Toledo Conference: 1972
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Heb. 2:1-8
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Jesus, thy head was crowned with thorns, is crowned with glory now.
9/2 85285.
Heavens, royal diadem, the darn the mighty victors proud.
Of.
The Lord.
God.
Act Chapter 10.
Acts, Chapter 10.
And the latter part.
Of verse 33.
Now, therefore.
Are we all here, present before God?
Hear all things that are commanded.
Beloved brethren with the tenor of what we've had before us.
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To read and consider at least a portion of Hebrews Chapter 2.
Hebrews Chapter 2.
We might commence at the first verse.
Therefore.
We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard.
Blessed at any time we should let them slip.
For if the words spoken by angels was steadfast.
And every transgression and disobedience.
Received a just recompense of reward.
How shall we escape?
If we neglect so great salvation.
Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord.
And was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders.
With divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his will.
For under the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak.
But one in a certain place.
Testified saying. What is man?
That thou art mindful of him.
Or the son of man, the dog is it is him.
Thou made is him a little lower than the angels?
Thou crownest him with glory and honor.
And it set him over the works of thy hands.
Thou has put all things in subjection under his feet, and.
For him that he put all in subjection under him.
He left nothing that is not put under him.
But now we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus.
Who has made a little lower than the angels?
For the suffering of death.
Crowned with glory and honor.
That he, by the grace of God, should taste death.
For every man.
It became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.
For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all at once.
For which 'cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren?
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren.
In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
And again I will put my trust in him, and again behold, I and the children which God has given me.
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 him That had the power of death. That is the devil.
And deliver them who through fear of death.
Were all their lifetime subject to *******?
Preferably he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
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Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren.
You might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God.
To make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to sucker them that are tempted.
Let us repeat verse 9.
But we see Jesus.
Who has made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor?
That he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.
What you would say?
For things that we should give more earnest ease.
Things that we find in the first chapter, which presents to us in a marvelous way the glories of Christ.
So when he says, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?
It's because of the greatness of the person.
That the neglecting the salvation is so serious when God himself in his wondrous love has spared his only Son to make purgation, that is, purge away our sins.
And that is through his sufferings on the cross.
To neglect the salvation.
Such as God has in his infinite grace provided is a fatal thing. There is no escape fact. There's a question that has never, never been answered. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?
And we need to remember, friends, that this epistle is addressed to the Hebrew profession. That is, there were some that were real, and there were some who were not real, some who had only made a lip proficient. And that's why he begins the epistle by saying we ought to give the more earnest heat, lest at any time we should let them slip this really slip away.
From these things.
What a solemn warning that is to any here who sit under the sound of the gospel such an address as we have just been hearing what is meant by being dead in their sins.
To slip away, go out into the world, and miss the opportunity that God is offering of this great salvation.
The honesty then it would, brother.
Are there are there various glories mentioned in the first chapter regarding the person of Christ?
You tell us. Well, I was wondering. You spoke of the.
The person being before us.
Would it be then that he's seen as the the son who has the inheritance in the first chapter? Because the subject of Hebrews is something like the picture we have in the Old Testament, the children of Israel going on to an inheritance.
But here it's the son himself who has the inheritance.
But also we learn in the.
Eighth verse that he is God and he has an eternal throne.
But do we not also learn in the?
The 10th verse that he's the creator himself.
But the Spirit of God, I believe, sets him before us here.
Particularly as the one who in the midst of all of that glory that he has, he stooped down, and He made purgation of sins, and this is what attracts our hearts.
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As we think of that work that he accomplished the glory that surrounds his person, and then the work that he accomplished, for us now to give all of this up, to go back to the shadows which the Old Testament sets before us, would be a terrible thing. And the Jew is warned here that two things will happen if he gives up Christianity.
He'll either go back to the ordinances.
Which have no meaning at all now, because that that is passed or you'll go out into open sin, Probably both. We have that warning not only in the next chapter, but further on of the consequences of giving up.
Christianity after he's heard and so you'll get that verse in the 2nd or the 3rd chapter.
It's a very solemn verse.
The sixteen birds.
For someone, they had heard.
Did provoke. I believe that's the force of our first verse here.
Therefore we ought to give them more earnest heed to the things which we have heard less At anytime we should let them slip.
Marginal reading there is lest we should run out as leaking vessels.
It isn't the IT isn't the things that we ourselves slipping away, is it not? I think Mr. Darby's translation is lest we should slip away, isn't it? Isn't that the way it reads?
That is, to be awkwardly connected with the testimony, the Christian testimony, his brother Mundine has said, And then to slip away, turn away from it, and give it up in their case, go back to Judaism. And of course, for any here that are just outwardly connected with the testimony of being gathered to the Lord's name after having sat under the sound clear.
Forcible spirit, giving teaching that has is taught among us, and then to turn away and go back into the world and its follies or take up with some false religious system.
Is a more solemn, terrible thing to consider.
I think the Hebrews.
It's very important to see how that we might say that the full light of God has been brought out and Paul would impress us with the with the greatness of the blessing. Now in connection with the the coming of the Lord Jesus and his work on the cross of Calvary. He would impress us with the privileges and all that we have now that the full revelation of God is brought out. But here we have the principal found all the way through the word.
But where there is great blessing and privilege, it brings with it great responsibility. It's a great salvation which has been brought out now through the 1St and work of the Lord Jesus and I. I believe we can say that we're living in the most privileged time of man's history here upon earth. But there's a great responsibility connected with the life that is given, not only the light of the gospel.
But of the full revelation of the heart and mind of God, and so he says, how shall we escape? Because there is responsibility connected with it. And I believe that the apostle here would impress that upon us the greatness of the privilege, and connected with it the responsibility as well.
Very important for us to become acquainted with the general principles found in Hebrews, because we have before us in the book that which is contrasted with the ordinances and all that belonged to the system of the law that has been set aside. Now it's natural for our hearts to attach to something in a religious way that we can see something visible.
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Something that appeals to the census.
And so one might take up with Christianity in an outward way.
And.
Go on with the outward form of it.
They might even be gathered, as it were, in breaking bread, and still not know what it is to be born again, not know what it is to have Christ as the object. Now as we read through Hebrews, we discover that one thing after another disappears. In these first two chapters the angels disappear.
Christ replaces them. In the next chapter we find that Moses disappears, as it were, Then Aaron.
And then the sanctuary disappeared.
The altar everything disappears and we have nothing but Christ.
That's the beauty of reading Hebrews, because everything disappears that the natural heart would be attached to, and the spirit of God gradually replaces in our hearts a pure object that can fill our hearts and satisfy our hearts. These things cannot.
The order of those things, 2IN Hebrews, I think, is so very beautiful. It begins with an open heaven, does it not? And there is the Lord Jesus there presented to us in such marvelous language in the second and third verses. And then comes that which existed before even Adam was created, the angels, And then on downward, as our brother remarked, until, I think, we find in chapter 13.
Those that whose feet we may have heard the ministry of the Word, and they're gone now, and we're told to remember what we heard from them and saw in them. And then it seems to me that it even comes down to the present, to those who are still among us, who are still ministering the Word to us. And yet the whole thing is intended to present to us the exaltation of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was introduced at the very beginning.
Yes, it seemed to me, in connection with what has been said, how the Blessed Lord Himself.
Replaces every person of importance and distinction in the Old Testament as Brother Lundin has been going over. Though he did admit Joshua in the 4th chapter as he never he didn't bring them into the true rest and replacing the Sanctuary two as he said.
Well then, it's lovely. When you get to the 13th chapter, it's just as though the apostle says Now you've seen how this glorious person has. The epistle begins with.
Who being the brightness of his glory, and express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power. Now he's replaced everything. Now he says, Let's go out unto him.
Aren't all these things that might claim the heart and affections are such inferior importance, although they have their importance, although they were given of God, like the prophets and like the teachers. But here's one that so surpasses everything. Now he has LED them up to this place. Now let's turn away from the whole thing, this whole camp, and let us go out unto him.
Bearing His reculture and beloved, let's not forget this that when we go out to Christ the center, we're going to find reproach in connection with that place.
The religious thing that we find in Christendom today.
Are are subtle because many will say, well, they point to Christ. They remind us of Christ.
Religious objects to look at. They remind us of Christ. Well, it's a subtle thing, and the enemy will use it to get us to slip away from Christ.
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And this great salvation.
It makes me think of the time we were in the Congo.
Now those pagans, they acknowledge there was a God. They had a name for God.
They knew there was a God because they said we know there is because of creation. We see it all around us. We know there is a God. I asked them, well, why do you have these images then?
They had all kinds of idols, all kinds of images standing here and there, one for one thing and one for another.
Well, they said we can't see God, so we have these images to remind us of him. But what happened? They were bowing down to those images and it was Satan's religion.
Well, the devil can use anything like that.
Anything that can be seen with the eye and can use it to draw us away from Christ. He's a subtle enemy, and these things are subtle.
Late brother Walter Potter.
Once defined, so great salvation.
As God's complete revelation of himself in Christ.
Simply connects the Epistle to the Hebrews in this regard with the parable of the husbandman, when after repeated efforts to to gain fruit, why, he says finally I have one son.
And I'll send him, I thought him in this regard that in Hebrews we have, you might say, God's testimony and finality. And it's not connected with creation so much or with the law, but it's connected with the person. His only begotten Son is called in Timothy. The testimony of our Lord is connected with a person our Lord Jesus Christ. And I suppose that's why Hebrews is so full of the person of Christ. We've come to find ality now.
God has dealt with man in different ways and he's had different revelations, but now he has revealed himself in sun. It's all brought to finality and after this present time of testimony in connection with the Lord Jesus, judgment comes in.
This is the final day, as it were, in testimony. God has saved the best for last, and then we have a day of display in the world to come. But it's the time of testimony now in connection with his Son and following this, his judgment and then the display and the Millennium.
I was thinking in connection with what our brother Anderson said, that these many things that are made to represent God. Isn't it lovely that we have all those types and shadows in the Old Testament and their importance is only in the measure in which they bring Christ before us?
And so instead of having something that is made by man that God brings before us.
His servants Moses and Joshua, the Tabernacle, the altar, all these things we love to dwell upon, but they only have their importance in Christianity and the measure in which they set Christ before the soul. And then going on to the last chapter where it was mentioned, whether it's those that have gone before or those living today, they only have their importance in the measure in which they point to Christ and occupy with him.
And so, Speaking of John the Baptist, in his time the Lord could say, among those born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist. Why was he so great? Well, I believe it was because when he was asked who he was, he said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. So I believe this is a lesson for us in connection with all ministry, that only in the measure in which the types and shadows are used.
Or the individual whom God might use is hidden so that Christ would be exalted? Are they really in harmony with the mind of God who delights to honor his beloved Son?
Someone asked the question about Elijah and.
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They wondered about that verse in Matthew. This is Elias, which was for to come of John the Baptist.
And I called her attention to the last verse of the third chapter of Acts. He shall send Jesus.
Because even there the Lord gives us the hint as to the meaning of that expression. This is Elias, which was for to come. It's moral.
Elijah is not coming back, but it's like Luke says in the first chapter of John the Baptist. He comes in the spirit and power of Elias. Now is the Lord Jesus and he alone who is going to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to their fathers.
And that will take place in the coming day. Then the restitution of all things will take place.
But not through a man like Elias, although Elijah was a picture of the Lord in certain respects, but even Moses, a prophet like unto me, shall God raise up, and so on. Well, all this pointed forward to Christ. And don't you think, brethren, if we get a hold of the first chapter?
Where the Spirit of God sets before us the person of Christ and our own connection through the work that was accomplished for us, that has brought us into blessing.
If our eyes are set upon that person, everything else will drop off and these questions will not arise. Now take, for instance, the first chapter of John.
Was it Nathaniel that? He says.
An Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. Well, Nathaniel was full of questions until he met Jesus. And as soon as he met Jesus, all his questions were gone.
I believe that that helps a great deal, does it not, Rather than the understanding of truth? Because no matter whether we we read in Genesis or whether we read in Revelation, if we don't have Christ before us, we'll miss it. We'll miss the point entirely. Is that right?
Even in the Old Testament, the law they went on with all these things that God gave. The only value that they had was in the measure in which they pointed to Christ. And so God looked upon the heart, and it was the faith that He valued. So we know that they were so scrupulously careful to carry out the details of what God had given. Now they kept what was what the Lord called the Jews Passover and the Jews feast of Tabernacles.
They wouldn't even go into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled so they could keep the Passover.
And yet rejected Christ. And I believe what is being brought before us here, that it's quite possible to accept the outward things even of Christianity without a living relationship with the Lord Jesus. And that is exactly what Christendom has done. And they haven't given up baptism, they haven't given up the Lord's Supper. They haven't given up much of the outward recognition of what you might say constitutes Christianity.
But they don't. They don't see their need of Christ. They're not occupied with him.
They make everything of the ordinance. And So what we see taking place today is seeing. It's all a lifeless thing. The whole thing gradually slips away. It's given up. And those who once professed these things, not having ever been born again, not having divine life, they're quite content to give up the deity of Christ, the work of Christ, his blood, his resurrection. Oh, how terrible what is taking place? And yet this is under the name of still professing Christianity.
Oh, it's a terrible apostasy that is going to come to its climax after the church is gone, when God has to judge that great system that professes Christ but is a lifeless dead thing.
We read here in the third verse.
Middle of the verse, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. That's the apostles who were with the Lord during his life and ministry. And then we read God also, bearing them witness both with signs and wonders, with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.
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That very definitely shows that.
These signed gifts, miracles and wonders, divers miracles, gifts of the Holy Ghost, were specially connected with the beginning of the testimony of Christ here on earth.
Shows that it was not intended that these miracles would continue on down through the Christian era.
I think this is one of the most important verses in that connection that you're Speaking of Brother Barry.
And I believe the Spirit of God can use it to help these souls that think that God continues with these signs and wonders and and miracles and so on.
They were used, evidently in the beginning to confirm the word of God that was spoken to others by the Apostles.
That was God's reason for giving these signs, to confirm the fact that these men were speaking the words of the Lord Jesus. And now it's been confirmed and we have the written word of God, and we don't need these signs and wonders and miracles to confirm the word of God. And I it seems to me that if anyone thinks that he needs these signs and wonders to confirm the word of God.
It's a sign that he's doubting the word of God. He doesn't believe that it's the word of God.
I believe the connection with the fifth verse helps to understand Understand this. Or under the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come? Wherever we speak? Through the Old Testament times God spoke particularly through the angels.
Works of power were done by angels in a miraculous way. But the Lord Jesus came into this world. He was the Messiah. He is the one who is going to bring in that world or that age to come.
Upon Earth. I think this is somewhat clear from the new translation. It's the habitable world.
And who is going to set things right in this poor world that had been ruined by sin? Well, the Lord Jesus down here in this world showed now that he had power over all that had come in through sin. And so we see him superior to all of the misery and sorrow and sickness.
That sin had brought in well. He was rejected. He was crucified.
But he is risen again, and it was necessary. The testimony should be born.
That that one whom this world rejected as the Messiah, as the one to whom the habitable world will yet be brought into subjection, and that that one is now crowned with glory and honor, and that those works are done not through angels, but through men.
And so there was a testimony. I believe it's connected with what we have in the 6th chapter of Hebrews also, where it says about.
Well, just read it and I think it helps to make this thought clear.
Verse 4.
What is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made for takers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world or the age to come. The healing that was done by the apostles and others in the early church was the powers of the age to come. It was the proof that the one who had been rejected was the one who was going to bring in that time of blessing to this habitable world.
When the inhabitant will not say I am sick, and when the 103rd Psalm will be fulfilled, who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases? But not only did the world reject the Lord Jesus as Messiah, but they send a messenger after him saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. And now if we realize what is taking place today, God is not attempting to set things right in this world now.
The Lord Jesus has been rejected, the gospel is being proclaimed, and God is gathering out of this world of people for heaven and our deliverance from sickness. And these things will take place when the Lord comes. And then what a blessed thing He'll change these bodies of humiliation that they may be fashioned like under his own glorious body. And now the work of the Spirit, as we have in Romans 8, is not to remove our infirmities, but to help our infirmities.
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So that as we go through this world, we we belong to heaven, we look for our final deliverance. When the Lord comes, now is our salvation nearer than when we believe. But all those miracles that were wrought by Christ, and all those that were given to confirm the word in the beginning, and to show that the rejected one was the true Messiah, will be brought in all their fullness when He takes His place as Messiah, and when.
This whole world has the little hint, says he'll bid the whole creation smile.
And has it's grown. It's not understanding the true character of this period and the Church and its heavenly calling that leads to much of this misunderstanding. But also I wish to say that we must not limit the power of God. He does answer prayer even today. He does deliver His people in sickness. He does come in, and occasionally may work miracles.
Where there is perhaps a special testimony that needs to be rendered, I believe God works in a miraculous way, but it is not the general character of the present dispensation.
So then you would say that the world had come. It's really the age to come is the millennial age after this present day of grace is over and the Lord has come in the air and taken His redeemed ones to glory. And then the judgments that you have recorded in the Book of Revelation from the 4th chapter on.
Will cleanse the earth of the wicked.
And then the Lord will set up his Kingdom down here, and it will not be put in subjection to angels, as the Old Testament dispensation was in subjection. But we have man brought in in a very remarkable and special way. And the Son of Man will let Christ himself, but men who are redeemed associated with him.
In connection with his glorious Kingdom, when he shall reign from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the earth.
Would that be in connection with an expression which we find in the 9th chapter of this book?
Hebrews Chapter 9 and verse 11.
Christ being come and my praise of good things to come, just that expression particularly often used to refer to present things of Christianity. But it seems so in keeping with this epistle, that it's more of what you were just bringing before us for the barrier. Is that right? I would agree with that, brother.
Macy.
Is very remarkable in the book of Hebrews.
The inspired writer keeps Israel's hopes in view along with the hopes of the church at the present time, so that sometimes it's a little difficult to decide just.
Off the mind of the Spirit is whether he is speaking about Israel's coming blessings in the Millennium or the blessing of the Church.
At the present time, I might just quote one passage in the 9th chapter of Hebrews to Prince this point.
We get in the 28th verse the last verse of Hebrews 9. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that looked for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Now you could see Israel's hope and the hope of the Church both brought before us that right.
Yeah, in Psalm 8, the first verse. Of course. I suppose that Hebrews refers to that portion we are reading. Oh Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth? But then the rest of the verse, who has set thy glory above the heavens?
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So I believe in Hebrews. We do have that part that the Jew.
Well, on the earth.
Will participate in and blessing when the Lord finally sets up that order in the millennial day.
But we also have that which goes way beyond it, do we not? So that in the first chapter we have an eternal throne, then we have eternal redemption, then we have eternal inheritance, and then the the solemn, the solemn thing for those who reject this testimony of the first verse.
Eternal judgment. So we have a permanent character to the blessing here in Hebrews, do we not?
Speaking about to them that look for him, the believer now who is taught through the Word is looking for the Lord to come in the air.
Where the ascending shout and Archangel voice to meet him in the clouds and to be taken to the Father's house. That's what we're looking for. We're looking for him to return now for Israel. It will be the time of the great tribulation. They will be looking for the Lord to come down to where it's.
Not to be caught up in the air to meet him, to go to the Father's house, but for the Lord to come in delivering mercy to them and their great trials and tribulations that they will be passing through. So I just call attention to that to show that there are two classes of people.
That are looked at as waiting for the Lord to see him and to be ready when he returns.
Well, it's the extent of the work of Christ, and so it not only reaches out for Israel, but through that glorious work there is going to be a new heavens and new earth where indwelleth righteousness. And just before what you read, we have that thought brought before us, don't we, in the 26th verse. For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in the end of the world or the end of the age?
Hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself?
Now there it's not just sins. That's what is spoken of in the 28th verse, which you read. Our sins have been put away. But the one whom John the Baptist looked at was the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. And through that glorious work every trace of sin and its results will be removed. And so therefore, to whom will Israel look? To whom will we look for a deliverance That's the same blessed person.
Because that one work that he accomplished is so blessed that it's going to bring in the whole final deliverance.
From sin and its results to both heaven and earth.
Rather striking, isn't it? There in the sixth verse, but one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visited him? Our brother Lundeen was reading the eighth Psalm, where from which this is quoted. But it seems to me that there are places where the spirit of God would not occupy so much with the inspired writer.
As with the person that he would have us occupied with, so it's one in a certain place. It isn't so important to get very straight about just what Sam or just at what time it was written. But get your thoughts, beloved, on the person.
That Son of man, that the Spirit of God is bringing before us.
The word Son of man.
Hears in contrast to angels. Perhaps there might have been some that thought. Well, the world to come is going to be brought into subjection to angels. No, it will be brought into subjection to a man, the man Christ Jesus, the Son of Man. Well, this ought to touch our hearts.
That is, that one who came down here into this world and took upon himself a form of a man. He's the one that's going to raise. He's the one that's going to have that high place. He's the one to whom every knee shall bow. He's the one that's going to be in control. And I'm thankful for the book of Hebrews, because it certainly does bring Christ before us.
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And his glory and the high place that God has given him, even as a man.
Our brother was just remarking that.
And Hebrews, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Displaces everything.
And everybody.
Could have just asked or including that that the writer himself of the epistle.
Hides himself out. It's anonymous and the only apostle we have in Hebrews is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, and so is our brother. Just remarked in chapter 2 and verse 6. The writer deliberately ignores the fact that David wrote.
8th Psalm, which he quote. I never noticed that until just now. So it's all consistent with this wonderful truth that the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is displacing everything and everybody and it ends up Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and for the ages.
So, so I understand too that there are two different words here for man. And the sixth verse. What is man? And then the Son of man, that thou visitest him? Now that is, that there is frail man, and then there is that which is referred to the Lord Jesus himself.
Now, that is, God has shown his interest in man in that he himself became a man and the person of Christ. Just like we might illustrate. Supposing there was a fly crawling across the paper here, How could I show my interest in that fly? I come near it. It would certainly fly away, but if it were possible for me to come down in the form of a family, then I could come close to it and marvel of marvels.
God himself passed angels by. He was made lower than the angels. And why?
Well, his delights were with the sons of men. He had an interest in men. So he came down and became a man, walked through this world as a man, died as a man. And Rosen has taken a place now above angels. And because he has taken a place above angels, therefore associated with him in that glory are going to be redeemed men. So that as we have here, it's not 2 angels. He has put in subjection the age to come.
But it's the Lord Jesus. But the Lord Jesus as man associates with him Those whom he speaks of. Here is his brethren.
And this is a wonderful truth that is brought before us. The exaltation of Christ is precious to our hearts because we're going to be associated with Him. He calls us His brethren.
We might notice a contrast in that Psalm that's quoted here. The whole creation is mentioned as as being subject and I'll just read what it says.
In Psalm 8, verse 7, starting with verse six, I made this case to have the million over the works of thine hands. Thou has put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxygen, oxygen, yeah, and the beast of the field.
The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the past of the sea.
Now if you read in the book of Daniel, you'll find that Nebuchadnezzar was given dominion over many things, but he was not given dominion over the fishes of the sea. And I believe this spring before us the contrast with mere man and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. Mere man could not be given dominion over everything.
But the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, has dominion over everything. That's the reason, Brother Anderson, why the Lord sent Peter with his to.
01:00:04
With his hook and line to catch a fish, because he had not only authority over the beasts of the field, but over the fish of the sea. And he could command that fish to bring the exact amount of money that he and the Lord needed to pay the tribute money.
Is filling both the ships without fish Stew, and when the feeder and his companions fished all night and caught nothing, I was thinking too of the remarkable faith expressed by the centurion in Luke. I think it's Luke 6 or 7.
Where the Lord said he hadn't found faith like that in in Israel, that is.
The Centurion was able to command.
His armies. But he recognized that there was a sphere where his power didn't reach, and that was the Kingdom of God. And here was one who could command in the Kingdom of God. He could heal the sick, He could cleanse the leopards, He could raise the dead. It seems to me that we have a remarkable illustration there of the Spirit of God opening a man's heart and his eyes to see the person of Christ and his glory.
A very blessed title. The Lord takes the Son of Man.
The first time they, perhaps the Lord took that title was when he was talking to Nathaniel. Nathaniel said, Thou art the Son of God, thou art the king of Israel. Well, the Lord says.
Thou shalt see greater things than these. Hereafter you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending, not on the Son of God, but upon the Son of man.
That is the glorified man that, when the Lord is rejected, is slowly to see that the very title that will be given him as head over all things he takes in lowly, humble grace. For I believe the next place we find it is.
Where the Lord says I believe it's Matthew 8. Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests.
But the Son of Man hath nowhere to lay his head for the contrast there, the one seated in highest glory, and the angels ascending and descending upon him. And a man down here who actually didn't have as much as the foxes or the birds, nothing whatever did this world offer him. And there he takes that lowly title in connection with his rejection down here.
Before that title is given him in highest, glorious, centered on high.
It's not also used in contrast with Son of David. As son of David. It had to do with the nation of Israel only, but a son of man that included every nation, because those who were outside, those who were Gentiles, they were descendants from Adam and descendants from Noah and therefore.
The Lord taking the title of Son of Man when rejected is just to show that the.
Blessing, which was rejected by that nation, is going to reach to a wider sphere.
As we have in the 49th chapter of Isaiah where it says when the Lord was rejected.
He said, Yeah, And now saith the Lord that formed thee, though Israel be not gathered yet, will I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord. And then I accept thee to be a light for the Gentiles, that thou mightest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth. So the title of Son of Man brings in the blessing of all mankind now that is of all those who will own him in his rightful place. Well, it's just like a.
River coming, a little, stream coming down the mountainside. If you damn it up, you can't stop it rising. And the larger the dam that you build, why the wider the sphere that it flows over. And so when they sought to set aside the one who came to bless that nation, they tried, as it were, to stop the grace of God and it just flowed over a wider sphere. I think it's very blessed to see the Lord.
01:05:05
Taking that title, we also see it in Ezekiel where he's spoken of a son of man, because Israel now had forfeited blessing on the ground of their own obedience. And so we see that God had purposes of blessing reaching out even beyond them. And at the times of the Gentiles were introduced, Ezekiel is spoken of as Son of Man. I believe it's the same thought, only the Lord Jesus himself is the one who will bring in that blessing.
Keeping with the verse the two verses our brother Mary quoted, and that you have just referred to them, that the glory extends not only over Israel than the Gentiles, but above the angels too.
Whole sphere, Then that is the Lord. In becoming a man, he he He identified himself.
With a lower form of creation than man, that is, he passed by angels in becoming a man.
Angels belong to a far higher order of creation. But he passed angels by twice, didn't he? And now the one that passed angels by to become a man has passed the angels, and now angels and authorities in power being made subject to him. He's seated with in highest glory where the whole creation subject to him.
And that includes all the angels, that all the angels of God worship him.
Was commanded at his birth, wasn't it?
2216.
He says, I, Jesus, taking his name as man, have sent mine Angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. He lets us know that he belongs to our race, I Jesus, and in the same breath that the angels are subjected to.
I like the thought of it having passed by angels twice. I guess some remember our brother Watson of Ottawa used to remind us of that. It didn't mean too much to me when I heard him say it as a boy, but to me it's very, very wonderful to think that he not only came down lower than the angels in order to reveal a father's heart to us and in order to redeem us, but he has passed by angels. What for? In order that we also might share that place.
Far above what the angels ever occupied, the Scripture says He was raised again for our justification. The Scripture says He passed into the heavens now to exercise the office of high Priest, but it also speaks of him as being far above all heaven.
He's up there.
Head over all things to the Church and you and I are going to share that place with him forever past the angels.
Think of it in connection with this.
Is suffering down here the place that he took as man in all his perfection at the cross? It said in the next. In the 5th chapter he was heard for his piety, I believe, the margin says.
When the Lord Jesus took the place as man, it was in complete obedience, and he had no will of his own.
That's why it says in the 9th chapter, by which will we are sanctified. That's the will of God.
And so that we see here a man who imperfection submitted to the whole will of God in every respect where mankind as a whole.
Dishonored God in this respect. But here's a man that in order that you and I might be brought into this blessing, as we have in the first chapter, having made purgation of sins.
We might come under this blessing. The Lord Jesus took that place of completely emptying himself in every respect and humbling himself even to the death of the cross, but it found.
01:10:05
We have that expression.
Thou has put all things in subjection under his feet. The quotation from the 8th sound, found in three places in the New Testament, is found here, is found in First Corinthians 15, and is found in Ephesians one that our brother Albert Hale referred to.
Do and 1St Corinthians 15.
It's lovely to notice there, in that place where.
All is put in subjection under him.
It says in the.
The 27th verse of First Corinthians 15 For he has put all things under his feet, or when he said all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is accepted, which did put all things under him.
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be All in all. Now that's one of the three passages where we get the eternal state that is at 28 verse, and the wonderful thought there in connection with.
What has brought before us?
Is that the son himself is going to be subject to him, that put all things under him, and he associates himself with his redeemed people.
Now and full enjoyment of objection to the will of God, and that will be our eternal condition, and will be associated with the one who makes himself subject to all eternity.
You know, the very fact of our in subjection and the exercise of our own wills has caused the sorrows and the sin and the misery that we see here in this world.
The Lord, as our brother remark, was the perfect subject man in all his pathway here below, and now we're to be associated with him in that perfect state.
Of full subjection to the will of God, and that's eternal.
Then of course the other passage in the.
In the first chapter of Ephesians and the 22nd verse.
And I put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all. That is when the Son of Man has put all things in subjection.
Under his feet we see the church associated with him in the glory that he takes.
Connection with everything subject to him.
Typified in the 21St chapter of Exodus, isn't it? When the Hebrew servant had fulfilled his service, he could have gone out free. But if he plainly stated I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go out free.
Then he was brought to the judges. His ear was bored through with an all, and he became the servant forever. And so, as we have in Luke, when we get to glory, isn't it lovely to thank the Lord Himself comes forth to serve, that is forever? He will minister to our happiness in that glorious place. Having taken that place, I thought too that God will not and cannot be frustrated in any of His purposes.
When he made these this earth, it says, his delights were with the sons of men.
And Adam was placed in headship over the whole scene. Well, when Adam sinned, was the whole thing to fail, or was there to be a man who would be in the place of headship? Certainly all who were the descendants of Adam were unqualified for that place. And as John looked around in the 5th of Revelation, he wept. Who could? Who could fulfill those purposes of God? Well, there was only one, and that was God himself becomes a man in the person of Christ.
01:15:07
And in order to take that place, and to bring into association with himself a people who would share that place, he remains a man forever. And that's to have our company. Well, how wonderful it is when we think of it. Surely it makes you think, brethren, of the passage in the third chapter of Ephesians, unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
According to the power that worketh in us many times, when we think of that verse, we think of it in connection with God answering our prayers about certain matters that we present to him. And this is blessedly true. But if you look at the context of the verse, I believe that it shows that who of us would have asked or thought to have such a place in association with God's Son? If God had come to any of us, would we have thought to?
Suggest that we might share a place of headship with him as his joint heirs forever.
Such a thought would never have entered our minds, much less would we have asked. But God purposed this, and He's not only purposed it, but he's able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask her things. All these thoughts are so stupendous they overwhelm us, but rather than they're true.
And the Spirit of God has been sent to indwell us, to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts.
Here's a remarkable thought that we have or expression.
In the eighth verse there has put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that isn't is not put under him. But notice the next clause. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
But we see Jesus looks like a flat contradiction, doesn't it? The natural man, it would be a contradiction, but oh how those seeming contradiction just to like the heart that is enjoying the.
The truth of God. Now let's look at it this way in the first part of that eighth verse.
That's in purpose, and God can't speak of things that are not as though they be. We can't say definitely that we'll be here tomorrow, can we?
That God can speak of uncertainty about the future, and so in His purposes, it's just as sure as though the Lord was already sitting on the throne of glory and reigning over this whole universe, but now?
Now that brings in something else. We don't see all things put under him. We see the world going on in its misery and ungodliness.
And things growing rapidly, worse things preparing for the judgment that's ahead. But what do we see, beloved? We see Jesus. That's where the Spirit of God would direct us. Now, instead of looking for any change or any improvement in this world, He wants us to direct our eyes to the one who is already wearing the crown.
That is crowned with glory and honor shows that he has gained the victory, He is a victorious one, wearing the crown and just waiting until the time in God's purposes arise when all things will be put under him. And that really divides the chapter, I would say, because from this point on, why he's taking up the subject of the.
Their service and Our Blessed Lord is rendering here below. During this time when things are not put in subjection under Him, and that will lead to a wonderful line of things, we find that He's leading many sons under glory as one work that we see Our Blessed Lord engaged in at the present time.
01:20:03
See that we see the Son of Man does he, although that is true of the glory that he has at the thought. And then when he comes again, he will come as the Son of Man. And the very first thing that is seen in Revelation 19 is the Son of Man. But I think of this something like Steven in Hacks.
He He saw Jesus, but the testimony he rendered to his persecutors, who were about to stone him was, I see, the Son of Man. And so there is that testimony to the world of a warning not of the great White throne merely That's coming, surely, but of the judgment that's impending at any moment when the Son of Man comes to take his glory, take his rightful place.
But isn't it lovely, brethren, that for those of us who know him, we have this precious name of Jesus set before us here? It's the one that was down here, that was among men. And that's what the Spirit of God was set before us. The the name of Jesus. His own personal name is the option for our hearts.
For the old son of manner, art thou shall we sing that hymn in closing.
It's #219.
Worthy O son of man, art thou of every crowd that decks eyebrows.
First downs in.
Lord.
What is my?
Name.
I'm crying.
Crying.
Heb. 2:9-11
Reading
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#35 the back of the book is.
Let's grade 300000 grams to be wrong.
Bring it to our clothes here and everything now we're going to have together.
Nylon all my house here. It's not a lot of my life.
00:05:06
And breath and.
Stuff.
Great to hear our love.
And I love Cross and Rocky Mountain. Sounds great and everything is strong.
Go on with Hebrews 2, Brother Smith.
Although him, we just been singing certainly was I just that way?
Come from verse 9.
But we see Jesus.
Who has made a little?
That he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.
Where it became him, For whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.
For both he that sanctified, and they who are sanctified, are all of one, for which 'cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee, and again I will put my trust in him and again.
Behold I and the children which God has given me.
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.
Where all their lifetimes subject to *******.
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Wherefore, in all things that behoove him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God.
To make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
For inner he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
This first expression that we have in this verse but we see Jesus.
Reminded me of what we have in John 12.
When I came to Phillips, the Greeks, and said Sir, we would see Jesus.
Well, beloved Saints of God is a challenge to my heart, and I hope it will be to yours. Is that true of us? Do we really desire to see Jesus today?
Or do we wish to accomplish something before he comes? Would be rather he delays coming a little while. So I believe that that's a challenge there, but not only so the Lord's reply did not seem like an answer to their decide request.
00:10:09
To see Jesus, well, he immediately speaks of his death to them. I suppose the Lord was reminding them that the only way they could really see Jesus as through his death and resurrection as a living man, the glory. So here we find the Greeks said they we would see Jesus. And again I asked, beloved, are we really in that attitude of soul that we would like to see him right now?
Well then, in our verse we get, Paul says. But we see him.
How did Paul see him? By faint as the risen man glorified the Father's right hands. Then John speaks up in first Epistle and the third chapter.
And the end of verse two, he says, we shall be like in four We shall see him, we shall see him.
How precious the Lord is that we shall see him, Paul says we do see him now by faith, as a glorified man. But John says we shall see him. And again he says in the Revelation, And they shall see his face, how precious that is. And his name shall be in their foreheads. Perfect resemblance, that blessed man. If I may repeat this story, I think Brother Barry heard it at at.
Kentucky. But he won't forgive me, I hope.
About this beautiful thought we have in Revelation 22. Four his name shall be in their foreheads. My wife and I were traveling on a coastal steamer and the North Coast of China, and they were carrying a cargo of sheep. Not very nice companions, but nevertheless I suppose it would be quite 100 sheep on board. And this Chinese man had bought them. He paid for them. They were his.
Nobody gets very well. Come on board and say, well, that cheap is mine. Why, oh you save it. They could do that. Surely they could pick one out and say that ones mine. So this farmer, Chinese farmer, he had his name printed on each forehead of every sheet. The Chinese characterized on the forehead. There's no disputing it now. Nobody had come on board and say, well, now that's mine, he said. Look at the forehead.
My name there, Well, beloved, to think that you and I are going to have his name.
In our foreheads. And so with the Greek said we would see Jesus. Paul says we do see him. John says we shall see him. What a cheer to our hearts. And if you'll pardon me for going on just a little longer. I was thinking about this chapter, although it presents to us in this wonderful verse here a glorified Christ, one who is very much alive, one who would say I am he that liveth and was dead. But behold, I'm alive again on that forevermore.
And so we have this chapter sometimes called the Death Chapter, yet it speaks of one who's glorified father, sorry, hand alive. Why is it called the Death chapter? Because we have here in verse 15.
Speak to those who are in fear of death.
Speaks of the power of death, Speaks of the taste and suffering of death. Well, I suppose the fear of death was ours, the power of death of the devils, and the face and suffering of death of Christ.
He tasted death did enough, and all its bitterness of seeing so we have here, although it represents Christ in the glory, yet it's sometimes called the death chapter because of this.
So you have the fear of death is ours, the power of death of Satan.
And the suffering of death was Christ, and that was for our sakes.
Would you say, Brother Gladding, that there are several reasons in this chapter why Jesus died?
Well, the first reason I'd leave would be the glory of God, would it not?
He, by the grace of God, takes his death for every man. No one ever died in that way. We die because of sin.
Our one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. So death passed upon all men in that all of sins. So the only one who died by the grace of God was the Son of God himself. He had no sin.
00:15:08
Death had no claim on ever upon him, whatever He could have gone right from Gethsemane to to glory. But in order that his grace might reach your poor needy soul and mine, he went into death for us. He laid down his life, for he said, I have power to lay it down, I have power to take it again and.
Again, to show that there was never an independent act in his whole life.
That this commandment have I received of my father.
Could we say through the medium of that he destroyed him who had the power of death?
Yes, we could just mention that.
His death here.
Uh, making a taunt list. We've got a 3D suggested in the.
Ninth verse and also in the 17th verse where he makes reconciliation. It's on the basis of atonement.
That's really.
The basis of all the blessings. But he died also to fulfill the counsels of God. We get that more possibly in the.
Earlier verse we had.
Previously.
In the 7th and 8th verses, all the councils of God were to be fulfilled in a man.
But he had to restore that which he took not away first. We get that in the 69th sum. I think it is. He had to restore. He had to bring back again.
The ruin that Satan had brought in, and man, but also.
As was just suggested later in the chapter.
There were those who, through their all their lifetime, were subject to fear.
Subject bombing, The fear of death.
So it says.
He had through death he might.
14 Verse four 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 him that had the power of death, that is the devil. But also deliver them who were who through fear of death, were all their lifetime suffered to *******.
Well, that would be the third reason and then the fourth reason would really take us into the subject of the epistle or that is he is taking that office as priest and.
It's seen here in the full character of Priest, the High Priest, that is, he makes atonement but also.
He is able to sucker those that are tempted.
And that's because of our present infirmities. And then it leads on, of course, to his Melchizedek Priesthood. We get that later in the in the book. But I'm just thinking of this expression in this ninth verse. But we see Jesus. I believe in this portion, these verses we're reading now, the Spirit of God is bringing before us the man Christ Jesus and his work. Now we've had his person in the first chapter particularly.
The glory of his person as the Son of God, God himself, and as the Creator. And there we see the foundation of all our blessings. If the Jew was to rest now his soul upon the revelation that God has given, he wants to know the foundation. Well. The foundation is the man Christ Jesus, but the one who carries all of these glory.
Personal glory. There are two portions in the word of God that give us these glories, particularly, and that's the first chapter of John, as well as this first chapter of Hebrews. Possibly others too, but I mean they stand out, particularly giving us the personal glories of the Lord Jesus, however.
00:20:04
In this ninth verse, but we see Jesus.
When you get to the end of the epistle.
It matters not how much the person is brought before us as to his official glories, or the fact that he is the Son of man.
And all of this still at the end of the book we still have Jesus, and that was the one who was made known to men personally. And so I believe in the book of Hebrews, although you and I may enjoy the truth, that we are gathered to His precious name from one body.
We may enjoy the fact that we're going to reign with him and all these things.
What we particularly have before us in this epistle is simply the fact that we belong to him as his companions, and this everyone here who is a Christian can enjoy this morning, regardless of whether there's any further truth known about him. He has made us his companions. We find that in the first chapter. We find it also. Here we're his companion.
We're going through a waste, howling wilderness.
And we find in the 13th chapter that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday.
Today and forever, I believe the spirit would bring before us in these verses the person himself who would attach us to himself in this way is his companions.
Wouldn't you say, Brother Lundy, that in speaking about these different views of the sufferings of Christ, they are two distinct fuels of those sufferings?
That is, there is the atoning sufferings and that you get at the end of the 17th 1St to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Now that required his being forsaken on the cross, where he bore our sins, as Peter tells us in his own body on the tree. Then there were sufferings during the whole lifetime of the Lord Jesus.
In order to fit him for a special service that he is carrying on now in behalf of his people, so you'll find in the.
The 10th verse Or it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons and glory.
To make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Floral Well, during the large lifetime down here, the trials that he passed through, the rejection by his own people, Israel.
And the way the Lord entered into the sorrows of even those that He healed when He was here, all that during his lifetime, was fitting the Lord for a special service.
That he is carrying on now and leading the many sons on the glory.
And they have noticed this too.
And the beginning of that tenth verse four it became him for whom are All things? And Bible.
Are all things, it would seem, that the Spirit of God?
Has sold zealous to present to us the wonders and the glories, and the majesty of the person of Christ.
That every opportunity possible is seized to exult that person before us when it's a matter of his atonement.
As we get in the first chapter, we get King the brightness of his glory and expressed image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power. What majesties, What sending glories? And then what do you get when he by himself at me Purgation for our seniors, That glorious one who is, is the one who purged away our sins.
00:25:03
And now when it's the subject of his leading the many sons to glory, were reminded of as glory in connection with His rights, His position, his being the Creator, for it said for by Him are all things.
Or over all things. And by whom are all things this one who is leading us to to the glory.
Is the one who is the creator, and in host hand the Father has placed all things, and we need to continually have before us beloved this that, this one.
That is all gloriously and so wonderfully being brought before us became one of our own rights, but always set apart.
The perfect man, the Holy Christ of God.
Is the One the Spirit of God a real man, and now a man in the glory of God?
I suppose that's why the New Testament begins with this blessed person, the first verse of Matthew 1, Jesus Christ.
The last chapter of the Revelation that finishes with Jesus Christ. So as you say, the Spirit of God will definitely bring the forest and blessed persons.
I was thinking of that phrase We see Jesus.
And her brother Gladding was bringing before us the different times that we see Jesus. But I was thinking about the present in which we have the privilege of seeing Jesus by faith.
I know that in these last days.
The enemy is busy seeking to distract the Saints of God.
And one way he does it is by.
Bringing in troubles, difficulties into the assembly.
Getting us occupied with these sad experiences.
And it becomes a way of detracting us from Christ.
And even as we're sitting in the meeting many times, even in the breaking of prayers.
And seeking to be occupied with Christ, His suffering is death. We find our minds wandering away, getting occupied with these things.
And then again, there may be business problems and difficulties and we get distracted by them. Now I'm sure that God allows many difficulties and trials in our lives.
That's one side of it, but I believe the enemy of our souls and the enemy of Christ.
Seek seeks to capitalize on these things and uses them to distract us to get us away from seeing Jesus.
All how we need to cry to God for grace, that we might keep our eye fixed upon the Lord Jesus, because what else is there for us in this scene just before he comes? What is there that will satisfy us and make us happy and give us peace for just that, to see Jesus?
In connection with that, I'd like to mention another practical thing that might be helpful.
How are we going to see Jesus today down here with these eyes which we have in our heads?
2 verses one in Acts 9 where Saul was stricken down. Maybe we don't need to turn to it, but we all remember, perhaps, that he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the answer from heaven says I am Jesus, whom thou persecuted. Now Paul was persecuting the Saints of God, and then through him writing to the Corinthians, the Spirit of God says.
In the third chapter of Second Corinthians.
Where he was addressing the Saints at Corinth and in Achilla you are manifestly declared to be the epistles of Christ, and we can read an epistle with our eyes. And it's in the Saints of God that now we are going to see Jesus. And the very language you're manifestly declared to be suggest that sometimes it might not be easy to see Christ in our brethren.
00:30:21
So we ought to try to read very earnestly and see Christ in our brethren.
There are only two occasions when the Lord calls himself Jesus. Of them one our brother just mentioned and connects with Saul.
Someone said, oh out there, Lord, he said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecuted.
Well, the response was saw was then. Well Jesus, what will you have me to do now? It was Lord, Lord welcome to have me to do. And then we get the same thought. In the last chapter of the Revelation the Lord says, I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testify these things. I am the root and offspring of David the Brighton morning star. So there are only two occasions where the Lord calls himself Jesus.
But the response in both on both occasions were connected with Saul. Lord, he didn't call him Jesus, he called him Lord. And in the last chapter of the Revelation even though come Lord Jesus. So I think it's nice to see the response from the heart addressing him as Lord although he calls himself Jesus, yet he is Lord too, besides their own massage.
In the first chapter of Hebrews we have the Lord Jesus addressed as thy throne, O God is forever and ever, and the glory of his person, as God is brought before us. But that blessed One, who is God, has become a man. And we sing in the little hymn how wondrous the glories that meet in Jesus, and from his face shine. His love is eternal and sweet, His human tis also divine.
And there are those who would set aside the Godhead glory of the Lord Jesus. There were those who would deny his spotless, perfect humanity. And both are so carefully guarded in the word of God. And I believe it's important that we should see them brought before us in this epistle. For these are days in which the truth is being attacked. But as to the Lord Jesus becoming a man, there are two particular reasons given for us.
God, as God could not die, so God became a man in the person of Christ, and as man, as we're told in this second chapter, he was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death. The Lord Jesus felt perfectly and fully all that it meant to his holy soul to be forsaken of God and to bear the wrath and judgment of God. And I believe we could say, brethren, that this expression, the suffering of death.
It's not just the physical death. The Lord Jesus had exhausted the judgment when he passed through that which could be spoken of his physical death. But the suffering of death, I believe, refers to what he endured in atonement, in those hours of darkness when he bore the wrath and judgment of God. It cannot be disconnected, of course, with his going into physical death, but I believe it's important to see.
And that the Lord Jesus exhausted that suffering that was due to sin, the suffering of death, and he did that as a man that was necessary, that he should become a man and go through that in order that he might bear the judgment of God against sin.
But then there is also another reason given to us. As if we have often remarked, He could have come down from heaven and accomplished that work necessary for our salvation, and gone right back to heaven. All that was necessary for the settling of the question of sin was upon the cross in those hours of darkness His bearing the judgment of God. But why did he live for 33 1/2 years?
Well, we have another reason why he became a man, and that is set before us too, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, and as our little opening hymn put it all the path the Saints are treading, trodden by the Son of God.
And so we not only look adoringly and see him exhausting the judgment, but all. How lovely, brethren, There isn't a situation that we pass through in our lives that the Lord hasn't gone through it before us.
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He suffered here never, never the results of sinning himself but for us. But he suffered physically. He suffered the forsaking of his friends. He suffered misunderstanding. He suffered hunger, thirst, and weariness in everything apart from sin. He was tempted like unto us and every stage of life. I think it's most beautiful, although the curtain of silence is drawn by the Spirit of God.
Over the youth of his pathway, we see him as a child. We see him growing up. We see him as a man passing through everything. And there's not one of us, whether a child here or a young person or a one who has grown to maturity, who can't say He understands he's been through the pathway before. And that's why he's brought before us in this chapter as the perfect man, in order that he might not only settle the question of our sins.
But enter into just what we're passing through everyone of us in our pathway, whether it's in our homes, in the assembly and business, whatever it is, there's one who's been through it. And so he's now there, crowned with glory and honor. He's perfect God, but brother, he's perfect man at God's right hand, too. There's a man in the glory, that one who's interceding for us remains a man in order that he might.
Enter into all that we pass through and that we can look up and say.
And there's a man in the glory. I see Jesus as as Steven said, I see the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Well this ought to encourage our hearts. But I also just comment in the end of this ninth verse. It says he tasted death for every man. The other translation as he tasted death for everything because the whole of the Lord creation has suffered as the results of Adam's sins.
Creation fell, and the whole creation has been subjected to the results of Adam's fall. But in the millennial age that it's speaking out in this chapter, and the whole creation is going to share in the exaltation of that one, and the lion will lie down with the lamb. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain and when the Lord as man takes His place at the head.
The new creation not only will redeem men be brought into blessing and association with him.
But all wonder of wonders, the whole creation will smile. The trees of the field will clap their hands.
The desert will blossom as the Rose. Oh, how far reaching, how blessed the results of that one. But when we speak of them, let us remember the glories of his person, that he is perfect God and perfect man. Much error has come in by either falling into the one extreme or the other.
Are trying to separate, And I read a terrible statement of a man saying that God as the Lord Jesus was God, and as God he couldn't sin, but as man he could sin. What a terrible thing the Spirit of God is carefully guarding in these passages His glory as God, but his glory as man too. And while he was man, he was God at the same time in the fullest absolute sense of the word in him What?
Us all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
I was thinking that it might be helpful to understand how the Lord could be made perfect and yet He was always perfect as the Son of God, as the Holy One who knew no sin. And yet we are told in this tenth verse.
The captain of their salvation, perfect through suffering.
And then if you return to the fifth chapter.
Of this same epistle.
We ran down the seventh verse, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplication, with strong crying and tears unto him, that was able to save him, read out of death, and was heard in that he feared.
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For though he were a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation. Unto all them that obey him now perfect there is only in the sense.
Of the Lord being qualified and prepared for this special service, of leading the many sons unto glory, He was a real man. And as our brother has so beautifully brought before us about all that the Lord passed through in connection with his sympathy with.
A poor, sinful man.
And indeed, in a special way with his own it has prepared him and all beloved. May we stop and think of that, prepared him to serve you and me in a very important way in connection with our wilderness journey. And I would say this too, calling attention to the Scripture, that he has been made perfect.
Through suffering, that is, we have him looked at in this tenth verse.
As the captain of their salvation. In a way, Joshua.
Is a foreshadowing or the type of the Lord?
The Moses brought them out of Egypt, but Joshua LED them into the Promised Land. He went all the wilderness journey through with Israel and then LED them into the promised Land. He was the captain of their salvation in that sense, of course.
World only. But now we have the captain of our salvation leading us not into a rest down here, but into that rest where the blessed Lord Himself has gone before and where he is now crowned with glory and honor. And he's been made perfect for that service, you know, in the great.
Victories in History of the Nations where some.
Outstanding victory was won. It was always in connection with the leadership of some great general, but you know, some of the greatest generals that ever lived finally went down in defeat, like Napoleon at Waterloo. But isn't that encouraging, Beloved, to think that our leader, the captain of our salvation, is perfect never has made a mistake.
And so that are reaching the glory where Christ is waiting is just as sure as though we're already there. We just need, again, as it has been pointed out, to keep our eye on Him so that we will not fail along the way or dishonor him in any way. And when we do fail, beloved, oh may we get before him as soon as possible.
Humble ourselves in His presence, confess our failure and whatever it is that has broken our communion and get restored in our souls. Now I know that the subject I just mentioned is not the subject of the book of Hebrews.
That's where we get the advocacy of Christ, restoring those that are out of the way.
In Hebrews, it's his high priesthood to keep us from falling.
So that we should begin the day by going to him as our high priest and looking to him for grace that we might not in any way to dishonor him, crying to him for his protecting love over us and care over us. When we do fail, then we need the advocacy of Christ to get restored in our souls.
But I just wanted to call out the call a special attention to how he could be perfect and yet he was always perfect.
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Jannier in connection with this verse that was referred to in the 5th chapter.
It says eternal salvation.
That is the ninth verse.
And may I just ask the question?
There might be someone here this morning that would like to know how they could avail themselves of this salvation. We we speak of it as those who have it and enjoy it. But there may be someone here who does not know how they might obtain this salvation.
And the ground upon which their souls can rest. And perhaps someone might help us in this.
Well, the Lord Jesus only has one kind of salvation for us, and that's eternal salvation.
In this there is not only the work of putting away our sins, but it's the priesthood of Christ that carries us through, as we have in Peter. If the righteous scarcely or with difficulty be saved, where shall the ungodly in the center appear? So when the Lord Jesus picked us up in His grace, we were saved, our souls were saved, and he has promised never to let us go. But the wilderness journey is still ahead.
How did Israel get through the wilderness? Was it because of the keeping of the law? No, it was because of the priesthood. That was the only thing that carried them through. And so the one who has died for us lives for us, and as the captain of our salvation, he's caring for us and bringing us through. And as our brother remarked, a low advocacy is not mentioned in Hebrews. In a sense it is implied. It's not really the subject because.
The perfection of the work of Christ and His one glorious work that has perfected forever them that are sanctified, is set before us. And so nothing can alter the standing of the believer because of that glorious work, but his present work for us is going to carry us through.
So he is the author of Eternal Salvation. Perhaps just a little comment too.
Unto all them that obey him. It's not looked upon here as a conditional thing. That is, obedience is sometimes spoken of in the Scripture as the obedience of faith, and the gospel is presented to the Sinner making a command to him. God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. He's looked upon a disobedient. If he refuses that command when he vows to it, He has looked upon as.
Yielding the obedience of faith. It says it's made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. I say that because it could be thought that it depended on our our whether we're obedient and we'll be brought through. Now it all depends upon him and our bowing to that one. As Joshua took off his shoes and bowed to the captain who was going to bring them into the possession of the land, so we too take that place.
We acknowledge Him as the author of eternal salvation. We bow before Him. We own his claims. We know He accomplished redemption for us. We know He's going to carry us through, and we don't depend on ourselves but upon Him.
Just tell your brother Hale what your father wants said. Perhaps I asked the question. Someone asked the question as to why it is said the only place that you find the Lord in tears in Gethsemane.
Is in this 5th chapter of Hebrews who in the seventh verse, who in the days of his place when he had offered up prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears. Oh, doesn't that touch your heart and mind? Strong cry? That's Gethsemane. And he reply was that it's because in Hebrews you get the priesthood of Christ.
And it has to do.
With the tenderness.
The sorrows of the Lord.
God was preparing him. If we get in, look at here, sweat, great drops of blood, falling down to the ground and being in an agony, prayed more earnestly. But it's lovely that here, where his priesthood is brought before us, we have where we that what we'll find in no other place.
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Those tears of the Son of God. Oh, touching both. That is for our poor heart to think that it's not only tears but it's strong crying. And we're hearing Brother Brown say one time that if you could have been near the.
Garden of Gethsemane that night, he said. You would have heard the Lord actually sobbing. Wasn't just a cry, but all the agony of soul that he was passing through there.
And Satan.
The Prince of this world pressing that cup before him, what it would mean for him to go to the cross, and yet oh how he yielded to the father's will, when he said, not my will, but thine be done.
Beloved does knockout endear his heart to your heart and mind.
And to think we have such a priest now.
Watching over us, Excuse me brother, I was just going to add with what you said that connection with the priesthood. In the 8th chapter it says in the.
Third verse for every high priest.
Is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. Wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
The previous chapter in the 27th verse in the last part of the verse.
For this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Now for one who's inquiring as to salvation.
We find here in Hebrews that there is one who is a priest and the sacrifice all at once, and that there is no other sacrifice that God can accept.
Then that sacrifice that he himself has provided. So if you are inquiring after salvation this morning, remember that the Spirit of God is bringing before us here the one who went to Calvary's cross.
So that he might make atonement in order to bring you into relationship with God. I know the book of Hebrews goes on to show how we might be maintained as worshippers, but it also shows us that he has He has perfected forever them that are sanctified and that work was done by himself on Calvary's cross, so that you can rest entirely on this work.
The perfection of his person in the first chapter and the perfection of his work in this second chapter, that he has made reconciliation, so that as a result of that work, faith believing you have been reconciled to God. What a wonderful salvation. And this is eternal salvation.
Here too is it not to notice that in chapter 2 it says but we see Jesus, And then in chapter 12, looking steadfastly, the new translation looking steadfastly on Jesus. It would seem almost that as the glories have been yet further unfolded, any epistle, that wonderful appeal at the end seems so very, very challenging. To our hearts we see Jesus. That's wonderful.
But looking steadfastly on Jesus? When I read those words, I find myself thinking of the poor woman who was bowed over with infirmity and could in no wise lift herself up. When you picture someone like that, you think of someone with a very, very limited horizon. If you've ever met anyone like that, you realize how difficult it is for them even to straighten up enough to greet you and to look you in the face.
But the Lord saw the condition of that poor woman, and He saw mine too, and yours with our bowed over conditions.
All that we could ever see was a pitiful, limited horizon that was around us here and the Lord touched her and I love to think of that. She was immediately straightened up and looked without effort into the face of the Lord Jesus. What a wonderful thing. Well now if we'd met that same poor woman a week later and had seen her Bob overlooking down again, we think what a strange thing this is after she has received that touch and she's been able to look up into the face of the Lord Jesus.
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What would she ever want to bow down again for? But I'm afraid that's what we've done. The Lord Jesus has touched us and turned our eyes away from those things that could never, never, never satisfy us. He's turned our eyes upon himself, and we've just been reminded of what a wonderful privilege it is to be able to look under Jesus, to see Jesus, and to be reminded.
Of what he went through in order that he might not only be our Redeemer, but the one who occupies that place on our behalf, now in the glory. And to think that the Word of God would tell us, looking steadfastly on Jesus, oh, may we never never be found bowed down again.
To look at the poor things that are only going to fade away and be turned to dust and ashes, but to look upward as that poor woman did, whom the Lord types, I think it might be well, because they are always, I think, unsaved in a audience like this.
To remember this.
That if you were touched last night by the solemnity of the gospel.
To think of that endless duration cast into the lake of fire, has troubled or exercised your soul in any way to remember that if you come to Christ.
As a poor, helpless, lost hell deserving center, the salvation you will receive will be an eternal salvation.
His lovely thoughts are Brother Hale brought out about that. But get full of that first of all principles that to receive Christ.
In much simplicity, just a child's acceptance of the Savior who died on the cross for sinners.
You instantly have that eternal salvation that you can never, never lose.
Sacrifice is just mentioned. I'm thinking the contrast we have in First Kings 18.
And verses 3738.
Where Elijah said, Hear me, O Lord, hear me that these people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces.
And said, the Lord he is the God, the Lord he is the God.
Find the fire consumed the sacrifice. But a Calvary, beloved, the sacrifice consumed the fire that blessed one who gave himself as the perfect sacrifice to God for sin. He consumed all the fire of God's judgment on the cross of Calvary, in order that you and I might be eternally saved, that we might know the joy of eternal redemption.
I was calling to think of that Blessed One was consuming the fire. The fire didn't consume him. He consumed the fire of God's Gujarat forest on the cross for God's glory and for our eternal salvation. I believe there's one more thought. We should not omit him considering this tenth verse and that is that he is leading many sons under glory. Well, it was true.
In the days of the apostles.
That the Lord had many sons then, and it's true today.
And let's not narrow our thoughts to a little company that we're connected with. The Lord knows them that are His, and He has those scattered over the world who have accepted the Savior. And we should remember that the same one that we're looking to ourselves this morning here in Toledo is the same one that's leading.
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God's Son's scattered over the world to that glory.
And his work will be perfect until he has every redeemed one saved and with himself in the Father's house.
Verse 11 If we may pass on, for both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one.
For which 'cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren?
Could we say that oneness is spoken of in the scripture in three different ways? In John 17 it's rather oneness in the family. That is, since we have been born into the family of God, we are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. And so in that sense there is one family, 1 flock, 1 shepherd. But then there is another and that is oneness in the body of Christ and it's by 1 Spirit we are all baptized into one body.
Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, as children we look up and call God our Father.
But as one in the body of Christ, we are members one of another, with Christ the head in glory. And as our brother just remarked, this includes everyone who has received Christ and is indwelled by the Spirit of God. They're part of the Church. Gathering together according to His word. We give expression to the truth that there is one body, but it doesn't mean that only those who are so gathered are part of that body.
Everyone who has been indwelled by the Spirit of God has been united. And in that sense we're we're one, we're one in Christ, in the body of Christ. But I believe there's still a third thought here, and that is one in kind. That is, he's not ashamed to call us brethren. The Lord Jesus didn't take upon him the nature of angels. He took upon him the seed of Abraham. And so we are men here and women, and he, the Lord Jesus, is up there at God's right hand, and he's a real man.
And so the one whom we talked to, the one whom we see, the one whom we expect to be with, is a real man. And as a man he is going to lead the singing. So what a wonderful thing We're one in the family of God is children. Knowing God is our Father, we're one united to one another and to Christ the head as members of his body. And also we're one in kind of that in that glory we will be.
Like him?
And that is, we'll have bodies of glory fashioned like unto his own glorious body. And that's the meaning, I believe here, of calling us Brethren. He didn't call angels brethren. He called redeemed men brethren. And so this verse springs this before us. He set us apart.
From a world that's under judgment, no longer part of the fallen race of humanity, but sanctified means set apart and set apart to be associated with him under the headship of the second man and last Adam, the Lord Jesus.
Although he's not ashamed to call his brethren, I believe it's important to realize and remember it's not right for us to call him our elder brother.
We sometimes hear that which is a very, very sad mistake and dishonouring to him.
To address him as our elder brother. Although he's not ashamed to call out his brethren, we should never address him in that way, should we? No. There. An older brother I heard make this remark years ago that while the Lord delights in in intimacy, the Lord does not countenance familiarity, and there's just that difference to call him.
An elder brother would be familiarity.
So that we need to avoid anything which in any way would bring down the.
Florists and the place that the Blessed Lord occupies. And you'll notice that right in this verse here where the sanctified ones. But he's the sanctifier. And in the first chapter we find in the in the ninth verse.
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Middle of the verse. Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness.
Above thy fellows, although he may identify himself with us as one of the fellows of this glorious company, but he's above them. God's Holy Spirit is very, very jealous as to the position, the honors that belong to his beloved Son.
He might have the preeminence.
Is that the reason I would like to ask of this expression of one?
We have a lovely picture of the chaos. He wanted to see Jesus. He climbed in a tree well, but the Lord wasn't satisfied with that, just him seeing him.
Oh, no, never, he says. Come down. Are you going to die, House? Have a good look at me. Of course. I Killed Was too happy to do that. He was surprised.
When he got through his house he wanted to see Jesus, but when he got to the house he says Lord, He says Lord, I'm going to give the 4th no, I'm going to give half of my goods to the poor and my children and water. I will restore 4 fold. You obey the word of God. Now that was the law. He's supposed to do that. He did it. He was going to do it. The Lord says, ah, he's the son of Abraham.
He's a son of Abraham, but he called him Lord.
We have that brought in this chapter. I believe that children.
Are the seed of Abraham. It's really the seed of faith, is it not, that is brought in, but in that expression that we have in this verse.
The 11Th verse of one would would it not seem to guard?
This glory of his person, that is, he has identified himself with man's race, but there's still a distinction, and there are still the thousand faces as we have at the crossing of the Jordan. There's always a distance there that the spirit of God guards. And it's true that the truth of Ephesians 5.
That we have there.
This is all true, but that's not the subject here. The subject here is that he took a place as man and to accomplish all of these things that we've been Speaking of, and he's associating us with himself. But his thought is that he came down to become one with us in this. But there's always a distance there.
As to his person, person of the Lord.
Or not. I've enjoyed the thought in that connection in the gospel where the Lord sent Peter to get the money, and he said to him to go and get it, for that was in the fish, and bring it and give it not for us, but for me and thee. Well, I think that's perhaps the spirit of what we have here in this chapter, isn't it? Yes, yes. Now you'll notice that.
In this 11Th verse.
You're really on resurrection grounds. You're viewing the Lord as a risen man, for it was after he rose from the dead and made himself known to Mary Magdalene by calling her name. That is then that he said, Go tell my brethren I sin unto my Father and your father.
And under my God and your God there had been.
Prophecy as to this, and you'll find it in the 22nd Psalm. And the Lord was fulfilling that Psalm there on that resurrection morning when He sent Mary Magdalene with that message. But in the 22nd Psalm you read.
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Leading on in his sufferings of the Cross until their 21St verse, it says, Save me from the lion's mouth, for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the Congregational I praise thee. Well, we'll take that up as we go on in our chapter, for that verse is quoted in this second of Hebrews.
Only with this difference in the second of Hebrews, the word congregation is.
Is given as the assembly. So there's no question that this verse in the 22nd Psalm was foretelling the time when Christ would be in the midst of the assembly, which is wonderful and blessed. But it was on that occasion that the Lord I called His disciples His brethren. Go tell my brethren.
I said not to my father and your father.
And out of my God and your God.
That's why, too, the Lord didn't say, I ascend unto our Father and to our God. But there again he maintained that possession that he had that he is in because of who he is. I ascended to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. The position which the Lord Jesus occupies is unique, and there is never that unholy intimacy that we sometimes find even in the Lord's blessed pathway. We find him alone in prayer.
We find him praying before his disciples, but we never find a single instance where.
There was a prayer meeting where the Lord and the disciples both prayed. No, the the communion between the Lord, Jesus the Son and the Father was perfect. It was absolute. With us so often as we pray, there may be the crop and the feathers. There may be something that's a hindrance to absolute and full communion. But the Lord's communion with his Father He could say at the grave of Lazarus. I knew that thou, hearest may always.
Oh, how perfect is the scripture and the glory of the Lord, Jesus maintained.
Feathers, brother.
Well, I suppose we could say the crop in the bird is the undigested food and the feathers would be like the outward shelf. And I think in all that we do there is something of that, and that is without us perhaps realizing it. We use expressions that we haven't really made our own. They have become common to us by hearing them, but they haven't entered into our inward parts and all that. That is just a repetition, a repeating of things that we have heard but not made our own.
Is not acceptable. And they are set by the place of the ashes. And then too we like to put on a show, perhaps before our brethren. We like to impress them. Well, that's like the feathers, you know. Well, it's nice to see that God didn't reject the whole sacrifice because there was crop and feathers. And I might say this to encourage any young person. You might say, well, I'm afraid if I got up to thank the Lord or if I tried to do something.
There be something of self in what I did. Well, don't forget, brethren, the whole sacrifice wasn't rejected because there was crop and feathers. The crop and the feathers were put in the place of the ashes, but the rest went up as a sweet savour to the Lord and he values from our hearts every little bit of Christ that there is, whether it's in our worship or in our service. So may we be encouraged that work was done by the priest, wasn't it?
There might be some that wonder where that scripture is found about the crop and the feathers. That's in Leviticus chapter one. You want to look it up. It's a nice meditation because it's in connection with the burnt offering, which was the acceptance offering and how wonderful to see that in the Lord Jesus Christ we are accepted and those offerings were pointing forward to Christ. And so there might be.
In our acknowledgment of this and re enjoyment of this that we are accepted in Christ, there might be those things that our brother hey host speaks of, but how wonderful to know that we're accepted in Christ anyway.
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I love to picture that too. Perhaps it's not wrong to picture it there, in the offerings in the verse of Leviticus, there is a book which certainly must have looked, I suppose, quite impressive, on that altar, the bullet, that large animal, was offered to God, and God spoke his words of approval and offering, made by fire of a sweet savour unto the Lord. But at the end of the same chapter, along comes another Israelite, and all that he can bring is a pigeon.
Well, here's where I must admit I visualize it. I see that poor pigeon with its head removed, its crop taken away, its feathers gone, and a pigeon is laid on that great brazen altar. Just picture it. It certainly wouldn't like look like much in our eyes. But the Lord says word for word, the same approval, an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
I believe it would encourage us that whatever notes of worship or praise might be produced in our hearts as we're occupied with our Blessed Lord, certainly would be pleading to him if we would express them. I'd like to quote what I have quoted before, and some here of God was heard, but many may not have heard it after Paul, what our brother just said in a conference in the old country.
Many years ago.
Two able brothers expounded the word at length and well.
Well, according to First Corinthians 14, there was room for the prophet to speak third.
A poor brother got up who couldn't even use the King's English correctly.
And out of the fullness of his heart that was overflowing.
He said.
O us, do love him, thanks at all.
I was told of instant brother Armand told this.
And in the Saint Louis meeting years ago, they were just a few brothers that usually broke the bread till he got exercised about it. And one of the brothers was away, and so he felt that he should be away too. So he went to another gathering and the time came for the bread to be broken. And there was a very long pause. Finally a brother got up.
And his heart was so full when he got to the table.
That all they can say was, Lord, we thank Thee. And then he waited a few minutes and he said, Lord, we thank thee. And he broke the bread. And they said in that meeting they never felt the presence of the Lord, of the power of the Spirit of God in worship, as they did that morning. Now any brother here, no matter how few words he has, can say, Lord, we thank thee. And that is often more precious to the Lord.
Then a will formed and well expressed.
Prayer and and giving thanks.
Because we read the Lord himself, it says he took bread and gave thanks. Didn't quote a lot of scripture or hymns.
Thing #316.
Heb. 2:12-18
Reading
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Three, One 281.
Mary turns to glory, breathing God's course, and have many names on the March, of course being worthy of Standard Life.
Going to be the mind of the Brethren to complete our reading on chapter 2 of Hebrews.
Anyway, the crowd first.
Yes. To pick up the context, let us read from chapter two of the Epistles of the Hebrews, verse 12 and forward.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren.
In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee, and again I will put my trust in him, And again behold, I and the children which God has given me.
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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 him that have the power of death, that is the devil.
And deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bonding.
Regularly he took not on him the nature of angels.
But he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Wherefore in all things.
It behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
And one verse of chapter 3.
Wherefore, holy brethren?
Partakers of the heavenly calling.
Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.
I much enjoyed the thought that I believe is intended in the last part of this 12Th verse. It's evident from what was said at the close of the meeting this morning. I will declare thy name unto my brethren that this is the Lord Jesus addressing himself to us.
As his brethren. But then the last part of the verse, in the midst of the church, will I sing praise unto thee.
Seems to me to be very, very beautiful. I think I've heard it referred to from time to time as being our privilege in the presence of the Lord to OfferUp praises. And that's a very wonderful privilege. But really, is it not here the heart of the Lord Jesus, so filled with joy and gladness at being surrounded by his own, that his own heart, the heart of the Lord Jesus?
Is lifted up in praises to his God and Father for the joy of being in the midst of his own. When we think of it that way, surely it makes us realize what a wonderful privilege is ours to be able us to bring such delight to the heart of the Lord Jesus, that such words of these could ever be true of him. In the midst of the Church will I, the Lord Jesus.
Sing praise unto thee.
My God reminds me somewhat of the language of Nehemiah in the second chapter. I was the king cupbearer. Now, when the Queen of Sheba came to see King Solomon, one of the things that so overwhelmed her was the sight of the cup bearers to the king, King Solomon. Perhaps it would suggest a cup bearer to the king as those whose privilege and delight it was.
To bring to the king that which brought joy and gladness to his heart. And this touched the heart of the Queen of Sheba very much. And Nehemiah says I was the King's cup bearer. Well, I rather rejoice in that, For it seems to me, beloved Saints, that it is a privilege entrusted to us as being gathered around the person of the Lord Jesus our joy. That's true. But to be a cup bearer to the king of kings, to think.
That as we come into his presence, it brings such joy and gladness to his heart that he sings for joy.
Sometimes, you know our young people.
A question why it is that we have no musical instrument to lead the singing. I don't say that the young people who have been brought up in the meeting, but some coming among us may be real Christians. I know that happened in Salem. They were quite distressed to come into our meeting room. And where is the organ? No longer the code instrument to lead the singing.
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Earlier what surprised it didn't come back. So sometimes a little helpful word on that subject might be of the Lord.
And I just thought of it this way. It says, In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
All the hymn that began our meeting this morning was Henry.
Where we get in, one stands up during the singing, which he leader loud to God our praises bring. Every step that we have taken is a triumph of His grace. How can't you see, dear friends, that if we had a musical instrument, we'd be putting up an instrument to take the place of the Lord Jesus himself?
And that would be a very sad and a very serious thing, wouldn't it? Let's remember that when we're gathered around the Lord remembering His death, and these precious hymns are given out, that the Lord is in the midst and really He is leading the singing. And the more we're occupied with Him as the one who leads the singing, the more we'll sing with the Spirit.
And we will also sing with the understanding also.
As we turn to Acts, the 13 and the second verse.
We wanted to ask our brother, Albert Hale, if he thought that this was in line with his remarks.
As they ministered to the Lord and *******.
Would you think that was in line with what you've been Speaking of, brother?
I have felt it was Brother London. We were just talking of this very verse yesterday. I don't suppose that they may have thought that their ministry would ever be referred to as as they ministered to the Lord. Seems to me that their thought would be the privilege of ministering to their dear brethren. But it's recorded here as being ministry to the Lord and was very dear to Him. Do you think that's the song?
Even even when a Sinner turns to God.
It rejoices the heart of God. We have the picture of that in Luke 15.
Where the prodigal has come home.
And the Father says, let us eat and be merry. Let us eat well. I don't know how happy the prodigal was, but I believe he got happy when he saw the Father was happy. And surely this is what causes us to rejoice When we find out that God the Father is happy and the Lord Jesus Christ is happy. And in any way that we minister unto him, it rejoices his heart. I believe this is really what gives us energy.
And Speaking of his leading the singing, I feel, of course I've been in system and I feel that there is a feeling of a need of musical instruments because I believe there's a consciousness of the lack of energy.
To carry the tune, or to carry the music, or to sing as they ought to, and they feel the need of some instrument to add some energy to it.
But when we realize the Lord Jesus Christ is in our midst and He is leading the singing, and he works by His Spirit in our hearts to lead out our hearts, that's where the energy comes from, Comes from the Lord Himself, by His spirit. Ephesians, Ephesians, Chapter 5, please.
Ephesians chapter 5.
And verse.
19.
Our brother Barry was speaking about singing.
With a spirit and singing with the understanding. And here we have the heart.
Speaking already from the other translation, which is clearer, Speaking to yourselves in some and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and chanting with your heart.
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To the Lord.
The instrument that is being used is our heart, and the Holy Spirit touches its chords and makes melody for the Lord, so there's no room for any instrument of man's making. We carry the instrument right here in our bosom, and if we're in communion with the Lord, the Spirit can touch the courts of the heart.
Make melody for God the Father is there. Is that all right, brother?
In First Chronicles, 29 was just looking at the verse.
First Chronicles 29 and verse 20.
And David said to all the congregation now with one of you sit at the organ.
No, he didn't say that, David said to all the congregation Now bless the Lord your God.
And all the congregation bless the Lord God of their fathers, and bow their heads bowed down their heads, and worship the Lord and the king. And in Second Chronicles 29.
Verse 30.
Second Chronicles, 2930. Moreover, Hezekiah the king and the Princess commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the morn with the words of David and of Asanthasia, and they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worship on the 13th of Hebrews.
13th chapter verse 15 By him therefore.
Let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually. That is not the sound of the organ, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.
And in Isaiah the Lord said, I create the fruit of the lift. I was thinking too.
About the Zephaniah.
The Prophet Zephaniah Speaking of the blessing of Israel in another day.
Just noticing that in the third chapter of Zephaniah and the 17th verse, it says the Lord thy God in the midst is mighty. He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy. He couldn't rejoice over them in their doing anything themselves.
But in another day he will rejoice over them because of what He has done for them, bringing them into blessings. And then it says, He will rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing. And I understand that in in Hebrews we get to both sides of this. His brethren, I suppose, could be the remnants in another day, but also it applies today too.
Those of his brothers, but I I enjoyed that in in Zephaniah he says he will rejoice over thee with joy, not because of anything they've done, but all because of his work for them. And he will sing in their midst. Joy over thee was seen. Your heart has been mentioned as the part of the body which is used especially, but scripture says, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
And it's with the mouth that we sing. Let's notice one more scripture in Romans chapter 15, which to me has made this point very clear.
The sixth verse of Romans 15.
That she may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In that verse there's no mention of the hands of the OR of the feet which play these instruments.
We should be clear as to this that in many places in the Old Testament, and if all had been read in that 29th chapter, Second Chronicles, you find that they worship the Lord with.
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High sounding symbols with musical instruments and the last Psalm is full of that.
Side of things about their worship in connection with musical instruments. But we need to remember that belonged to entirely to another dispensation. Never confused the Old Testament dispensation with the dispensation in which we're living.
But you'll discover this if you search the Epistles through and through. You will not find a single place where there's any mention of a musical instrument. But what was read there in Ephesians 5, which our brother Smith read, really gives us the character of our praise in connection with.
Anything that has to do with music?
Without the least suggestion that there's any musical instrument connected with it. So we'll just comment on that or read it just once more in the third, the 5th chapter of Ephesians, where it says in the 19th verse, speaking to yourselves and psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
How entirely different that is from the last song, where all kinds of musical instruments are mentioned. So we're to be satisfied with what the Spirit of God has taught us for this present dispensation, where we worship as we're told, in spirit and in truth, not with high sounding.
Symbols are any invention of man, whatever God was behind the veil then.
Now we worship within the veil and His immediate presence.
I didn't read those verses, brother.
In second Chronicles, but we also read the verse in Colossians chapter 3.
Colossians 3 and verse 16.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. I was just thinking in connection with this, just one other thought for us to have before us. That is, that it is that we're linked to the Lord Jesus Christ.
By the grace of God. And that that grace ought to be active in our hearts as we are singing, or whatever else it may be. But our subject just at the moment is singing, and so it is not a question even of how well I can sing naturally, that is the point. But it's singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. And so the hymn writer has well put it that no heart but of the Spirit thought.
Makes melody to thee, and so even brethren, if the singing to the natural ear may be slightly off key that an organ might straighten out a little bit. It's better that it comes from our hearts and is slightly off peak, but that it is from the heart with grace.
So that's what the Lord would bring before us here.
And John John chapter 4 in the verse that was quoted there. That's important to notice how it reads. But the hour cometh that John four and verse 23. But the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
For the Father seeketh such to worship him, the Lord was clearly showing that there was something different. There was a change taking place. He didn't say it was always so, but he said the hour cometh, and now is that is Christ being rejected. Now anything that was produced by instruments, or that was simply the enjoyment of sound, ceased to be in any way acceptable to God. Only that which is produced in the heart by the Spirit is acceptable worship today.
And so is our brother said. It's not how well we can sing, but it's that which is produced in the heart by the Spirit that is worship in Christianity. Now this isn't that. God altogether condemns music, and I suppose many listen to it and have it in their home. God hasn't condemned the music. There's nothing in scripture to speak against it. But let us not confuse it with worship. That's the important thing for us to see. If you want to have an instrument for the enjoyment of sound, we'll then call it the enjoyment of sound.
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Don't call it worship. The worship is what comes from the heart. It's a it's for yourself. It's for the enjoyment of sound. Perhaps in your home.
But what God values is what comes from the heart. And there is always the danger when we get occupied with the enjoyment of sound, and that we get carried away and think it is worship. And I believe that's why it says all things are lawful under unto me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Let us be careful that we don't get so taken up with this that we confuse it in our minds and feel that we're not really praising the Lord as we should, or enjoying the singing as we should unless it's accompanied.
Because this is going to just more true occupation with Christ if it becomes something that comes between us and gets possession of our souls instead of the Lord Himself.
Has a tremendous power over man, and it may, if overdone, rob the soul of the enjoyment of heavenly things. Scripture teaches temperance in all things we do well.
To go easy on that line of things, and sometimes it's nice to have some way of learning the tunes to hymns, but these things can be overdone. And I'm sure that we would benefit in our souls as to heavenly things. And that's what Hebrews gives us, heavenly things if we would be very moderate as to music.
One is impressed in going through Hebrews, how wonderfully and beautifully the Spirit of God brings in Old Testament Scriptures and never will.
Confusion as to our heavenly position, our heavenly hopes.
How lovely it is, though, that at all times things that definitely refer to Israel, but he introduces them in such a lovely way that it sets before us some lovely thought about Christ and our association with him.
I was just thinking in this chapter, the 13th verse, and again I will put my trust in him. And again behold, I and the children which God hath given me.
Slowly, the Old Testament prophets were giving precious thoughts for us that we can enjoy ourselves at this time, putting our trust in this one who that glorified one in the midst of His brethren when they meet together.
And now we can look to him as to all their needs, as to all their affairs.
Is there a connection between the end of the 12Th verse then?
We find that in the midst of the spiritualizing praise unto thee, in the middle of the 22nd Psalm, it's not pretty. My brother never often enjoyed this thought that it is at the moment when the forsaking of the Cross is over, the very next verse in Psalm 22.
It it says.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren, and in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
But when we look back in this Psalm.
The first verses.
In verse two it says Oh my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not.
Brethren, what a contrast, when the Lord Jesus has to cry out in his soul this cry in the hours of darkness, and then he has to say, But thou hearest not.
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And the moment that.
The Forsaking is over the moment at work of the dark hours. There on a cross is done. He turns around and he says, I will sing praise in the midst of the congregation. There God heard him. Who was he singing praises to in the midst of his brethren? I believe the Lord Jesus is praising much louder than we who are the subjects of that great redemption.
Now, as our brother was referring to the 13th verse, I will put my trust in him. Now, as this is you and I Tuesday, who are we putting our trust in? The one who, on Calvary's cross, finished that work and immediately turns about and praises God in the midst of the assembly. Are we putting our trust in that one? Is our trust on that finished work?
That's where it says behold. I don't know where that I will put my trust in him. Would that suggest the 16th sound?
First, first, deserve me. Oh God, for indeed do I put my truck.
Is that your thought, brother dear? Well, it's sure, it's certainly fits in perfectly with this subject.
And what was true of him is true of us.
Lord fully put his trust in God the Father even to the going to the cross.
He surrendered his own will, but he went there in full confidence that the Father would would undertake for him well, when that same confidence we can go to God, our Father too.
Just an expression, isn't it? But not only the Lord Jesus, but it's an expression of the new nature that's in the believer. That's interesting to notice in that Psalm 16, the third verse is what we have in our epistle. Here he identifies himself with the the Saints.
He says To the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight, we have that line of things in our chapter.
Associate.
Nice to bring that in, yeah? See, he identifies himself with.
I suppose this has reference, does it not to the time when he was baptized, he he identified himself then?
And associates himself with those who were owning the testimony of God on the earth in the midst of all the confusion.
So the Lord takes His place with them. But here in our chapter looking on it does it not? Does it not look on to the time when He ushers us into the glory with himself, the old eye, and the children which God hath given me? What a day that will be.
Not speak of it as the Lord Jesus, as the man of patience in the 17th chapter of John, he said. I pray not for the world.
But for them which thou has given me, for they are Thine. And so he declared his Father's name to his brethren in resurrection. But now he is waiting the Father's time until the whole redeemed family are gathered around him. And as the man of patience he waits. And John spoke of himself as your companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom, and patience of Jesus Christ so often with us it is hard for us to wait patiently God's time.
But think of the precious Savior. The devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and offered them to him if he would fall down and worship him.
The Lord refused all this. As the Messiah, He was cut off and had nothing. But nevertheless, the day is coming when the Father will say, ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. And so he's waiting. That time he's in that sense. I believe this thought could be associated with him, the man of patience waiting. But soon he is going to introduce us into the Father's house with these words.
Behold, I and the children which God hath given me, that will be a glorious time when he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. And I believe this ought to encourage us now to wait patiently so often. As I said, we can't wait God's time. We try to do things ourselves, but if we would just learn this to be associated with the one who's waiting patiently, we wait patiently too.
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All the glad and glorious results of that work are going to be displayed, and His joy will exceed ours in that day when He has us with himself. Yesterday He was the man of sorrow.
Today is the man of patience. Tomorrow he'll be the man of joy. Remember a remark, Brother Hayhoe, of your late Father, that when the Lord Jesus.
Takes us into heaven with himself.
This will be his language. Behold, I am the children which God has given me, and I've really thought was that in the Lord Jesus referring to us as children, That is the company of priests, Aaron and his sons, a worshipping company.
The only place, I suppose, where the Lords redeemed are referred to as his children in the verse up above. I will declare thy name unto my brethren. But in this verse, behold, I am the children which God hath given me.
The Great High Priest and his sons.
Going into the presence of God triumphantly in the glory I and the children whom God has given me, I was noticing Brother Hale, that.
This verse is quoted from the 8th chapter of Isaiah and the 18th verse. Behold, eye on the children whom the Lord has given me.
And the verse before the 17th verse agrees perfectly with what you said. And I will wait upon the Lord, and then the last verse I will look for him, and then behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me. But you said it was the 8th chapter of Isaiah and the 17th and 18th verses. It's a quotation from that.
And it would almost seem that the the first part I will put my trust in him is the same as as you get, I will look for him, and then behold on the children whom God has given me. And that's all lovely to perfect agreement what you said. The Lord has the man of patience waiting for that day when he will.
Present the family and say behold I on the children.
God has given me.
It's one of those passages that extends itself into the new Blessing, isn't it?
That the apostle uses from the Old Testament. It's remarkable to see that a number of times that scriptures from the Old Testament that seem to apply only to Israel. They're taken by the Spirit of God and put into the New Testament and the the thought of it, the principle of it, is applied to us. Well, God is not bound in his dealings with his people, whether they're the earthly people or the heavenly people.
Yes, I agree with that, Brother Anderson. And if you took the passage in the eighth of Isaiah, you'd find that primarily it refers to Israel. And the coming day when they have gone through the tribulation. For speaks of the time when Jehovah will hide his face from that people, and then he comes in blessing with him. Behold on the children. And God has given me that. I like your thought very much that the Spirit of God uses it and applies it now.
To the glorious day when we will enter not the earthly Kingdom, but the glory, glory where we will be with Christ.
Joseph was a is a beautiful type of Christ, isn't he? I was thinking of of a portion in the 41St chapter of Genesis. In connection with this, behold, I am the children whom God has given me, which I've enjoyed myself just in a tight in Genesis 41.
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And verse 49. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea very much until he left numbering, for it was without number.
And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asanath the daughter of Potiphar the priest of on Bear, unto him. And Joseph called the name of the first born Manasseh. For God said he hath made me forget all my toil and all my father's house. The name of the 2nd called he Ephraim, for God had caused me to be fruitful.
The land of my affliction. Well, I've enjoyed this very much. Manasseh means forgetting or forgetful, and Ephraim means fruitful. But if you go to the 48th chapter and.
He comes now into the presence of his father.
He says.
And the.
Well, the fifth verse, Genesis 48 and five. And now thy two sons, E freeman Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee, into it became I unto thee into Egypt, our mind as Ruben and Simeon, they shall be mine, and they issue which thou begettest after them shall be thine they shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. As for me, when I came from Peyton, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way.
When yet there was but a little way to come to Ephrata, Ephrata and I buried her there in the way of Ephraim, Ephraim, and the name the same as Bethlehem. And Israel beheld Josephs sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons.
Uh, they are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, bring them I pray thee unto me, and I will play. I've enjoyed this. Who are these? He says. They're my sons. They were born to Joseph in his he was in his rejection. And during the time of that famine, or before that famine came, I've enjoyed that in just as a pipe there of the Lord Jesus bringing his own.
And owning them and how Joseph could say their mind. God has given them to me And Jacob says bring them and I'll bless them. What a blessing they're in store for those who are his by redemptions work.
Well then we go on to the 14th verse. For as much then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the scene that through death he might destroy Brother Smith. Read that unknown.
Him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them, who through fear of death for all their lifetime subject to ******* we see in different purposes connected with.
The life and death.
And exaltation of Christ. Now here is another definite purpose connected with.
The Lord becoming a man.
In order to identify himself with the family, he took part of place and blood.
And for this reason that through death he might know him that had the power of death, that is the devil.
That is, to set free the family from the awful.
Throw them and slavery of the devil. And that is a very special and marvelous work that has been accomplished for us, that we've been set free now from.
Always ******* that Satan once held his victims in.
It's only those in the family that come into the good of this.
And I remember when.
Talking to the those in the Congo that had accepted Christ as savior.
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They were still afraid of their idols.
They were still afraid of evil spirits. They were still afraid of Satan.
And it was a wonderful thing to be able to point them to a verse like this.
That the Lord Jesus Christ through death.
Destroyed or unknown, the power of him that had the power of death just took his power away from him. As far as the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned, and if you'll just put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, you take care of you. Satan can have no power against you if you're trusting in him. And I believe we have perhaps a word in the end of First John.
That gives us a little more on this.
First John Chapter 5.
Verse 18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one touches him not. How wonderful to be part of a company, part of a family, begotten of God, upon whom Satan can have no power, that Satan cannot touch them.
Of course it's going on in the good of being in the family, in the good of being begotten of God, as having that new life that's trusting in God. Then we're kept. Sometimes we get careless and we're not trusting the Lord. Well, then the Devil can touch us. But as far as our salvation is concerned, the Devil can never ****** his soul out of the hands of the Good Shepherd or the Father.
Where safe for all eternity.
That he can.
Molest our souls. He can make us very unhappy. He could even rob us of the certainty of this wonderful truth that we have been delivered for a time and eternity from the power of the enemy. And so we need to be on the good and the enjoyment of what the Spirit of God is teaching us here.
Satan was the one who brought in sin, and by sin the death entered the world. And so he has looked upon as the one who had power over man. Now through his lusts and the wages of sin is death lost. When it is finished, bring bringeth forth sin and sin. When it is finished, bringeth forth death. And so Satan had that power. But now the Lord Jesus has gone into Satan's stronghold. He went into death itself.
And he overcame just as a picture of it. In the Old Testament, when David cut off the head of Goliath with Goliath own sword, he used his very sword to cut off his head and return with the head of the giant in his hand. Well, Satans power in that way has been defeated.
And as our brother Barry remarked, he will never be able to take one who has been.
Delivered through the work of Christ and bring him into that which death for the unbeliever pictures to us. And so in First Corinthians 3 it says all things are yours, whether life or death. Death now, while it still exists, belongs to the believer. It has become his servant. And if we should be taken away, any of us, in death, what is it? Why, it's a victory, because the sting of death is sin.
And the Lord Jesus has defeated Satan and risen triumphant, so death is still here.
But it's the believers servant, and for us it's to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
But now, as it's been remarked, while Satan doesn't have that power to ever bring us into the just penalty of sin because the Lord has defeated him and overcome his power, nevertheless we find in the New Testament instances where some were delivered to Satan.
And Satan can have power because we still have the flesh in US, never to our eternal judgment, but as we have in First Corinthians 5, whom I have delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, because Satan still has power over the flesh in US, and if we're not watchful, if we allow the flesh.
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The enemy knows how to work upon that flesh, and we can be taken captive by him at his will.
I think there's a very important verse in this connection in Psalms. I think it's the 17th, if I remember correctly, by the word of thy lips. Have I kept me from the paths of the Destroyer?
There's a very good illustration of this in what the book called Pilgrims Progress, where Christian is going along on his way to the Celestial City and he comes to a spot where there are two lions.
And these lions roar of him, and he is greatly afraid that he finds in his chart that there is a path that goes right by where these lions are. But as long as he stays upon the path, the lions are chained and they can't touch him. So he walks by the lions, and they're roaring, but they couldn't touch him while he was on the path. Now this is lovely, brethren. God has a path through this world where Satan cannot touch us.
The Lord Jesus walked in that path. That verse in the 17th Psalm refers to the Lord Jesus as the perfect dependent man. And because he walked in that path of dependence, Satan was powerless. He could do nothing with him. So what does he try to do with us?
Get us out of the path of dependence, then He can touch us. But as to our standing, we possess a new life, and we have a life over which Satan has no power. And that is the life of Christ that we possess. That is the place that we have been brought into through His work, and so he can never work our eternal ruin. But let us be careful that we walk in the path of obedience. Or alas, there may be that which God will have to pass us through.
To bring bring us to realize what the flesh is and how it should be in the place of self judgment and death, that we might be preserved for His glory while here.
Reminds us of that first chapter of Job, doesn't it? Brother Gordon? Yes, was thinking of that, that Satan did not come to God with any kind of accusations against Joe, but it was God who brought the attention of Satan to Job. And then when Satan wanted to do anything against Job, he was only allowed to do.
Which God gave him the privilege of the the liberty to do, and no further gone on two different occasions, puts a limit to Satans activities, even though Satan would have liked to have gone further, but he couldn't. And so the scriptures bring before us that thought, Be thou in the fear not of Satan all the day long, be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Is that right?
Now, would you say then that Satan got the power of death right here?
LED Adam and Eve to disobey God, and he used that power.
In a very solemn and terrible way, all through man's history up to the cross of Christ that our brother was referring to. And it was there, as he said when he went into Satan's dark domain, which is death, he took the key of death, as it were, away from Satan.
So that when John sees the Lord in his government character with his eyes as a fire and sword proceeding out of his mouth, his feet like fine brass, they burned in a furnace voices the sound of many waters. He fell at his feet as dead. He was overcome by the solemnity and solemn appearance all at once, and the Lord puts his hand on him. He says, fear not.
I am he that liveth and was dead. Behold, I am alive forevermore and have the keys of death and Hell or Hades. So instead of Satan having that power, now the Blessed Lord holds that key in his own hand. He's wrestled it from the enemy, and the result is in the next verse of this chapter, the 15th verse.
And deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to *******.
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If you desire sometimes to see the contrast with the fear of death of an Old Testament St. and the New Testament Saints, just read Hezekiah's prayer when he was told that he must die and not live.
Oh, what terrible distress of soul.
Good air man went through and then read the apostle Pauls experience when he was facing the trial before Nero, and it might be martyrdom. Why he says to depart and be with Christ is far better. So he says again, you know, he says.
To be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
What a wonderful thing it is, beloved Saints, as we sit here and meditate on these things, if we were suddenly laid on a sick bed from which we never rise, and we realized that life was having a way, we have No Fear whatever. We see just in the happy enjoyment of soul, that we be soon in the presence of the Blessed Lord Himself.
Well, you know, there are systems that many are under, and perhaps some of God's children.
That keep their members in the absolute darkness. I think the one today who is under a system like that.
And he lives in perfect terror and horror of death. Even if he should be prayed out of purgatory to think of the awful time he'd have to spend in purgatory. Well, isn't it wonderful that we have been brought into clear, definite teaching that has set us free from this awful power that Satan once held your distress and to?
Rob the sinks of true peace and happiness in their souls. There's No Fear in debt, in love. Perfect love casts about fear, John says. I was thinking of an account that our brother Annis was going to be with the Lord some years now that many of you knew. He was in Ecuador, I believe, and he had. He had been.
Giving out the gospel and a certain priest was trying to get rid of him, but he had had an opportunity to give the priest a message. And while he was on his way away from the village, a messenger came to get him and bring him back, he said. The priest wants to see you. He's dying.
He said when he got there he witnessed something that he never wants to see again.
The awful terror that was in that man's face as he lay there expecting to die.
The terror of death. But he was able to give him the gospel again. He doesn't know whether the man was saved or not, but he said that just that picture of that man in the fear of death was one of the worst experiences he'd ever had. But now there's No Fear in love. Perfect love casteth out fear. And that's where the believer is now, in contrast to.
Where he was before under the old order, and I believe in Hebrews, we don't have so much of the middle ground.
We have weakness, that's true, because we have a great high priest, but we don't have failure brought out in that sense. We have either the person a believer.
Or he's on the road to apostasy, brought out very distinctly in Hebrews. Now when you get to other parts of Scripture, we may have.
The warnings for a believer who is careless. But in Hebrews we have more that solemn warning of those who reject the testimony of grace and and so we have there the high priest that is maintaining us now who are believers on that path that's been before us so much. Here he's, he's maintaining his people in connection with heaven as those who are worshippers.
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Could I just mention in connection with this, because there's quite a bit of teaching that I believe is not according to the word about this, that when the Lord Jesus died that he went down into Hades and delivered the Old Testament Saints and brought them up. Well, that isn't the thought at all in the verse.
And when the Lord Jesus died, he went down into Satan's stronghold into death. But the deliverance that he wrought was not the deliverance of those of the Old Testament Saints to those who died in faith didn't have the assurance of where they were going in the Old Testament.
Because the interval between death and resurrection was not revealed in the Old Testament, and so alone, Hezekiah was afraid and low Job spoke of death as the king of terrors. Nevertheless, when the Lord did take them, and they were not in any place of torment or any place where they could not enjoy what the Lord was about to accomplish on the cross of Calvary, and they didn't have that knowledge in life.
But.
Their their blessing depended upon the work of Christ. But they weren't, so to speak, in a place of waiting until the victory was won that they were already brought into the fruit of it beforehand. But the deliverance that is spoken of here is our present deliverance, brethren. And that is, instead of living in fear and terror, we live in the enjoyment of the victory that Christ has won.
And they didn't have the knowledge of that. And so they lived in fear. But there it wasn't a temporary place for the Old Testament Saints until redemption was accomplished. There is no sixth thought as that in the Scripture I remember. Pardon me.
Go ahead.
Well, I'm just going to add to this an illustration that Brother Hale's father used to give us the difference between the death of an Old Testament St. and one who belongs to this present dispensation. He said. That the the Old Testament said in view of death was like a boy that's on the fence.
And it's night you can't see. His father comes and he says, son, jump and I'll catch you. Well, he knows his father's voice. He trusts his father. He jumps off of the fence, lands in his father's arms.
Love the contrast. Is this that the the New Testament street is like? You'll see the same boy on the fence, but it's it's daytime.
Lighter as could be. And so again the boy departed says the boy jumped. Well, he sees his father, There's no uncertainty about it. There's no darkness, and you get any lands in his father's arms. So there was all they trusted in God, and they believed that he would he would be merciful to them and they had confidence in him. But as.
Brother said they didn't have the full light, in fact, in second Timothy.
First chapter you get stated in this way that life and incorruptibility.
Have been brought to light, to light through the gospel, and only when the gospel was preached, Christ having accomplished the work, and going back to heaven, and sent the Spirit, could we have the full knowledge and enjoyment of the things of which we speak. Our brother Smith, Excuse me for.
I was just going to ask that we see.
And Moses and Elias on the mount of the Lord Jesus.
Some 13 and seven centuries respectively, after they died, we see them on the mountain. And what are we told in Luke's Gospel? That they spoke of his disease or his departure, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem? Well, they had died, but.
Once they were dead, the spirit separated from the body. They were not in terror.
The Old Testament expression is they were gathered to their fathers.
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Even though they weren't very geographically with them, they were gathered to their fathers. But is Moses and Elias intelligent about what was going to take place at Jerusalem so?
It was well, after all, with the Old Testament Saints, even though they leaped in the dark, you know, their father's arm.
In Romans, thinking again of this, who through who deliver them? Who through fear of death where all their lifetime subject to *******. I'm thinking in the 8th chapter of Romans Speaking of the the apostle bringing before them there that nothing can separate them from the love of God. Nothing. There isn't anything. But in going down through this we say the first thing that he mentions is death. That's the first thing.
I thinking Brother Gordon mentioned the King of terrors and it is. There isn't anything that man fears more than death. Natural man, but that's the first thing that's mentioned. The apostle mentions that will not separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I've enjoyed that in the eighth of Romans and.
The 38th verse, for I am persuaded that neither death. That's the very first thing he mentioned, which is the worst thing as far as natural man is concerned.
Death is yours, yours, right as a service, not as a master.
When you get to the 16th verse is a better reading, you'll notice.
Him the nature.
Is better translated for verily, he took not hold of angels by the hand, but he took hold of the seed of Abraham.
That is, the Lord didn't become an Angel. Although there were fallen angels, there was no Savior provided for them.
But he took hold of the seed of Abraham. And it's already been mentioned that the seed of Abraham is, you know, the children of faith. For if you turn to the third chapter of Galatians.
We're told definitely who the seed of Abraham refers to.
And the ninth verse, so then, so then they would be of faith.
Are blessed with faithful Abraham. I was really thinking on the 7th verse. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham. So that takes in not only those who are by nature the descendants of Abraham, but everyone who has faith. And we see the Blessed Lord coming down here.
Taking part inflation, blood to take hold of a poor ruined grace by the hand, Past angels by we've already seen He doesn't care take them by the hand, but He took you and me by the hand to lead us into all the wonderful blessings.
That His Grace has purpose for us earlier in the meetings.
We have mentioned a little about the.
The priesthood.
And possibly there were some things that.
Were not clear to all of us, and so perhaps the few moments left if we could.
Have a little on the 17th verse in connection with the priesthood of Christ.
May I just first read a passage in First John?
In the second chapter.
So that we can see Mitchondras.
The various officers that he takes.
In the second chapter of the first Epistle.
My little children, these things right on to you. I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.
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I don't recall how that verse reads.
Perhaps you it should read a little differently, and not for the sins of the whole world, but perhaps someone has well, just leave, brother.
Land Dean the the words and italics out of that verse and read it like this. He is a propitiation for our sins as believers and not for ours only, but also for not the sins. That's that's the wrong doctrine.
By the translators.
But for the whole world simply means that the gospel is unto all men. That's the scope of it. But it's a pun. All them that believe he is. It's been put like this Propitiation is that aspect of the death of Christ which has vindicated the holy and righteous character of God, and in virtue of which he can be merciful to the whole world.
Yes, what I wanted to bring out in this passage was that here we have the advocacy of Christ rather than what is brought before us in Hebrews.
Of the priesthood in connection with.
The 17 birds. Now there's a difference here. I believe that in John.
If there should be such a thing as a believer sinning.
God has made provision and the Lord Jesus it says here.
Jesus Christ the righteous. We haven't advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, because I believe discipline is connected and is it not with the Father. But now in Hebrews it isn't the subject of the advocacy of Christ, but it's the it's the believer going on through a wilderness.
Being preserved by that priest. The priest is the one who maintains, just like Aaron would maintain, the people in connection with God in the wilderness, although in Hebrews we have the Lord Jesus seen.
As the answer to both Moses and Aaron, do we not? And that's why in the 4th chapter of Hebrews and I think we should turn to it.
You have two things in that 4th chapter.
You have in the 12Th verse the word of God is quick and powerful or living, an operative and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit. The joints of marijuana is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight.
But all things are naked and opened under the eyes of him with whom we have, with whom we have to do.
Seeing them, that we have a great High Priest that is passed into or through the heavens.
Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession, for we have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted, like as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly under the throne of grace, that we may obtain forgiveness of sins, no mercy, mercy, and fine grace.
To help in time of need. It's a question here of the weakness in the path as we pass through the desert on our way to the rest. And we have two things that are necessary to maintain US1 is the word of God and the other is the great High Priest who is on high interceding for his people, not interceding so that.
We might.
Have forgiveness of sins and be brought into relationship with God. That question has been settled supposedly here. It's a question now of the believer who's on his way to that rest being maintained by that high priest.
There's a little better translation of that 16th verse. Let us therefore come boldly under the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace for seasonable aid, which really gives the true meaning of the passage. It has been illustrated in this way, for someone sees an old lady starting across the slippery St.
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And he sees her get to the middle of the street and she slips and falls and he goes out as fast as possible and helps her to her feet and helps her across. Well, that could be a grace to help in time of needs. She's fallen, I said. Yeah, helpless. But suppose on the other hand, this man sees the old lady standing and fearful about the slippery St. and so he takes her arm and helps her cross the street so she doesn't fall at all.
That would be great for seasonable aid, and that is especially the character of the priesthood as we get it here in Hebrews. That is this, that which will keep us from falling so that we can go on our way with, as Jude would tell us, not even stumbling on the way.
And how, beloved, we need to make use.
Oh, that provision for us to go to our blessed Lord in the deep sense of our need and our weakness and.
There's like that Psalm. You're referring to the 16th Psalm. Preserve me, oh Lord. Or in thee do I put my trust? I think your father is the same, brother. Hail that. That should be our daily prayer. Preserve me, O Lord.
For indeed you are put my trust.
It seems that here.
It's connected to priesthood of Christ is connected with the reconciliation which should that word should read propitiation, which a brother Barry was bringing before the work of propitiation, God completely glorified. As to the sin question, the sin question completely settled as far as God is concerned.
And there's a place of mercy for man to come, because this word propitiation comes from the same word as the word mercy seat. And so all has been settled as far as God is concerned. And it seems from this then that the basis upon which the Lord Jesus Christ can perform his work as High Priest is this, that the work is finished. There's been a complete work done that has glorified God, settled the sin question.
And so, in order to keep us in a condition suited to that that has been done at Calvary's Cross, we have him as our high priest. And I suppose we have it too, there in that verse that was read in First John, it speaks of him not only as the Advocate, but as the righteous one. Well, now here it's in connection with that perfect work that's been done to keep us in a state suited to that, to that we we're settled on.
Propitiation, The finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me sing that him, O Lamb of God, still keep us close to thy peers inside. Leave us the 318th Kim.
She's only there in safety and peace. We can't abide with paws and snares around us, and lusts and fears within The grace of Sauron found us along to keep us clean.
318.
Oh my God, Tell me.
My.
Let's go and say.
It's gravel.
All of them pray, for all of us have all the proof of the world.
Open Mtg.
Open—P. Johnson, P. Glading, G. Hayhoe
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General Meetings. Toledo, November 1972. Open meeting.
139 This world is the wilderness.
We have nothing to seek.
We have no swallowing the weight of mine breasts. N loose 139.
That's why there's always.
Great, I'm not playing close to a place from our world.
I can just write down.
The question.
Of course.
'S pride with the sun and the joy of Here is the last November.
I'm just trying to find great information.
We're going to go.
Aye.
We want to read a verse in the gospel, or rather the book of Romans chapter 14.
Romans, chapter 14.
00:05:00
Verse 17.
For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
And then she will return to that portion we've been considering in our readings, Hebrews chapter 2.
The second chapter of Hebrews.
Verse 5.
For under the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man? That thou art mindful of him? Are the Son of man that thou visited him?
Thou mayest him a little lower than the angels. Thou crownest him with glory and honor.
And it set him over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things.
In subjection under his feet. For in that he had put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.
Well, I had it upon my heart as we've been considering here together.
Not to go over, of course, what we've had here in this, in our readings in this second chapter of Hebrews, but there is an expression brought before us here, a thought brought before us that I would like to enlarge upon. That might be for our help in blessing and encouragement and instruction as well, we trust.
It is found in the fifth verse that expression.
The world to come.
The world to come We have it again as we had it before us in our readings later on in this same epistle, The powers of the world to come in the 6th chapter of Hebrews. Here the the thought of that coming scene of glory, The world to come. Now we have the world brought before us in three different ways in the Word of God. That is as to the time element.
Present and future. You remember Peter in his second epistle, chapter 3 speaks of the world that then was referring to the world that existed before the flood, the world that then was that passed. God overthrew that world with a flood and it perished. And only we know those who in the safety of the ark were brought through. And we read in Scripture as such verses as we have in Galatians chapter one.
Of this present evil world. And in tight as we read of this present world and elsewhere too, the present world, the world that now is. And here we have the future of the world to come. So we have that world that then was passed before the flood, and that world in which we now live as we had in our hymn. This world is a wilderness wife, and it's spoken of in Galatians as the present evil world.
No doubt it has taken that character of being evil because of the rejection of the Lord Jesus. And then we know too that the the.
Christendom and all that it is brought in, and wickedness in connection with the profession of Christianity has only added to the evil of this present world, this world in which we're living. But now we have brought before us here in the second chapter of Hebrews, the world to come.
Now I'd like to just point out in this second chapter of Hebrews we have three things in connection with the world to come. We have the power that is going to be exercised in that world to come found in verse 8, the beginning thou has put all things in subjection under his feet. That's the power that is going to be exercised by the Lord Jesus in the world to come. Everything brought into subjection to God. It's all put under him entitled now.
But it's going to be carried out in in fullness of power in the world to come, everything put under him and brought into subjection to the will of God. So we have the power that will be displayed and then we have the person who is going to wield or exercise that power. In verse nine, we see Jesus. We do not now see that power being exercised, but we see the one who is going to exercise is the person who is the center of that world to come.
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The person who is going to exercise the power. And then we have a third thing. We have the people who are going to share the blessedness of that world to come. That's brought before us in verse 17 where we read about to the Lord Jesus making propitiation for the sins of the people as well as the expression the many sons that he's bringing to glory. It's the people who are going to share it all with him.
So we have the power of that world to come and the person who's going to exercise it as being the center of that world. And the people you and I, as those who are in all of the benefits of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, those who believe upon him and who now share the benefits of the work of propitiation. Of course, there are others we know. For in that world to come, it's going to be a great scene of glory where all things are headed up.
In the Lord Jesus Christ, both which are in heaven and which are upon earth, but especially here in Hebrews, the people.
Who will share that you and I as believers own the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, now I read in the Romans 14 a verse in connection with the Kingdom of God. For actually this expression, the world to come brings before us that Kingdom that is going to be established here in this world.
When the Lord Jesus Christ reigns and brings everything into subjection to God.
It refers to the Kingdom, that world to come, that glorious scene that God is going to bring to past in connection with His beloved Son.
And so I'd like to speak for a little while this afternoon.
A fourth thing in connection with the world to come of the Kingdom, we had the power. We do not see it now exercised in a public, invisible way, but we see the person who's going to exercise it, and he is gathering the people who are going to share it all with him. But I'd like to speak a little about the principles that will govern that Kingdom. For I believe the verse in Romans 14 would bring before us the fact that even while it is true the Kingdom has not yet been established, the world to come is still future.
We are in the world that now is this present evil world. We are not yet in the world to come yet. The principles that will govern that day, the principles that will be in operation in that day, are to be found among those who are even now delivered, as we have in Colossians, one from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. For we are those who are in the Kingdom of God in a moral and spiritual way.
The Kingdom of God, you might say, is established, and the souls of the believers.
There is the Kingdom of God morally, into which we have been brought.
By the grace of God, we know that John Three tells us that a man has to be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. It's a moral and spiritual realm into which we've been brought. And the principles that will govern the world to come in a public way, in a universal worldwide way, are to be found and practiced and seen and carried out among those who are even now in the Kingdom of God.
Now I read that verse in Romans, for it says the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink. It's not in mere outward things, but it's moral righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. Of course, in the world to come, it's going to be these principles are going to be carried out in a in an outward way, in a public way, and in a visible way worldwide. The whole world will be brought under the power of these principles.
But as I say, they are to be carried out now by those who are in the Kingdom of God morally.
Even in this present world before the time of the world to come. Now let us turn back to the book of Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah chapter 2, where we have what I would like to speak of as the the dominant feature of the world to come, that which is a sort of a overriding principle of the Kingdom, the world to come. Now this second chapter of Isaiah.
00:15:01
Speaks of the exaltation of the Lord's house.
Or the mountain of the Lord's house being established in the top of the mountains in verse two, and shall be exalted above the hills. It speaks of the time and that world to come when that power is exercised to subdue all things unto God. Well, what a wonderful scene it will be, and what a contrast with this world in which we're found today where things are not in subjection to God in that day to find the mountain.
Of the Lord exalted above all of the hills and all the nations flowing into it. But now then, what I had especially before me, is the principle that is brought before us.
In verse 11.
Of course, what will introduce this world to come, as we find in the prophets, what introduces this world to come and will make these principles operative here in the world, is not the gospel, but the Lord Jesus coming in judgment.
So we read in verse 11, The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of man shall be bowed down.
And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. Now so important is this principle that the Lord alone exalted in that day that it's repeated in verse 17. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, the Lord alone. You know, we have a little preview of the Kingdom of the world to come on the Mount of Transfiguration.
And you remember there were two Moses and alliance who appeared there with the Lord Jesus. And Peter spoke of making three tabernacles, one for each or it couldn't be. The Lord alone will be exalted in that day, no matter how.
A blessed man might be, no matter how gifted a server the Lord might be, the thought is the Lord alone shall be exalted. That's the overriding dominant principle of the Kingdom of God.
It's going to be publicly displayed in the world to come. There will be no rivals to the person of the Lord Jesus.
There will be none who will buy with him for a place of authority or a place of honor. Know the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. And so this is the principle that would be operative today in the Kingdom of God among the Lords people, that the Lord alone should be exalted. It's all in view of what we have in the last verse of Isaiah 22. See sheep from man whose breath is in his nostrils.
You know, where do we find beloved today all about us, Just the opposite of this. Rather than man being brought low and the Lord himself being exalted and men ceasing from man, we find that man is the object of, of pride and veneration, or at least he is the object of, of, of some desire to follow and to exalt. And how about in Christendom? How about even among those who profess to know the Lord Jesus Christ, his Savior?
What do we find on every hand? We find man exalted. We find perhaps this great preacher exalted, or this great personality brought before the people of this world to listen to. Personalities are being paraded, personalities are being exalted. But the principle of the Kingdom of God, the dominant principle, is the Lord alone shall be exalted. And see sheep from man whose breath is in his nostrils.
Hero worship has no place in the Kingdom of God. The exalting of personalities and the making much of man, however gifted he might be, or however much he might be used of the Lord, is contrary to the dominant principle of the Kingdom of God, that the Lord Himself shall be exalted. See sheep from man whose breath is in his nostrils. Well, this is the principle of the world to come.
And it's a principle that God would have us to carry out today, even in the world that now is.
This world that has become to us a wilderness.
We'll now turn over to another passage in Isaiah, this time chapter 26, I believe.
Or rather chapter 32.
In chapter 32. Now, of course, what we're reading here in Isaiah.
00:20:04
Refers to the future, the world to come and what will be carried out in a universal, public way.
It says in verse one, Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness. Here we have a feature of the Kingdom brought before us, that world to come righteousness.
And you recall in Romans, the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness. That's the first thing that's brought before us there, morally speaking.
Here it refers, of course, to that righteous reign. When the Lord Jesus Christ reigns, A king shall reign in righteousness.
Now, if you'll turn back to the 26th chapter.
You will see how that this is going to be made good in a practical way for the inhabitants of the earth.
Now you see today in the world that now is those who are the people to share the world to come with the Lord Jesus. We learn righteousness not in the way that I'm going to read here in Isaiah. We learn righteousness from the Lord Himself and the Word of God. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. We learn righteousness in the presence of the Lord.
And with His precious word brought before us, that's the way we learn righteousness. But in the coming Kingdom, in the world to come, when the king reigns in righteousness universally in this world, they're going to learn righteousness according to verse nine of Isaiah 26.
In the middle of the verse. For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Those who will not learn righteousness now, those who reject the gospel and who do not learn righteousness now and practice righteousness. Why, we read here that judgment is going to come upon this world, and it's going to clear the earth, as it were, of every element that will be contrary to righteousness.
And then the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness when his judgments are in the earth. Now turn back to the 32nd chapter.
Righteousness.
Is a principle of the world to come.
Now we see the effect of righteousness in chapter 32 and verse 17.
And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. Again, this is a feature that is to be displayed universally and publicly. Righteousness and then peace in this world.
Then turn to the 35th chapter.
Chapter 35.
And verse one we have another principle.
That will characterize that world to come, we read here. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them.
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom is the road. We have joy, righteousness, peace, and joy. The dominant overall feature, as I said, is in the second chapter. The Lord alone exalted in that day, and ceasing from man whose breath is in his nostrils.
And then we have righteousness, we have joy, and we have peace.
These all are to be publicly, universally carried out as principles of the world to come, all underneath that person who will wield the power in that day, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now then, turn back to Romans 14.
For what we've been speaking about thus far is in connection with the world to come, still future as far as this world is is concerned. But in Romans 14 we have something that is true today.
It's true today. Principles of the Kingdom of God. I read that verse again, verse 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Well, we have here the same 3 features principles that we saw in Isaiah that will be carried out in a public and universal way when the Lord comes in the world to come.
But now they are to be known in the Holy Spirit. It's in the spiritual realm that these things are carried out today, and it's in the spiritual realm that these things are known righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. Now this is true of every believer on the Lord Jesus. In a positional way, we know that the Epistle to the Roman establishes the fact that we are.
00:25:25
We are declared righteous before God and that God has established A righteous basis for our salvation.
Through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel, therein is revealed the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God based upon the work of the Lord Jesus Christ as we see in the third chapter of Romans. He is giving Himself for us upon the cross of Calvary, suffering for sins. The just for the unjust is the righteous basis for God, declaring you and me righteous before Him. Every believer has righteousness.
Before God, He has a righteous standing. He is accounted in hell to be righteous.
This we have even now in this present evil world, before the world to come is brought to pass. And what about joy and peace? Well, we know that we have this by believing. Notice in the 15th chapter of Romans verse 13.
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.
Oh, I trust that this is the portion of everyone in the room that is left here for this meeting this afternoon.
That you do have a righteous standing before God in Christ and that you have joy and peace in believing. If you're if your faith is genuine in Christ, you have joy and peace. You have the joy of the forgiveness of sins. You have peace with God. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. This is, we might say, in a sense, the Kingdom of God established in the soul of a believer spiritually at the present time, righteousness.
Joy and peace in the Holy Ghost, but also I would like to apply this, I believe to it should be that God would have us to recognize here this principle of the world to come, that God would have us to be in the good of it the present time to apply these things in a practical way. For not only is the thought here righteousness, joy and peace as to what we have in Christ as believing the gospel, but God would have us to display in our walk in ways that principle of righteousness.
That is going to be carried out in a worldwide way in the world to come. James tells us in the first chapter of his epistle that God has begotten us, that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures, a sort of a first fruit, a sort of a sample of what it'll be in the world to come when the whole world is is subjected to God, into Christ, when everything is brought into order, and when righteousness reigns.
And so among the Saints of God today, in a practical way, there should be a little preview, a little the first fruits of the world to come. Even while we're here in this present evil world that is characterized by everything but the principles of the Kingdom of God, we know that these principles are not current in the world in which we find ourselves today. Everything is opposed to these principles. But all we rejoice in the thought and in the in the expectation, for we know it's going to come to pass.
That these things are going to be carried out in a public way. And what a wonderful scene to see the whole world brought under subjection to God and the Lord Jesus Christ having his rightful place and these wonderful principles of righteousness, joy and peace being carried out. Now they're known in the Holy Spirit. They're known and carried out in the power of the Holy Spirit only by believers. We can't look for these things in the world and we can't go out and try to teach and educate the world in these principles. We preach the gospel.
We've been charged by the Lord Jesus to go out and preach the gospel to the whole world.
And when the gospel is preached and one believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he is sealed with the Holy Spirit of God. And so he then can carry out these principles of righteousness, joy and peace, for he has the Holy Ghost, he has the Holy Spirit. We preach the gospel, but we can't go out and enforce these principles. It's for us to walk in the power of them as a testimony to this world, showing to the world what, as it were, it's going to be like in the world to come when everything is carried out according to the mind of God. Well, righteousness is the first thing.
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Of our pathway through this scene now I know that it is not very.
Popular today to even raise the question of right and wrong, it's more or less left to an individual to make his own rules, so to speak.
And the thought of what is right is seldom brought up but with the child of God. We never want to adopt the principles of the world. We want to get all of our principles of conduct and action from the Word of God.
And we are to consider what is right. We find it over and over again. There were faithful men of God in the Word.
That would not do certain things because it wasn't right.
And certain things were done because it was right.
Righteousness is a feature of the Kingdom that God would have us to walk in the power of today, and especially as the days grow more difficult, as we have in Second Timothy, Righteousness is emphasized in that epistle. We're told not only to flee youthful lusts, but to follow righteousness. That's the first thing. Then faith, love, and peace, but righteousness. And the apostle speaks of the word of God as the word of righteousness.
Then he speaks of a crown of righteousness. Righteousness is emphasized in a day of of disorder and confusion. And certainly it means considering what is right according to the mind of God is revealed in His precious word. And I say, dear young people, as well as all of us.
We want to consider what is right. Righteousness is a principle that should govern us.
And our walk and conduct well, what about joy? Well, certainly, you know, we should be those who are joying and rejoicing in the Lord. We are the most privileged of people. I'm I'm satisfied that not only do we have the whole word of God committed to us, the faith once delivered to the Saints, but God in his goodness has unfolded to this word in faithful ministry to us for many years and it's available. And so we have the precious.
Revelations of God not only given, but ministered and unfolded, unfolded, unfolded so that our joy.
Should be abundant and we should be those who are rejoicing as we think of the goodness of God to us. And may it be that in these difficult days as we've had before us, encouragement that while there are things that come in to try in the gatherings and in the home and in many in every Ave. every aspect of our life here, that we might find our joy in the Lord. It's not joy in circumstances, but it's joy in the Lord.
And what about peace? Well, it's wonderful that the child of God can go through this scene of turmoil and even through the difficulties that arise among those gathered to the Lord's name in peace. He has that confidence in the Lord and in the assurance that everything is in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ and that things are not just happening by chance, and that things have not just gone awry, and that there is no control of things. We know that.
All things are in the hands of the Lord. We read in the in the first chapter of revelation of the Lord Jesus in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. He's there in the midst and he's observing everything that's going on. He says I know each time he says I know. And since he knows, we know that it's all in his hands. And we can, we can go on in the truth, go on in the principles of the Kingdom and go on in the truth of the word of God is made known to us in the peace.
Of knowing that all is in His blessed hands and He's going to bring it all to pass even as He has purposed.
So in a practical way, we can exhibit these marks of the world to come, righteousness and joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. Oh, how wonderful that God had given us the power to do so in the Spirit of God, even before it's all brought to pass in that world to come. Well, may He help us and encourage us on these things.
This morning.
Our dear brother read to us part of the 22nd Psalm, and that impressed me.
Concerning the person of Christ, and that solemn utterance which came from the depths of his soul. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken thee? And sitting at the table this noon, The dear old sister, she's left the conference now and gone home. I think she passed this remark, and that impressed me too.
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She said some of the preachers, they always speak about the Lord's sufferings under the hand of man, but very rarely do they mention his atoning sufferings. And I want to hear that, she said she impressed it upon me. I want to hear that.
And that brought before me this 22nd Psalm and the contrast we have in the 69th Psalm, maybe just for a few moments, turn to the 22nd Psalm.
Because in one I believe we have the Lord Jesus Christ suffering on the hand of God, and in the 69 suffering up under the hands of men.
Psalm 22.
My God.
My God, not my Father, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Here surely we can say if Christ died as a victim for sin under the hand of a holy God.
Died as a victim for sin on the hand of a holy God. Surely this would speak of His atoning sufferings. Beloved, we can never, never know what it meant to thine Blessed One to go to that cross and to come under the judgment of a holy God against sin.
To be forsaken of God while on the cross, which caused him the cry of my God. My God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Surely this would speak of his atoning suffering.
Peter said that he was an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ, and Peter saw the Lord suffer down here.
For righteousness.
Peter did not witness the suffering of death. We had on our second chapter of Hebrews. Peter did not witness that solemn scene, the suffering of death. Here we have it, I believe in this chapter, in this Psalm.
The earth was covered with darkness, a darkness which no human eye could penetrate. When God was dealing with His beloved Son asked the question of sin and our sins A cause in the cry of my God, my God. Why? I believe this is the only time the Lord raised that question. Why? Why hast thou forsaken me? And so we have here Christ died as a victim for sin under the hand of God.
And this opens the way of life and salvation to everyone who puts their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we do not find in this Psalm, the 22nd Psalm, the Lord crying for vengeance upon his enemies, upon those who persecuted him, and those who nailed him. The cross. There's nothing about it in the 22nd Psalm. But when we turned the 69th.
There we find a different picture.
Psalm 69. We find here his martyrs sufferings bring down wrath and judgment upon the godless world.
And the world is stained, and the church is purged by the blood of Christ.
And in the 69th Psalm, we find he died as a matter of all righteousness. We've heard much about that this afternoon. He died as a martyr for righteousness under the hand of man.
And this man will have to give an account to God.
And every word of this solemn appeal will have its answer in the coming day. God will deal with the world concerning the death of His beloved Son, and the world will have to answer the God for it. So on the 22nd, soundly we have the atoning something of Christ there.
He doesn't call upon God for vengeance. Now he's the subject. Perfect man.
Willing to go through all that on the cross of Calvary, to glorify God His Father, and to satisfy God's holy and just and righteous claims and to save our souls. Within the 69th time we hear him crying for vengeance. Crying to God for vengeance upon his enemies. What a silent thing this is. Here we find he's suffering as a martyr under the hands of man.
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And so he cries to God for vengeance.
Now I want to turn to the 23rd of Luke, but before we do, I just want to mention this.
This was one, may I say, remark I heard at the table. And some of you dear Saints here perhaps have known dear old Mrs. our late Missus Robinson of Bermuda. She's with the Lord now.
But she said to me one day, brother, my son does not save and I have troubled much about him. I wish you'd go and see him. He's a Barber in the town.
I said, well, sister, with the Lord's help, I'll go and visit him.
So I went to visit this Barber and as I walked in the Barber shop, I said, who is on the Lord's side in this Barber shop?
The bomb had turned and looked at me and thought I was crazy, I suppose, and I repeated it. Yes, I said. Who's on the Lord's side in this barbershop?
The Bible looked at me with a sneer, He went on. Clipping here, he said. The Bible contradicts itself.
Now that's the reason I want to turn to run one reason to the 23rd chapter of Luke, and for the benefit of dear young people, if we can prove from God's Word that His word is true and there are no contradictions in it and no discrepancies either.
23rd chapter of Luke.
We've just seen here.
In the 69th Psalm, the Lord crying for vengeance upon his enemies.
And now we might read from verse 32 of the 23rd of Luke, just 2-3 verses.
And, beloved Saints, we need to be very careful how we read this verse. I've heard it read this way.
And they were also two other manufacturers.
Do you think that's the correct way to read it?
Why has the Spirit of God put the comma here? There were two other comma. The two other were malefactors. If we read it the other way, it would suggest that the Blessed Lord was a manufacture too. He's one with them. There were two other manufacturers. Oh, thank God for that comma. There were two other comma manufacturers.
LED with Him to be put to death, and when they would come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him. This to me is very striking and solemn, as much as to say we'll get rid of Him first.
They're the crucified Him first and the malefactors.
As much as they, we want to get rid of this man first of all.
How solemn this is. What a picture of the human heart against the person of Christ in verse 34. Then said, Jesus, Father, forgive them.
Psalm 69 We find the Lord crying to God for vengeance upon his enemies.
Now this Barber said the scripture contradicts itself.
Maybe, perhaps, I hope not, but there may be perhaps one or more here who has thought the description does contradict itself. But there's no such thing. Dear friends, this verse is not a contradiction of what we have in the 69 Psalm. There the Lord, I believe he's Speaking of the world as a whole.
Because we have the testimony of no less than 4 inspired witnesses.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Johns of the solemn fact that the whole world.
Jew, Gentile, kings, governors, priests and people were all agreed on one point, and that was to get rid of the Son of God, to crucify him.
And we must either call the four inspired witnesses.
As being untruthful or we must admit the truth of what they say.
And we know it is true. And, dear friends, if there is one here who does not know the Lord Jesus Christ.
You're a part of that world and you come under its guilt of crucifying, rejecting the Son of God.
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And the world will have to answer to God for the crucifixion and death of his beloved Son. But here we find in this verse the Lord says, Father, forgive them. He doesn't cry down for vengeance, cry for vengeance to come upon them now. Now there is salvation for such as they'll have it. He is now on the cross of Calvary, dying for sinners.
And I say this, that if the blessed Lord had not died upon the cross for my sins, I never, never would have been forgiven.
Never.
It seems to me that this expression really means that the Lord was calling down judgment upon Himself.
He says, Father forgive them well, in order that they might be forgiven, He must suffer, He must die, He must suffer not only at the hands of wicked men, but under the hand of a holy God. And that's what probably my dear old sister, she says they preach so much about the physical sufferings of Christ, but they do not mention the atoning suffering of Christ on the hand of God. And so I believe we get the the two here in the 22nd Psalm and the 69th.
One is blessed ones suffering on the hand of a holy God as the victim of sin.
And the other suffering on the hands of men, a martyr and the hand of man for righteousness sake.
So here, this is not a contradiction, dear young people, and if your teachers at school or college try to.
Force you to believe that the Bible contradicts itself.
Do not listen to them. Do not listen to them. I'd like to turn to one or two other scriptures to prove that the Word of God does not contradict itself in any shape or form. Will you turn to Isaiah 53?
Isaiah 53 and verse 7.
He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers. Notice her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Now he turned to Acts chapter 8.
And the 32nd verse.
The place of the Scripture which you read was this. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb done before his Shearer.
Oh, the other verse in her Shearer.
Now, dear young people, do not think this is a contradiction. We have to go somewhere else to find what this really means, and it's in the 4th chapter of Leviticus. I think it's very helpful to notice it.
Because you may be confronted with this.
Like the father said to me scripture contradicts itself and here this would look like a contradiction. Her Shearer then his Shearer. But if you turn the 4th chapter of Leviticus.
And verse 22.
When a ruler.
When a ruler has sinned and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty, or if his sin wherein yet sin come to his knowledge, he shall bring his offering. A kid of the goats a male. The governor had to bring a male without blemish. Now if you turn over.
To the 27th verse.
And if anyone of the common people sin through ignorance, while they do a somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord, concerning things which ought not to be donely guilty, or if his sin which he has sinned come to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering. A kid of the goats, a female.
A female without blemish for his sin, which he has sinned.
Seems to me that these two verses will explain that the reason for that his sheer and her Shearer. But on the face of it, just reading it carelessly, you might think is a contradiction. First he says his Shearer, now her Shearer. Well, I believe this scripture gives us to understand what it means and proves that there is no contradiction whatever, none whatever.
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Now in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah again, just for a few moments.
Some aboard. There is a contradiction here in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah verse 10. Yet it pleased the Lord Jehovah, bruised him, him, the blessed Lord Jesus.
He, Jehovah have put him Jesus to greet.
Well, thou shalt make Jehovah shall make his soul an offering for sin.
He shall see his siege shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Now the 12 verse. Therefore will I divide him a portion of the great initial divide the spoil with a strong, because he hath poured out his soul.
In verse 10 says When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, but in the 12 verse, because he hath poured out his soul under death, and he Jesus was numbered with the transgressors.
And he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. Well, if we read that carelessly, he would say, here's another contradiction. First of all, we hear Jehovah speaking, and then it speaks of the Lord himself as offering up his soul.
Well, I believe we have, shall we say, 2 pictures brought before us God's side of Calvary, what God did to him, and the blessed Lord's side too. He was willing to go to that cross to offer up his soul, to OfferUp himself the perfect sacrifice to God for sin. But sin might be dealt with, and that our sins might be dealt with too, on the cross of Calvary by that blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now my brother brought before us Brother Anderson, wife may use his name. He spoke much about understanding and I liked the benefit of the young people to turn to three verses and 119 some in connection with understanding.
And this is where we get understanding the young people from the Word of God.
And this precious word liveth and abideth forever.
119 Psalm.
Verse 130.
The entrance of thy words giveth light. It giveth understanding unto the simple.
The entrance of thy words, not the entrance of the teachers words.
Or the master of the college. They may lead you astray or try to.
But if your well versed in the scripture and have the scriptures hidden in your heart and your mindful of them, you have something with which to combat their evil teaching because there's so much of it as you know in the schools and colleges of today. But here is some way dear friend, in which you can have understanding.
The entrance of thy words giveth light.
And it giveth understanding under the simple.
Now there's another verse here.
The 25th verse.
The 190 Some I am thy servant. Give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
Give me understanding.
Well, how we can get it?
Well, you say we need to be educated, we need to go to high school, Oregon college, in order to get understanding the beloved young people. You get that from the precious word of God.
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And now if you'll turn to something in the 99th verse of the same Psalm.
Or rather, perhaps we read 104 first.
Verse 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding.
Therefore, I hate every false way. Now 99, I have more understanding than all my teachers. How do you get it?
Now we're not to say this in a boastful way, of course not. But the only way you can get proper understanding, true understanding, is from the Word of God.
And we have it here four times mentioned in this.
Wonderful Psalm, and we need understanding for the pathway, and we find it in God's precious word, dear young people. And if anybody should confront you with anything contrary to the word of God, if you have an understanding of the Scriptures, you have something by which you can combat this evil. You can say, but God's word says so and so.
I'm having your thoughts, man's thoughts, but God's word said so and so.
And that's what we need today, dear young people, to go by God's precious, immutable word. It's forever settled in heaven and shall never pass away, never something solid to rest upon.
We are saved by the finished work of Christ and we have the assurance of our salvation through the immutable Word of God.
Or how we need the Word of God to sustain us, to encourage us, to guide and direct us, to instruct us, to give us understanding.
And we all need understanding and we're to get it from God's precious Word. That's the best place to get it. And so if you hear people say the Scripture contradicts itself, you have some proofs brought before in this afternoon that it does not, just needs a little understanding to explain it. And Scripture explains itself as we get in the first year and his year. It's all explained in the 4th chapter, Levitical, surely?
How similar it is. Thank God for the explanation. And so then, dear young people, beware. And there's just one verse like to read in Psalm 12 to you.
Psalm 12 and verse 6, the words of the Lord.
Pure words and silver tried in the furnace of earth. Purified 7 times.
We all know that seven in Scripture speaks of divine perfection.
And that's what God's Word is, dear friends, divine perfection. And that's what we need more than ever today, dear young people, read the word of God, meditate upon it. Get it into your heart, not into your head, but into your heart, into your mind, into your feet. And then you have something to to prove what the so-called professors and teachers try to ram down your throats, but they're what they tell you is not true.
Or how we need to go by God's precious word in everything. It should be the touchstone for everything.
Whoever is wrong, God is right. Let us remember that. And whatever is wrong, God is right. And so then, if you need understanding, dear young people, is found here. Read Psalm 190, Meditate upon those verses we've read. You'll find how to get understanding and you'll know then how to combat these evils that you're faced with in the school or college, wherever it is.
So that's all I have in my heart, just wanted to proofs that the word of God does not contradict itself.
And for that sake of a dear old sister, I thought I had better mention this fact about the atoning suffering of Christ. We get it doing not in Hebrews 2, the suffering of death.
Peter did not witness that scene, but he did witness the Lord's suffering. He on earth is a man. And so he got the two aspects of the death of Christ in those two psalms. Christ suffering as a victim for sin under the hand of God and God and rather the Lord Jesus Christ suffering as a martyr for righteousness sake under the hand of man. And for that he calls down vengeance from God upon them. But then in Luke 23 the offers salvation.
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All the wondrous love and grace of His heart is His Father. Forgive them their salvation for them.
If they'll only have it, Father, forgive them. And I say again, before you and I can ever be forgiven, the Lord had to go through all that awful suffering of Calvary, not only under the hands of wicked men, but under the hand of a holy God. And he did it, beloved friends, for your sake and for mine, and we can never thank Him enough.
We're just looking at a few thoughts, brethren, from First Chronicles.
First Chronicles, chapter 12.
In verse 32.
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were 200 and all their brethren were at their commands.
The 38th verse. All these men of war that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel, and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.
The 13th chapter and David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader.
Unto all the congregation of Israel, if it seemed good unto you, and that it be of the Lord our God, 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 Levites, which are in the cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us. And let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul.
Now in the next chapter, the 14th chapter and the.
Nine First now the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Raphiam. And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? And again the 13th verse. And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. Then David inquired again of God.
Then in the 15th chapter.
And the.
The first two verses and David made him houses in the city of David and prepared a place for the ark of God.
And pitched for an attempt. Then David said none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites.
For them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever.
And now in the 16th chapter and the first verse.
So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the 10th that David had pitched for it. And they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone, a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flag and a wine.
I just thought of this little portion, brethren.
Spring before us, a wonderful time in Israel's history, was indeed a time of great rejoicing. For a long time David had been rejected, as we know, and haunted us all. But at last the time had come that David was to have his rightful place. He was to be honored. He was to be acknowledged as God's king, king over all Israel. And so we've had in our chapter in Hebrews 2, we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels.
Suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. And although he hasn't taken his place publicly as it's been brought before us now, how wonderful that you and I can and do seek by grace to give him the place of honor that's due to him. And that's the reason we've been here, just as those in our chapter. And they were there three days, eating and drinking for their brethren had prepared for them what was their purpose in being together. Well, it was to give David his rightful place to honor him.
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And I think we can say in some little measure, this has been our desire, this has been what we have sought to do.
Emmys 3 days together hasn't been to have any man before us, but to exalt the one who we're reminded is only alone worthy of exaltation. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, and what a joy has been to us to seek to give him that place.
We've been thankful too, for those that we read up here, men of understanding and those who had a perfect heart and could keep rank, those who sought by the grace of God to bring these precious things before us. But I believe there's also a warning here, brethren. After all this wonderful, happy occasion, we find that David, perhaps overjoyed by all the happiness of this wonderful time, he forgets to ask the Lord.
And he turns to his brethren. He consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader, and said, now I have it in my heart to bring up the ark of God. Would this be the thing to do? And so they decided to do it as the Philistines had done it. He made a new, new cart, and the ark was placed upon that new cart that he had made. And they sought to bring up the ark in man's way.
They didn't turn to the Lord and seek His Word for it, and they consulted with captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader. And now perhaps after this very, very happy time together, we might fail to turn to the Word of God for direction for our pathway. We are very thankful for all the help and instruction that God has given us from His precious Word from the ministry in these meetings. But brethren, let me say again how important.
And that the word of God should be our guy. How important that we should turn.
And we think, well, it was such a happy occasion, and they were all there and giving David his place. But at so soon afterwards the Word of God was not consulted. And they followed a pattern that had actually been set by the Philistines, their enemies. And how easy it is for us, without perhaps realizing it, to follow thoughts and ideas from this world instead of from the Word of God.
Well, they attempted to bring up the ark, as we know, and then the oxen stumbled, and ASA put forth his hand to steady the ark, and he was smitten. And so it tells us that the ark was carried into the House of Obed. Edom didn't actually get up on that occasion because they weren't bringing it up in God's appointed way. The oxen stumbled. This man put out his hand. What was wrong with this new cart?
Well, as we see later, God's plan was that the ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites. Perhaps we could say in this way that it was lifted high above the heads of these men, and surely as anyone was looking, instead of seeing two men driving a cart.
They just saw above all the crowd that Ark which represented the Lord Jesus, for the Ark was the meeting place between God and His people. Man's way was to exalt 2 men, to bring this our cup and to make much of this new cart that had been made, and God was not pleased with that.
And rather than anything that gives man a place that belongs to the Lord, is but to rob him.
Of that blessed place of which he alone is worthy. But now there's something very interesting and instructive here, that when this happened, we know that David was displeased and afraid. But it says in this 14th verse of the 13th chapter. And the ark of God remained with the family of Oban Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the House of Obed Edom and all that he had. Why does the Spirit of God mention this? Well, I think there's something to encourage us in this.
Perhaps there have been some mistakes made in things that we do, perhaps mistakes made that have upset some, and we might be cast down and sad. But here we find something very lovely. The ark of God was brought into the House of this man, and he received a special blessing. And rather than the failures of God's people don't need to, as the world says, get us down, the failures of God's people should but cast this afresh upon the Lord.
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They're humbling indeed, and the sorrows that come in among the people of God are surely most humbling, and it makes us bow our heads in shame as we see how we have failed to answer to the Lorde claims. But all, let's not give up because of the failures of the people of God. Here was a man.
And because the ark had been brought up in this way, the wrong way, and because the oxen had stumbled in US, had put forth his hand, we see here was a man that got a blessing from that. And why? Well, if there was failure collectively, he wasn't going to allow his own heart to be robbed of his portions. All, brother, this is sweet. This is what we need. Are there things to discourage you? Perhaps in the assembly, perhaps there are things that cast you down. You say, why was this done in such a way?
The Lord can actually turn it into a blessing. He can actually cause you to seek the Lord and to get a blessing out of the very sorrows and trials that come in among the people of God. I was just enjoying today noticing how that when the people fell into the worship of the golden calf and Moses took the ark and pitched it, a fox took the the Tabernacle rather and pitched it outside the camp a far off from the camp.
Now then, it tells us that after this the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend. The failure of the people of God collectively cast Moses afresh upon the Lord, and he had an experience that he wouldn't have had otherwise.
Oh, brethren, may the Lord grant that these trials that do come in may drive us afresh into His presence. And He can bless us. He wants to bless us. It's the Father's joy to bless, and He delights in the blessing of His people. Well, now in the next chapter.
The reason I read these two verses is because the Philistines now came up against Israel. Now, whenever there's failure among the people of God, the Philistines are always busy. They're always ready, willing to make an attack. And just when we're down, when we're discouraged and saw the Philistines make an attack and David inquired of the Lord. And so I believe perhaps we could say we have two things, the reading of the Word and prayer.
He should have turned to the Word in the 1St place, and we'll see he did in the next chapter. But in the meantime, we have prayer brought before us. And so when the Philistines attack David, instead of getting occupied with the failure of God's people, he inquired of the Lord. He inquired of him, Is it your custom and mine to turn to the Lord, to inquire of him, as David said, to behold one thing of my desired of the Lord that will I seek after.
That I may behold the beauty of the Lord, That I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. And so here we find that David, in spite of the failure, and yeah, his own failure too, for all part of it, brethren, let's not say somebody else failed. We're all part of the common failure of the people of God. And so David inquired of the Lord.
Well, the first signs attacked the second time. Now Philistines will never give up. They always know. They're a picture to us in the Scripture of the enemy's power from within. They attacked the second time and David didn't say, well, now we know how to handle them. We've handled that situation in a certain way last time. We don't need to ask the Lord now. We've got a precedent. We just do the same thing again. Oh no, He inquired the Lord the second time, and the Lord told him a different way the second time.
And the situation might have looked the same, but there were some differences about it that he didn't perceive. But the Lord knew. And so when he inquired, the Lord told him how to handle a second situation. And there are situations that arise where it's a question of discernment. And the Lord alone can give that discernment. He only can give us to see how that which is behind the workings of the enemy. And so there was discernment given to David and.
The Lord undertook for them and delivered them the second time. And now when we come to the 15th chapter.
01:15:04
We find that David didn't go and ask the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader.
David do on this occasion, No, this is very lovely. I believe the second verse. Then David said, none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and a minister unto him forever. Where did David find this out? He had before asked the captains of thousands and hundreds, and every leader, and they seemed agreed, agreed in a wrong course.
But when he simply turned to the Word of God, here was the plain and clear instruction of God. God had said long ago how the ark was to be carried, and so the ark was to be carried upon the shoulders of the Levites. As I said, far above the head of man and Heather, our glories connected with the person of Christ. There are wonders associated with His work that are beyond human comprehension.
He is above all these poor minds of ours, and we're to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
We are not told who the man were that carried the ark. There were a number of men mentioned here, but we're not told. We're just told that the Lord helped the Levites that carried the ark. Oh, isn't this lovely? God doesn't attract attention to man. He may use man, He may use you, He may use me. It's a privilege to be used, but none of us should be occupied with our own importance just to lie at His feet ready to be used of Him. He wants empty vessels. So the names of the men that had drove the Carter mentioned, but.
As a one of the one of the men.
Who drove the car had to be smitten, and because he was in too prominent a place. But all how different here the Lord helped them. They carried the ark. It was brought up to the place where God would have it to be brought from the House of Obed Edom, right up to Jerusalem, and placed in the tent that had been prepared for it. And now how David could rejoice, how he could thank God for this.
And so I was just thinking of what we have in the first part of this 16th chapter. So they brought the ark of God and said it in the midst of the 10th that David had pitched for it. And they burnt sacrifices, and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings.
What is the burnt sacrifice speak of? Oh, it's what the work of Christ is to God.
What does the peace offering speak of? Well, it could be called the communion offering. Isn't it grand to be occupied with what the work of Christ is to the heart of God? To be occupied with Him, not with ourselves, and to present in worship that which is so acceptable, so pleasing to Him? And then our own souls it was. It was brought before us to be able to rest in peace, to be able to enjoy in peace and communion with Him.
His thoughts not ours. So we have a very happy gathering. We see the danger of man being before us, but we see the blessedness when there is prayer, when there is the reading of the Word, when there is the following of that word in obedience. And now what a scene of blessing we get. And so it tells us here in the second verse. And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people.
In the name of the Lord. And he dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone, a loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine. Oh brethren, how lovely for this occasion, if they had just gone away and thought only as a fellowship that we read about back there in the 12Th chapter, why they they would have, and they did.
Rely upon man, but after they had learned these precious lessons that are set before us in these intervening chapters. Now we come to a very lovely occasion. They leave and David now gives to everyone a portion and rather than these meetings are coming to an end. We're soon going to have to leave and go to our various homes and the Lord wants us to carry home a portion. He doesn't just want us to say, well, it was nice to look into the faces of our brethren and you enjoy fellowship.
01:20:01
And we had some good teaching and we had some nice portions. He wants to teach us, brethren, are those things that we can still carry with us? We can still have his word, we can still walk in dependence upon Him and we can carry. And it says here both man and woman. It's not very often that this is mentioned particularly in the Scripture. It quite often mentions men, but it's a, it's a special occasion when it mentions man and women.
And so how lovely here there are brothers, here there are sisters, here there are young boys and young girls, and there's a portion for each one to carry home. We're going back to our homes. Are we going to receive from the hand of the true day of the Lord Jesus Aloha of bread?
A good piece of flesh doesn't say just a piece of flesh, but a good piece of flesh that is. The loaf of bread perhaps springs before us, the Lord Jesus.
As the bread of life, the piece of flesh means that we can have an enjoyment of even deeper truths. There is what the Scripture speaks of has strong meat belongs to them who are of full age, even to those who by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
And then there was the flagging of wine. There's that joy which the Lord gives in the heart and that we can go. And that verse in Nehemiah is so precious. The joy of the Lord is your strength. It's often been commented, but perhaps it's worth repeating, that it's not our joy in the Lord. It's his joy and his people that is brought before us. I think when we missed that, why? And we missed a great deal because.
We might say, well, my joy is often down, but it's his joy and his people, brethren, that's the important thing. And I've often used a very simple illustration, pardon my repeating it, but it helps to understand perhaps what it is when it says the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Opposing that, you're invited over to a friend's house for the evening, and it turns out to be a very stormy evening.
And you say, oh, it's such a bad evening, let's not go. Let's just tell them that we can't go this evening. It's in a bad evening. And then the phone rings, your friends on the line. And he says, oh, are you going to come over tonight? We're really looking forward to it. We planned on it. It'll give us great pleasure if you come over. Please come. Something happens to you. You get a fresh surge of strength. You get, as it were, as the world would say, a shot in the arm. And you feel all new at once. And you feel all we must go.
They want to have us. We must go. And so you get that new surge of strength, brethren. That's what keeps us going on. The Lord wants us. The Lord wants us around himself. He wants us to enjoy the portion that we have in Him, and He wants to deal to each one of us as we leave these meetings.
Piece of bread, a good piece of flesh, And not just a little cup of wine, a flagon of wine.
A good share of it. He wants us to go away rejoicing in our portion from His hand.
Divine, all praise and selling joy of heaven to earth and down Bless us with our riches flowing, all thy faithful mercy sprout, Savior Thee we'd still be blessing.
Certainly here as soon above.
Praise the Savior without ceasing glory and thy dying love.
296.
One divine operation.
Down.
Wrap down the square one of my breath.
Having an Intelligent Outlook
YP Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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309.
Jesus, before thy face we fall, our Lord, our life, our hope, our all. For we have nowhere else to flee. No sanctuary, Lord, but the 309.
Before the.
I'd like to turn first of all to Jeremiah Chapter 9.
Jeremiah, Chapter 9.
And verse 23.
Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom.
Neither let the mighty man glory in his might, but let the rich man, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glory of glory in this, that he understandeth the north me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, saith the Lord. And now the next chapter, the 10th chapter in the 23rd verse.
Oh Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Oh Lord, correct me, but with judgment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
00:05:06
Would you turn with me also to First Timothy chapter 3?
And verse 15.
But if I carry long, that thou mayest know how thou Artest to behave thyself in the House of God.
Which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground or base of the truth, and without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene of angels, preached under the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
And now would you also turn with me to Philippians?
Philippians, I'd like to read a verse in each chapter in the first chapter of.
Philippians and the 20th verse.
According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is game. And then the second chapter.
And the fifth verse.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Then in the third chapter.
And the 13th verse, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth under those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Now the 4th chapter and the 13th verse. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.
Well, it's a privilege, dear young people, to be here and to look into your faces this afternoon. And if the Lord leaves us here, how many important decisions are made in youth? I believe the most important decisions of life are made in youth, and often those things that mold our whole life are decided by at least the age of 25. And so how important it is and that we should have right direction for our pathways.
As the world increases in its confusion, we hear about guidance teachers.
We hear about people going and consulting about all kinds of questions in business, marriage, all sorts of things. But isn't it a blessed thing that God has given us the light and wisdom of his precious Word, and He has also given us the person whose very name is Wisdom?
For it tells us in Corinthians, and that ye are in him who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. And so it was on my heart this afternoon to speak of the importance of walking in the truth and with a right of purpose and object in our walk. You know there are many dear young Christians, and I'm sure that many of you have met them at school.
You met them in the place where you work and it's lovely to see their energy and desire for the Lord.
They really have the Lord before them. But as you talk to them, you find that there are so many things about God's Word and that they haven't been made clear about. And they have a person before them, but they haven't yet been guided, directed by the light and wisdom of His Word.
And then perhaps you talk to some of the young people in the meeting and you find out that they know a great deal more of the truth, but still they don't seem to have the person of Christ before them. And isn't it often so that we in this way become one sided? Was mentioned last night.
How in governmental circles they talk about a rightist and a leftist. And so it is in spiritual things. God speaks about the kings in the Old Testament, and he says about those who went on to please him. They turn not to the right hand or to the left. It's quite possible to be so taken up with having the Lord before you that you don't stop to listen to the directions that He gives in His Word.
00:10:18
And so you're seeking to please the Lord, perhaps, but you haven't listened to the instructions in His Word about how you can please Him.
Or perhaps, as I say, on the other hand, you sat in the meetings, you have heard the truth ministered, you've read some very good and helpful books, and so it would could be said that you're quite well instructed in the fundamental things of Christianity. But somehow there seems to be lacking the enjoyment of the person that blessed One who ought to fill each one of our hearts to overflowing. He can't. The heaven and the heaven of heavens can contain him.
And surely He can fill our little hearts and fill them to overflowing. But perhaps that lack is in your life, as I often feel it is in mine. Well, that's why I had on my heart this afternoon with the Lords help to try and bring these two things together. And that is the importance of truth and the importance of a right purpose and object in our lives to give up one or the other.
That would make us extremists in One Direction or the other. And so I want to say as I begin here.
And that it's a very blessed thing to be brought up under the sound of God's word, to be brought up under the sound of the truth of God, to have within your reach and the precious ministry of many who have gone before, who have instructed us in the things of God.
But because sometimes we don't see the spiritual energy that we'd like to see either in ourselves or others, then we get a distracted we seek perhaps a wider path. But I believe that God has marked a path through this world for us.
And there is no reason why you and I cannot go on in the truth and also walk with the person before us.
You know we'll have to leave the path of the truth to have Christ before you because.
That would be to turn your back upon His revealed mind and the instruction that He has given us.
In his word.
And so here in Jeremiah Chapter 9, the Lord is speaking through Jeremiah and he says, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. No, there there are some young people amongst us and they have singular ability. Now they're very clever. But you know, there's a danger of us using this ability in order to get along in this world.
We find it's the habit of the world and of the enemy of our souls to always try and pick the best for themselves. The king of Syria came to the king of Israel and said your children, even their even the goodliest, are mine.
He claimed the very best of the people of God to be in his court, and to add to his importance, we find too when.
The children were carried down into captivity, Daniel and Shadrach, and Meshach and Abednego.
Now that king Nebuchadnezzar chose them because they were the best, the most clever, the ones who had poise ability to stand before the king. So he chose them to give them a good education and promote them high in the province of Babylon. But in the in the in the second case, we find that there was a purpose of heart and a disability that God had given to them would not be used just to increase the importance of Babylon, but it would be used to be a witness for the Lord in Babylon.
Better that was. And so if God has given to anyone a little more ability than another, it was brought to us yesterday. What hast thou that thou hast not received? Whatever we have, it's not our own. We're bought with a price. We belong to the Lord. He has paid a tremendous price, more than we could ever measure, to make us His very own. And then it says, let not the mighty man.
Glory in his might. Maybe there are some young people and there are here.
They're real really strong physically all they can do all kinds of feats at school and they can run, they can play and they they really have exceptional physical ability.
00:15:08
Well, how nice it is to see those who have a body that is affirmative God for endurance use that for the Lord not to get along in this world, but to use what He has given us for Him.
And then it says, let not the rich man glory in his that not the rich man glory in his riches. Perhaps God has blessed you with a little more how the material means of this world and another. Well, it's not your own. The Scripture speaks of material things as being another man's. They don't really belong to us. What really belongs to us is the unsearchable riches of Christ.
But whatever material things we have, we are only stewards. They don't really belong to us. So why should we glory If we did happen to have a little more ability, a little more physical strength, a little more of the material things of this world, it's nothing to glory in it but increases our responsibility because we have received it from the Lord. But now it says here's something to glory in.
But let him that glorious glory in this that he understandeth.
And N me all that is the most wonderful thing in this whole wide world.
Not that you have been able to master things in this material world or make progress in this material world that may make you great in the eyes of your fellow man, but all. What a wonderful thing He understandeth and knoweth me. Oh, and dear young people, God has revealed himself. He has made himself known, and He has made himself known so that we might be able to know what is in his heart.
And then He has given us eternal life so that we can share His thoughts.
For eternal life is not merely the endurance or length of time that we will exist, because even the unsaved will exist eternally. But when it speaks of eternal life, it's explained to us in John 17. It says this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, That is, by new birth, God has given us a life by which we can enter into and enjoy his thoughts.
We can haul communion with the very one in whom we live and move and have our being.
I don't know of anything more wonderful than this. I have mentioned this little incident before, but it rather struck me and there were a couple of men and they were crossing the ocean on a ship and the two of them were standing on the side of the ship looking at a beautiful sunset. One was a believer and the other was an unbeliever. The unbeliever turned to the Christian and he said, he said, do you know of anything more wonderful than this, the sunset at sea?
It's so beautiful, yes, said the Christian. I know of something more wonderful. I know the God who made all those things. I know God is my father. I know the Lord Jesus as my Savior. Ah, that's far more wonderful. If you could be a clever scientist and master many of the things that men are now finding out in connection with this world which God has created, that wouldn't be half as wonderful as knowing the person himself.
If you had a personal acquaintance will say in his lifetime with Einstein, wouldn't you be very pleased to tell your friends, oh, I've not only heard about the wonderful inventions and discovery of that man, but he's a personal friend of mine.
Oh, how wonderful. It says Abraham was called a friend of God. Oh dear young people, you have a tremendous heritage if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you know the creator of the universe, and you can speak to him as one who loves you, one who's interested in the smallest detail of your life. For in him we live and move and have our being. You haven't a friend on earth. Whoever counted all your hairs?
But the one that we're talking about has counted your hairs. He knows the very number of the hairs of our head. Not even a Sparrow falls to the ground without his notice. And he says, Let him that glorious glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.
00:20:05
Yes, people have various ideas of God. They have ideas of their own.
Out their own minds and they will tell you, well, I think God is this. I think God is a God of love. I don't think he would cast anybody into hell. And they'll tell you all kinds of things that they think about God, but they really don't know him. They think they do, but they really don't. Because the only way that we can really know him is through the revelation that God has given of himself, that God hasn't left us.
To find him by our own searching, it says in Job can stop by searching find out God.
Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? Do you think that you can by any kind of searching, find out God? Well, you just have to look on the confusion of this world and find out whether it's possible. Just think of all the different religions. If I think of all the wise men in this world, have they found out God? No, the only way that you can move God is through His Word, and God has been pleased to reveal Himself through His word.
He has been pleased to make himself known as a God of light, as a God of love, as a God who, as the scripture says, humbles himself to behold the small things of our lives, who talks to us of the most intimate things in our whole life. There isn't a thing.
It tells us in the 139th Psalm that before I was even born and that God saw my substance yet being unperfect. And in His book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. Isn't that marvelous? Before I was ever born, God was taking notice how the very members of my body and then He gave me breath, and in my lifetime He tells me that there isn't a single thing associated with my family life.
My life among my brethren, my life in the world, my clothes, my hair, everything.
He's concerned about every single thing, and if there's a person says something that's a little unkind, he knows all about that. And he is one who enters into and sympathizes with us in our whole pathway, as we have been having in our reading. And in order to have our company and to be a faithful and merciful high priest, he's gone up there and he's a man in the glory, and he'll remain a man forever.
Oh surely, dear young people, we have something worthwhile. We have something that we ought to hold is the most marvelous heritage possible, and that God has made himself known not as one who is so far away that we really can't know too much about him.
But he has come down in the person of Christ and walked this world through in this world.
As our brother read to us, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.
Perhaps if I could put that verse very simply, it's like this God knew that men had wrong thoughts about him, and so he sent his son down into this world and he said, now they'll see in a man what is really in my heart toward them. And there was one in this world. For to be reconciled means to be before a person having.
No, nothing between and. So here we find the Lord Jesus walked through this world.
You want to know his sympathies? He wept at the grave of Lazarus. Do you want to know? Do you want to know how he felt toward a blind man? He stood still in a big crowd of people when a blind man cried out. Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy upon me.
He went to a home and there was one sister that was worried because she was having a little much too much to do.
And he talked to her and explained to her that she was too much occupied with things that were not as important as others. Oh, this is this is God revealed in Christ. That was what God really was. And yet at the end of that blessed pathway, what did the world say?
Well, it's a song thing to think of it, but I believe that is what is brought before us in the end of the 15th of John. It's just as if the world at the end of his life said, well, if that's what God is like, we don't want him. We don't want him for in the end of the 15th of John, it says as they have seen and hated both me and my father. Oh what a picture of the heart of man. And yet God didn't give up. If I one can speak reverently.
00:25:12
The blessed Savior went into death and went for that we might be reconciled. We refused to be reconciled by His perfect life of love and grace and kindness. And so he went into death, and he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. And now he's beseeching men to have right thoughts about Him, to be reconciled to God. And so I say again, what a privilege is yours, dear young people, if you know the Lord is your Savior.
You have the most wonderful heritage that any person could have upon the face of the earth. He understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. And for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Yes, I've often made this comment. The Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what's going on in the world. Do you think the wise men of this world do will read the editorial columns in the newspapers?
And you'll find that the wisest man have suggestions, but they have no solution. They just don't know what to do. As the Lord Jesus said. Men's hearts failing them for fear, distress of nations with perplexity. How can the Christian face it all so calmly? Is it because he just closes his eyes to what's going on? Oh no, God has called us his friends. The Lord Jesus said, I've not called you servants. I've called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father.
I've made known unto you. And so, because we're his friends, he, as it were, brushes aside the curtain and says, now I'm going to tell you what's going on in the world. You don't need to be confused like the rest of people. I'll tell you what's going on in the world and I'll tell you where things are heading. And you just watch the events take place. You watch the leaders move into their place. You watch things happen. And you'll see that I knew it all beforehand.
Known unto God are all his works from eternity. And so the Christian, as the little hymn says, through scenes of strife and desert life, we tread in peace our way. Oh, what a privilege then is ours. How we should value this precious revelation of God. That's the most up to date book in the world. It's far ahead of the daily newspaper. It's far ahead of the things that are coming off the press.
In this very day, because God only knows the future and knows it with unearning accuracy. And so how blessed we are. I'd just like to make a little mention here about sin. You know, there's a confused idea that many people have about sin, and especially in this day when the devil is seeking to blind people as to what sin is before God.
Because sin is the basic cause of all the trouble in this world, and nothing could be a more clever plan of Satan than to hide from man what sin really is. And so probably many of you young people have heard the expression Well, sin is just relative.
It's only what you've been taught, and if you've been taught one way, then you look on a thing as a sin. If you've been taught another way, you don't look upon it as a sin. Well, God gives us a clear definition of what sin is. Sin is lawlessness. It's the exercise of my own will and independence of God. It's just doing what I like without any reference to my Creator. As it says, the plowing of the wicked is sin.
The ploughing of the wicked is sin.
Pardon a little illustration that will help you perhaps to understand that verse.
Because a man might easily say, well I don't see anything wrong in plowing. Why does it say that? That's sin.
Well, supposing you were a farmer and you waken up one morning and you look out in your field and there's a man and he's plowing in your field. Well, you say to your wife, I wonder what that man's doing out there in my field. So you go out and speak to him and he, he's running the cloud in the field. And you say to him, Sir, what are you doing? Oh, he says, I didn't know there was anything wrong with plowing. Tell me, what's wrong with plowing?
Well, you say it's my field. You didn't speak to me. You didn't recognize my rights over that field at all. That's what's wrong. That's what's wrong. Well, he said I could get another instrument instead of a plow. Perhaps I could get a rake. Would that make any difference? No, he said. And you say that's not the point. You wouldn't recognize any responsibility to me. And now, dear young people, when you live your life with no reference to God.
00:30:28
No sense of responsibility to God. That is sin. That is sin. Sin is lawlessness. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Can people sometimes say, is that a sin? If you have no reference to God in your life, if you haven't consulted Him about where you should go tonight and how you should act tonight, then I'm not going to ask you what you're going to do. But I say you know sin, that you didn't recognize your responsibility to Him.
You have a responsibility to God. Now, there are some things in His Word that He has made very clear, and I'd like to just give a couple of little instances in the Word about this, first of all.
When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, he gave them a command. He told them that there was one tree and that they were not to eat out, and they eat of that tree. That was sin. That was an act of positive disobedience to God.
But I want you to notice that after they had taken of that tree, the strange thing is that what caused them to hide from God was something else. Did you ever notice that? And when the Lord came down and walked in the garden and called Adam, what did Adam say? Adam said I hid because I was naked. God hadn't said anything about that. God never told him that that was wrong.
He told them that it was wrong to take that tree, but why did they feel ashamed that they were naked? That's the first instance of conscience in the Bible. There they knew that they had done something wrong and they had a conscience. And God has seen to it that every man has a conscience, even if he has never heard God's commands. Every person in this world has a conscience. Now, conscience will never tell you how great a Sinner you are.
It might be illustrated like this, supposing that you had a perfect vision, perfect vision, and you're in a dark room. Well, your eyes are all right, but you don't see very much because the room is dark. Nothing wrong with your eyes, but the room is dark. You maybe see a few things. Some of the things that are in the room, you're not just sure what they are because the room is so dim, but you know there's something in the room.
Well, that's like conscience without the word of God. Man knows he's a Sinner, but all of a sudden somebody switches on the light. Everything shows up and God's word illuminates conscience. God's word makes a man feel uncomfortable. And so why do people say, oh, I don't believe the Bible? Well, it's just like turning on the light and it makes them feel pretty uncomfortable. So you see, there are instances where there's a definite.
Going against the word of God, that's disobedience, it's transgression. Then there is the sin against conscience. But now just another little word for those who are Christians. Daniel, as we mentioned a few moments ago, was in Babylon. He was going to school in Babylon and the king prescribed that they should have certain meat and drink wine at the at the meal table cafeteria, if you like to call it.
They evidently had their meals together, and so that they were all provided with the meat that the king gave and the wine which he drank. Now you see, the word of God had condemned certain meats to an Israelite, and so he could say, no, I can't take those meats. They are forbidden of God.
But what about the wine which he drank? There was number express command to an Israelite that he was not to drink wine. Now I believe this brings in something else. Here were here was Daniel and his three friends in the court of in the school in Babylon and and now who do they want to please? Who do they want to please and they discerned in communion with the Lord.
00:35:00
Without a direct command that this was something that would not be pleasing to their Lord, something that would be a hindrance to their testimony as those who wanted to please the Lord. Now dear young people, I say this to you. Perhaps you say, well, show me a verse that that's wrong. Well, some. There are some things you can show a verse, but there are also other things and that if you really want to please the Lord, He'll show you.
He'll show you. He showed Daniel and his three friends, and nobody said you've got to do this or got to do that. But inside their heart was a desire to please the Lord. And so when this situation arose, they acted faithfully, they acted firmly, and they recognized that that thing under those circumstances, in that position was wrong. And the Lord will guide you if you want to please Him. And there may be things in life.
Where you will have to be near enough to the Lord to discern his mind. That's why I say with young people.
We like to leave room for growth. We like to see them go on in the things of God and maybe there's something that you don't see anything wrong with today.
But if you seek to go on and walk with the Lord in time while He's going to show you that that thing is a hindrance to you living to please Him.
It's a hindrance to your testimony and the Lord will give you grace them to give up that thing.
Well, how wonderful to know that if there's anyone here that's not saved, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin, whatever your sin may be. And surely when we think of what sin really is before God, what countless sins, how many things have we done to please ourselves? Oh, you say, I just have a few sins.
Well, I could ask myself, how many things have I done to please myself? I dare not say to you that I just have a few sins. I have to recognize in his presence now that it's one disgrace. I'm a 500 pence debtor and he's frankly forgiven me and he'll do the same for you. He's a wonderful savior. I commend them to anyone here who doesn't know him. He wants to be your savior today. But now we read also in First Timothy chapter 3.
And the 15th verse. But if I tarry long, that thou mightest know how the oddest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. Here we find.
The responsibility of the Christian in the House of God. Now I might say here.
That the House of God here doesn't refer to a physical building. It's not how you behave in a certain building which men term a church, which men might turn the House of God.
The House of God is that place on earth that is in the place of the profession of Christianity.
And so it's important that we should know, commit all the confusion that we see and that which bears the name of Christ. Is there a conduct that God has given to us in his word that is becoming Yes, I believe there is. Here it is that we might know how to behave ourselves in the House of God. And if we read God's precious word, if we acquaint ourselves with a revelation that God has given in his word.
Then we will know how we ought to behave ourselves as those who bear the name of Christ, who are in the place, in the ranks of Christian profession.
And then it goes on to say, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. I just like to speak a little of this last part of the verse. The Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. Now the church doesn't teach the word of God is what teaches. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, But the church is responsible to be the support of the truth.
To be that which maintains and stands for the truth of God. And that is the purpose of the Bible readings that we have been having here.
Now, that is, if we profess to be gathered according to the mind of God, then.
We are responsible to maintain the whole truth of God. You may know of many places where you could go in the city of Toledo, and you know that there are some very sincere Christians. But perhaps when you go there, you know that the speaker who is there may perhaps teach that you could be saved and lost again. He might deny the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus. He might say that Christ could sin, but did not sin.
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Well, could you recognize that as being the support of the truth, where those things that are so vital to the person and the work of Christ are not maintained? Oh, brethren, surely this is very humbling to us because you say, oh, but they're nice Christians and they have the Lord before them, and thank God for that. What to God that some of us who knew the truth were more occupied with the Lord Jesus?
But this is no reason whatsoever to give up the truth of God. This is no reason to go and identify ourselves with a very vivacious and happy company of Christians who are not standing for the whole truth of God. God's assembly is responsible to be the base and support of the truth of God. And if in this meeting there is anything that is said or in the Bible reading, that is not according to the truth of God.
I hope that it will be corrected. The important thing is now that we have no right to handle a word of God deceitfully. We have no right to set aside any part of it. We have no right to say, well, we'll agree to disagree. We must stand for the truth of God. Now, of course, there may be little things that affect our personal walk that, as we mentioned before, are a question of personal growth in our souls.
When we speak of that which is the foundation, that which has to do with the person and the work of Christ, brethren, it's so important that we stand for the whole truth of God.
And in these days of testing, in these days when the enemy is so busy, May God grant that you, dear young people who are being brought up in the meeting, may value the Christian heritage that God has given to you and that you should be able to sit under the sound of the Word.
Where the truth of God is given out. Where the person and work of Christ are maintained.
And I'm thankful to say as I hear, I just heard this, I heard a short time ago about a man, a very important man, who taught that the Lord Jesus Christ could sin. And then I was amazed just about a week ago to hear about another man, very, very active among Christian young people, his works being read by Christian young people. And he made a public statement that the Lord Jesus Christ could sin.
Oh, brethren, May God in His grace keep us walking in the truth of God. They give us to value and walk in that which God is made known to us. And so the assembly, God's assembly is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is that which is responsible to support the truth. All you say, there's so much weakness, though. The meetings are so small. There's bickerings, there's little things.
Are the enemies at work the enemies at work? I must tell you a little incident, if you'll pardon a personal reference about my dear Father. He was asked to go up to Quebec City in Canada some years ago to visit a little company of Christians who had come out from the systems and who were, who are meeting simply in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so he made the trip up there and.
When he met this little company.
One of the brothers said to him, he said, well, we've just come out from the churches, but we don't want to have anything to do with those known as brethren because they have so many divisions, so many troubles. We don't want to be identified with them. Well, I thought the Lord gave my father wisdom about how to answer him.
Said, well, I just like to ask you one question. Why did you leave? The church is where you are.
Well, we didn't think we could go along with some of the things that were contrary to the word of God.
And that's why we left. And he said, now you've just gathered together as a group of little Chris of Christians here, a little company, and you're meeting in the name of Christ alone. He said, do you think the devil's going to look on this little company here in Quebec City and say no, those Christians are so happy and they're so desirous to please the Lord, I'll just leave them alone. I won't bother them at all. I'll just let them go on happily together.
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Well, he hung his head. He said. No, I suppose he won't.
And he said, when trouble comes in among you, what are you going to do?
Well, he said, I suppose we'll have to stand for the truth. And brethren, so it is. The enemy will never leave that little company alone. He'll do his best to bring in personal bickerings. He'll do his best to bring in distractions. He'll do his best to bring in anything and everything to rob us of the precious truth of God and to rob us of that precious harmony.
One with another. So isn't this next verse lovely if the 15th verse brings before us?
The responsibility of the assembly as being the pillar and base of the truth. Isn't this 16th 1St lovely because this brings before us a person, a person and without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene of angels, preached under the under the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. What is the secret of godliness?
Oh, it's the Lord Jesus Himself in His blessed pathway here through this world. It's a person you know. I'm sure we all recall the instance in the 6th chapter of John when the Lord spoke faithfully. He said is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh, profit is nothing. And many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Then the Lord turned to the 12.
And he said, Will ye also go away? And Peter, who had a person before him, made this remark. He said, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe in our assure that thou art the Christ.
And the Lord's answer must have surprised you. It surprised me. I meditated on it for some time.
I thought the answer was very, shall I say, surprising? The Lord said to Peter in response. Have not I chosen you 12 and one of you is a devil? Why did the Lord make an answer? Why didn't he say, Peter, that's lovely, I see you're here because I'm here. Why did the Lord answer him in that way? Well, I think of it like this. It's just as if the Lord said, well, Peter, if you're here because I'm here, then don't look at the crowd.
There's another disappointment ahead and brethren, it's important for us. Let's not have our eyes upon the crowd. There's only one. The mystery means secret here. There's only one person who is the secret of godliness and his blessed pathway as we have been having in our reading gives us the secret of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, as we remarked here was one in this world who perfectly.
Revealed God. He was God manifest in the flesh. He was justified in the Spirit.
The Spirit of God came down at his baptism and marked him out. You say I've been misunderstood, I've been falsely accused. Things have been said about me that are not true. The Spirit of God never falsely accused you.
The Spirit of God never falsely accused you. He knows everything. The Lord Jesus was falsely accused, but he was justified in the Spirit. The Spirit of God came down and said, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And if the Spirit of God falsely accuses you, then I say you would have a reason to leave the meeting. That could never be though, could it? And so isn't this lovely? The secret of godliness is.
Here was 1 manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit.
Scene of angels. The angels looked down and saw their Creator as a man here in this world.
And the angels are looking down. They're looking down to see the wonders of God's ways in the church. They look down to notice whether a sister has a covering upon her head. Have they noticed things in our lives too?
And so there is in the Word of God that which is, as Paul said, were made a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men preached under the Gentiles. I think this is lovely too, because when the Lord Jesus was rejected by the nation, what did he do while his grace reached out beyond the nation to the Gentiles? Did somebody hurt you? Somebody did something unkind and mean and you said.
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I'll never try to do anything again. That's all the thanks I got. What happened when the Lord Jesus was rejected by the nation?
Well, he just went on, and if those people wouldn't have him, the branches grew over the wall. Blessing reached out to the Gentile, and in his blessed path, where we find the blessing of the Sarah Phoenician woman, we find His grace reaching beyond the limits of Israel. Oh dear young people, if somebody's hurt you and said something, don't give up. That's just what the devil wants you to do, just exactly what he wants you to do. Some perhaps, and perhaps an older brother or sister for always hurts a little more when we older ones say something unkind.
And you know when when this happens, it's very easy to say, well, I'm not going to come to the meeting anymore. Nobody cares how the Lord cares. Don't give up. Don't give up. The Lord allows that testing, but he loves you. He wants you to be his friend, his companion, and then believed on in the world that is, there were results. In spite of the fact that he was rejected, there were results and we'll meet those in glory.
Yes, there were results from the blessed work of that rejected 1.
Down here and God will see to it that if you go on for Him, there'll be results. They'll be manifested when maybe not here. He was received up in glory. They'll be manifested at the judgment seat of Christ. All dear young people, don't give up. Don't be discouraged. Don't think because somebody said something and hurt you and that this is a good reason. That's just what the enemy wants. Go on the assembly then we see is the pillar and base of the truth.
But the secret of godliness in the assembly is a person and having.
That person before you and you will never be sustained in the path. God is testing you and your youth. God is testing you when you're young because He knows that. If the young people go off, when I go to an assembly and I see that the young people have gone and they're just a few older ones, I must say it almost breaks my heart. I know there's just what the enemy wants. He just wants to see all the young people discouraged and gone.
But all what a word of encouragement here. God has made himself known. He has a testimony here upon earth and he has a person to set before our souls. Now I just want to read these verses that we looked at just very briefly in Philippians because.
Was my purpose to say a lot about these verses, but just to bring in a few thoughts.
Philippians chapter one.
And verse 20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether we it be by life or by death, or to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Now, my father used to have a little saying. Some of the older ones have heard him say it if we did any everything right.
Nothing would be right unless the motor was right. And now that's why I read Philippians, because I could spend time here to trying to correct a lot of outward things. I could spend time here talking to you about things important in their place that have to do with outward things. But I want to talk to you now about the moral springs of your life. What is your purpose and mine in life?
Here was Paul's, he said. My earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing.
I shall be ashamed that is, he wanted to live in such a way that his blessed Savior would approve of the way he was living his life at the Mall of Springs that controlled his life would not be self, would not be what other people said and thought and did.
But that Christ would be the one whom he could speak of as.
His life he is our life in the absolute sense, but in a practical way that he might be our life is a little hymn says not we may live while here below, but Christ our life shall be. Is that your earnest expectation and your hope is this what you and I are living for now that our lives might be for him, that he might be the one who is the.
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Motive Spring of all our actions.
Why, as I say, you could get people to do things in an outward way and there be nothing for God in it at all when the Lord Jesus was here. They kept the Passover most scrupulously. They kept the Feast of Tabernacles most scrupulously. But it was the Feast of the Jews, Feast of the Passover. It was the Jews Feast of Tabernacles. And you could go on. And outward things that you could mold yourself in outward things.
But now I want to talk about the inward. The outward is important, and I'm not belittling it, but I'm speaking about the N word. Is Christ really the purpose of our lives? Are we really seeking to live in such a way that He would be magnified in our bodies? As another has said, we are a testimony and nothing else. That's all we are here in this world, a testimony of nothing else.
As it was read to us now then we are ambassadors for Christ. That is the important thing that we should live in this world as those who have Christ himself as our life and this manifesting itself in our pathway now in the second chapter.
We have him brought before us as our example and I haven't time to go into all the details of this chapter.
But many that are acquainted with the Epistle to the Philippians remember that there was something that burdened the heart of the apostle in Philippi.
And that is, there was envy and strife and vain glory, and there's nothing so chilling as when there is that sort of thing at work among the people of God. And what was the apostles reply in the midst of all this situation? Well, I don't believe there's any epistle that ministers Christ in such a lovely way as is brought before us in the epistle to the Philippians. Christ is our life. And now?
In this chapter Christ as our example, and it brings before us how the Lord.
Who was?
God himself to his God himself.
Came into this world and took the lost place and now this is the example God has given to us. And you say, well, I follow brother song, so I think he's a godly man. I follow sister so and so I think she's a very godly person. But you have the wrong example. You have the wrong example. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Whoever you set your mind upon, that person may fail.
And if you do, if that person fails, you're very likely to go down with them. But if you and I make Christ our example, what a perfect pattern? Could we have any more perfect pattern? Oh, don't make any other Christian your example. Imitate their faith, but only have one example, and that is the Lord Jesus. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus and now in the third chapter.
And the 13th verse, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Well, here when it talks about forgetting those things which are behind, it's not primarily Speaking of forgetting past failures.
In a sense, we should not forget past failures. Paul had to say to the Ephesians, Wherefore remember that she being in time past Gentiles in the flesh.
Paul never forgot that he once persecuted the Church of God and wasted it. But there's something we can afford to forget.
We can afford to forget that anything that we've done for the Lord in the past, if you lived yesterday for the Lord, you can forget about that because God has got the record down. So you can afford to forget about it because He won't. He won't forget about it. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love.
And the trouble with us is when we try to remember some of the good things that we've done.
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That's liable to make us proud and think that we're getting somewhere. So Paul said, he said I don't want to look back and make a kind of a report in my life and see how I'm getting along. I might get popped up if I thought I had lived for the Lord. I might think I was somebody. And dear young people, I'm not going to encourage you to look back on your life if you failed on it to the Lord. But don't look back to pat yourself on the back. You'll only spoil your.
Your object having the object before your soul.
Man was trying to break a path across a field of snow, and they realized he was making a very crooked path. So he set his eye on a tree on the other side and he started on. And then he thought, well, I must look back and see how I'm getting along. And there he saw this crooked path. And then when he had put his eye on the tree, he had done very well. And he started encouraging himself how well he was getting along. And then he realized he wasn't looking at the tree.
It was really looking at how he was getting along so quickly. Put his eye back on the tree and I went. But when he got to the other side of the field, he spoiled that nice path while he looked back to compliment himself on how well he was getting along. Hold on, look back, keep your eye on the Lord. If he's kept you to this day, thank him. But if you get your eye off him, you might make a little break in your path. Any of us could, doesn't matter who we are.
How may we have our eye upon Him? We have a right object for our hearts. We have His truth, but we need to have a person. As I said, there needs to be a right object, a right purpose in our lives. And then the last chapter in the 13th verse, I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. You might say all, but it's so difficult. You don't know what it's like in the place where I live, in the office where I work.
There's problems in the assembly. The Saints are not as happy as they used to be. There are no young people.
He asked. The Lord knows all about it. He knows all about it, everything. He's a merciful and faithful high priest, and He knows all about just exactly what you're trying to face. And when God wanted a man to write this verse, I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. He didn't choose a man who was enjoying good health and sitting in a nice parlor or in a nice study writing letters. I sit in a very comfortable study sometimes when I write letters.
But.
Seven Open Things
YP Address—D. Andersen
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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1972. Addressed by brother Dan Anderson.
May we turn together to Luke's gospel.
Chapter 24.
This comes at the end.
Of the gospel that Luke wrote.
But even though it's the last chapter.
It's not a small chapter. It's not a mean chapter.
There's really a lot of good things in this chapter, many, many things to meditate upon, and I'm sure we're not going to be able to meditate on everything in this chapter.
But I would like to.
Revolve my thoughts this afternoon.
Around the seven open things we find in this chapter, there might even be more.
I remember some years ago.
Speaking on this chapter, especially on the open things and I haven't seen the mall yet.
But up to this time, I see seven, and perhaps that's enough.
For this afternoon, I don't know if we'll get through them all. The Lord might come before we are finished, and we never know how the Spirit of God might lead as we're speaking.
So we just have to leave it in the Lord's hands.
And.
Thinking of this, I would suggest to you young men.
Who perhaps from time to time, get up to speak.
That you be very much independence upon the Lord to lead you by His Spirit.
And maybe when you get up to speak.
You don't know what to say.
But perhaps you feel the Lord would have you get up to speak.
And no doubt some of you have already experienced that when you do.
The Lord comes in and leads by his Spirit, and he gives you something to say.
Or how we need to be independent upon the Lord.
In the meeting, when we speak, whether it's in the reading meetings.
Or perhaps in an open meeting?
Or perhaps is in the gospel. Or when you get up on the street corner to speak.
Look to the law, Trust Him to guide you by His Spirit to give you word. Sometimes it may be short, sometimes it may be longer.
For all, how needful it is for us to be guided by the Spirit of God.
Luke Chapter 24 now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning.
They came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed there about, behold, 2 men stood by them in shining garments, And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them.
Why seek ye the living, or the living One among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men.
And be crucified, and a third day rise again. And they remembered His word, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the 11. And to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales. And at least but not.
Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre, and stooping down to beheld the linen clothes late by themselves, and departed, wandering in himself at that which was come to pass.
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Here we have the open sepulchre.
And what a wonderful thing that is to have the open sepulchre.
Now I don't believe that.
The stone was rolled away to let the Lord out.
But it seems that from the connection we have here in the third verse it says they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. It would seem to me that the stone was rolled away to allow them to look in to see that the Lord was not there.
And that must have had a tremendous impact upon them.
Because these women were coming.
With these spices.
To anoint his body.
But he wasn't there. He's gone, Risen.
As they were told, he's not here, he's risen.
Don't you remember? He told you, then they remembered.
The risen Savior. The resurrected Savior. What does it tell us?
It tells us not. The word the Lord Jesus came into this world to do was finished.
He'd been crucified.
He laid down his life. His sight had been pierced. The blood had been shed.
And he was buried.
He completed the work that God had sent him to do.
And God put the seal of approval upon that work by raising him from the dead. We read in the book of Romans. He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.
He had glorified God the Father.
Now he was raised by the glory of the Father.
Not only that.
Seated at God's right hand.
And how precious it's been for us to have that before us in our meetings, in the reading meetings.
That he's at God's right hand and there he's our intercessor.
Interceding forums.
And what a greeting he got.
When he went back.
He didn't get any greeting when he came into this world. He was rejected despite.
But after he finished his work, he went back to heaven.
And Jehovah said, Sit down with my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. What a welcome he got.
I believe that tells us of the welcome that we're going to get because now.
We have believed in Him, were associated with him, and were accepted in the beloved.
And we're going to get a welcome like that when we get to the glory.
Since they remembered his words.
Yes, they remember that he spoke about being raised again, rising from the dead.
But they seem to have forgotten.
But it had to be brought to their attention. We're just like that.
And even young people have to have things brought to their attention. And the older we get, the poorer our memory is, and we have to have things brought to our attention. But God by his Spirit knows how to do this and we're so thankful.
That if we have ever read the Word of God about anything, we've ever heard the truth.
About something later on, perhaps when it's needed, the Spirit of God will bring it back to us. But there's one thing about it.
If there's something of the word of God that's never gone through your mind, either by reading it or by hearing it.
There's nothing there for the Spirit of God to bring back. That's why it's so important to meditate upon the Word of God to read it.
Because of once it's gone through your mind, the Spirit of God can bring it back to you.
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Says in verse 11. Their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
There are many that think of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and many other things in the Word of God as idle tales.
And they don't believe them.
But it's a remarkable thing that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the best established facts in history.
Greenleaf's Manual of evidences that are used as a basis of law study.
In law school makes this statement.
To the effect that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the best established fact in history.
Isn't it amazing that a secular book like that?
Would admit it. The man who wrote it admits it.
Well, it's said only from the from the standpoint of law course, the.
Course, because in order to prove a case there has to be testimony, there has to be witnesses, a certain number of witnesses too.
But the witnesses to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ are many. Over 500 saw him at one time after he was raised from the dead.
Foundation we have in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Paul says if Christ be not raised, there's no hope.
There's no basis for our faith where all men most miserable.
What now? Is Christ risen from the dead? Young people, we have something to stand on.
We really have something to stand on.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have it mentioned more than once in the Word of God.
We read in the book of the Acts that the resurrection was preached.
And those who preached got persecution because of it. Why? Because it's fundamental.
It's fundamental. It tells us of the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
His victory over the world. His victory over sin. His victory over Satan.
That's why the truth of the resurrection is hated.
All that's cleave to this blessed truth.
Let's not think of it as an idle tale and not believe it. It's not so, it's the truth.
And we who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'm sure you know this, dear young people.
We who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Know that there is something different about this.
There's something that comes into our lives. There's a power that we get through receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, who died with, buried and rose again.
And we have life in Christ, resurrection life.
And we have life in the Spirit.
We not only have the life, but we have the power of that life, which is the Holy Spirit.
And there's no excuse for us not to be victorious.
To go on victoriously through this sea.
It's not trying to be victorious, but it's going on in simple dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ who has gotten a victory.
Thanks beyond to God.
For his unspeakable gift and thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We go on then, and we read about.
2.
That we're going away from the center, from Jerusalem.
And it says in verse 13 And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called the mayor, which was from Jerusalem, about 3 score furlongs, and they talked together of all these things which had happened.
And it came to pass that while they commune together, and reason.
00:15:03
Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
But their eyes were holding.
That they should not know him.
2 Going away from Jerusalem.
Away from the center, away from the company that they belong to.
Why? They had become very much disturbed.
Upset they were communing, they were reasoning, talking about all that had happened.
And the more the reason, the more the further they got away from the center, the further they got away from the company that they belong to.
And it says further down they were sad.
Jesus says to them, what manner of communications are these that you have one to another as you walk in our side now didn't they didn't know that it was Jesus their eyes were holding?
But they should not know him.
Well, this is a sad thing.
We got away from the law.
Dear young people.
Let us not allow ourselves to get away from the law.
Away from his people. Away from the company of his people.
Because we may get so under the government of God.
Their eyes will beholden.
God wants us to feel.
What a sad thing it is.
To be away from him, to be away from the company of his people.
And there are young people who've gotten away from the law, as well as older people who've gotten away from the Lord and away from the company of its people.
And I can't help but feel that everyone of them is sad.
They must be sad. They're not happy for sometimes they try to put on a good front, you know, and, and make us believe that. Well, they're still happy. But if you knew the truth, let's write down deep in their hearts, they're not happy, they're sad.
And there's one thing sure that the Lord doesn't want us to be sad.
But the Lord didn't reveal Himself to them. Here their eyes were holding, but they should not know Him.
Well, there was something about the presence of the Lord there, even though they didn't know who he was.
That caused them to open up and talk to him.
Well, there's something about the law that way, you know.
Sometimes we're not even conscious that we're in the presence of the Lord, but the Lord is still dealing with us.
The Lord is still speaking to us.
And we don't even realize that the Lord has drawn near to us.
But he said, I will never leave thee, nor for safety.
No, he won't leave us or forsake us. He'll always be near to us.
Even when we're not conscious of it, he's near to us.
And how sad it is to think that the Lord.
Is so loving, so compassionate, so sympathetic that he will draw near to us in our wayward condition.
And he'll go along with us, and we're not even conscious of it. But all the while he's working in our hearts to restore our soul.
Nor he never leaves his children.
He never leaves one who's really his. Never.
That verse in Hebrews that says I will never leave thee nor forsake thee should read I will never, never leave the nor forsake thee.
Let's think of it.
In our wayward condition.
We don't really know anyone of us.
How near we are to the Lord, and how far away we are from the Lord in our state of soul.
00:20:05
And everyone of us needs.
The Lord should draw near to us, and to go with us, and walk with us, and to speak to us.
But we don't find that he says very much.
Sort of opens up their hearts.
Speak to him. And so we read. And one of them, whose name was Cleopas answering, said unto him, And thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and has not known the things which had come to pass there in these days. And he said unto them, What things?
And they said unto him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet, might indeed and word before God, and all the people. And now the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yeah, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre.
And when they found not his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels which said that He was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre and found it Even so, as the women had said, but him they saw not.
Well, they say quite, quite a little to the law. They're talking to the law.
Dear young people, is it your practice to talk to the Lord?
Of course, they didn't know it was the Lord to whom they were speaking.
But still they were talking to the law.
And this is important, that every day we have a talk with the Lord. Talk to the Lord.
Don't forget to pray.
The Lord Jesus warned even his disciples.
Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. Oh how we need to pray. Talk to the Lord.
And you can talk to him about anything that might be on your heart.
The Lord Jesus is the most approachable person that there ever was.
And you can tell that as you read the gospel.
Little children came around him. They were not afraid of him.
And this woman back when came to him.
Viewers approachable.
And dear young people, always remember that the Lord Jesus is approachable.
Or maybe you've done something that has given you a back conscience.
And you feel a little reluctant to come to the law.
And you don't tell him your heart.
Don't do that. Come to the Lord. Just open up your heart to Him.
You can tell anything.
And oh, how good it is for the soul to get into the presence of the law.
And justice open up the heart and tell him everything.
Don't hide it. You can't hide it anyway. You may try to hide it, but you can't hide it. He knows all about you.
And yet you may know.
That you can come to you time and again he says, Come unto me.
We were reminded this morning.
About Joseph.
Presence of Joseph said, Come near unto me.
Come near unto me. Well, they didn't feel much like coming near to him.
But still Joseph said, Come near unto me.
And I believe they've heard something in that voice.
They saw something in his face.
That gave them courage to come here to see it.
Well, you'll hear something in the voice of the Lord Jesus.
And you'll see something in him by faith, too.
That you will give you that goal to come, to kill, come near, to heal.
Or he does want to be near us, and he wants us near himself, and even though we're not near to him, he's always near to us. There are two sides to this, you know.
00:25:03
Well, after they talked to the Lord.
Then the Lord talked to them.
And how does the Lord talk to you now?
You have his words right here. This whole book is the word of God.
Sometimes you get bibles with red letters in it. Read words.
They are supposed to be especially the words of the Lord Jesus.
But actually.
The words of the Lord Jesus.
Are no different from any other word that we have in the Bible is all the word of God.
And I trust that we think of this whole book as the word of God. It's so important to remember that. And maybe there's some passages of Scripture.
That you find it's a little boring for you to read, especially when you get into all of those genealogies and May.
But watch, when you're reading those genealogies, all of those lists of names, you'll find little things hidden in there.
That have a message for you. So don't skip over anything. You skip over any part of it. You're going to miss something.
There's so much in this Bible.
That we need, and it's God talking to us as the Lord Jesus Christ talking to us. We talked to him, He talks to us.
Now what does the Lord say?
Verse 25.
Then he said unto them.
Old fools and slow heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.
It would seem that the Lord gets right down.
To the difficulty.
If this hadn't been true of them, that they hadn't been slow heart and they had believed all that the prophecies spoken, they wouldn't have been reasoning and they wouldn't have been sad.
Reading the Word of God.
Believing what God tells us and seeking grace not to be slow heart to believe it.
For just leaving it, submitting to the word of God, accepting the truth of it.
What a help it is.
But over slow heart, unbelieving, doubting the word of God, doubting the law.
What does it mean? It means that we're just causing sadness for ourselves.
Well.
The one who wrote this gospel, he believed at all. He believed at all. Luke believed at all. Do you believe it all?
How needful it is to believe the whole word of God.
We may not understand at all.
And we may not be able to explain something, but when the word says a certain thing.
It's for us to believe us, then maybe the understanding of it will come later on.
Maybe we'll get an explanation later on.
But just because we don't understand a certain portion of scripture, that's no license.
For disbelieving it.
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? Here we have brought before the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow, and Peter speaks of that, and how important these two things are. The sufferings of Christ is death and the glory.
Suffering first, glory afterwards.
This is a pattern for us, isn't it?
It's suffering. Time now for us glory time is coming.
Can we expect any difference, anything different from what the Lord received? It were suffering time first for him.
Now he's in the glory.
It's suffering time for us now. That comes first afterward.
Glory.
But the glory that the Lord had before him.
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Sustained him.
And going through the suffering.
And if we keep the glory before us.
The thought of being with Christ, being associated with him in glory.
I've helped us.
Bear the suffering, the trials, the persecution, the reproaches that may be heaped upon us here, and I know you young people have these very problems.
In school, after work.
Wherever you meet up with unbelievers, with those in the world, it's not easy.
It's not easy to be true to Christ.
As soon as you mentioned.
The word Jesus, as soon as that is heard from your lips, in that kind of company, you're a marked person.
You're a marked person, and some of you know about it already.
But the Lord can give you grace.
To own the name of Jesus. And I'm not saying that you need to.
Preach a lot, speak a lot.
Know all you need to do.
Is say some little thing about the Lord Jesus?
And that will be enough.
And then let your life be according to it.
And I believe the Lord will sustain you in that.
And keep before you the glory, because glory time is coming. Reigning time is coming.
Reward time is coming.
We want to seek grace from the Lord to be faithful now.
Be faithful.
Well, the apostle Paul was faithful, faithful unto death.
He's going to get a crown.
We want to hear that. Well done thou good and faithful service.
Now we read and beginning at Moses, and all the prophecies founded unto them, and all the Scriptures, and things concerning himself.
It was Jesus himself that drew near to them. Now he's expounding or opening up the Scriptures.
And telling from all the scriptures of things concerning himself.
Some people think of the Word of God, the Bible, as a book of history.
Well, there's history in it, but it's not primarily a history book.
What we can say, it is his story. His story.
We have hymn books.
But this is a book about him.
Hymn book. A book concerning himself, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And what a book it is, from beginning to end, and all much could be said about that.
But what a wonderful exposition this must have been as they were walking along toward amazed.
And I don't know just when the Lord.
Drew near.
But it was about 7 miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
And it would take quite a while to make that journey.
And there would be plenty of time for the Lord.
To expound the word concerning himself.
And in a way that nobody else could do it.
There has never been anybody like him.
Which bound the scriptures.
What an exposition they must have had that day. What an opening up of the Word of God.
It's a wonderful thing to have the word of God opened up to us. And you know, dear young people, we have as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have in our hearts dwelling in US.
The Holy Spirit.
And he is the one that we've been told takes the things of Christ and shows them to us.
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When you read the word of God.
Remember this, that the Holy Spirit is in you, and He's the one that can open it up to you. The Lord by His Spirit can do that.
Open up the scriptures, the open scriptures.
Well, we're thankful that God is still faithful and He opens up His word to us. I believe we had an example of it in our reading meetings, how we were sitting there and God by His Spirit opening up. That chapter 2 is the second of Hebrews opening and up to it.
How wonderful.
Is thinking of us and he wants to feed us. Who are his people? He wants to feed you, dear young people.
And he has plenty of food here for and he can open it up to us.
In such a way that it will feed our souls.
We read on, and they drew nigh into the village. Whether they went, and he made as though he would have gone further.
He wasn't going to push himself on them to think of that. The Lord will not push himself on anyone.
Maybe you're away from the law, just like these two were your strengths from the law.
And getting away from the company of his people.
The Lord is near you.
But he's not going to press himself on. He's not going to push himself on you.
But what does he do?
He tenderly draws you along, just like we see here.
He makes as though he would have gone further, or he didn't want to go further, really.
No, he would love to abide with them.
But he wanted something to come from their own hearts.
And we read further down that in this wonderful opening up of the scriptures.
They confess that their heart was burning within them as he talked with them, by the way.
Their hearts have been warmed up.
The love that was emanating from this person, going with them.
For doing something for them.
And so it says, they constrained him.
That's what the Apostle Paul speaks of. The love of Christ constraineth us.
Even perhaps when we're not conscious of it as these two, they were not conscious that it was really the Lord, but it was still the love of Christ being shown to them.
That caused them to constrain him.
This to come and abide with them. They constrained him saying abide with us.
Oh, we want Someone Like You.
To come into our home.
So they opened up their home. Here we have another open thing.
First the open sepulchre, then the open scriptures.
Now the open fold, they open up their home to him.
Well, what does he do?
It says in the end of verse 29 he went into tarry with them. He went in.
Or it's nice for us to have our homes open to.
The Lord even now.
Many of our young people are starting new home.
It seems like we're having a.
Flock of weddings in Des Moines.
For couples getting married within about three months.
New homes are being started.
Our trust, those holds will always be open to the Lord Jesus.
I hope there's not anything that gets into those homes that would make them feel like keeping the Lord out.
That it's really not a place for the law that would give them a conscience.
00:40:01
About Speaking of the Lord in their homes and making him feel at home, as it were.
Don't allow anything to come into the home that gives you bad conscience.
That would be contrary to the principles of the Word of God, to the principles of holiness.
Oh, it's so easy for these things to slip in, and then it seems that there isn't any room for the Lord. And this is the the worst about it. This is the most sad thing about it. There's no room for the Lord. Something has come in to displace the Lord.
And how sad that is.
Because the Lord has gone to glory and there's a place for us up there.
Plenty of room in heaven for us, Plenty of room for us with the Lord.
All that there might be room for him in our homes.
As well as room for Him in our hearts.
Verse 30 it says, and it came to pass, as he started to meet with them, he took bread and blessed it, and break and gain to them.
I suppose there was something familiar about this.
It says in their eyes were opened and they knew him.
Well, it was the Lord himself, I believe, opening their eyes. The time had come now. The proper time had come.
For their eyes to be opened up to see him.
The period that they had been under the government of the Lord, when their eyes were holding without an end.
And how wonderful to know that the Lord has everything under control and He knows just exactly the right moment.
To open up our eyes and give us a revelation of Himself.
Well, I think of that over in the Congo when the Lord was speaking to us.
About the truth of the Church, truth of the one Blood, the truth of being gathered simply to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we had been seeing this truth.
But there was something that we need.
It seems that the Lord was leading us along like these two.
But during that period of time.
It was as though our eyes were holding and we didn't see him.
So then the Lord allowed an experience to come into our home.
We were expecting the birth of our twin girls.
And as soon as.
They had been delivered.
My wife collapsed.
Couldn't find any faults.
We thought she was gone.
But it was right there.
At that time.
I got a glimpse of the Lord.
A glimpse that I had never had before.
And I saw, yes, the Lord is able for anything.
The law who has said, were two or three are gathered together unto my name, they am I in the midst of them.
He is able for everything and we can trust him in simplicity.
In the little gathering, whether it's a small gathering or a large gathering, we can trust Him to take care of everything.
Well, that's what was needed.
To get our eyes open to get a glimpse of him.
And from that moment on, we wanted to be with the company of his people that were gathered to his precious name.
Well, it took some time to find that place.
But we're thankful.
And we believe that we're in the place where the Lord has placed his name.
00:45:03
And to find that he is sufficient.
For everything that we need.
As a company of God's people.
Eyes open, opened eyes just to get a glimpse of the Lord Jesus that He might lead us along. What happened?
Well, it says you vanished out of their sight.
Well, perhaps when we first read this we might think that, well, that's sort of cruel, isn't it?
He lets them see him, and he vanishes.
Is gone.
Well, remember, these two were not with the company that they belonged to.
They were of the company at Jerusalem.
Because they had mentioned this in verse 22, certain women also of our company, they said.
While they knew where the Lord would be.
They would be back. He would be back with that company.
But he had allowed them to get a glimpse of him, to draw their hearts back.
Have you strayed away from the Lord? Have you strayed away from that company?
Maybe the Lord has given you a glimpse of himself. What for? To draw your back?
Back to himself, back to his company, back to your company. And there's only one company that we can speak of as our company.
And that's the company of those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ gathered around himself.
Our company.
And anyone?
It doesn't matter who he is or where it comes from, if he takes his place there, that's gathered through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's part of our company.
Part of the Lord's company.
Not peculiarly our company, but it's his company.
And how important it is that his company be our company and to be sure that when you take your place anywhere.
That it's his company.
In which you're taking your place.
Verse 33 says they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the 11 gathered together and them that were with them.
Isn't that nice?
Word garlic together.
The assembly of the Lord's old gathered together. They've been going the other direction, out to a maze. Some say that that means Hot Springs. I don't know what they were going out there for. Maybe going out there to forget everything.
Have a rest from all the confusion and upset.
The Lord wouldn't allow that. He wanted them back with His company.
So they returned and they found them there.
And it's been lovely.
For some of us who've been gathered.
To the name of the Lord Jesus Christ coming out of these places that answer to Emmaus.
And to find that the Lord had his company.
How important it is for us to go on with the Lord according to His words.
That if there are any others that the Lord is taking out of system, out of those places, that an answer to a mayor and wants to gather them to his precious name. How wonderful it is if there can still be a company that's called His company.
Guided simply to his precious name, where they can come.
Well, what will they say?
The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
We had something said about advocacy in our reading meetings. Well, when the Lord appeared to Simon, it was to restore his soul. But it seems that when he was talking to these two going to mayors, it was more in the character of high priest to feed their souls, to warm their hearts.
00:50:00
And to draw them closer to himself and draw them back to that company.
At Jerusalem.
And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was made known of them in the breaking of bread.
And as they thus speak, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and sat unto them. Peace be unto you.
Peace be unto you. When you dear young people who know the Lord took the Lord as your Savior. You got peace. Through believing, being justified by faith, we have peace with God.
That's the peace of salvation.
Have you ever had the experience of getting the peace of being gathered?
The peace of being gathered, gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There's a peace connected with us.
I'm sure there must be some of you, dear young people this afternoon who are wondering about this, wondering about being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the ground of God and the truth of the one Body, and so on. And perhaps you're in a state where things are a little confused for you. Maybe you're like these two, going to a mayor, reasoning about it, talking about it, and you're a little bit sad too.
And in a way, you wish you were gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in the way you wish you were at the Lord's Table, but things just aren't clear to you and you're just hanging back.
Remember, the Lord is in the midst.
It says here Jesus himself stood in the midst of them. Wouldn't you like to be where the Lord Jesus is in the midst?
Wouldn't you like to be part of that company that's gathered to that one that's in the midst?
Well, take that step. You know the Lord wants you to remember Him.
You know the Lord wants you there at his table.
You know you don't know everything about the truth. You can't understand everything. You don't have to understand everything.
But at least if you know this, that the Lord wants you there and you see that the Lord is there, oh, how important that is to see that the Lord is there.
Just take the step.
A step by face.
And I believe you will have this peace. You will hear the Lord saying to you.
Peace be unto you.
I remember when I got that piece.
It just seemed like I could hear the Lord saying peace.
It's a wonderful thing to find a place where the Lord is in the midst.
And justice to be where he is.
Well, these disciples seem to understand everything, and they were terrified.
Suppose they'd seen the spirit. They were troubled.
But what does the Lord do?
Verse 40 says he showed them his hands and his feet.
In another place it speaks out.
Seeing his side.
What are they reminded of? That he was crucified?
And also that his sign was pierced.
And the precious blood had flowed up.
Ah, now they.
€1000 It's wonderful to see that this is the thing that brought before the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, just like we had this morning, the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He's the one we're occupied with.
Now we notice something else and.
Verse 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses.
And in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning me now, that's all they have, the Old Testament scriptures. The New Testament scriptures were not written yet.
And the Lord himself divides the Old Testament scriptures into three parts.
00:55:03
The Law of Moses, the Psalm, and the Prophets.
And they all speak of the Lord Jesus.
Then it says in verse 45 then open either understanding that they might understand the scriptures.
The opened understanding and where is it? The open? The understanding is open.
Right there when they're gathered together around the Lord Jesus Christ. Here we have the picture of the assembly.
Right here.
And that's where in a special way their understanding is opened up. And I believe we have that experience these.
Days when we were together in our reading meeting.
How the Lord opened not only the word.
But he opened our understanding.
To take it in. And it came to mean something to us, and the Lord came to mean more to us.
And this, I believe, tells us how important it is for us to attend.
The reading meetings in our assembly.
Because it's there in a special way that the Lord opens our understanding to understand His Word.
And I can testify to the experience that I've had along that line.
Oh, I went to Bible school for three years.
But Bible knowledge was crammed into me.
And it lodged in my brain and didn't have a chance to get down into my heart and look much less into my feet.
That's what happens in places like that.
The assembly is the place where God wants us to learn the truth and that is where He opens our understanding and week by week.
Month by month, year by year, here little there, little line upon line, precept upon precept.
Our understanding is opened up to take it in.
And I've learned more.
In the assembly, many times more have I learned in the assembly.
Than I ever learned in the Bible school.
Oh, what a what an arrangement God has made. We thank God for you can't improve upon, you can't find a substitute for.
Then the Lord gives them instruction as to being a witness.
And we find that he tells them.
What they're to preach. Verses 4647. Thus it is written, and thus it behooves praise to suffer and rise from the dead. The third day that repents and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. That is, they were to get their mouths open. Now the open mouth to tell forth this wonderful message, the gospel.
That Christ suffered and died, rose again from the dead. Well, that's the gospel that Paul speaks of in First Corinthians 15. And that's the heart of the message that we have to preach. And you young men, I know you get out on the street corner, some of you, perhaps you go to jails and other places to preach. What is it you preach? Well, this is what we're talking about.
Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, who was buried and rose again the 3rd day according to the scriptures. Before you say I can't stand up in the street corner to preach, well your knees perhaps shake. Will I know something about that too?
But look to the Lord for grace.
And he'll help you to get your mouth open.
The Lord wants us to open our mouths. And you know, it's a wonderful thing about that word witness. It comes, I believe, from the same word from which we get the word martyr.
In other words, we're not only to speak.
Of the Lord by our words, but also by our lives.
So if we're speaking for the Lord by words, let us seek grace from the Lord that our lives might be in conformity to it.
Then we have one more open thing.
Verse 50. He led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
01:00:08
The heaven was open to receive him.
He had finished the work he came to do.
He'd walked this scene for 40 days, showed himself alive.
Now it's time to go go back to hell and the heaven was opened up to receive him.
And he's told us.
That has gone away to prepare a place for us.
And heaven is open to everyone that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And one of these days, perhaps today.
The heaven will open again, as it were, and the Lord himself shall descend, will be caught up to meet him.
And will be taken.
Up to the Father's house, where those mansions are.
Where the Lord is prepared to place for us, well, He's gone there as a man. So there's a place for us as men there who have believed in Him and received Him as our Savior.
What a what an expectation. Are you really looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you waiting to be caught up to meet Him in the air?
This is a test for everyone of us.
Do I want the Lord Jesus Christ to come today?
I like to have him come right now. Well, then we begin to think about, well, I'd have to leave this, I would have to leave that, and I wouldn't be able to get back home to take care of this and that and the other thing. I have plans made and I won't be able to carry them out. You know, there are all kinds of things that can go through your mind when you're thinking about the Lord coming right now. And it becomes a real serious test for us.
Do we want him to come now?
Would we like to see heaven open the Lord descending? We'd be caught up to meet Him.
Ah, when we think about it in sincerity, in reality.
We say yes, Even so, come, Lord Jesus, what is there here that we want, if we can be with the Lord, all that the Lord might satisfy our hearts in such a way that we say yes, Lord, every day, every moment.
His First and Second Coming
Children—R. Thonney
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.
Peugeot Lenox has not before.
Venezuela.
Long is waiting still.
You use no other.
Friends Oil.
The Backpage of our hymn sheet. There's the children's songs, so I'd like to know if somebody has another song here, one of the boys or girls.
Just anybody.
How about saying #40 that's a good favorite.
Jesus loves me.
This loves me this sign up for the Bible tells me so little ones to emblem they are weak but he is strong.
All right, another hymn. Who has one?
I know you boys and girls like to sing.
OK, OK. We'll get him next.
What's this, 146? And what was the boy over here? Huh? 4146 first and then we'll sing 41. Good.
PIDINGSIBRI Ng.
That day.
#41.
The throne of God in them and will marry children sing.
Children, sins are all forgiven.
We anthem spring singing. Sorry.
Sorry.
Glory better God.
Now let's sing one more before we pray. It's #8 This was a favorite when I was a boy and I think it's probably a favorite of a lot of you boys and girls too #8 Shall we gather at his coming?
That bear to me.
Such as voice.
Yes, we all gather out of God.
His glorious, His glorious coming.
00:05:05
Gather with insane that is gone.
Many boys didn't say.
When the Savior art is gone.
And glory breathing.
Will you be among the number? Will you do? Is praise the same?
God will come.
Is glorious. Is glorious.
Garment.
And say that is gone in there twice in the Savior's blood.
Hear thy name is the God.
They held our praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord for the patience of 10:00.
In the world.
He asked. Well, never arrived by me. It's bothering him, it's bothering me, it's bothering us.
But now let's bow our heads and look to the Lord.
I'd like to say again before I start that there's some boys and girls back in the back there that I'd like to come up a little closer. There's still some seats up here. A little later I'm going to show a picture here and I don't know if you can see way back there. So come right up if you if you can't see back there.
We were singing about the Lord's coming in that last hymn, and that's just about what I'd like to talk about this morning, about the Lord's coming, because we've had quite a bit about it in these meetings and we know that the Lord's coming is getting really close. When we talk about His coming, we really mean His second coming.
But before I talk about his second coming, I want to talk a little bit about his first coming and which boy or girl can tell me why did he come the first time? Why did the Lord Jesus come the first time? What do you say to die? That's right. And then who can give me a verse for that? Because it's important to have the word of God for what we say. Anybody think of a verse that tells us why the Lord came the first time? What do you say?
Very good, that's John 316 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I'm thinking of another verse and I'm going to start it and see if you can finish it. One of you boys or girls. This is a faithful saying.
And worthy of all acceptation that.
Who knows the rest?
Right that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That is not. What's the rest?
Of whom I am chief. Who wrote that?
The apostle Paul wrote that, and you know, the Spirit of God told him to write that, to write that he was the chief of sinners. But I like that first part. This is a faithful saying. That means that it's really true.
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And worthy of all acceptation. You know a lot of people.
Know about the Lord Jesus. A lot of people have heard about the Lord Jesus, just like you boys and girls have heard about him.
In your in your homes, in your Sunday schools. You've heard about them, but that's just not exactly what this verse says. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. That means that it's worthy that every boy and every girl that's seated in this room this morning receive it, because it won't do you any good to know all about it unless you receive it.
I want to tell you a little story. What happened, what Mr. Valderrama down in Peru told me what happened one time he said he knew a lady that was really sick, she was real sick. And he took her to the to the hospital And the doctor says, well, I'm going to give you some medicine. You'll have to buy this medicine and and that'll help her get well again. Well, Mr. Valderrama.
He bought the medicine and gave it to the lady, says here's the medicine. You know, she didn't take any of the medicine.
And a little later on, she died. The medicine would have helped her, but she didn't take it. She didn't receive it. And that's what's going to happen in in a similar manner, boys and girls, if you don't receive it, it's not enough just to just to know all about the Lord Jesus. It's fine to come to the Sunday school and, and it's wonderful that you learn the verses and sing the songs, but that's not enough.
You've got to receive it for yourself by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Saying he died for me, that's really important. We receive it for ourselves. That poor lady died. She had the medicine right in her house. She could have got well, but she died well now.
That's the first part of the coming of the Lord Jesus. But like we said, there's the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The Lord came once, but he's going to come again. And when he comes again, do you think he's going to come to save? What do you think?
What do you think?
Right, He's going to take us up to heaven.
And then afterwards, he's going to come and he's going to judge this world. And you know, I want to just talk real briefly about these two parts of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus is coming again, and he might come today. And that's why you boys and girls have parents.
That have brought you here to listen to the word of God, because they don't want you left behind when the Lord comes.
They want you to go to and so that's why they brought you here, to listen to the word of God. You know, it's telling some folks about a little girl up in the mountains of Peru. She's about 13 years old. Is there any girls 13 here?
I suppose they're sitting back a little farther, but this little girl, she had been coming to the meetings, she got saved for about two whole years.
All by herself, her father and her mother didn't believe the gospel and justice. Before I left this last time, I went up there and she was so happy. Her father and her mother had come and received the Lord Jesus too, as her Savior. Well, it's a little bit different in your case. Your father and mother have probably believed the gospel for many years and they brought you that. You might be saved. I wonder if you're saved.
Just ask yourself that in your own heart. Are you saved? Are you saved? Are you ready for the Lord's coming? Now I want to read a part in First Thessalonians 4. Those who have Bible can turn to it that tells us about the first part of the Lord's coming.
Like was said, the Lord is coming to take us.
To be with himself.
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Set to take everybody to be with themselves.
Is the Lord, when he comes again, is he going to take everybody to heaven?
Who knows? What do you think?
Who is he going to take to heaven?
Those who believe in that right, just those who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus, those who have received the gospel in their own hearts. Well now it tells, tells us about these people, these that have believed in verse 14, First Thessalonians 4.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.
Even so, them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain.
Unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first, Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together.
With them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Now it talks about two different kinds of people here. Oh, or I should say, talks about those who are living and those who have died believing in the Lord Jesus. Now this is a very important thing.
When the Lord Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven to call us, he's going to He's going to give that shout.
He's going to, we're going to hear that voice of the Archangel and the Trump of God, and we're not going to be changed first. First, something's going to happen in the graveyards.
All those people, all those brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus.
That died and they put their bodies in the grave. They're going to rise 1St and then every boy and every girl and every older person here too that is believed in the Lord Jesus, if the Lord comes right now is going to be changed and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And how long do you think it'll take?
Twinkling of an eye. You know in the Spanish Bible it says shutting and opening of the eye. Every once in a while your eyes shuts and opens. Then just think one of these times your eye shuts and opens again.
Maybe you'll see the Lord Jesus if you believed on him, and if you're here and you haven't believed on him, maybe one of these times your eye shuts and opens, you'll find that everybody that believes in the Lord Jesus here.
Is gone. Gone. You won't be able to find if you haven't believed in the Lord Jesus and you've you've rejected the gospel, you won't be able to find your father and your mother. You won't do any good to pray then.
No, the door will have been shut like we heard last night. Be too late. And that's why we're here this morning, boys and girls, it's really important.
That you believe the gospel right now. Right now, like Mr. Wakefield was saying last night, You know when you're out playing and you see some big old dark clouds coming up and you hear the Thunder start?
To roll and the lightning flashing, you go inside the house, I think, don't you? You go where there's covered, where there's protection from the storm.
And you know, the storm is coming on this world, and it's going to be a terrible storm that's going to come. I want to read you just a little bit of what's going to happen in this world.
When the Lord comes and takes everybody out, what's going to happen in this world?
Because God's judgment is going to start to fall on this poor, poor world. It's going to start to fall. And I want to read a verse or two in in Matthew.
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Matthew 24.
Matthew 24 here's telling us about what's going to happen just after the Lord comes to take all his own home and.
We can see the beginnings of some of these things just today.
Verse six, it says ye shall hear of wars.
And rumors of wars see that ye be not trouble for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. We haven't seen war in this country, but there's a lot of war in this world. There's a lot of war and there's a lot of people talking about other wars. And then verse seven for nations shall rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom.
And there shall be famines.
You know what a famine is? Who can tell me what? A family.
Yeah, there's hardly any food. There's no food to eat. You know, when I was down in South America, I saw in the paper that over in Asia there's one country that 100,000 people are dying because they don't have enough food, and that there's danger that 300,000 more people are going to die because they're not enough.
Sometimes we're not very thankful for the food we get, are we? But there's a lot of people dying in the world because there's not enough food. We're seeing the beginnings of these things, and it says and pestilences means there's a lot of disease and earthquakes in diverse places.
You know, there's been a lot of earthquakes down in Peru, Not in 1970. There's a great big mountain about 20,000 feet high down at the bottom of this mountain was a whole lot of people. There is a town called Yungai and this town had about 20,000 people at there was 800 here this morning. It would be about 25 times that many people.
About 25 times as many people as could about fit in this room, you know, come up, part of that mountain slid down and just cover that whole city. 20,000 people died just like that. Ah, the Lord is warning. The Lord is warning that the Lord is coming. He's coming and it's not very long and he's going to come, boys and girls. And that's the importance of being ready.
When he comes, you know, down in Peru just before I left, the week that I left.
A boy who I had known and who had been baptized, who got baptized at the conference in Lima last July, he died, but he was trusting the Lord Jesus, and when he died he was put in that grave. And their poor, poor father and the mother.
He wasn't very old. He's just 17, none of you up here 17 but back there in the back more. But father and the mother were really sad their boy had died. But you know, the father and mother believed in the Lord Jesus too. And we could tell the father and mother, you know, it's not going to be very long and you're going to see your boy again. The Lord Jesus is going to come and raise him up.
And take him to be with himself, and since you have believed in the Lord Jesus, to.
You're going to see him too. Well, what a comfort that is. Maybe you have relatives, grandmother or grandfather that has died or someone else in your family that's died. Well, if you believe in the Lord Jesus and they believed in the Lord Jesus, you're going to see him again. But what a terrible thing to be left in this poor world when the Lord comes. And I want to read one place in Revelation, one or two places that tell.
About the terror of the people when the judgments start to fall on this poor world.
And that's why we're pleading with you boys and girls, that if you aren't saved yet, that you get saved today. Don't even wait till this afternoon. You were sitting in your chair right there. Just lift your heart up the Lord and tell Him if you want to be saved if you haven't done it yet.
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In the 6th chapter of Revelation. Just want to read one part here, the 12Th verse.
Revelation 612 Says, And I beheld when he had opened the 6th seal, though there was a great earthquake in the sun, became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became his blood. And the stars of the heaven fell onto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth their untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their place. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondsman and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains in the rocks all on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne.
From the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of His wrath has come, and who shall be able to stand?
Shall be ever listen, think of it. Those people are going to be so scared when the day of the wrath of the Lamb comes, they're going to find caves and they're going to say fall on us, fall on us, hide us. We don't want to meet the Lord Jesus. We don't want to meet him. We want to be hidden so terrified. That's why boys and girls, the gospel is preached at these conferences and that's why maybe you wonder sometimes why it seems like.
The preacher almost gets a little bit excited. He isn't getting excited. He's concerned about your soul. He wants you not to go to that place of eternal punishment. He doesn't want you to have to meet the Lord Jesus as a terrible judge. For you know, if you reject them as your savior, you'll be a judge, a terrible judge. He wants to be your savior. And now in Revelation 19.
Another spot that shows the Lord coming from heaven.
And it really shows that we're coming with Him and we'll see that here. We want to read a little bit Revelation 19 and verse 11.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a White Horse, and he that sat on him was called faithful and true. Who do you think this is?
That's called faithful and true. Who do you, the Lord Jesus? That's exactly right. And his eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns.
And he had a name written which no man knew but he himself, And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. And his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen, clean and white. Who do you think these armies are?
Well, I think the angels are going to come too, but.
I really think this is somebody else.
Right, those of us who's believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, because it says they have fine linen, white and clean, just like earlier in the chapter in the marriage of the Lamb, in the eighth verse, it says the same thing. So we're going to come. Just think of it, boys and girls.
Everyone of us that believes in the Lord Jesus, we're going to come with the Lord Jesus when he comes back to judge this world. And later on the chapter, I'm not going to read it now, it says the beast came with his armies. Think of it though, there's a great man in that day that's coming and he's going to bring all his armies and he's going to try to fight against the Lord Jesus. That's where this world's going.
The world doesn't want the Lord Jesus. When the Lord Jesus comes, they're going to take their armies and they say let's go get rid of them again.
Will they be able? No says that the Lord Jesus takes.
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That beast and the false prophet, and he puts them into the lake of fire, to the lake of fire, and then all those armies that came to fight against the Lord Jesus is going to be slain with the sword of his mouth. The sword of the mouth of the Lord Jesus is the Lord Jesus has our breath in his hands. You know that. So he's going to slay all those arms just like that. Think of it, you want to be here on earth when that happens.
Or do you want to come back with the Lord Jesus? You want to come back with the Lord Jesus at that time?
You must put your trust in the Lord Jesus and today is the time. Now after that, I just want to show you this picture. There's going to be a real wonderful time in this world. This world is full of wars and full of blood and people killing each other. Even in this country, they're killing each other and, and in the coming day when the Lord Jesus comes back.
He's going to reign in righteousness and there's going to be peace. And first of all, I want to show you the picture and then.
I'm going to read the verse picture really is made from.
And I want you to tell me, boys and girls, if you've ever seen a picture, like, ever seen animals acting like this before?
Have you ever seen animals acting like that?
You have it.
You seen animals like that. You've seen them but like this lion over here, That lion.
Have you ever seen a lion in the zoo? How many have seen the lion in the zoo? Raise your hand. Yeah, I think most of you have. And what do they do? Do they do they put little lambs in there with them And. And. And cows? No. What would the lion do if they did?
Kill it because he eats meat he'd and we've seen in the zoo sometimes, I'm sure that.
They throw meat into the lion and he roars and he eats the meat, but it's going to all be changed in a day when the Lord Jesus comes back to this world, it's going to all be changed and it's going to be maybe a little bit like this. We see here, here's the lion and he's lying down with a couple calves.
And here's a leopard, and he's lying down with a goat.
Little goat. Here's a bear and he's with the cow. Here's a wolf and a little lamb together.
Why? What's happened? What's happened?
The Lord has come, the Lord is reigning. When the Lord comes back, then all the death that those poor animals had to suffer before, it's going to be done away with and all the curse of sin that is over creation, now it's going to be lifted. Think of that day. Won't that be wonderful? That comes from Isaiah 11 and 6:00 to 9:00. I wonder if two boys could come up here and hold this while I read that.
Is you like to come up? How about you OK, you two boys, all that right there like that.
I'm going to read.
Isaiah 11.
This is what's going to happen in the day, boys and girls, that we reign over the earth with the Lord Jesus.
If we have trusted in him.
Gonna read just from to save the time because their time is about up just from.
The fourth verse. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor.
And reprove with equity the meek of the earth. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth. With the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. Now this is the part about the verse. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb. Here's the wolf and the lamb together. And the leopard shall lie down with the kid. Here's the leopard.
The little kid that's a little goat means and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together. Here's the calf and the calf and the young and the fat lane and the and the lion.
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And a little child shall lead them. I'm. I'm sure that you boys and girls would be afraid to go into a lion's cage right now, wouldn't you? I would too. But in that day, they're not going to be afraid, no.
They're going to, there's going to be a little child leading them. And also you see here, here's some snakes here. I think that's what it means in verse 8. They're going to the little child's going to be playing near those snakes and they won't do any hurt. They won't do any hurt because the Lord Jesus has come back and the Lord Jesus is going to reign in righteousness and the Lord Jesus is going to reign and it's going to be a wonderful place here on earth and we're going to rain over the earth with the Lord Jesus.
All boys and girls, thank you. Boys, if you haven't trusted the Lord Jesus yet, do it today. Don't make any more delay, because the coming of the Lord is really near and it might be too late. If you wait till this afternoon might be too late. You wait even till noon time, the Lord might come.
And then you'd miss all this. You'd just be left for the judgment.
For We Know
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.
Sing together hymn #10.
#10 There is a savior on high in the glory.
A savior who suffered on Calvary's tree.
A savior as willing to save. Now as ever, his arm is almighty.
His love, great and free, all come now to Jesus.
That dear loving Savior receive him this moment.
And peace shall be Vine #10.
There is.
A savior?
I thank your love, will have willingness of willingness.
Almighty.
Is great.
I'm afraid.
Of.
Landing loving.
Save your breathing. As long as I see, I'll be long.
But they're laughing.
Save your holy.
Land.
So I'm great.
I'm sorry.
Old man and.
Very bad.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
I'll be long.
He waited.
For.
Him And then I received.
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A law.
Valid song.
Receive me my face.
In their heart.
Oh my God.
Name of my name loving Savior.
Racing.
Shall we ask the Lord's blessing?
Could we also please sing that hymn? We know there's a bright and a glorious home.
Away in the heavens High #24, where all the redeemed shall with Jesus dwell, but.
Will you be there and I?
#24
We know there's a bright and the glory of.
Hysteria.
On the middle of the world, in the back of the heart.
And of the white lore of the straightforward.
Made my cloud last time.
They'll walk in the light of their fault.
The Smarth.
Williams, Williams.
Be there and by Oh well, you'll be there.
Oh well, you'll be there.
Alone.
Where all the reading, the trial will give up the world.
Must will you'll be there.
From.
Every Kingdom of earth.
Singing worthy the Landlord.
Land, but will you be there?
And by Oh well, you'll be there I.
Thought Well, you owe me the landline.
For where all the reading power with people.
You'll be there.
If you take my loving.
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Savour.
More than I swam there.
When he gathers his own in life right long.
Than your only friend.
I thought, Oh well, you'll be there.
As long as.
You'll be there and long.
Where all the reading?
Poverty for the world?
Must will you be there?
Will you turn with me tonight, please, to 2nd Corinthians?
Back in Corinthians chapter 5.
Verse One Second Corinthians 5 verse.
1.
For we know.
Doesn't that sound wonderful?
Just those 3 words.
Four, we know.
There is a special delight in my soul to read words like this in a place like this.
Where we're gathered together this evening in a place of learning, a place where young people acquire knowledge.
And we're able to open a book in which we can read with glad and wondrous certainty.
We know.
And this concerns that which is far more vital, much more important than any item of knowledge that ever will be gleaned in this or in any other institutional learning in this land or in any other land. You know, we have on our bookshelf at home a set of books called the Books of Knowledge. I think perhaps some folks here may have had such books on their shelves too. Perhaps you discarded them long ago because you found the information wasn't sufficiently.
Up to date. And yet it's called the Book of Knowledge. I'm quite sure that if I were to produce the textbooks that I had when I was a boy going to school in Ottawa, Canada.
That they would be an occasion for merriment among the young people if they read those books of mine.
Today, they would scoff at the antiquated ideas that were presented to me as.
Knowledge when I was a boy. And yet I say with gladness that I can stand here tonight and open up a book that was opened before my eyes and read in my hearing from the time I was a very little boy, and I can read in its pages such wonderful words as these.
Four, we know here is something beloved friend, that I know and that many another in this room tonight knows with glad, divine, inspired certainty.
And it concerns that which is a great deal more vital to you or to me than any other knowledge ever acquired here among men.
You know, there was a statement made just recently, at least I only heard it recently, that men have become so concerned about the right and the left as they call it nowadays in the endeavors of men that they have pretty well forgotten that there is an above and there is a below. Men are greatly concerned about what they call the right and the left, and there was a great deal set in this country and in other countries recently.
About those who tend to be extremely toward the right or toward the left, and others who took rather a middle course.
00:15:00
And men were condemned or commanded according to which side they seemed to follow, or according to whether they were sort of on the middle of the road. And in their occupation with such matters, is it not true that men and women, young people, have forgotten that there is much more to life than the right or the left, or the middle of the road? There is beloved friend, there is an eternal above.
And there is an eternal below, but there is no middle place.
Above where Christ in glory for all eternity, or beneath in outer darkness for all eternity and absolutely no intermediate place. Oh, what a solemn childhood is to stand here with the responsibility of a gospel, the glad tidings of God's matchless grace to present from the pages of this book.
To look into the faces of men and women, young people, boys and girls, and to know that absolutely everyone here, everyone, and that means you.
That means you, my friend, you will spend.
Eternity.
Unending eternity, either in those courts of gladness and joy in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For you will spend the eternity. Is that a contradiction? I know of no other way to express it. You will spend eternity.
On ending eternity.
In the blackness of darkness.
With the memory of gospel messages presented to you.
Beloved friend, I love the sound of these words. We know if we were to turn to the pages of the Old Testament, we would not find such statements. There we would find the man such as Job, who was certainly a very intelligent man in his day, and concerning whom God himself said that he was a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil.
And Joel says Man Die Man giveth up the ghost.
And where is he?
Jo raised the question.
But Job didn't answer the question. Man, give us up. The ghost. And where is he? That neighbor, that loved one, that relative of yours that you knew so well? And you see them no more. They're gone.
Dove would raise the question Mandieth man giveth up the ghost and where is he job new Not the answer.
Nor did the wisest man, whoever lived apart from the Lord Jesus, know the answer.
For as he himself saw men die and pass from time into eternity, he could only raise the question, Who knoweth? Who knoweth? Solomon did not know. How is it that I can stand here tonight and say such words as these?
For we know and to say it concerning such a vital matter as the eternal destiny.
Of this soul of mine, that soul of yours, do you know There stands between those questions of the Old Testament and the certainty of the new, the wondrous person of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. For God has seen to it that there has been here among men a man, the man Christ Jesus God manifest in flesh.
Look back to that Manger at Bethlehem and see Jesus.
In the arms of his mother, while we here in the distance, the cry of those angels glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men who I have often thought those angels must have looked down with thrilling amazement as they saw for the first time their Creator has obeyed In the arms of Mary, in a Manger in Bethlehem.
00:20:07
Surely, they thought, this world groaning is ended at last. The troubles and the sorrow, the tears and the bloodshed are ended at last. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, has come to this earth. And do you know men still at, I suppose, this general season of the year?
Often say one to another and greet one another in terms of that peace which Jesus of Nazareth was as they would say.
Supposed to have brought to this poor, troubled world, and yet you and I know.
How sad is the picture around us, how lacking in peace both of heart and of circumstances we see when we look all around us. Why is this, oh beloved, that one who was sent of God to reveal a Father's heart of man, stepped forth among men and told with tender love and displayed with deeds of kindness, the heart of God?
Continually before men.
But the more the heart of God was revealed, the more the light and love of the one who had sent him was displayed here before men, the more they rejected him, his ministry had scarcely begun. Then they took him to the brow of the hill where on their sea was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
He had not been on the journey long before they picked up stones to cast at him. And at last you and I know the sad yet wondrous story of the crucifixion, the total, utter rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see him nailed to the cross. We see his dead body laid in a tomb. We see that tomb sealed and a guard of soldiers placed outside it, as though the world would say we have gotten rid of him.
That we don't ever want to see him anymore? Is that all there was to it all? Beloved, let me tell you the other side of it. Let me tell you why you lie. Now can open the word of God and read concerning that which lies ahead.
We know the difference, beloved, is this, and this is the story that has been told again and again. But if you'll forgive me for saying, I don't weary of telling it.
And I hope you don't weary of hearing it. I suppose I was brought to gospel meetings.
From the time I was six or seven years of age, 50 years ago, and it has been my joy and I thank God for it, to have attended gospel meetings for 50 years and what have I heard?
Every gospel meeting I've ever attended in all my life, I've heard the wondrous story of God's beloved Son, the Savior, who upon the cross of Calvary.
Guilt and bore it there shed his blood to put those stains away. And beloved, I want to tell you once again, but I would never be able to stand here and read a verse like this, nor to say those words we know if it were not for the cross of Calvary.
They're the heart of man, and they're the enmity of Satan were poured out upon that one who was altogether lovely.
And yet, there was a side to that story, beloved, that concerns me.
And it concerns you, For thereupon the cross, rejected by men crowned with thorns, having been spit upon by those toward whom he had made known his love, he hung while around him they mocked. And it is rather remarkable that in the statements they made over and over again they said, If thou be the king of the Jews, if thou be the Christ.
There was none of this certainty or glad knowledge with them. There were these questions that they would raise.
I hope that's not the state of your heart tonight, my friend. I hope, as I now present to you the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, my beloved Savior, upon the cross of Calvary, that you will look upon that picture as concerning you, one who loved you taking your place there upon the cross at 12:00 noon. The sun refused to shine.
00:25:16
There was a darkness over the whole land from the 6th hour until the 9th hour.
Will you forgive me for trying to make this as plain as possible for the dear boys and girls who are present here this evening? Because you're going to spend eternity either up there with the Lord Jesus or down in eternal hell at 12:00 noon.
Have you ever thought of that as a school? Bell rings at 12:00 noon.
Lunchtime. That's the time that the sun refused to shine. Darkness was over the whole land. And there, in the midst of that awful darkness, hung the Lord Jesus Christ, God's beloved Son, and what took place?
The awful pain, the guilt, the burden of my sins, all was laid upon him. The holy, thoughtless Son of God was made of victims in my.
Said my guilt, my sins known, all of them to God, were laid upon that holy, sinless victim.
Don't you think God must have loved me a great deal to do a thing like that? And don't you think he must have loved you a great deal, my friend, to see that done for you? I want to ask you right now, before we go any farther at all, is there anyone in this room? Is there anyone one of the children, one of the young people? One who is?
Farther in years, Is there anyone here who's never even?
Thank him.
For doing that for you never thanked him.
Oh beloved friend, it is my joy and gladness this night once more to thank God for the wondrous love of his heart. Let's send his beloved Son down here into this world. And it took the load and burden of my guilt and laid it upon him because God loves me.
And to thank the Lord Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God.
For receiving that burden and stain of guilt that was mine were bowing his head and receiving the strokes of judgment that I deserve, all of those strokes, every one of them, until at last, in glorious wondrous triumph he can cry it is finished. The last stroke of judgment that I deserved had fallen upon the head of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he cries in wondrous triumph. It is.
Finished, he bowed his head. He yielded up his life. A soldier with a spear pierced his side forth with flow there out blood and water. The body of the Lord Jesus was taken down from that cross laid in that tomb. Is that the end of the story? Oh no, beloved. That tomb in that far away land is empty.
On the third day, he rose from among the dead.
And now ascended up there at God's right hand, may I tell you this with gladness in my soul, that he looks down at you tonight, knows you by name, loves you with a love that has been perfectly revealed, and offers to you, offers to you as a gift the forgiveness of all your sins, the wondrous gift of eternal life.
And the assurance of a home with himself forever in the glory. Why does he do this?
Why did he go through all that beloved friend? There is only one answer to that question, and it is this because he loved you that much. I find that hard to take in. I find it hard to understand that God could look down at me and love me that much, that the Lord Jesus could so want my company up there in those course of glory that he would go through.
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All that.
And more, shall I say, there is one thing more.
Not only did he die for me, not only has he risen from among the dead and gone back up there to the glory, but I believe there is profound significance in this thought that he has come and knocked at my heart door. The word of God says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
Would I not consider it to be an extremely unusual thing?
If the President of this land where to write out a pardon for some man who had been very guilty of an act against himself or against his wife or loved one, and the President writes out a pardon, and has someone take this pardon to.
The guilty man. What an amazing thing that would be. But if the president himself came and knocked at the door and presented that pardon, you would consider it a thing Incredible. And yet, beloved friend, I say this tonight, that as you sit in this gospel meeting, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who left those courts of glory and went to the cross of Calvary, and there took upon himself that load and burden of guilt.
And there took upon himself, and exhausted those strokes of judgment. Not only has redemption been accomplished, not only has a pardon been wrought out to the glory of God, but this night in this room once more, he who loved you with such an infinite love, knocked at your heart's door, and offers it to you.
Did you know that your answer is going to be written down? Yes, it is, beloved friend. There are books being kept up there. There are detailed records being written down up there, and those records will be opened in a day that's coming. There won't be any clock to determine the amount of time available those books will be opened.
The page that has your name written at the top will be opened.
And the record of your life will be found there in all its unabridged details. God has kept that record, and in the course of that record will be found your attendance at this very meeting.
The fact that you were here and heard yet once more the story of God's wondrous love.
Heard yet once more the value of the sacrifice and precious blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and you were reminded once more that he who loved you with such an infinite love is waiting to write down, to record your answers. Do you know the word of God says there is joy in the presence of the angels of God?
Over 1 Sinner that repenteth joy in the presence of the angels of God.
I've seen from time to time a reflection of that joy here.
I think Brother Bob, Tony will not forget.
The particular occasion and a little meeting at Hamilton packed.
In Oaxaca, when there was a gentleman whom we had known for some years, his name was Tomas Hernandez. He was begged and begged to come to the meeting and he turned up the last night and he was greeted by one another as he took his seat. Senor Hernandez. Mr. Hernandez.
At the end of the meeting, that dear man stood up, and with tears of a broken yet a glad heart he made known that he had received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. Now I will not forget, and I know Bob will not forget, what happened then.
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One by one, those dear brothers came forward, put their arms around that dear man and said Hermano Hernandez, brother Hernandez.
And we looked at the faces of those dear men, naturally very stoical. But their stoicism was gone, beloved, in the joy of seeing a soul turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, born again, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
Again, I remember one night after the Gospel meeting at home, a young man on the way out the door.
Forgive these illustrations, but I'm going to ask you as I tell this little account, I'm going to ask you if you have ever said anything like this to anyone in your life. This young man, who wasn't given to very many words, took my hand and said I'd like you to know that I have received the Lord Jesus as my Savior, and he quickly went out the door.
I was surprised that he said that much to me.
His father was up in the room getting his hat and coat on. His father was the last one out the door. As his father took my hand, I said, brother, there was a special joy tonight. A young man confessed the Lord as his savior. All his face brightened up. All that good news, brothers. I'm so glad to hear that. By the way, who was it?
I said it was your oldest son.
Well, if there is joy in the presence of the angels of God, I saw joy radiated from the face of that dear man that night. Oh beloved friend, I want to tell you this. There is a God up Yonder in the glory. There is a Savior on high in the glory, and all that could possibly be done, that you and I might be redeemed and know it has been already accomplished. Perhaps the last knock is being sounded out tonight, and I want to ask you plainly.
Slowly, solemnly, 1 by 1.
Has there ever been joy in the presence of the angels of God?
As you confess, the Lord eat us as your Savior.
How old do you have to be to tell someone that the Lord Jesus Christ is your savior? Ah, there are many here who have heard it from the lips of very little children. And the Lord Jesus Christ himself, when he was here, took a little child, set him in the midst, and said, whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me. I love to hear the confession of a little child.
Dear boys, dear girls, dear young people, the Lord Jesus loved you and died for you. And as I read these words in 2nd Corinthians 5.
For we know, let's go on with that verse. We know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heaven.
We know. Is it really possible? Thank God it is. You know, when the Lord Jesus himself was here, a few of his disciples were gathered around about him, and he, with great delight, was telling them of that Father's house. He said to them that day in my Father's house.
Are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.
Thomas was there.
And Thomas heard those words. Thomas, I'm sure, was thrilled at the thought of those many mansions and of the Lord Jesus coming to take his redeemed ones away. But Thomas didn't know the answers that you and I know. And he said to the Lord Jesus, how can we know the way? How can we?
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No the way.
Some time ago we received an invitation to attend these meetings.
At Toledo, OH.
And accompanying the invitation there was a road map, in fact, 2 maps. And you know, when we saw two maps and clothes, we knew that our dear brethren here at Toledo really wanted and expected us to come? Well, they supplied us with two maps that we might make no mistake whatever. And following those maps, here we are now beloved friend, when the Lord Jesus told of those wondrous courts of gladness and joy.
Said that he would come again and receive his own to himself. In those courts of joy, Thomas raised the question, how can we know the way?
Sometimes I think I have become so accustomed to the sound of the gospel.
So accustomed to the language of those who love and reverence this precious book, but I'm scarcely aware of how many there are. Who still would say?
No one can be sure about these matters. Nobody can know. It's the height of presumption to speak with any certainty about these things. Why, we don't even know the answer to the riddles of material things that are all around us. But that's true enough, You know as well as I do.
That the more a man searches into the realm of the material things he sees around him.
The more he realizes how completely beyond solution these matters are, and to be able to turn to that which is beyond the horizon of life, to be able to turn to eternal matters and speak with absolute certainty, how can it be done?
The only man who never told a lie. The only man who never exaggerated.
Jesus, the Son of God died, was buried.
He rose again from among the dead, and he told us.
With authority, which we dare not question, he told us of the wonder of a home up there in the glory.
Of a door wide open, that whosoever will might enter in. Oh, beloved, is there any reason why any man of Adams race would be found outside that door, when at last it's closed and closed forever? There is no reason why anyone in this company needs to be found outside that door. He loves you. He died for you. He pleads with you. He has, shall I say it, he has waited for you.
Yet he has waited for you.
You know, I was in the prayer room tonight.
The first brother that entered in said to me.
Bring me at a vessel. Wasn't that a strange comment? But I believe I knew what he meant. He was referring to that Old Testament account where one by one those vessels were filled with oil and the question was raised. Bring me a vessel. But there was not one more vessel to be found. And the oil.
Staged, and I believe the brother stopped with this.
Brother, remember in the gospel tonight there is someone whom the Lord is seeking.
If the last one were saved, he would have come already.
I remember one time.
I was in a home that was being built. The Carpenter was in the kitchen finishing off some cupboards.
And I spoke to him about the Lord Jesus.
It was by number no means the first time that that man had heard the gospel.
He had heard it from another Workman who had been with him many days, and as we spoke together about the Lord Caesar.
To my surprise and my delight, the man reached up and took off his carpenter's cap.
And put out his hand. And he said, I accept the Lord Jesus Christ.
As my savior, now something happened that I must admit.
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Never happened before, but as I took that man's hand and shook it with the gladness of one brother greeting another.
I waited with a real expectation in my heart, you know, I was thinking.
Is. This is the last one. The Lord is going to come right now. I know He will. I know he won't wait another moment if this is the last one to be brought in. I gripped his head and waited a moment. The Lord didn't come. And I thought, well, there must be another vessel. There must be someone for whom the Lord is yet waiting. He waited for me. He waited for many another in this room tonight. Who can say with gladness of heart that you already know so by the precious blood of Christ.
And he's waiting, still waiting for someone in this room.
But that period of waiting is just about ended, beloved.
Again, I say, here in Two Corinthians 5 we read the wondrous certainty.
We know that if.
There's something in this verse we're very sure about, and something in this verse we're not very sure about. Something we're in doubt about. Notice what it says? We know absolute certainty that if adults an uncertainty here, what is this concerning which we are so absolutely sure we are sure of this, that when it comes time for us to leave.
We're going home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That building of God I have no doubt refers to.
The glorified body that the redeemed of the Lord will have in that day.
But notice what is it in this verse that we are not sure about?
What is it that has an element of uncertainty attached to it if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved?
If we should die, in other words, why is it not true that everyone must die? Is that not the teaching all around us today? One thing we're absolutely sure of We're told we all must die. But one thing we're rather in doubt about what lies beyond death? Nobody's very sure about that. Is that not the generally accepted teaching from the pulpit of today? It's not so beloved. The word of God has it completely the other way around.
One thing I am not at all sure about, and that is whether I will die at all. I must admit I just don't seem to give it a spot. I'm looking forward together with many another in this room tonight, to that soon coming moment when the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. And at the sound of that shout I'll be up and away, and so will every other one in this company, and I'll be at home in the presence of the one who went into death, who bore my guilt.
Rose again from the dead and ascended up there to the glory, and is coming soon to call me home. Let me pause here as we speak of this matter, to remind you most solemnly and faithfully that in that moment, at that hour there will be absolutely no advance warning. And I believe that day, that power, that moment is very near at hand.
I feel over there in the corner a scoreboard, I suppose it is, and on it I see a place for the recording of.
Minutes and seconds.
I've never seen one of those things operating, but I imagine I know what happened. I imagine that as the game proceeds, that probably indicates how many minutes. How many seconds.
Yet remain, and my guess is. My guess is that as the minutes pick away and the seconds fly by even more rapidly, there's a frantic excitement as the last seconds ticked by. Oh beloved, I look over there at those two words, minutes and seconds.
There is no recording of the last days.
Our minutes or seconds before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ He has given us in His word, and it's not my intention to go into it tonight. That which makes ever so many of us feel with eager gladness that the moment I say not today, I say the moment of His return to call home is right at hand. There was a dear old brother who used to live in Ottawa. His name was Mr.
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McConnell.
And you know that dear old man, he was just ever so often seen looking up like this, Looking up.
You know, the young men in those days used to wear what we called fedora hats with the front snapped down.
And that dear old man, I can see him yet he used to walk around, and he even tip up the brim of our hat and say.
Keep looking up. Keep looking up. He just didn't seem to want anything to hinder the eager joy that ought to be ours in looking up, watching, and waiting with eager gladness for the imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
One thing more beloved. We mentioned at the early part of the meeting that men aren't so tremendously occupied with the affairs of this poor, struggling world, talking about the right and the left and the middle of the road, and ignoring the above and the beneath. Now it tells us here in Two Corinthians 5, of the glorious certainty of the.
Above that wondrous, wondrous certainty that those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior shall spend the unending ages of eternity in the home, in the present, and in the likeness of our Lord Jesus, Christ united to him in bonds of eternal love. For he has so not a bride, and the redeemed of the Lord are that wondrous eternal bride.
Suppose we turn to Revelation.
Revelation Chapter 20.
Verse 11.
And I saw our great white throne and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great sand before God. And the book were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book according to their work.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it.
And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their work.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire.
They love it just as truly as there is an above, there is also a beneath.
Though one is as true as the other and the one is as eternal as the other, the very words that are used for the existence of God Himself are threefold, eternal, everlasting, and forever and ever. Those 3 words are used in connection with the existence of God Himself eternal.
Everlasting forever and ever and those same three terms are used in connection with.
The existence of joy and of gladness, The light, the wholesome, the gladness of the redeemed of the Lord.
In those courts of glory and those same three terms.
Eternal, everlasting, forever and ever.
Are used in connection with this portion, the portion of the rejectors.
The neglectors of the wondrous offer of pardon that cost God.
So much all beloved, I take no delight in reading these words.
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But they are as solemn, necessary responsibility on my soul.
We are told that there will come in the last days mockers.
Scoffers walking after their own lusts.
I've seen it.
You've seen it.
I believe I may have mentioned right here in Toledo before.
Attending a trial at which a young girl.
Was on trial for her life.
Having been found guilty of murder. And you know, throughout that trial, there was a spirit of bravado on the face of that girl. She looked as though she didn't care at all.
Nothing that was said, no testimony brought against her produced any evidence of concern whatsoever.
And at last, the judge put that black cap on his head.
He wrote down in his book silently without a word, and then he read it off her name, her sentence, to be hanged by the neck till you are dead, and May God have mercy on your soul. And he took the pen with which he had written those words, and snapped the pen in two.
I have never seen it done before.
Meant the absolute finality of the sentence written. And you know, along with the snap of that pen came the first cry from that girl.
Oh, such a cry of anguish. They led her away with a cry rang out in that courtroom. Oh, beloved friend, I warn you, there is an eternal home of glory to which the Savior invites you with pleading love. He loves you. He died to redeem you. He shed his precious blood to wash away those stains of sin of mine.
And they're gone. Took a lot of Jesus Christ. His Son has cleansed me from all sin. They're gone. They're gone forever. And I'm bound for those courses of glory. I'm going to spend eternity in the presence of the one who loves me and who died to redeem me. But just as surely as there is a glad home, an eternal home, just so surely, beloved friend, are these words.
Which we have read.
True and solemn and eternal.
Now you may you may scoff tonight, you may mock at this message. You may decide to put it off. But friend, the day is coming when according to the description given here, the dead.
Small and great stood before God. It seems rather remarkable to me. Our brother spoke this afternoon of the dead, and of those who have been brought from that dead condition, to know the wonder of new creation, life in Christ.
Notice here that when those who are dead stand as we might think alive before God, they're still called dead. I saw the dead.
Stand before God.
Small and great. Isn't that solemn, Small and great.
Does that take you in friend if you don't know the Lord Jesus as your savior? This is a description of what lies ahead.
And the books were opened and another book was opened, which is the book of life.
And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works.
Verse 15 And whosoever was not.
Found written in the Book of Life. Was cast into.
The lake of fire. Let men walk as they will, Let them argue as they will.
Let them call this whatever they wish. It remains as God describes it. It remains A solemn, final, awful, eternal reality. Why these words?
Cast into.
Why not simply direct it into?
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The judge did not have to pick up that girl and cast her into her prison cell.
My friend, why does it say this?
I tremble, I tremble even as I read it.
The picture is this, beloved.
That every rejector of the Lord Jesus, no matter how many verses of the Bible he or she may have known.
No matter how many hymns or three choruses you may have sung in your life.
If you don't know the Lord Jesus as your savior, if your sins are not washed away, if your name is not written in that book of life up there in the glory, you will be.
Cast into. Does it really mean that? It does, my friend. Cast into. This was my portion, but for the grace of God.
Can you picture forgive, please? A personal reference? Can you picture this man that stands before you?
As a boy in a Christian hall.
A praying father and mother brought up under the sound of the gospel.
Praying Sunday school teachers.
And say, can you picture me with all the privileges that I had as a boy cast into the lake of fire? And that's exactly where I was going. It's exactly where I was going. But God and his sovereign, latchless grace broke me down back.
An Open Door, I Am the Door
Gospel—E. Wakefield
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Peace is the Savior of sinners. Christ is the Savior for me long I.
AM.
#4
There's a lot of savior for me.
Laughing out loud, sun changing.
Left without lasting, so pretty.
I love his.
God our Father, we thank Thee that for this Savior of whom we #20.
Behold, the Savior at the door. He gently knocks, has knocked before, has waited long, is waiting still.
You use no other friend, so I'll #20.
Behold.
Please translating.
Heart.
The way that long is where we live now.
I would like to speak tonight.
On three scriptures, at least, to which we find the word door.
The door. First, let us turn to the 7th chapter of Genesis.
Genesis Chapter 7.
And the first verse.
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou.
And all thy house into the ark for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
And verse 16.
And they that went in went in, male and female, of all flesh that God had commanded him, and the Lord shut him in. Now last night our brother spoke above the upper, the glory lands, and beneath which was the lake of fire. Tonight I want to speak about these doors we have before us in connection with those that are in the inside.
And those on the outside, here we have this account.
That God gave us in the chapters Genesis 6 through 7 and eight in connection with the flood. The judgment of God fell on this world. And as we read this account of the early verses of Genesis chapter 6, let us just look at the woman, Genesis 6 verse 5.
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And God saw that the wickedness of mind was great in the earth.
And that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Verse 7. And the Lord said, I will destroy man, whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and being, and the creeping thing and the fowls of the air, For it repenteth me that I have made man.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Verse 11 The earth also was corrupt before God.
And the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt.
For all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto law, the end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. And behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of Gopher wood.
Now, dear friends, if we were to read this and didn't know it was in the Bible, we read it in some book, we might think well, that the author was describing this world today. For surely we find this world today at exactly the same position as it was in the days of Noah. Wickedness figure, what God said, every imagination of the heart of man, He will continually.
Showing that mine is a Sinner, absolutely wrecked and ruined. And here we have it in the 6th chapter of the record of Almighty God Himself, the living word, the Bible, the Word of God. And we find beloved friends that God was going to destroy man. The earth was filled with violence, corruption. That is not this what we have today, even in these favorite lands, which God is so graciously blessed.
Do we not find violence and corruption and evil on the mounting getting higher and higher as this poor world goes on to judgment? Well, in this day of Noah there was an ark. And that ark, it's remarkable to see as we we read that the door of the ark was set in the thigh. There was one entrance to that ark.
There was a door there, and God tells us that only eight people went into that ark. Those ways. I believe that Noah preached for many years, some say 120. Nevertheless, this preacher preached and he only got 7 conversions. The whole world turned against Noah. And my friend, this is not so tonight. This glorious gospel of the grace of God is unpopular in this world. Man, laugh at it.
That man sneered at it and men rejected the golf ball.
But, my friends, that ark we know is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. The place of refuse, the place of security, the place of safety was in that arc, and there was no other place for them to go. Only that ark. If any man that dares to copy it, if any other man has tried to build 1 exactly like it, it would have come under the judgment of God. There was but one place of safety, one door to enter in.
And Noah was invited by God. Notice come thou and all thy house into the ark. Oh beloved God was there in the ark, waiting to receive Noah, his wife, his three sons, and his three daughters into that one and only place of refuge from that coming judgment, or a scene that must have been beloved friends.
That God opened the windows of heaven.
And the rains came down and four men and women realized too late.
That the word of God was true. That judgment was coming on the world.
And we can see them, no doubt that we try to picture the scene of men and women trying to swim in the water, trying to save themselves. They tell us that they went to the very highest mountains to escape the judgment, but the water washed them into eternity. Oh my friends, they had never seen rain before. Never had they seen rain before, for the earth was watered by a mist that came up out of the earth.
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And, my friend, you have never seen the judgment of God fall in this world yet. And I suppose there is here tonight in this audience, men and women, young and old, some who are unsaved, lost in their sins on the way to hell. And tonight, my friends, there is no art for you to go to. There is no visible art for you to go to. There's no door. You can see what your human eyes, and with which you can rush for safety, is a judgment of God.
Ross near over this world. Sometimes we know that a thunderstorm can be heard in the distance for a long time. We hear the Thunder as it gets closer and closer and the lightning flashes. And then we say there's a storm coming. Oh dear friends, tonight surely they could hear the Thunder of the wrath of God coming on this world.
Surely we can hear the rumble of the Thunder as it draws near to this world.
And I warn you, my friends, that there is tonight. Thank God there's an ark. And I want you to turn to the 10th chapter of John.
Where we read about another door.
There was one door of that ark in Genesis chapter.
Seven now in John's Gospel, chapter 10, verse 9.
Here we have the Son of God speaking. Oh, how blessed we can stand here tonight and read the very words of the Son of God himself. Verse nine, I am the door by me.
If any man enter in, he shall be saved.
And shall go in and out and find pasture.
Word. This is what a blessed message from the Savior's heart of love. I am the door. Christ is the door. Tonight. Notice now first of all, I the personal pronoun I. That is to say it's a person, not religion, but a real person. I in the second place is the divine person, if God himself I am.
The very name that God gave to Moses and Exodus chapter three, I think verse 14, where he said I am, that I am, and here on the earth and this day was a man standing there and he said I am.
A divine person, a person who had authority to say these words. I am the very Son of God, the maker of heaven and earth. He was here in this world.
Oh, how blessed. And the very sixth chapter of John's Gospel, he said I came down from heaven many times. He said those words. And the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John. I came down from heaven. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and he says I am the door all beloved. How did Christ become the door? Well, first of all we know he was sent by God.
And he came into this world, and he spoke those wonderful words that nobody else ever spoke, before or since. Think of a man tonight who came to Toledo and walked into this hall and sit on this platform and looked at you and said, I am the door. Why you run him out of town? He had no right to say it. He couldn't say it. He had no story to say it. But this one was God manifest in the flesh.
God had come down on the person of Christ, and he said I am.
And then, beloved friends, this blessed one who was the door, went to the cross of Calvary, and there on that cross he hung the door. He was the one who hung on that cross nail between 2 criminals rejected by this world and cast out, I like to say here in the midst of the prosperity of the United States of America.
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In the midst of the prosperity of Canada, the country to the north, let me solemnly warn you, my friends, be not deceived by men who try to paint a picture of a future world of happiness and bliss and joy, without Christ, where they do but lie, and they do but to save you, no matter how honestly and how truthfully they may believe, they can make this world a better place.
The presence of the Son of God in this world for 33 years.
And that with the outstanding crime of the ages.
And remember that Barabbas the robber and the murderer was let loose.
And remember, dear friends, that the FBI and the police of this country, no matter how hard they work, cannot get away from the fact that the spirit of Barabbas is loose. Tonight. The spirit of Brabus Mine is reaping what he sowed. He wanted the robber and he got him. He wanted the murderer and he got him, and the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross of Calvary.
This world tonight is staying with the blood of Christ.
We live in a world, beloved friends, And that dear brother used to say a world that would crucify the Son of God would stop at nothing.
How true that is. But all let us look at that cross tonight, that blessed cross. I enjoy what our brother said last night. Some people are always looking for a new subject. But you know, in the glory land there's going to be one subject, and that is great and Christ alone for eternity. And so we have the old gospel, no different from last night, The same old gospel. Let us turn our eyes to the cross.
Let us see the Son of God hanging there between 2 Thieves. Let us see God, beloved Son, cast out of the world His hands have made, and let us watch that sight as they sat down and watched him there in their cold blood. And they enjoy doing so. Just imagine this world enjoyed watching Christ suffer on the cross of Calvary and God will never forget it.
God will never forget it. We believe the death of Christ and the rejection of Christ is as fresh in the mind of God.
And if it happened 5 minutes ago, God will never forget that this world did. The heavens beloved one. Who was he all beloved friends? He was a Christ. He was a son of God. He was the maker of heaven and earth. He was the one upheld all things by the word of his power. He was almighty. He could speak with authority. He could call the dead out of the brave. He could open the eyes of the blind. He could make the lambs a walk. He could say stretch forth by hand. He got the power.
And yet he allowed men to nail them to the crawl.
And then, as our brother said last night at the noon hour at 12:00, God wrapped the scene in darkness, and the Lord Jesus Christ became the sin bearer, and he bore my sins in his own body on that tree.
Old friends, think of us 1:00 came 2:00, came 3:00.
Always arrived when out of the darkness we hear that voice. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Oh, is there a man in this room tonight? Is there a woman? Is there a boy? Is there a girl who is never yet on their knees answered that question?
Have you ever knelt down on your knees? And before God answered the question, why did?
God forsake his beloved Son.
We could turn to the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and we would find the heavens opened upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
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We could hear the Father say, this is my beloved Son and whom I am well pleased. We could turn to the 17th chapter of Matthew. Later on we could hear him again. Say, this is my beloved Son, hear him. Then I say, why did God forsake that blessed one on the prom? All beloved friends, many of us tonight by the grace of God.
Have found the answer. He was forsaken for us. And Can you imagine that four worthless sinners?
Poor hell, deserving worms of the dust.
And yet he was forsaken on that crime as God judged him.
In my room and said, you believe it, girls and boys. Do you believe that that the Lord Jesus Christ on that cross for your sins See you say like a careless world, oh, he died for everybody.
All how careless men are to make that statement, beloved friends, that he died for you.
Said yes. Have you knelt down your knees and home before God that you're guilty? That you're a guilty Sinner? You're a lost Sinner, You're a dead Sinner, and you can't do anything for yourself, and I can't do anything for either. But thank God I can point you to Calvary. I can point you to that prom, and I can tell you on the authority of the word of God that Christ died for sinners, He died for the ungodly.
What a marvelous statement to think of. Right Died for the ungodly. Thank God for that verse, for that verse means me, and it means you will our friends. He died for sinners. He gave his life on the cross in order that sinners might be saved, For heaven shall be filled with sinners saved by the grace of God. Maybe there's maybe there's somebody in this room tonight that never gets discovered, that you're a Sinner.
You know, it's very easy to say what We're all sinners. Some of us are pretty bad and some of us are pretty good. But we're all in the same boat. We're all sinners. My friends. That will never bring you to a place of blessing. But when you come to the place where you say I am a Sinner, never mind anybody else in the United States, I am a Sinner. I am guilty. I have sinned against God and I'm guilty and I'm going to hell. I'm lost. I'm thinking down.
Under the judgment of God, Oh dear boys and girls, you will have Christian homes. You will have Christian homes where the Bible is read, where your father and mother pray with you. Oh, I warn you, please, I ask you, don't let the glorious gospel of the grace of God, the matchless love of God, the matchless love of Christ, be used by the devil to harden your heart, and you'll land on the lake of fire.
How solemn, how terrible. The Lord Jesus bowed his head in death. Don't you see the picture? All beloved friends, let us look at that cross. Let us see that thorn brown brow. As he said it is finished. And the Son of God bowed his head. What a faith. The Son of God bowed his head.
And all the Watson said.
And I believe it bears repeating that every child of Adams race should have bowed their head for eternity, but the Son of God bowed his head.
All the Son of mine had no place to lay his head. But on that cross the Son of God laid his head upon his blessed bosom. The work was finished. Calvary's work was done. You cannot save yourself. You can add nothing to the finished work of Christ. It's all been done, my friend.
You're too late to do anything. It's all been done with the claws. Jesus did it. Did it all long, long ago. It is finished. What a blessed message from the Glorious Savior's lips. It is finished. Tonight we rest our souls on the finished work of Christ and our title to glory. We read in the precious blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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The only way to heaven. The only way to heaven. For Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me. And so this blessed person says, And this person, John 10, verse nine, I am the door.
By me. By me, my friend. Not by your good work, not by your religion.
Not by turn over a new leaf, but by me. A person is speaking Christ themselves. Jesus the Son of God is speaking, and he says I am the door by me.
If any man enter in or be entered into life, my friend, are you in Christ or are you in your sins? You know everybody in this audience. We haven't got to go outside this auditorium.
Just in this audience right here tonight, everyone of us.
Are either in right or in our sins.
I wonder if we stopped now. Sit for a moment and give you a moment to think about and to answer that question. Are you in Christ? If you're not, you're in your sins. If you're not saved, you're lost. If you're not heaven bound, you're hell bound.
There's only two ways, my friends, the Broadway, that leads to destruction.
And the narrow way that leads to glory and every single one of us, including the speaker on this platform.
Either in Christ on the way to heaven or in our sins on the way to hell. Now look at that clock over there now. But it's after 8:00, five after 35 minutes nearer to heaven.
For 35 minutes nearer to hell. How is it, friends? Let me ask this question. I'd like to ask this question every time I preach the gospel if you were dead now.
Where would you be? Where would your soul be if you had died this afternoon? Where would your soul be if you had left this world of 5:00 tonight? Where would you be? All friends, I ask you, do not look around the audience and smile and as if nothing mattered. This is the most important thing in the whole world. You may pass. You may fail in your school and go through the grade again next year. You may fail in your business and start off again.
You may lose your job and get another job, but if you lose your soul, you'll perish.
You will perish in hell under the judgment of God. Now I know it's not proper to preach that way.
I know this world doesn't want to hear those kind of things, but Jesus preached it.
The Lord Jesus said more about hell than all the other men in the Bible put together.
The warned men to flee from the wrath to come. Jesus is a savior. He loves you. My friends, God loves you. What a blessed message. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Oh you say, Sir, I've heard that worth 1000 times, but sometimes you'll hear it for the last time.
Hear the words of the Lord Jesus, that precious Savior in John 524, light giving words.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me have everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life. Who said that? The very one who said these words, I am the door by me, If any man enter in, he shall be saved.
What a wonderful thing tonight to be able to tell people. Tell men and women to tell boys and girls they can be saved tonight, Saved by God. And this is Noah in that ark, beloved. The Lord shut him in. Quiet the marvelous thing, isn't it? Couldn't know or shut the door of the ark. No, He could not. The Lord wouldn't trust Noah to shut the door of the ark. The Lord shut no in. And when the Lord shut Noah in.
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The devil himself couldn't open the door. How blessed it, how it speaks of eternal security. The Devil himself and all his demons couldn't open that door when the almighty hand of God shut the door. Thank God tonight those who come in through this door, the one who said I am the door, there's no power in heaven or hell can ****** you away from the hand of Jesus.
What a wonderful savior. And tonight you can have that savior. You can have that savior tonight, but maybe not tomorrow night. I was speaking to a little girl five years of age recently and I asked her this question. When is the best time to get saved now? I thought she would naturally say. Now nearly everybody asked that question. Says now for this little 5 year old girl doesn't say that.
She said the first time you hear about Jesus, wasn't that wonderful? And then she added these words, you know, that's what happened to us the first time we heard about Jesus. We believe that all beloved friends that touched my heart. I know there's boys in this room tonight and I know there's girls here and there's young men and ladies here who have heard of Jesus 500 times and they're lost tonight.
They're lost.
And they're going down to hell, unsaved and lost and lost.
My friends, the best time to get saved is when you first hear about Jesus. Sad to say that many of us, including the man standing here tonight, heard the glorious gospel dozens and dozens of times and said no. No.
Absolutely no.
It's a wonder that God did knock me into hell, but all the grace of God, the love of God, the patience of God.
For a poor, hell deserving Sinner. And so we say tonight, what a savior.
I am the door. Buy me a person. If any man, if any man notice. If any man shall enter in, he shall be saved. Who said it? The Son of God. There's no doubt about it. There's no question about it. The Son of God said it. Will you believe it tonight and receive the Savior? Well, Thursday, let us look at the 25th chapter of Matthew.
Matthew 25.
Before we speak on this, I want to read the last word of the 10th verse of Matthew 25. Solemn, solemn words spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ himself. And the door was shut. Just imagine. And the door. Here's another door. And the door was shut. Let's look at the first person. Consider this.
These words of our Lord Jesus.
Then shall the Kingdom of heaven be likened under 10 virgins which took their lamps.
And went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise and five were foolish. None of those friends. There were five wives and five foolish. There was a division between them, wise and foolish. And this world is exactly the same tonight. This world is divided. And the cross of Christ has divided this world. It's divided officers, It's divided school rooms. It's divided homes.
It's divided loved ones, the crowns, those who are on one side.
Washed from their sins and the precious blood of Christ glory bounds, knowing the day of your personally and waiting for him from heaven, and those on the other side in their sins lost and guilty, and on the way to eternal darkness.
Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Notice the third verse. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now notice every one of the ten had a lamp. They all professed. And my friend tonight, and these conferences I believe we have the same thing.
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All make a profession is very, very seldom you go to a man and say third. Tell me please.
Are you saved or lost? It's very, very seldom a man will say I'm lost. They all say, Well, of course I'm a Christian. Don't I live in the United States? Don't I live in Canada? Don't I go to some church or some meeting? Why, of course I'm a Christian. I'm not a heathen, am I? Oh, they're all professions. They're all professors. They all have their lands. But notice there was a difference.
The Wise had oil.
And the foolish had no oil. What is the oil? The spirit of God. We believe in type, a picture of the Spirit of God and how solemn it is below. Our friends, the only profess to be a Christian and to never have any reality. I remember at a conference some time ago, a young lady went to the front. Her brother, who is here tonight, had preached the gospel.
And I remember this young girl went to the front and said I want to be saved tonight, Her words to that effect?
And people were amazed. Oh, they said she's been saved for years.
This girl is believed the gospel for many years, but she said I did not believe the gospel. Oh, she believed it up here. She had her lamp, but she didn't have Christ. And I'm going to tell you something, friends. That girl's life has changed since that night. And I believe there's many come to these conferences. Yes, like that girl your mother says or your father. Well, of course Johnny's a Christian.
He ordered son in school every Sunday. Why? He says his work perfectly every Sunday morning or afternoon. And that girl why Mary saved. Of course she can say John 316. She can say John flight 24. But that'll never save you, my friends. Never. You have to receive price. You have to be born from above to get a brand new life from God.
Where this life God can never accept it, God can never, my friends, accept that old nature, that old flesh.
Because if that enemy was God, the natural man, that's why the Lord Jesus said you got to have a new birth, you got to be boring from up there and the very life of God in your soul. How blessed. And so are these foolish versions have their lamps profession.
But no reality and no life and no oil. But notice now in the fifth verse.
While the bridegroom carried, they all slumbered and slept. What a sad thing is a thing that many of us who were Christian, I speak for myself. We slumber and sleep. We don't have very much energy for the things of God doing that. We treated our business like we treat the things of God. Surely our business would fail in no time. There's very little interest. There's very little interest in soul. Gospel tracks can be bought for such a little price.
In the book room. But how many are given away? How many are really awake tonight? How many are really out and out for Christ? I speak for myself. We speak with shame about ourselves, how little we do for the Lord who loved us and gave themselves worth. And so they all slumbered and slept. But not a verse six at midnight there was a crime made. Behold the bride's room.
Going up to meet him now, I believe this took place, as we all do, maybe 160 years ago, and the Lord restored the glorious truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, coming to take His people out of this world. Nevertheless, is it not true, beloved friends, that as we hear that glorious word, the coming of the Lord draweth nigh? Think of it. Think of what, my friends, if Jesus came right now.
What would happen in this room if the Lord descended from heaven right now? With that shout, what would happen in this room? Would you be left here alone?
To see all these quotes here hanging outside in the hall and they're all gone.
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And you were sitting here, alone, alone, left here behind, left behind.
When the Lord came at solemn, isn't it? Oh, dear young people, won't you face this tonight? For the Lord Jesus is coming very, very soon.
He may come tonight. Are you ready?
What a tragedy. Dear young man, young lady brought up in a Christian home. Bible readings, Sunday school papers, all kinds of books in the library and you left behind.
Left behind a fake judgment household. Well, let us notice now in the 7th, 6th, 7th verse. And all those versions arose and trimmed their lamps.
And the fuller said under the wise give us of your oil for our lamps are going out. I believe the margin says going out there was no oil and for a moment or two the light Shawn and then went out. There was no reality, no oil. The lamps went out and they said our lamps are going out.
Our lamps are going out, and they go. Why? He said in the ninth verse, not so. Let there be not enough for us and you, but go, ye rather, to them that fell and buy for yourself. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in. Old friends noticed those words. May God stamp them on your soul.
They that were ready went in.
And the door was shut. The door was shut. Oh, that door is going to be shut someday when the master the house stands up and shuts through the door. Or a solemn thing, my friends, how terrible, how awful. The door was shut. The door was shut.
A man in England one day a businessman going to keep an appointment, rushed into the railway station and as he ran for the train the door was shut. The door was shut and he couldn't get through and as he turned away he was hurt to say, oh God, that's going to cost me £5000.
For my friends, if this door is shut, you'll turn away and say.
I have lost my soul. I have lost my soul.
I'm doomed for eternity. I've lost my soul. The door was shut. Now notice what happens in the 11Th verse afterward. Isn't that solemn? Oh, that solemn word Afterward, men would love. They just love to be able to say there's no God. That's what these influence and atheists and evolutionists are trying to do. They're trying to prove there's no God so they can ease their conscience. But there's an afterward. Isn't that solemn afterward?
Afterward. After death, that judgment afterward came.
Also the other version, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not friends. Does the Lord know you tonight? I ask you, do you know the Lord? You might stay at the door? I know the Lord. Maybe you're just one of these people who has the knowledge in your head, like so many beloved friends.
And there's no reality. But I ask you this, does the Lord know you?
He says here, I know you not, I know you not. I notice what they say. Lord, Lord.
And whenever we read those two words together like that, it's only profession.
Lord, Lord, now before we close, let us look at Romans 10 and 9.
You see what God says there?
In Romans 10 and 9.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead.
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Thou shalt be saved. Doesn't it sound something like the word in John 10 by me? If any man enter in, he shall be saved. Thou shalt be saved. The very word of God, my friend. What a word that some of some of you may have heard this little story. I'd like to tell it again. But a young man who came to our gospel tent down in Sackville, NB. He had a praying Christian mother. She had prayed for her boy.
Oh, mother's.
Many of us are praying for our boys. Don't give up. God answers prayer, praise God for that. Let us keep on praying for our boys and girls too, of course. But this young man, at the end of the meeting, I went back where he was standing and I asked him was he saved And he said no, I'm not. I said, young man, are you a Sinner? He said. I sure am Mr.
I sure am. Then I said, wouldn't you like to be saved? He said I would. Then I said this to him, When would you like to be saved? And he said, right now. That's all. He quoted this verse to him, opened our Bibles and showed them this verse I just read to you. And I said, young man, I'm going to fulfill this verse right here in front of you. I'm going to confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord.
And I'm going to tell you, by the grace of God, I believe in my heart.
That God has raised him from the dead.
And I said on the authority of God's word.
I'm saved. Well, he said to me, I believe that God raised him from the dead too. And we said, what about the first part of the verse? And he said, I confess that Jesus Christ is my Lord. And then we bowed our heads together in prayer. Oh beloved, was he saved. God says so. Thou shalt be saved. Isn't it blessed? Have you ever confessed Christ?
Have you ever said a good word for Jesus? Have you ever spoken well of Christ? I remember in the old days who often said this. Please just speak well of the prize fighters and the hockey players and the baseball players. There was no reproach in that. You became famous when you talked about those men, but when you speak well of Jesus.
The curl lipped the sneer on the faces, the laughter and the mockery of this poor, Christ rejecting world. But.
God says, If thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart, God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved for tonight in the very glory above.
At the right hand of the majesty in the heavens there sits a man.
A man is there manhood of invaded the very presence of God.
That man has on his hands and his feet the nail marked and inside the spear mark. And that man is Jesus and he's Lord, where God has made that same Jesus.
Whom Israel rejected and crucified Both Lord and Christ. He's there, beloved. There's a living savior. He's not dead. Oh, he lives. Is he your savior? Would you like to receive him tonight? For God says and that verse in John one eye coat and clothes and let us read it. OK, so we get it right in closing John one verse 12 notice.
But.
As many as received him notice a person, again, not religion, not church membership, not coming to a gospel meeting. But as Benny has received him a person, a living savior, as many as received him to them gave the power to become the Thunder children of God, even to them that believe in His name which were born.
Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Friends, will you receive Christ tonight? We have nothing more to say. Jesus is able to save you. Jesus is ready to save you. And Jesus, my friends, is here tonight to save you. If you'll have them. How blessed He's here Tonight the Son of God will open arms, stands ready to receive you tonight. If you will receive Christ. But if you leave this room again.
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With that record against your name. Not tonight. Not tonight. This could well be your last invitation.
Your last opportunity Girls and boys, young men and young ladies. Older men and older ladies.
Or he has saved or lost. Or you are heaven bound or hell bound.
Will you receive tonight the Son of God? Will you receive tonight the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you bow your head and say, Lord Jesus, I'm a Sinner, but I believe you died for me, and I receive you tonight as my savior. And then, beloved friends, seek grace to confess with that multi yours, with that one who died on the cross for you, a poor Sinner.
Is now the Lord, Let us pray.
Man dies? Then Where Is He? "For We Know"
Gospel—A.C. Hayhoe
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Will you turn with me tonight, please to 2nd Corinthians?
2nd Corinthians, chapter 5.
Verse one.
2nd Corinthians 5, verse one.
For we know.
Doesn't that sound wonderful? Just those 3 words.
Four we know.
There's a special delight in my soul to read words like this in a place like this.
Who were gathered together this evening in a place of learning.
A place where young people acquire Molly.
And we're able to open a book in which we can read with glad and wondrous certainty.
We know.
And this concerns that which is far more vital, much more important than any item of knowledge that ever will be gleaned in this or in any other institutional learning in this land or in any other land. You know, we have on our bookshelf at home instead of books called the Books of knowledge.
I think perhaps some folks here may have had such books on their shelves too. Perhaps you discarded them long ago.
Because you found the information wasn't sufficiently up to date. And yet it's called the Book of Knowledge. I'm quite sure that if I were to produce the textbooks that I had when I was a boy going to school in Ottawa, Canada, that they would be an occasion for merriment among the young people if they read those books of mine today.
They would scoff at the antiquated ideas that were presented to me as knowledge when I was a boy.
And yet I say with gladness that I can stand here tonight and open up a book.
That was opened before my eyes and read in my hearing from the time I was a very little boy.
And I can read in its page of such wonderful words as these.
Four we.
Know here is something, beloved friend, that I know and that many another in this room tonight knows with glad, divine inspired certainty, and it concerns that which is a great deal more vital to you or to me than any other knowledge ever acquired here among men.
You know, there was a statement made just recently. At least I only heard it recently.
That men have become so concerned about the right and the left, as they call it nowadays, in the endeavors of men, that they have pretty well forgotten that there is an above and there is a below.
Men are greatly concerned about what they call the right and the left, and there was a great deal set in this country and in other countries recently about those who tend to be extremely toward the right or toward the left.
And others who took rather a middle course, and men were condemned or commanded according to which side?
They seemed to follow, or according to whether they were sort of on the middle of the road and in their occupation with such matters. Is it not true that men and women, young people, have forgotten that there is much more to life than the right or the left or the middle of the road? There is, beloved friend, there is an eternal above.
And there is an eternal below.
But there is no middle place.
Above with Christ in glory for all eternity, or beneath in outer darkness for all eternity, and absolutely no intermediate place. Oh, what a solemn challenge it is to stand here with the responsibility of a gospel.
The glad tidings of God's matchless grace to present from the pages of this book, to look into the faces of men and women, young people, boys and girls, and to know that absolutely.
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One here everyone, and that means you.
That means you, my friend, you will spend.
Eternity.
Unending eternity either in those courts of gladness and joy in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Or you will spend eternity. Is that a contradiction? I know of no other way to express it. You will spend eternity.
On ending eternity.
In the blackness of darkness.
With the memory of gospel messages presented to you.
Beloved friend, I love the sound of these words. We know if we were to turn to the pages of the Old Testament, we would not find such statements there. We would find the man such as Job, who was certainly a very intelligent man in his day, and concerning whom God himself said that he was a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and astute evil.
And job says man die.
Man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? Doe brace the question, but Dove didn't answer the question. Man, give us up the ghost, and where is he? That neighbor, that loved one, that relative of yours that you knew so well, and you see them no more.
They're gone.
Joe would raise the question. Mandieth man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? Jove knew not the answer.
Nor did the wisest man, whoever lived apart from the Lord Jesus, know the answers.
For as he himself saw men die and pass from time into eternity, he could only raise the question, Who knoweth? Who knoweth? Solomon did not know. How is it that I can stand here tonight and say such words as these? For we know, and to say it concerning such a vital matter as the.
Eternal destiny.
Of this soul of mine, that soul of yours, do you know? There stands between those questions of the Old Testament and the certainty of the New the wondrous person of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
For God has seen to it that there has been here among them a man.
The man Christ Jesus God manifests in flesh.
Look back to that Manger at Bethlehem and see Jesus.
In the arms of His Mother, while we here in the distance, the cry of those angels glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. I have often thought those angels must have looked down with thrilling amazement as they saw for the first time their Creator has a Bay in the arms of Mary in a major in Bethlehem.
Surely, they thought, this world groaning is ended at last.
The troubles and the sorrow, the tears and the bloodshed, are ended at last. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, has come to this first. And do you know, men still at, I suppose, this general season of the year, often say one to another and greet one another in terms of that peace which Jesus of Nazareth was, as they would say?
Supposed to have brought to this poor, troubled world.
And yet you and I know how sad is the picture around us, how lacking in peace both of heart and of circumstances we see when we look all around us. Why is this, oh beloved, that one who was sent of God to reveal a father's heart of man, stepped forth among men and told with tender love and displayed with deeds of.
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Kindness, the heart of God continually before men, but the more the heart of God was revealed, the Lord, the light and love of the One who had sent Him, was displayed here before men, the more they rejected him. His ministry had scarcely begun. Then they took him to the brow of the hill where on their sea was built, that they might cast Him down headlong.
He had not been on the journey long before they picked up stones to cast at Him. And at last you and I know the sad yet wondrous story of the crucifixion, the total, utter rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see Him nailed to the cross. We see His dead body laid in the tomb. We see that tomb sealed and a guard of soldiers placed outside it, as though the world would say we have gotten.
Rid of Him and we don't ever want to see Him anymore. Is that all there was to it all? Beloved, let me tell you the other side of it. Let me tell you why you and I now can open the Word of God and read concerning that which lies ahead.
We know the difference, beloved, is this. And this is the story that has been told again and again. But if you'll forgive me for saying, I don't weary of telling it.
And I hope you don't weary of fearing it. I suppose I was brought to gospel meetings from the time I was six or seven years of age, 50 years ago. And it has been my joy, and I thank God for it, to have attended gospel meetings for 50 years. And what have I heard?
Every gospel meeting I've ever attended in all my life, I've heard the wondrous story of God's beloved Sonness Savior who upon the cross of Calvary took our guilt and bore it there, shed His blood to put those things away. And beloved, I want to tell you once again.
But I would never be able to stand here and read a verse like this.
Nor to say those words we know if it were not for the cross of Calvary. They're the heart of man and they're the enmity of Satan were poured out upon that one who was altogether lovely. And yet there was a side to that story, beloved, that concerns me and it concerns you.
For there upon the cross.
Rejected by men, crowned with thorns, having been spit upon by those toward whom He had made known His love, He hung while around Him they mocked. And it is rather remarkable that in the statements they made over and over again, they said, If thou be the King of the Jews, if thou be the Christ, there was none of this certainty or glad knowledge with them.
There were these questions that they would raise.
I hope that's not the state of your heart tonight, my friend. I hope as I now present to you the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
My beloved Savior upon the cross of Calvary, that you will look upon that picture as concerning you, one who loved you taking your place there upon the cross. At 12:00 noon the sun refused to shine. There was a darkness over the whole land from the 6th hour until.
The ninth hour.
Will you forgive me for trying to make this as plain as possible for the dear boys and girls who were present here this evening? Because you're going to spend eternity either up there with the Lord Jesus or down in eternal hell at 12:00 noon. Have you ever thought of that as a school bell ring that 12:00 noon lunch time?
That's the time.
That the sun refused to shine. Darkness without a whole land. And there, in the midst of that awful darkness, how the Lord Jesus Christ, God's beloved Son, and what took place.
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The awful pain, the guilt, the burden of my sins, all was laid upon him. The holy, thoughtless Son of God was made of victims in my bed, my guilt, my sin.
Known all of them to God were laid upon that holy sinless victim.
Don't you think God must have loved me a great deal to do a thing like that? And don't you think He must have loved you a great deal, my friend, to see that done for you? I want to ask you right now, before we go any farther at all, is there anyone in this room? Is there anyone?
One of the children, one of the young people, one who is farther in years. Is there anyone here who's never even thanked him?
For doing that for you.
Never thank Him. Oh, they love a friend. It is my joy and gladness this night once more to thank God for the wondrous love of His heart. Let's send His beloved son down here to this world. And it took the load and burden of my guilt and laid it upon him because.
Because God loves me.
And to thank the Lord Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God.
For receding that burden and stain of guilt that was mine. For bowing his head and receiving the strokes of judgment that I deserve. All of those strokes, every one of them. Until at last, in glorious, wondrous triumph, he can cry.
It is finished. The last stroke of judgment that I deserve had fallen upon the head of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he cries in wondrous triumph. It is finished.
He bowed his head, He yielded up his life. A soldier with a spear pierced his side forth with flow there out blood and water. The body of the Lord Jesus was taken down from that cross laid in that tomb. Is that the end of the story? Oh no, beloved, that tomb in that far away land is empty.
On the third day, he rose.
Among the dead.
And now ascended up there at God's right hand.
May I tell you this with gladness in my soul, that he looks down at you tonight?
Knows you by name, loves you with a love that has been perfectly revealed and offers to you. Offers to you as a gift the forgiveness of all your sins, the wondrous gift of eternal life and the assurance of a home with himself forever in the glory.
Why does he do this? Why did he go through all that? Beloved friend, there's only one answer to that question, and it is this because he loved you that much?
I find that hard to take in. I find it hard to understand that God could look down at me and love me that much, that the Lord Jesus could so want my company up there in those courses. Glory that He would go through all that and more. Shall I say there is one thing more?
Not only did he die for me.
Not only has he risen from among the dead and gone back up there to the glory, but I believe there is profound significance in this thought. Against himself or against his wife or loved one, and the president writes out a pardon and has someone take this pardon to the guilty man?
What an amazing thing that would be. But if the president himself.
Came and mocked at the door and presented that part and you would consider it a thing. Incredible.
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And yet, beloved friend, I say this tonight, that as you sit in this gospel meeting, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who left those courts of glory and went to the cross of Calvary, and there took upon himself that load and burden of guilt, and there took upon himself and exhausted those strokes of judgment.
Not only has redemption been accomplished, not only has a pardon been wrought out to the glory of God, but this night in this room once more, He who loved you with such an infinite love knocked at your heart's door and offers it to you.
Did you know that your answer is going to be written down?
Yes, it is, beloved friend. There are books being kept up there. There are detailed records being written down up there, and those records will be opened in a day that's coming. There won't be any clock to determine the amount of time available. Those books will be opened.
The page that has your name written at the top will be open and the record of your life.
Will be found there in all its unabridged detail. God has kept that record, and in the course of that record will be found your attendance at this very meeting.
The fact that you were here and heard yet once more the story of God's wondrous love, heard yet once more the value of the sacrifice and precious blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And you were reminded once more that He who loved you with such an infinite love is waiting.
To write down to record your answers.
Do you know the Word of God says there is joy in the presence of the angels of God?
Over 1 Thinner that repenteth.
Joy in the presence of the angels of God.
I've seen from time to time a reflection of that joy here. I think brother Bob Tony will not forget.
The particular occasion and a little meeting at Hamilton Fact.
In Oaxaca.
When there was a gentleman whom we had known for some years, his name was Tomas Hernandez, he was begged and begged to come to the meeting and he turned up the last night and he was greeted by one another as he took his seat. Senor Hernandez. Mr. Hernandez.
At the end of the meeting, that dear man stood up, and with tears of a broken yet a glad heart, he made known that he had received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. Now I will not forget, and I know Bob will not forget what happened then.
One by one of those dear brothers came forward, put their arms around that dear man and said, Hermano.
Hernandez, Brother Hernandez And we looked at the faces of those dear men, naturally very stoical, but their stoicism was gone, beloved, in the joy of seeing a soul turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God.
Born again, redeemed with a precious blood of Christ.
Again, I remember one night after the gospel meeting at home, a young man on the way out the door.
Forgive these illustrations, but I'm going to ask you as I tell this little account, I'm going to ask you if you have ever said anything like this to anyone in your life. This young man who wasn't given to very many words took my hand and said, I'd like you to know that I have received the Lord Jesus as my Savior, and he quickly went out the door.
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I was surprised that he said that much to me. His father was up in the room getting his hat and coat on.
His father was the last one out the door and his father took my hand. I said.
Brother, there was a special joy tonight, a young man.
Confess the Lord as his savior. All his face brightened up. All that good news, brother, I'm so glad to hear that. By the way, who was it?
I said it was your oldest son.
Well, if there is joy in the presence of the angels of God, I saw joy radiated from the face of that dear man that night.
All the love of friend, I want to tell you this, there is a God up Yonder in the glory.
There is a Savior on high in the glory and all that could possibly be done.
That you and I might be redeemed and know it has been already accomplished.
Perhaps the last knock is being sounded out tonight, and I want to ask you plainly, slowly, solemnly, 1 by 1.
Has there ever been joy in the presence of the angels of God as you confess the Lord Jesus as your Savior? How old do you have to be to tell someone that the Lord Jesus Christ is your Savior? There are many here who have heard it from the lips of very little children, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, when He was here, took a little child.
Sat him in the midst, and said, Whoso shall offend one of these little ones?
Which believe in me I love to hear the confession of a little child dear boys, dear girls, dear young people, the Lord Jesus loved you and died for you and as I read these words in 2nd Corinthians 5 for we know let's go on with that verse we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we.
Building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heaven.
We know. Is it really possible? Thank God it is. You know, when the Lord Jesus himself was here, a few of his disciples were gathered around about him, and he with great delight was telling them of that Father's house. He said to them that day in my Father's house are many mansions.
If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.
Thomas was there.
And Thomas heard those words. Thomas, I'm sure, was thrilled at the thought of those many mansions and of the Lord Jesus coming to take his redeemed ones away. But Thomas didn't know the answers. That you and I know. And he said to the Lord Jesus, how can we know the way?
How can we?
No the way.
Some time ago we received an invitation to attend these meetings at Toledo, OH, and accompanying the invitation there was a road map, in fact 2 maps. And you know, when we saw two maps and closed, we knew that our dear brethren here at Toledo really wanted and expected us to come.
Well, they supplied us with two maps that we might make no mistake whatever, and following those maps, here we are.
Now, beloved friend, when the Lord Jesus told of those wondrous courts of gladness and joy.
Said that he would come again and receive his oath to himself in those courts of joy.
Thomas raised the question, how can we know the way?
Sometimes I think I have become so accustomed to the sound of the gospel, so accustomed to the language of those who love and reverence this precious book, but I'm scarcely aware of how many there are who still would say No one can be sure about these matters. Nobody can know. It's the height of presumption to speak with any certainty about these things.
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Why, we don't even know the answer to the riddles of material things that are all around us. That's true enough.
You know as well as I do that the more a man searches into the realm of the material things he sees around him.
The more he realizes how completely beyond solution these matters are, and to be able to turn to that which is beyond the horizon of life, to be able to turn to eternal matters and speak with absolute certainty, how can it be done?
The only man who never told a lie. The only man who never exaggerated.
Jesus, the Son of God died, was buried.
He rose again from among the dead, and he told us.
With authority which we dare not question, he told us of the wonder of a home up there in the glory.
Of a door wide open, that whosoever will, might.
Enter in all the Lord. Is there any reason why any man of Adam's race would be found outside that door when at last it's closed and closed forever? There is no reason why anyone in this company needs to be found outside that door. He loves you. He died for you. He pleads with you. He has. Shall I say it? He has waited for you.
Yes, he has waited for you.
You know, I was in the prayer room tonight.
The first brother that entered in said to me.
Bring me yet a vessel. Wasn't that a strange comment? But I believe I knew what he meant. He was referring to that Old Testament account where one by one those vessels were filled with oil and the question was raised, Bring me yet a vessel that there was not.
One more vessel to be found and the oil saved and I believe the brother stop was this brother Remember in the gospel tonight?
There is someone whom the Lord is seeking if the last one were saved.
He would have come already.
I remember one time.
I was in a home that was being built. The Carpenter was in the kitchen finishing off some cupboards.
And I spoke to him about the Lord Jesus.
It was by number means the first time that that man had heard the gospel.
He had heard it from another Workman who had been with him many days.
And as we spoke together about the Lord Caesar, to my surprise and my delight, the man reached up and took off his carpenter's cap and put out his hand. And he said, I accept the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. Now something happened that I must admit never happened before. But as I took that man's hand and shook it with the gladness of one brother greeting another.
I waited with a real expectation in my heart.
You know, I was thinking if this is the last one, the Lord is going to come right now.
I know He will. I know He won't wait another moment if this is the last one to be brought in. I gripped his head and waited a moment. The Lord didn't come. And I thought, well, there must be another vessel. There must be someone for whom the Lord is yet waiting. He waited for me. He waited for many another in this room tonight. Who can say with gladness of heart that you already know so by the precious blood of Christ and.
Waiting, still waiting for someone in this room. But that period of waiting is just about ended. Beloved again, I say here in 2nd Corinthians 5, we read the wondrous certainty. We know that if.
There's something in this verse we're very sure about, and something in this verse we're not very sure about.
Something we're in doubt about? Notice what it says?
We know absolute certainty that if.
Adult and uncertainty here. What is this concerning which we are so absolutely sure?
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We are sure of this, that when it comes time for us to leave, we're going home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That building of God, I have no doubt refers to the glorified body that the that the redeemed of the Lord will have in that day. But notice what is it in this verse that we are not sure about?
What is it that has an element of uncertainty attached to it if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved?
If we should die, in other words, why is it not true that everyone must die? Is that not the teaching all around us today? One thing we're absolutely sure of, we're told we all must die. But one thing we're rather in doubt about, What lies beyond death? Nobody's very sure about that.
Is that not the generally accepted teaching from the pulpit of today?
It's not so beloved. The Word of God has it completely the other way around.
One thing I am not at all sure about, and that is whether I will die at all. I must admit I just don't seem to give it a thought. I'm looking forward together with many another in this room tonight to that soon coming moment when the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout.
And at the sound of that shout I'll be up and away, and so will every other one in this company. And I'll be at home in the presence of the one who went into death, who bore my guilt, who rose again from the dead, and ascended up there to the glory, and is coming soon to call me home. Let me pause here as we speak of this matter.
To remind you most solemnly and faithfully.
That in that moment, at that hour, there will be absolutely no advance warning. And I believe that day, that hour, that moment is very near at hand. I see over there in the corner a scoreboard, I suppose it is, and all that I see a place for the recording of.
Minutes and seconds.
I've never seen one of those things operating, but I imagine I know what happened. I imagine that as the game proceeds, that probably indicates how many minutes, how many seconds yet remain. And my guess is my guess is that as the minutes picked away and the seconds fly by even more rapidly, there's a frantic excitement.
As the last second ticked by, Lord beloved, I look over there at those two words, minutes and seconds.
There is no recording of the last days.
Our minutes or seconds before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ He has given us in this word. And it's not my intention to go into it tonight that which makes ever so many of us feel with eager gladness that the moment I say not today, I say the moment of his return to cost home is right.
At hand there was a dear old brother who used to live in Ottawa. His name was Mr.
McConnell.
And you know that dear old man, he was just ever so often seen looking up like this. Looking up.
Know the young men in those days used to wear what we called fedora hats with the front snapped down. And that dear old man, I can see him yet. He used to walk around and he'd even tip up the brim of our hat and say keep looking up, keep looking up. He just didn't seem to want anything to hinder the eager joy that ought to be ours in looking up.
Watching and waiting with eager gladness for the imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
One thing more beloved, we mentioned at the early part of the meeting that men aren't so tremendously occupied with the affairs of this poor struggling world, talking about the right and the left and the middle of the road and ignoring the above and the beneath. Now it tells us here in Second Corinthians five of the glorious.
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Certainty of the above.
One certainty that those of us who know the Lord Jesus is our Savior shall spend the unending ages of eternity in the home, in the present, and in the likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ, united to Him in bond of eternal love, for He has chosen out of bride and the redeemed of the Lord.
Are that wondrous eternal bride.
Suppose we turn to revelation.
Revelation.
Chapter 20.
Verse 11.
And I saw our great white throne and him that sat on it.
From whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great sand before God. And the book were open, and another book was opened, which is the Book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book according to their work. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up.
Which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their work and death.
And hell were cast into the Lake of Fire.
This is the second death, and whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life.
Was cast into the Lake of Fire.
They love it. Just as truly as there is an above, there is also a beneath.
Though one is as true as the other, and the one is as eternal as the other, the very words that are used for the existence of God Himself are threefold, eternal, everlasting.
And forever and ever.
Those 3 words are used in connection with the existence of God Himself.
Eternals everlasting, forever and ever.
And those same three terms are used in connection with the existence of joy and of gladness, the light, the whole, the gladness of the redeemed, of the Lord in those courts of glory, and those same three terms eternal.
Everlasting.
Forever and ever are used in connection with this portion.
The neglector of the wondrous offer of pardon that cost God so much all. Beloved, I take no delight in reading these words, but they are as solemn, necessary responsibility on my soul.
We are told that there will come in the last days mockers.
Scoffers walking after their own lusts.
I've seen it.
You've seen it.
I believe I may have mentioned right here in Toledo before.
Attending a trial at which a young girl.
Was on trial for her life.
Having been found guilty of murder. And you know, throughout that trial, there was a spirit of bravado on the face of that girl. He looked as though she didn't care at all. Nothing that was said, no testimony brought against her produced any evidence of concern whatsoever.
And at last, the judge put that black cap on his head.
He wrote down in his book silently, without a word, and then he read it off her name, her sentence. To be hanged by the neck till you are dead, and May God have mercy on your soul. And he took the pen with which he had written those words, and snapped the pen in two.
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I have never seen it done before.
It meant the absolute finality of the sentence written. And you know, along with the map of that pen came the first cry from that girl. All such a cry of anguish they led her away with a cry rang out in that courtroom. Oh, beloved friend, I warn you, there is an eternal home of glory to which the Savior invites you.
With pleading love He loves you. He died to redeem you, he said. His precious blood to wash away those stains of sin of mine.
And they're gone. The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, has cleansed me from all sin. They're gone. They're gone forever. And I'm bound for those courts of glory. I'm going to spend eternity in the presence of the One who loved me and who died to redeem me, but just as surely as there is a glad home.
An eternal home Dust. So surely, beloved friend, are these words.
Which we have read.
True and solemn and eternal.
Now you may. You may scoff tonight. You may mock at this mess.
You may decide to put it off, but friend, the day is coming when, according to the description given here, the dead.
Small and great stood before God. It seems rather remarkable to me our brother spoke this afternoon of the dead.
And of those who have been brought from that dead condition.
To know the wonder of new creation life in Christ.
Notice here that when those who are dead stand, as we might think, alive before God, they're still called dead.
I saw the dead.
Stand before God.
Small and great? Isn't that solemn? Small and great? Does that take you in, friend? If you don't know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, this is a description of what lies ahead.
And the books were opened and another book was opened, which is the book of life.
And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works.
Verse 15 and whosoever was not.
Found written in the book of life, was cast into.
The lake of fire let men walk as they will. Let them argue as they will. Let them call this whatever they wish. It remains as God describes it. It remains a solemn, final, awful, eternal reality. Why these words cast into.
Why not simply direct it into?
The judge did not have to pick up that girl and cast her into her prison cell.
My friend, why does it say this?
I tremble. I tremble even as I read it. The picture. Is this beloved?
That every rejector of the Lord Jesus, no matter how many verses of the Bible he or she may have known.
No matter how many hymns or sweet choruses you may have sung in your life.
If you don't know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, if your sins are not washed away, if your name is not written in that book of life, up there in the glory, you will be.
Cast into? Does it really mean that it does? My friend. Cast into. This was my portion but for the grace of God.
Can you picture forgive please? A personal reference. Can you picture this man that stands before you?
As a boy in a Christian hall.
A praying father and mother brought up under the sound of the gospel.
Praying Sunday school teachers.
And say, can you picture me with all the privileges that I had as a boy cast into the lake of fire? And that's exactly where I was going. It's exactly where I was going. But God and his sovereign latchless grace broke me down, bowed my knees, and I thank God for the night long ago.
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After a gospel meeting at a conference.
Thank God for conference.
At a gospel meeting at a conference in Ottawa, I went home.
And bowed my knee, and received the Lord Jesus Christ is my Savior.
And this name of mine was written down.
The Unequal Yoke
Address—J. Brereton
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.
I would like to turn this afternoon.
Dear young people, to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5.
2nd Corinthians.
Chapter 5.
Beginning with verse 14.
For the love of Christ.
Constrain the thoughts, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead.
And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh?
Yeah, though we have known.
Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more.
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
Old 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.
To win that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.
Not imputing their trespasses unto them.
And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ.
As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ stead be reconciled to God.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We then as workers, together with him, beseech you also, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
For he said, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I suckered thee.
Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold now.
Is the day of salvation giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed?
But in all things of proving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in the necessities, in distresses.
In stripes and imprisonments, in tumult, in laborers, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness.
By the Holy Ghost, by love unveiled, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true.
As unknown and yet well known.
As dying, and behold, we live as chastened.
And not killed as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Oh, ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
You are not straightened in us, but ye are straightened in your own bowels. Now for a recompense in the same I speak as unto my children.
Be also enlarged.
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Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what Fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what Communion hath light with darkness? And what Concorde half price with Belial? Or what part has he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement has the temple of God with Idols?
For ye are the temple of the living God.
As God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them.
And I will be their God, and they shall be.
My people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.
That the Lord Almighty.
I have it on my heart, dear young people, this afternoon.
To speak to you.
Particularly to those who belong to Christ.
Concerning the vast difference.
That God has established.
Between you, a child of God.
And the one who is today an unbeliever.
Where we began to read this afternoon.
You will notice it starts off by saying the love of Christ constraineth us.
Because we must judge that if one died for all.
Then we're all dead.
Now, dear young people, if I may phrase it this way.
Everyone of us here started off on the same basis.
By nature, God looks upon us as dead. Everyone of us started off that way.
And so it was that apart from God's sovereign election.
Everyone in this room, in this city, in this country.
Under that one.
Basic start.
Dead.
Death. All dead.
But we then find that immediately that God brings before us that beginning.
In this portion that we have here, he begins to separate.
Between those who are his and those who are not.
And so it is, it says, and that he died for all that they which live.
Should not henceforth live unto themselves?
And so it is we find that the first difference.
That is brought before us in this portion of the Word of God.
Between the Saints.
God and the one still in his sins is that, whereas the one who is an unbeliever is still dead.
The one who has been redeemed now lives.
He has life from God.
He has had by the operation of God.
Been given to him.
Life. And so it is that everyone here, dear young people this afternoon.
That belong to Christ.
We can commence our.
Discussion this afternoon.
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By seeing that the Spirit of God points out to you and I.
That you live and the unbeliever is dead.
We know that all are dead.
Apart from Christ.
Because, as it says here, Christ died for all.
All were under the same condemnation and therefore the Lord Jesus died for all.
But not all live, indeed not. There may be this afternoon here in this company, those who are still dead, they do not have life. And therefore this afternoon.
They form a separate company.
Here today.
Those who are still there and those who have life indeed form a separate company.
The 16th verse. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh?
Yeah, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
The Lord Jesus has died.
And risen for us.
Those of us here that belong to Christ this afternoon have been brought into a relationship.
With a dead and risen Christ.
And dear young people, the fact that we are in relationship with a dead and risen Christ separates us indeed again from those who are unbelievers.
They do know nothing.
Of being associated with a dead and risen Christ.
Paul is not saying here that he knew Christ after the flesh, but what he is saying I believe is that if if he had known or if anyone there had known Christ after the flesh, that is the Lord Jesus before he died as the man here on earth.
They would not know him that way anymore. He was now the risen glorified man, and it as is as related to him, as brought into relationship with the One who is the dead and risen man, that all their relationships now would be formed.
The unbelievers.
Still dead. Still left where he was dead.
But the believer, the child of God now.
Brought into a relationship of vital, precious relationship with the One who is dead and risen for them.
We find a little picture of it, I believe, in the 20th chapter of John's Gospel where we find Mary.
Speaking to the Lord Jesus when he had risen from the dead. And the Lord says to her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended unto my Father, but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father unto my God, and your God. It wasn't that Mary was not to know the Lord anymore.
But she was not to know him in the old way.
Anymore, but as the risen precious savior.
And dear young people, this is true of you, whether you are in the enjoyment of it or not, if you belong to Christ.
You have been brought into a relationship the this afternoon with that man who died and rose again for you.
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The next verse, therefore, if any man be in Christ.
He is a new creature or a new creation.
All things are passed away. Behold all things.
Are become new if any man be in Christ.
He is a new creation.
God has not, dear young people.
Tried.
To fix up that old nature.
That old man was condemned at the Cross.
What God has done is made you and I a new creation. If we are in Christ, a new creation, the Lord Jesus in resurrection, the head of that new creation.
And you and I, beloved young people this afternoon.
Notice what it says. If any man be in Christ.
He is a new creature or a new creation. Not he will be or someday this will be true of him, but we are indeed now a new creation, you and I that belong to Christ.
And new creation, those who are in Christ. God says the old thing is passed away.
All things are become new. Everything that characterizes our present relationship with the Lord Jesus, our present standing in Him, is new. It is part of the new creation. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the old creation at all.
But what about the unbeliever? Where have we left him?
We have left him still dead, still dead.
The next verse.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself.
By Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
If we were to turn, take the time to turn over to Colossians, we would find that the time is going to come when all creation is going to be reconciled, but that is in the future.
But you and I, dear young people that belong to Christ, the word of God tells us that you have he reconciled.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.
My friends notice too, it says.
Hath reconciled us to himself.
God did not have to be reconciled to the Sinner, but the Sinner had to be reconciled to God.
But dear young people, this afternoon you and I that belong to Christ, it has already taken place for us. We have been reconciled to God.
By Jesus Christ.
By all the costs that was paid at Calvary, you and I have been reconciled.
There is nothing now that stands in any way between your soul and God. Dear young people, if you belong to Christ, all has been removed, and now you and I have been brought back, reconciled to God so perfectly.
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That the eye of God can discern not one flaw in the child of God before himself.
Our life is hidden with Christ in God, and so it is that you have been reconciled.
But what about the unbeliever?
He remains where he is, still dead, still death, no new relationship for him, no new creation for him. He is not reconciled. And my friends, the Sinner is never reconciled, that dies without Christ.
The one who passes into eternity.
Who goes beyond the mark? He is never reconciled.
He is banished eternally from the presence of God, but the child of God, he's reconciled, reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.
And then it says.
And hath given to us the ministry of Reconciliation.
To wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.
Not imputing their righteousness, their trespasses unto them.
And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, we are ambassador for Christ.
As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ stead be ye reconciled to God.
I suppose there is a particular way in which the apostles.
Were ambassadors for Christ. And yet, dear young people, I believe that what is written here applies very much in principle to you and I that belong to Christ.
You notice it said first of all we have been reconciled and then it says to us has been committed the Ministry of Reconciliation.
We are ambassadors for Christ.
Everyone in this room this afternoon, that belongs to Christ. You represent Christ before this world.
Dear young people.
It searches my own heart when I have heard my older president mention time and again.
That very often.
The only thing?
The only bit of Christ.
That this world ever sees is that which they see in the children of God.
And so it says, we are ambassadors for Christ, we represent him here. We have been made a part of new creation. We have been reconciled and then are given this precious one privilege.
Presenting him here, representing the precious Savior who died and rose again for you and I, that blessed man, who was the mean by which we were reconciled to God. And so it says.
Ambassadors for Christ.
But dear young people, where is the unbeliever?
Is there any possible way that a dead man can be an ambassador? Is there any way that a dead man can represent?
One who lives.
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No, my friend, not so.
No way.
Ambassadors for Christ demands that we be alive.
That we be associated with the risen man whom we represent.
That we be part of a new creation representing.
Representing a man and a scene to which we belong, and which is foreign to this scene in which we are.
And that we be reconciled to God.
And so it is, ambassadors for Christ, you and I.
And then it tells us in the 21St verse, For he hath made him to be sin.
For us who knew no sin that we might be made.
The righteousness of God.
In him.
God hath made his Son to be sin. Think of it.
The one who was holy and harmless and undefiled and separate from sinners, the one upon whom the heavens could open to declare this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The one who at his birth could indeed be described as that holy thing.
My friends, this one.
Whose every actor, and whose every word, and whose every step was in complete harmony, indeed at the direction of God the Father? And we find that it is God the Father who had made him, God the Son, to be sin.
For us.
At Calvary's cross he was made sin.
But the result that flows from that work is that you and I that belong to Christ.
Are made the righteousness of God, the one my friend whose righteousness was perfect, The one who indeed?
Displayed in everything the righteousness of God. He was made sin.
And you and I who deserve all condemnation.
We have been made the righteousness of God in him, the unbeliever. He stays where he is unless he comes to Christ. Steal that. No righteousness for him. He stands before the great white throne in a coming day in all his sins.
No righteousness for him unless he comes to Christ in time, but for you and I that belong to Christ.
We are me, the righteousness of God.
In him? Well, then you notice.
In the 6th chapter.
We find that there are a variety of characteristics.
That are brought out in connection with the apostle, in connection with his ministry.
And in connection, in principle, dear young people, with that which is and should be true of those who belong to Christ.
We won't have the time or take the time this afternoon to read the mall or go into the mall, but I would point out a few. You notice it says.
In the third verse, giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed, but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience.
In afflictions, in necessities and distresses, Or the sixth verse, by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost. Dear young people, could you see these things being written?
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Upon the unbeliever can you see him sorrowful, yet all way rejoicing? Can you conceive of any way in which the man who is characterized as death, the unbeliever, the one outside of Christ, dead in his sin, dead by nature?
To describe him as poor.
Yet making many rich.
As having nothing.
And yet possessing all things. No, dear young people, it cannot be.
It cannot be. These things could be seen in the apostle because he was a child of God. These things could be seen in the other apostles because they belong to Christ.
These things hopefully can be seen in His people because they belong to Christ. These things can characterize where the heart and soul are walking.
With God they can characterize the child of God, but the unbeliever? Never They cannot be. They cannot in any way characterize the one who is outside of Christ.
You'll turn over to the next to the 16th verse.
It says, Ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Those who have been made alive.
Those who have.
As we have been considering this afternoon, been brought into a precious relationship with a risen Christ.
Have been brought into new creation, reconcile, been made the righteousness of God in Him. Now we find the Spirit of God telling us.
That ye are the temple of the living God.
Dear young people, you and I that belong to Christ, those who belong to Christ, they are the temple of the living God.
As God hath said, I will dwell in them.
And walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Can you conceive of any way?
Apart from coming to Christ.
Any way that a dead man can form part of the temple of the living God?
You say no, that's impossible. God is indeed a living God.
All this foolishness that we hear about today, that God is dead, here we have him saying, you and I are the temple of the living God. For God dwell in the midst of his people. I will dwell with them, in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God.
And they shall be my people.
Now, dear young people, I ask you in all love to your soul, and I trust in all honesty.
Can you conceive of any way?
Conceive of any manner in which God has failed, my saith, reverently failed to so graphically and with such love to your soul and mind. Bring before our hearts and consciences in His Word, that His people, those who belong to Christ.
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Are in a class by themselves.
They are a peculiar people. They belong to him. He has separated them. He has separated you and I.
From all that is around us, not only from the dead. By making us alive.
Not only from this creation by bringing us into new creation.
Not only.
By separating us from the people.
But making us the temple God, The temple God. And now for the conscience. For my conscience and yours, dear young people, comes the exhortation.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
Dear young people, how is it possible? How can we reconcile? How can we, you and I that belong to Christ? How can we even imagine that there can be any possible?
King up of the child of God with the unbelievers. Think of what it's been.
We are talking about an association.
Of a living man with a dead one.
You say by nature that's impossible. How can it be? Oh dear young people, I have thought about this.
I trust I won't offend anyone when I say it this way.
But you and I know that if we are in the presence of one that is dead for any length of time at all.
As far as the things of nature are concerned.
The effect becomes most obnoxious.
Beloved young people, there is no way.
The child of God can be linked up with an unbeliever without him finding out to his sorrow.
That the.
Dead are linked up with the living.
We find it says, Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers.
If we were to turn back to the 22nd chapter of Deuteronomy, we would find there that it tells us the ox and the *** were not to be yoked together.
The ox are clean animal, according to Jewish instruction, according to God's word.
They asked an unclean animal according to God's Word, and the clean and the unclean were not to be yoked together.
We find it says, For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness. You dear young people that belong to Christ, you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.
Is that to be yoked up?
With unrighteousness.
Unrighteousness.
For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion hath light?
With darkness, the unbeliever in darkness.
Indeed, he's dead. The believer made light in the Lord. How do you reconcile?
Light with darkness.
It cannot be. It cannot be.
And what Communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belium?
Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
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What part? How can it be that one who has been reconciled to God in Christ?
Would dare, would even conceive of linking up in any kind of association in this world with one who is an infidel, with one who has no love for Christ?
As one who is identified with Satan, As one who is darkness. As one who is an unbelievable beloved young people.
May God open your heart and mind to receive His precious Word and to see that He has in faithfulness and love separated between the child of God and the one who is an unbeliever so graphically.
That we are without excuse.
If we don't acknowledge it.
What part of he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols the temple of God?
With idols.
Yes, dear young people, you and I have been made the temple of God. We are the temple of God. All those who belong to Christ form that temple. God dwells in them. They are his people.
But the unbeliever, he has still all his idols. How often all beloved young people, how often to their sorrow dear young people have acted hastily.
Have listened to a glib explanation that yes, I'm really am a Christian and they have got into an unequal yoke to their sorrow and heartbreak, only to find.
That the partner, the unbelieving partner, still has all his idols.
He still has all the things that.
Command his heart and the child of God.
The temple of God.
Is brought into an association with idols.
You notice that we considered earlier.
That if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation.
Dear young people, the unbeliever in his sins, the one who is dead, he possesses one nature, just one, an old nature, a fallen nature, and nature that responds to evil.
To sin.
The Christian, the child of God, you and I that belong to Christ. We are a new creation, but we have at the present time 2 natures, one that delights in God and the things of God. One that finds Christ as the living food for its nourishment and nature, that finds its delight in the things of God.
And at the same time we have still with us an old nature.
Now, dear young people, I ask you if there is to be any contact.
If there is to be any kind of an association between the believer and the unbeliever.
The only basis that they have for contact is the old nature, the old nature, because the unbeliever does not have a new nature. He doesn't have that new nature that comes from knowing Christ. And so it is that in the history.
Where of the people of God?
Where there has been the linking up of the believer with the unbeliever.
It is the old natures, the old natures that are drawn together. It's the old natures that find the response one in another. And the result is that the dear child of God, the dear beloved child of God, is dragged down to the level of the unbelievers as far as practice is concerned.
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So often.
So often they find that what they thought was impossible.
Has become sad, sad history.
You know.
I heard the other day.
And I trust my brother will understand the way I put this, but I heard the other day about a young lady.
Who was married? Who married an unconverted man?
And that unconverted man later got saved.
Now, dear young people, again I trust I will offend no one when I say it this way. But when I heard that.
It frightened me.
I marvel. I truly am wonderfully marveled at the grace of God. But what I fear is for other young people to see a case like that and feel it's possible. I can associate. I can yoke up. I can enter into an unequal yoke with an unbeliever. Because see.
Brother so and so or sister so and so did it, and God saved them.
And what it means here, young people like saith Reverend. What it means is that we end up using the grace of God against God. We end up using his marvelous, matchless race against himself.
God has in faithfulness, dear young people, warned us, warned you and I that it is cannot be that there will be any any kind.
Of Concorde, any kind of communion of fellowship between the believer and the unbelievers.
And how many beloved young people have ignored the clear, explicit, faithful warnings of the Word of God?
To their sorrow and to their hearting, to the grief of their children, to the grief of their parents.
And above all.
To the grief of their blessed sea, who gave himself more.
You notice it says, wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing. Dear young people, can I and love to your soul, ask you to consider that in the presence of God?
Touch not.
Touch not.
The unclean thing. The unclean, yes, the unclean. Don't talk about what a nice person he is or she is, or what a fine partner they might make in life or in business or in any kind of association. Recognize that God says he's dead. He's unclean.
Outside of Christ, he's unclean, regardless of what his practices are, regardless of what his conversation is.
Regardless of what a fine person he is, the word of God says he's unclean.
Or she's unclean and the one who loves your soul and has every right to command the obedience of your heart, because he died for you.
He says he or she, the unbeliever, is unclean and touch not.
It's.
Dear young people.
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We see from time to time.
Those who belong to Christ.
And we find them keeping company with those who are not the Lord.
And they do it, saying I realize that he's not saved or she's not saved, but I have no intention of letting it go too far. I have no intention.
Of entering into an unequal yoke, Oh my friend, defiance of the word of God.
Confident of our own strength. How often it has ended up in sorrow.
Hear the Lord who loves your precious soldier. Young people says touch not.
Not a question of marrying. Not a question of entering into business with don't touch. Don't even get close enough to touch.
I remember reading a while ago.
I believe I can quote it from memory, the verse in Proverbs where Mr. Darby translates it in the King James Version, it says keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. But I believe in the new translation it is given as keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded.
For out of it are the issues of life.
Now, dear young people, to walk this path of separation.
God has separated you, make no mistake about that. God has separated you by the death and resurrection of Christ. But as a practical separation we have the exhortation. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.
And will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.
Set the Lord Almighty.
All dear young people, we hear it said, You don't understand how often, how many parents have heard that said. You don't understand. You don't understand that it's lonely where we are, but there aren't many young people. Perhaps it's a lonely life. And if I have to walk that kind of path of separation, it's going to be a lonely path.
Here's the blessed Lord saying, you come out and be separate, and I'll be a father of you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.
And you fear it said that's a difficult path. That's a hard path. I don't know how I can do it. Walk in separation in that way. There are so many temptations around. Here's the blessed Lord saying that I'm the one, if I could put it this way. He says I'm the one who called out Abraham and preserved him, the Lord Almighty, the title by which he made himself known to Abraham.
And dear young people, he says to you and I, you walked in this path of separation.
And I'll be a father unto you. I'll be your company. You'll be my sons and daughters. And I, the Lord Almighty, will provide the strength and the grace for that path. Well, the first part that we started with the love of Christ constraineth us all. Beloved young people, notice that.
The love of Christ, not the love for Christ.
It is not our love for him that constrains us.
But it's the enjoyment in the soul of his love for us.
That constrains us to walk practically.
In a practical way, as those who have been separated.
By the death and resurrection of Christ, who have been part of a new creation and beloved young people, may you and I, through grace from himself, walk that path of separation and avoid, avoid, dear young people, I plead you, avoid in every way the yoking up with the people of this world, with the unbelievers, for in that.
Pathway.
Their only Lysol, the new creation. The new creation cannot.
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They brought it to harmony with the old Creek.
Grace and Truth in Christ
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.
Like to turn first of all to Jeremiah Chapter 9, Jeremiah Chapter 9, and verse 23. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might.
But let the rich man, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him let glory of glory in this, that he understandeth the north me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight sayeth the Lord. And now the next chapter, the 10th chapter.
In the 23rd verse, oh Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself.
It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Would you turn with me also to First Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15? But if I carry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground or base of the truth, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit.
Scene of angels preached under the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory.
And now would you also turn with me to Philippians? Philippians. I'd like to read a verse in each chapter in the first chapter of Philippians and the 20th verse, according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always.
So now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death.
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is game.
And then in the second chapter.
And the fifth verse, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Then in the third chapter.
And the 13th verse, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth under those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Now the 4th chapter and the 13th verse. I can do all things through Christ.
Which strengtheneth me while it's a privilege, dear young people, to be here and to.
Look into your faces this afternoon. And if the Lord leaves us here, how many important decisions are made in youth? I believe the most important decisions of life are made in youth, and often those things that mold our whole life are decided by at least the age of 25. And so how important it is that we should have right direction for our pathway as the world increases in its confusion.
We hear about guidance teachers, we hear about people going and consulting about all kinds of questions in business, marriage, all sorts of things. But isn't it a blessed thing that God has given us the light and wisdom of his precious Word?
And he has also given us the person whose very name is Wisdom, for it tells us in Corinthians.
And that you are in him who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. And so it was on my heart this afternoon to speak of the importance of walking in the truth and with a right of purpose and object in our walk. You know there are many dear young Christians, and I'm sure that many of you have met them at school. You've met them in the place where you work and.
It's lovely to see their energy and desire for the Lord. They really have the Lord before them.
But as you talk to them, you find that there are so many things about God's Word and that they haven't been made clear about. And they have a person before them, but they haven't yet been guided, directed by the light and wisdom of His Word.
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And then perhaps you talked to some of the young people in the meeting and you find out that they know a great deal more of the truth, but still they don't seem to have the person of Christ before them. And isn't it often so that we in this way become one sided was mentioned last night how in governmental circles they talk about a rightist and a leftist and.
So it is in spiritual things. God speaks about the kings in the Old Testament.
And he says about those who went on to please him, they turned not to the right hand or to the left. It's quite possible to be so taken up with having the Lord before you that you don't stop to listen to the directions that He gives in His Word. And so you're seeking to please the Lord, perhaps, but you haven't listened to the instructions in His Word about how you can please Him.
Or perhaps, as I say, on the other hand, you sat in the meetings.
You've heard the truth ministered, you've read some very good and helpful books, and so it would could be said that you're quite well instructed in the fundamental things of Christianity. But somehow there seems to be lacking the enjoyment of the person that Blessed One who ought to fill each one of our hearts to overflowing. He can't. The heaven and the heaven of heaven can contain him.
And surely He can fill our little hearts.
And fill them to overflowing. But perhaps that lack is in your life as I often feel it is in mine. Well, that's why I had on my heart this afternoon with the Lawrence helped to try and bring these two things together. And that is the importance of truth.
And the importance of a right purpose and object in our lives, to give up one or the other would make us extremists in One Direction or the other. And so I want to say as I begin here, and that it's a very blessed thing to be brought up under the sound of God's word, to be brought up under the sound of the truth of God, to have within your reach.
The precious ministry of many who have gone before.
Who have instructed us in the things of God, but because sometimes we don't see the spiritual energy that we'd like to see either in ourselves or others, then we get a distracted we seek perhaps a wider path. But I believe that God has marked the path through this world for us and there is no reason why you and I cannot go on in the truth and also walk with.
Before us, you know, we'll have to leave the path of the truth to have Christ before you, because now that would be to turn your back upon His revealed mind and the instruction that He has given us in His Word.
And so here in Jeremiah Chapter 9, the Lord is speaking through Jeremiah and he says, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. No, there there are some young people amongst us and they have singular ability. Now they're very clever. But you know, there's a danger of us using this ability in order to get along in this world.
We find it's the habit of the world and of the enemy of our souls.
To always try and pick the best for themselves. The king of Syria came to the king of Israel and said your children, even their even the goodliest are mine. He claimed the very best of the people of God to be in his court and to add to his importance we find too when.
The children were carried down into captivity, Daniel and Shadrach, and Meshach and Abednego.
Now that king Nebuchadnezzar chose them because they were the best, the most clever, the ones who had poise ability to stand before the king. So he chose them to give them a good education and promote them high in the province of Babylon. But in the in the in the second case, we find that there was a purpose of heart and that this ability that God had given to them would not be used.
Just to increase the importance of Babylon, but it would be used to be a witness for the Lord in Babylon.
How much better that was. And so if God has given to anyone a little more ability than another.
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It was brought to us yesterday. What hast thou that thou hast not received? Whatever we have, it's not our own. We're bought with a price. We belong to the Lord. He has paid a tremendous price, more than we could ever measure, to make us His very own. And then it says, Let not the mighty man glory in his might.
Maybe there are some young people and there are here, and they're real, really.
Strong physically all they can do all kinds of feats at school and they can run, they can play and they they really have exceptional physical ability.
Well, how nice it is to see those who have a body that is affinity of God for endurance use that for the Lord not to get along in this world, but to use what He has given us for Him. And then it says, let not the rich man glory in his.
Let not the rich man glory in his riches. Perhaps God has blessed you with a little more.
The material means of this world and another well, it's not your own. The Scripture speaks of material things as being another man's They don't really belong to us. What really belongs to us is the unsearchable riches of Christ. But whatever material things we have, we are only stewards. They don't really belong to us, so why should we glory if we did happen to have a little more ability?
A little more physical strength, a little more of the material things of this world. It's nothing to glory in it, but increases our responsibility because we have received it from the Lord. But now it says, here's something to glory in, but let him that glorious glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me.
All that is the most wonderful thing in this whole wide world.
Not that you have been able to master things in this material world or make progress in this material world that may make you great in the eyes of your fellow man. But oh, what a wonderful thing. He understandeth and knoweth me over. And dear young people, God has revealed himself. He has made himself known, and He has made himself known so that we might be able to know what is.
Heart, and then He has given us eternal life so that we can share His thoughts. For eternal life is not merely the endurance or length of time that we will exist, because even the unsaved will exist eternally. But when it speaks of eternal life, it's explained to us in John 17. It says this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ.
Thou hast sinned, that is, by numerous. God has given us a life by which we can enter into and enjoy His thoughts. We can haul communion with the very one in whom we live and move and have our being. I don't know of anything more wonderful than this. I have mentioned this little incident before, but it rather struck me. And there were a couple of men, and they were crossing the ocean on a ship.
And the two of them were standing on the side of the ship.
Looking at a beautiful sunset, one was a believer and the other was an unbeliever. The unbeliever turned to the Christian and he said, he said, do you know of anything more wonderful than this? The sunset at sea, It's so beautiful. Yes, as a Christian, I know of something more wonderful. I know the God who made all those things. I know God is my father. I know the Lord Jesus.
As my savior. Ah, that's far more wonderful.
If you could be a clever scientist and master many of the.
Things that men are now finding out in connection with this world which God has created, that wouldn't be half as wonderful as knowing the person himself. If you had a personal acquaintance will say in his lifetime with Einstein, wouldn't you be very pleased to tell your friends, oh, I've not only heard about the wonderful inventions and discovery of that man, but he's a personal friend of mine?
Oh, how wonderful. It says Abraham was called a friend of God. Oh dear young people, you have a tremendous heritage if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you know the creator of the universe, and you can speak to him as one who loves you, one who's interested in the smallest detail of your life. For in him we live and move and have our being. You haven't a friend on earth, whoever counted.
00:15:26
But the one that we're talking about has counted your hairs. He knows the very number of the hairs of our head. Not even a Sparrow falls to the ground without his notice. And he says, let him that glorious glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me. Yes, people have various ideas of God. They have ideas of their own.
Their own minds.
And they will tell you, well, I think God is this. I think God is a God of love. I don't think he would cast anybody into hell. And they'll tell you all kinds of things that they think about God, but they really don't know him. They think they do, but they really don't. Because the only way that we can really know him is through the revelation that God has given of himself.
That God hasn't left us to find him by our own searching.
As in Joel can stop my searching, find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? Do you think that you can by any kind of searching, find out God or you just have to look on the confusion of this world and find out whether it's possible? Just think of all the different religions. So I think of all the wise men in this world.
Have they found out God? No. The only way that you can move God is through his Word.
And God has been pleased to reveal Himself through His Word.
He has been pleased to make himself known as a God of light, as a God of love.
As a God, as a scripture says, humbles himself to behold the small things of our lives, who talks to us how the most intimate things in our whole life there isn't a thing. It tells us in the 139th Psalm that before I was even born, as a God saw my substance, yet being unperfect. And in His book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Isn't that marvelous? Before I was ever born, God was taking notice of the very members of my body. And then he gave me breath. And in my lifetime, he tells me that there isn't a single thing associated with my family life, my life among my brethren, my life in the world, my clothes, my hair, everything. He's concerned about every single thing. And if there's a person says something that's a little.
He knows all about that, and he is one who enters into and sympathizes with us in our whole pathway, as we have been having in our reading. And in order to have our company and to be a faithful and merciful high priest, He's gone up there and he's a man in the glory, and he'll remain a man forever. Oh surely, dear young people, we have something worthwhile. We have something.
We ought to hold as the most marvelous heritage possible that I have. God has made himself known not as one who is so far away that we really can't know too much about him, but he has come down in the person of Christ.
Want this world in this world as our brother read to us God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. Perhaps if I could put that verse very simply, it's like this God knew that men had wrong thoughts about him and so he sent his son down into this world and he said now they'll see in a man what is really in my heart toward them and there was one in this world for to be.
Means to be before a person having.
No, nothing between.
And so here we find the Lord Jesus walked through this world. He wants to know his sympathies. He wept at the grave of Lazarus. Do you want to know? Do you want to know how he felt toward a blind man? He stood still in a big crowd of people when a blind man cried out. Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy upon me. He went to a home and there was one sister that was worried because she was having a little much too much.
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To do and he talked to her and explained to her that she was too much occupied with things that were not as important as others. Oh, this is this is God revealed in Christ. That was what God really was. And yet at the end of that blessed pathway, what did the world say?
Well, it's a song thing to think of it, but I believe that is what is brought before us in the end of the 15th of John.
It just as if the world at the end of his life said well if that's what God is like, we don't want him, we don't want him for in the end of the 15th of John it says as they have seen and hated both me and my father. Oh what a picture of the heart of man and yet.
Didn't give up before 1 can speak reverently. The blessed Savior went into death and went forth that we might be reconciled. We refused to be reconciled by his perfect life of love and grace and kindness. And so he went into death, and he bore our sins in his own body on the tree, and now He's beseeching men to have right thoughts about Him to be reconciled to God.
And so I say again, what a privilege is yours, dear young people.
If you know the Lord is your Savior, you have the most wonderful heritage that any person could have upon the face of the earth. He understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. And for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Yes, I've often made this comment. The Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what's going on.
World, do you think the wise men of this world do? Will read the editorial columns in the newspaper and you'll find that the wisest man has suggestions, but they have no solution. They just don't know what to do. As the Lord Jesus said, men's hearts feeling them for fear, distress of nations with perplexity. How can the Christian face it all so calmly?
Is it because he just closes his eyes to what's going on? Oh no.
God has called us his friends. The Lord Jesus said, I have not called you servants. I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. And so because we're his friends, he, as it were, brushes aside the curtain and says, now I'm going to tell you what's going on in the world. You don't need to be confused like the rest of people.
I'll tell you what's going on in the world and I'll tell you where where things are heading. And you just watch the events take place. You watch the leaders move into their place.
You watch things happen and you will see that I knew it all beforehand.
Known unto God are all his works from eternity. And so the Christian, as the little hymn says.
Through scenes of strife and desert life, we tread in peace our way. What a privilege then is ours. How we should value of this precious revelation of God. That's the most up-to-date book in the world. It's far ahead of the daily newspaper. It's far ahead of the things that are coming off the press in this very day. Because God only knows the future and knows it with.
Accuracy and so how blessed we are. I would just like to make a little mention here.
About sin, you know there is a confused idea that many people have.
About sin, and especially in this day when the devil is seeking to blind people as to what sin is before God. Because sin is the basic cause of all the trouble in this world, and nothing could be a more clever plan of Satan than to hide from man what sin really is.
And so probably many of you young people have heard the expression, well, sin is just relative.
It's only what you've been taught, and if you've been taught one way, then you look on a thing as a sin. If you've been taught another way, you don't look upon it as a sin. Well, God gives us a clear definition of what sin is. Sin is lawlessness. It's the exercise of my own will and independence of God. It's just doing what I like without any reference to my Creator.
As it says, the plowing of the wicked is sin.
The prowling of the wicked is sin.
Pardon a little illustration that will help you perhaps to understand that verse, because a man might easily say, well, I don't see anything wrong in plowing. Why does it say that that's sin? Well, supposing you were a farmer and you waken up one morning and you look out in your field and there's a man and he's plowing in your field. What do you say to your wife? I wonder what that man is doing out there in my field.
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So you go out and speak to him and he, he's running the plow out in the field. And you say to him, Sir, what are you doing? Oh, he says, I didn't know there's anything wrong with plowing. Tell me what's wrong with plowing? Well, you say it's my field. He didn't speak to me. You didn't recognize my rights over that field at all. That's what's wrong. That's what's wrong. Well, he said I could get another instrument instead of a plow. Perhaps I could get.
Would that make any difference? No, he said. You say that's not the point. You wouldn't recognize any responsibility to me. And now, dear young people, when you live your life with no reference to God, no sense of responsibility to God, that is sin. That is sin. Sin is lawlessness. Whatsoever is not a faith is sin.
Them people sometimes say, is that a sin?
If you have no reference to God in your life, if you haven't consulted Him about where you should go tonight and how you should act tonight, then I'm not going to ask you what you're going to do. But I say you sin that you didn't recognize your responsibility to Him. You have a responsibility to God Now. There's some things in His Word that He has made very clear.
And I'd like to just give a couple of little.
Instances in the Word about this. First of all, when God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, He gave them a command. He told them that there was one tree and that they were not to eat out, and they ate of that tree. That was sin. That was an act of positive disobedience to God.
But I want you to notice that after they had taken of that tree, the strange thing is that what caused them to hide from God was something else. Did you ever notice that? And when the Lord came down and walked in the garden and called Adam, what did Adam say? Adam said I hid because I was naked.
God hadn't said anything about that. God never told him that that was wrong.
He told them that it was wrong to take that tree, but why did they feel ashamed that they were naked? That's the first instance of conscience in the Bible. Nearly knew that they had done something wrong and they had a conscience. And God has seen to it that every man has a conscience, even if he has never heard God's commands. Every person in this world has a conscience. Now conscience.
Never tell you how great a Sinner you are. It might be illustrated like this. Supposing that you had a perfect vision, perfect vision, and you're in a dark room. Well, your eyes are all right, but you don't see very much because the room is dark. Nothing wrong with your eyes, but the room is dark. You maybe see a few things. Some of the things that are in the room, you're not just sure what they are because the room is.
But you know, there's something in the room. Well, that's like conscience without the word of God. Man knows he's a Sinner, but all of a sudden somebody switches on the light. Everything shows up and God's word illuminates conscience. God's word makes a man feel uncomfortable. And so why do people say, oh, I don't believe the Bible? Well, it's just like turning on the light and it makes them feel.
Uncomfortable.
So you see, there are instances where there is a definite going against the word of God. That's disobedience, it's transgression, and then there is the sin against conscience. But not just another little word for those who are Christians. Daniel, as we mentioned a few moments ago, was in Babylon. He was going to school in Babylon and the king prescribed that they should.
Have certain meat and drink wine.
At the at the meal table cafeteria, if you like to call it, they evidently had their meals together. And so they were all provided with the meat that the king gave and the wine which he drank. Now you see, the word of God had condemned certain meats to an Israelite and so he could say, no, I can't take those meats. They are forbidden of God.
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But what about the wine which he drank?
There was number express command to an Israelite that he was not to drink wine. Now I believe this brings in something else. Here were here was Daniel and his three friends in the court of in the school in Babylon and and now who do they want to please? Who do they want to please and they discerned in communion with the Lord without a direct command.
That this was something.
That would not be pleasing to their Lord, something that would be a hindrance to their testimony.
As those who wanted to please the Lord Now dear young people, I say this to you. Perhaps you say, well, show me a verse that that's wrong. Well, some there are some things you can show a verse, but there are also other things and that if you really want to please the Lord, he'll show you. He'll show you. He showed Daniel and his three friends and.
Nobody said you've got to do this or got to do that, but inside their heart.
Was the desire to please the Lord and saw when this situation arose, they acted faithfully, they acted firmly and they recognized that that thing under those circumstances in that position was wrong and the Lord will guide you if you want to please him and there may be things in life.
Where you will have to be near enough to the Lord to discern his mind. That's why I say with young people.
We like to leave room for growth. We like to see them go on in the things of God. And maybe there's something that you don't see anything wrong with today, but if you seek to go on and walk with the Lord in time while He's going to show you that that thing is a hindrance to you living to please Him, it's a hindrance to your testimony.
Lord will give you grace then to give up that thing.
Well, how wonderful to know that if there's anyone here that's not saved, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin, whatever your sin may be. And surely when we think of what sin really is before God, but countless sins, how many things have we done to please ourselves? Or you say I just have a few sins. Well, I could ask myself, how many things have I done to please myself?
I dare not say to you that I just have a few sins I have to recognize in his presence now that it's one disgrace. I'm a 500 pence debtor and he's frankly forgiven me and he'll do the same for you. He's a wonderful savior. I commend them to anyone here who doesn't know him. He wants to be your savior today. But now we read also in First Timothy chapter 3.
And the 15th verse. But if I carry long the psalmist know how the oddest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Here we find.
The responsibility of the Christian in the House of God. Now I might say here that the House of God here doesn't refer to a physical building. It's not how you behave in a certain building which men term a church, which men might term the House of God.
The House of God is that place on earth that is in the place of the profession of Christianity. And so it's important that we should know amid all the confusion that we see and that which bears the name of Christ, is there a conduct that God has given to us in his Word that is becoming Yes, I believe there is. Here it is that we might know how to behave ourselves.
God. And if we read God's precious word, if we acquaint ourselves with the revelation that God has given in His word to them, and we will know how we ought to behave ourselves as those who bear the name of Christ, who are in the place, in the ranks of Christian profession.
And then it goes on to say, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. I just like to speak a little of this last part of the verse. The Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. Now the church doesn't teach the word of God is what teaches. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
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But the Church is responsible to be the support of the truth.
To be that which maintains and stands for the truth of God. And that is the purpose of the Bible readings that we have been having here.
Now that is, if we profess to be gathered according to the mind of God.
Then we are responsible to maintain the whole truth of God. You may know of many places where you could go in the city of Toledo, and you know that there are some very sincere Christians. But perhaps when you go there, you know that the speaker who is there may perhaps teach that you could be saved and lost again. He might deny the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus. He might say that.
Could sin, but did not sin Well? Could you recognize that as being the support of the truth, where those things that are so vital to the person and the work of Christ are not maintained?
Or, brethren, surely this is very humbling to us because.
Because.
You say all that they're nice Christians and they have the Lord before them and thank God for that.
Went to God that some of us who knew the truth were more occupied with the Lord Jesus.
But this is no reason whatsoever to give up the truth of God.
This is no reason to go and identify ourselves with a very vivacious and happy company of Christians who are not standing for the whole truth of God. God's assembly is responsible to be the base and support of the truth of God.
And if in this meeting there is anything that is said or in the Bible reading that is not according to the truth of God, I hope that it will be corrected. The important thing is, and that we have no right to handle a word of God deceitfully. We have no right to set aside any part of it. We have no right to say, well, we'll agree to disagree. We must stand for the truth of God. Now, of course, there may be.
Little things that affect our personal walk that, as we mentioned before, are a question of personal growth in our souls. But when we speak of that which is the foundation, that which has to do with the person and the work of Christ, brethren, it's so important.
Stand for the whole truth of God and in these days of testing.
In these days when the enemy is so busy, May God grant that you, dear young people who are being brought up in the meeting and may value the Christian heritage that God has given to you and that you should be able to sit under the sound of the Word, where the truth of God is given out, where the person and work of Christ are maintained. And I'm thankful to say, as I hear, I just heard.
This I heard a short time ago about a man, a very important man.
Who taught that the Lord Jesus Christ could sin? And then I was amazed just about a week ago.
To hear about another man very very active among Christian young people, his works being read by Christian young people. And he made a public statement that the Lord Jesus Christ could sin. All brethren, May God in His grace keep us walking in the truth of God.
Give us to value and walk in that which God has made known to us. And so the assembly, God's assembly is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is that which is responsible to support the truth. All you say. There's so much weakness, though.
Meetings are so small. There is bickering, there is little things. The enemies at work, the enemies at work. I must tell you a little incident, if you'll pardon a personal reference, about my dear father. He was asked to go up to Quebec City and Canada some years ago.
To visit a little company of Christians who had come out from the systems and who were who were meeting simply in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so he made the trip up there and when he met this little company.
One of the brothers said to him. He said, well, we've just come out from the churches, but we don't want to have anything to do.
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With those known as brethren, because they have so many divisions, so many troubles, we don't want to be identified with them.
Well, I thought the Lord gave my Father wisdom about how to answer him. He said, well, I'd just like to ask you one question. Why did you leave? The church is where you are? Well, we didn't think we could go along with some of the things that were contrary to the word of God, and that's why we left. And he said, now you've just gathered together as a group of little of Christians here, a little company.
And you're meeting in the name of Christ alone, he said. Do you think the devil is going to look on this little company here in Quebec City and say?
Now those Christians are so happy and they are so desirous to please the Lord.
I'll just leave them alone. I won't bother them at all. I'll just let them go on happily together.
Well, he hung his head. He said. No, I suppose he won't.
And he said, when trouble comes in among you, what are you going to do?
Well, he said, I suppose we'll have to stand for the truth. And, brethren, so it is. The enemy will never leave that little company alone. He'll do his best to bring in personal bickerings. He'll do his best to bring in distractions.
Do His best to bring in anything and everything to rob us of the precious truth of God and to rob us of that precious harmony one with another.
So isn't this next verse lovely? If the 15th verse brings before us the responsibility of the assembly as being the pillar and base of the truth, isn't this 16th 1St lovely because this brings before us a person, a person, and without controversy? Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene of angels preached under the Gentiles.
In the world received up into glory, what is the secret of godliness?
Oh, it's the Lord Jesus Himself in His blessed pathway here through this world.
It's a person you know. I'm sure we all recall the instance in the 6th chapter of John when the Lord spoke faithfully. He said is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing. And many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
Then the Lord turned to the 12 and he said, Will ye also go away? And Peter, who had a person before him, made this remark.
Said Lord, To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.
And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ. And the Lord's answer must have surprised you. It surprised me. I meditated on it for some time.
I thought the answer was very, shall I say, surprising? The Lord said to Peter in response. Have not I chosen you 12 and one of you is a devil? Why did the Lord make an answer? Why didn't he say, Peter, that's lovely, I see you're here because I'm here. Why did the Lord answer him in that way?
Well, I think of it like this. It's just as if the Lord said, well, Peter, if you're here because I'm here, then don't look at the crowd. There's another disappointment ahead. And brethren, it's important for us. Let's not have our eyes upon the crowd. There's only one, the mystery means secret here. There's only one person who is the secret of godliness.
And his blessed pathway, as we have been having in our reading, gives us the secret of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh. As we remarked, here was one in this world who perfectly revealed God. He was God manifest in the flesh. He was justified in the Spirit. The Spirit of God came down at his baptism and marked him out.
You say I have been misunderstood, I have been falsely accused. Things have been said about me that are not true. The Spirit of God never falsely accused you. The Spirit of God never falsely accused you. He knows everything. The Lord Jesus was falsely accused, but he was justified in the Spirit. The Spirit of God came down and said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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And.
Spirit of God falsely accuses you, then I say you would have a reason to leave the meeting.
That could never be though, could it? And so isn't this lovely. The secret of godliness is here was one manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit seed of angels. The angels looked down and saw their Creator as a man here in this world.
And the angels are looking down. They're looking down to see the wonders of God's ways in the church. They look down to notice whether a sister has a covering upon her head. Have they noticed things in our lives too? And so there is in the word of God that which is, as Paul said, were made a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men.
Preached under the Gentiles, I think this is lovely too.
Because when the Lord Jesus was rejected by the nation, what did he do? Well, his grace reached out beyond the nation to the Gentiles. Did somebody hurt you? Somebody did something unkind and mean and you said, I'll never try to do anything again. That's all the thanks I got. What happened when the Lord Jesus was rejected by the nation? Well, he just went on.
And if those people wouldn't have him?
The branches grew over the wall, blessing reached out to the Gentile, and in his blessed path, where we find the blessing of the Saraphanesian woman, we find his grace reaching beyond the limits of Israel. Oh dear young people, if somebody hurt you and said something, don't give up. That's just what the devil wants you to do, just exactly what he wants you to do. Some perhaps, and perhaps an older brother or sister, but it always hurts a little more when we.
Say something unkind and you know when, when this happens, it's very easy to say, well, I'm not going to come to the meeting anymore. Nobody cares. The Lord cares. Don't give up. Don't give up. The Lord allows that testing, but he loves you. He wants you to be his friend, his companion, and then believed on in the world that is, there were results. In spite of the fact that he was rejected, there were results.
And we will meet those in glory. Yes, there were results from the blessed work of that rejected one down here. And God will see to it that if you go on for Him, there will be results. They'll be manifested when maybe not here. He was received up in glory.
They will be manifested at the judgment seat of Christ. Oh dear young people, don't give up. Don't be discouraged. Don't think because somebody said something and hurt you and that this is a good reason. That's just what the enemy wants. Go on the assembly then we see is the pillar and base of the truth. But the secret of godliness in the assembly is a person and having.
That person before you and you will never be sustained in the path. God is testing you and your youth.
God is testing here when you are young because He knows that if the young people go off, when I go to an assembly and I see that the young people have gone and they're just a few older ones, I must say it almost breaks my heart. I know there's just what the enemy wants.
He just wants to see all the young people discouraged and gone. But oh, what a word of encouragement here. God has made himself known. He has a testimony here upon earth and he has a person to set before our souls. Now I just want to read these verses that we looked at just very briefly in Philippians because.
Was my purpose to say a lot about these verses, but just to bring in a few thoughts.
Philippians chapter one and verse 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether we it be by life or by death, or to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Now, my father used to have a little saying. Some of the older ones have heard him say it if we did any everything right.
Nothing would be right unless the motor was right. And now that's why I read Philippians, because I could spend time here to trying to correct a lot of outward things. I could spend time here talking to you about things important in their place that have to do with outward things. But I want to talk to you now about the motive springs of your life.
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What is your purpose and mine?
In life, here was Paul's, he said. My earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing.
I shall be ashamed that is, he wanted to live in such a way.
That His blessed Savior would approve of the way.
He was living his life at the moon of springs that control. His life would not be self, would not be what other people said and thought and did, but that Christ would be the one whom He could speak of as His life. He is our life in the absolute sense.
But in a practical way that he might be our life is a little hymn says not We may live while here belong, but Christ our life shall be. Is that your earnest expectation and your hope? Is this what you and I are living for now, that our lives might be for Him?
That he might be the one who is the mode of spring of all our actions.
Why, As I say, you could get people to do things in an outward way. There be nothing for God in this at all. When the Lord Jesus was here. They kept the Passover most scrupulously. They kept the Feast of Tabernacles most scrupulously.
But it was the Feast of the Jews, feast of the Passover, it was the Jews Feast of Tabernacles. And you could go on an outward things that you could mold yourself in outward things. But now I want to talk about the inward. The outward is important and I'm not belittling it, but I'm speaking about the N word.
Is Christ really the purpose of our lives? Are we really seeking to live in such a way?
That he would be magnified in our bodies, as another has said.
We are a testimony and nothing else. That's all we are here in this world.
A testimony and nothing else as it was read to us. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. That is the important thing that we should live in this world as those who have Christ himself as our life and this manifesting itself in our pathway.
Now in the second chapter, we have him brought before us as our example.
And I haven't time to go into all the details of this chapter, but many that are acquainted with the Epistle to the Philippians remember now that there was something that burdened the heart of the apostle in Philippi, and that is, there was envy and strife and vain glory.
And there is nothing so chilling as when there is that sort of thing at work among the people of God. And what was the apostles reply in the midst of all this situation?
Well, I don't believe there's any epistle that ministers Christ in such a lovely way as is brought before us in the epistle to the Philippians. Christ is our life. And now in this chapter, Christ is our example, and it brings before us how the Lord who was.
God himself, who is God himself, came into this world and took the lowest place, and now this is the example God has given to us.
You say, well, I follow brother Soon, so I think he's a godly man.
I follow sister so and so. I think she's a very godly person. But you have the wrong example. You have the wrong example. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Whoever you set your mind upon, that person may fail. And if you do?
If that person fails, you are very likely to go down with them. But if you and I may Christ our example, what a perfect pattern? Could we have any more perfect pattern? Oh, don't make any other Christian your example. Imitate their faith, but only have one example and that is the Lord Jesus. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
And on the 3rd chapter.
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And the 13th verse, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Well, here when it talks about forgetting those things which are behind, it's not primarily Speaking of forgetting past failures. In a sense, we should not forget past failures. Paul had to say to the Ephesians, Wherefore remember that she being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, Paul never forgot that he once persecuted the Church of God and wasted it.
But there's something we can afford to forget.
We can afford to forget the anything that we've done for the Lord.
In the past, if you lived yesterday for the Lord, you can forget about that because God has got the record down. So you can afford to forget about it because He won't, He won't forget about. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. And the trouble with us is when we try to remember some of the good things that we've done that's liable to make us proud and think that we're getting somewhere.
So Paul said, he said I don't want to look back and make a kind of a report in my life and see how I'm getting along.
I might get puffed up if I thought I had lived for the Lord. I might think I was somebody. And dear young people, I'm not going to encourage you to look back on your life if you failed on it to the Lord. But don't look back to pat yourself on the back. You'll only spoil your object, having the object before your soul. Man was trying to break a path across a field of small. They realized he was making a very crooked path.
So he set his eye on a tree on the other side, and he started on and then he thought, well, I must look back and see how I'm getting along. And there he saw this crooked path. And then when he had put his eye on the tree, he had done very well. And he started encouraging himself how well he was getting along. And then he realized he wasn't looking at the tree, it was really looking at how he was getting along.
So quickly he put his eye back on the tree.
And I went, but when he got to the other side of the field, he spoiled that nice path while he looked back to compliment himself on how well he was getting along.
Oh, don't look back. Keep your eye on the Lord. If He's kept you to this day, thank Him. But if you get your eye off Him, you might make a little break in your path. Any of us could. Doesn't matter who we are or may we have our eye upon Him. We have a right object for our hearts. We have His truth, but we need to have a person. As I said, there needs to be a right object, a right purpose in our lives, and then the last.
The 13th verse I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. You might say all, but it's so difficult. You don't know what it's like in the place where I live, in the office where I work, there's problems in the assembly. The Saints are not as happy as they used to be. There are no young people. Yes, the Lord knows all about it. He knows all about it, everything. He's a merciful and faithful.
Priest and he was all about just exactly what you're trying to face and when God wanted a man to write this verse. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. He didn't choose a man who was enjoying good health and sitting in a nice parlor or in a nice study writing letters. I sit in a very comfortable study sometimes when I write letters, but he didn't choose a man.
In that kind of a circumstance to write this verse, no. I was in a Roman prison.
He'd been forgotten by some of his brethren. Just one assembly thought about the mall, the rest forgot about him.
He was, he was abased. There were those who were breaking his heart and it was much that could cast him down. God said you're the person. You're the person to write that verse. You have proved it experimentally. Oh dear young person, the Lord can strengthen you. I know you can't do it. Oh Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself.
It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps, if God were to deal with any of us.
According to what we deserved, he'd do just what it says there in Jeremiah 10. He'd have to bring us to nothing.
He'd have to bring us to nothing but all the way of man is not in himself, but it's in Christ. It's in Christ. He's the way, the truth and the life. May God by His grace cause to do 2 Things to value the precious heritage of truth that God has given to us.
01:00:18
And may He also give us grace to go on in the path with the right purpose, with the right object, with Himself before us, content to wait the day when all will be manifested in His presence. Now that is what really counts in life.
The Dominican Republic
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Open Mtg. 2