inheritance.
And so the credentials that were given to Moses are the same ones that were given to Jesus.
The ones that were given to Moses are found in the 4th chapter of Exodus.
Moses said if they won't hear me then what I'm not quoting now, I'm just Speaking of it. Well then he said you have these signs. The one was to throw his rod down. It became a serpent and then at the command of God he took it again and it became a power in his hand. The first instance that was man and all his weakness. The second was the type of Christ who had the power over Satan.
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The second sign was to put his hand in his bosom. Come out, Leprous.
And then he was told to put it in his hand, his hand in his bosom again, and it came out as his other hand. We find the Lord Jesus as man down here walking always in obedience to the Father, but everything that he did was in holiness and obedience. Now these two credentials are mentioned in John's Gospel. The first one is in the 8th chapter.
8th chapter and verse 46.
It says which of you?
Convince me of sin. Now that word convinced us really should be convinced as as much as to say, Are you accusing me of sin?
No one could.
He was pure within. Every motive of his heart was pure.
But the other verse is in the 15th of John.
And it's the 24th verse.
If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sinned. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father. The Lord Jesus was pure without. He was pure within.
These verses declare it everything that he did.
The very spittle that came from his lips.
Wrought blessing to man.
Purity every move that he made besides grace. And so with these two credentials it was it was approved to Israel that here was a man that was the very God himself among them God had visited his people.
I wonder, do we find a demonstration of his perfection in his every chapter?
The fourth verse I have glorified thee. In the 26th verse I have declared. Actually there are 10 times in this one chapter where the Lord says I have, I have glorified, I have kept, I have manifested, I have given, as though there had been in constant demand and demandment from God, and He failed in every one of them.
And here, in this one chapter alone, the Lord Jesus recites those ten ways in which he had fulfilled all of what entrusted to him.
The sixth verse I have manifested thy name unto the man which thou gave us me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me. And they have kept thy word. That is the whole subject of John's gospel, isn't it the sun revealing the Father?
And so that's why, as our brother read to us in the end of the 15th chapter.
If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin. That is, God had been partially revealed in the Old Testament, but not fully revealed. But when the Lord Jesus came into this world, he could say He that has seen me has seen the Father, or again, no man has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
Well, what effect did this have upon man? Well, upon the natural man, it only brought out the enmity of his heart.
And that's why I think, if we just notice again what our brother read in the end of the 15th of John.
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It says in that 22nd verse, if I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, and again in the 24th if I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin. It doesn't say they had not had sins. Man sinned before Christ came about. This brought out what he was in his nature. You might feel sorry for a man.
That had an old shabby suit of clothes and that didn't have food. And so you get them new clothes and you get food for him because you feel sorry for him. But if when you presented to him, he punches you in the face and says I don't want you, now he has not only shown that he was helpless, didn't have the proper clothes or food, but he's shown what his heart was. He has actually shown enmity to the person who wanted to show him kindness.
Well, that's what this world did to me. It's as if the world looked upon the blessed Savior who perfectly revealed the Father, and said, If this is what God is like, we don't want Him. But how different for us. Beloved brethren, I think this is so lovely. I have manifested thy name unto the men which Thou gave us me out of the world, as we read His blessed pathway, as we see the heart of the Father displayed so perfectly in Him.
Well, it just moves our hearts, draws out our affections, because we possess the same life, and as we trace His blessed pathway, we have that life, and by the spirit of power as it tells us in John to walk as he walked. What a difference then between the unbeliever whose heart is at enmity, and the one who has been brought into the family and delights to see this revelation of the heart of the Father.
In the sun, would you give us some word, Brother, Hey ho, in that connection?
On the 12Th chapter in the 31St verse, I believe it's very important that the truth you've been bringing before us.
The 31St verse now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die well.
When the Lord Jesus was rejected, judgment was passed upon this world. In the Old Testament man was under trial, and as it was remarked to the 10 commandments were given. Did God know that man couldn't live up to his requirements? Oh yes, God foreknew that the Linder that the offense might abound. But what did man do while he showed his absolute inability to keep the commandments? And now, as we have remarked, he rejected the one who came.
Not to condemn here with a woman taken in adultery, did he condemn her.
No, he said. Neither do I condemn me. The one who hated sin the most had come not to condemn, but to save. And he was going to the cross to accomplish that work of redemption, so that he could say to you and I no condemnation. But when the world rejected him, then God had no further testimony to give. Now is the judgment of this world. But I I like to think of the second part. Now shall the Prince of this world be cast out?
If judgment was passed, it would have had to be passed on us too, because we deserve the judgment. But how blessed that that one who pronounced the judgment also won the victory over Satan, so that now that we share his victory, Satan for us as a defeated fall.
And if you'll turn to Hebrews chapter two, I think this is brought out Hebrews chapter 2.
And the.
Verse 14.
For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same.
That through death he might destroy or annull him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetimes subject to *******. So the Lord has conquered Satan, he's defeated full. And now that Blessed one lifted up on the cross, is the one who defeated Satan and were gathered to him as the one in this world rejected, but the one who won the victory for us so.
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Like those who were gathered to David after he had won the victory, they identified themselves with this man who was.
Had despised and rejected, but who was a victor over Goliath? Well, how blessed to be gathered to our rejected Christ, And we see the world in his true character is under judgment.
It's important to call attention also in that sixth verse.
It says, I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gave us me out of the world.
That is.
In that love gift that Brother Smith spoke of the father to the sun he gave us outside of this whole world system as having no connection with it.
Now let's will come in more fully when as we go on on in our chapter.
For, he says, farther on they are not of the world, even if I'm not of the world.
Well, that's a positive statement that we're no more work themselves, so that if we go and mix up with the world in any way, we're just going entirely contrary to what we actually are, what the Lord has brought us into completely apart. So if we go into the social life.
The political life or the business life of this world?
I'm not saying that we are not called upon to provide for things honest in this world. That's another thing.
But if we go and take part and become a part and parcel parcels of this world system in order to get gain in this world, there is a subtle danger that there is before the child of God.
Since the 26 parts were spoken about the beginning, all righteous, father.
Absolutely thought might help her there. And what you were just saying brother Berry and the the expression righteous father I believe means here that God is very particular as to who has the right to call him father. My brother Smith made the remark that there are so many people that.
Say they believe in God. Well, we have a large, a very large section of people in this world, and I do not see Christendom because I do not believe that there are Christians whatsoever.
But a large section in this world that believe in the fatherhood of God and in the brotherhood of man, and this is their religion.
Well, we might be. Well, let's let it go with that. They have many more light. Maybe there's something pure that they still believe in God as Father.
But I believe this verse tells us here that God is right, The Father is righteous and does not permit that any who do not, does not believe in the Son, call him Father.
So that that large section in this world.
Has their claim on something they think they know, but they exclude the sun because the rest of the 25th verse says.
But I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
For those that believe in the brotherhood of men, they exclude the Lord Jesus altogether.
But they have no part or luck in this matter. Like Peter said to Simon, the sorcerer is no part or lot in this matter, and hearing is the righteousness of the Father manifest. We have that sweet and blessed privilege, but not those that a cleaner but that will not have the sun.
Then he said at the end of this purse, and they have kept thy word. Notice word is in the singular here, and I believe that.
Speaks of the whole of what we know, the person of Christ, that is, those who are truly.
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The ones that were the gifts of the Father to the Son, they never departed.
Any way from the Blessed Lord, even though Peter denied him.
In a way he didn't deny the only denied that he knew the Lord. But he wasn't like Judas or an unbeliever that dishonest the Lord. And I believe it's true that everyone who has eternal life, who is born again, that they never give up Christ, they may fail, very sadly they may they may dishonor him and and their ways.
But they never, never give up.
First of the Lord Jesus.
That work that has LED a Sinner to accept Christ as an eternal work.
Connection with what you were saying, brother, through saying there are two things that are brought out in the scripture there there is the thought of God being the father of spirits. There is what it speaks of in the 17th of Acts, for we are also his offspring. And again in Ephesians chapter 41 God and Father of All, where God is looked upon as the source of life to man and man as a responsible being.
But as such he has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the face of the earth. But we must never confuse that between that which is now the family of God through new birth. And that is a mistake that is made by those who speak of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.
There is a sense in which God is spoken of in that way. But if you turn to John chapter 8, where the Jews spoke in this way, we see the Lord correcting this John chapter 8.
Verse 41.
He do the deeds of your father.
Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication. We have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, he would love me. For I proceeded forth and came from God. Neither came I of myself.
But he sent me. And then the 44th verse year of your father, the devil, and the lust of your father, You will do so when they would use this as a claim to blessing. Why then the Lord exposed the fact that even although they were in a privileged place as a nation, and nevertheless, unless they have received Christ, that they were really of their father, the devil. Well, it's very Tom to see this, but I just.
Mention the other because the Scripture does speak of it. The God is Father in one sense, but not in the sense of relationships.
I believe in both of these verses that have been referred to. You get the set one. Now that's very important in John's Gospel.
And you'll find, I think, when Israel is restored.
That they will recognize.
As we have in Zechariah that thou hast sent me, I believe that's what Israel will own.
In that coming day which they would not own when he was here, that he is the scent one the blind man did because he was blind. And the spirit of God opened his blind eyes to see I'm speaking now spiritually to see the Santa Claus also opened his natural eyes. But the important thing in John is to recognize the sand one, isn't it?
Let's Scroll down, I think bothering verse 24 of John 8.
Verse 23 Ye are from beneath. I am from abroad, ye of this world. I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sin.
For if he believed not that I am not he, but I am not his glorious title.
Ye shall die in your sins, I remember.
In one of the buses in Lima.
There was a gentleman well dressed. He was apparently learning by heart a lot of scriptures.
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So we handed the tracks around in the bus and all he said, You are you are an evangelist, are you? And I said, I'm a Sinner saved by the grace of God, I said, are you?
And I said, Do you believe that the Lord Jesus is the son of the living God?
And he immediately said no.
No. Well, we know who they are, and they're everywhere, brethren. And we need to obey the 2nd Epistle of John the Mother.
Them into our health. But I quoted this to him and I never saw a man so overcome.
If he believed not that I am.
You shall die in your sins, that man just trembled. That's.
That's his Old Testament title.
Is essential to God. He is God over all things. Specifically, I am.
Well, how careful we should be.
When we treat of the Son of God.
He is God.
Always sing together.
M178.
John 17:8-17
Reading
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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1971. Second reading meeting.
174.
John 17 verse 7.
John's Gospel.
Chapter 17 verse 7.
Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me, are of thee.
I have given unto them the words which thou gave us me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from the and they have believed without it. Send me I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine.
And all mine are thine and thine are mine, and I'm glorified in them.
Now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father keeps of thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that there may be one as we are.
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While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gave us me, I have kept that none of them is lost. But the Son of perdition, the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come out of thee, and these things I speak in the world.
That they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
I have given them my word, and the world had hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I pray not that thou should have taken out of the world, but that thou should have keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth.
As thou hast sent me into the world, Even so have I also sent them into the world, And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also it shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I and thee, that they also may be one enough that the world may believe that thou has sent me, and the glory which thou gavest me I've given them, that there may be one, even as we are one, I and them, and thou and me, as they may be made perfect in one.
That the world may know that thou hast sent me, and has loved them as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they alter whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me without lovest me before the foundation of the world.
All righteous, Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me, and I have declared unto them thy name.
And well declared that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
How wonderful and precious to to see how it's perfect.
Harmony, Perfect communion.
We find a man in this world and God the Father in heaven.
Here was the Father who had sent the Son of the world. Find the sun down here.
Engaged in his father's business.
And we find all through the pathway of this blessed one, how he was ever and always in perfect communion with his Father, had his Father's mind, and came here as he said. I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.
How it acquaints our poor hearts with God the Father Himself, and then with his beloved Son.
Give us an acquaintance with that one who in his lowly life here below.
That accomplished the whole will of God.
And such a sad and sinful world as we're passing through.
It's nice to connect the 40th verse of the one you just quoted, brothers and.
38th verse you just quoted. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And in verse 40 he tells us what the will of the Father is. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the sun and believe upon him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
That's nice to know that the father's will has been revealed to us, hasn't it, what his desire is for us?
Through which will we are sanctified? Yes.
No, that's the happy part for us now as we consider these scriptures that were found in Christ.
And there's nothing left of the old order at all, as we noticed yesterday. Then was fully manifested, the Prince of this world cast out and all that belonged to it. Now we belong to a new order, past death and resurrection, and we're found in Christ. And this is a wonderful truth to lay hold of. Otherwise we're always looking at ourselves. But our little hymn suggested this morning that we we look off unto Jesus.
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And I believe that's what we should be doing now.
That thought there, and I will raise him up at the last day, I believe, has the thought that it carries the one of those of whom the Lord is speaking completely through the journey down here.
When the journey is complete.
Then I will lift him up. He takes us out of the scene where he himself manifested the Father's love here below. He takes us to the end of the journey, and then he takes us into the scene where he himself has gone before, teaching us lessons along the way.
That He would teach us in connection with His blessed pathway through this scene.
Nice to know that that he sees us already in that place of perfect acceptance. But in connection with what you were saying at the beginning I was thinking of the 21St of Revelation and the third verse. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.
In the first chapter of John it says and the Word was made flesh and dwelt. I believe it could be translated.
Tabernacled amongst us, and we beheld his glory, the glorious of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Saw that there was one who was God himself dwelling among men.
But there's going to be a glorious scene in the future when the whole redeemed family will be brought into blessing and then the Tabernacle of God is will be with men. There will be a family who enters into and enjoys and displays all that's in the heart of God. It will be a wonderful time.
I was thinking too of three verses. It says now in Romans 3 all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Now that was our condition by nature. And then it tells us in Romans 5.
Rejoice in hope of the glory of God, because we are already fitted for that glory and we're longing for the time when we'll be there.
But when the heavenly city is displayed, it says, having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious, clearest crystal. That is nothing in us that will hinder the display of that glory. Now although we possess this new life, there is much in us that hinders the display of the glory of the Lord in our lives. But when that coming day is brought in, how marvelous to think, they'll not be a thing.
And any of us that will hinder the display of that glory through us and through the light of the heavenly city, was seen like a Jasper stone, clear as crystal.
And it's very comforting, brethren, to remember now that the standing of the believer is in Christ.
There's not a stain there as he is. So are we in the world, This world.
The standing of the believer is in Christ.
The object of the believer is Christ.
And the hope of the believer then, we shall we say, is to be light right.
Well, we do get that brought out in Philippians, of course, but I remember when that came to my soul that.
The standing. There's nothing, not a stain concerning our standing in Christ. We possess the life of Christ.
So it's wonderful to keep that before, especially the young Christians we stand before God.
If we are, if we belong to Christ, you know all the perfection of Christians. That's a wonderful truth, but it's so. Then the object of the believer is Christ.
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And the hope of the believer is to be like Christ. It could be the day.
We waiting and watching and listening.
In there hard to think about. There are two ways in which.
The Lord Jesus has set before us for the needs of our souls down here.
In one way he is a pattern for our pathway. We get a verse like this in Ephesians, the imitators of God as dear children and walk in love even as Christ also loves us and gave himself for us.
There is the pattern for our whole pathway. You get that also in Philippians 2.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, and in another way he is the object.
Now before us take our verse like this in the third chapter of Hebrews it says consider him who endures that. No, consider him the apostle and high priest of our profession. Well, that's entirely different thought is.
To be occupied with the one on high who is there in service for us there, especially as the Apostles. That's the one through whom God has revealed Himself, given us His Holy Word, and then as the High Priest, the one who is in service for us. So when we see those two ways in which the Spirit of God has presented the Blessed Lord.
For the care and guidance instruction and help for our souls, we get a very full instruction that.
Is most needful in these days, for when we trace the pathway of that blessed one through His journey here below, we seem marked up so they pathway for ourselves.
The humble Jesus always subject to his Father's will, making nothing of himself ever in service for others. Then we look about and we find one there that is serving us on high. That's why the Spirit of God says in that third chapter of Hebrews, considered the apostle and High Priest of our profession.
He served Jesus Christ. I believe the correct translation is just Jesus. One up there is the one that was down here. The one that took that name, Jesus and lowly grace to be with us in this scene is now the one who is on high serving us up there. And in Hebrews of course, it's the high priesthood of Christ to keep us.
In On the Journey, John gives us another subject and that is his advocacy to restore us when out of communion and to bring us back restored and happy in our souls again.
This is.
I believe it is Brother London.
More on the other line of things.
And well, I hadn't thought I'd over Brother Lundeen. I I'm sure that's the 13th of John is the Advocacy of Christ. And of course this chapter is interstation for the Lords own.
Leaving us this instruction for his departure, showing how he was in perfect communion with the Father about the needs and the keeping grace.
For those he was about to leave in this very world that would crucify him.
In Hebrews would keep us in communion with heaven. I was thinking of of the 22nd verse, 23rd of the 14th chapter. That would be really applicable to us here as we read this chapter this morning.
To to give us to realize what our present position is, and then connecting it, of course, with the subject of His word and the.
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Subject of the Holy Father that we have mentioned already in our chapter, but leading the 14th chapter in verse 22, Judas. Now this was not Judas Iscariot.
Said unto him, Lord.
How is it that thou will manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Well, that's what we want to know, isn't it? Jesus answered and said unto him.
If a man loved me, he will keep my words and my father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. Now my brother was just speaking about the Tabernacle. Well, I believe it's something like that here, the one who walks in communion and keeps his word.
Finds that special place of communion.
And fellowship of the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And I believe it's always the case down here that we need our consciences exercised as to these things. And so he brings the commandments before us here. And in our chapter that we're considering, he simply says Holy Father, but it's after he's spoken of the words, the words keeping the words.
We we need grace to sustain us, beloved, and we need mercy to restore us to communion. And that seems to bring us to this question of keeping the word of God.
In the second chapter of the Epistle of John we have there certain truths.
Whether we are walking in communion with him or not.
Now in verse three of second of first John 2.
Hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. Well, some teach that that's those the commandments of Moses, but that's not so because the context proves the opposite.
In verse five we do read, but who shall keep it His word?
In him vitally is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in Him. Well, here is the first proof.
Whether we are walking in communion or not.
If we are walking in communion with the Lord Jesus, we keep His word.
There are other proofs in this same chapter which might be mentioned very briefly.
In verse 6.
He that saith, he abideth in him.
Art himself also, so to walk.
Even as he walked.
Well, surely this is a challenge to us, beloved, concerning our war.
How are we walking?
Do we keep his word?
What about my walk? What about our walk?
Just now.
Then there are others.
If you pardon me just mentioning them.
The next in verse 10 we have another proof, there he that loveth his brother.
Abideth in the light.
Verse nine he that saith, he's in the light and hate of his brother.
Is in darkness even until now.
Verse 11. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness.
And walketh in darkness.
Knoweth not with egoeth, because their darkness have blinded his eyes.
This is something that's very solemn, beloved.
We love our brethren.
We certainly do. Sometimes we don't love the way they walk.
But we love them.
And we are to love one another.
Hearts fervently or at white heat. Well, these are proof that are very practical, you know. Now the last one, may I just mention love not the world. This has come into this reading yesterday. The world.
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I suppose, brethren, that when you read of the world here in this epistle, it's not God's created world at all.
We can. What can we say to the marvelous creation?
We just look around what little we can see and we are left worshippers.
No, this is this diabolical spirit that very pervades everything.
Oh yes, this diabolical spirit that pervades everything.
We are not to love it.
We are in this world, but we're not of it.
So that the claims and even the passions of this world should not have any imprint upon our souls, whatever, because we do not belong here, we belong to heaven.
And we read here that the world passes away.
With its must thereof but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
So I just mentioned the allowance is something practical.
Just now we keep his word. Are we keeping his word?
I ask my own soul that this morning. Do I keep his word? Am I keeping his word?
All that I do can I say I am glorifying the Lord Jesus.
We walk even as he walked.
What a challenge. How did he walk that precious saved?
What a challenge and we love our brethren.
And we love not this world.
To love a world, sentenced to the judgment of God, beloved.
What an awful thing to love a world like that.
I was thinking how there are three things given to us in this chapter. It says, I have given to them eternal life. And then in this eighth verse and again in the 14th verse I have given them my word. And then the 22nd verse and the glory which thou gave us me. I have given them that God has given us new life, but now this new life needs direction.
Everyone, the moment he receives that new life has a life that delights in pleasing God. A life, as we have remarked, that can hold fellowship with God, but that life needs direction, it needs food. And where do we find that? Well, that's the importance of meeting like meetings like this. Also the importance of reading the word at home, because it's the food of the new man and it gives us direction.
My father used to use a rather nice illustration. I thought he said, Supposing I wanted to give a gift to the Queen of England. He said I might have a good desire, but I wouldn't know what would please her. But if she wrote me a letter and told me what would please her, then I could give her something with the absolute assurance that was pleasing to her. Well, isn't it lovely that God has given to every believer, from the youngest to the oldest?
A life that delights in pleasing God, The good pleasure of thy will, O God, is my delight.
Now where are we going to get direction how to please him? We find those who really love the Lord.
And they think they're pleasing him by doing certain things. How can we tell whether they are or not?
I have given them my word. We have the word of the Lord Jesus.
To direct us, to enlighten us as to what is pleasing to him. And as we read this word, our thoughts are corrected, we get the renewing of the mind. Otherwise we follow the thoughts and ideas of the world. Because that's why it says in Romans 12, be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We say, I think this, I think the other thing how are we going to get right thoughts, God.
God's thoughts.
Well, as we read His word, our mind is renewed. We get his thoughts. So it's very noticeable that I have given them. My word is mentioned twice in the chapter showing the great importance of the word of God. And then the glory which Thou gave us me, I have given them now. We speak of it as something that is future, but it's ours now. By possession we belong to that scene. We have a life that's suited to it. We're traveling there.
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And it's a blessed thing to not only think of it as something that's in the future.
But something that we already possess, that is the glory, is ours. It ought to be manifested in our lives, but it's ours. It's given to us. The full display of it is future. Well, these things are brought before us, and the Lords desires for us have often remarked, if we could have the privilege of listening to the Lord.
That is actually hearing his voice and he was praying for us.
Wouldn't we be all ears to hear What is he asking for me? What does he want for me? We have just this privilege in John 17, all that it might touch our hearts, and that we might say, well, this is what he desires for me. Hold that my heart would respond to it.
I've often thought what a remarkable thing that we have the Lord in prayer and we're permitted.
To hear the very words that the Lord spoke to His Father when He was here in this world, and that too when the cross was so near, when the awful burden of our sins would soon be laid upon him. And yet we have Him addressing the Father. And that's really what gives us the subject of communion, isn't it? They're the Father and the Son are in perfect communion and fellowship about all that the Son has to say to the Father.
And that is really what is communion for us when we're engaged with the things.
That the Son is enjoying and the Father is enjoying. We have one mind. We're in communion where the Father and the Son of the Lord Jesus. And then what is still more amazing, when we're permitted to hear the Son of God down here, a man in prayer to his Father in heaven? That the subject that he had before us was poor, unworthy creatures like you and me?
That the father had given to his son to lead home to that place where the sun was going, to give us a home there with himself. It's so amazing that we almost feel like.
Moses, when he was then told to take thy shoes off from thy feet, For the place where on thou standest is fully grounded. We surely are on holy ground when we read and consider this marvelous prayer of the Blessed Lord to the Father.
Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
Oh, I was thinking through as their brother Gordon was speaking. What will it be, beloved, when we are presented to the Father? Behold, I and the children which thou hast given me. Oh, what a wonderful this makes you rejoice alone in the in spite of the problems here makes us rejoice with joy and unspeakable and full of loneliness.
Behold, I and the children which thou hast given.
That Hebrews 2 I like to think that in that same connection it says in the midst of the congregation, will I sing praise unto thee.
This is very, very lovely, and I'm sure many of us take it as a liberty to sing praises to the Lord. But I suppose really it's the Lord Himself. It is not so filled with delight at having his own roundabout him that he sings praises to his God and Father. This to me is so wonderful in the midst of the congregational.
Eye the Lord Jesus, sing, praise, sing praise unto thee.
Praise unto God his Father for the joy that he is experiencing in having his redeemed about him.
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In that second of Hebrews and one of them has not been mentioned in the middle of there. Between those two that have been mentioned, it says I will trust in him. Maybe I better read it.
And I've thought about that verse 13. I will put my trust in him. I was wondering if we might.
Say that we have this from the 17th of John, where the Lord.
Praise the Father that he keep us, he trusts the Father concerning us. And then?
It's already been mentioned. The first one in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee? Surely that's the President, and then the coming one, when he will introduce us into the Father's house.
Now a question as to our ninth verse of our chapter. I pray for them.
This too is intercession as we have heard, but I was wondering if we might go on and thought and.
Think of the time when the Lord will have us. Is that what we have in this word? For? Could it go on beyond intersection today and the time when He will have us, as sometimes we hear in the wedding ceremony, to have and to hold? Is that taking this little word for too far?
No, I don't think so. In fact, I think it's very nice to contrast it with the second Psalm, where the Father says to the Son, ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance in the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Time coming when the Father will say to the Son the time has come, ask for the kingdoms of the world and when the Lord Jesus takes them, then he puts down all evil and everything is brought in according to the mind and character of God. But now he's not asking for the kingdoms of the world. People say why doesn't God set things right in this unrighteous world? Well, he's not asking for the kingdoms of the world, he's asking for his own.
And of course, as you remark, the thought is not only that he has us and is preserving us now and our pathway. Here a body longs for the time when he'll have us, because he will not take possession of the kingdoms of the world until he has his own with him.
That's the force of the expression in Ephesians chapter One, his inheritance in his Saints. Now that is, he doesn't take possession of that which is rightfully his until he has his own with him. Perhaps he could illustrate it something like this. A young man buys a home which he intends to occupy with his bride, but maybe the wedding's not going to take place for six months.
It's still rounded out for six months. There are other tenants in it. It's his, and he bought it with a purpose. Why doesn't he take possession right away? He's going to take possession with his wife, and when that time comes that he takes his wife and he takes possession of the house to share it with her, well, the Lord has bought the field. It's all his, but he hasn't taken possession yet. And I love to contrast this. What is?
Called here the Lord's Prayer.
With what has been mentioned as the disciples prayer, they prayed thy Kingdom come, but the world rejected him as the king. So he said to his father, well, I don't ask now for the kingdoms of the world, but I ask for my own. And then when he has it on, then he'll take the kingdoms of the world, he'll take them in his Saints. So I think that's a very nice thought that you brought before us, Brother Clem. It's very lovely to have this.
Hope before us and to know that.
The Lord Jesus is interested now not in all the progress of man and what's going on, the kingdoms of the world always behind the scenes, but it's his own that are so dear to his heart. He's thinking of them.
Well, if we have the mind of the Lord, we all will feel just as He does about the world. So here the world has viewed. Here is beyond redemption. It can't be recovered. It can't be changed. It's going on, it's it's terrible course till it meets the judgment of God and we may be indeed shocked by the awful.
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Things that we hear about.
The drugs and the uprising, rebellion and everything on the whole world and confusion and making deadly instruments to destroy each other. All these things may shock us, but it's just the course that this scene is taken.
And the Lord has way back in when He was here told us he didn't pray for it and so anyone that tries to help out with.
Political state of things in this world saying, well, we ought to vote for the best men because we want to make things better down here. Well, they're just going definitely right in the face of what the Lord has said. I pray not for the world. And if he didn't pray for it, why should we try to think that we can in any way improve it or help its condition?
We're just passing through it like he passed through it, strangers and pilgrims on our way to our father's house.
And our time here is short. We're soon to be there, above where he has gone before.
Oh, as brother each rule used to say, we should slip through this world as quietly as we possibly can.
There is, however, the thought of praying for the powers that be and although we have nothing to do with trying to change the world system to reform under make it a better place.
We do have the privilege of doing something more than any vote whatever do, and that is praying for the one who controls the hearts of men. And so we're told to pray for kings and for all them that are in authority. And we thank God for His goodness in restraining the passions of men and using those in authority to grant liberty to us. And we believe too, that he is doing this because his church is here because.
When the church is taken away, then peace is taken from the earth and the bottomless pit. A figure in Scripture of the place where evil is restrained is opened, and it says the sun in the air was darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. It's a principle in God's ways that he doesn't judge till evil comes to its full. But he'll restrain as long as the church is here because the Spirit of God restrains. But there's going to be an awful display of the wickedness of man's heart.
Worse than has ever been before, and we see the beginnings of it now, but still in check.
And let us as Christians remember to pray for those who in authority, that God in his mercy.
I continue to grant liberty to meet together and for the proclamation of the gospel. There's a verse in the end of the 14th of John that I think we could read in this connection.
Speaking of the world, the 31St verse of the 14th chapter.
But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, Even so I do now. This, I think, is connected with our chapter where the words is spoken of because and I like those remarks of our brother Smith in connection with the first pistol of John.
As.
Is Speaking of our walk, and I think it's important that we notice this this morning, because that's connected with this 11Th first of our chapters, especially Holy Father. Now the Lord sets the example before us in the verse that we just read in the 14th chapter.
The world is given a testimony of what Well that he loves the Father.
That's the testimony that we're to render here.
Brother And how can we render this testimony?
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Even as he.
Gave me commandment.
And as the Father gave me commandment, Even so I do now, we're told in the Epistle of John.
That we're like him as he is. So are we in this world. I don't know. The scripture tells us that we should try to be like him. I think we're told we are like him.
But I think Scripture does say, as our brother has told us this morning, that we should walk as he walked. That's in the first epistle job. And so that's what's before us here. Then we're kept, we're preserved by the Father in the sense of holiness, and it's the word of God that brings this to our attention. Now, if we're going to manifest to the world our true testimony.
We will keep His commandments. That's the way we manifest to the world that we love the Father.
We're to walk as he walked. What are his commandments, Brother Lundy? Well, we know they're not grievous. We know for sure that they're not grievous. But we. I believe that it starts at the first chapter of Genesis and ends with the end of Revelation, because I believe it's the whole word and the one who has a new nature loves to do the things that are found.
In the word of God because they express God's mind and heart and will, and we love to do his will. That's the new natures. It talks. I remember asking that question to Brother Potter one time and I never forgot his answer, he said.
Lord's commandments are doing those things which we know are pleasing in His sight, as learned from His word independence and obedience.
That agrees, of course, exactly what you say, that it's because we have that new nature, and when that new nature is an action, it's always in subject to the will of the Lord to do what is pleasing to Him but still is. As we read the Word, we get acquainted with the mind of the Lord, We neglect the Word where we are.
Thoughts become dull and we're out of touch with him, as it were, so we are not acquainted with his mind and thoughts.
Last verse of the 12Th of John says and I know that his commandment is life everlasting.
Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. The Lord Jesus came into this world, and took the place of the obedient one. He I believe that's why it says, Mine ears hast thou opened? The Lord Jesus came, and his ear was ever opened to hear his Father's voice. Now he possessed his life, and it isn't exactly the thought of.
His.
We're doing something and we can do it or not do it as we please.
The whole character of the new life he has given to us is obedience. And so the unsaved are spoken of as children, are sons of disobedience in the family of God, were spoken of as children of obedience. And to make a sort of a thought, well, we can choose whether we wish to please him or not. Is not the character of the new life at all that the character of the new life is that it's characterized by obedience?
And so, as it tells us in Peter's epistle were sanctified unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. The law set before man certain things that he was to obey, but didn't give him a life that could do those things or delighted in them. But God has given us a new life. And so as our remark, where children of obedience and I believe it's important, where the where the heart is really in communion with God.
It's not saying whether I like to do this or not, but as a father gave me commandment, Even so I do. And that's what characterizes the child of God walking in the power of that new life, don't you think, that we often need?
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To utter that prayer in the end of the 3000 and 39 songs. Search me and know me and see if there be any wicked way in me and leave me in the way everlasting.
It's so easy to think that we're doing the will of the Lord when there's some other motive than pleasing to the Lord that is really crept into our hearts, may be unaware, and is really.
The what is really?
Taking over and guiding us in the wrong way. Now I know that some have made that prayer.
Public search Men know me, but I'm sure it isn't a prayer for the public. It's a prayer for the closet. And it's a prayer we should often pray.
Knowing that 139 Psalm he He begins the Psalm by saying, Thou hast searched me and known me, Thou knowest my down sittings and my uprising. I know it. My thoughts are far off.
Well, he goes through a lot of exercise and he can't get away from from the Lord.
But after he's gone through that experience, why He has proven that it's so blessed to have God searching him and not allowing him just to go his own way. Now he says just keep on searching me and leading me in the way everlasting.
I say that for myself because I know my poor heart is so settled that I could even deceive myself in thinking that I was going on in a way pleasing to the Lord, whereas in reality there's some other motive that has crept in.
That verse, I think it'd be well for us to look at it, Brother Barry, that you've just referred to. I noticed in another translation that it refers.
That word wicked.
Could be as grievous and in the margin you'll know it says way of pain or grief. The reason I mentioned that is someone may say, well, I'm not walking in a wicked way, but are we grieving him in any way?
That's the point. It's the little things, Brandon, that break communion. It isn't some big sin that we speak of.
That breaks communion, merely it's the it's the little things that, well, you know that if there's someone very dear to you and you do some little thing that grieves them.
It's pain to them.
Well.
Any little thing now, one who's been through the experience of this 139 psalms. Our brothers said he was apprehensive at the 1St and now he's willing that he be searched. Now how about the little things in our lives? And I believe that that's what we've come to in this 17th of John. It isn't simply that now that we are saved, but we've been brought into this most intimate place.
In communion with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ, let's not let any little thing.
That comes into our lives, cause greed and grieve.
The Lord take us a little boxes.
The foxes that spoil the vine for the vines have tender grapes.
I suppose the thought is that those little tendrils that hold the vine up from the ground, when the fox comes in, he breaks the vine down and the fruit falls in the ground.
Well, we take the foxes. We won't let this happen until the fruit is kept up where it belongs so that the owner can enjoy the fruit. Because we do have fruit bearing in John, don't we?
I'm glad you called my attention to that brother Ron Dean. That's very helpful. I really hadn't noticed that. I believe what you were saying was very important because.
I was thinking of what it says in First Corinthians 4. I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified? But he that judges me as the Lord, I do believe that there are many things in our hearts that were not aware of, and we need to ask the Lord to show them to us.
I've been thinking quite a bit about Job and how when Job went through the trial that he did, he he searched himself, but he came up with this. He said that he when he has tried me, I'll come forth as pure gold. And I believe there's a great danger with us that when we go through some trial, the exercise is to try and justify ourselves and so we search ourselves and we think we're in the Lord's presence.
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And we sort of come up with the same result as Job did. And we say, the Lord will find out there's nothing in me, I'm pure gold. But it wasn't so. There was something that God saw in Jobs heart that he didn't see. And so Elihu said to him, Surely it is me to be said unto God that which I see not teach thou me. And so the Lord brought Job to this point point finally.
In fact, he said.
Job the Lord spoke to Job and asked him. He that reproveth the Almighty, let him answer. But finally Job comes to the point where he said to behold I am vile.
And I do believe that we're often not aware of things in ourselves that we have to get into the Lord's presence to discover secret motives that we're not aware of until we get into His presence. And to me, this is the more important because.
In Job's case, there was nothing outward God could say about Job that he was a perfect in an upright man won the feared God and astute evil. Wasn't that a wonderful commendation? And that was from God himself. But the trouble was that Job didn't know his own heart. And brethren we don't. We don't know our own hearts. And when we get into the presence of the Lord, he often discovers to us motives.
That we're not aware of The beloved Apostle Paul, most devoted of every of all the servants of the Lord, had a motive in his heart that he wasn't aware of when he went up to Jerusalem. He allowed love for his brethren to hinder him from seeing what was really the mind of the Lord. That he had been commissioned to go to the Gentiles. And it can be a good thing, Divine love, love for our brethren that can cloud an issue and not cause us to see what is the mind of the Lord.
Well, there's no remedy but to get into his presence. And as her brother Barry remarked, not make a public prayer about it, but in his presence ask him to show us what we don't see.
I've enjoyed the references to the 14th of John in connection with the world.
The Lord said here, I pray not for the world, and this has been explained, but I noticed that in the 14th he speaks again of the world.
Firstly, of the Prince of this world, I will not talk much with you, he says in the 30th verse of the 14th.
For the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me, but that the world may know that I love the Father. And then again in the 15th chapter, the character of the world is brought before us in the 17th verse. These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own.
But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
Therefore, the world hateth you. This is important, isn't it? In connection with the character of the world that we're in?
We can't expect the world to love us or to be accepted amongst them, because there are those things that immediately we have to frown upon and.
And that have sent ourselves from, but the Lord has pointed out the character of the world.
But he cannot pray for us.
In the 10th verse he says and all thine are mine.
And and all minor thine and thinner mine and I am glorified in them. The Lord doesn't say that to his disciples, He says that to the Father.
A bedridden safe might be glorifying the Lord more than one who is out preaching the gospel, because when I preaching the gospel has something of prominence, fear known and recognized, they're respected. But a bedridden St. who is bowing to the will of God in the trial of that one is passing through.
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Is glorifying the Lord.
In a very precious way.
That delights his heart.
So the Lord says that I am glorified in them, and it should be the supreme desire of our hearts that this might be true of us. And if it is true, the Lord will see it. You won't publish it, but he delights in it.
Nice to think of that verse in Second Thessalonians. One when it says when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe. Sometimes he isn't always Christ isn't admired. In US self is seen instead of Christ, but there's a day coming when he'll be glorified and admired.
In all them that believe that the glorious prospect for us.
I suppose that's what Mr. Darby was thinking when he wrote like Jesus in that place of light and love supreme.
Once man of sorrows full of grace, heavens blessed and endless theme, It would seem to me that Mister Darby was by faith walking through those courts of light and right like that. What a wonderful verse that is. It was given out by our brother Bundy like Jesus in that place of light and love supreme.
Once man of horror, full of grapes, heaven blessed and endless theme, well, it will go on forever.
I suppose that in every heart here this morning, there is a desire to be happy. And so we have this prayer. I pray for them. I pray not for the world. Now this prayer is that his people might be happy, infinitely happy.
He wants us to have joy. Now that joy comes, brethren.
Not through the deceits around us that would attract our hearts. Our brother referred to the world in the second Epistle of John.
But the Lord is up there praying so that these present attractions around us may not take our hearts.
Our brother Smith referred to.
To the third, the 15th chapter, and I'd like to read a verse or two the 10th verse.
If you keep my commandments.
That is the word that he's speaking out. You shall abide in, my love.
Even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love, these things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. Now we don't find any joy. The believer connected with what this world offers. This world has nothing to offer that will satisfy our hearts.
Now, it's true that oftentimes we have to prove this practically. But isn't it lovely to think of our blessed Savior up there, praying for us, interceding? That we might be preserved? That we might escape both the pollutions and the corruptions of this world? That we might be in the enjoyment of these things so that we will not have to practically go through the experience?
Of feeling the bitterness.
What it means to turn aside in the ways of the world.
Because the way of the transgressor is hard. That's another side.
No way. Isn't it the large parting what was his own? So he speaks of my joy, and in the 14th chapter he says, peace. I leave with you my peace. I give unto you the very peace.
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Zest his heart and going through this world of trial and what he longs to impart through his own, so that we might go on tread our way in peace through this world of trouble and sorrows and heartaches and disappointments. And also his love, he says. My love, as the Father hath loved you, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
The very love that.
Was his in doing the father's will now he was in part to his own.
So reminds us again that him the same writer that love that gives not as the world, but shares all it possesses with his love. Coherent.
This joy, I think, is a very, very important thing, because I feel that the unbelievers often look at what they call Christianity as being sort of a negative viewpoint to everything that might minister to earthly happiness, with the thought in mind that the more we deny ourselves these earthly pleasures, the more sure the prospect is of happiness.
In the world that is to come, and I'm pretty sure that the unbeliever looks upon the Christian as having this kind of experience, that we say no to everything because we feel that if we do, we can have much more happiness in the future.
I really believe that it is gloriously true that the child of God can have very, very real joy along the way home. And it's rather a pity that the unbeliever doesn't see this. I'm afraid it's to our shame that it is so. It's rather a rebuke to me every time someone says no, I I want to have a good time when they refuse the gospel. In other words, you folks are not having much joy and happiness.
And I want all I can get out of life, if only our testimony gave a little more evidence to the real joy that is proper to the Christian. I don't mean that we should be insensitive to the difficulties around us, but I believe there can be a very, very real present joy. I think we find in 2nd Corinthians 6 and seven and eight that joy associated with those very things that would naturally bring distress.
In the one chapter he says there's sorrowful yet always rejoicing. In the next chapter he says I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations. And in the next chapter he says how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded under the riches of their liberality. Well, there we have sorrow, affliction, tribulation.
Deep poverty, the very circumstances that would make the unbeliever pretty miserable. And we find the believer experiencing joy, exceeding joy and abundance of joy. So we not only have a joy that yet lies ahead, but I'm sure the believer has or is entitled to a real joy as we go on our way homeward.
There's a river called River Be sore. I believe it means glad tidings.
It's the river where they found that bunch of grapes.
Of that good land of the spies brought back.
It's the very river that.
Abraham.
Traveled all the way up to Hebrew and the plains of Mammary.
Claims of fatness and communion. And that's where Abraham lived.
But it was an experience as he went up that river and he passes these marvelous places where these wonderful grape screw and all that which speaks of the joy of the believer on his way home. And we find that Isaac pursued the same river.
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It had its snares, it turned off to the Philistines land and they had to make their choices which way they would go.
There was only one course that would lead them to the planes of mammary, place of vastness, and that way.
Carries the joys with it and it's lovely to think that when.
Isaac died.
His sons, Jacob and Esau went to find him and they found him at the head of that river up in Hebron, the plains of Mammary. Well, I believe it's, it's a lovely picture to us of this very thing that we have here.
Their brother says it isn't that we're hoping someday to have joy. The spirit of God is telling us this morning how we can have that joy now as we go on our way home. It's a practical, everyday experience, but it's the path of faith, obedience to the word of God. And it's the word that's set before us here in this chapter. Is that the same Brooklyn River mentioned in the 30th chapter? First Samuel?
When David crossed the brook beast or and found the Egyptian in the field and brought wonderful blessing to him, that's exactly the same place. And he fed him a cluster of brazen pigs and raisins. And then he was revived and he made a meat friend. That's chemistry and the spirit brother and it's.
It's the fruit that has been seasoned in the sunshine of God's love, ministry and the Spirit.
Well, it's the joy of the Lord, brother, that is our strength, not.
Joy at all? Is it joy of the Lord how we can enjoy?
That which is especially ours, Well, communion comes in there again, doesn't it, Communion.
Yeah, I may have told this before about the joy of the Lord is your strength finding the 8th chapter of Nehemiah the.
Our brother Power is visiting us from time. He was sitting in quiet meditation. Lord good morning and he suddenly asked me the question what is the joy of the Lord?
Well, I tried to explain that. I thought it was a joy we had in our hearts, Floyd says. That isn't it at all.
And then he asked me a question, another question, he said.
How long were the children of Israel away from the divine center? I said for 70 years. Yes, that's right. And then he asked me another question. He says. How long was the Church of God?
Away from the divine center, I had no answer.
He said about 1800 years.
Now he says the joy of the Lord and Nehemiah's day was seeing a remnant come back to the divine center where the temple was built. And that was the Lord's joy in seeing his own back in that place again.
There to enjoy his presence as worshippers, but now?
In these days in which we live through wondrous grace, I believe it is possibly true that the divine center, which was lost shortly after the apostles were off at the scene, have been restored to the Church. That is what the Lord means when he says Where two or three are gathered together under my name, there am I in the in the midst of them, that is, Christendom had given up the divine center and.
Made all kinds of organizations for themselves, but now the Spirit of God is bringing back the remnants in these closing days to that divine center and the that which he speaks of there the joy of the Lord.
And that is our strength, not to be occupied with how much blessing we get when we're together to remember the Lord. And we can go ahead and say, well, that was a nice, happy meeting.
But when we think of the fact that by being there.
Where the Lord says there am I, that we have actually been privileged to give joy to the blessed heart of our Lord. Now when we get that clearly before us, that will give us strength to go on even through many difficulties and efforts of the enemy to turn us away. But if we just keep before us, there is a one very special opportunity of giving joy to the heart of Christ.
01:15:31
Do we find the same thought brother, expressed in that verse by meditation of whom shall be sweet? While it's often being thought that is sweet to us, but I believe it's sweet to him by meditation of him shall be sweet, sweet to him. And I'm sure it is. It's sweet to us too, but it's sweet to him.
That's Zachariah 3 and 17 that's expressed what you were making, Brother Barry.
Levin, I3 and 17793 and 17.
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty. He will save. He will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love. He will joy or they will singing.
Surely is very much in keeping brother through Saint Louis that verse in Myanmar.
Course, it looks on to Israel's day of restoration.
The Lord Jesus was spoken of as the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and there's only one occasion in his life in which it's particularly recorded about his rejoicing. And that was when he was rejected by the nation. And it says at that time, I believe it's the 10th of Luke. At that hour Jesus rejoined in spirit, and said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent.
And has revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father foresaw it seemed good in thy sight as the Lord Jesus went through this world and saw the awful results of sin. He felt it felt it much more keenly and fully than we do, because sin was far more horrible to him than it is to us. And so he was the man of sorrows about the joy that he found was the joy of doing his Father's will.
And I particularly enjoyed that instance, because the nation, so to speak, had rejected him. But he rejoiced in that perfect submission of saying Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. And I believe that that's where there is that true joy, that true triumph over circumstances in our own lives. As believers, we think of some time when things went adversely to what we had.
Wanted them to go.
And we think, could we rejoice at such a time when there is perfect submission to the Lords will, there can be joy in accepting the thing as from him. And the Lord does. And the 49th of Isaiah, I believe, speaks prophetically of that time. And so he said, I have labored in vain. I have spent my strength for not in vain. Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God. And then the answer of Jehovah was.
All the blessing was going to be enlarged.
I have set thee for a light to the to the Gentiles. The thalamides be my salvation to the ends of the earth. Now that is, any adverse circumstance in our lives is not a hindrance to blessing, nor is it a hindrance to joy if received from the Lord.
Because there will be more fruit to his glory and praise by taking something adverse as from him. And I'm just going along with things when they're a little more easy to fare well. This ought to be an encouragement to us, the times of.
Greatest joy in our lives can be in a time of disappointment and sorrow, when we see the Lords hand, when we feel His presence near, and when we're drawn closer to him through the trial.
I've wondered if we see that in the occasion of the Lord appearing in the midst of his own after his resurrection, they were very, very much disappointed and distressed, And the scripture says, came Jesus and stood in the midst, then were the disciples glad when they saw?
01:20:12
Jesus. That's the way we would expect it to read, came Jesus and stood in the midst. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord? Well, I think, as you say, that in times that would naturally be distressing or discouraging. If we see the Lord, it will bring real joy.
Believe that's when some of these most beautiful hymns were written.
That we have in our book the crimes of real trial for those who wrote them and returned them to the Lord in a very special way.
So that they were led to write deeply.
We don't see much of that today.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name. Those that thou gavest me I kept. None of them is lost, but the son of physicians, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
We know the son of perdition was Judas Iscariot and immediately it says that the scripture might be fulfilled.
How the Lord?
How old, Divine?
Always respected and gave the scriptures their place. Now it must have been a great trial to the Lord to have chosen Judas when he knew what he was.
Says, Have not I chosen you? 12 But one of you is a devil. My father thought the reason the Lord spent the whole night in prayer before he chose his 12 apostles was because it was such a grief to him. To think of choosing Judas to be one of those 12 That was to be associated with him, I can't say that that's correct or not, but we do see how the Lord.
Fought the concern there was.
And about that matter of his 12 apostles.
I thought of the Lord choosing Judas as having a very special lesson for us though. But often when one gets into bad company, the bad company is blamed by. Here we find with Judas that he was chosen and accompanied with the Lord for 3 1/2 years and saw nothing but perfection in everything that the Lord did, in everything that the Lord said and His attitude toward every situation.
Witnessed all those works of divine power and even had part in them, for he was sent forth like the rest with power to heal.
And it shows that all these external testimonies and influence and even the use of power.
From the Lord did not change his heart. I don't think there's anything that brings out the utter ruin of the heart of man like that. And the case of Judith seems to me to show that if there hadn't been such a one, we would think, well, if people were in the company of the Lord, they couldn't help but be one. But it showed with Judas that it wasn't so except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
And after all this, Judas turned around and betrayed the Lord. And as you have remarked, it wasn't that he was saved and lost again, as some people have thought. The Lord said, in choosing him, have not I chosen you? 12 And one of you not will be a devil, but is a devil.
And when he finally was came to the end of his life history, it says that he might go to his own place. Judas was never a believer, but he was one who was chosen to show that there was no fruit from the first man. Even in the best of company, if a Sinner got into heaven and enjoyed all the blessedness of heaven, it wouldn't change his nature one bit. He'd be just like those at the end of the thousand year reign of Christ. When Satan is loose, they follow him again.
There's nothing that changes the natural heart of man. He must have a new life.
01:25:04
Don't you think perhaps the Lord chose Judas for this reason too, That we've often?
Known, or perhaps even hurt men that were very gifted. That completes the gospel as real power.
And souls were even converted to their preaching. And yet they turned out to be.
Just a prostate. There is no evidence in the end that they were ever saved at all. Well, we're not to be swept off of our feet when we find gifted men that have been used and who have ministered very acceptably. You know, there was at the beginning of the work Mr. Darby's day. They were Frances Newman and they read that he ministered most acceptably in the assembly.
Then he wrote the phases of faith and pro to be an absolute apostate, sought to overthrow the Bible in the minds of many, thought to be one of the leading infidels of his day.
So it shows that because one can minister well and and say helpful things.
Doesn't prove that he is really, truly a child of God, because one can get all this in their head. One who has a good memory can listen to others and get hold of it and then give it out in a forceful way without being exercised, without the conscience being reached.
Do we have a verse in Jeremiah 9 in collection that thought brother?
Very solemn verse.
Jeremiah 9 and verse 4.
Taking heed everyone of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother.
Every brother will athletes a plant and every neighbor will walk with slanders and they will deceive everyone his neighbour. I will not speak the truth.
Very solemn statement, isn't it?
I remember our brother Brown making a statement about Judas. That really surprised me, but it seemed to be quite a warning, he said. There had to be a Judas, but Judas didn't have to be Judas.
That I know, sounds rather strange, but he went on to say Judas made himself a candidate for that terrible position by being falsely a disciple of the Lord Jesus. For the 12 were chosen from among the Lords disciples, and he spoke of it as an exceedingly solemn thing to be a false disciple of the Lord Jesus. I thought it was a very faithful word of warning.
What is that number #9?
#9
John 17:18-26
Reading
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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1971. Third reading meeting.
Who can tell how much we owe him? Gladly. Let us render to him all we've had an arm.
Jesus is the name that charms us before conflict, bits and arms us. Nothing moves and nothing harms us while we trust in Him 256.
Praise the Savior.
Oh.
197.
I.
The first eighteen of our chapters.
John's Gospel, chapter 17.
Converse big beans.
There is no send me into the world, even though have I also sent them into the world.
And for their sake I sanctify myself, but they also might be sanctified through the troop.
Neither pray I for these alone, but to them also, which will believe on me through their words that.
They all may be one, as thou father art in me, and I am thee, that they also may be one enough that the world may believe that thou has sent me.
And the glory of which thou gave us me, I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one.
I and them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and has loved me, loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world.
O righteous Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known thee.
And these are known as ours sent me, and I have occurred unto them, Thy name and will declare us, that the love wherewith thou has loved me may be in them, and I in them.
I.
Someone might say that because the Gospels are written to the Jews.
Primarily, that Christ didn't come to the world, He came to the Jews.
But if you'll notice in the not only the verses that we started reading, but in the previous chapter.
In the 28 first I came forth from the Father.
And him come into the world again. I leave the world and go to the Father. So he came into the world.
Now I believe this connects with.
Going back a moment into the 11Th verse, may I ask the question? Perhaps someone can help us? Are there not more than one unity spoken of in this chapter?
I believe that there are three onenesses or unices. You have in the 11Th verse Keep.
Through thy own names are those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
There it's it's oneness in communion.
Then when you come to the 20th, first he says neither pray are for these alone, but for them.
Also which shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one, as thou father art in me, and I and thee, that they they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou has sent me there.
00:10:10
Oneness in testimony, then in the 22nd verse, and the glory which thou gave us me, I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one, I and them and thou and me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hath loved them as thou hast loved me. There is communion and glory.
And I believe that one leads to the other. That is, oneness in communion leads to oneness in testimony, and oneness in testimony leads to oneness in glory. Perhaps so as we continue with our chapter reaching the.
Verses further down in the chapter it will come in as the special subject of the reading.
The reason I mentioned is in connection with the 11 verses, because he's no longer in the world, but he says that these are in the world. And so when we're down here, it's very important for us to realize these three things. Is it not communion first, then testimony, and then the glory?
Well, taking the verse where you suggested starting reading the 18th verse.
Says there, as thou has sent me into the world, Even so have I also sent them.
Into the world.
Now we have before that where? He says.
In the 16th verse, they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
It's just as all of the Blessed Lord takes his own completely out of the world now, he says. I'm sending you back into the world in the very same way that I was sent into the world and testimony down here. So it gives a very high and holy character.
To our testimony in this world.
We are taken out of it in spirit. The Lord Caesars has not connected with it any more than He's connected with it, for it couldn't be anything more complete than to say they're not of this world, even as I'm not of this world. Well, where is the Lord now? He isn't down here, and our belonging or being of this world is no more.
And true of us, and it is of him in his glorified place.
But now he sends us into this very world where where he was.
Here in his father's business, their testimony for him down here.
That's where we get the expression that he's often used, don't we? That we're in the world, but not of it. So we're spoken of as being not of it in the 16th verse, but in the verse before.
It says, I pray not that thou should have taken out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil. That shows that separation isn't shutting ourselves behind the Stonewall, but it's the thing that works in the heart. And so we go in and out amongst men, but we're in heart. We're separated from the world and all connected with this great world system. While still here we have to work with them, but we're warned not to form links with them.
Have been out unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Still we have to be in it. And that's where the 17th verse comes in. Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth. There is a positional sanctification, and then there is practical sanctification. And so that were spoken of as being sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
In Hebrews chapter 10. So the work of Christ has set us apart. We're no longer part of the world, no longer part of the whole system of things that was represented in Judaism, The camp where apart from all that positionally. But we may not be part apart from it practically. But as the truth lays hold of our souls, it produces A practical separation, so that there is the positional side of things and there is the practical side of it.
00:15:11
Are sometimes used a very simple illustration like this. Supposing I were to go into a store and the storekeeper has 10 baskets of apples on the floor and I say that I'll take one of them and I buy it and I pay for it.
And he puts my name on the handle of these baskets and I tell him I'll be back in a while to pick it up. Well, it's paid for. It belongs to me. But a little while afterwards someone comes in and picks the same basket and he says I I'm sorry, I can't tell you that when it's sold little while after a second person does it, then he realizes there's confusion here because a lowest spot and paid for it hasn't been.
Practically set apart.
So he takes it out and puts it in the back of the shop. Well, it was just as much mine while it was there with the others.
But the fact that it had been bought and paid for now has a practical effect of putting it into a place of separation.
Well, as we sit in these meetings, the truth of what we are as being belonging to Christ is being no longer part of this world lays hold of our souls. And as that truth does get hold of us, we're set, as it were, in the back of the shop.
We become, in a practical way, separated in hardened ways from the world, and I believe that's what the Lord is praying for here.
Joy connect with this John Ruffle chapter one.
Verse 9 and 10.
That was a true light.
I believe it should read, which coming into the world lightest every man he was in the world. The world is made by him, and the world knew him not. And then also in John 20.
And verse 21.
Then said Jesus, then began peacefully unto you, as my Father has sent me.
Even so, send I you.
So Lamar was sent here into this world by his father, and as he was sent in the world, even, so is he sending us now into the world as a testimony to this world? We're not part of it, but we're sent back into the world.
As the Lord Himself was here, so are we not a part of it, but as a testimony to this scene.
Grateful to the Lord rather than the Bolivian Saints from ecumenism, they have been through deep waters because of it.
It's a group of quite a numerous group, as you know, and so they were set upon by the the ecumenical group to join up with them and to hand over a certain quota, an amount of money so they could all be won.
That was a trial for them, and I'm so grateful to the Lord that they.
For about 150 of them came together for special meetings on this point. It was a brothers meeting of course, and.
They wrote over the whole business separation. That was a real relief.
Well, we're not plagued with that, you know, but that was a real trial for the Brethren bear that they wanted them to link up with that unholy business.
I suppose we have positional sanctification in West Corinthian 6 doing that and verse 11.
And such were some of you.
That she are watched, but she are sanctified.
But she are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of our God.
2nd Thessalonians, First Thessalonians Rather, Chapter 5, verse 23.
This identity is practical sanctification and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
And I'm praying God, that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's so.
00:20:01
Is really progressive sanctification, isn't it? I remember one brother, he was trying to prove that he was sanctified and he got the temper over. He got in the temper over.
Well, he didn't. He was taught differently after a while.
This is progressive sanctification, John 17 Seven, Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth.
I don't suppose you would say, Brother Gordon better.
There's some teach absolute sanctification. I've never gotten beyond professional. There. You get it in post Corinthians one, don't you? The Saints sanctified in Christ Jesus.
That's positional, isn't it?
The old nature will always be with us. So as long as we're here in this world, I mean here in this world, so as long as we're here in this world, we need this exercise, this continual feet washing so that our in our walking ways we would be separated from the defilement soon.
What are you thinking, Brother Smith? That perhaps where it says is the God of peace, sanctify you wholly? That they would take that for some speech That.
They they call it absolute sink of the king.
But this means the spirit, soul and body when it says holy, doesn't it?
When the Spirit of God presents God's thoughts about holiness and separation, He can only give us the highest thought, and that's full conformity to Christ.
We'll never reach that full conformity until we reach the glory, but we're there to be.
We're reaching out with that before us.
And we're never to lower the standard in any way to say, well, we can compromise a little because we make so many mistakes. No, God never compromises. He never lowers the standard in any way. He keeps that continually before us.
I think you get something of that in the first chapter of Philippians.
It says in the.
And the ninth verse. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that ye may approve things that are excellent, that he may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.
Well, to be without offense is surely not complete here. Until we see Christ and our liking, even in our glorified bodies. You get the same way the apostle speaks, Or rather, Dude speaks the end of his.
Here's a vessel.
The 24th verse now on him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory, was exceeding joy. Well, when we reached that state August before, but it's before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. And yet he's praying here that they might be kept in that state of soul. Well, that's before them.
They're the wrong per person to say.
Well, I'm only human.
Because the Lord Jesus came in a body and he glorified God at every step, and we have that same nature and we are given the the Spirit of God indwelling us, and so it would be very wrong for us to hide under an expression like that.
Wasn't that expression be making allowance for the flesh?
Or not to make any provision for the place to fulfill it in the lust thereof?
Brother Wilbur, you had something in mind in that verse 23 of 2nd Thessalonians 5.
As to the sanctifying holy had you.
That's practical, of course, isn't it? For you? Sure it is.
00:25:05
We would have another case in point.
In the First Corinthians.
Chapter 2 and verse 16.
1St Corinthians 2 and 16.
But we have the mind of Christ.
Well, that would be the positional. That would be our condition. Every believer. And then in a practical way, in Philippians 2.
And verse 5.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Every believer is in that wonderful position.
Of First Corinthians. But now in a practical way it's carried out in obedience. We can let this mind which was in Christ be enough, and practical living it out.
The work of the Spirit in us now is to bring our state up to our standing. Our standing is perfect, and God, by the Spirit is seeking to work in us that which would produce in a practical way that which is our standing. And so even when it's Speaking of a believer sinning in First John chapter 2, it doesn't say when any man sins, but if any man's sin we have an advocate with the Father. It's never looked upon as a normal thing for a Christian to sin.
But provision is made for us. If it wasn't for the grace of God, we fall. By the way. That's why it tells us in Peters Epistle, when speaks of the wilderness, if the righteous scarcely or the other translation, if the righteous with difficulty be saved, where shall the ungodly and the Sinner appear? That is, if it wasn't for the continual priesthood and advocacy of Christ, we'd never get through the wilderness journey.
But thank God that goes on. But let us, as it's been remarked, never use this as an excuse for sin.
Their soul provision to keep us. And then, if we do fail, now, does not look upon it as a normal thing, but immediately come to the Lord in confession and be restored.
God will never have to judge our standing, will he? But he may have to judge our state. I was thinking in this chapter we have these, this expression twice. They are not of the world, As if the Lord were seeking to impress it upon us. We do not belong here at all, and we should not act as if we do. And then in Rome and vague we're told we're not in the flesh. But in 2nd Corinthians 517 we're told we are in Christ. That's a perfect standing in Christ.
We're not of the world. We're not in the flesh. The flesh is enough. We're not in the flesh. God sees us in Christ, and that's very precious.
Very elevating to think of that dear brother gladding. Our life is skid with Christ in God, and that takes us above all of these reasonings of the mind that did not we see our position, Our true position there were perfect holiness is.
That's where our true position is, brothers. Eric Smith was speaking about progressive sanctification, and I believe that that springs a subject of great importance before us, and this verse would certainly be in line with that. Sanctify them through thy truth. Well, where is the truth?
There's word that we are holding in our hands.
Thy word is truth, and if we're to be really set apart from the ways of this world, of course the things around us, it will be through the daily.
Reading and meditation. Remember that, brother. Not only the reading of the word, but meditating upon the Word. As Paul says to Timothy, meditate upon these things.
And give thyself wholly to them, and then we see the positive results of.
00:30:03
Of this being sanctified, this progressive sanctification, take that passage in the end of the third chapter of First Corinthians.
For a second Corinthians traffic.
We all are the last verse. We all with open face. It should read or unveil face. Beholding the glory of the Lord are chains into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Chapter, third chapter of Second Corinthians.
Beholding the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory. Oh, that shows that there is progress from glory. We see one glory in his blessed person, and that leads us to contemplate another glory. And so all this progress made.
Well, that's very important and very blessed too.
They're more and more separated, aren't we? Then, in spirit from what's around us?
This is what is brought before us, that in this 19th verse of our chapter, and for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
I think we should be clear as to what it means. Where the Lord says I sanctify myself, the word sanctify simply means to set apart. And the Lord Jesus the ever perfect and holy one. Now where is he? Well, he's apart from this world. He's gone up on high, up there in glory. And that I sanctify myself is the position that he has taken there now, has set apart from this world altogether.
At the Father's right hand, and there is our high priest that we might be sanctified now, that is, he's interceding for us. Do we have to meet a difficulty that is liable to lead us into failure? Well, there's one who has set himself apart from this world. He's gone up on high.
And as we avail ourselves of his intercessory work, we're set apart in a practical way down here below that they might be sanctified through the truth. So it isn't merely that we get hold of in head knowledge the truth that is being brought before us.
But there's a real man in the glory interceding for us, and perhaps some truth is ministered in the meeting here. And we think of the difficulties of trying to carry this out when we return home and have to meet things in business and in our homes and so on. Well, the truth has been brought before us, but then we can look up and say, well, there's one up above who will supply the grace to fulfill that which is his good pleasure for me.
And so he supplies, as the captain of our salvation, that strength to carry us through the wilderness.
Don't you think that off time was that one who has separated himself in heavenly glory? That he'll bring some scripture to our minds in a particular?
Danger or problems? Suddenly a scripture comes to our minds. I believe that's the Lord's work and glory in our behalf. And we need to remember to this beloved friend.
That if we sit down and neglect reading our Bible and allow other reading to absorb our time, the Lord or the Spirit of God hasn't that material to make use of. God isn't going to perform a miracle and suddenly just fill our minds full of scriptures so that we can use it in a time of special need. But it's the daily consistent reading, and in humble dependence too, because when we read the Word, we should feel that we're in the presence of the Lord Himself.
That he's speaking to us and it's his word, addressed to our consciences and our hearts.
To exercise us in His presence as well as fill our our our minds with joy and Thanksgiving.
We have that brother Barry, I believe in principle carried out in the Lord choosing the apostles in Mark chapter 3 all in one verse.
00:35:10
Mark 3 and verse 14.
He ordained 12 That they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.
First, there is the necessity of being with him and for us. Certainly that is communion with him over the word and meditation and then the going forth. Is that right, brother? Yes, that's very lovely, brother.
David recognized this, one said. Thy word am I hid in my heart that I might not stand against me.
Very lovely, isn't it?
And his head there. And it's in the heart and the place of affection, isn't it?
This takes us back to doesn't to the third words.
This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou a sense.
Salvation isn't some When I say a package that we have and we have it now and we say, well, I'm saved, that's all there is to it. But this is.
Wonderful intimacy now into which we've been brought to know the only true God and Jesus Christ. And thou sin, How do we come to know Him? More while through His word and obedience to it. And this brings us into the consciousness of that great love, of that true God and that Son whom he has sent. So it's progressive, isn't it? And knowing this blessed one, Paul could say at the end of his life that I made no hint.
Well, surely the Apostle Paul must have known the Lord. Well, he did indeed, but the more he came to know him, the more he desired to know in the second chapter of.
The Epistle of John. We have a similar thought. The fathers, do we not? You have known him from the beginning.
Or that is from the beginning.
It was a continuous enjoyment.
Of the person that brought that maturity.
And.
The fathers mentioned there.
Well, this is not what some teach its perfection.
A lady came to me and said Mr. Smith. I've never sinned in my life.
Well, I said. Isn't this a remarkable case? Now you have sinned now because you told the lies.
So we must, must not mix this up, brethren. Some of the younger people might be thinking, oh, we're going right on to perfection here.
Well, that day is coming, but it's nice, this service question of sanctification, the progressive side of it, I like that rather term. I don't know whether you like brethren. I don't like that word progressing, sanctification.
It's a daily enjoyment of the Lord Jesus.
Which is solemn necessary. Isn't it ingrown?
My little poor sister. She she thought that she had reached the the pinnacle of perfection. She'd never sinned in her life.
Well, she told a lie that she said, right?
Now our brother Smith, you referred to that verse, and I've been thinking about it in 2nd Thessalonians 5 and 23, and it's very practical. That's part of the epistle it it brings before us several things. It mentioned rejoicing evermore and praying without ceasing, and everything's giving thanks and.
In verse 22 abstaining from all appearance of evil.
I'm sorry, first Thessalonians 5 and.
From verse 16 I was quoting.
And I recall something that's been very precious to me and I passed it on. It was aged for our agent, Brother Hammond.
Of long ago the artist PBS is taking up this passage and he said, you know, we are triune beings composed of bodies, soul and spirit, but it's here in the inverse order, spirit, soul and body because.
00:40:16
The spirit is the highest part of our being, and it goes progressively downward to the body. And he said in regard to sanctification in the practical sense, this the Spirit is preserved.
The soul will be preserved and if the soul is preserved, the body will be preserved. And if you think about that it it's very helpful to us and in a practical way, in a very practical way.
There are so many things to come into the affections that will turn this aside.
And if our affections are kept straight and in communion with the Lord, then our soul, that's that's part of our intelligence, will also be kept from dabbling into things that are not for our good spiritual, at least ecclesiastically. And if we are kept safe or preserved in that respect, then the body itself will be preserved too.
Because it's liable and to.
To fail and become entangled.
Really. What you say?
Someone else I want to refer to this verse. I didn't, but I certainly enjoy what you say.
In connection with that, I think what we this goes along with the few verses that go before that.
Rejoice Evermore.
Well, we can rejoice.
But it must be independent on the Lord that we have our enjoyment and join the Lord Himself so it's rejoice every morning. Pray without ceasing. Let the Eastern Thanksgiving.
And then crunch not the Spirit. Well, we certainly don't. It isn't our desire as children of God to go contrary to the Spirit and hinder the Spirit.
And the connection with the quenching, not the Spirit. There is also the despising, not the word of God, presented to us despite not prophesying, that is the Word of God.
Applied to our own consciences.
But at the same time.
To test by the word of God that which is presented to us, prove all things, the whole fact of that which is good. So we hold fast as that which is good, and reject the evil.
And they obtained from every form of evil, I believe it should be.
Going on in a path of practical or progressive sanctification.
And then again, the result is a very God of peace.
We're saying there's very gotta be sanctify your holy and I pray God your holds spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless under the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we need all this together in order to enter into the very good of what we.
20th 1St refer to this present company here today did include it.
Those that should believe on their word. Don't you think? Father Mundine, That's bad. First, in a special way, refers to Pentecost.
See on the 11Th verse, the largest especially referring to his apostles, their oneness with him.
Now in this 20th verse it says, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word. Well, on the day of Pentecost cedar freaks and 3000 were saved up to that one sermon of Peters, and here is the result.
That they all may be one, and thou call the heart of me, and I indeed thee in I and thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
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Well, there was a oneness there in Jerusalem at that time that has never been seen before, Since they were all of one mind, neither called any man ping his own. They that had the lands and houses sold them and laid the money at the apostles feet, and with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection, and they was great joy.
Where, well, there was never such a testimony as that, and the world itself was compelled to own that this simply was of God, just like.
Demilia said, If this is, this is of God, why we're fighting against God to oppose it. It was too mighty a testimony for even the natural mind of man to say that it wasn't something.
That must be a work of God. So that really is the is the primary thought here. Although we can see that wherever there is even a little testimony among God's people today, where there is that oneness going on with with the Lord, that there is a testimony that will go out and.
Speak to the consciences of sinners.
Something like you get in the 14th of First Corinthians that the one who came into the assembly and they all prophesied why he would fall down and say God is with you of a truth his his conscience is convicted.
So whenever there is that happy unity among God's children, it speaks more powerfully to the unsaved than any other character of testimony, I believe. Is that right?
Impossible.
Put himself.
Excited to whom? He wrote.
Under the blessing that came to God's people on the day of Pentecost.
As you would see in Titus.
Chapter 3.
Verse 5. Not by works of righteousness, which we've done.
But according to his mercy, he saved us.
By the washing of regeneration.
And renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Which he shared on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Would that be true?
Well, there was a special display of the the pouring out of the Spirit of God at that time, wasn't there?
The oneness that is spoken of in Paul's ministry has to do with oneness in the body of Christ, doesn't it? Whereas here it's rather oneness in life, oneness in the family that is spoken of. Of course, everyone who is a member of the body of Christ is also one in the family of God. It's just a different thought that is brought before us. But it's helpful to see the difference because.
The truth of the church was not made known until it was revealed to Paul. And then he brought it out. As he says, the secret that was hid from ages and generations have now made manifest. In fact, I believe we could say that oneness is spoken of in three different ways.
Here at the Oneness in the family is possessing the same life in Paul's ministry when it says by 1 Spirit we are all baptized into one body and that we are members one of another. That has to do with Oneness in the body of Christ. And it's by the Spirit who did not come until the day of Pentecost that all believers are united in one in the body of Christ. Then when we come to Hebrews chapter 2.
It says for both he that sanctifies, and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which 'cause he is not ashamed to call him brethren. Then he goes on to speak, that he didn't take the nature of angels, but he took upon him the seed of Abraham. There is oneness in kind.
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Now that is, there's a real man in the glory, and we are men. And so as the leader in that day that we read of this morning, he's going to.
Associate with himself his brethren, He as a man will be the head, but associated with him are those that are not angels but men, one in kind. And so as we sing, we can with exaltation, saying He wears our nature on the throne, that is.
As being.
A man on the of course, the perfect man. But I believe it's noticeable that there are those three different things. And here it has to do with the family, and therefore it has to do more with as individuals entering into and enjoying the thoughts of God. And then there is a collective testimony when this is so, as you remark, when the believers are enjoying the Lord in communion.
And then there is a powerful, united testimony.
I suppose you'd say as much the same ministry of trying in John's Gospel in the 10th chapter of John, where the Lord says.
That he had other sheep which are not of this, fold them all. So I must bring, and there shall be one that should reflock, and one shepherd.
While John was not giving us Paul's ministry, about, as you say, the.
Oneness of the body of Christ. There is more thought of the flock, isn't it? That is, there'd be no longer that barrier between you and Gentile, These other sheep that is the Gentiles would be brought in. And it's a very precious thought, one flock. So you take these different views of oneness it brings.
Very precious truths before our souls.
Think of the shepherd, and think of his care over his own, his sheep.
Well, he sees the mall at 1 Flock, and he's the center of that Flock 1 Flock 1 Shepherd, caring for them, feeding them, and watching over them in all their dangers as they go through this scene.
But the bar you were just bringing out something I think is very lovely in connection with the oneness of the.
Testimony is being so important. Would you mind just going over that again and maybe expanding a little bit? How important to the display of that oneness is? I'd like to hear you, brother Barry.
I just enjoyed so much that you said you just say that again. Well, I said it in a feeble way, but when gobs, dear children, we're thinking this moment.
Those gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
Christ and when we're going on with one desire to please the Lord.
And to walk in his ways.
There is a definite collective testimony that speaks to the consciences of the unsaved, just like the man coming into the family at Corinth. He says when you become into one place, that shows that God's thought has always been to gather his people to one center. And of course Christ himself is that center and you all prophecy. That is, there was perfect unity and connection with the.
Character of the of the testimony there has looked at in that way why even the unbeliever coming in, why he is so convinced in his conscience that he falls down? He says God is with you of a truth. Well, brethren, surely we should be exercised about this and if there's any selfish.
Occasion.
For us to disagree with our brethren, while we should be very careful.
Not to allow any selfishness in our own heart to cause any friction or a divided state among our brothers. Now of course we want to stand firm by this that if there's anything that comes in, that concerns the.
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Glory of Person of Christ or his perfect work we cannot compromise in any way.
And matters so serious is that even if it does cause friction, we must stand firm for what concerns the glory of Christ and even his authority. For were not only gathered to his name as a center, but gathered thus we have the presence of the one whose authority we must own, that the Lord himself is in the midst, and when.
The exercise discipline in the assembly at current in the 5th chapter, First Corinthians, the apostle says when ye become together.
When you I better read it so as to get it absolutely as the word gives it the 5th chapter of First Corinthians.
In the fourth verse he says, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together, and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan, so on. And so later on he says, Therefore put away from among you that wicked person.
Shows that in the discipline, it belongs to the assembly where the discipline is exercised, and it's done in the name of the Lord Jesus. Of course, we have no apostles now, so Pauline says with my spirit. We couldn't have Paul's spirit in the same way that they had their incurrence, but we are left with that same authority of his name in the midst.
But there are those things you know are not the normal state of the Assembly. The normal state of the Assembly is to be going on in peace, seeking to build one another up in their most holy faith, to encourage and strengthen one another. And if I get my toes stepped on because I'm not given a place of some other brother is given, I shouldn't be grieved over that. We should always be thankful.
Whenever the Lord is ministered and whenever His Saints are encouraged and built up, that's the important thing that we should earnestly desire above all things. And the more I believe, we go on in humility and are willing to be nothing, absolutely nothing, before the Lord.
That the more the Spirit of God is unhindered to carry on this unity, that.
Is brought before us.
One in US that the world may believe.
The father and the son had mentioned, isn't it?
One in the.
World may believe that thou has sent me.
Well, how much stronger that is than just words then?
As much as said today, many voices, but this is.
Power. Isn't it the testimony?
Well, it's lovely and my follows to look on to the time when it will be perfect, isn't it?
For there is a time when not just a little company gathered to his precious name.
But the whole redeemed company gathered around the Lord Jesus. And so it tells us in the 2 verses that follow, and the and the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one eye, and them and thou and me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and has loved them as thou hast loved me. There's going to be a display as we.
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Noticed in first, second Thessalonians chapter one.
When he shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be admired in all them that believes and saw, a little hymn puts it nicely, Thou shalt to wandering worlds display that we with thee are one. The Church has certainly failed in the maintenance of this testimony.
And surely we, as gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, have to put down our heads too, and acknowledge our failure. But there's a day coming when those blessed councils will be carried out, and when all are redeemed will be there, and when will be made perfect in one and the world, Looking at the redeemed company coming with Christ will see nothing but perfection. It's striking no to notice that in the end of the 21St verse it says that the world may believe.
And in the end of the 23rd, that the world may know now is the time, even although the Church has failed, that the opportunity is given to believe the glorious message and to be saved. But when that time comes that the Saints will be displayed with Christ, it will be too late. Then the door of grace will have been shut upon Christendom. So they'll know, but it'll be too late then to believe.
So may the Lord encourage us in these days, in spite of failure and weakness, to seek to go on in the unity of the Spirit and the uniting bond of peace. There is a testimony to be born that can bear fruit that we won't be able to do in that day when the Lord comes with us, because that will be to execute judgment.
You notice here, he says in the 22nd verse.
And the glory which thou gave us me, I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one. And then in the 24th verse he says, Father, I will that they also, whom thou has given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.
Would we not say that there's two distinct glories there?
There's certain glory is that the Blessed Lord will share with all His redeemed their other glories that we will see and we'll see the Lord and the.
Display of those glories, but we cannot share with them as we can in those glories which He has given us. Well, the glory of redemption is 1. Isn't it ought of glory that is to think that the one that this world despise and gave the cross and Shang to as to be displayed.
In that scene as the Redeemer, As the Redeemer, we are to share his glorious redemption work, and His work and resurrection glory will share that resurrection glory with Him.
And they're seated on the throne. What he has gained by his faithfulness, so that the Father has said, sit at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
A coming reign of Christ we're going to share with him, sit on his very throne with him. How many glories we could enumerate that we're to share with him?
But then there are these glories that we're going to see, I suppose one of those glories that is spoken of.
There's the what he tells about in the first of the chapters where he says.
And now will bother the fifth verse. Glorify thou me with our own glory, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was well. That's the glory we'll see.
We'll see Him in that glory as the Creator of the vast universe. Wonderful display of glory that will surely be. But then we can't. We can't share that as we can Redemption's glory, He the Redeemer and we the Redeemed.
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Remember our brother Potter and speaking about glory?
He spoke of it as revealed excellence and he said the nearest.
Illustration that he could think of was a setting sun. Sometimes we've all seen the most beautiful sunset when all the colors of the rainbow are displayed in the most magnificent way. Well, that's in a very, very feeble way, of course.
Would give a suggestion of what those coming glories will be. When we have left this scene as beloved, we couldn't dare. We couldn't enter into those glories in the way it's brought before us here. While we're in these temporal bodies down here we must be in bodies of glory so that we can realize and enter into.
The lower is that lie before us. I believe in the prayer of the Apostle. In the Ephesians there were two prayers, and the first one perhaps would suggest more the outward display of things.
Whereas in the third chapter.
We have a little different line of things, but if you look at Luke 9.
For a moment.
In the 26th verse and near the Spirit of God brings it to the conscience.
As it is so in the Gospels.
Luke 9 and 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of Maine.
And of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's and of the holy angels.
Now I suppose that this is set before the disciples.
Is that which they look forward to as those that have taken the place of rejection down here because we learn elsewhere that not only.
Will we be associated with him as you spoken of in that glory? Thanks for the redemption, but.
Will be associated with him in his place above the angels.
But then that's more what we have in the seasons, one where he is head over all things. But if you'll notice that Ephesians 3 is spoken of a little differently and I think it's most precious because there.
We have the richest spoken of the riches of his glory.
In the.
16 first.
In the 14th verse, he's bowing his knees under the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom every family in heaven and earth His names that He would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be.
Strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man. Now this is not the outward display of glory, but this is rather as something connected with the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.
It's something like has been before us today, that our hearts might take in these things, not merely an outward display of things.
What was mentioned in the 4th chapter of?
Our third chapter of Second Corinthians from glory to glory.
It's taken up with the person of Christ, and with the love of Christ and that which effects the heart directly. I believe this is the line of things we have in Ephesians 3 and to know the love of Christ, whose path of knowledge And so the Spirit of God takes us on into the riches of his glory and joy in the inner mass. So we have really the two sides of glory, do we not?
We also say that there is a glory that we will never be able to behold, for it says in First Timothy chapter 6 in the 16th verse. So only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach, unto whom no man hath seen, nor can see to whom the honor and power everlasting. Amen. The Lord Jesus place in the Godhead will always be beyond our comprehension.
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And we must always remember that that the glory will be displayed to us, the glory now that that we'll share and that which the Lord Jesus has as man. But I believe His place in deity He has never left and never will. And there is a glory connected with that which will never be able to see.
We can see something of this thought and I know it's not very clear perhaps.
But it tells us in the Exodus chapter 33 that the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friends. But then when Moses said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory, in the very same chapter the Lord said, there shall no man see my face and live. How could it be said in the chapter that he talked to him face to face? And in the same chapter there shall no man see my faith and live.
Oh, when we're Speaking of God, it always must be with that holy reverence.
And realization that there is that connected with God and the Lord Jesus, God the Son, which is beyond us and will always be beyond us. So we have to speak with the great reverence. When we speak of these glories and that which has been made known, we can rejoice in but there is that which is beyond us, and we just bow and worship as we think of it.
Our mistress of life, fame, the creatures grass transcends, he only thy blessed name a son can under comprehend.
We're utterly unable even to comprehend that which is finite. Any area of golf handiwork that a man wants to investigate, he finds at the end of his lifetime that it's 10 times more complicated than he thought when he began. And this is finite. So when we think of the person who brought it all into existence and the glory connected with him, it's no wonder that we just are really privileged to look up and realize there is such a glory, even though we cannot possibly take it in.
I've heard you say.
Two things. At other times on the uncreated glory, I'd like to hear it again.
I don't recall what it might have been except this that Paul was caught up according to scripture into the 3rd heaven.
And I think it's interesting to notice, at least I believe it to be sold. And in Genesis one we do read of the creation of at least two heavens.
The atmospheric heavens, I believe, called the firmament, and the heaven, which I believe refers to the vast and immeasurable creation of heavenly bodies, both of which are specifically spoken of as having been brought into existence by the Lord. But Paul was caught up into the 3rd heaven, and there's no indication in scripture as to the origin of such a thing as the 3rd heaven.
So I take it to be that Paul was actually taken completely through those two heavens which are mentioned in Genesis 1 into the 3rd heaven.
The very presence of God.
Those means of uncreated glory. Now don't ask me to explain that because I'm very sure I can, but I hope I have liberty to use the term uncreated glory. And I believe this is where Paul was caught up. And I believe this is our home.
And connects with Matthew 25 verse 31. We get there when the Son of Man shall come in his glory.
All the holy angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. Where this has to do in connection with the judgment of the nation? That's rather interesting there.
He speaks of him, Then shall he sit upon the throne.
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Of his glory. There are many aspects of it. Then in the 1St Corinthians 2 he is the Lord of glory there.
To I think it's verse 8.
He is the Lord of glory. These are wonderful and and in Acts 7 I was noticing in verse 2 using Garden Floyd.
God, Lord, oh, these are wonderful. We find ourselves frustrated before him in adoration when we think of it.
You're not the next one, Brother Smith. Would you say that the 60th of Isaiah would be the glory of his grace and the 63rd the glory of his judgment?
And he switched on his throne.
What portion of that brother Lundy a 60 would be a rise? For thy glory is caused. And Isaiah 63 is who is this that comes forth and glorious in the Pharaoh and so on. It's it's when the judgment is over In Needham. You just finished that judgment, that awful judgment. So they're both spoken of as glory. You get it in the 66th of Isaiah as well.
Glory.
What greater contrast could there be?
With the weakness, our weakness here on this earth despise and rejected it. We're following the Lord. What a what an example of weakness. And yet, just to think, beloved ones, of the glory that is before us.
Opening up to our eyes, blessed one that has occupied us today to be in this presence forever. What a contest.
When the Lord speaks in the 13th of John after Judith has gone out to remember, he says now is the Son of man glorified and God is glorified in him.
Now the Lord is speaking there of the cross.
Where the cross was immediately before him, the beloved. Could we think of anything that would be so? Absolutely.
Contradictory as were, as we naturally think of things, to think of the Lord beaten and bleeding, and wearing the crown of thorns, and then nailed up to that cross. And yet the Lord speaks of that as glory, now as the Son of Man glorified.
So while we have had those higher glories of His fame, as it were well for us to think of the glory the Lord has acquired through thy shameful cross, and I believe when we sip the whole matter down, there's no place or no occasion where the glory of God was so displayed when that Lolly 1 bore that cross.
And was hung up there between 2 Thieves.
And the heavens grew dark, and God forsook him because of our sins.
That is in glory that excels, as it were, all other glory. And while we'll never see the Lord.
In his suffering, wearing the crown of thorns, we shall see him as he is, but Beloved will have the memory of that glory with us through all eternity.
What is meant by determine the moral glories of the Lord Jesus? You tell us, brother. Some people I would like to have someone else.
Brother Billet has written a whole book on the more moral glories of the Lord Jesus. Very beautiful there was the glory is that.
We're not outward of the slaves, that is, the Lord veiled his godhead glory in becoming a man. Not that he gave it up, but he veiled it.
They called him the Carpenter's Son, and he went through this world as the lonely stranger sitting on the well, a hungry, thirsty man.
He veiled those glories, and he veiled his official glory too. Because he wasn't come here to reign, he was caught. He had come here to suffer. But those moral glories could not be concealed, They could not be veiled.
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So we see that all through his blessed life, and John, in his first chapter of his epistle of his gospel, he said, the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us, and we beheld his glory, the glories of an only begotten with a Father full of grace and truth.
That gracious man in his ways down here.
You'll find that when the Lord met the funeral procession at the gate of the city of Maine, that he'd walked 20 miles through a rough country to get to that that city where he knew that poor widows, broken heart would be seeing her son carried out to the grave, he was there. Well, there's a moral glory, isn't it? That shines out.
They go, the Lord humbly talking to that poor woman and and getting her interested until he reaches her conscience.
And then?
Leading her to the place where she says we know that Messiah comes.
Winning her poor heart well all through his life and ministry, those moral glories could not be hid, although.
His Kingdom, glory, His glories, their Creator, were not seen and yet.
Those glories were seen all through his life and ministry, of course. I think they were occasions when his divine glory broke out.
Like when he still the storm there on the Sea of Galilee, and commanded the wind and the waves to be still.
Every once in a while his glorious Divine Person broke off, as it were, through the veil that he had taken to conceal himself as a lowly man in this world.
What about this?
To last the expression regarding those whom the Father had given him in the.
24 Verse that they may behold my glory.
Are you jealous, Brother Smith?
We've been speaking about it, haven't we? About that?
Character of the glory that's to be.
Revealed to us when we get home, is that it? Yes, I'm sure What we've been Speaking of in connection with the moral glories, then, would be that.
Gives nature and his character were revealed down here, but that whole glory.
Of his person, that is that he is the Creator, that he's the head of all things.
That'll be in display then. It isn't now, but it will be in display then. But his nature and his character were seen here on Earth as our brothers just been Speaking of.
It was a great importance for us too, because we see the Lord in every circumstance possible that we could meet in our pathway as we often sing all the paths the Saints are treading trodden by the Son of God. And so in every circumstance we see the Lord Jesus displaying the character that divine life here below the character of God His Father.
He couldn't be any less than perfect.
He acted perfectly under every circumstance that he met. He always spoke in the right tone of voice. He never didn't seek his own glory, but the glory of his father. And so even his enemies had to say, never mind speak like this man. Well, it's I thought of it in connection with the Tabernacle.
And the top covering of the Tabernacle was the badger's skin, which perhaps represents to us the Lord Jesus humanity here.
But as a person walked around the Tabernacle, they saw that hanging of fine twine linen all around. Well, the fine twine linen is practical righteousness. And so they saw that in the Lord Jesus and everything as the Tabernacle here amongst us now there were those perfections that were seen, that spoke even to his enemies.
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But when they came around to the front, to the entrance, then they saw something more. The gate wasn't just fine Twine Lennon, it was blue and purple and scarlet and fine fly linen. So those who felt their need recognized in him more than a perfect man.
More than perfect moral glory, they saw something else and saw the blue and the purple and the Scarlets speak of to our hearts and those glories that attracted us to himself. Then when they entered, as we know, there was the brazen altar God had provided a way of approaching to His presence through the sacrifice. Well, all this is very beautiful. And then when we see the Saints in glory.
It says.
That to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. That moral glory that was seen in the Lord Jesus in his pathway, so perfectly will be seen in the Saints when we are displayed there. The bride will be presented in that way.
Well, it's lovely to see that in Christ and then manifested in us when the old nature is gone, and there's nothing but the same divine life in us too in that scene.
I just wanted to make this remark. I was thinking that we've been talking in these wonderful things. What a transformation has come upon us who have passed from death unto life. I thought of Isaiah 53, where the prophet says and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire.
Well, this is about the way we see things as a man in this world. This is what the world is looking upon. There's no beauty that we should desire him. But I was thinking of the contrast in the Song of Solomon where in that 5th chapter toward the end, his mouth is mostly yeah, he is all together lovely. We've been talking of glory. You could say the same thing of beauty. We have to ponder these things and see things as God sees them. And what a transformation.
It's to me it's the most wonderful to think of this.
Is one verse that hasn't been mentioned the 26.
And perhaps someone could, before we close, just give us a thought on the 26th verse. Let us not forget the 23rd brother.
The father's wonderful love for his own.
Yeah, and we have the measure of the Father's love.
And precipice of John chapter three first verse we have the manner of his love and we call the children of God. Here's the measure of his love, isn't it?
Could we say that that 23rd verse is connected with this 26th? And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it that the love were with thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them. So not only has that love been perfectly displayed, and is ever toward us.
Power for enjoyment has been given to us, so that it says here that the love were with others. Love me may be in them and I in them.
Person might know his love and yet not be in the enjoyment of it. But, brethren, we have the power to be in the enjoyment of it, because Christ dwells in our hearts by faith. And if we will just allow the Spirit of God working upon the Newman to occupy us with him, that glorious love will be shed abroad in our hearts so that the love is toward us. If we're not enjoying it, it's because.
We're not allowing the Spirit of God to do His blessed work in occupying us will His love. Failure in our lives will be the hindrance. And that's why when we come back and own it and confess it, the hindrances removed and then again the Spirit of God can do his work. But it's often been said that the Spirit of God does not witness to a careless walking Christian. And one is sometimes remarked, a Christian can be the most miserable person on earth.
Are the most happy. He can be the most miserable because he can't enjoy the world again.
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He's not enjoying the Lord. He has no portion at all.
But if he's allowing the spirit of God to do his work, he's the happiest person on earth because.
But higher portion could we have than joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Thank Lord of Glory, we authority.
#134.
Lord of glory, we adore thee. Christ of God ascended high heart and soul we bow before thee, glorious now beyond the sky. Thee we worship thee, we praise excellent in all thy ways.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
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All day meeting. Hesper, October 1971 Reading meeting.
We're playing together 186.
Billionaire with fire a new one, Loving soul. Fire, hearts, desire and light.
180 selected.
00:05:13
In durably near return of our Blessed Lord, would the brother be happy to consider first Thessalonians first chapter?
Unless I have anything special on my heart.
First chapter of First Thessalonians.
Paul I'm so very nice. And Timothy is under the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you in our prayers.
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor, of love and patience, of hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father, Knowing, Brethren beloved, your election of God for our gospel came not unto you and word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
And you became followers of us and of the Lord.
Having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost, so that you were in samples to all that believe in Macedonia and IKEA, board from you have sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and IKEA, but also in every place. Your faith in Godward is spread abroad, so that we need not to speak anything, for they themselves show of us what manner of entering yet we had unto you, and how you turn to God and idols.
To serve the living and true God and await your Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Correct to say that this was the first successful apostle Paul ever wrote.
Perhaps the 2nd epistle was the next epistle that he wrote.
And we find those that destiny had not been converted too long before the apostle.
Wrote this epistle.
Paul was driven out of testimony persecution. He was not able to return for years.
So because Satan hindered his returning.
He wrote this at Business. We see the hand of God in that.
He been able to visit them as he truly desired. We would not have the ministry of the Lord's coming for the whole Church of God.
We'll find that in both the 1St and 2nd missiles of Thessalonians, the Lord's coming is mentioned in every chapter.
Young Christians who have heard the Gospel and accepted the same.
Where the gospel is clearly presented to them, immediately have a longing to see the one who saved them, and that brings in the coming of the Lord.
In the next year, you'll walk about it. No one's coming being mentioned. Every chapter in the first chapter is presented at an inspiring coach holding Anne Bondberg.
The second characteristics and encouraging hope of a painting sermon.
The third chapter of purifying hopeful believers, the 4th chapters, becomes a vote for the Marine.
00:10:05
Fifth chance would present as a surrounding hope of Sleeping Christian.
I was thinking to the first person when we get this expression to show us the professor, the Thessalonians, which is in God's Father, isn't it?
It speaks of them relationship.
In God the Father.
The Church of the Thessalonians, which is in Dawn the Father.
The only time I mentioned I believe and so it's presented that you see a Saint Paul is wonderful relationship.
As far as it appears somewhat like what the hospital, John says about the thieves. Speaking of the thieves of the little children, he says, I write unto you because you have known the father.
And here were young believers.
While they hadn't learned some of the deeper truths that he doesn't write to them as he writes to the Ephesian assembly if he can encourage their hearts by reminding them.
That they're in God the Father.
And that's very beautiful to see an assembly in such a place.
Of nearness and nearness and while, as we say.
It has written to young believers knowing that relationship, yet there's nothing.
That speaks of such security as being in God the Father, because where could we find place where we're so safe?
Where the enemy can never reach us and.
To be in in God the Father Himself.
That is also not to see us in the Lord Jesus Christ.
With the congressionalism, Boston falls because the Lord is full title. So often the Lord Jesus Christ, any man be in Christ. He's a new preacher.
What's not the worst expression of our Lord when he came to support resurrection morning? I ascended My father, your father, My God, your Father.
If you say that relationship comes first and then responsibility.
And connection with the ones that Paul identifies himself in writing to the Thessalonians.
Paul and Sylvanas, that silence and demotious who travel with Paul.
Many journeys carrying the gospel, distant places. Why do you think of Barnabas who started out with Paul and yet he allowed the friction?
Well he wanted to take his nephew John Mark along with him. His brother thought it not wise or Paul thought it not wise because he left them and the contention was so sharp that they suffering he never find them together again. Well Barnabas it was self will there.
And as another brother has said, the what Paul said was perhaps very sharp, but yet as to the right stand Falls was right. He had a reason.
Reason of faithfulness. He saw it with harm a young brother to give him a prominent place after departing from the truth. So 1 can be right as to the extent he takes, and yet his spirit not be controlled by grace.
00:15:03
At the time, But nevertheless, though Paul may have shown an oblast, did show darkness, for it was very sharp, very sharp. Yet Paul was right, and Barn was wrong, and it separated Barnabas from the work that otherwise doubtless the Spirit of God would have given him.
And the connection with the Gospel being carried to so many lands.
The Church of Antioch commended the Apostle Paul further to their work after that incident, didn't they? So that we see that there were those in that place, those who hadn't got government wisdom to recognize what was the mind of God in the case between the two. And I've often thought that the account that we have in the official to the Galatians concerning Barnabas might have been at the roof of the whole matter.
First barn that was carried away with the simulation of others.
You need to be careful that we don't get carried away with the things which pertain to the flesh.
That's in the second of Galatians, isn't yes.
Shows a little failure, a little S wheel.
On yield it has.
May have very far reaching consequences.
So it's a lesson for us in keeping humble and really always ready to own when we're wrong and not be unwilling to judge ourselves.
How much sour and how much loss? Doubtless it was a great loss to the work of God to have Barnabas disappear from the work. Of course, I suppose he did carry on in my measurement, not in the full.
Fellowship.
And he had carried on the work up to that time where Bentio.
The Apostle Paul.
Valued The fellowship of a president, so you find it here. It's already been mentioned that Paul and Silas and Timothy are united together here in the writing of the successful.
And how much we need to fellowship on our brethren too. And whatever we do.
It's very important, Brother Smith.
And we should value it and not disregard it.
Interesting to know. True that both Hall and Noises chose a young man or a Companion of Service.
Paul Jones Timothy Moses chose Joshua.
Both days on the charge, the charge to Joshua Deuteronomy first after Joshua, so it finally constitutes John and.
These two Armando taken around with these old.
And committed many a service to them.
So we've been remarking. It's nice for the young brothers to keep in company with the older brothers who have had a little more experience perhaps and things of this wicked world and.
It's nice to have the companionship.
Mark was not influenced by violence, but finding the Timothy that impossible, Commencement says, profitable to me. He wasn't turned aside from a steadfast that's the price. He didn't let Barnabas influence him.
Well, he gives this lovely commendation that you find I believe in.
And all the way up business and that's the Hebrews.
00:20:03
Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Two things that we much need.
In our time.
Grace unmerited favor, for we deserve nothing by grace that we are saved through faith and that not of ourselves.
It's grace wherein we stand.
And it will be grace that will be brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So when the rewards are given, it will all be of grace.
In going on together as the Assembly of God, there is such grace needed.
For burying one another in love.
Realizing that we're just poor sinners, saved by grace, and it's all his grace that saved us and brought us into this place. And grace will keep the heart lowly and keep the heart dependent.
And then we need we need peace.
For.
For the peace of God that passes all understanding.
Is very important and we're told to follow the things that make for peace.
I'm sure we all understand it's never peace at any cost to give up the truth or to bring in something that.
Dishonored Christ or his priceless work or his holy name just for the sake of having a harmony or try to have a human made harmony.
To sacrifice something of of great importance that is never God's way.
So when James is speaking along this line, his epistle and the third chapter.
He says in the 17th verse for the wisdom that is from above his first cure.
Then he said well, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good truth, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
That is, there must be first that which is pure.
And what is pure maintains the glory of Christ.
So the grace here is not really the saving grace is that is the grace which sustains the day by day after we are saved.
And the very first thing the Lords in half his resurrection was, peace be unto you.
Nice this wonderful source. This grace and peace flows from from.
God our Father.
And the Lord Jesus Christ.
Think of God as our Father.
All the priceless truth that surely is. And then those three names brought together.
Lord Jesus Christ.
And when we have grace and peace flowing down to us on a source like that, that is surely the most wonderful commendation. And no wonder it appears in all the epistles that Hebrews, I believe.
How much we need grace day by day.
Both in connection with our brethren and with the world.
And who could give us grace and peace?
Like one who is our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who died.
I'm pleased to know that all that sustains us here below we have from our Father, God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Master nervous feel that every 1/4 of thistles ends with grace.
He was really a recipient of grace, wasn't it? You really want grace men? And the Lord met him on the downward Rd.
00:25:11
Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all men, after having heard the Lord saying, Behold, I come quickly, Even so come Lord Jesus, the response art of the believers. Then we have the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, and that until he comes again for his own.
In the second verse we get we give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you and our prayers.
In our prayers, it shows the.
Hostile values the prayers in the Assembly.
As soon as the Church performed, they continued steadfastly in the Apartment Doctrine Fellowship and in prayers, and in breaking of bread.
How important the prayer meeting is.
Let's never give up the prayer meeting present and let's be faithful in our attendance at the service.
We're usually fine and going about the prayer meeting is the poorest candidate meeting of the meeting of the assembly.
There's also.
Kind of prayer as leaved, right? Many times that we pray. I pray for all of you have been on the street a long time ago to pray for all those things. So very important for us today is the prayers of mine. We are the presence of God and prayer not just for ourselves but for all of God's people. It reminds me of Anna and the second chapter, Luke. She knew them all and she spake of him.
Christ for her subject.
And the Lord's people are really precious to our heart, Soviet Cross. So he knew all the Lord's people didn't. They will pray for them all.
Just pray for those who are going astray. He prayed for those who were going on well.
Someone has said her phone with the widows in Israel, while their mothers in Israel praying for when getting that is and his men went down of the host of the Midianites for no reason surely give the answer. It was those who were going down into that place of danger.
In faith and dependence, and praying more earnestly for them, doubtless than those who.
Who went back and didn't have the courage to continue?
Well, you'll notice the Blessed Lord himself spent all night in prayer. It surely shows the importance of prayer. And the 6th of Luke says it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountains of prey and continued all night in prayer to God. And this was before he chose his disciples, his companions. So he is a very important word to the young people before they choose their companions.
To spend much time in prayer. The Lord spent all night in prayer before he chose His disciples says in the 13th verse. And when it was day he called unto him his disciples, and of them he chose 12.
Well, if it was necessary for the Son of God to spend all night in prayer, surely it's important that we should spend a lot of time in prayer.
I remember dear young brother in China who came to prayer meeting. Our sister here would remember him.
Wasting and he said to Brother Willis hunt, I have a much to pray about Brother, so I'll not be at the prayer meeting. So he stayed away. Well, not too long after that he took ship down to Hong Kong from Shanghai and they encounter the storm. The ship was more or less wrecked and he was thrown in the sea with his very few belongings and lost them. And so he was picked up by a naval vessel and brought back to Shanghai.
And he came to a prayer meeting somehow, he said. Now, brother, I haven't signed the prayer back.
00:30:05
And pass him to that terrible ordeal to make him realize his dependence upon the Lord. He lost his dependence, he said. There's no need for me to come. I have nothing to say about There are two things he lost. He lost his belongings and he lost his independence. And so the Lord may have to teach us solemn lessons too, if we stay away from the prayer meeting when it's possible to be there.
Remember, young brother said to me once, he didn't pray. He was at the prayer meeting. They did not pray himself. And he said, do you think it's all right for for us to say Amen to the other brothers prayers? I said, well it's a very easy way out. I said, you know, the Lord says let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice so we won't have our responsibilities.
Not we're not suggesting sister should pray in a prayer meeting of thoughts.
But we can all pray and we need to think in danger. The Psalmist who said in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and would look up in the morning. And we finally prayed three times a day like Daniel did.
Let him that the worst before the one he called attention to, and the 6th of Luke, where the Lord went out and spent the whole night in prayer to find what his enemies were. Indeed, that during that time we're in the preceding verse, it sounds, and they were filled with men and communed one with another, what they might do to Jesus. Yeah, they were having a bad meeting.
To condemn the Lord and to stop his ministry and to destroy him. For as the Lord was lonely, the Father in communion and every beautiful when they were trying to destroy the Lord, he was inquired to call the Father so that wider blessing might go out to the nation that wanted to refuse it.
Another verse connection with Clinton's My brother Gladys brought before us in the 1St of March from 35th verse.
Mark one verse 35.
About the Lord and in the morning.
Rising up a great while before a day, he went out and departed into a solitary place. And they're afraid, and it mentions in the 38th verse, he said. But then let us go in the next town that I might preach, they're also therefore am I Ford, and at the end of the chapter he meets and cleanses the leopard.
We know ourselves begins with prayer. He rose up in the morning, and this is what Satan really tries to keep it all from doing, is praying in the morning, he said. Well, if we pray at night, what's wrong with praying at night? Look, you know it's good. But the Lord sets an example and he rolls up in the morning a great while before a day, and he spent his time in prayer, so they're free. That wasn't preach.
They loved me, the left for and heal the leper and bring blessing the man so it by prayers stand up to speak.
Comparably an easy thing for a lot of people to do, but to be on our knees is not very easy, is it? They alone with God in the bedroom on our knees sometimes get very weary and tired. But this is what Jesus did. He spent his time.
And prayer. So it tells us earlier in the first chapter of Mark that his word was for the second chapter of Mark, his word was with power.
I guess you've noticed too, brother Wakefield. And the the verse before it says Simon and they that were with him followed after him, and then they had found him. They said unto him, All men seek for thee is really the word calling.
Well, that's quite a incentive to go to where all men are seeking for someone that serves as the Lord. And sure, naturally that was the best for us. We'd say, oh, that's the place to go. They're all thinking you want to want, maybe want to hear my preaching, but how different will the Lord? He said, let us go to the next house. He didn't, wasn't drawn aside at all.
00:35:02
And we have to remember the Lord was a real man.
He was a man of faith, too, and a man of dependence, and his dependence was sustained by those times of prayer to his Father. The enemy would have sought to turn the Lord away from other places where God would have him go, but that time and prayer alone there in the morning prepared it so that he wasn't turned aside. He went, as you have called, so nicely, our attention.
Was going on and meeting that poor leopard. He wouldn't have met that leopard and cleansed it if he followed Simon's advice and the others at this time.
And assistance with what? I value the Lord with pain and prayer all night. He had a decision to make that morning He was in the 212. Out of all those disciples. It's nice to see you as a dependence on the smaller. We continue to occur all night. At the end of the morning He chose 12 disciples to fall hill. And how important this is each one of us.
Recall upon to make decisions.
And we have to make choices how good it is before the Lord first before we make us God.
And these the apostle tells us to pray and always the 6th chapter praying all. And then in Colossians he says.
The 4th down is experts continuing prayer and watching the same as Thanksgiving. And then in our officials of Thessalonians, the 5th chapter.
17 First, he says, pray without ceasing. So there is no time in our lake down here when we can do without prayer. Going through the act. Wherever you find prayer mentioned, it's nice to see that there is a blessing on their power, hopping the word as it goes forth.
Act 2.
We don't have the place to worry about. We have an enemy within A and as long as we're here on this scene, we have the old Acre. And so we need to pray there'll be praise in the be praised in the glory.
Prayer.
Will be speaking with us.
Really is not a sign of the sentence upon the law. And there is a moment that you and I don't need to be dependent upon the Lord if they're going to be kept here in this world of testimony for Him.
The disciples in Acts 2 already referred to they continued steadfastly and the apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of bread and prayers.
I've often thought of it this way, that continuing in the apostles doctrine.
That.
Is good. We need that we have the word of God.
But we need the Fellows of the Apostles Fellowship as well as a doctrine to go on.
In fellowship with that which is of God.
But then that will lead to exercise after the breaking of bread and obedience to the Word of God. But that too, in its own way, makes us feel our own weakness, our dependence upon the Lord and souls. There is the prayer meeting.
That, I believe, is the collective aspect of it. Is it not Brother Midberry? Yes, I believe, though it doesn't say prayer come before the breaking of bread and that second of acts. I may be wrong.
The memory is always serving me as a good in the 41St verse of Acts, and they gladly received the word were baptized on the same day.
Were added unto them about 3000 souls, when they continued steadfastly on the apostles doctrine and in fellowship and in breaking a bread. And whereas you were right. Yes, thank you. I'm glad to get corrected on that. I get the quoting scripture and then get advanced. I'm glad to be corrected.
00:40:06
Questions of training, authorities and many of the 5th character of Ice cream.
Put things together in the 5th chapter.
20 Attention the book before increasing **** from the elders programs to go to land. I've Never Run in my Heart and golden files Little workers. There are players that think about the prayers of the Saints on earth. I think like to the Tribulation.
And the next word we have prayed.
And redeemed it to God by our blood and someone. Other people asked for the tribulation on earth or in prayer. The people on heaven were afraid.
In connection with your heart from the American 6th of equations and pray hallway to all fair suffocate to the Spirit, and watching there unto the law going to appearance and suffocation for all things.
Find the apostle forms engaged in the ground department and Saints. But the next verse he says that for me don't forget me, I need your prayers too. And for me that happens may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth fully to make known the mystery of the gospel.
Then I think it's doing a connection with prayer, and some people seem to think that whatever they ask or they will get. But there's a very certain worthy and 66 Psalm verse 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
Me, I must be right to the whole first before I expect the lounge to my friend, and then we call him saying the Lord will, and then in John the President, the 5th Catholic. And this is the confidence that we have in England. If we are anything at falling. So we will we hear about and if we know, we hear us whatsoever we ask.
We know that we have the petitions that we design out Him, but I do believe we should take notice of that verse in the Psalm. It's important. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. I must be right for the Lord first before I expect an answer to my prayers.
Little girl with a question on this and I have to do well. Your first lesson answered.
He said, yeah, sometimes God says yes, Sometimes he says no. Sometimes he says wait a little while. And so we need to say, you know, we got time to to wait a little while, but we're not giving up. We're the continuous prayer. Moses prayed, didn't he? And he used the same expression as the Apostle Paul. But the Lord did not think he's prayer the way he desired to enter the land. He showed him the land, but he's not allowed to enter it.
He said, Let me hear no more about this. He prayed three times, and we find the Apostle Paul prayed three times, But the answer was not what he expected. But it was a better one, says my gracious sufficient holy praises of all might be removed. But the Lord said, my grace is sufficient for thee. Then he'll say, Therefore life armored gladly, glory, my infirmities of the power of Christ may rest upon me. So you say, the Lord does answer prayer, but not always in the way we expect.
Daniel waited for three weeks to be not before his prayer was answered, but it was heard for the first day and Angel was back there with a message from the Lord.
That he might die. I'll never answer that prayer when he took him to heaven without dying.
I want to go where you can go back to the first chapter of Mark Connection where Brother Ernie was messing in the 30 something.
In the morning he rising up the Great Wall before a day with the previous versions going back to verse 32, and it even won the son that settled him all of her disease remember her for dust, for devils. All the city was gathered together at the door to heal money and restricted divers diseases to cast out funny devils.
00:45:03
Because they knew help I was playing. And even when the song did set, while we look for rest and our laborers don't we? But there was no rest for the Lord. You rolled early while it was still day, but he was working late at night.
And that's why I believe we get the 11 Chapters of Marker begins with and he did this, and he did that and he did the other speaks of incessant toil. The perfect service from 11 Chapters begins with and he did this.
Verse 231.
Lord has a couple of Simon four states, and that's what I'm saying to your chief. And I have faith for thee and thy faith of our hearts, when thou convert back to my friends. Does that does that work? Peace.
Continue to pray.
Nice too to see here on the.
Fallout only prayed for the Thessalonians Saints, but he gave thanks to God. All for you all. Now we see our brother going on halfway. It should be an occasion of Thanksgiving.
The word all Visible The word all.
Through.
Remove all one method.
Well, that would. This might be without our brothers.
Or we were placed in the most favorable spotted world to live this beautiful climate and scenery and and everything that is right with natural man. And we're there without any of our brother Mr. What does all mean to us? So it's really having our the fellowship of our presence.
And is the most.
Delightful.
Blessing to God in this world.
Of course, God might send one like Brother Eric Smith through the land where they never heard the gospel. That's quite different. But it wasn't long before he had brothers to rejoice with it. But it wasn't choosing A delightful place to live. It was.
The desire to serve the Lord and carry the word.
Where was never heard before.
And all the social, delightful places we find the sound Riddle.
See what sin is brought in.
The Lord pronounced the world very good. Offering created it, didn't they? But man is just ruined it.
Possibly remember certain.
Of certain things.
That were characteristic of this assembly.
Have rejoiced his heart, and it's well for us to remember the things that are are happy and have been for blessing, not just to be occupied with failures and shortcomings and things that would make us.
Would distress our souls.
So he remembered without ceasing.
Your work of faith and labor, of love and patience, of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
To get brought before us there and the three characteristics of our Christian testimony faith, hope, and love, as you get in First Corinthians 13.
And these dear Saints abounded in those.
00:50:02
Those 3 characteristics.
I suppose they're brought out, are they not in the 9th and 10th versus this?
What you've just mentioned, work of faith, says they turned to God from idols, the work of faith and to serve the living, true God.
That's a labor of love, the patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, and to wait for his Son from heaven in the 10th verse.
Those three things often appear, I think.
And there's a principle where he finds it again.
In the 5th chapter and eighth verse, and let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for encounter the hope of salvation, there are the three are brought together again.
And feed us handsome tongue. I have faith hope and love again and feeds as a pistol we when James rawl that tells us how faint works.
And speeds of pistol tells us how hope works and.
Of this and tells us how love works.
So those 3 epistles are characterized by these three things.
You'll find in the.
Two emphasis in the second chapter of Revelation.
The.
The work and the labor and the patience which swell to notice the difference.
In Revelation 2.
In the second verse in this address to the Church of Ephesus.
I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience.
What does he have to say further down? Nevertheless, I have someone against thee, because I was left thy first love.
In this case.
The three things that are characteristic of the Christian life were not there. We find that they were still going on with their work, labour and their patience, but the vital thing was gone.
That's when he says thou hast left.
Thy first love.
As to their outward testimony, they were going on quite well.
But you know, there's always the danger in connection with going on the things of the Lord.
To carry on.
What it started with true energy of faith, love, hope.
And just as a habit.
And we need to be warned against that. We can get in the habit of going to the breaking of bread, to remember the Lord just because we were brought up that way, because we're accustomed to go there. Same way with prayer. And as to our work might be very much taken up with many school workers, many lines of service.
And it just gets to be.
An energy and natural energy to see how much is we can do, how many gospel tracks can be given away and so on. And so if those vital things are not there that.
Brings in the importance of communion.
Harry Hale used to often see there's no substitute for communion. And we can get out of communion and we can go on and the things of the Lord may be very correctly, as another brother said, we could be very sound in the truth, just as clear as an icicle, and just as cool.
So we need to be constantly stirred up and that's.
An individual matter of getting right into the presence of the Lord and something like 139 Psalms. Search me, oh Lord, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the path in the way everlasting.
00:55:18
So we need that searching of heart and practice because it's so easy. And perhaps we don't, they're not conscious of it, that we're slipping. We're getting careless.
Maybe we're there's a lot of self will that's mixed up with our labor for the Lord and alone in His presence is where those things can be detected, and when they are detected can be judged on superiority, presence.
Connection with the fourth verse you mentioned, because thou hast left thy first love.
5th verse says remember therefore from when thou fallen and repent and do the 1St works. When I suppose the first first would manifest the first love, would they not?
Nothing takes the place for love for Christ.
Leave that out.
And it's just an empty.
Affair.
And it shows that the portion of a cart that has received Christ as a Savior, while there isn't the intelligence, there isn't the knowledge, there isn't the acquaintance with the truth of God, that we can expect to follow on the life of one who has accepted the Savior yet that love.
Delights in the Savior who has found peace through believing and work on the cross now that that love, there's nothing can replace it.
An example of that.
And the 20th chapter of John.
Didn't know what's here and John, but the Lord, we love the country. They, well, they went for their own homes and didn't have a home anymore.
At home, the red Caribbean, she's got an annual partner, couldn't understand. There's also being an answer, he said in the 24th chapter of Luke.
You have an example of two words running the wrong direction, but they have a good.
Before the amendment.
Happen. When the Lord met the maintenance, and they spoke to him, He said what things, and immediately he leaves with things and speaks about himself. And the consequently they invited them to their home, their home, the Christ, and they warmed their hearts with his a word concerning himself. And their feet have come back to Jerusalem the very same day. So while they were thinking about the things and all, we had occupied the things all around us.
But Christ went to think about himself to us. And I think today, in this day in which we live, we need that's what we need, don't we? We need the Lord Himself before us on testimony.
Chapter 4. That the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shadow, and when he speaks modern his finished work, that says the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. So we have the three there, we have the past, He gave them some, we have the present, the open event, and all of the Scriptures things concerning Himself.
We have the future, the Lord himself, so let's himself all the way.
And connects with what you were saying about Mary Magdalene.
When Peter, I mean when John went into the the sepulchre, it says he saw and believed that if there was a proof, the Lord could never have left those charms, those grave clothes as he left them there. But Mary wasn't as intelligent as John, but he went to his own home.
Where Mary remained at the sepulchre, and as another has said, to his Mary, there was ignorance, affection.
01:00:04
That the Lord valued England affection more than he did intelligence, where that deep affection seen in Mary was lacking. And we need to remember that in connection with souls that have never maybe heard the full truth of the word of God, is to the Church and faith where the Lord would gathered His Saints.
But various seeds?
Devotion to the Lord that is more precious to his heart than.
Than a lot of intelligence, a lot of knowledge without that affection. But as the same writer has said, while the Lord values ignorant affection, he isn't satisfied with it. And so Mary has LED into the highest truth revealed in connection with the resurrection life of Christ who tell my brother.
I send unto my Father, and your Father, unto my God and your God. And when the Apostle writes in Ephesians, he gives that as the key to the epistle.
That blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The 3rd chapter of Genesis we have the first pattern standing in a garden with a woman and before God he's accusing the woman and he says the woman will now give us a whitening. So he accused of God and he accuses the woman. The 20th chapter of John, we have the last Adam and a woman standing in a garden and there we find the last that I'm not accusing the woman, but saying they were going to my brother and saying to them I ascend unto my brother and your father.
And to my God and your God. And he could say that. And you had a fact that he had given his life on the front.
So it's like to say the two gardens, one in Genesis 3 and the one in John 20. It says at the end of the 19th of John there was a garden and then the garden there was a new supplier. So apparently there was those two garden scenes bringing these nice dust before us, the love of Christ the last time compared with the failure of the first time. Beautiful. Thank you.
Of Mary who mentioned in the 12Th of John there she had the Lord's death before her, but then she was entrusted that glorious message about the resurrection, wasn't she? So she had both these death and resurrection before her in the 12Th chapter says there they made him a saffron Martha Serb. She was not rebuilt here, she was in Luke. 10 Lazarus was one of them with Sabbath and favour with him. Then took Mary and found the ointment of Spike in our very costly and anoint the feet of Jesus and wifey's feet to their here.
And the house was filled with the owner of the ointment.
And then they were complaining, and disciples were complaining about the assignment, and should have been solved for 300 pence, and given the poor about them. Then said Jesus left her alone against the dam, my burying half. She kept this. Now she had the Lord's death before her, and later on his resurrection.
Here she is in the spirit of worship of his feet, wasn't she? And you don't find Mary of Bethany the one you're reading about, at the tomb of Jesus. Her faith in evidently carried her beyond.
The the grave.
The word in the next and recovered the job before that. First the Lord turns the middle into the custody off. But the different word in the next was why didn't say that in that area.
And you know the thought by that Mary was told not to touch him, and why, And well, in the case of.
Now Thomas, he was told, attached to me forth by ********* Behold my hands, Was that the question you had?
Yes, I think the.
01:05:01
The thought there and why that's brought in, is that now that the Lord has died and is risen, his people are not to know Him in connection with earthly relationship in this world.
See, the Jews at that time were waiting for the Messiah to come and set up his Kingdom, but now they were known as the one who has ascended to the fathers, who he says are not yet invented To my father. Now in the 28th of Matthew, the women come and hold him by the feet because Matthew anticipates the setting up of the Kingdom, indeed the 12% out with the gospel that will bring in.
The.
Great multitude of all nations at the time the Kingdom is set up on earth. But Mary was to learn that she was not to be associated with Christ down here in connection with his massage ship. And they the Apostle Paul brings that before us in 2nd Corinthians 5, where he says, oh, I have known Christ.
After the flesh yet from henceforth no I him no more.
He didn't know him as the one who reigned in this world.
Does that answer your question someone?
Is not those who touch his feet affected the runner and those who eat their testing after a picture of the church? I am sure you're right, Brother Felton.
She saw a lot, she supposed, and immediately. Goblin. Well, there's many people that day look on Jesus as the God, the one who came down to improve world conditions, to make this a better place to live in. But he's not the gardener at all. He did not come to that purpose.
He came to give his life a ransom for many, to glorify God, his father through death through his sacrifice.
As for the real?
Entering into the subject here in this verse of the Three Characteristics of the Christian Life, Faith, Hope, and Love is found at the end of the verse where you read.
In our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God our Father.
That is, there are two very important acquaintance we have with father and son.
I remember that verse. Thou God sees me.
We should live with the consciousness that we're speaking. We're acting under the eye of a holy God that sees every act like.
Joe, when he could have concealed his sin, he says. How can I commit this great sin? He was conscious of being under the eye of God, not under the eye of man.
So that especially given as the word to conscience, make us realize that we're in the presence of God at all times. But then we need something for the heart as well As for the conscience, and that you get in our Lord Jesus Christ.
That that is something very precious to the heart.
That we're having to do with that Blessed One. And here are the fullness of His names are brought before us.
In our Lord Jesus Christ that we can enjoy His presence, being happy, and His love and doing after we engage him for His glory, trusting Him and going on with him. But there's the other side that's also important.
After that, we're living under the searching eyes.
01:10:03
Holy God. And that makes us careful. And now the word of God provides for both the conscience and the heart.
After you heard this story of Mr. Garvey and Mr. Bella, Mr. Bellit's ministry was sold distinctly for the hearts of the believers. You can't read any of his writing of what your heart is just drawn to Christ. Mr. Darby was a ministry.
Was awesome.
Given in view of the conscience, I was told that these two servants of Christ were on their way to a meeting, Mr. Darby said to develop. Now, Brother John, remember that Saints have consciences as well as hearts. Mr. Bella turned to Mr. Darby and who they're both Johns, he says. John, don't forget.
The Saints have hearts as well as consciences.
For those two men.
Really. Their ministry balanced each other and I believe you have that balance brought before us here in connection with our life and testimony.
Expression and the sight of God and our Father. Do you think we have an illustration of that in the 17th of Genesis, where?
Verse first. And when Abram was 90 years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abel, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God.
Walk before me and be them perfect. Well, undoubtedly Abram would be conscious of the event in the eye of God all the time, he said. I am the Almighty God and walk before me, and if we're walking before a person, we'd be conscious of That person lives upon us all the time, and we make us very careful, and we will.
It's the same line of things that ensure.
Won't perform and be perfect?
That is perfect in the sense that he lived and acted as one who was in the presence of.
Of God himself, the Almighty God.
Last two that he told who he was first.
He told him what to do.
In other words, I'm the Almighty God. I'll give you the strength, Lord Abram, although you're 99 years old.
Exposed only the apostle could take up 29.
They didn't say that the boat themselves, did they?
We often appraise people today and well, because such a thing and then such a thing. You've done such a thing and how could how could this do record this well?
The Apostle could do the weekend of praise men's works today exactly.
Not the same way.
The personal education of their work.
Knowing your brother and we love your election of God.
That's not addressed to sinners.
That's addressed to brethren, those who knew something of what it meant to be beloved, and they're the ones that are to know their election.
Honorable truth, and it's one that you.
Will preserve us and one that will keep us happy. Because I believe that knowing that we are the elect of God fills the heart with praise and worship, fighting God.
Choose me as poor Sinner well.
The only way I could answer it is it was because as Ephesians One tells us.
Recording as you have chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame. Before him in love, it was because he had a right and because.
01:15:13
It was his delight.
To single out certain ones.
For a place of glory with Christ.
The Apostle, the Apostle Paul never preached elections of sinners by the thought of the Saints, didn't he?
Election is not to perplex, but it's the comfort Saints, those who have been chosen and are conscious of the fact that they belong to him.
These first four, first this are beautifully connected, aren't they? They're all beautifully connected. I was thinking that the council recognized that the Saints needed grace and peace.
To carry out these three things that have been mentioned, and.
These things are.
Indissolubly, shall we say, connected the work of faith. You can't divorce the one from the other without losing a great deal. Work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.
And.
Patients of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And.
These things He was able to remember before the Lord in prayer, but before them, that they might continue on in carrying out these beautiful graces of the Christians. They would need grace and peace to do so. Grace and peace not only that the Apostle wished for them, but that they might show it to others as they thought to carry out their labor law and their working faith.
And he does this because he knows there.
Their election of God for this very purpose.
So it seems to me that.
The believers in that wonderful place where God can.
That work in him leads these graces if we're subject to Him, and so the Apostle is the praying for them that this might continue in their in their experience, as it were. I don't know if this is the same in the margin that's in the new translation, but it seems to me it's very beautiful.
The beloved of God, your election.
Now clearly that we had the love by the Apostle and by others, the beloved God.
Your election.
In that Marcus framework of our Pleasure Golden series.
And we find in verse one the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ was the Lord. We find in Hebrews 2 That he was in the 14th 1St.
That through that he might destroy him, that had the power of death, that is the devil, and delivered them, who grew fear of them for all their lifetimes, subject to violence.
He was third over. He has the authority. He was the Son of the Almighty God, and he was overall.
And he was Jesus.
From Seabrooks. And I don't believe in Mr. Matthew that this means something called Jesus, for he shall save the people of the sin and at least call Christ well because he is pink. He wasn't a king when he was on earth.
When the Jewish people at that time never spoke anything else as expecting crazy the King Even so right on the crowd before pilots it was mentioned that he was Christ the King. Now in this dream group that is disturbed as Jesus the Lord and the Savior and the King, we the Apostle Paul who gave thanks for these people on the Thesaurus against rich are.
01:20:20
A great example for our sakes.
What he says remembering without seizing your work of faith. We have spoken about faith needs, and he has spoken about what prayer means, when indeed if.
We listen to thee. Among the believers, we generally hear all. I am small faith, and this is true.
But if all who Paul said he do the thesaurus, you work of faith. And we have learned already this morning that by prayer we have come to decisions. And if we pray before our Lord, we have to have faith, we have to have work for faith, and we got to make decisions in faith before our Lord and not say, well, I am small or famous.
With faith before the Lord. And then the second heart is that and labor of love. There are two ways to do this. If we see something like we can do for our beloved sins rather than two weeks of it, we can easily turn our back and say, well, this is not my duty, but the other way is to seek or I can do something for the beloved. We got a labour force for the outstanding excess.
In the sight of the sight of God and our fault.
All the believers walk and grave in the presence of the Holy God, but grace is now our Lord, our God. And then he says, whether on when he has said this or hope of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Everyone have more benefits always. We should read here of hope in my Lord Jesus Christ wouldn't rightly because he was praying to the truth of the disorders.
But each and every believer should change heart, my Lord, and this make me subject of him. If I say to any person here on earth he is my Lord, well, that means I over myself Before that, how much the more shall I look at myself For the Lord who is the Lord? And now he is my Lord, So we have the power before him, and he is my savior, and he will be the king.
Oh well, the Lord And when the Savior, we have.
In him that our view is always connected in this framework of good Lord and all of the world and we not can sit down and say our whole life, small faith and oh wow, we should walk more. But we used to Christmas, we got a flavour for love and we got the decisions in our life and show that we do believe in the role that he is able to. We got to have faith.
Very difficult for some banks to do, but we have to trust the Lord.
#269 #269.
Spring of all our joy, of our brightest things come to the sunlight and the 269.
Food in the Desert
Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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.
One metal passage. I'd like to watch that brother. And Matthew chapter 14. Matthew chapter 14, and verse 15. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, this is a desert place, and the time has now passed. Send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and by themselves Biddles. But Jesus said unto them.
They need not depart, give you them to eat. And they say unto him, that we have here the five loaves.
And two faces, he said, Bring them hidden to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass.
And took the five laws and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blasts and breaks, and gave along to his disciples, and the disciples to the molecule. And they did all eat and were filled, and they took up of the fragments that remained 12 basket full, and they had eaten were about 5000 men.
Beside women and children, I just enjoyed this little portion of God's Word.
Because there are times when we often feel discouraged, there are times when we feel very much like the disciples did on this occasion.
As it was evening, they said it was a desert place and the time is now passed.
Surely we can say, too, that we're getting to the very end of the day of Grace.
We feel a weakness coming in. We feel too that it is a desert place now. That is, there's a famine not only for bread or for water, but for hearing of the words of the Lord and how often we hear it commented. Well, isn't the freshness in the ministry there isn't that in the meetings to hear and encourage our hearts like they should be?
And very often we are inclined to look at our feeble resources and say.
So what can we do? What? How can we help out in this situation?
It's a desert place, and the time has now passed. What was the suggestion of the disciples on this occasion? They said, send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages and by themselves little, but that is, instead of being exercised, that the Lord was sufficient to see that great molecule.
Even though it was a desert place, even though it was toward evening, even laws, it says here the time is now passed.
The Lord was sufficient for this situation. He loved the people.
They had come and had followed him, and no, he wasn't going to send them away. But the hearts of the disciples failed on this occasion. And perhaps as we returned to our little meeting and we see the few that come out to the Bible reading the prayer meeting and we might feel just exactly like the disciples. Well, what is the use of continuing? Doesn't seem to be much that is stabbed and is not perhaps much that ministers to the heart.
I'm reliable to, I don't give up. And what will be the result of this?
Well, it tells us here that if they sent them away, they go somewhere else for their food.
And Thoren, I feel this is a challenge. I feel this is a warning to we find that these things of God, instead of enjoying the precious ministry of the word and being faithful at the meetings, how often we find them turning to other sources for refreshment, other sources for encouragement for their souls. I've heard it's bad. Well, what is the use of having.
Meeting only Christians come out, but those very same Christians, if you don't have a gospel meeting, will be listening to the gospel on the radio. They'll be listening to someone else preaching the gospel because we didn't give them to eat. And I believe there's a word here to encourage us to go on. I've often said the Saints need the gospel. We need to have our hearts warm with the love of Christ.
We need to have our hearts drawn out to Him.
I remember a man who came out to the gospel meeting in Ottawa many years ago.
And I wasn't the speaker but another brothers talk and this man hadn't come to the gospel before, but it was a very small little meeting and a little hall and there were just I think 8 people there. And sometime afterwards he was brought to the Lord. And I asked him, I said when were you brought to the Lord, brother?
00:05:13
Well, he said the first time the Lord spoke to me.
Established when I went to the Dos for meeting, and there were just eight people there, but he said the brother that spoke both was just warmth and such love. I don't remember anything he said, but I thought there must be something to it. Well, dear friend Carl, this ought to be an encouragement to us. The disciples were weary. It had been a difficult day, and as I said.
It just seemed that they said it's no use and they said send the molecule away.
Let them go other places and buy themselves Vettel. But Jesus said unto them.
They may not be part give you them to eat. Well, let me say, and I say to those who are young as well as those who are older.
What a privilege it is to be gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus. What a privilege it is to be where the things of God and all their weakness seek to maintain the truth of God. I don't say it with any boasting, brethren, but I say that God's assembly is to be the pillar and ground of the truth.
And I believe that when we leave the past that has been marked out in the word of God.
We may get numbers, we may get crowds, but there will be some departure from church. There'll be something that's given up. And we listen to things, we read things, often very interesting and pleasant to read, but we find that there's some part of the truth that's missing, something that's important that has either been omitted or has been set aside.
Well, isn't it lovely here, the Lord's word if they need not be part. I don't know if there's anyone here who's discouraged. If you're perhaps like some and say, well, I don't find much use and coming to the meetings there seems so little for my soul there. Remember those words. They need not be parked and then let us to have any part in trying to help the Saints of God remember.
Words give you them to read, give you them to eat, and one is often an exercise that when the Saints of God come together, the Lord said to seed the flock of God which is among you. And I feel it when we come to the meeting. There are to be when the meeting is over, stepping up from the meeting and starting toward home with the ceiling that we had been fed.
And those who take part?
Should be exercised that the Saints would be fed.
Sometimes said to the young people at Otter Lake, we can have a lot of discussions about knowledge that don't at all edify the soul, but we would seek to minister Christ supposing that we sat down to the meal table and before we started to eat today one of the brothers got up and he said now before anyone each I'd like to tell you.
How many pounds of meat there were for this meal today, how much time was taken in preparing it? How many slices of bread were cut, how many pieces of butter were put out? And how much coffee was used and how much taste. I think we all say, well, we're glad that she knew how to prepare it, but we'd like to eat well. I believe there's a danger of us getting so much taken up.
With little details about the Saints are not bad. Give you them to eat. Oh, but you might say we haven't got very much to give. And that's exactly the way that his principles fell here. They looked on their tiny endorsers and were told in another place it was just one boy's lunch. That's all it was.
One person and 5000 besides men and children.
That even had a lunch that could be used and you might say, well, one of my I'm just one person.
And if you read the account in John, you'll see it was just a lab. There might be someone here who says why I'm just one person. What contributes contribution could I make? What could I do? And I'm young. Besides, they looked at their little resources. 5 low, 5 in scripture figures, weakness and.
00:10:10
Two sisters, another place, so small fishes all went a little bit they had.
What could they do? Feed one person? That's about all is enough to feed one person?
Well, was the Lord able to use this one boys? One could this boy, he made a blessing to over 5000 people? Yes he could. He could be made a blessing to over 5000 people. For what was the secret? The Lord said bring them heavy to me, bring them heavy to me.
That is, was how was this boy willing to present what he had to the Lord?
And are you and I willing to take a little bit that we have and present it to the Lord? The greatest blessing that we find recorded in the Scripture was when some person presented a very little to the Lord. Think of that woman at the well. How much did she know? But as well, she knew that she had met a person who had told her all things. Whatever she did, she knew that was the Christ. It was a short message.
The ones he doesn't seem to be a great deal said, but it was such a powerful message that there was much blessing and they came out and believed and then the Lord came to that place and many more believed. But it all began because one person put the little bit that he knew of Christ into youth. He just said come see a man that told me all things that ever I did.
The man in the ninth of John, what did he have? He didn't know very much about the Lord.
But he said one thing. I know that whereas he was blind, now I see.
And he said, I know that his name is Jesus. That's about all he knew. But all what a powerful testimony. What blessing? Well, may we just say, do we come to the meeting with a little enjoyment of Christ? It may not be very much, but I'm sure that if there's some little enjoyment of Christ in our lives.
Some little enjoyment that we have had of himself, and that is put into the hands of the Lord.
We'd be surprised the blessings that there is. I've often noticed how richly the Saints have enjoyed some young brothers who get up and spoke for the first time. He was shaking in his boots. He said. I didn't know how I could even speak for 10 minutes. But he brought what he had and he gave it to the Lord. And what did the Lord do to blast it? And he returned it to the disciples. Did he at?
Mormon say, well here's one line size multiplied at the 5000 lunches and now you can start out, Oh no, I just had the one lunch, 5 loans and two fishes and the Lord blessed it and gave it back. And every step in the distribution I believe was a step of faith, I believe as they went along and one person took his chair off the plate.
There was still more.
And as they went along, including those people, it just continued to multiply and increase. But each step had to be a step of faith. Each step had to be a confidence in God. And oh, how wonderfully he came in and it says.
That when they were all finished, everyone had 18, everyone was filled and there was something left, Yes, something left. Because whenever Christ is enjoyed, there's always something left because your heart and mind can't contain it. It says, behold, heaven and the heaven and heaven cannot contain these. And so whatever is presented of Christ.
Can never fully contain us. There will always be something left. And so it was 5 basketball more than they started with. So it is in the things of God. When we give, we always have more left than what we give. And that's the way it is in spiritual things. And then when they look at the molecule.
They would have eaten were five saw about 5000 men beside women and children.
00:15:00
How beautiful it is, how wonderfully as a Lord undertook and said this whole molecule. Well, may this be a voice to you and I in these last days in this desert place, and we look at our own poverty of soul.
We look at what we have and we say, what can I do, what can I contribute in the little meeting?
If they depended on me, they wouldn't get very much. But that's the way the disciples felt. But didn't depend on them. The whole thing depended on whether they were willing to put what they had into the hands of the Lord and have Him bless it and return it to them with His blessing. And then when they gave it out, they all even were filled. Oh, may the Lord help us as we go back to the little.
Families where we are, realizing it is a desert place, realizing the discouragement of these last days, may we give us grace rather than to be willing to put what we have into His hands and realize there is a need, a great need. And in the blessed place where the Lord has gathered His own to His precious name, He wants to see them sad. They need not be.
And to eat.
Food Provided
Address—P. Glading
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.
In connections from our brothers just brought before the script became very forcibly before me in the 5th chapter of Marks Gospel. It's in connection with the daughter of Jairus.
We all know the story very well, but I'll just briefly mention what was before me.
This dear man John, came to Jesus and told him that his little daughter was at the point of death.
And he desired the Lord to come and restore her.
Well, we know further down the chapter it tells us that the Lord did.
He was throwing this little girl for life. She was the age of 12 years.
We read an ideal woman in the same chapter who had been slowly dying for 12 years.
But this little girl had been living for 12 years and then died.
But we find here that the Lord came on the sea.
And restore this little girl to life.
And in the last verse of theirs, and he starts them straightly, but no man should know it. And commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Now Jairus could not impart life to this little girl.
Of office he had received life. Then he could give her something to eat.
And the love of you and I, as our brother, has reminded us, you and I who have been blessed with divine life.
We need something to eat to sustain our souls.
And we have it in the Word of God, particularly in the Don 5 John 657. I will just read it. John 6.
And 57.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father.
So he that teaches me.
Even he shall live by me. Here we have Christ our food. We have Christ our life in the same chapter, but here it's Christ our food. And you and I who have received divine life, eternal life as a free gift.
Our blessed Lord through his work of Calvary. Now we need to be fed day by day.
And so this dear little girl was raised to life, and I think it is J Iris who is commanded to give her something to eat.
Well, as I said, he could not give her that life, but he could give her something to eat.
To refresh that life that she had received. And that's just what we each need.
We find in Hosea.
And the 12Th chapter in verse one says Efraim feedeth on wind.
Well.
That's one month of a diet. Is AE frame fetus on wind?
Israel and Egypt said on leaf, garlic and onions things of the earth.
Whether we feed the armed beloved.
And we also find Israel said on ashes and Isaiah 44 I think it is.
It says in Proverbs, the fool thieves on foolishness.
Tell me where thou seedest.
This is a striking word for us all, isn't it? Tell me where thou feedest.
What do we see upon the love and now that we have received a new life?
Do we feed upon the things of this world which are the perish and which can never sustain our souls or strengthen the spiritually? Now we need that divine food. We need to feed upon the Word of God and upon Christ, the living bread.
And so I felt as Arbella reminded us of that beautiful story.
That this came to my mind.
And reminded me that here we have another example.
Of one who needed something to eat.
And you and I need something to eat day by day. Tell me where thou feed it. Well, what have we been feeding on during the last three days? Thank the Lord, we've been feeding on the living bread on Christ, haven't we?
I know what a blessing has seen, how refreshing to our hearts and souls it has been defeated from Christ to have the true bread of heaven before us. He could say I am the living way which came down from heaven.
00:05:06
I'd like to read one of the verses in connection with that and six chapter of John.
Verse 1480 says I am the bread of life. Your father's did eat manner in the wilderness.
I'm still alive, No, and are dead.
This is the blade which comes down from heaven, that the man in the east are often not die.
I am a living bread which came down from heaven. If any man needed this bread, he shall live forever.
And the bread that I will give is my flesh.
I'm on with you, which I will give for the mind, for the world, eating and drinking our accents, which one cannot perform for another.
It's an individual matter, isn't it? You couldn't eat my stuff from me. I wouldn't be sustained in that way.
I have to reason myself. And so beloved, we do need, as our brother has a reminders from that parable. We need food for our souls also. We have received this divine life.
And this dear little girl came before me. Just the little girl, 12 years of age had passed away.
The Lord restore the life. The parents couldn't do that, but they could give us something to eat.
And is not responsible at the and privilege to to give the same something to eat from the word of God. And we need His love and friends. We need our souls to be sustained day by day, otherwise we shall faint. By the way, we will not grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So how important it is then that you and I should be fed daily.
And to feed upon Christ, the Living Bread and Blessed One, who has empowered the divine life to our souls.
We've been reminded that we have the same life as Christ himself. Wonderful thought.
On the screw.
Well, now that life needs to be sustained and strengthened, and it's only done by feeding upon the Word of God.
Upon Christ, the living bread.
Well, it's the only fall by having connection with this with our brother brought before. Give them something to eat.
Well, here we have something to eat, the precious word of God, the living bread, we told the labor not from at risk perishes, but the lavish endureth underlife eternal, the seed of in Christ. So how important it is day by day to read His precious word, to be strengthened and sustained in the inner man.
And to have that new spiritual energy day by day to go on, and not to give up, because Satan would have us give up. If they want the good of going on, everything is a failure. But no, friends, we have a divine life. We have the Holy Spirit to indwell us, to bring before us the things of Christ.
The teachers to encourage us to refresh our hearts and souls.
A Malathon beauty and responsibility after we have fed ourselves to feed others to our brother says some have stayed away from the meetings. I know it would be a fact too. Instead of getting nothing from the meetings, now there's there's no gift there, there's nothing there will go somewhere else.
Well, it's a very bad time, isn't it? They've lost their appetite. I remember reading of Gears or although had the TV very severely and her mother thought she could go to a warmer climate. So she was sent to a warmer climate where her friends live. And there she went and they met her and made a great faucet for the home and provided wonderful meals for her.
And she wrote home to her mother.
Her mother was a wonderful.
Meal was provided for her on arrival but she said mother I had no appetite. It give me no good. Mother I had no appetite.
There was a food provided for him, but Mama's friends, as the food provided for our souls is precious word on the Lord Jesus Christ. But do we have the appetite?
If not, we shall stop spiritually. Well, may the Lord help us to have our appetite increased.
For the Word of God, and for the person of Christ, the true bread from heaven.
Peace
Address—C.E. Lunden
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.
When you turn with me to the 12Th chapter of John, please.
23rd verse.
And Jesus answered them, saying, the hours come, that the Son of Man should be glorified.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except the corn of wheat fallen into the ground, and die it abideth alone.
But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
He that loveth his life shall lose it.
And he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
If any man serve me, let him follow me. In Where I am, there shall also my servant be.
If any man serve me, him will my father honor.
The chapters that go along with the 17th chapter.
Which are sometimes spoken of as the Upper Room ministry.
Bring the person of the Lord Jesus before us.
Now this chapter really is the ending, perhaps of his public ministry.
And it's the it's the Greeks or Gentiles that come and inquire.
That they would like to see Jesus.
Jesus.
Oh, what a precious thought, dear brethren, to see Jesus.
And so we find that the Lord instructs them that when he's gone, they will see him.
But in a different way when the Spirit comes.
And that's been our privilege in these meetings to see Jesus.
It's been expressed in the heap in the Book of Hebrews, the 2nd chapter.
But we see Jesus.
Made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. Crowned with glory and honor.
That's where he is now.
Our brother has been speaking to us about new creation. We have that here.
The corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying.
That it does not abide alone.
And the kind of fruit that's brought forth is just like itself, just like himself.
And how was this?
We've had it before us in the meetings.
There's no corruption there.
No, it's all new creation.
It's like himself.
The fruit is just like the seed that was planted.
And so he speaks here of glory.
Glory.
Well, in this passage, we're not taken back to our sins.
We're not taken back to our history, but the believer is seen identified with one who has gone down into death and has come up like a corn of wheat that fell into ground and died.
And so we have new creation, we have resurrection life here to start with.
And I'd like to associate that with discipleship in the next few verses.
Now we find that the Lord Jesus gave himself.
He spent everything that he had. We learned in the 13th of Matthew for that Pearl of great price.
And he appeals to our hearts in these scriptures.
Is there going to be a return to him?
And so he said.
He that loveth his life.
This life.
Shall lose it.
Lose it.
I remember a young man who began by.
Preaching the gospel in the street, attending the meetings.
Taking part.
And various activities connected with the Saints.
But gradually he began to take up with things outside.
And now he's an old man, he has a family grown up in the world. You can't speak to him of the things of Christ.
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He lost his life.
He lost.
But not in the sense of this.
No, it says here.
He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
He loved his life in this world.
That he lost it, and it says here he that hateth it shall keep it.
Until life eternal.
The Lord Jesus gave himself for us.
Now what is the natural thing for one who has that new nature?
To do to respond.
Well, to forfeit this present life and all that nature would.
Suggest to us.
For the one who gave everything for us.
I'm going to touch just on a few points this afternoon in these various chapters.
And this is the first one.
The first one is that new creation and discipleship in response to it.
If you'll turn with me to Luke to a verse in connection with this in the 9th chapter.
The 57th verse.
And it came to pass that as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord.
I will follow thee whithersoever thou goeth.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes.
And the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man is not where to lay his head.
And he said unto another, Follow me. And he said, Lord, suffer me first.
To go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God.
Another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.
Now it seems to be that what we have here is fitness for the Kingdom of God.
Fitness for the Kingdom of God.
I suppose this passage, this last verse, is taken from the history of Elisha and Elijah.
As Elijah comes out of the country, he finds Elijah plowing.
Now that act speaks, typically, of repentance.
Valley, ditches, trenches, plowing, all speak of repentance, state of soul, ready for the water and the blessing.
That God has.
He cast his mantle upon him, and he runs the following.
But.
He says let me go.
Bid my mother and father farewell, or kiss my father and mother. Which is the real the same meaning?
He says, go back again, what have I done to thee?
He went back. Nor did he do.
He slew the oxen with which he had been plowing.
He brings death, beloved, upon everything that belonged to his former core.
Why There's a new life, new creation?
And now what does he do? He takes the oxygen, and he takes the instruments of the oxygen, and he makes a fire and he.
Prepares the flesh for meat for the people of God. That's the ministry of grace.
That's what you and I should be occupied with, beloved. The Ministry of Grace. As has been suggested in these meetings, we're sent here.
We are not just left here.
And what is our ministry? Grace. Grace.
And so we find then that.
As soon as he does all this, he turns his back on his father and mother.
Now, of course.
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Scripture doesn't suggest that we dishonor our father, Mother, but the point is that the issues of the Kingdom of God come first.
1St.
All how we need to learn this beloved first.
Are we occupied with that which belongs to the present, or that which?
Belongs to that.
Eternal day that lies ahead that we've heard so much about in these meetings.
I'm not going to say anymore about that, but we'll turn now to John.
13.
These chapters have often been opened up to us and only one appoint to a verse or two in each of these chapters.
In this chapter we have cleansing. First we have new creation, and then we have discipleship.
Now we have cleansing.
And so.
It says in this chapter.
The fourth verse will not read only a part. He rises from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself.
After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet.
And to wipe them with the tower with he was girded.
Then cometh he to Simon Peter, and Peter Seth unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, that thou shalt know hereafter.
Peter said unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands in my head.
Said unto him, He that is washed needeth not saved to wash his feet, but is clean every width and year clean, but not all.
Verse 13.
You call me Master and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am.
If I, then your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.
Now Peter thought the Lord was Speaking of cleansing him in another way.
He was thinking of the literal side of things, of washing his feet and the Lord to stoop to do this. He wouldn't have it.
But when he tells them that he won't have any part with him if he doesn't, then perhaps the light is beginning to breakthrough to Peter.
Oh yes, we have to have our ways cleansed down here. Now how are our ways cleansed?
Well, I'll read a verse in the next chapter that will tell us.
In the in the you know the 15th chapter and the.
15th chapter.
And the third verse.
Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Now I know that applies to salvation too.
But it applies to the cleansing of our way.
The words which I have spoken unto you.
And so we find then, that the means of cleansing our ways is the Word of God.
We find the exercise of the disciples that they do this to one another.
That they wash one another's feet.
Now, this wasn't a literal washing of the feet, necessarily.
There's certainly nothing wrong with that.
To stooping down and taking a little place.
But the point here is.
That which we learn for our souls. Blessing.
00:15:00
Oh, how good it is that we are taught to love one another, that we are also taught to wash one another's feet.
The way of correction is the way of life.
And beloved, do I resist correction?
Or you say, well, I'd take it from an older brother.
I heard a brother say not long ago, he's not going to correct me, I'm older than he is.
Is that the Spirit of Christ, beloved?
No, no.
The way of life.
The way of correction, the way of life.
Oh, how blessed the end that's in view.
And so.
He called me Master and Lord 13 first, and you say, well, for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet.
You also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that she should do as I've done unto you.
Now read the 17th verse.
If you know these things.
Happy are you if you do them.
Now we turn to the next chapter.
In this chapter we have communion.
The person himself leading us into the Father's.
How oh how blessed this is.
Now I'm not going to read much in this chapter, I'm just going to read the start with the 21St verse.
He that hath my commandments and keepeth them.
Here it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest.
Myself to him.
Judah saith unto him, Not a scary at Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loved me.
He will keep my word and my father will love him.
And we will come unto him and make our abode with him.
Blessed are the boldness is.
Experienced in the first chapter of John, when the disciples say Master were dwelleth thou.
And he says come and see. Have you ever come to see?
Have you ever had the experience of the first chapter of John's Gospel? Come and see.
Oh, what a privilege.
Now I know it's individual in John.
Primarily.
But all what a privilege we've had this morning together.
But there must first be the individual.
Enjoyment of Christ and the soul.
And so in the first chapter of John.
They, their hearts, have been drawn to the person.
Just as in this chapter.
And they said, Master, where dwellest thou? Where do you live? He says, come and see.
And they abode with them that day.
It says.
Bless a day, precious day.
To have the person of Christ before us in communion.
Fellowship.
Though it is his desire that we might have this as our continual experience.
Not just for an hour.
And you, dear young people, were not speaking especially to young people this afternoon.
Have you ever tried when you come home from school Oregon from the job?
And you older ones do.
Slip in your room and get down your knees, just for a minute, just for a minute. Have you done it?
00:20:00
To keep in touch, to keep happy in your souls. Have you done it?
All this is the secret, beloved, and fellowship and communion.
Often.
You remember the Prophet?
Who came to the great woman in the 4th chapter of Second Kings?
He came once, and then pretty soon, it says. As often as he came, as often as he came.
Is it so with us?
Well, we have then Communion.
Here.
And is connected with the Father's house.
Now we notice the order here.
There is a new life in the 12Th chapter. Then there is discipleship.
Then there's cleansing. And what is the cleansing do?
Well, it was the custom in that land, and perhaps still is.
That if you went to visit someone, they would.
Wash your feet.
Why? To cleanse all the defilement from the road.
That you have traveled. But that wasn't all.
To refresh it.
To refresh it.
Now we'll go back just for a moment to that thought of refreshment.
Do you think a sheep is happy if it's defiled?
No.
A pig might be, but not a sheep.
But all when the sheep is cleansed, it's happy.
Refreshment.
Is there something, beloved, on my conscience this afternoon? On your conscience?
That hasn't been judged.
Has someone spoken to you and you won't have it?
Well, you can't go on refreshing your spirit to enjoy the things of the Father's house.
That are spoken of in the 17th of John. You can't do it.
Why, oh Holy Father, we have in the 17th of John.
Keep to thine own name, those that thou hast given me.
Holy Father.
There is no communion outside of holiness, beloved.
And it's reversed to there's no holiness outside of communion.
Again, we speak of that new creation and what belongs to it.
Its character is that, and it was manifested in the person of the Lord Jesus when he was here.
Not His glory, as will be exhibited in that coming day, but His nature and His character.
Oh, how beautiful.
To trace these things, these moral glories in the Gospels.
As well as in the types of the Old Testament.
Well then we've spoken of communion and it says.
Will make our abode with him.
You know we're going to make our abode up there in the coming day with him.
We're going to be with Christ in glory. We're going to be in the Father's house.
Are we going to wait until then?
To enjoy that fellowship and communion? No, he says.
Keep my commandments.
And this will be the result.
The Walking in obedience and dependence.
Then he comes down and the Father comes down to make their abode with us down here, until that day when we go up there.
Is that going to be your experience in mind?
Now we go to the 15th chapter.
Verse 3.
Now we have the subject of fruit bearing, because, you know, beloved fruit bearing.
00:25:03
Follows Communion.
Just as it does in this order.
A new life discipleship.
Cleansing Communion.
Fruit bearing.
Fruit bearing.
Verse verse four I should have said.
Now we have 3 abides here, the first ones in the fourth verse abide in me.
And I in you. Oh, what nearness.
He's not talking about when we get to glory. He's talking about now.
Abide in me and I and you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself.
Except to abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Now they're in communion. Nice. As you abide there, you abide there.
No fruit unless you abide there.
Saw precious fruitberry, the result of communion.
Not abide in this doctrine or those set of rules. Abide in me. Oh how sweet this is.
A precious abide in me.
Aren't we in Christ? All right? Abide in the sense of it now, in your soul, by faith.
Read the scriptures.
Prayer.
Abide in me.
Now in the.
Seventh verse. Well, we read the 6th.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered.
And men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. This is solemn, isn't it?
It doesn't say if ye, it says if a man.
If a man.
You know, in a day like this, when?
Things are getting lighter and lighter in a spiritual way. Sometimes there are those who slip in among the Saints.
And pretend to be real, Judas did.
I remember 1 morning after the breaking of bread.
I noticed a young man who was not in the assembly where we were, but he was visiting with his parents.
And I knew that there was something wrong with this young man.
I didn't know what it was.
But I know that the word of God has power.
And so at the close of the meeting, he tried to get out before anyone could reach him, and I reached him before he got away.
And this is what I said to him.
If he live after the flesh, he shall die, and this is eternal death.
He broke down and he confessed the life of sin.
But he's still gone.
He's still living a life of sin.
But he was breaking bread for a good many years.
If you live after the flesh, you shall die eternal death. Oh, how solemn.
Here's the branch.
The man abide not in me is cast forth as a branch. Now I'm not going to pass judgment on this young man.
But it's an example, a picture to us.
The one who manifests by his ways that he's not real never come back, as far as I know.
Still living in that kind of a life. Wickedness.
And is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
00:30:01
That's the final end of that course.
There are steps here, but there's a final end to it.
So it was with Judith.
But you know, there are also things that come into our lives that.
Where we may slip away and have to be brought back.
Through this gracious washing of the feet.
The plying of the Word of God to our consciences, and we should be able to admonish one another.
We should be in that state of soul.
So that we might continue in communion, we might be restored to communion and continuing communion.
That there might be fruit. Now this chapter speaks of fruit.
More fruit and much fruit.
Fruit. More fruit, Much fruit.
How is it with us?
Well now we have if you abide in me and my words abide in you.
You shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
Do we have our prayers answered or is it because we ask amiss?
To consume it upon our lusts, as James says.
Do we have the happy?
The joy in our soul of seeing our prayers answered.
Do we beloved it?
Well, here's the order, isn't it?
Oh how blessed the Word of God is, how perfect the order, new life, discipleship, cleansing, communion, fruit bearing, prayers answered.
Living in the good of Christianity, shall we say?
I know the fullness of Christianity isn't brought out in John the beginnings though.
And that's what we need, isn't it, to be exercised about these beginnings.
Here it is, my father glorified that she bear much.
Group how? Well, now we're asking, and now we're bearing much fruit.
Asking and our prayers are answered.
Though shall ye be my disciples?
Now the 9th bird.
That little word continue is the same word there as abide.
You get the IT referred to in the following verse.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.
Abide ye in my love.
Abide ye.
In my love.
And now how are we going to abide in His love?
Well, it explains it then in the next verse.
How perfect, how beautiful, how simple scripture is for the heart that wants to learn.
The truth of God.
If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. Now. Is there anything simpler than that for our souls this afternoon?
And he tells us, as his commandments are not grievous.
So to abide then in his love.
Now whether you think of it in the sense of being loved yourself by Christ.
Or whether you think of the love as that very love, that with which he loved Christ as he went through this world. They're both beautiful to think of.
He loves us, but the Father loves us, just as he loves Christ as he went through this world.
They're both.
Go through how do we have this happiness in our souls?
As the next verse says, this joy.
Keeping his commandments.
00:35:02
So you say, well, I don't have a definite commandment for this, and I don't have a definite command for that.
No, you don't.
But do you love him?
Isn't that enough?
Isn't it strange that we have to resort to scriptures that give us a direct command as to what we should do when we know by being guided by His eye what to do?
Walking so close as this to be guided by his eye.
We're instructed in the scriptures what to do, there's no question about that.
We're instructed in every detail.
As to our conduct here.
You know, I was Speaking of the practical aspects of these things.
I was telling about this young man who had made a profession of Christianity.
I'll speak of something else practical too, because I have it on my heart.
To just mention this.
That.
In the day in which we are living, the enemy is coming in. And there's the evidence, beloved, that many of us are not abiding in His love, practically in our souls.
And so I would suggest that.
I won't read these scriptures, but I would suggest.
For the.
Young men and young women and older men and older women to read.
First Timothy.
The second chapter.
And verses 8-9 and 10.
In the new translation.
And I would suggest also.
That.
Our dear sisters read Isaiah 47 verses 2:00 and 3:00.
There's no mistaking, beloved, that the Word of God covers every part of our conduct.
And we will not abide in Christ.
If we just slide over these scriptures.
We said we'll keep all these words.
Someone said to me, oh, that's in the Old Testament, is it? Whose word is it?
Admit God's word.
Does it have any application to me? Indeed it does.
Every word of God is pure.
It has its application.
A young couple went into assembly.
A small assembly.
And they handed their letter to the brother.
And you know what this faithful brother said?
You know, I hate to have to speak of these things, beloved, he said to that.
Couple. He turned to the young lady. He says, Do your brethren allow you to break bread?
Dressed like that.
Isn't that solemn?
Isn't that solemn?
Is this abiding in Islam? Is this keeping his commandments?
Is this in the enjoyment, beloved of his love?
Bearing fruit, he sent us here.
And it's his desire that we would bear fruit. But how can we bear fruit when the simplest things in our lives are neglected?
That we refuse. Absolutely refuse.
To bow to the precious holy Word of God.
Oh, it's solemn.
Well.
It says here, if ye 10th verse, if you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
00:40:02
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you.
And that's your joy might be full. Now how is our joy going to be full, beloved?
By doing our own way.
No, by keeping his commandments.
Word from the beginning to end to command our conscience. Rightly divided, of course, to command our conscience.
Now the 16th chapter, these things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be offended.
They shall put you out of the synagogue gave the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service.
And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
But these things have I told you, that when the time should come, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to Him that sent me. And none of you asked of me whether goeth out, but because I said these things unto you, sorrow that filled your heart.
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. But if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you, that if I depart, I will send him unto you, and when he is come, he will retrieve the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, and so on.
13 First I'll be it when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all.
The truth, For he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak.
And he will show you things.
Things.
To come.
We have the Spirit mentioned coming in three different ways in these three chapters, the 14th, 15th and 16th.
And in each case, he's spoken of as the spirit of truth.
Who?
The only three times that I know of in Scripture, except in the Epistle of John where it simply refers to truth contrasted.
With evil.
He is the spirit of truth.
Now in the 14th chapter he was going to leave them orphaned.
He was going away, and so the Father would send the Spirit.
And he would bring things to their remembrance.
In the 15th chapter.
We find that.
In the end of the chapter, the spirit of tongue coming to bear witness, and they were the bear witness to.
When the spirit of truth is come.
Testimony there.
But now in this chapter, we find they're under persecution.
He's telling him about the time when they're going to be in the very path that he took.
And they'd be persecuted.
Perhaps John was the only one that escaped being a martyr. I don't know. History seems to.
Suggest this, that all the rest were martyrs.
Persecuted even unto death.
But.
He's comforting in their hearts with.
Things to come.
That's what the Spirit of God is doing for those who are under persecution.
But you know, it's only those that will live godly inside Jesus that suffer persecution.
So remember the order that we have here.
The new life, the new creation. Discipleship.
The subjection to correction, which is the way of life cleansing, and then that sweet communion.
Bearing fruit.
Now persecution and how does the chapter end that all close 33rd verse.
These things have I spoken unto you, that in me.
You might have to.
Oh, it doesn't matter what your trial is, beloved. Here's something for your heart.
00:45:01
That didn't mean you might have peace.
In the world you shall have tribulation. These were his disciples that had set their courts to follow him. They're going to have tribulation. But be of good fear. I have overcome the world.
The Lord's Coming for His Own and for Judgment
Gospel—A.C. Hayhoe
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.
Like you to turn with me, please, to the Epistle of James.
The 5th chapter of the Epistle of James and the last part of the eighth verse.
James chapter 5, verse 8.
The coming of the Lord draw mine.
The coming of the Lord draw 9.
I know that the very sound of those perfect words brings real delight as that wonderful prospect of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ is once more presented to your heart and mind.
It's true, beloved, gloriously, wonderfully, through that the coming of the Lord is now very near at hand.
And there are those of us in this company tonight, and I know I'm looking into the face of many such who have for a long time awaited that glorious moment when we shall at last see the face of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We lead our heaven. First Peter, chapter one.
Christ Jesus, whom, having not been, he loved.
In whom, though now you see him not yet believing, He rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory. I wonder if you know what it is to be separated from someone.
Very, very dear to your heart. And the moment draws nearer and nearer when you expect to see again the face of someone.
They fear to you. Perhaps you can recall the memory of such an experience.
And the thrill at last of singing again. One who is very, very dear to you.
I must say, if I stand here and read these words, let the sweetness and the wonder of them touch my heart, at least in some little measure of flesh, to know that he who came to this world the first time and who promised to come again is about to fulfill that promise.
I'm going to see his face. He is going to welcome me at home into his own loving presence.
His own eternal home with an individual love with a personal welcome. And that's your person too. That's what you and I, who know the Lord dreams us as our Savior, have as a prospect before our heart.
First sentence in chapter one and verse 15 tells us Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That was prophesied long ago. Throughout the pages of the Old Testament. The first coming of the Lord Jesus was prophesied with astonishing accuracy and detail.
Where he would be born.
When He would be born, how He would be born, the manner of his life and of its miracles, His rejection, His crucifixion, His resurrection, all this was foretold with amazing accuracy throughout the pages of the Old Testament. Did it come to pass? Indeed it did. He came into this world.
He came into this world to stay sinners. Oh, how I thrilled to the sound of those plentiful words.
Oh, just let me pause to present some afresh to you with all our wonders. Meaning Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Not very flattering words, I know, but mighty good news that the one who realizes his or her need of such a phases.
His or her needs of such a mighty salvation. I say those words are not flattering. I know they're not.
Christ Jesus came to the world, not to redirect, not to help, not to set an example, but to say, and that word implies.
00:05:12
Lost.
Law. Am I right to say that everyone here is then I to save for law? Indeed, my friend, it is a proof, the solemn truth of this precious book the word of God opened before me.
You and I at this moment, under the eye of God and in the records of God.
Are classified as either law.
Or faith? I ask not your upbringing, I ask not your church membership. I ask not how faithful you may have been in your attendance at Sunday school or any such thing. But I ask you this, my friend.
Have you been redeemed with the process blood of Christ? Have those things of guilt which life God has seen?
Which the pain of God has recorded, which the memory of God will someday recall before you have those things been blotted out by the precious blood of him who came into this world to.
Save sinners.
Again, another word that's not very flattering.
And yet I know that everyone here who knows the wonder what it means to be redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
Would gladly own that that statement thinner.
Is that would justly applies itself to your condition and to mine before that day when we were cleansed and redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. Well, I quote that verse again. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That coming was prophesied. That prophecy was fulfilled and while the Lord Jesus was.
Man, he made this statement.
I will come again.
A child would understand the meaning of those simple words.
I will come again. Did he mean exactly what he said? Did he utter words that would deceive us into thinking that he would return, whereas he had no such intention? All, my friend, those words are plain, and those words, in one form or another, often repeated growth of pages of this practice book.
The Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who once came into this world, has promised that He is coming back again. And when I read these words in the 5th chapter of James, though they were written long ago, I know with glad certainty in my soul, I know from the testimony of the Word of God that.
The normally his return is very near at hand.
And I'm glad of it, aren't you?
Oh, friend, I say again, I'm glad of it for when I think of the moment of the return of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when I think of the exchange that that will bring to me.
Although by God's matchless grace, I look back to years of abundant happiness, for which I thank God, I look around at circumstances for which I also must humbly thank God. And yet, my friend.
When I look up and realize that before tomorrow morning sunrise.
I may hear the voice of my returning Savior. I can think of no greater joy. I can think of no more glorious prospect.
And my soul responds in some little masses. Even so, come Lord Peter.
But even as the soul of a believer is filled with their light at the prospect of seeing.
The precious Savior who loved us and died for our redemption. Yet every time this precious and wonderful promise comes before us, we find ourselves thinking of a closed door. We find ourselves rejoicing in the certainty that we shall be inside that closed door in the presence of the Lord Caesar.
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That all, my friend. As I think of that closed door, I think of you.
I think of you and I'm going to ask you now in a simple language about him which is so often sung by the little 11 door and only 100 sides are true.
Inside and outside.
On which side are you here in the moment of time, here while the Spirit of God is still free to plead with your soul?
Here were the invitations of the word of God is still yours to fear and to bow to that question could not be more solemn. On which side are you? But my friend, remember the days of Noah.
Remember those long years of faithful testimony of that man?
Those years were so extended that I called back. Those who heard that message became more and more filled with indifference.
As the years rolled by, but there came a day, there came an hour, there came a moment when the hand of God closed the door of that park and those on the outside.
Were closed outside forever were closed outside for judgment and when I say again that the hand of God that for so long time now.
Have held open the door long-suffering, matchless grace and mercy.
Is at any moment.
At any moment going to close that door, and there will be a company within redeemed by the practice blood of Christ, who have His kindred and tongue and people and nation, and there will be a company without that in agony of soul will mark and say, Lord, Lord, open to us.
There have been events in the history of the world that have taken this world by shock, surprise.
And sometimes you'll fix the other events taking place that would create a real panic in this poor world, but nothing has ever taken place and nothing could possibly fit past that which will suddenly.
Cross this world in the panic when the Lord Jesus comes and calls his only being home to be with himself. What does this first mean? The coming of the Lord draws my What does this mean?
Word of God tells us in First Corinthians 15.
In a moment.
In the twinkling of an eye, that's pretty rapid.
Began. You and I have blinked our eyes a good many times and gave no thought to it. Whatever. Now for a moment you're a bit conscious of it, but pretty soon you'll forget all about it again. The twinkling of your your eye, they tell us, is about 135th of a second average. That's not very long, but my friend, in one twinkling of.
An eye according to the language of the Word of God.
The Lord Jesus will come forth and call home to be forever with Him those redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
You find yourself thinking of some other place, some other company of people. I asked you to dismiss all such thoughts and consider this company gathered together in this auditorium this evening, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.
The Lord Caesar is going to return. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a self.
With a voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God and the dating Christ will rise first, then wind, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord? What will make that eternal and sudden and final separation?
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Perhaps we could answer in one statement from the 12Th chapter of Exodus.
When I see the blood.
When I see the blood, that which distinguishes the saved from the lost, the redeemed from the guilty, the condemned from the pardon in this company, is that one thing?
When I see the blood, I will Passover you. Do you realize, beloved friend, that in order that the Lord Jesus might have the joy of your company up there in the glory, in order that He might have the liberty to invite you there, it cost him His lifeblood. He left those courts of glory and came down here into this world.
Not simply to set an example of a sinless life, but in order that while hanging there upon the cross of Calvary, he might receive the burden.
And the judgment of all those stains of guilt that would have passed me down to an eternal hell forever.
My dust and proper dessert.
He bought it all. He exhausted the judgment of God that was mine. He bowed his head in glorious triumph and cried. It is finished. From his wounded side and death there flowed that precious blood concerning which God's Word delights to declare the blood of Jesus Christ.
His Son cleanses us from all sins.
I say, friend, this and this alone is that which makes the difference in the sight of God.
If we know, welcome to those courses. Eternal glory and to find yourself on the oath.
Side of that closed door.
Some years ago I was sailing into the Harbor Inn.
Port of Spain, Trinidad. We'd had a very frightful voyage and none of us were feeling very fearful.
A tap in front of Maine, I noticed, seemed a little more nervous than the rest, and I soon discovered why. The immigration officer sat at his desk, a very grim fellow, and it was announced over the PA system that all passengers were to have their passports ready.
Well I had mine in my hand and I noticed the tap in front was fidgeting.
And when it came his turn, he put a letter down on the desk of the immigration officers. The immigration officer didn't even look up. He said your passport, Sir. And this chap said, Sir, if you read that letter, it will explain everything. I said your passport.
And the young man said again, Sir, if you would just read that letter, it will explain everything. And he looked up with real anger. Do you or do you not have a passport? It knows that I don't have a passport.
An immigration master just picked up the ship's telephone and called for the harbor police.
Was slaughtered. Pitiful. I saw him come out, take that fellow off to jail. What offense had he committed? None. He may have been a very fine fellow, but he lacked.
The one thing needful the land in that place. He had no passport. I feel quite sure that some arrangements were made for him later on. I don't know what they were, but I thought as I saw this took place and as I stepped up next and handed my passport, I had it stamped and was free to go however I wish. I thought of that time.
My beloved friend, when men.
Will stand at the date of eternity.
And will find that God solemnly requires that which he has told us of in His precious words, redemption through the precious blood of Christ. When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and every home in all the land of Egypt that was sheltered by that.
00:20:11
Shed and sprinkled blood was safe.
From the judgment that swept through the land at midnight.
Or turn the pages of history, if you wish, to the city of Jericho, and there you see one house marked out from all others by a scarlet line hanging from the window. Not a House of very high honor in that city, but there was a pledge concerning that house, a pledge involving the wonderful word whosoever.
For this pledge had been given that whosoever was found in the shelter of that home marked out by the scarlet cord, would be safe from the judgment that was about to fall on the city of Jericho. There were some who believed.
And took shelter in that house. But there were multitudes who refused to believe and paid no heed.
To the offer of shelters, and every last one of them perish.
When the judgment of God fell upon the city of Jericho.
Our friend, it is a glorious privilege to preach the gospel, but it's an exceedingly solemn responsibility. I would love to stand here and proclaim the wonder of the love of Christ and the glorious prospect of his near return.
But I must warn you, my friend, with all that is within me, of what it would mean to be left outside at that solemn moment.
We were just recently visiting on the island of Saint Vincent.
I believe some of you may have heard of.
An eruption that took place on that island in the year 1902, the very same time as the eruption that took place on the island of Martinique, where 20,000 people suddenly lost their lives. A large city nestling at the foot of that mountain. 20,000 inhabitants and only one man was saved. A prisoner in a prison cell was brought out alive.
And on the island of Saint Vincent's, this volcano, known as Two Free, had given signs of rumblings and disorders.
And a dear Christian man whom I knew and loved very well.
Brought this to the attention of the authorities and they made him responsible to warn those in the villages at the foot of that volcano.
Of a danger that seemed to be so imminent.
Well, they they couldn't help but admit that what he said was true. They could see smoke and steam escaping from this thing, but somehow or other it just kept on, day after day. And each day that they waited, they felt just a little bit more comfortable. But all of a sudden the top blew off.
And that boiling water and red hot lava came rolling down the mountainside.
And thousands of them were trapped. There is a river there called Arabica River.
And they came running from their homes to the Radical River and found it filled with lava and boiling water and barely stood and were consumed, thousands of them.
You know, while we were there just a matter of about two weeks ago.
The same thing showed signs of happening over again.
That mountain began to become active.
The water in the crater rose higher and higher, got hotter and hotter. The smell of sulfur was becoming very evident one day when we were in the village nestled at the foot of that mountain where, by the way, there is an assembly of those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Dixon Village.
Men whom I knew quite well came through the village with a thermos bottle and everyone was greatly interested in the contents of this thermos bottle. They came right to where we were and poured it out and it was scalding, steaming, sulphurous water that they had at the risk of their lives.
Fished out of the top of that crater, I tell you, friends, as we passed the hours in that village and as we went from home to home.
00:25:09
Trying to remind those whom we spoke to of the wondrous love of God and of the awfulness of judgment near at hand. You could feel, you could sense the reality of that which they knew that they were facing.
I thought as we stood there and preached the gospel and could see this great volcano dust off in the distance. I thought of those verses in the Book of Revelation. When after the Lord has come and called His redeemed home and those were left behind, realize the peril that they are in and the judgments of God that begin to be poured out upon them. The Scripture says that they will.
All upon the rock and the mountains, to fall upon them, to cover them, to hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. Are these ignorant people that act in this way? No, my friend, they're the very people that you and I meet every day.
Through today are so filled with bravado and mockery.
When you speak of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you speak of the wonder of salvation through his precious blood.
When you speak of the day of Judgment that is yet coming, and they answer you with mockery, they answer you with bravado.
The word of God declares that they will call upon.
The rock and the mountains to fall upon them, to hide them from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the land, all her contrast to our listening to the sound of His voice. The redeemed of the Lord are looking for that sight of His glorious, loving faith when he comes to call home.
But that very moment of spells eternal joy and happiness and bliss.
For the redeemed of the Lord will spell my friend eternal.
Hopeless judgment and remorse for everyone who knows not Christ as failures.
Now, if the Lord Jesus were to come before this meeting is ended, if the Lord Jesus were to come.
Now. And why should I not speak this way?
What would happen in that role, my friend, where you are sitting?
I wonder if I could look up anyone of these roads and say with absolute certainty that everyone in this row, everyone in that row, would most certainly be called home at the sound of the saviors voice. What about the role where you're sitting?
What about those in the city of Toledo?
You know what will take place.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, in a silence which this world will take no notice of, the redeemed of the Lord in a moment will be called home into His glorious presence. The Word of God plainly and clearly presents it to us as the proper, present, joyful hope of the believers.
And many here, I say, are looking forward to it with eager, joyous delight.
Thought I say, what about this very company, if the Lord were to come?
And you, my friend, a son or daughter of praying Christian parents.
Left sitting right where you are now.
What would you do? You would know in a moment what had taken place. I'm sure you heard of the coming of the Lord. I wonder. I wonder if you've done what I used to do when I was a young fellow. I remember it with sadness and with astonishment at my own rebellion of heart.
I remember lying awake in the hours of the night.
Draining my ears to catch some sound from the next room where my father and mother slept.
00:30:01
Why did I do this? Because I knew the coming of the Lord would separate us forever. I knew that at the coming of the Lord, my father and my mother would go to meet him, not because they were kind and loving, but because they were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ and rejoice in it.
Thy had the wondrous opportunity again and again presented to me.
Presented truly by praying parents. Presented to me by faithful Sunday School teachers.
And I stand here this night as a trophy of the grace of God. But my memory recalls those nights when I listened and listened, and when I couldn't hear a sound. I'd call and ask what time is it? I wonder if they knew why I asked what time it was. The light would go on. I would be told the time.
But all I wanted was a sound of their voice.
Oh, my friend, I warn you solemnly. I warn you faithfully.
I warn you and love to your soul, that those who will be left to make known to this poor bewildered world what has taken place.
Will be the sons and daughters of Christian parents.
You will know what took place. Perhaps the bewildered neighbors will say what happened. We understand ever so many people are missing and are nowhere to be found. What has taken place? I say again, the sons and daughters of Christian parents will have a terrible, awful, tragic responsibility.
Of telling those bewildered neighbors I know what's taking place.
The Lord has come and called home to Himself.
Those whom we mocked, those whom we ridiculed, those who spoke.
In such old fashioned language of what it means to be redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
And then if those neighbors were to turn to you and say now what shall we do now?
Friend, what answer would you have?
What answer would you have? Absolutely nothing, friend, but the hopelessness of waiting.
For the outpour, judgment of God, the coming of the Lord draws 9 Could anything be more solemn, my friend, than to hear?
That the text is this in a Christian land?
Where the gospel has gone out faithfully again and again and again, and yet to think that it can be presented still.
And so little response.
We were just visiting on a very, very little island.
An island called Myro in the Caribbean.
An island which brother Alan Hammerabi visited about 15 years ago.
A darker place I don't believe I have ever seen in my life.
Perhaps it wouldn't be appropriate for me to give all the details of the darkness that were found on that island, but we remained there until every home on the island had been visited and the story of God's matchless love had been told in every home.
There was one on that island who hated all this.
One on that island who from time to time, as the gospel would be brought, would make the rounds of every home.
And burn every bit of Christian literature that had been left there and flogged every child that had been found reading the messages of love.
As you know, this time by the matchless grace of God as we arrived on that dark island.
The first person we encountered was this.
Domineering individuals who had flogged those children and had burned this literature time and again.
And she said, what are you here for?
What do you intend to do?
Now there were many who were praying because we had intended.
Prayerfully to revisit that island if it were possible.
00:35:03
And by the matchless grace of God, I believe the light.
Of the wondrous gospel, of the grace of God and the wonder of the matchless love of our stager. Reached into that heart so dark, so hard, and one would almost say, so hopeless.
He stood there and with a beaming countenance proclaimed how much Christ meant to her, and how much he had suffered on the cross to put away, And she laid her hand here to put away my sin. He took a look at the tracks of Sunday school papers, the wall tech, and urged us to visit every home on the island.
To deliver this good news to absolutely every home.
All beloved friend, as we went at last with perfect liberty.
From home to home to every home on that dark island.
And sat down with them and told them.
Back with you have heard so often.
That which you, dear children and young people, have heard from your father and mother, you heard from your Sunday school teachers, you heard in weakness and with stammering tongues from gospel preachers from time to time. I wish.
You could have been there in those homes to see.
The simple eagerness with which they listened to the wondrous story of God's love.
As verse after verse from God's precious word was read to see the delight of their heart as the text would be hung on the walls of their humble little home. And now, friend, to come from such situations and stand up here in a so-called Christian land, and to try to tell the wonder of God's love.
To speak of a near return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And then when it fall over it will wonder.
If anybody's heart was touched.
It's a strange, sad feeling.
A strange, sad feeling. Is there anyone here, my beloved friend? Is there anyone here who. Knowing that you have not yet been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, knowing that you are not yet sheltered by that blood that was shed for you, is there anyone here who would accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? Anyone who would look at.
And say, with the coming of the Lord so near in hand, I know that I would be left on the outside. And I do not want to put my head on my pillow tonight until this matter is settled, until I know that I have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. Could we turn to the Book of Revelation?
The 21St chapter and the eighth verse, but.
The fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers and ************ and sorcerers and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.
Which is the second best?
Isn't that a frightening verse to read?
And yet knows how it begins.
The fearful and unbelieving. And then follows a list that would make you shudder.
But the beginning of that list.
The beginning of the list.
That recounts those who will be found in the awful, awful tragedy and eternal hell.
Fearful and unbelieving those who are afraid.
Of being laughed at.
Those who, knowing the truth of the Gospel, knowing their lost and guilty conditions, knowing the offer of pardon by virtue of the precious blood of Christ, knowing the peril that is ahead, and knowing the imminence of the Lords return.
00:40:08
Are yet.
Cowardly, afraid of being laughed at.
Now, once in a while you'll meet those who are honest enough to tell you this. Instead of manufacturing some other excuse, they'll tell you plainly. I'm afraid to face the music. I know that if I went back to school and told them I had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior, I would be mocked. I would be ridiculed. I know that if I went to the workshop, to the office and made such a confession.
I would be ridiculed. Here is what God's Word has to say.
He, my friend, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, stretched out his hands in love for you and me, and was nailed to the cross. And there, with mockery all around him, he bowed his head and received the strokes of divine judgment, in order that He might turn to you as by grace He has turned to me.
To offer us a free and a full pardon.
Are you afraid to accept him as your favor? Are you afraid to receive the pardon that he delights to offer?
What a strange thing, afraid to accept the pardons.
That he delights to offer the fearful and the unbelieving. Yes, there are thoughts.
There are those, I hope not here present in this meeting, who hearing the Word of God does absolutely.
Refused to believe it. Refused to believe it all. We thank God for those who buy matchless grace in the depths of their needs, have received the truth of God's Word, have received the part and that He delights to offer.
I wonder. I think it's only ripe for half the.
We should mention.
Something of that which was mentioned here three years ago, three years ago I believe, mention was made.
A young girl named Perlina Duran.
Who, at the time of these meetings, was sentenced to be executed and had ten days to live? I think it's only right and would be of interest to you to know a little more about her.
At that time we visited with her.
While a scaffold that was to take her life was just a few paces away from where we were sitting.
We open the word of God to the fifth chapter of Romans, and we read the eighth verse.
And he reached over and laid her finger on that verse in this Bible.
And we read these words together.
God commend us.
His love towards us.
In that file we were yet sinners. Christ died for us.
We knelt down.
And I believe by the matchless grace of God, that poor guilty heart was open to receive as a gift the pardon of God, delight to offer the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as her saviors, and the value of that most precious blood to rejoice in.
And to look forward to the day when up there in his presence.
He would join in the songs of praise because of the value of that precious blood.
Not many days ago we went back to the same cell and there was Perlina still there.
I wish you could have seen thou radiant on her face.
When we brought out this precious book again and began to speak of the Lord Jesus Christ with real joy, with real delight, we spoke together.
00:45:03
Of our precious Savior.
And after we had read and spoken of our precious Savior, after we had had prayer together, we said Perlina.
Is there any hymn that we might enjoy singing together? And she said, oh, I love that hymn.
There is never a Sinner so far from God, but Jesus.
Can bring him home, I said. Well, we don't know that one. Well, I'll sing it for you.
I wouldn't for a moment try to sing it here, but it was pretty hard to keep the tears back as we sat and listened to that dear girl for whom I know some of you have been praying. And that's why I'm telling you this as she sat there and with her face radiant with joy sang those precious words. That's just the beginning of the hymn. There's never a Sinner.
So far from God.
But Jesus can bring him home. There was one that was far from God.
There was one who at 21 years of age that her hands stained with the blood of her own sister.
And yet, by the massless grace of God, another brand plucked from the burning, I believe that we're going to see that dear girl rejoicing at the feet of the Lord Jesus of Yonder in the glory. I believe we're going to see that hard hearted character from the island of Myro that destroyed so many.
Tracks so many Sunday school people papers and love those who read them. I believe we're going to see these dear folks.
Rejoicing in the presence of the Lord Jesus in those courts of glory.
And you, my friend, with all the privileges that have been yours, with all of many opportunities that have been presented to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to receive him as your Savior, to accept that part and that cost in the sharing of His own life blood. And for some reason that perhaps has satisfied your own heart, you have thus far said no to.
Said no to whom? Said no to the Lord Jesus Christ.
May I ask you in all the simplicity with which I sometimes try to ask the dear children as they listen to the gospel?
Yeah, yeah, the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Were to come into this room tonight.
Had the joy and privilege of sitting down there where I was not long ago.
And he stood here and raised up those hands so that you could see those male marks.
And you looked into the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then, my beloved friend, he came to you.
Write to you. He didn't ask your name, he addressed you by name.
He held out those pierced hands and said, I love you.
I died for you.
And I would like to offer you the forgiveness of all your sins.
The gift of eternal life and the certainty of a home with me in heaven forever.
Would you accept this? And he waited my friend for your reply.
He stood right by you, and you knew that he was speaking to you, for he called you by name and he waited for your reply. What would you do?
Would you look up into the face of Jesus Christ and say no? Would you friend? Would you look up into his face and say yes, Lord Peter, now here tonight I accept.
Thee is my Savior and the pardon.
The cleansing from all those stains of sin. What will your answer be, my friend? The coming of the Lord draws mine. That moment is now so near at hand, for which the Lord's people have been waiting with eager delight. Again and again I hear them say, Even so, come Lord Jesus.
00:50:04
And my heart responds in the same language, and I hope by the grace of God I may continue to breathe this.
There's a prayerful, longing desire of my heart.
Could you pray that tonight?
Get down on your knees tonight, my friend, and say Even so, come Lord Jesus, it's quite a test, is it not?
Would you really wish to do that?
Would everyone of us here tonight be free?
To get down on our knees, you on your knees and buy on mine and say Even so come Lord Jesus.
Friend, if you have not yet been sheltered by the precious blood of Christ.
Would you just take heed to that which is precious? Word declares. For I intend to close them just simply by quoting a few gospel verses which I trust the Lord may use to the blessing of your soul.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be a scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like Crimson.
Shall be, as woe be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man the Lord Jesus is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Verily, verily, I send to you he that heareth my word.
And believe upon him that sent me.
Hath everlasting life.
And shall not come into condemnation.
But is passed from death unto light.
Thou self confessed with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved for God, so love the world.
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him.
Should not vary, but have everlasting life and 1:00.
Final verse.
How shall we escape?
If we need what?
So great salvation.
The Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ