Toledo Conference: 1981
Table of Contents
Open Mtg.
Open—C. Lunden, C. Andersen
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.
Mr. Lido, November 1981 open meeting.
46 In the back of the book have I an object, Lord be love, which would divide my heart with thee, which would divert it's even slow in answer to thy constancy. Oh, teach me quickly to return and cause my heart a fresh to burn. 46 The back of the book.
00:05:46
Joy.
When you turn with me, please, to Ephesians 3.
We'll read from the verse.
16 A part of the Apostles prayer, the second prayer in Ephesians.
That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory.
To be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love.
May be able.
To comprehend rather apprehend.
With all things, what is the breath?
Length, depth and height.
And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge that she might be filled.
With all the fullness.
Of God.
Now when you turn with me to the.
Song of Solomon, please.
Chapter One.
I do not intend to read the book.
Or very much of it, but simply to point out a verse here.
And they are in connection with the subject that we read in Ephesians.
The love of Christ.
I believe rather than this subject has been before us.
And I I believe we have a little pattern here that I'd like to call attention to.
You know the Song of Solomon.
Is sort of a conversation between 2:00.
That is, the bridegroom and the bride.
The only thing is He's in heaven and the Bride is on earth.
And so is something like your pathway in mind as we go through this world?
As flavors in communion.
In communion.
We don't have anything much about sin or failure here.
But just Communion.
In this conversation, we know very well that the original intention was for Israel.
But the same principles apply to us.
Because there's only one love of Christ.
And there's only one object for the soul, whether it be for Israel or for the Church.
It's true that our portion is heavenly, our portions of the Father's house.
00:15:00
But still the subject is much the same.
But we're going to speak this afternoon just briefly about that which applies to us as believers, that side of the application, shall we say, rather than the the real interpretation of the passage which might be for Israel.
So we'll read.
The first two verses of the Song of Solomon.
The Song of Songs, which is Solomon.
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better.
Then why?
Solomon wrote possibly 3000 Proverbs and many, many songs.
But this is the song of songs.
This is a special song.
And the Spirit of God has given it to us, I believe.
To draw our hearts out to Christ.
And in a pattern that will progressively do so.
Can cause the flavor to grow.
In the enjoyment of communion and love.
For the Savior.
Now a kiss. And Scripture suggests assurance of love.
And that's the first thing, dear ones, that there must be if we're going to go on with God.
If we're going on with our blessed Savior, there has to be the assurance in our souls of His love for us.
And here we see the bride. She's a long way off with, say, he's up there, she's down here, and she wants this assurance of his love.
We have the truth in the New Testament that the believer is in Christ.
The Jew doesn't have that, nor did he in the Old Testament.
But you and I already know that we've been accepted in the beloved.
But we have here experience, the experience of the bride. But she wants to know.
For sure, that assurance before the path began that blessed path.
That ends in his presence.
And she says thy love is better than wine.
Now wine speaks of all earthly joys.
And may I ask my own heart this afternoon as I address you?
Is this true with you With me?
I believe that's the real subject, isn't it?
Is his love better than anything I can find in this world?
Am I going to believe this from the start or am I going to have to prove it by experience?
No doubt the believer will learn it in the end. He may try to prove it, but no doubt he'll learn it.
That his love is better than any earthly joy.
And because of thy good savor, and the savior of thy good ointment, thy name is as ointment poured. For therefore, therefore do the virgins lovely.
Not our precious name of Jesus.
Because of its character.
Is our ointment no as ointment for for?
4/4.
And so, how precious it is to carry that name as we go through this world. We may not always realize this as we go on, but just to carry that precious name is this ointment poured forth a sweet savour that follows the flavor through this world. If he's in communion.
And now she says, draw me.
00:20:00
Draw me. Is that the desire of your heart this afternoon?
Draw me.
We notice the plural.
And as soon as you decide, like Ruth or Naomi, who had gone astray, as soon as she decided to return to the land, she finds she has a companion.
We.
And you are beloved. When you and I take a step that's wrong, we're going to find that we'll draw this away. But.
When we take a step, that's right, be sure this You're going to draw someone with you. That's the principle of the word of God.
And wouldn't you like to be a blessing to others?
The King hath brought me into his chambers.
And here we have gladness and rejoicing.
And now we have the remembering of that love.
But now go to the fifth verse, who won't linger.
I am black.
Oh, it's so important for us to realize this.
Will never appreciate that love that he speaks of here until we realize what we are in His presence.
And so, so she brings out here.
In this short and 5th verse I am black but comely.
How could this be?
Well, it says.
O daughters Jerusalem as the tents of Tedar.
No, I suppose what is referred to are those tents of the children of Ishmael who live in the desert, and they use the black goatskin for their tent cover. And as others who have seen it have said, it looks like a sea, a Black Sea out over the desert.
And so she describes herself in this way.
Blackness.
Nothing but blackness. Is this the way you see yourself as you realize what you are in the presence of God?
The total depravity of man. There's nothing good in US whatsoever. This is the beginning of the path of blessing, is it not?
But she had something.
Firmly as the curtains of Solomon. Think of that beautiful temple in the curtains.
Now she likened herself to what Grace is brought to her, but she doesn't hesitate to speak of it either.
You.
Now the seventh verse.
The seventh verse we have dependence.
And.
7th and 8th courses we have dependence and in the ninth verse.
We have obedience.
The two important basic principles of Christianity.
Tell me, O thou who my soul love us without.
Fetus, where thou make us thy flock to lie down.
To rest at noon.
For why should I be as one? Now I'm going to use another translation.
As one roving.
Roving.
Did you ever Rove about not knowing where to go?
Oh, there's a great deal of this today.
Going here and going there trying to find.
Something to feed on for your soul.
She says. Why should I be like such as one who's roving?
I believe this is a very important point for us to notice, especially dear young people.
I know of some who have just recently decided that they would leave the Lord's table roaming.
And there's a reason for this.
The eye is off of Christ.
00:25:00
She doesn't want to take this course, So she says to him. Tell me, oh, thou whom my soul love us.
Oh, how precious it is to go on in first love, no matter how little we know to go on in first love.
To have the object and the person before our souls.
Where thou fetish, where thou makeest thy flock to rest at noon. For why should I be as one that turneth aside but the flocks of thy companions, or one that Rove?
Wanderer.
What a terrible place to be in for a Christian wandering here and there when we have a direct, absolute path laid out for us which is known in communion with a sense of Islam. And that's the only way it's known.
Now thou knowest not.
O thou fairest among women.
I want you to notice as we go on that he continually gives her to see his thoughts about her and that's what's important.
Not what our thoughts are about him, but what his thoughts are about the bride. She's not yet the bride in their full sense, but she's on her way.
Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock.
And feed thy kids beside the shepherds pants.
Well, you'll never find a place in this world, dear parents.
Or you can bring your child, your children, in safety, like you will at the Lord state.
Among the Saints.
Where his shepherds are that feed the flocks.
That's where.
She's to go.
Definite instructions here.
And immediately, he says, I've compared it.
He doesn't say I want you to be obedient to me. No, no, we don't get that in the Song of Solomon.
Because the flavor of his rightly lead, he's led by his heart, not by a whip.
It was once said you know that.
That the Lord never used his dogs for sheep.
Driver.
Some may send their sheep with dogs, but the Lord never does.
No, he says. I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses and Pharaoh's Chariots. Do you suppose that one of those horses would be out of step? Not in Pharaoh's chariot.
No, they've been trained how they've been trained.
Well, Barrow Sauce has seen to it that he has those that will train these horses.
And the believer who's in communion will be in the stride, as we have in the Old Testament those who knew how to keep rank.
Because they were in communion with the one who was leading.
Keeping it stuck. Oh how good this is.
Now that's obedience, and he doesn't say you have to do this, he says. I've compared me like this. I've compared this.
I want you to know this is the way I regard you as one who is walking in obedience.
And now we have.
The table 12Th verse, the king setting out his table.
And as a result of the walk of communion.
A walk of dependence and obedience we find despite nor flowing out.
At the table.
You know spike there are very costly and very hard to get.
It's produced from a plant that grows on the sides of the seed banks of the Indus River in India.
That's one of the places that's found and also in a certain place in Palestine.
00:30:02
And those who go after it will take.
Will be let down on a rope and they'll have a sharp knife and they'll cut into this plant and they'll catch the SAP or nectar as you please.
And this is what forms this spike nard or nard that is brought in the sole valuable.
And so it says here.
While the king setteth at his table my spike, nor extended forth the smell thereof.
And so worship, then, is the result of one taking this path that we've followed so far.
If something is a result, of course, the enjoyment of the person of Christ and his love.
We won't take all these verses but it says in the 14th verse.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of I believe it should read Henna Flowers.
Area.
A part of a.
A flower that blossoms like the snow flowing out.
I know the margin reached Cyprus, but.
I believe it's likened to a henna flower.
And in the.
Vineyards event.
The other vineyards, the Venkatar, was the place where David.
Would flee when he was haunted by Saul.
We have a picture all the way through of trials, but they don't come to the surface very much.
And you know they won't in your life either, beloved, if you're really walking in communion.
Those trials will be covered with that love.
Of Christ you'll be able to go through them triumphant.
But here we have a picture, because actually the picture before us in this book is the Great Tribulation.
If we don't see much of that here, do we?
No, it's a little remnant in the enjoyment of his love as they pass through the deep trials.
And the picture before us here in this verse.
Is like David and his men hundreds of Saul, And at the bottom of this?
Side of the mountain were the vineyards going almost down to the sea.
And at the top of the caves, the rocks of the wild go.
And that's where David was haunted by Saul. That's where he hit.
That's the picture we have here.
In the midst of trial.
The beloved was like this.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of comfort in the vineyards of an Gita.
Right in the midst of trial, Christ was precious in this way.
Who's the one who who sustained the one who was being tried?
Under these circumstances.
And what the result?
15 first.
His answer, my beloved.
Behold, art there, my love, Behold, art there thou hast dove's eyes.
That is, guys that will look all the way home. That's the character of the Dove.
They have eyes that can see afar off.
That has other characteristics too, as we might notice. But eyes you can see all the way home, as it were, by faith.
That's the way he looks at her.
Thou art dear my love, Behold art fear. Thou art Stubbs eyes.
00:35:03
Now she answers in the second chapter that she says.
I am the Rose of Sheriff. Really A Lily.
And the Lily of the city? No, the Lily of the valley.
Oh, what a difference.
No, you and I don't belong in the city. These people belong to the valley outside of the city, away from.
Contamination of this world. We belong outside in the valleys.
She recognizes this as a result of being in his presence.
And she's not in hesitate to say what he's already told her that she is. She doesn't have the faith.
Cool. And so he answers and he says as the Lily among thorns. Oh, she's going through trials.
So is my love among the daughters.
He answers.
She answers again.
As the apple tree.
Or a certain tree that's in that place, that is.
Has a special fruit that's most precious, she likens him, in contrast to the ordinary trees.
To this, and then she sets down under his shadow, under his shadow with great delight.
And the fruit was sweet to her taste.
Now we have She has his support in the sixth verse.
The support of his affections.
And as a result of all this.
We find in the eighth verse.
The voice of my beloved, Behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
My beloved is like a roar, a young heart. Behold his standards. Behind our wall he looked forth at the windows, showing himself through the lattice.
Not a clearer view yet.
No, she's down here and he's up there. But just a little glimpse of his person down there. Oh, our precious as we go through this wilderness.
And now he's speaking to her.
And what he's talking about, notice?
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Is it not that which is constantly before us as our hope to get that in Ephesians, the 4th chapter? One hope. And that's the Lord's coming. And He would constantly remind us of this because we won't be here long.
Tell me to take us home.
And you know, when the little remnant of Israel oftentimes you'll find in Isaiah, they don't give up.
They say How long?
That's the remnant. How long?
How long, O Lord? It will be long, and he will be here.
14 First has been commented on today.
Oh, my God. Bowed in the clefts of the rock. But oh, how often we need this assurance, not only of that precious blood and that fierce inside, but the constant sense that we're in His hands. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
In the most trying circumstances, this is true. There's never a moment and you can say he's not near me. Oh, there might be a time when you'll feel that he's far off, that you can never say he's not near me.
Is that my right hand? I cannot be moved.
What Scripture says.
The 15 first has been commented on.
The foxes. Oh, how the slightest little thing will break communion.
The slightest little thing will break communion.
And then the joy goes with it.
And now, she says, my beloved is mine.
00:40:02
How many things in this world do you this afternoon say, well, this is mine, or that is mine, or the other thing is mine?
But the point is.
Do you put anything, any of these things ahead of the Lord Jesus or you say no, I wouldn't do that, but now just just check up for a moment and see whether you would or not.
You know all of us here were just singing that little hymn have iron object Lord below that would divide my heart with thee. But I asked was I singing it from my heart for you?
Have I an object, Lord, for law, that would divide my heart with thee?
Is this real with me?
The ride is being tested. As far as Israel is concerned, so are you, and so am I.
And then we have.
My beloved is mine and I am his defeated. Among where? In the city? No, among the lilies. In the valley, of course. That's his people.
That's his people.
If you want to find him, you'll find him with his people.
So you'll find it.
He loves his people.
And then she says, until the Daybreak and the shadows flee away. Turn my beloved or return my beloved.
Just keep returning. Just keep coming back all the time. I don't want you to leave me. That's the spirit of you this afternoon.
You know, this is what we need and have to have, because otherwise we'd get lost, wouldn't we, if he didn't return?
We can never keep ourselves.
Return my beloved towards you. Come back again soon.
By night, on my bed, I saw him.
Have you ever grown dark in your soul as to the spiritual things?
A little later we find her going to sleep, but here are things have just grown dark by night.
And your path gets sort of hard because everything is so dark and you don't know what to do.
And besides, you get mixed up on scripture. All these things come in at once in your soul.
I know young people like that right now.
I've had several young people breaking bread and said to me, brother London, I'm not saved.
Not saying.
The world.
Darkness came in.
They're upset. Why?
Oh, that bright, precious object wasn't before their soul, the love of Christ.
Something else came in.
The foxes had been to work.
Something grown dark, never experienced that.
Now where did she go?
Just where she shouldn't go.
Oh, I've got it here sometime just to stand still.
As God tells his people in Isaiah.
Stand still and see the salvation of God. But no, she goes to the city.
And that's the last place you should go to the city.
She couldn't find him there. The pool she find in the city. The watchman.
Thank God for the Watchmen, because the watch will stop you from going any further.
And if the watchman stops, you'll be sure and thank God for it.
Thank God for the Watchmen.
He may employ anyone who pleases to be a watchman, but thank God for the watchman.
She fides in.
00:45:02
Now in the 4th chapter.
Behold our fear, my love, Behold our fear, thou hast doves eyes.
Within thy locks.
We have two things here.
Dove's eyes would speak to us further.
Not only of eyes that would see all the way home as in the first chapter, but.
The eyes that would always keep her keep on their mate wherever he goes.
Follow him. That's keeping the eye upon Christ.
But coupled with that, we have the eyes looking through the locks.
That's modesty.
And that's what becomes the child of God.
Modestly the locks.
You couldn't do that if you didn't have locks, did you? Could you?
And you know, we have here the one who's the bride of Christ.
And now I just say this, that when God made man, He made man and woman. And each one is supposed to keep their own character.
Because it's a picture of Christ in the church.
And you know, just as the woman was necessary for the first creation, the woman is necessary for the new creation.
That's why we have this book.
Oh, what a day was coming.
When Christ with his companion will go out over the whole scene of the inheritance.
In companionship.
What a day that will be.
Thou hast dove's eyes within thy locks.
Than thy locks.
Now I don't want to take too much more time but.
In the sixth verse.
We have the Daybreak again.
In view, looking on, of course, to the blessed hope.
Until the Daybreak and the shadows flee away. The shadows, you know, buddy of shadows, that they're going to flee away.
The Lord says here, bridegroom, I will get me to the mountain of Myrrh.
To the hill of frankincense. What's that? Well, I take it to be beloved.
As we may be privileged to gather around our blessed Savior in Lord's Day morning.
He regards it as a hill of frankincense and that's where he's going to be. Are you going to be there?
Are you going to be there?
I'll tell you what, if you're there, this is what you're going to hear from his lips.
Let's read it.
As a result of that, our presence of worship myrrh and frankincense.
He's going to say to you.
Thou art fair. No, no, no. Thou art all fair, my love. There's no spot in me.
No spot. Oh, he loves to come to that, to that place, until the shadows flee away.
So on I will get me to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense, and there he's going to tell his pride.
Thou art all fair, my love.
There's no spot in there.
But now they're dangerous along the road.
And that great Mount Hermon, with its various peaks, suggest to us the great things of this world that attract the heart of the believer as he passes through it.
But we have.
We have the spirit of God showing us here how love draws the heart from such things. And so it says here on the part of the bridegroom, come with me from Lebanon from Lebanon. Come with me from Lebanon.
00:50:16
He doesn't go. It's come with me from Lebanon. He's drawing our hearts away from that which would otherwise be a danger to us.
From the lion's den and from the mountains of the leopards.
How many things there are in this world that would attract the natural heart because we have a nature, you know. Still, it can be attractive.
We suppose that there is communion.
But if the will goes to work, if the eye goes after an object like that, there's danger of being turned aside. That's all, he says. Come with me from.
Lebanon my spouse.
And then he says, Thou ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thus ravished my heart, with thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck, and so on.
Value gives a description of his bride as he.
A fuller description than we have elsewhere of his thoughts of his pride.
And if we went on, which we won't, you'll find that she gives a description of what she thinks about him.
But only after she's been aroused after a sleep.
And with the daughters of Jerusalem, awaken her to realization of.
What he is to her until she finally answers.
In the 16th verse of the of the 5th chapter.
She says.
His mouth is most sweet. Yay, he is altogether lovely.
All the other lovely.
This is my beloved and this is my friend.
All Daughters of Jerusalem.
And so we see in these few thoughts how that.
The Lord Jesus is drawing us to heaven.
Not with a whip, but with our hearts.
Destroying our hearts.
In companionship down through this world of shadows as we have it here.
Until the Daybreak.
He's drawing us by our hearts.
Home to the father's house.
In companionship with himself.
Ephesians chapter 4.
Our brother referred to keeping ranked connection with Pharaoh's Chariots.
And I believe this is.
What we have in Ephesians 4 the subject of keeping rank.
I therefore the prisoner of the Lord.
Beseech you that you walk worthy of the location where with your calls.
With loneliness and meekness, with long-suffering.
Bearing one another in love.
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit.
In the bond of peace.
The unity of the spirit.
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit.
It will take endeavor, it will take exercise of soul.
To keep the unity of the spirit.
The apostle speaks of our vocation here.
00:55:04
And exhorting us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we're called, well, what is that vocation?
Many people have vocations.
They have different occupations, different things that they're occupied with, responsible for.
Each one has a kind of a job or work, and they speak of it as a vocation. Whatever they're doing, whatever is their responsibility in life.
What's the main object in their life?
But we've been called into one body. We read that in Colossians A1, body calling is what we have.
And the Lord expects us to walk worthy of that calling.
And everyone who is saved is a member of the body of Christ.
And he has the same calling.
We're all responsible to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit.
In the uniting bonds of peace.
Now there is one body we read here.
And we have nothing to do with forming the one body.
That's the work of God by the Holy Spirit for by 1.
Spirit he baptized all into one body.
But how do we act in light of that?
Now, what is the center of this unity that's spoken of here?
We've had much of that before us today.
Being centered on Christ.
Cleaving to Christ, Looking to Christ.
Having him as the object of our hearts, that's how we started out this meeting.
A vine object, Lord below, which would divide my heart with thee.
That's a very solemn question, an important question.
And everyone of us.
Fraught with weakness.
And it's so easy for us to be diverted from the Lord Jesus Christ as the center of our life.
As the main attraction for our living.
When we were in England we saw some signs along the road which said diversion.
Over here we might see the word detour.
And their forces at work in our Christian lives to divert us.
Or to detour us, to get us away from that one object, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We don't want any diversions in our lives. We don't want any detours.
Perhaps we've had detours, more or less all of us.
Minor or major? But it's always a sad time when we're on a detour.
How we need grace to keep our eye upon the Lord Jesus Christ because she is the center of this unity that we're speaking about here.
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit.
What the Holy Spirit doing?
He's pointing us to Christ.
He's occupying us with Christ.
You could not have gotten saved unless the Holy Spirit pointed you to the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.
He was the one that was at work. God find his spirit was working.
Point you to the Lord Jesus Christ to save showing you that He you are a Sinner.
Because the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and he must show you that you're a Sinner, that you're unholy.
And the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and He must show you.
That you've gone astray like a sheep gone astray, away from God, away from the truth.
The Spirit of God reminds the Sinner of these things.
And sets before him the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, his only hope, his only salvation.
Well, I'd like to turn to the book of the Acts.
And see what they did in the beginning.
We must remember that the Church in the beginning did not have these epistles of the Apostle Paul.
01:00:07
They had no word like this put into their hands.
Well, how did it workout did the endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the beginning of the Church as we read of it in the book of the Acts?
Well, let's go over to the book of Acts then.
And see what they were doing.
If they didn't have the word.
The revelation that's given to the Apostle Paul, What did they do?
Well, they had the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost and formed the assembly.
United all of those believers there in the upper room into one body.
Later on, a few more, several more, several thousand were saved. The number came to be about 3000 that were saved, and we read of that in the second chapter of Acts.
And how did they behave themselves?
Well, they had been acted upon by the Holy Spirit on that day of Pentecost.
The Holy Spirit was in command using those men to preach the gospel, and souls were saved.
And he didn't leave them there, but brought them together.
Brought them together according to what had happened, that they were all.
Members of one body.
And so that's what we find here in the second chapter of Acts.
We read in verse 44 and all that believed were together.
All that believed were together.
Now I don't know what kind of prejudices existed amongst those Jews and those days.
There could have been those things that would have caused them to form shepherd groups.
But no, they were so under the power of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God, so occupying them with the Lord Jesus Christ, the center of that unity, that they were together.
Spirit of God was holding them together by occupying them all with the Lord Jesus Christ.
And it says they have all things common.
They had all things common. What? What a power was prevailing that day, The Spirit of God at work to keep them all together and to lead them on.
In a way that they have all things common.
They didn't have a special word from the apostle Paul's. Exhort them to this.
But the Spirit of God was there.
And they were acting according to the principal put before them by the Holy Spirit.
But there is one Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, because you can see that they were very much occupied with the Lord Jesus Christ.
But we might Passover this.
And say, well, they were all Jews and they would surely be together because they were all one race of people.
But now we find later on that there are others that are coming in.
If we go over to.
A little further in the book of Acts.
We read in the 4th chapter. We'll just look at this a little further because they were still all Jews in the church, in the assembly, in the body of Christ.
In the 4th chapter of Acts.
In verse 31.
It says. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together.
They were assembled together. They continued on that way, assembling together.
Not forming divisions or parties.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
01:05:02
And they speak the word of God with boldness.
So they have the Holy Spirit, and they hide the word of God too.
Now they didn't have the word of God as we have it, but they had the Old Testament scriptures, and there were many principles of God set forth in the Old Testament, and the Spirit of God would guide them by those scriptures.
And it says they speak the word of God with boldness. Well, they had been given the word of God on the day of Pentecost, the gospel that should be preached.
So that is what they were speaking with wholeness too.
But notice they were assembled together. They were still going on together.
Let us go over to the 8th chapter.
Persecution sets in.
And Saul of Tarsus is leading the persecution against the believers.
Says in verse one, and Saul was consenting unto his death, that is, to the death of Stephen. Stephen had been stowed.
And what was Stephen being stoned for? Because in his message he was pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ.
And they wouldn't have it.
The last witness, really, to those unbelieving Jews.
Here was Stephen's testimony, and they didn't want it.
And they were really saying to this messenger that God had sent.
That the Spirit of God had raised up because he was a man full of the Holy Ghost and faith.
And he spoke in the power of the Spirit of God, and it was really the Holy Spirit speaking through Stephen.
To these people and they wouldn't have it.
They stoned him. We will say we will not have this man that is Jesus to reign over us.
So they did away with Stephen, and Saul of conscious was right there witnessing the whole thing, and it looked like he was a sort of a captain over the thing.
But he went on, and Saul was consenting to the death of Stephen.
And then there was a great persecution that arose against the assembly.
Now the assembly was going to find out what persecution was.
And there were those that were taken, and it says in verse three. As for Saul, he made havoc of the assembly, entering into every house and hailing men and women committed them to prison. A real testing time. What? What would they do now?
All they would cleave to Christ. They would cleave to himself and trust him to take care of them.
But the Lord had a purpose of love and grace in this persecution.
You couldn't frustrate God's purpose by persecuting the church because they were scattered here and there when they were persecuted. And it says here in verse five, Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ on to them.
To Samaria.
The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritan.
This would pose a problem, surely it would. But remember God was over this and the Spirit of God was at work. The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit was hovering over the whole scene, just like in the beginning.
The Spirit of God grew upon the waters.
Because it was not only God.
And the Son, the Creator of the Holy Spirit, was there too in the beginning of creation.
And the restoration of this whole seed.
So the Holy Spirit was now brooding over the assembly and watching everything.
Philip went down and preached Christ to those of Samaria.
What happened? Well, there were some that were saved.
And it says verse 12, that when the Glee Philip preached the things concerning the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women.
01:10:08
Verse 14.
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem.
Heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost, for yet he was falling upon none of them. Only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then laid, there's their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.
This must have been an amazing thing to Philip.
And Peter and John.
But the Spirit of God was at work, keeping in control of everything.
And the apostles sent down Peter and John.
The Spirit of God leads them, guided them, kept all in control.
There were subjects guided by the Spirit of God.
And then?
They laid their hands on them.
And they received the Holy Ghost.
Now, you might ask, Well, why should they lay their hands on them?
This must have been very necessary.
For these Jewish men, these Jewish brethren.
To lay their hands on them as a sign of identification with them.
This was a sign that these believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Were the same as those at Jerusalem.
There was an identifying there of those of Jerusalem. Were those believers in Samaria?
And it's really a precious thing to see how the spirit of God was in control here.
To avoid.
A division because it could have been very possible.
That there might have been a Jewish church and a Samaritan church, but this was not according to the mind of God.
All one body.
That's what God wanted. One body. Not several bodies. Just one body.
I believe if we read the book of Acts more in the light of this, if Christendom would read it in this light.
They would be convicted about all the different divisions. There are sex and denominations.
What a side side travesty.
Tragic thing to see.
The Saints of God divided up, they sent divide the body of Christ.
We're still all one.
But outwardly divided.
And the spirit of God was sowing control and at work here to avoid it, to avert this, this kind of sad thing.
Remember they didn't have this course of scriptures that we read in Ephesians 4 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, but the Spirit of God was just leading them in this.
To make them sense is to make them understand this, that this was God's mind.
That all believers should be one in Christ Jesus.
Well, we might say, well, that wasn't such such a serious thing, a difficult thing. But when we come to Chapter 10 of Acts, then the Gentiles are brought in and what's going to happen? What's going to happen now when the Gentiles start to come in?
We have a lot said in connection with the conversion of the Gentiles.
And we have the Lord dealing with Peter in a very special way in this matter.
We notice about Cornelius.
Verse one of chapter 10 there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much arms to the people and prayed to God always.
01:15:19
But he didn't know the Lord Jesus Christ. He hadn't heard the gospel.
He saw in a vision, evidently about the 9th hour of the day an Angel of God coming into him, saying unto him, Cornelius.
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine arms are come up for memorial before God.
And now send men to Joppa. Call for one Simon whose surname is Peter. He lodges with one Simon of China, whose house is by the seaside. He shall tell thee what thou Artest to do.
And when the Angel who spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually. And when he declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
And while they were on their way.
The Lord was dealing with Peter to prepare him for this. Peter needed to be prepared for this.
Because it would be a real test for Peter. It would be a real test for any Jew who had anything to do with this.
And so they were on their journey.
And Peter in verse 9 says went to the up to the housetop to pray.
And became very hungry and would have eaten.
But while they were making ready, fell into a trance.
And he saw heaven open.
And a certain vessel descending unto him, as had been a great sheet knit at the four corners.
And let down to the earth. I remember this sheet came from heaven.
Down to the earth.
Wherein were all manner 4 footed beasts of the earth, wild beasts, and creeping things and fowls of the air?
And there came a voice to him.
Peter rise, Peter kill and eat, but Peter said not so, Lord.
Not so long either. A lesson to learn. God was speaking to him. He was getting the word of God.
But he says not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.
And the voice speak unto him again the second time, what God hath cleansed that call not thou common?
This was what he was to learn.
That he was not to call.
The gentile who had believed?
Common or unclear, you had to learn this lesson.
That if God had cleansed him, he was not unclean.
This was done twice. Why three times? Peter needed it because he needed to be completely convinced by God.
And he did submit to what God showed him.
The Spirit of God was still at work.
The vessel was received up again into heaven.
Well, while Peter doubted.
About all of this, well, these emissaries from Cornelius came.
And.
Peter went along with them.
So we come down further in the chapter.
And after they launched the night.
Peter went away with them. We read in verse 23.
And certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. Now remember that.
Peter was not alone here.
Two were sent down to Samaria, the mouth of two or three witnesses. Shall everything be established here? There were certain brethren that went with Peter, and we need to remember this, because it's very important when this whole thing comes, comes to the attention of the assembly at Jerusalem.
And tomorrow after they entered the intercessory.
And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen, dear friends.
01:20:03
And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. The.
Peter. Peter took them up saying stand up. I myself also my man. And as you talked with him, you went in and found many that were come together.
And now he just opens his heart to them.
He said unto them, Ye know how that it is unlawful thing for a man, that is it you to keep company, or come in unto one of another nation. But God has showed me, that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you, without gain shape.
Well, and cornices tell us about the experience that he had.
In verse 33 says, now, therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded to see of God, many preaches the gospel right there in the House of Cornelius.
And he preaches the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. He preaches the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And he preaches forgiveness through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth.
In him shall receive remission of sins, and what happens?
As soon as they hear the message.
Of forgiveness of sins through the death, the shedding of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And believe it, the Spirit of God comes upon them.
They receive the Spirit of God.
And.
Then which heard the word, fell on all of them that heard the word there.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished. As many as came with Peter, Yes, they were astonished.
These were gentiles that this was happening to.
And it was a new thing.
But God, by his Spirit was in control of this.
And he just overruled in it all.
There were stunning as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Now the next chapter tells about.
What goes on at Jerusalem?
And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles have also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him.
They contended with him.
Trouble. Now there's a problem here. Is there going to be a division, A Jewish church and a Gentile church?
They say thou wentest into men uncircumcised, and did eat with them. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saved, and explained how God dealt with him, giving them what God told him, the word of God.
And telling how the Spirit of God was at work.
Further down the chapter.
Verse 12 And the spirit bad me go with them.
Nothing doubting. Moreover, these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house.
7.
Why 7?
Because this was such an important matter.
That God by his spirit saw to it that there was not only Peter.
But six other brethren with him Jews to witness this whole thing?
01:25:04
God was in control. God was in command by his Spirit.
And they were being carried along by the Spirit, and they, under the power of the Spirit of God, were keeping the unity of the Spirit.
And he showed us how he had seen an Angel in his house.
Which stood and said unto him, cement a job, and called for Simon, whose surname is Peter.
Well, he tells them the whole thing, and they listen. And they accepted verse 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying then as God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Oh, lovely to see this. How God was caring for his assembly.
To keep it all together. To keep all these believers going on together as one body, members of one body. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the uniting bond of peace.
This and this a pattern for us here.
Did certainly for something for us to look at and learn from.
I said at the beginning, the Lord Jesus Christ is the center of this unity.
Because the Holy Spirit is always pointing to Christ.
And we need to remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is what we might call. In one sense, he's the hub around whom all the Saints are gathered. He's the one centered to whom all the Saints cleave, and if we're cleaving to him.
Really exercised about this.
Brought by the spiritual keepers together.
But if the flesh begins to work.
And instead of having Christ before us.
We become fleshly minded and act in the flesh.
We're going to have problems.
All that God find his grace.
May enable us to keep our eye upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
I've used this illustration quite often we've.
Might imagine that we have a large wheel laid down in this room, and there's room for us all to sit on that wheel, Some perhaps sitting out on the rim of the wheel, most sitting on the spokes. But there's the hub in the middle, which represents the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, if we want to get closer together, what should we do?
Move down the sports.
Toward the hub and we'll get closer together.
The closer we all get to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The closer we'll be together, and isn't this the mind of the Spirit of God, that we should be close to Christ so that we might be close together all, may we pray for grace, that this might be so along us.
John 15:7-9
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
General Meetings, Toledo, November 1981. Second reading meeting.
M166.
John's Gospel chapter 15, verse 7.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, he shall ask what you will, and shall be done unto you.
Aaron is my father. Glorified that you bear much fruit socially. Be my disciples.
00:10:07
As a father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater loveth no man than this, that a man lay down his light for his friend. Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. But I've called you friends. For all things that I've heard of my father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things that command you, that you love one another.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own.
But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord.
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you, if they have kept my saying.
They would keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that has sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they have not had sinned, but now they have no cloak for their sin.
He that hateth me hateth my Father also, If I had not done among them the works with none other man did, they had not had sinned.
But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father?
For this coming to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they hated me without a cause. And when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth my Father, he shall testify of me, and he also shall bear witness, because he have been with me from the beginning.
The Bible is the history, then, of two men, isn't it?
It's the man Adam, the man of responsibility and consequently failure, and the the 2nd man, the Lord from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ and everybody in the room, everybody in the States, everybody in the world is either in one or the other or either in Adam. And we're still in our sins and on the way to a dark eternity which we heard about last night, hell forever and ever.
Where we're in Christ.
Before God, full acceptance, partakers of a divine nature, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And that's the portion of every child of God in Christ before God the Father. But our verse 7 says if he abide in me, every believer is in Christ positionally. But this is a conditional thing, isn't it? If you abide in me, it's a it's talking about communion, it's talking about to self judgment that needs to be exercised in the life. And it goes on.
And my words abide in you. You shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. It's connected with a prayer life. And so there needs to be a walk in communion. There needs to be intelligence with the word of God. And then we shall ask, and not amiss, but we shall ask, because it's according to the word of God as we walk in His presence.
It's been said that prayer.
Is the realization.
00:15:01
Of all that God has provided for us, besides many other things.
An illustration of this is what we get in Genesis.
When Abraham.
Has said to God.
What will you give me?
Saying that the steward of my house is mine heir.
He had no child, and yet he had been made the depository of all the promises himself, but he had no error.
So God let him out into the open, and where he could see the full heavens.
And he says Abraham, can you number them the stars?
Now there we have a picture of God's answer to one who is praying. He gives him the full, we might say, realization at that moment, or shall I say, the realization of the fullness of what God had for Abraham, because God had for Abraham that which would include both the earthly and heavenly blessings.
And then in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed. So let's remember that in connection with this verse.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Now it's true that there are those things we might ask that are not the will of God because of our ignorance.
But he's going to supply something else just as good for us, shouldn't be sure. And the point here is that if we do abide in him.
We'll be more in his mind, so that we'll ask those things which are according to his mind, so that we might realize more and more of the full provision that he's made for those who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus. Because really, brethren, we're not going to get any more.
Than what we have. We have everything in Christ that we'll ever get.
Another thing in connection with prayer.
When we pray, it often indicates our state of soul.
If our prayers are connected simply with earth and the responsibilities we have.
And the everyday life down here? We haven't gotten very far in the realization of what God has for us.
But if our prayers reach out?
And take in those things which are really our portion that we would desire to enter in more and more into what he has for us in heavenly things. It'll indicate what our thoughts are in our state of soul day by day. Because really brethren, we're a heavenly people and although this chapter we're considering has to do with the with the fruit bearing down here.
Still that fruit as a result of our being occupied with heavenly things. Now how can we be occupied with heavenly things? Just have that one pure object before our soul, the Lord Jesus Christ. And then we'll be occupied with heavenly things, because he fills all things. And in that vast eternity ahead of us, we're going to find out there will be just one theme.
And that will be the Lord Jesus and his finished work.
I like to suggest that, brethren, in connection with this verse, something that had just occurred to me, that is very precious.
The Lord Jesus, that precious Savior, beloved bread, and tells us in this word and this verse that we have just read it, that He gives us promise if we abide in Him and as a word it gives us a check, a blank check, and he puts his name on and say no, you put the price, the amount that you wanted, not necessarily of a temporal blessing, but fruit bearing blessing our life so that we might flow in blessing to others when we do that. Again I say not necessarily temporal blessing.
But blessing in our life, in our soul, so to me by being able to be our blessing to other.
What an amazing contrast there is between verse 6 and verse 7.
Verse six starts with if a man.
00:20:05
And verse 7 says if ye.
And then verse six goes on to the person. A man that does not have that reality does not have that light, and it is.
He is cast forth as a branch, and is withered. And men gathered them men again, and cast them into the fire, and they are burning. But what a sweet contrast there is with deception. It just lifts our hearts right up. If he abide in me, and my words abide in you, he shall ask what he will, and it shall be done unto you.
What a blessed contrast between being.
A man and he.
We turn to the Epistle of John. We see something more in connection with prayer. First Epistle of John and the third chapter.
And the 20th verse.
Or if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
It's a very blessed thing for us to realize that God answers prayer according to the perfect wisdom and love of his own heart, and he knows just what is best for us. But confidence in prayer is the result of obedience and communion, and that is what is brought before us in our chapter. And the two conditions are set before us here in First John chapter 3 have sometimes said, supposing I have two boys.
And one seeks. My company wants to please me.
The other one is willful and disobedient. They both come to make a request. I'm glad they come. I'm glad that they feel their need of their father, even the one who's willful and disobedient. But he's not going to have very much confidence when he makes his request because he isn't close enough to me yet as I think of him and think of his needs, perhaps even though he didn't have that confidence.
Why I grant it Because I see the answer would be for his good. We have them gathered together in the 12Th chapter of Acts and praying. And apparently there wasn't a great deal of confidence in that meeting because it was surprised when Peter stood before the gate. But God answered that prayer because it was according to his will. He was greater than their hearts. He knew all things. He knew that Peter would be a blessing to remain with the people of God.
And so he answered, and I say this to encourage everyone here in prayer, that even the law there may not be, and often is not that confidence in God, that he is greater than our hearts. And he comes in according to His own wisdom and love. And that's why in Romans 8 we have a similar thought brought before us in connection with prayer. We know not what we should pray for as we ought.
How about the spirit makes intercession for the Saints? It says with groanings which cannot be uttered, enters into all that we're passing through. And then the next verse says he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit? Because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. How blessed that is? Would we really want an answer, brethren, that was not according to his will?
Would we really say that because we have asked it, we would desire to have it even though it was contrary? Surely not. We are very thankful for one who intercedes, so that the answer would be according to God's will and not according to ours. We find that with Saul of Tarsus he thought that if that thorn in the flesh was removed, he could serve the Lord better. But God was greater than his heart, and he knew that that was a necessary thing in the life of Paul.
To keep Him humble. And so let us count always on the wisdom and love of God, but then on the other side, and that's what we have in our chapter. And confidence in prayer is the result of these two things mentioned here, that we are abiding in Him, that's communion, and that we ask according to His word. We should never ask for anything that's not according to His word, because we're really asking God to go contrary to that which He has revealed as His mind and His word.
00:25:30
And we should be well acquainted with His word in connection with our requests. But I say again, confidence is the result of these two things. And many, many of us often feel that we're not close enough to the Lord to have that confidence. But we can always have this confidence that He's greater than our hearts and knows all things. We can also have the confidence of Romans 8 and 28 that says. But we do know that all things work together for good.
To them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose, so how precious it is to know because the many dearer Saints of God are confused because they are sort of building up on the amount of their faith.
Instead of being exercised as to what is the will of God, faith is the gift of God, brethren. And I was greatly helped by a remark that was made by Mr. Darby, he said.
Faith prayer is based on the privilege of having common interests with God.
Is that a marvelous thing, that God should bring our souls so into communion with himself?
That we ask for those things which our fathers knows is good, are good for us.
Perhaps to illustrate so we understand, supposing you're going to give a gift to someone and one day that person says, you know what I would really like? Mentions the very thing that you have been planning to give to them. Isn't there a mutual joy in this that you had planned to give it? Now they come and make the request and say, oh, that's what I really want. Well, President, isn't it a marvelous thing that God should bring our souls into communion with himself?
So that we ask for those things that are pleasing in His sight. But I just wish to add that even though we feel often that we're not as close as we should, He doesn't tell us. Tough not to ask. He encourages us to pour out our hearts before Him. And sometimes, even if the answer is no, why He still would have us come before Him. Hold out that hearest prayer to thee shall all flesh come.
Of course, we should get away from the figure that's used in this chapter of The Vine and the Branches. We need to remind ourselves of that again.
Now it's true that when you look at a vine with the branches.
The branches are attached to the vine.
But something can happen to the branch so that it's not drawing nourishment from the vine.
We spoke of that yesterday. I believe that a branch or branches can become diseased or something is troubling it a fungus growth. Or maybe insects are troubling that branch in such a way that the branch is hindered in drawing nourishment from the vine. There's a it's a marvelous process that goes on in a vine.
How that nourishment ever gets up from the soil way into the branches.
And into the grapes that are formed. It's a marvelous thing of God's creation.
But things can hinder those branches from getting the proper nourishment.
And even though we are the Lords, and we are attached to Him, vitally we're Speaking of that which is vital now if we're attached vitally to Him, Yet there can be hindrances in our lives to drawing from the Lord that which we need. And really in in the matter of communion, that is what it is, communion with the Lord drawing upon Him being in touch and in contact with Him.
And getting from him what we need, and I believe that's what we have in the matter of abiding in Him and His word abiding in US.
00:30:04
There must not be hindrances. Those hindrances that come in must be judged and cleansed away. We want to be clean branches. We want to be in such a condition that we can draw nourishment from the Lord whatever we need in the way of wisdom and guidance and understanding, because.
We go back to verse 5, which says without me you can do nothing. We didn't dwell too much upon that and yet what we were saying.
Always pointed to that that without the Lord Jesus we can do nothing. We need to learn that and learn it well.
And I don't suppose we learn it completely while we're here in this scene. And the older we get, the more we realize, realize how much, how little we have learned and how much there is still to learn of this thing of being in living contact with the Lord Jesus Christ and sweet fellowship and communion with him. And these things come in and they they trouble us. I think of a verse in First Peter.
First Peter.
Chapter 2.
Verse 11.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.
Abstained from fleshly lusts. Now watch this which war against the soul.
These things rob us.
Fleshly lusts, if allowed war against the soul, drag us down, keep us from drawing from the Lord Jesus Christ what we need, and he knows what we need. And there's a wonderful supply in the Lord Jesus Christ. But we hinder ourselves sometimes. It's been said we are our own worst enemies. We stand in our own way of getting the things, enjoying the things that the Lord wants us to have and enjoy.
And we need grace from the Lord. We can ask the Lord for grace to help us in that time of need too.
That we might be able to judge these things improperly, bring them before him, and confess them.
That we might be finished with them, and draw upon him for grace and strength to help us to be overcomers.
Rather interesting that when the.
Vine begins to blossom out in the spring that.
Even as the leaves are starting to form on the vine, you will see the tiny.
Bunches of grapes start to form at the same time.
Immediately, they began.
To form now this verse that we're considering.
Here and as my Father glorified, that she bear much fruit.
That's God's intention, is it not? And those little bunches begin to form.
On the vine, but as our brother has said, there are various things that hinder.
The complete formation of those grapes. And then we have that verse in the Song of Solomon. Take us the little foxes.
And so we have on the vines a tendrila, very delicate little thing that holds the vine up from the ground. And the foxes will come and break those delicate attachments. And so that the fruit falls to the ground and may not mature, it may rot, it may be spoiled in many ways, our brother suggested. So we have the the purpose of God is that there might be much fruit.
And that's in view of the Father being glorified.
Because it's the one who planted the vineyard. After all, who wants the fruit?
Now if you turn again to 1St to 2nd Thessalonians the first chapter, we get a thought on it.
2nd Thessalonians, the first chapter.
We have in this chapter.
Persecutions.
2nd Thessalonians chapter one.
And we have the apostle writing to the Saints because.
00:35:03
Really special reason because they've been deceived by some as to.
The day of God and the day of the Lord. And so he's writing to help them.
And to comfort their hearts. But the point I want to make here is that.
In the 11Th verse.
It says, wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling.
And fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye and him according to the grace of our Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that's what we have in our verse. The ultimate object of it is that God himself might be glorified.
I think for a moment.
Of this.
We who are poor worms of the dust we've been brought in through the marvelous grace of God and that God speaks of as being glorified in this way through his people. It's a marvelous thing and it should be a real exercise with us as Christians as to to realize really why we're here.
Why we're placed here in this world and why we've been given such.
High and lofty privileges as we have so that this fruit bearing is just a natural thing for the new nature. And so I believe the exercise for us here is that we not allow anything to hinder.
The fruit bearing It's the Father's desire that there might be much fruit and there will be much fruit unless there's a hindrance to it.
Now if we abide in him, we have the word here. Continue.
I'm glad it's inserted, although it means really the same thing, but it gives us a little more of the same thought if we continue, that is, if we are constant in our souls.
If we go on day by day constantly, there's a lot of difference, you know, between one who makes a visit and one who continues or abides.
You'll recall the great woman in the 4th chapter, Second Kings as the prophet passed by.
She was. He was invited into the house. She observed the fact that he was going by.
But then it says later, as often as he passed by, he turned in thither.
Then we find that she made a room for him. I believe that's what we have here. The Spirit of God is exercising us.
Let it not be simply an occasional visit with the Lord, but that we we make it clear to Him that we want.
To have his presence and then to make provision that it be a constant thing with us.
Because that's the way there will be much fruit. It isn't that we give out 1000 tracks a month or anything like that. That may be all right in this place, but that's not necessarily fruit bearing because it might be given out in a bad state of soul. No, it's that which comes from the heart that's really fruit bearing. It's that which is produced by the Spirit of God in one who is going on in communion, abiding, continuing in Him.
I have been in South America two times.
And I've been among the people of Bolivia.
Pharaoh and some of them, they are very, very poor in temporal things.
They hardly have the necessity of life Speaking of the temporal thing, but that doesn't prevent them to be very close to the Savior abiding in Him, in communion with Him below the people of God. And you can see in their life, or that they can bear witness of what I say, the fruit that they have in their life, in spite of the fact that they are very, very poor. Temporal. Isn't that a lesson for us beloved people of God? Sometime? Wealth, temporal wealth tends us to make us very, very poor.
00:40:02
Spiritually, and that I speak for myself, but I true, that is, I have seen some of those dear people in South America. You can see in their face filled with the joy of the Lord, and they have practical very little of the temporal thing, even the necessary food very limited, and yet they are filled with the joy of the Lord. What a lesson that is for us beloved people of God.
I wonder, dear ones, if I might.
Speak a word to our conscience.
That is, we were speaking about prayer, and in Acts we learned that they continued steadfastly in the apostles, doctrine and fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. And we as a group of believers we maintain and we profess to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst of two or three gathered to his name.
And I haven't visited in all the assemblies. But periodically I have visited in different assemblies.
If I show up at, shall we say, a breaking of bread, I see the representation of the assembly pretty much there. If I go on a reading meeting, I see most of the Saints there.
If I go on a prayer meeting.
Well, who do you find there?
Is this characteristic of your assembly too? There may be reasons, there may be.
Physical reasons. There may be the fact of working conditions.
But are there other factors involved too? We say that we believe that the Lord is in the midst.
We say we believe that in collective prayer and to meet as an assembly and to call out to God for the blessing upon his people and the needs that are around. Do we what? Why then are we so lax and so few in the collective prayer meeting? Brother and I, I say this we are our conscience and should be exercised. Are we those Sunday going to meet in Christians? Or are we those that really believe that the Lord is in the midst and that we have a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God?
My brother Lundeen just read in Second Thessalonians one and verses 11 and 12 what we were referring to yesterday in connection with Paul in praying for the assemblies when they were going on well, a very remarkable assembly at Thessalonica and here he is praying for them while they are going on well.
This is indeed a lesson for us. Surely we need prayers when we are not going on well and.
Adversity and troubles and afflictions and assemblies. In a poor state we feel the need of crying to God about these things. But when we're going on, well, we still need that prayer. And then he referred to, and let's look at it in the song of silence.
The second chapter.
The 15th verse, but let's read verses 14 and 15 and.
Song of Solomon 2 because it brings in communion.
This sweet and happy communion that we have.
With God, with the Father, with his Son, Jesus Christ based upon redemption and all that he has given to us. I believe this we have in verse 14.
Song of Solomon 214 Oh my God, that art in the clefts of the rock.
And in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance.
Let me hear thy voice.
For sweet is thy voice.
And thy countenance is calmly, And then the verse he was quoting, take us the foxes.
The little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.
Well, it seems to me the picture here is very beautiful in this.
That here is this one who is in the cleft of the rock or its plural.
Nor singular Oh my dove that are in the cliffs of the rock. It's it's us who are really sheltered in his precious side. That side that was opened up for us. And there we have found refuge in Christ. That's where we are. But then it says in the secret places of the stairs.
00:45:23
I've just wondered this, that perhaps it brings us communion, the picture of the stairway way of going up and down and that's what we have in communion with the Lord who is there on high at the Father's right hand. And we rise up to him in prayer and he, we might say, dissents to us in His word. So we have the words before us and and the verses we're considering in John 15.
These secrets of communion, prayer and the reading of the Word come before us here.
And then what has been referred to, as we might say, the prayer meeting? He says to us, Let me see thy countenance. Are we present at the prayer meeting, or even do we come into the chamber, the secret closet, and in communion with him? And he wants to see our countenance, He wants our presence there, and then he wants to hear our voice.
He wants us to hear. He wants to hear our voice lift it up in prayer to him. And I believe in worship too.
For he says, Sweet is thy voice, not a question of how well you can sing here it's the father hearing the child, or if in worship.
It's him hearing us speak well of his beloved son, and thy countenance is comely, he wants us there. And then comes the warning. Take us to the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.
Here it brings before us that necessity of which we have been speaking to keeping short accounts with him. Fox is a very clever animal, and the little foxes are play things like puppies, and to imagine them in a vineyard where our brother was picturing the grapes coming out in the spring.
Very tender. We need to keep these short accounts continually with with God and keeping that state of communion.
And be found going on well and still in prayer.
In connection with prayer, perhaps we might just refer to First Chronicles Chapter 4.
I have been thinking of.
A practical suggestion sometimes we.
We may wonder as to what we should pray for. Of course we know that there are things in the in a practical way that we encounter in our circumstances which we feel the need of prayer. But it seems to me that in the prayer in John 15 is more in connection with.
With fruit bearing, and being for the Lord that which is pleasing to him.
Rather than prayer for particular things as to our circumstances. And I thought The Prayer of Jabez Jabez in First Chronicles 4/9 of verse 10.
And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, O, that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast.
This is something that the youngest believer can pray.
That he that he might be enlarged in the things of God, enlarged in his appreciation of the love of the Father and of the Son, and of the enjoyment of the things into which he's been brought.
And even though we may not always know how our prayer should be, it seems to me this would be an exercise in connection with our chapter, that our coast, as it were, would be enlarged, that thy hand would might be with me, And then he says, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me. Well, we've been hearing about the things that hinder the fruit bearing.
00:50:04
And these are two things that we can always pray about. That is, that we would be enlarged, that we would enter more and more into what we have in Christ and what God has brought to us in him, and then that we might be kept from evil. That would hinder our enlargement, that would hinder our appreciation, and dull our apprehension in regard to.
Spiritual things. And so I would suggest to to young believers that this might be an exercise in prayer. When you you think of prayer and you pray about practical things in your lives, and that's good. But it would be good if we had an exercise, as this man Javis, to pray for enlargement, and not just intellectual enlargement, but an enlargement in our souls and in our.
Appreciation and a value.
Of the Lord himself, and all that we have in him, and then to be kept from the evil.
And we read here that God granted him that which he requested. Well, this is something we can we can be sure that God will always answer. He wants to hear this sort of prayer from his people.
I was thinking in the in the 13th chapter we have the Lord Jesus.
Taking a place on high and washing our feet, that we might have fellowship with Him where he is as the man in the glory, to remove all the defilements of the way that we might have part with him as the glorified man in heaven. And in the 14th chapter the Holy Spirit is given that we might be brought into the enjoyment of our portion in Him.
And at the end of the chapter 14 the Lord Jesus says peace.
I leave with you my peace I give unto you.
And then we have fruit bearing in the 15th chapter. And what is fruit bearing as we've been having it before us?
It's the reproduction of the life of Christ in our lives. It's Christ being formed in US.
And being reproduced in US, I was thinking how that in Romans 7.
It says that we might be married to another, even to him that is raised from the dead.
That we might bring forth fruit for God.
If you have the thought, young people, that you have to do something, that you have to put forth an effort to bring forth fruit, as Brother Lundin was saying, it's a natural process. It's something which is produced in the life as we're occupied with an object outside of ourselves, and that object is Christ. There's only one object that delights the heart of the Father, and that's his beloved Son.
Think of how.
When he was down here, he always spoke the truth.
He was the living embodiment of the truth of God. When they asked him who art thou, he said altogether that which I say to thee.
He was the truth. He spoke the truth. And yet he was the most accessible of all men.
In Luke 22, after the institution of the supper, the Lord's Supper.
Right after that we read the disciples had a discussion amongst themselves. Which of them would be the greatest?
And I've often asked myself, because Luke gives a moral order, is it possible that we can have the remembrance of the Blessed Lord before us and that and yet still be seeking great things for ourselves? Yes, it is. Our hearts are so treacherous and I think we would lose if we didn't bring this before us, and that is.
We talk about fruit bearing. It's Christ being produced in our life, Paul said to the Corinthians. I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, meekness which does not take offense, and gentleness, which does not give offense.
One of the saddest things, and it really makes my soul tremble as I realize how much knowledge we have, how much truth we have. And yet sometimes you'll go into an assembly and they're divided.
00:55:00
There's self seeking.
There's hardness.
Unyielding. There's the lack of those moral qualities.
Which are produced in the soul when he's occupied with Christ.
The Lord Jesus was the most accessible of all men, though he could speak the firmest.
And yet they always came to him. That was an attractiveness to his person.
Is that true of you? Is that true of Maine? When someone's in need and I speak to my own conscience?
Do they feel free to come to us, or are we hard, austere, unyielding, unbending? This is not Christ, and God wants to form Christ in each one of us.
He's looking for fruit, and that's Christ in you and me. Well, Jerusalem means that dwelling in peace, and as the end of 14 ends where the Lord leaves peace, and then he gives peace.
Is are our assemblies dwelling in peace?
Brother Smith used to present to us so often how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
And all when you find factions, divisions, stripes.
Paul says, and I end with this in Philippians 2, just before the example of the one that humbled himself even to the death of the cross.
The one who always went down, down, down. That's the life of Christ.
Being nothing, are we content to be nothing if there be any comfort of love, if any?
Consolation in Christ, if any, comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit.
If any bowels and mercies fulfill you my joy, that you be like minded, having the same love of 1 accord of one mind, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, each esteeming other better than themselves. This is Christ, and this is what he'll produce in us, that we might then enter into our true portion above, not seeking great things for ourselves.
But seeking him and his interests, you know, the greatest hindrance to blessing in the assembly is I want to be something and all. If we're just content to be nothing, just channels only and then Christ's life will be seen again in you and me. And what refreshment and blessing there will be in our midst. I think it's quite significant that the Lord should choose John.
To be given this kind of ministry, John was the one that leaned on the Lord's bosom.
Well, I believe that's symbolic of John abiding in Christ close to him. Near him. He could get those things that the Lord wanted him to have. The Lord could give it to him because he was close to him.
And we find that John is the one to whom revelations concerning the future.
Are given, is given. He is given these revelations.
The Lord appeared to him and gave him these visions that we have recorded in the Book of Revelation.
He chose one.
The one that had been close to him, leaning upon his bosom.
Well, Daniel really is in a similar case.
He was spoken of as the beloved of God.
He was one that was close to the Lord in his day.
And to him God gave revelations concerning the future.
Mary Magdalene was one that wanted to stay close to the Lord. Even though the Lord might be dead, she still wanted to be close to him. She was looking for him.
After two and was willing to just take him away, even though it was only his body. She wanted him.
She was close to him.
She was the one.
That got the first word concerning God being our Father.
01:00:01
Heavenly sakes were shown to her in a very simple way.
If we want to get in, as it were, on these blessed secrets of God.
What's the clue? What's the key? Staying close to him? close to him?
And when I'm saying this.
It speaks to my own heart.
Because it's just like the Lord talking to me.
He watched me close to himself.
Cleaving to him with purpose of heart.
This is what Paul and Barnabas went around doing.
Telling these disciples, these new disciples, to cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart.
We're not going to get very far unless we cleave to him I needed. I'm sure every one of us here feels that more or less how we need this in a day like this to stay close to him, it's the only place of safety.
Oh, how wonderful it would be to step right into the presence of the Lord.
From leaning on his bosom, as it were, here cleaving closely to him all the time.
Not being satisfied with anything.
But to be close to him and step right into his presence.
And to see him face to face, just think of it. We're going to see his face.
That lovely mind, the mind of Calvary, who died for us. We're going to see him.
I believe that the Lord was concerned about this.
As the Spirit of God was giving John these words to write down.
Concerned about being close to him, the Lord wants us, close to him He loves us. He loved the church and gave himself for it, Paul says. The law, the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. All these are the things that speak to our hearts and thinking upon them, keep us close to himself.
All we certainly need to pray, as has been mentioned, that we might bear fruit, and it only comes this way in being in close touch and communion with him all the time, because without him we can do nothing. This is what God spoke to me about first.
In Africa.
And in exercising my heart about this, without me you can do nothing. Or he burned it into my soul.
And I haven't learned it all yet.
There are still many things to learn about this. Without me, you can do nothing.
Well, when we got to that point where we saw that we were nothing without the Lord, Jesus could do nothing without him.
Standard was the Lord began to open up the Word to show us the truth concerning the Church.
The truth of gathering. The Lord Jesus Christ is the center of gathering, and maybe there's some here just after this morning.
That do not really know why they are where they are. You are breaking bread, but do you know why you are at the Lord's table? Do you know why you are there in the assembly? Do you know why you're part of the assembly in responsible position? Do you know it?
The Lord can show it to you.
He showed it to me.
And he's still showing me things. We don't get through with this learning and he can short to you too.
Are you wondering why you are where you are? Well, go to the Lord about it. Just go to him about it and he'll open it up to you. He'll have to understand it and be in the good of it.
Chapter 6.
I want to encourage the heart of those that perhaps.
Have.
Much of A temporal good You need not to be dismayed, beloved people of God.
You can bear fruit just the same, you know. I think this verse will bear what I say here, Chapter 6 and verse.
17 of the first Timothy is what it says here, charged them that are rich in this world, that they've been not high minded, no trust in uncertain riches. Well now this is what really we need to take hold of it. That wealth and temporal blessing shall not take hold of our hearts so that they become the principal thing of Malay in our life.
01:05:16
I remember that one esque in New York City many years ago to a banker and he said, well, the roots of all evil is money. He said. I beg you to differently say, this man has the love of money that is the root of all evil. So you need not to be dismayed. If the Lord has given your wealth and temporal things, you can bear fruit just the same, because they say here but a trust in the living God, which giveth us all things ritually to enjoy, but they should not have not the.
The preeminence.
The dominant part of our life shall not be that, but the precious Savior, the Lord Jesus, to be occupied with him.
All whatever riches we have in him. I was thinking of that in Revelation chapter 2.
A verse that has been in my heart this morning is by as we were thinking of this thing. Revelation chapter 2 and verse 9 is what it says of the church that was persecuted castaway from society. They live for the rest of the life of most of them in catacombs. Here's what it says here in verse nine. I know thy weight and tribulation and poverty that is temporal poverty and suffering that they had. But in other words it says the next phase.
But thou art rich. Oh, what a wonderful thing is to be rich in the things of Christ.
The preciousness of the Savior to have Him in all His beauty and glory to be occupied with them. And even if we have wealth, we can be we can bear fruit for the glory of God.
I think the important thing that's been already emphasized is this first part of the eighth verse.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. We know that God was perfectly glorified in his beloved Son in every step of his pathway. He was a fragrance to the heart of God his Father. And now what is he seeking to produce in US, brethren?
He is seeking to produce in us that which is like Christ, and he is glorified when he receives Christ in US.
That's what it's brought before us in 2nd Corinthians 4, where it says we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies. Now I think it's important that we should connect this also with prayer, because very often in our prayers we're thinking of something we can get that perhaps would make life more easy or more happy for ourselves.
But isn't it important that in all our prayers that we should think of God's purpose, and that is that Christ might be glorified in us? So with the Apostle Paul he was left with that thorn in the flesh. Did God not answer his prayer? Well, he did answer his prayer because God was more glorified by him, continuing with that and being kept humbled by it than if it had been removed.
So God was glorified, and the life of Jesus was seen in the apostle. And I say this to the encouragement of some who are here. We may speak of it in connection with the enjoyment of spiritual things, and this is a great privilege. But supposing there's one who has some trial, and you say, I've prayed, and prayed and prayed about it, well, you know God may be glorified in your sweet submission to that trial and that difficulty more than if he should remove it.
And that is his great purpose. If you read carefully in Romans chapter 8 you can see this is brought out.
But we do know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them that are the called according to His purpose. And then the next verse tells us what His purpose is. Whom he did foreknow. He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. What is God seeking to produce in US, brethren? He is seeking to produce Christ likeness in US, and in that he is glorified. He finds such infinite delight in his beloved Son.
That whenever he sees anything in us that is like his beloved Son and that glorifies him. And so I say this to encourage each one. There may be young people here. You've had a disappointment and a frustration in life, but you know God can be glorified in the way that you take that thing far more than if it's removed. Your friends will look on and say, why. I can see how that person certainly has something I don't have. I couldn't take a situation like that without being upset. But that person shows the meekness and gentleness and loveliness of Christ.
01:10:35
In that trial and so God is glorified. We might say, why didn't he remove it? But the purpose of God is that he might be glorified in US, and so leaving it there. So the life of Jesus is seen is more for his glory. That's why the verse closes with not so shall he be saved. It's talking about those who were already saved, but so shall he be my disciples.
Every disciple is not necessarily a believer because Judas was a disciple, but he was not a believer. And every believer is not necessarily a disciple. There are many who trusted in Christ who didn't follow him, but he wants us to not only be believers but also to be followers. And so how blessed for us if we realize this, that what God is seeking that he might be glorified in US.
And I think we may be very surprised, when we get home to glory, to find out those in whom the Lord was most glorified.
We may find some invalid, some person, maybe some young person who has had a lot of frustration and yet has shown the loveliness of Christ in their character will have perhaps a greater reward than someone who seemingly was out in front and doing a great deal. I have often said the more our service puts us in the public eye, the more danger there is of doing it for self but to carry on.
Faithfully for the Lord.
Unknown, unseen, perhaps by others, is often a greater testimony to Christ than to be out doing something very active. Well, I think this ought to encourage us to go on in the pathway of faith until that day when all is made manifest and what is really going to count in that day is doing His will, what abides, what is going to abide that which is for His glory.
And so let's remember this brethren in our request. And if we do, we won't be so.
Upset if we don't have the answer, yes, but what God is giving is the answer.
That would glorify him and that is what we desire, is it not? That's what he desires.
And so this gives us that peace that our brother was talking about.
How could the Lord walk in perfect peace? Didn't he have plenty of difficulties and trials in his blessed pathway?
Yes, but no matter what came he said Even so, father, for so it seemed good in my sight. And just one more thing. In the 27th Psalm he talks about these things, and he said, In the time of trouble shall he hide me in his pavilion, And then he goes on to say, and now shall thine head be lifted up above mine Enemies round about me. Therefore will ioffer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy.
When will our friends and when will others know the reality?
Of what we have in Christ when we're everything is coming our way. No, they'll say anybody could be happy if everything comes their way. When will our head be lifted up, so to speak? When will others say, oh, that person really has a something in Christ? It'll when they see us in trial, when they see us in in trial and the likeness of Christ seen in US. That's what will glorify God our Father.
Well, May God grant that in our request we will have this secret thought before us always, and that is the glory of God and that it be manifested in our life. And that's why it goes on in what follows, to show that this can only be so as we're in the enjoyment of His love. If there's that confidence in His love, then we'll know that what He allows is for His glory and to produce that in US.
And this love is the thought of a certain character here that is its love, just like the peace that was mentioned a little while ago in the previous chapter.
01:15:08
Is the kind of peace that the Lord Jesus had in his pathway down here.
Surrounded by all the trials. And so he speaks of this same law.
That he had, as my father has loved me when back in eternity. Oh yes, of course, but what about in his pathway? Down here is a man. That's what we have here, I believe. He wants the disciples, His people to know. He wants us to know this morning that there is a certain love and joy down here in the midst of trial and testimony.
For his name.
That can only be known down here in this world. In that way, now there's perfect love in heaven. That'll be the very element that pervades everything in heaven. Peace too. But there is a certain character known down here in trial, and he speaks of the Father. Here the Father is loved as my Father has loved me.
That we have. Let's put it this way.
Let's each one say as our father has loved us.
Because it's the same love that he wants us to realize that wherewith he was loved by the Father as a man down here, walking independence and obedience, passing through the trials of his life. Now he says, this is your path and I'm going to leave you. It won't be long before I'll be gone and I'm leaving certain things with you. That's what's meant by the expression, these things. You get the three chapters.
Especially the 16th, where you have persecutions. These things, that's what he's Speaking of, is peace is love. That kind of love that he enjoyed from the Father. That kind of peace he enjoyed from the Father. These are the things he's leaving with his people, and in order for us to enter into them, we we must take the same path. And that's dependence and obedience.
So that one is walking, Independence and obedience is actually abiding in Him, and unless, brethren, we allow our wills to go to work.
Unless we allow sin in that way, we will be abiding in Him because that's the path that He's placed us in. And if we allow our wills to go to work, we break that communion and we cannot enjoy the Father's love in that way in our circumstances. I don't say it isn't there, but I say we can't enjoy it because of our own state of soul.
The reverse in the 17th chapter that I'd like to.
Part on in the 10th 1St.
All mine are thines, thine are mines, and I am glorified in them. To what extent does that apply?
I am glorified in them.
Well, there's always a measure in which God is glorified in every believer, but he is seeking to bring it about in fuller measure, and of course in that coming day of glory as it was read to us in Second Thessalonians chapter one.
Before, say, when he shall come to be glorified in His Saints and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day. So God is glorified in everyone who is brought to know the Lord as Savior. It's a marvelous triumph of His grace that would take anyone from the sin of darkness and the judgment to come and put him among the number of the redeemed.
Even in the proclamation of the Gospel in Second Corinthians chapter 2, it says.
We are under God a sweet Savior of Christ, and them that are saved and in them that perished, so that God is honored when the announcement of His love is made, even if sinners reject it. But how much more when a Sinner accepts it? But of course what he is seeking to produce in US is more and more that which is for his glory. And the first man is totally set aside, and anything that we allow in our lives that is of the first man is not for the glory of God.
01:20:07
But that which we seek to display in our lives of the Christ likeness, that is for his glory, because he was so infinitely glorified in his Son, that when he sees that likeness in us, it glorifies him. So the Lord Jesus always walked in the sense of his Father's love as we have here. If you keep my commandment, she shall abide in my love. The Lord at the prayer at the grave of Lazarus, could look up to his Father and say.
I knew that thou hearest me always, but for the sake of those that stood by I said it. And that is, there was always absolute and perfect communion with the Lord Jesus between him and his Father. That is the perfect pattern for us, and he desires that it should be sold in US, and he's seeking to produce that in US. In connection with the what was said about the mice here, I've really enjoyed the thoughts in these few verses here. Maybe it's anticipating.
But in the ninth verse we have my love and the 10th verse my commandments.
In the 11Th verse, my joy. And in the 15th verse he calls us friends so he could say my friends. That's in the.
That's in the 14 first rather, my friends, then in the end of the 15th verse, my father.
In the 16th verse he speaks of them. My choice, and then my name has wonderful the identification into which we are brought in association with Christ. And God would have us to be in the enjoyment of this, because that will be what heaven is to be a whole, to have a whole family of redeemed ones around that throne, who will be just like the one who's the center of it. Of course, he occupies a place alone in Deity.
But as to moral and physical likeness, we'll be there, whole family like him, while he's seeking to produce that now brethren in US morally than in glory, perfectly morally and perfectly physically. But when we think of this little word my, it really touches our hearts, does it not? Brother Graham is the question. Might.
It might help just to mention as to the 17th of John.
In connection with the subject of.
Being glorified.
I believe the Lord's Jesus seen there as.
The one who is on high interceding for his people. It's like a little preview of the place he now takes on high. And so he speaks in the language of the epistles of John, where the assembly down here, the people of God, I'll say, represents him. And so I'm glorified in them, that is.
The Lord Jesus no longer here.
His people.
Like in 2nd Thessalonians 1, they're passing through.
Tribulations and trials, we don't all pass through the same thing.
But there are various things in which we are called upon to be a witness for him in discipleship down here. And so whatever it happens to be. And those Thessalonians Saints were in the enjoyment of first love, I believe they were in communion. And so the apostle speaks of them in that way that the Lord would be glorified.
Are you in there?
It's because they're passing through the very things that the Lord Jesus passed through Indiana, his trials down here as he goes through this world.
And they're seeing now in his people.
And so I believe that's the thought in that.
17th of John.
Glorified.
That is this people are are in that same position where God gets glory through.
Through them.
And I believe that's where the Saints of God are today in this world. He's placed us here.
We belong to heaven. He's placed us here that God himself might receive glory through his people.
01:25:02
As we pass on in discipleship down here.
Do not have the answer to in first Peter chapter one.
And verse 6.
First Peter one verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice.
Though now for a season if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be found, might though it be tried, as fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen ye love, in whom, though now ye see him not yet believing.
He rejoiced with joy, unspeakable and full of glory.
It might be helpful, brother Graham.
It was a remark to remark that the Lord could not say, would not say, that He was glorified in the Pharisees.
And neither in the Sadducees.
He was glorified in those who were following Him in His rejection.
I believe that was read in Peter is is wonderful and it takes us on to the very end.
But I believe the thought too in John is the present as well, that he is glorified in his people down here as we walk in in discipleship, obedience, and dependence with that one object before our souls. Is it not true?
God delights in that which morally resembles himself, is a statement. I believe in Mr. Darby's and I was thinking that, well, we have some young people here, perhaps maybe even very young. How can you bring forth fruit to God and glorify him? And I reminded, I think many of you may remember the story how that there was this little boy deaf and dumb.
And they rode on a on a blackboard before him who created the world.
And he wrote back In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The second question is why did Christ come into the world? Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, the little boy wrote.
Then they wrote.
And they said, why did God make you like you are?
Blessing the Sons of Jacob
Address—P.L. Johnson
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.
Let's turn to Genesis chapter 49.
Genesis chapter 49 will read.
Of the blessing of Jacob.
His sons.
Verse one.
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together.
That I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
Gather yourselves together and hear, ye sons of Jacob, and hearken unto Israel your father.
Ruthen, thou art my first born, my might and the beginning of my strength, the Excellency of dignity, and the Excellency of power, unstable as water.
Thou shalt not excel because thou wentest up to thy father's bed. Then defilest thou it. He went up to my couch.
Simeon and Levi are brethren, instruments of cruelty are they are in their habitations.
O my soul, come not Thou into their secret.
Under their assembly, by an honor be not thou united. For in their anger they slew a man, and in their self will they dig down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them and Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
Judah, thou art he whom that thy brethren shall praise. Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies. Thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
Judah is a lion's will.
From the prey, my son, that they were gone. Up he stooped, down he couched as a lion and as an old lion. Who shall rouse him up. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. And unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Binding his fold under the vine, and his *** his coat under the choice vine, he washed his garments and wine and his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
Zebulon shall dwell at the haven of the sea, and he shall be for an haven of ships, and his border shall be undecided. Issachar is a strong *** couching down between 2 burdens.
And he saw that rest was good, and the land that he was pleasant, and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under tribute.
Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Then she'll be a serpent, by the way.
An adder in the path that bideth the horse heals so that his rider shall fall backward.
I have waited for thy salvation, oh Lord.
Gad, a truth shall overcome him, but he shall overcome at the last out of Asher. His bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
Lafta lies a hind let loose. He giveth goodly words.
Joseph is a fruitful bow, even a fruitful bow by well, whose branches run over the wall. The Archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and hated him.
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.
From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel.
Even by the God of thy Father who shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven, above blessings of the deep that lieth under blessings of the breasts and of the womb, The blessings of thy Father have prevailed above the blessings of My progenitors under the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. Benjamin shall Raven as a wolf, and the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. All these are the 12 tribes of Israel. And this is it, that their Father speak unto them, and bless them everyone according to his blessing.
Be blessed them.
Well, before we make any comments on this.
We wish to acknowledge, of course, that primarily this.
00:05:01
These words of Jacob have to do with the history of Israel.
As a nation.
But it was not my thought to touch upon that aspect of things.
While it is of interest, of course, to the Lord's people to know something of God's dealings with his earthly people.
We know from verses like in the 1St Corinthians 10 that these things have been written before time are written for our admonition.
So we can say that.
We can expect to find something here for you and me as those who belong to the Lord today, who comprise the people of God. And that leads me to another comment at the beginning, and that is that my exercise in speaking this afternoon.
As it is spoken of, denominated a young people's meeting.
On address to young Christians.
And that's what I had, especially before me, to speak to those who belong to the Lord.
Confining it not only to those who are young, but something for each and everyone of us.
But addressed to those who are the Lords.
Not that we would ignore the fact of the possibility.
That one or so might be in our midst who does not belong to the Lord.
And we would not be unmindful of your need and desire that you too might be found among the people of God and to be brought into blessing, as God desires to bring you into blessing along with all of His people. It's the desire of the heart of God to bless His people. And I thought of that in connection.
With the words here of Jacob in verse 28, it says in the middle of the verse and blessed them.
Now as we go through and touch a little on the the.
Various sons of Jacob and what he said about each one. It might appear that some of them are not really blessed and they what we have to say about them doesn't sound like a blessing, but it seems to me the thought is that overall the desire of Jacob was to bring his sons into blessing.
And to have his family blessed of God. And so it is that.
God would desire to bring you and me, his people, into blessing. Now you might say that those of us who are saved are already brought into blessing, and in a sense that's true. Every believer on the Lord Jesus, the youngest believer, has the title, you might say, to all that God has for his people.
We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ.
And the youngest believer, it may be that sometimes young believers may say to themselves, I know very little about the blessings that God has for his people. And one might say that one might be able to say only that I know that whereas I was blind, now I see maybe you know very little.
But God's desire is that we might be brought into.
Largeness of heart in regard to.
His blessing as reference was made to the prayer of Jabez in First Chronicles 4.
The other day in our reading, when he desired that his coast might be enlarged, we know that this is a prayer that God will always answer because he desires to enlarge the borders of his people, that is to bring them into greater blessing. And so as we go down through this.
These sons of Jacob, I would desire to just make a few practical remarks on each one as to the way in which God works to bring you and me.
Into blessing the blessings that He has for us in connection with His beloved Son, for we find that in these sons that are brought before us.
00:10:01
There are two who stand out as types of Christ, Judah and Joseph.
And we will see that the blessings that God has for you and me is in connection with His beloved son seen under these two figures or these two types of Judah and Joseph. But first of all, we have three of the sons brought before us before we reach Judah. You remember we read about Reuben and we read of Simeon and Levi.
And what we read about those three sons?
Is not very good, not very commendable. Even though Ruben was the first born and there was a certain a dignity attached to him as being the first born, He has spoken of and verse four as unstable and not only that, but he was one who brought in corruption.
We read again in verse 4 Reuben unstable and he brings in corruption. And Simeon and Levi, they were instruments of cruelty. Their anger is spoken of their slaying of a man and in their self will they dig down a wall. What does this speak of? This speaks of violence.
Well.
We see in these first three sons what man is by nature in the flesh.
And it's good for each one of us to come to a knowledge.
And understanding of what we were in the flesh and the character of the flesh that is still in us, even though we are believers on the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we are not in the flesh before God. Romans 8 tells us that we are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. If so be the Spirit of God, dwell in you, but we still have the flesh in US.
And that which is characteristic of the flesh, as we see here in these first three sons.
We see there is corruption and there is violence.
Well, perhaps there are some young persons who have feel that that maybe these are rather strong.
Characterizations of the flesh, violence and corruption. We've been reminded in the meetings that we've had.
And the readings of the character of this world in which we live, that it is characterized.
By violence and corruption.
And I suppose when we hear those words, violence and corruption, we we think of all of the terrible deeds that are committed, the crimes and the gross immorality. Well, that's true. That's all about us. We know it's there. But you know of violence and corruption doesn't have to take such an extreme form.
To still be violence and corruption.
And I suppose for the majority in the room here this afternoon that none of us have indulged in those gross forms of violence and corruption that seem to be increasing in this world, but we still have the same nature in the flesh. The flesh within us is just the same as.
Man engrossed in violence and corruption.
And this we need to learn, this we need to feel.
Notice what he says in verse six toward the end of the verse. This struck me as I read it even here this afternoon. It says in their self will they dig down a wall?
In their self will.
Well, who of us does not know something about self Will?
We see it coming out very early and the children very early, even in infancy.
Very early in life we see this self will coming out and I thought about that knocking down or dig down a wall. How many times we've seen children in a in a fit of anger and self will to just reach out and and knock something down or destroy it. Have you ever done that or felt like that because things didn't go your way?
00:15:06
Because you didn't have everything like you wanted it.
Self will is perhaps the most characteristic feature.
Of the flesh self will. And you know it's a terrible thing when we see the the result of self will.
In the regard of the rejection of the Lord Jesus, I'm reminded in Luke chapter 23 when the pilot was about to release Barabbas, he says then release the Barabbas and delivered Jesus to their will.
To their will, the self will of man is seen in the rejection of the Lord Jesus and the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the flesh is and we need to recognize that and young people need to recognize that. And apart from the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, apart from that great work that he accomplished on the cross of Calvary.
All of the outbreaks of that self will.
And all of the outbreaks of that violence and corruption that is in the flesh that constituted us guilty before God, we would have had to pay the consequences concerning them. And that's where Judah comes in. It seems to me that in Reuben, Simeon, and Levi we learn something in regard to what the flesh is and what man in the flesh is.
And the.
Consequences of it all would be judgment.
But we come to Judah, and in verses 8:00 and 9:00 we have Judah brought before us in the as a victorious 1, as the one who has overcome all of our foes, all of our enemies, sin, sins, the world and Satan, everything that would stand in the way of our blessing.
For we know that as sinners we could never be brought into blessing.
It's only through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in overcoming all of those things that lay against us. And I believe in Judah we have the the aspect of Christ in his great victory.
The fact that he has overcome all of our foes and I was wondering if there is.
If there are any in the room here this afternoon that perhaps you have recognized and felt something of what you are before God and you're still in your sins, you know something of that violence and corruption and self will and you feel guilty before God, Well, the wonderful truth is that God has sent his beloved Son into the world.
And there on the cross of Calvary.
We know that sin was condemned. God condemned sin in the flesh. That hateful thing of sin, that sinful nature was condemned there on the cross, and he bore in his own body our sins on the tree. And we know that in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ He overcame Satan and all of his power.
And he overcame this world. He has wrought a great victory.
And He is able to deliver you. This is the first step in blessing that God has for His people is that they would enter into the deliverance.
That has been wrought by the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.
That He is the one who has overcome. We cannot overcome sin. We cannot overcome our sins. We could not overcome the world and Satan, but the Lord Jesus has overcome them for us. And by faith we enter into that and we lay hold upon that.
And there is relief for our souls, and there is a certain joy.
In knowing that we have been delivered from these formidable foods that were arrayed against us. And so we see 2IN verse.
Verses 11 and 12 in regard to Judah, that there is great blessing associated with him. The blessing doesn't come in with Ruben, Simeon and Levi. The blessing comes in an association with Judah.
00:20:07
Because of that great victory that he's accomplished, He has brought to us great blessing that is seen here under the figure of the wine and the milk these.
These things that are supplied in abundance because that's the figure here of the abundant blessings that are ours in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But I would like to draw attention to the verse 10. Not only has the Lord Jesus.
Accomplished a great victory.
But we see in connection with Judah.
There is a gathering center.
One spoken of here as Shiloh. No doubt it's it is a sort of a.
Mysterious way to put it, but it speaks of a person we know. It has reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. Unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.
He is the he is the one who becomes the center of attraction.
He's the one whom God sets forth that we might find him to be the center of attraction. I suppose that in a way, Jonathan would be a little type of this. You remember when David.
Gained that great victory over the giant Goliath.
Why the The heart of Jonathan was knit to the heart of David. He loved him. He was drawn to him.
He was attracted to him.
And so it is those of us who are believers on the Lord Jesus and young persons.
God would have you to be drawn in affection and desire to the person of the Lord Jesus.
As John says, we love, I know it says in the King James hymn, and I suppose it has primarily that thought that He is the object of our love, that we love because he first loved us. And because of that great victory, our hearts are drawn out to himself.
In Hebrews 13, where we see something of the work of the Lord Jesus.
It says, Therefore let us go forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. He's the center of attraction for you and for me, and for young people as well as the older ones.
But I was thinking too, in regard to Jonathan.
While Jonathan was drawn to the Lord Jesus.
Are drawn to David as the type of the Lord Jesus.
We know that when David was rejected from the court of Saul and he had to flee for his life and he goes down to The Cave in a dullum.
Jonathan did not accompany him. Jonathan remained in the court of Saul, even though it was said that that Davidde Place was empty. David was not there yet. Jonathan remained there and did not go out to The Cave of Abdullah with David in rejection. And I suppose that that would be a little reminder.
To you and me.
That while our hearts are drawn out to the Lord Jesus and we recognize that He is the.
Center of gathering.
That we might find that the place of reproach.
The place of rejection is a little too strong for us, and we desire a little more a comfortable place, as Jonathan did in remaining in the court of Saul. But I would encourage young persons that if you have taken your place with those gathered together under the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and your locality.
And even though it be a place.
Of reproach and rejection, as we've been reminded in these meetings, that the Lord is there in the midst.
And He is the is the object of attraction for the Lord's people. He is the one to whom the people of God are drawn. Unto Him shall the gathering of the people be. And the He would have you to be occupied with Himself, and to go on in that place, bearing His reproach.
00:25:14
And so we see with Judah the one who brings in victory.
For God, victory for the Lord's people. He's the one who makes blessing available to us.
And at this point I'd like to make a little comment in regard to that.
I made the statement. He is the one who makes blessing available to his people.
Remember the psalmist says I believe it's in the 73rd Psalm, but he says truly God is good unto Israel.
He recognized how good God was to His people and the blessings that God had for His people.
Then he says, As for me, my feet had well, nice slipped. As for me?
Well, that's what I would like to bring before us. Now in connection with the the next three names that are mentioned, we see that blessing is available. Truly, God is good to His people and He's opened the door to great blessing. But what about you and what about me? As for me, how do we stand in regard to these things?
I think we will find that even though God has opened up.
Blessings for His people and even the youngest believers, I said in the beginning, has title to all of the blessings that God has for His beloved people.
We will find that there is a certain resistance still within us in the flesh and Satan as our adversary and as our foe. Though his power is broken, he still uses his Wiles to hinder us from entering into those blessings. He would rob us.
You remember what it is said about in John's Gospel in regard to Barabbas.
He says now Barabbas was a robber.
And I've all I've thought of that in regard to the fact that Barabbas was let loose.
You might say the spirit of Barabbas is all around us. Everything in this world is calculated to rob you and me of the blessing that God has for us. And that's not an extreme or exaggerated statement, for you will find that if we are, if we are not exercised in regard to deliverance from the world.
We will be robbed of what the Lord has in the way of blessing for you.
And for me, and keep in mind that it is God's desire and thought to bring us into these blessings in a practical way.
To enjoy them, to know something of them. At the present time I noticed after Judah we have 3 tribes brought before us, Zebulun, Issachar and Dan.
And I would suggest that in these 3 tribes we see the hindrances.
To our entering into these blessings and it's good for us to recognize what our hindrances.
In order that we might judge them because when we come to Gad we see that there is overcoming and we can only overcome as we learn to judge the things that hinder. We had something along this line and our readings on fruit bearing the things that hinder the bearing of fruit, and here we have the things that.
Hinder the way in which Satan.
For he's still an active foe, even though his power is broken, be still an active foe to seek to hinder.
Young people and older Saints, all of us from entering into the blessings that God has for us. I could quote it, but perhaps we ought to just turn over and read in Zechariah chapter 3.
What I have in mind in regard to.
Satan's resistance.
And how he would seek to hinder.
In Zechariah 3.
We have Joshua the high priest.
00:30:01
And in verse one, he's seen standing before the Angel of the Lord.
Now we read, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. Now this man Joshua, represents a believer. He's the he's the high priest.
And the thought of God for this man is that he might.
Be able to function as the high priest that he might be able to carry out priestly.
Service.
But we read that he was clothed with filthy garments.
And I suppose that that would be a little picture, you might say, of the flesh. There were fleshly waves that attached to this man, and he couldn't really fulfill the functions of the priesthood in that condition.
And so the desire of God was that he should have those garments removed, and that he should have garments suitable.
Put upon him in order that he might be able to carry out the priestly function.
But the point I read this.
Far especially is the fact that it says Satan standing at the right hand to resist him.
And I would suggest to you that Satan is always near at hand to resist.
The effort of God to bring us into the blessings that He has for us, to the enjoyment of all that the Lord Jesus has accomplished, all that He's made available to us.
All that is open to us now.
Through the work of the cross and all that he has brought in for us from God.
Satan standing here to resist. But if you turn back to Genesis 49.
We might apply the next three tribes in that regard as the things that hinder.
Our entering into the blessing in Judah we have the blessing brought in, but now there are hindrances. In verse 13 we have Zebulun.
And these dwelling at the haven of the sea.
And it shall be for an haven of ships.
And his border shall be undesired.
Well, to my mind, this suggests what we might speak of as the affairs of life.
Perhaps primarily hear the thought of commerce.
But I think we can apply it to the affairs of this life in which you and I are necessarily engaged.
But you'll notice that his border border.
Even undecided is a type of this world.
And I take it that Zebulun would bring before us the thought that one of the hindrances that Satan uses to our entering into spiritual blessings is that we become occupied with the affairs of this life.
With the affairs of this life I know young persons might say well.
I have to prepare for a profession or a job.
And so perhaps they get occupied with education.
One would not say anything about education, but we need to be very careful about making idols of these things and putting, you might say, a good education and a good vocation, where whereby we might have.
A good salary and a nice manner of living.
To put those things before the spiritual blessings that God has for you and me.
I am satisfied that there's many of the Lord's people who have lost out in their own souls and spiritual blessing because they have put the affairs of life.
Foremost and 1St the Lord Jesus says seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto you. But Satan comes along and says yes but you have to make a living.
00:35:05
And that's true.
That's true, We're told to provide things honest in the sight of all men.
And we're to work and labor with our hands that we have need of nothing, and even that we might be able to give unto others. That's true. But if we make it, as it were, a haven of rest, if we make it at our object and we settle down and and come under the burden of the affairs of life, we will find a hindrance in entering into those spiritual blessings.
Now notice Issachar.
Issaquah is one who is couching down between 2 burdens.
He's as a strong *** catching down between 2 burdens.
And notice verse 15. He saw that rest was good.
And the land that it was placed.
This would suggest to my mind another hindrance and that is when we seek to.
To find rest and when we seek to find an easy path through this world.
The Lord Jesus could speak of a burden. In Matthew Chapter 11, He spoke of His yoke being easy in His burden of light.
Yes, when we are, when we are in communion with the Lord and walking with Him.
We find that.
What he supplies.
Is really for our good and blessing and enjoyment.
But here we see that Issachar was couching down under 2 burdens.
He was trying to carry 2 burdens at the same time.
And he wasn't able to do it, and none of us are able to do it. But what am I referring to? Well, I'd like to say this primarily to the beloved young people, that if you have the exercise and desire to please the Lord.
You might say in one sense, that's one burden that you seek to bear.
Of seeking to honor and please the Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot carry that burden.
Along with a burden of seeking to be on good terms.
With this world and those who have no exercise to honor and please the Lord. It seems to me that Issachar here was he was bearing trying to bear two burdens couched down under 2 burdens.
And sometimes we find that there are those who who want to be on good terms with the world to be acceptable to.
Those that come in contact with those that they are in association with in their work or in school or in their neighborhood.
And at the same time seek to honor and please the Lord. You'll find a great conflict. If you have an exercise to go in for the things of God and to make advancement in the things of God. You're going to find that you cannot be on good terms with those who have no exercise, either because they're not the Lords or perhaps because.
Even though they're the Lords, they have no real desire to honor the Lord.
We all like to be well thought of and well spoken of.
I suppose one of the things that we most shrink from is to be unpopular.
And not to be one about whom others would say very nice and complimentary things. And the danger is?
Of not putting the Lord first.
And our desire to go in for the Lord's things and to honor the Lord and to enter into the blessings that He has for us in order to maintain a certain status.
Maybe not a status in the world, but maybe a status even among those who profess to be the Lords.
Unless can be a hindrance, I believe Issachar was not, you might say, occupied with the one thing.
One thing.
As we have several times in scripture, one thing is needful.
One thing, one object. But he had two. He had two burdens.
00:40:04
And so this is a hindrance to entering into blessing. Now Dan in verse 17 is spoken of in a very serious way as an adder in the path. Like the serpent. You might say that Dan is taking on the characteristics of the of Satan himself.
You might say, in a way, even doing Satan's work.
Well, I believe this would bring before us the fact that if we if we do not go on in the things of the Lord and we come under the power of things of this life, and we seek to find an easy path, find a rest and a pleasant land here, and to be acceptable, to be popular.
To be able to get along with everyone, regardless of whether they're going on with the Lord or not.
We might find ourselves even in opposition to the truth.
We might find ourselves opposing the truth.
There are those who have gone on in such a way that we may see in Zebulun and Issachar.
That they end up opposing the truth of separation.
When we mix and mingle and want to be acceptable to those who are not going on with the Lord.
Why?
Yeah.
Unpalatable. And even there's opposition to it. Oh, I trust that. None of the young people.
Will be in such a state.
That you would find truth, the truth of God, at any time, unpalatable, and that they would be in, in any of us, a resistance to the truth of God.
Or we want to resist error. We want to earnestly contend for the faith, but we never want to be those who are opposed in any way to the truth of God, regardless of whether or not it fits in.
With our manner of life, sometimes the truth comes in and reaches home and regard to our our ways, our habits, our associations and we're apartment to oppose it. If we have a spirit of opposing any element of the truth, it's going to hinder our entering into the blessing that God has for us. But notice verse 18.
It seems as if in the midst of this.
Jacob.
Let's out this utterance. I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord, as if there's a turning point here. We have seen what we were by nature and what the flesh is and how God has met it in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the victory He's wrought. Then we've seen two in these next three of the ones we've just considered how that there is.
Hindrance their hindrances to our entering into the blessings of God.
But now, when the salvation of the Lord comes, that's deliverance.
And I believe that deliverance comes when we learn to judge the things that hinder our progress. When we learn to judge them, then we will find practical deliverance. I don't think the thought of salvation here, or at least the way I would apply it this afternoon, It's not that salvation of our souls from coming wrath.
Or our salvation from an eternity in hell.
I would apply it to that practical deliverance from man and his world until there is that practical deliverance, we're going to enter in very little to what God has for his people. But when we see.
What are the hindrances?
We see the flesh as a hindrance. We see the world as a hindrance.
And we judge these things and we have that practical deliverance.
And so in Gad, in verse 19, we see that he is characterized by being an overcomer.
And I would like to see this as a little word of encouragement. It says Gad, a truth shall overcome him. Apparently Gad had been overcome, but he says he shall overcome at the last.
00:45:02
Well, we've seen many examples of this.
And we trust that the Lord might give us more examples sometimes of those who have, who are the Lords and young people who have gotten mixed up in the world.
And they've lost all enjoyment of the things of God and interest in the things of God, and it appears that they have been overcome.
By the world, Well, it's good to see here that Gad at least it says he over, he shall overcome at the last. And that overcoming is when one learns to judge the things that carried one away to begin with, and to judge the hindrances and to put them away. And when that takes place.
Then one can overcome himself and be an overcomer.
Well, the result of that is we see an Asher in verse 20. We see satisfaction. His bread shall be fat.
And there's fruit he yields royal dangers.
And all that satisfaction it is.
We know the prodigal was one who.
Had gotten away and he was in that faraway land.
There was a great provision in his father's house, but he wasn't enjoying it.
He wasn't feasting upon it. He didn't have anything to satisfy him. And when he came to the end of himself.
We know that he was restored and brought back into into wonderful blessing and there was satisfaction.
There was satisfaction when he was brought back into the father's house and feasting upon the fatted calf.
Now in verse 21 we have Naftali.
And after lie is as a hind let loose.
I would suggest the thought of liberty in connection with an afterlife.
You see Issachar.
We said there in the end of verse 15 that he became a servant unto tribute.
Sometimes young people think that.
That to get away from the things of the Lord, which seem to be restricted.
That they would have more liberty, but actually that only brings one into servitude.
One who gets mixed up into the world and loses the enjoyment of the things of God and is not entering into his blessings.
He is really a slave, and in servitude and liberty comes only when these things are judged.
And he overcomes and he's brought into satisfaction. His soul is satisfied because a believer will never be satisfied, never be satisfied with the husks of this world, never will be.
I remember a young man who got away from the Lord. He was at the Lord's table.
And in his late teens, he got away.
Into the world.
And he was very troubled, and yet he went on.
And I spoke to him once and he said to me, he says, do you think there is really any hope?
I said yes there is. There is hope.
And he spoke of how he felt the great, how he had been enslaved. He felt he had gotten into things that had overpowered him and he had become a slave to them. And he felt the burden of them. And I'm sure that was the Spirit of God working. And the result was he did judge those things and he came out from those associations.
He became an overcomer and he's going on with a family.
And with satisfaction and liberty. And if you were to speak to him now, he would tell you that he was There was no liberty as long as he was going on in that worldly way. But true liberty was only enjoyed when he judged them and became an overcomer. NAFTA lie would bring before us the thought of liberty.
And liberty to enjoy the things of God.
Because we have now introduced another type of Christ, and that's Joseph.
00:50:05
Joseph follows upon Naphtali because I believe you might say that we have liberty now to enjoy.
The Lord Jesus as the one.
In whom all of the blessings of God are found and established. Joseph is especially a type, I believe, of the Lord Jesus.
As the one rejected of his brethren.
Rejected here, but one who has been glorified at the right hand of God, the one, as it were, who is the center of a world of blessing, a world of glory, a world that is of God. As you remember in the story of Joseph, he was rejected of his brethren.
And perhaps that is referred to in verse 23 when it says The Archers have sorely grieved him and shouted him and hated him.
And not only that, but he was in he was.
Wrongly treated when he was brought down into Egypt, but we know that Joseph was brought out into a place.
Of honor, a place of glory.
And he became the great leader. He became the great head of a, of a great Kingdom there in Egypt.
And perhaps in the verses 24 through 26.
We have the suggestion.
Of how God has answered the Lord Jesus.
And his rejection being cast out by taking him up into the glory, giving him that name which is above every name.
You might say too, that in in Joseph we see that all that belong to man.
And his world, the 1St man, and the old order of things connected with him, is entirely set aside.
We read here about the branches running over the wall.
And Joseph being separate from his brethren.
I suppose this would suggest the fact that everything connected with.
With Israel and the earthly things the old order set aside and an entirely new order brought in in connection with the Lord Jesus Christ as the man in the glory.
All I like to think of it this way.
That God has introduced a new world.
And he has a man who is the center of that world, and that's the Lord Jesus as the man in the glory. And you and I are associated with him even now. And we are morally a part of that new world. We don't belong to this world. We're in this world, but morally we belong to the world that has been brought in.
By the Son of God himself, the Lord Jesus.
That new world that is associated with new creation.
You know, we have a verse in Second Corinthians chapter 5 that says if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Literally it is, it is a new creation. You're in Christ, young believer. I am in Christ. Every believer is in Christ. And being in Christ we're in new creation. We are part of that new world and new order.
That God has brought in.
In connection with his beloved Son, as the man gone back into the glory at the right hand of God.
And I believe this is a very practical matter. One might say that this sounds like very.
High truth for those who are young, but I would like to make it very practical and very simple.
James, while he's not exactly Speaking of the new creation, he does speak in a way that connects with it in the first chapter of his epistle when he says.
Speaking of God of his own will, begatting us with the word of truth, that we should be sort a sort of first fruits of His creatures.
00:55:00
What does it mean that we should be a sort of first fruits?
Well, the thought is that God is going to have a world that were to come.
A world in which everything is subject to himself. A world.
In which the Lord Jesus will be glorified and have his rightful place, and all will honor Him.
All will be under his headship.
There will be no self will allowed, there will be no opposition to him. Everything will move under the headship of Christ in that world to come. And James says by the Spirit that you and I are first fruits.
Of that world to come, first fruits of His creatures, God is now showing forth.
What's going to be in the coming days when that world is brought into public display and power? He's making known the kind of people, you might say, who will inhabit that that world to come, and those of us who have been begotten by his will at the present time as believers on the Lord Jesus Christ. And what does it mean? It means that when we move under the headship of Christ.
Legitimately subject to Christ.
When we own the rights of Christ, When we give God his proper place.
In subjection to God, seek to honor and glorify Him. We would be displaying the first fruits of the coming harvest when God is going to have the whole world under His control and for the glory of His beloved Son. What a wonderful privilege you and I have.
To be even now associated and identified with that world to come. Now it says a sort of first fruits.
And that little word sort of indicates that we are not 100% first fruits and we can't be because we're still in the body. Our bodies are still associated with this world.
As to our bodies, we're still here. As to our bodies, we have to do with the things of this world.
That is the material and temporal things, and these are all legitimate. God knows that we can give thanks to God for them. Our bodies are still identified with this world, but morally and spiritually, you and I are identified with that world that is associated with the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God.
The world to come whereof we speak, not this present evil world.
That Joseph is a type of the Lord Jesus, exalted, glorified. And as I say, that's in association with that new creation, that new order of things to which we now belong. Well, we're free to enter into that. We're free to enjoy these things as being liberated, as being overcomers, as being satisfied.
Well, I trust that.
Each and everyone of us, and again, we would direct our remarks especially to those who are younger.
That there might be an exercise in regard to these things to know the character of the flesh and how that we have been delivered through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sin being condemned, sins born, the world set aside, Satan overcome, and all of the blessing of God made available to us, and that we might be those who would overcome.
The tendencies to be being under the cares of this world.
Are seeking arrest and a pleasant land.
Or any resistance to the truth, so that we would be overcomers and our soul satisfied and at liberty to enjoy the things of God, to enjoy Christ, to enjoy what we have in Him even at the present time. And this will bring the joy, this will bring peace, and this will give us to be above.
Of this poor world through which we pass for a little while, well, may the Lord help us by His grace.
Grace and Government
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.
I'd like to turn first of all to Second Samuel Chapter 7, Second Samuel Chapter 7, and verse 12. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his Kingdom.
He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his Kingdom forever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chastened him with the rod of man and with the stripes of the children of man. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. Well, there are several other scriptures I'd like to turn to, dear young people, but perhaps you've gathered by what I have read.
That which is on my heart this afternoon, and that is the grace of God.
And the government of God I'd like to speak about in connection with the life of Jacob particularly, but just briefly to about the life of Joseph. I believe these are two very important things for us to understand and bear in mind. And I believe it's especially true for those who are younger. For the Lord leaves us here, and life is before you.
Truly, I'm sure it is your desire that you should be blessed and made a blessing.
And if it's your desire, it's much more the desire of the heart of God, because He saved us so that we might eternally enjoy all that's in His heart of love, that we might be forever in a scene where not one sorrow can ever enter. For all will be according to His will, and all will be eternal joy.
And so seeing this is so we can be sure that it's also true in our pathway here that God desires our blessing. Scripture says no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. And I might say that to walk uprightly doesn't necessarily mean that one is perfect, but uprightly is to be real before the Lord.
And that's important because we're living in days of a great deal of hypocrisy on every hand when people pretend to be what they are not. But you know, God searches the heart and he values reality. I believe that's why he speaks of David as a man after his own heart.
Not because David was perfect, but because David was not like Saul. He sought to be real, and when he failed, he acknowledged it freely and completely. Against thee the only have I sinned. And on this evil in thy sight.
That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. And that is, he was an upright man, and God delights to bless the upright. It says in Job 33 about the unsaved. It says if there be a messenger, one among 1000, to show on demand his uprightness, then he will be gracious unto him. If there's someone here that's not saved, what is the upright thing for you to do?
To pretend that you're good enough for God, That's not uprightness. To take your true place in repentance. To acknowledge that what God says about us is absolutely true, that we are lost, that we are ruined, that we are undone. When a Sinner takes his place in that way, then there's no limit to the blessing. He's upright. He takes his right place before God.
And I say to you, dear young people, that's what God values with you.
Perhaps all of us, and especially when we're young, we start out to please the Lord and then discouragements and things come in.
And the enemy tries to get us to throw up our hands. But you know, the Lord wants reality. He shows us what we are, and we can learn it, perhaps through His Word, or we can learn it the hard way.
He wants us to learn our weakness through his word. Our brother read to us this morning that verse without me he can do nothing. So we need constant dependence upon the Lord. Now the reason I read this verse is you'll notice what God says in connection with David son that was Solomon it says in the.
14th Verse I will be his father, and he shall be my son.
00:05:02
If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men.
But my mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. Now there we see the two things, the government of God and the grace of God, when we speak of the grace of God, or here is it spoken of God's mercy.
It's something that is totally undeserved. Can you and I claim that we deserved any blessing from the hand of God?
First of all, can we claim that because we were so good that we ought to escape the judgment of hell for our sins? Oh, I'm sure everyone is. A true Christian would say, Oh no, it's the mercy of God that delivered me from the just penalty of my sins.
And it's the unmerited favor, the undeserved goodness of God that not only saves us, but bears with us all along our Christian pathway. The only reason it was taken away from Saul was because Saul was not a real believer. And so God was very good to Saul, but Saul's heart didn't respond. And I think there is some unsaved people here. And the Lord's been very good to you. As you look back, you have many.
Many things that you ought to thank Him for in His goodness. One thing is the blessing of a Christian home. One thing is the privilege of sitting like this under the sound of His Word, and many other things I could mention. But if you go on and reject the Lord Jesus, why those privileges that were are yours, why it'll they'll be taken away. And there are people who sat in meetings like this who will be in a lost eternity.
Oh, how dreadfully solemn. But if you've really received the Lord as your Savior.
By the Lord's mercy and his grace will never, never leave you. Now this makes very certain to us the security of the believer, the one who has put his trust in the Lord Jesus as Savior is eternally secure. He can never be lost. And God assures here about Solomon that his mercy wouldn't depart from him.
Because it tells us he shall be my son.
And if you have been born into the family of God, if you have received Christ and you're one of God's children by new birth, why, I'll assure you of this. He'll never give you up. You'll be in glory just as surely as God has spoken.
But you know, you can have an easy path there, or you can have a hard path there.
It can be a path where you can enjoy the Lord's company, or it can be a path or in self, will you choose your own way? And then sometimes we have to reap for these decisions, these wrong decisions that we make because we're determined to have our own way.
And so it tells us here that if Solomon a worthy part, and he did depart in the end of his life, as we know, if he departed, that God would chase in him with the stripes of the children of men and with the rod of men. You know, the Lord does have to deal with us.
But it says whom the Lord loveth, he chasten us. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. He deals with us for our own good. He loves us too much to let us have our own way. Mr. Darby once said the worst of all chastisement is that God should leave us to our own ways. And perhaps when we're young, we don't all together think that because we think to have our own way is about the best thing we could imagine.
But in reality, it's the very worst.
We can be very thankful when the Lord doesn't let us have our own way, because if He did, we'd only wander from Him. We get into things that could cause us all kinds of sorrow and trouble. He loves us too much to let us go that way. And so He deals with us in His goodness, in His grace, and in His patience. And so I say again, so that each one will understand just what I'm going to speak about. The grace of God is His unchanging.
Merited favor that is always toward us, even in all our mistakes and failures as believers. But His government is that we don't get away with anything. We may think we do, but in reality we don't. But there's another side to the government of God too, and that is that He delights to bless, and that if we seek to walk with Him the joy and the peace that He can give us in that pathway, I don't say it's without trouble.
00:10:05
Joseph had his troubles, but I do say that in the path of seeking to follow the Lord, there is a joy of his company that no one can fully appreciate in its fullness. Just as we might say, I'd rather go over a rough Rd. in good company than a smooth Rd. in bad company, wouldn't you?
Of course you say I would. It wouldn't matter too much if the road was rough if I was in the best company.
That I really wanted I'd forget about the road because of the company that I was in. Well, you and I have the privilege of walking in the company of the Lord. And so in connection with reaping and sowing as we have it in Galatians chapter 6, it tells us he that saw to the flesh, sell of the flesh reap corruption. He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. So you'll notice there are.
Kinds of sewing there, sewing to the flesh or sewing to the Spirit, going our own way or seeking to walk in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Well, as I said, I'd like to trace a little bit of this in connection with the life of Jacob, and perhaps it'll be a blessing to some here.
Because as I look into the faces of you, dear young people, with life before you, how I desire from my heart that you would go on for the Lord, that you would really live for Him, that you would experience in your soul the blessing of His company. I know you can never continue in the past if all you have before you is pleasing your parents or your brethren. That will never sustain you when the problems arise.
You must have the Lord before you.
You must have the sense of his company, you must have his approval. Have often said we do a lot of things to be accepted. We like to feel that we're accepted. But who do we want to be accepted by? Who is the one that really counts most? Why? If you have a girlfriend or a boyfriend that you love very much, why? To please them.
Has priority over what others might say or think because.
If you really love that person, why you want to please them, even if somebody else might laugh at you a little bit? Why, that friend means enough to you that you can bear a little bit of twitting to please your friend. Well, when we think of the Lord Jesus and what He means to us, surely.
To have his approval, Paul said. I labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted or agreeable to him. Is this our desire, dear young people, to be agreeable to the Lord?
Well, let's turn then back to Genesis and we'll trace a little bit of the life of Jacob, Genesis 25.
Genesis 25 and verse 23 And the Lord said unto her, This is unto Rebecca, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels. The one shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger.
Well, here we see the grace of God. Before these children were ever born, God had a purpose of blessing in connection with Jacob.
I wish to say here that when we speak about predestination, there's no such thing in the Bible as anyone being predestinated to be lost.
God shows us that he does predestinate some for blessing, but as far as the lost are concerned.
He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. It's just like this. If we'll say some men broke into your home and stole your goods, and you offered to pardon every one of them and they all refused, then if you were to choose one or two of them to show kindness to the others, couldn't say, oh, we did, we didn't have a chance. They did have a chance and the gospel is offered.
Whoever will. But here we find again the sovereign grace of God, the grace of God that said that there was a special place for Jacob that the elder would serve the younger. And so even as to our birth into this world, why don't.
00:15:00
Orders, all these things. We're not all put in the same nation, we're not all put in the same city. We're not all put in the same meeting. We're not all given the same measure of ability. But the Lord gives to each one what He sees is right and best. Have we learned to accept this from Him?
That's a grand starting point, isn't it? Are we counting upon His grace? Are you living your life wishing that you were somebody else and that you were in another place and that you had different you had different friends and that you were just made a little differently and all this sort of thing?
Well, I'm sure if this is the way you feel that right from the start you're not a very happy person because first of all, you haven't seen His grace. Now that has marked out a place for you and a place in which you can glorify Him. Oh, how good it is when we learn to accept.
Our circumstances from the Lord, there's absolutely nothing that happens by chance in your life and mine. The two things I say run parallel through our lives, the grace of God and the government of God, the sovereignty of God and the responsibility, our responsibility as individuals. So here we find first of all, that God gave a special and a certain place.
To Jacob, wasn't that his grace?
And can you accept the circumstances of where you are as being ordered? By His Grace, He has put you in a certain place. Perhaps it's because He wants you to be a special light in that place. I visited many cities, but I've never yet visited one where all the lights were down in the center of the city and none on the back streets.
No, there were always lights on the back streets. Perhaps not as many as in the center of the city, but there were lights.
All through the city, and we're thankful for them. And the Lord places each one of us in a place where he would have us to be. And so Jacob had a chosen place for him that God had marked out, and this was even before he was born.
I've been I've enjoyed the 139 some where we read thine eyes did behold thy substance yet being unperfect. And in thy book all my members are written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. God was your body being formed. He knows all about you, dear young people. And so here we find grace.
That chose Jacob for a very special place.
And if you have acceptable accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you can certainly say that grace has chosen you for a very special place. If you had been born into the most influential family in the United States, if it were possible for you to climb and be president of the United States, I would say your position is not half as wonderful as being brought into the most humble family.
And brought up under the sound of God's Word, the privilege of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus, and early in use to receive the Lord as your Savior. That is a blessing that can't be measured according to the way men measure things. So here we find grace that shows this special place for Isaac, for Jacob, brother. Now turn to the 29th verse of this chapter.
Perhaps I had read the 28th to and Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison, but Rebecca loved Jacob.
Jacob saw it porridge, and Esau came from the field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage, for I am faint. Therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die, and what prophet shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day, and he swear unto him, And he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave he saw bread and pottage of lentils, and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Now here we find something about Jacob not appreciating the fact and a full way that God had.
00:20:01
Given him this place he God had said before he was born.
The elders shall serve the younger. But now we find Jacob here takes to do a little bit of scheming.
Isn't this very much like us? We know all that God has purpose for us, but somehow we think we've got to take things in our own hands, and if things don't work the right way, we have to try another way. And so we find here that Jacob, instead of counting upon God who had given him this place, he does something that is the beginning of a very bitter feeling between him and his brother.
And you know, sometimes instead of counting upon God, we do little things that may soul roots of bitterness and sorrow, and then we have to reap as Jacob did in his afterlife. For this, couldn't he have counted upon God to have worked this out? But instead of this, he resorted to scheming.
Young people, aren't we prone to do this? Aren't we so often just like this? And we we try some scheming of our own, something that really hurts a friend or someone else. And we think we've got to take things into our own hands and work them out. And so this was the beginning of a sorrow. This is the beginning of what he was going to have to reap in the governmental ways of God.
Grace had given him the first place in that home.
The elder shall serve the younger, and he was the he was the younger that was promised to him. He didn't need to take this and try and work it out for himself. And hasn't God promised to undertake for us? It doesn't mean that we don't have a responsibility, but our responsibility is just to walk in the back path of obedience and to commit our way to the Lord. And when we do, some of us who are a little bit older can look back.
Say, oh, and we committed a thing to the Lord and prayed about it. How wonderfully He came in and worked things out that were absolutely impossible. But this didn't change the purpose of God by any means. Oh no, it was still true, because God doesn't go back on His word, just as He said to.
About Solomon, my mercy will I not take from him. Jacob's failure wasn't going to change the purposes of God because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. But he did bring some trouble into his life. And perhaps this is a little warning to us about trying to do things in our own way. Just a couple of other things to notice here too. And that is.
There was something in the parents that.
Hadn't fully been judged either. And we can see that it says here Isaac loved Esau, but Rebecca loved Jacob. Oh, I just say this to parents. It's a bad thing when parents have a special favorite and especially when one parent favors one child and the other parent favors another child. That really works havoc in many homes and so.
While there was definitely a responsibility on the part of Jacob.
Why? We can see that this sort of thing began by the parents example. And may I just say a little word to those who are parents? Let's be careful that we don't sow the seeds of this kind of thing by being unwise, the mother having one favorite and the father having another favorite.
Let's learn to love our children as those whom God has given to us to bring up for him and to enjoy in a way that's pleasing to Him. So when we see the roots of this in what took place here and then on the part of Esau, it was certainly wrong for him to despise his birthright and to sell his birthright for a massive pottage.
This was a very serious thing.
But you know, young people, you can sell your birthright, and I believe you have a birthright when you're born into a Christian home. The Bible says about when there's a Christian parent in the home. It says elsewhere your children unclean, but now are they holy? It means when you're born into a Christian home, you're born into a place of privilege. Do you despise it? Do you say, oh, I wish I could get away from the restraint?
My parents holding me down.
Well, he saw despised his birthright, he despised what was his and being the first born in that family. And on this part he was sowing the seeds of sorrow in his life too. And I just say this little word to those who are unsaved.
00:25:06
Don't despise your birthright, thank God if you have a Christian father and mother.
The greatest heritage you can have is to have parents who love you and who desire you for the Lord Jesus.
So we see here this sad thing that Jacob now schemes to get this blessing. Well then if you turn over to the 27th chapter.
I'll just read the first few verses here. And it came to pass that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son. And he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold, now I am old.
I know not the day of my death. Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver, and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison, and make me savory meat such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die. And Rebecca heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son, and Esau went to the field to hunt for venison.
And to bring it. And Rebecca spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak on the Esau, thy brother saying.
Bring me venison and make me savory meat, that I may eat and bless thee before the Lord, before my death.
Well then, we find passing on a little farther.
To the 29th verse we see the blessing that Jacob received here.
Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee. Be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee. Cursed be everyone that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesses thee.
Well, here we come to another page in the history. God had said at the very beginning that the elder would serve the younger. Jacob had schemed to get his birthright, get the birthright from Esau, who was the first born. And now we find here that he does a little more scheming. He schemes to get the blessing from his father. Was this necessary?
Hadn't God said that the elder would serve the younger?
He could have committed this to the Lord. He could have left this situation. Oh, you say, but his father would have blessed his brother. Are you sure he would have? Couldn't God have hindered that? He wasn't able to find any meat for venison that day. Peter couldn't catch any fish, even though he was a good fisherman one night. Because as our brother Brown used to say, the Lord said, none of you fish swim into Paul's net, into Peter's net tonight.
And the Lord could have kept him from getting venison too. The Lord can overrule impossible circumstances. Dear young people, that's what I really believe is important. Some of us who are a little bit older and look back on our lives, we see how God is coming in the most miraculous ways. We're ashamed to think of times, how we thought we had to do something when we prayed about it. We could hardly believe the answer when it came. And God could have overruled.
Whole situation. There was absolutely no need of him to make this little plan and deceive his poor old father to try and get the blessing, because God had already said that the elder would serve the younger. Again we see the grace of God.
God's purposes in connection with Jacob could not be altered. Jacob was to be the one who was to be the one, shall I say, whom his brother would serve? And was God going to go back on his promises? Never. I say again, all the promises of God in him that's in Christ are yay and in him.
Amen to the glory of God by us, so we can safely count upon Him.
And now we find again this sad situation in the home coming up, the father wanting one thing from his son Esau, and the mother wanting something else, and so putting it into the mind of poor Jacob to do a little bit of scheming and deceive.
Poor old Father. And so shall we say It's never right to do evil, that good may come, it says.
00:30:11
In Romans chapter 3, that those who say that it says their damnation is just. In other words, to think we've got to do something wrong to get good is a denial of the very character of God, because he hates sin and he delights in holiness.
So here the plan seemed to work. And perhaps you say, well, I've tried some of these schemes too sometimes, and they work too. They work. I've seen them work out. Well, maybe for the time they do seem to work. It worked out here and Jacob did get the blessing.
But God would have overruled it. He received it anyway. But what about the government of God? Oh, this created a still greater breach between him and his brother that was going to lead for sorrow to sorrow, and not only to himself and to his mother and to those in that generation, but the very trouble that's existing right now.
Over in Israel and in those Arab countries is part of the result.
Of what we're reading in this chapter, there were seeds of bitterness that were sown that are still bearing fruit. You can't tell how far a bad action will go. The sad results of it may go on for generations to come, even among the Lords people. Sometimes an unkind act will go on and carry even into the next family.
Oh, how sad to see here what took place all you say. Well, the main thing was it worked. All it wasn't the main thing.
God was going to see to it that Jacob received the blessing, and all he did by this was to bring sorrow upon himself and upon his family. For if we were to go on at the end of the chapter, we'd find out that Jacob had to leave home.
Says here in the 43rd verse of this 27th chapter.
Now, therefore, my son.
Obey my voice, arise, flee thou to live in thy brother to Heron, and tarry with him a few days, until I, brothers fury, turn away, until I, brothers anger turn away from thee.
And he forget that which thou hast done unto him, then I will send and fetch thee from thence. Why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? And so here we find that his mother has to send him away, and she never saw him again. He didn't return in her lifetime. She died before he returned. Her favorite son was gone because she tried this little trick and thought it was going to work. And it.
To work for the time being, but the reaping was kind of better when she tried this thing and when he did run run away and escape from his brother, his brothers anger has not turned away and so can't we see here then the grace of God has God-given up Jacob? Oh no. All through the scripture we read about the God of Jacob.
The grace of God is unchanging.
Not affected by what we are, because it fools from the heart of God. The blessing all depends upon Christ, and upon what Christ has done. But the government of God, that which happened in the life of Jacob, certainly has many, many lessons for us.
So we find he goes away the 28th chapter in the 10th verse.
And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Heron, and he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night, because the sun was set. And he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows, and lay down in his place to sleep.
And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven, and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Jacob. The land were on thou liest to thee will I give it, and to thy seed, And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the West, and to the.
00:35:00
And to the north, and to the South, and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land. For I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew.
Not And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place. This is none other but the House of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Well, we won't read all that it says here, but here you find Jacob now running away and putting his head on a pillow of stones. And dear young people, we can do this. We can make a pillow of stones for ourselves. Instead of having a soft pillow to lay on. We can make a pillow of stones. But does the Lord forsake us in that case? Oh, isn't this beautiful? The Lord comes and he has a dream, and he sees that ladder with the top reaching up to.
And the Lord on the top of the ladder saying, Jacob, I'm not going to give you up. I still love you and I'm going to bless you and I'm going to bring you back to this land. I'm going to give you what's necessary and you're going to be made a blessing to others. This is the God of grace. This is the God we have to do with. Dear young people, have you made a mistake? Have you failed?
God is standing on the top of the ladder. You may have made a pillar of stones.
The sun may have set upon you, like it said on Jacob here, but God will not turn his face away to the one from the one who belongs to him. Beautiful and lovely example of the grace of God and all these wonderful promises. Give them to Jacob at a time when we could least expect it. He was running away, and he was.
Running away because of his own fault.
Because of what he had done in order to provoke his brother.
Well, what does Jacob do? Well, he doesn't seem to learn anything by all this. Instead of this, he starts to bargain with God. Notice what he says here in the 20th verse. And Jacob vowed a vow saying if God noticed the if, if God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on.
So that I come again to my father's house in peace. Then shall the Lord be my God. Here we find he bargained to get his birthright. He bargained to get the blessing, and now he's doing it again. He's not learning, is he? God hasn't changed, but he's just doing things to bring the government of God upon himself, saying God has made all these promises, and if he keeps his promises.
He'll be my God. Perhaps, dear young people, pardon me for speaking very personally. Perhaps you say, Well, if the Lord will grant a few requests that I really want, if you'll give me a partner, and if you'll give me a good job, and if you'll do this for me, then I'll turn to the Lord. Then I'll follow him. This is what Jacob was doing.
He was really starting this plan of bargaining was bad enough to bargain with his brother.
Was bad enough to deceive his poor old father, but now to actually bargain with God?
But we do that sometimes, but God won't allow us to go on in that way without having to read. If you and I want something from God, don't bargain with Him. Just cast yourself upon His grace. Because I want to tell you this, that there isn't a single blessing that will ever come into your life that you deserve.
Not one. All that I can say that I deserved was the judgment of God.
And everything that comes that is good comes from the heart of God and undeserved. Jacob was slow to learn this. I'm slow to learn it. Perhaps you feel the same with yourself. It's hard for you to just accept this. But dear young people, I say it is a blessing when we realize that we can count upon God, that we can count upon Him.
The father My father used to have a little saying sometimes.
God is doing the very best for everyone of us according to our state of soul. He wants to, He wants to fill our lives with happiness and joy. How about our state of soul hinders not the blessing, because all the blessings come from His heart, but the enjoyment of these things depends upon a state of soul, depends upon our walk.
00:40:22
So here we see Jacob. Poor Jacob, he starts to bargain with God.
Well, I might just mention in passing here that the sun set on him and he lay on this pillow of stones. His mother had said, just go away, Jacob, for a few days until your brother has changed his attitude. But how long was it before Jacob came back? 20 years? 20 years? And maybe when we start on a wrong course.
We don't ever think.
About how long we may have to bring things upon ourselves in our foolishness. But the Lord hadn't spoken just once to Jacob. He had had opportunities to learn something. But instead of this, he pursues a course. And dear young people, don't pursue a course of self will. Even if you think that you're missing out on something, I beseech you don't.
Don't follow a course of self will. It cannot bring that which you really seek after. Well, let's turn over now to the 29th chapter here and the 18th verse.
And Jacob loved Rachel and said I will serve these seven years for Rachel, I younger daughter. And Laban said it is better that I give her to these and that I should give her to another man. Abide with me.
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had to her.
Well, I won't read all the chapter, but I think many of us know the story pretty well. And now Jacob's getting his turn of being deceived. He deceived his father. He schemed in this ways that we've been speaking about. Now it's going to start to come back on him.
And this is a pretty touchy point with young people too, isn't it? We can do a lot of scheming in this direction too, can't we? Scheming for a wife, scheming for a partner. There. This was Jacob's plan now. He had schemed to get the birthright. He'd schemed to get the blessing. He'd bargained with God. And.
Now he starts to scheme to get a wife. It's just a whole character of his life. Instead of trusting God, instead of counting upon His grace, we see constantly Jacob taking things on himself and thinking that he can work them out.
And so we all know the story quite well that he seemed to get Rachel, and at the end he got Leah instead. And so he had to serve another 14, another seven years. Things didn't work out as he had planned at all. But couldn't he have counted upon God? Hadn't God stood on the top of the ladder? Did this blessing that God had promised to Jacob have?
No, the Lord on the top of the ladder, said Jacob, I'll be with you, I'll bless you, and I'll bring you back to this land. He promised to take care of him, but Jacob still thought he had to work it all out in his own way. And so he begins to reap even a little more for what he had sown. But again I say.
The grace of God still went on with Jacob, still was interested in him and in his blessing.
And dear young person, if you're a true child of God, He's interested in you, no matter how many disappointments and frustrations you've had in your life. I want to tell you the Lord cares and He is going to come in and blessing in His own way. But we can have a great many lost years. We only have, as one often says, and the scripture says we only have the rest of our time, a little time left.
To spend for the Lord. And may the Lord grant that the little time that we have that's left, we may seek to spend it for him. So we find if you turn over to the 30th chapter and the 30th verse. For it was a little which thou hadst when I came. He's talking to Laban. Jacob is talking to Laban here, and it is now increased unto a multitude. And the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming.
00:45:08
And now when shall I provide for mine own house also? And he said, what shall I give thee? And so on. Well, I won't read the whole chapter. But now we find Jacob again starting to scheme. He schemes now to get the flock from Jacob, from Laban rather.
He's going to work this out too, so that when he leaves, he's going to have plenty of riches to carry away. He schemed for his wife, now he's going to scheme for his possessions too. And so he worked some tricks on Laban and stirs up Laban to have pretty bad feelings toward him because of the tricks that he did too. Oh, can't we see this whole plan?
Did God forsake Jacob? Oh no, God's eye was still upon Jacob.
He loved Jacob, it tells us in the last book in the Old Testament. Jacob have I loved. God's love is unchanging. Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. But here we see the grace of God that goes on with Jacob.
Provides for him. Had God promised to provide for him what was necessary? Yes. Did he have to play tricks on his employer in order to get these things? No, he didn't have to do that. God had promised to do this, but he had puts him ifs to it and he didn't have enough confidence to count upon God. And so again, he's taking things into his own hands.
Let's turn over now to the 32nd chapter.
The 24th verse.
And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him. 32nd chapter and 24th verse. They wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh.
And the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not bless, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob, And he said, Thy name shall.
Be called no more Jacob, but Israel, for as a Prince thou hast power with God and with men, and has prevailed.
And Jacob asked him and said, Tell me, I pray thee thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou just ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel.
For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Pennual, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
Well, here we find the restoration of Jacob. Jacob had done all this scheming, but now he's coming to the point where he's going back to meet his brother, and he's afraid. 20 years he he realizes.
May not have changed the attitude of his brother, and I haven't time to read the whole story, but he gets all kinds of things together to try and win his brother back and he didn't need to do that at all. Wasn't God able to work in the heart of his brother? Of course you say, well, somebody's against me and I got to do something. Well, God shows here that he was totally able to take care of this whole situation.
And God did take care of the whole situation when he met his brother. His brother was not unkind to him at all. Instead of this, his brother showed kindness and embraced him at this point, even though later on, as I said, the House of Esau and all her posterity were enemies of Israel. At this point the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water. He turneth it whithersoever he will.
Is somebody against you? Pray about it.
God can change their whole feeling towards you. He is the disposer of hearts. Every, every man's attitude is in his hand. But Jacob had something to wrestle about, and that is he had to have it out with the Lord. And if there's anyone here and you've got away from the Lord, will you seek to have it out with Him? Will you really get before Him?
And have the whole matter out with him.
And be restored. Oh, I tell you, there will be blessing. For this was the point, as you noticed when I read, when after those 20 years the sun rose upon him and he called the name of the place Peniel, which means the face of God. That means that for 20 years he'd been living out of communion with the Lord. And we can spend a good part of our life out of communion with the Lord.
00:50:21
But here we find Jacob's restoration. He's brought back now.
Happily restored to the Lord, He calls the place Peniel. But notice again we see the government of God from this point on. Jacob was lame from that point. He limped. He limped. That's why it tells us that he worshipped leaning on the top of his staff. And you know, sometimes the Lord has to speak pretty loudly to us before we have things out with him. But it's a good thing when we do, even if we have to limp the rest of our days.
Much better than that, he should leave us to our own ways. So here we find Jacob restored, and the sun rose upon him.
Well, as I say, Esau's attitude was changed. But again we find poor Jacob, he told his brother he was going to come there, and he didn't come. Things weren't thoroughly cleared up. And Jacob, not just altogether at this point, because, you know, when we get away from the Lord, sometimes these old weaknesses follow us.
These old weaknesses follow us just as they did here with Jacob. And then in the next chapter he had to reap the results of it in his household. His household had only seen a bad example from their father. Their father had been a scheming, planning man. And so when they come to Shechem, we find that Jacob has something to reap in his household. The government of God. The government of God.
Oh dear young people.
For speaking so plainly to you. But God has written these things in his word. For our blessing, for our admonition. God wants us to have happy and fruitful lives.
And then after Jacob had learned some of these lessons, then in the 35th chapter.
Notice this.
The first verse. And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar unto the Lord that appearest unto thee, when thou flattest from the face of Jacob thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments. First we find him restored to the Lord.
Now we see him restored to.
The place where the Lord would have him because pineal means the face of God. Bethel means the House of God. And now we find, if I could put it that way, sort of his public restoration. He needed to clean up things were going on in his household. And he says, now put away the strange gods and let's go up to Bethel. And here we see.
Jacob brought back now.
How the government of God had followed him. He's even reaping it now in his household. And dear young people, can I say this plainly to you? Perhaps you know, you get away from the Lord. You may get married. And maybe the partner that you choose in that state, when you're away from the Lord, will bring some gods into your household. There will be some things brought in that will not be for the happiness and blessing of your household. The Lord restores, but.
We reap what we sow We reap what we sow. Well, just another passage here. Turn on to the 42nd chapter of Genesis.
The 36th verse.
And Jacob, their father said unto them, may have bereaved my children.
Joseph is not, Simeon is not, and he will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me. Jacob looks back now over his life, and he's thoroughly discouraged. He says his reaping time is not so pleasant. He said I've had to reap it in my own home now, and everything seems to be against me.
All but God was not against him. God's not against one of his own, our brother read this morning.
If God before us, who can be against us? And I want to tell you young people, if you're truly the Lord's God is never against you. He's for you. If he deals with you, it's in love to bring you back. And Jacob is being brought back and Jacob has brought down to he's brought down to Egypt to see Joseph.
00:55:08
He's brought into a place of blessing there, but he has to look back in his life and he says.
Few and evil have been the days of the years of my pilgrimage. Did he have an easy path? Did his scheming really get for him what he had expected? It never does. It never does if you want to have the enjoyment of the blessing of God and your soul. Dear young people set out like dear Joseph did, and I just say a few words about Joseph at this point.
On the other hand, you see Joseph.
He was one of the sons of Jacob and Jacob and Joseph had a desire to please the Lord and to please his father. He had the Lord before him, and he was an obedient boy. Oh, you say he had troubles too, but the troubles that Jacob that Joseph had were altogether of a different kind. I won't say that you're going to have an easy pass if you're a Christian, but as I said a few moments ago, if you go over a rough Rd.
Company with someone you love, it's not that unpleasant. It's awfully nice to be in the company of somebody you love. And that was Jacob's. That was Joseph's path. Joseph walked his life in communion with the Lord, and so when his father sent him down to his brethren, he went in obedience. When he was put into the pit, you don't find one word.
Of complaint with him at all, it says the Lord was with him.
When he got down to Egypt, why he was forgotten by the Butler and he didn't get a fair deal from the captain of the guard, but nevertheless the Lord was with him. And what was the blessing in Josephs life? The grace of God and the government of God went on in Joseph's life too, but what was the result?
Joseph turned to be a blessing.
Not a not a source of sorrow, but he turned to be a blessing in Egypt because God provided through Joseph corn in that terrible famine. He he turned out to be a great blessing to his whole family.
And his time down there in Egypt worked not for sorrow, but for blessing, and his whole family came down, and everyone of them were blessed in and through. Joseph. His old father returned and stood side by side with Joseph and rejoiced in the goodness of God. What a difference.
And dear young people, I'm not telling you if you follow the Lord that everything is going to be easy, but I am saying this and I trust it'll speak to each one of our hearts. The in the world ye shall have tribulation, but all to go through the trials and difficulties of life.
In company with the Lord, in the enjoyment of His presence, in the consciousness of His grace, is altogether different from trying to work things out according to our own plans and in our own way. And as I look at you this afternoon, and I'm sure it's the desire of the heart of God and it's my desire for you that you would find in the path of faith that joy which the Lord is able to give you.
Mr. Darby once said.
There are joys in the path of faith only known to those who walk in it. And if you want to have a happy path, put the Lord 1St and then He'll do for you what He wants to do. And it's my desire for you. He'll bless you and He'll make you a blessing.
You may say, well, it's not easy. No, it isn't easy. Joseph had his hardships, but it was a which would you rather be? Would you rather be Joseph or Jacob? Would you rather be Joseph with his trials or would you rather be Jacob with all those things that he brought on himself and, and a lot of other people too because of his willful ways? Well, may the Lord speak to our hearts.
And in that coming day, we're going to meet both those man glory. We're going to meet Joseph.
And we're going to meet Jacob in Yonder glory. They're both going to be praising the Lord. But I see again, dear young people, the Lord wants you to have a pathway where you can walk in his company. And if there's anyone who has strayed away, may the Lord grant if it's not taking place in the last few years, that you'll get the pennial today, that you'll see the face of God, that you'll find that he is sufficient. And even if you do have.
01:00:04
Sorrows that you've brought on yourself. I tell you it's well worthwhile to get the Pennial and see the face of God.
And be restored to him, and go on the rest of our time for him.
Our Eyes on Christ
Address—W.J. Prost
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.
That verse How about the apostle, when he was writing to the Saints, could remind them that what he was going to tell them was nothing new.
And he said for me it is not grievous and for you it is safe. And how our hearts need to have these things repeated and pressed on us.
And so this afternoon, with God's help, I would like to consider.
The importance of keeping our eye on Christ.
First of all in our personal lives, then in our assembly life.
Thirdly, in service for him and lastly, in the midst of difficulties and problems.
Could we turn first of all, then, in connection with our personal life, to the 14th chapter of John John's Gospel, chapter 14?
And verse 23.
John's Gospel chapter 14 and verse 23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loved me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him.
And we will come under him and make our abode with him.
Now just hold that place for a moment and turn over to Philippians chapter one for one short part of a verse there, Philippians chapter one.
And verse 21.
Just the first clause of the verse.
For to me.
To live is Christ.
And then finally, in the 10th chapter of Luke's Gospel, Luke's Gospel chapter 10.
And the last verse, verse 42.
But one thing is needful.
And Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. I have enjoyed in connection with the 14th chapter of John, as our brother brought out so beautifully in a reading meeting yesterday. But the thought there is joy through communion.
A thought in the chapter that we have been considering, the 15th chapter is joy and fruit bearing. But before that comes the chapter where there is joy in communion. And you know, I'll tell you something, we get joy in the 14th chapter, we get it in the 15th chapter and we get it in the 16th chapter. But I have looked in vain for that word joy in the 14th chapter.
And I have asked myself, why is it not there when communion with our Lord Jesus Christ is paramount?
It mentions that in the 15th chapter about our joy being full in connection with fruit bearing. It mentions it in the 16th chapter when it's a question of answer of prayer. But in the 14th chapter we don't get it brought before us in that way.
Well, may I suggest to you humbly that it means this, The verse that we read, that 23rd verse brings before us the desire of the Lord Jesus to make His abode with us. He doesn't mention joy. He leaves it to our hearts to realize and to feel for themselves the joy that will come with His presence.
Supposing a young man is engaged to a young lady and they live apart.
For the time until their marriage. And one day he phones her up and he says, addressing her by name. I have some time. I'm going to be able to come for a visit.
Does he go on to say I'm coming for a visit because I want you really to be happy when I come? Oh, you say you wouldn't need to add that, would he? Would he need to add that? Oh no, he would count on the fact that when he told her that he was coming.
When he expressed his desire to be with her, that her heart would respond.
And that she would look forward to that time with joy.
00:05:04
And now I speak to my own heart as I speak to each one here, but particularly you, dear young people. How is it with you and with me?
Are we like the one mentioned in this 23rd verse of John 14?
That the Lord can come and make his abode with us. Oh, you say, I have heard that over and over again. I have heard my older brethren hammer that point home over and over again. We must enjoy the Lord. And maybe you say, I don't know what it means. I don't know how to get it. I don't know how to arrive at that point. Well, let me tell you, you're not alone. I confess before you all this afternoon that many times when I was young and I heard, dear brethren.
Loved and respected in the Lord sit in meetings like these and press home to me the importance of having the Lords presence with me and keeping the eye on Christ. And I said, how do I do it? How do I do it?
Well, I believe we don't have to look too far for the answer. It says here if a man love me, he will keep my words. Keep my words.
Are we willing, beloved young people, to take this precious book that God has given us?
And make it the pattern for our lives. Are we willing to lay aside everything that may come in, whether from within or from without, and say yes, Lord Jesus?
I want to follow thee. I want that company which can only come.
From abiding with thee.
Keep my words.
Those here who are married will bear me out.
When I say that in a happy marriage, it doesn't take much to spoil the happy communion.
And the closer the couple is, the less it takes.
I was much struck in reading an article written on that subject by a worldly man, and he said something like this, which I'll repeat to you.
Speaking of marriage now, he said if your partner in marriage does not have the ability to make you thoroughly miserable.
Then you haven't got a very good marriage. Why did he say that? Because if the one, the husband and the wife, if their hearts were knit one with the other, then sorrow in one reflected on the other, and it took very little for the one.
To make the other one miserable. But if they lived apart, if they lived in the same house but went their separate ways, then perhaps there was very little communion between them.
And what one did made very little difference to the other. How true and natural things, and all my beloved young people, how true with our Lord Jesus Christ are we willing to lay aside everything that we might have His company.
Let us never forget that if we are not enjoying his company.
The difficulty always lies with ourselves and when we see the Apostle Paul there writing to those dear Philippians and he would say for to me to live is Christ. That was a lot to say. I can't say that.
That was a lot for a man to say, but he could say it from the heart, because there was not a cloud between him and that blessed One whom he loved and who had died for him.
Contrast that with what we read in Luke's Gospel chapter 10.
Where Martha says was cumbered about much serving.
And the Lord gently but firmly had to rebuke her and say, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but.
Mary. But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part.
And oh, may I try, if I can, to impress upon your hearts this afternoon that one thing is needful, one thing is needful.
And nothing can replace it. Nothing can replace the company of the Lord Jesus Christ in your life. Nothing can replace the enjoyment of Himself. And yet how little we know of that.
00:10:06
We can be occupied with so many things, We can be occupied even with things which are not wrong in themselves. And I speak perhaps of the duties of everyday life.
As someone has said, the most treacherous thing in my life is the robbing of my joy and robbing me of my joy in Christ through necessary duties. Because it is right that I should carry out my responsibility in this life, but if it comes between myself and my precious Savior, then it is wrong.
And it is wrong.
And yet how often that is the case, how often we can be occupied with so many things and there is no time to sit down and to read this precious word.
For ourselves. I know you, beloved young people.
Probably have a family reading in your home.
I know that your father and your mother probably get out the Bible after breakfast or maybe after dinner at night and maybe both times, which is nice, and read the word of God. But let me tell you from experience, there is no substitute for reading this precious book yourselves. And I don't say this just to so-called young people. I say it to the children here as soon as you're ready to read, as soon as you know how to read this precious book.
All cultivate the habit of having it by your bedside and reading it for yourself. Don't worry if you don't understand everything in it, because God can minister the Holy Spirit rather can minister Christ to your soul from it. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, read this precious book and spend time in prayer.
Prayer.
Oh, you say that's nothing new. I've heard that many times before. But does it sink into our hearts? And I say our.
I remember many years ago our late brother Clifford Brown speaking at a young people's meeting like this and how he made this remark. He said a prayerless life is a powerless life, a prayerless life is a powerless life, and no matter what else may be right, if I do not find the time to kneel before the Lord in prayer to seek his face.
To seek for him, from him.
Direction for my life to bring to him the difficulties and problems that I have to bring before him things that concern me to seek his guidance in the days that lie ahead, but even more than that, simply to enjoy his company.
Then I am missing.
The main object that the Lord has placed before me.
The person of Christ. If I do not find time to enjoy Christ for himself, then I will not have him when I need him, but the soul that has Christ for itself will have Christ when it needs him.
And so may these things impress themselves upon our hearts. One thing is needful.
But then the condition attached to it.
Let's read that other verse that was quoted to us this morning in the reading in the book of the Acts Chapter 11, Acts Chapter 11 and verse 22, speaking now of Barnabas.
Then tidings of these things came under the ears of the Church, which was in Jerusalem.
And they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch, who, when he came and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Why does it bring the purpose of heart in there? Oh, I believe because in the day in which we are living, perhaps more than any other, it is going to take purpose of heart.
To enjoy the Lord, it is going to take purpose of heart to have Christ before me. And God can give us that purpose of heart if we look to Him for it. If you and I have a new life from God, the very life of Christ himself, then that life responds to the things that please Him. And if you look to God, if you look to the Lord Jesus Christ as the object of your life, He will give you that purpose of.
00:15:08
He will give you the strength to keep His word, as we were reading in the 14th chapter of John, in order that you may go on and have Him as your object.
We're living in very serious times.
Times, I suppose, which in one way are of deepest blessing because we're on the very eve of the Lord's return.
And yet times when perhaps we scarcely know which way to turn, when we see on the one hand, the breakup of things in this world and everything that once appeared stable, and on the other hand we see difficulties and problems amongst the Church of God with which it seems.
We cannot cope. Sometimes it takes purpose of heart.
But notice Barnabas didn't say purpose of heart to cleave under the apostles.
He didn't exhort them with purpose of heart to cleave under the assembly with purpose of heart that they might cleave unto the Lord.
While our personal life must be right before our assembly life can be right. And as I have said before, and I'll say it again, the assembly can never be more than the sum of its parts. And you and I as individuals bring that to the assembly. And so we cannot expect to have blessing in the assembly if we're going on carelessly in our own personal lives. We cannot expect the assembly to be a happy place if we are going on in a way for.
A willful and wayward way.
During the time that we're away from the assembly, no, there must be reality in the inward parts. And as our brother remarked yesterday, uprightness in the Word of God does not mean that we never make mistakes, but it means that we don't pretend to be what we're not. Oh, God looks down into each one of our hearts. He looks into my heart. He looks into your heart, and he knows the reality that is there or is not there.
And yet his love is unchanging. If you and I have been walking in a pathway away from Him, if Christ has not been the object of our hearts, oh, then let the words of that hymn sink in that we have been singing together. Oh, keep my soul. Then Jesus, abiding still with Thee. And if I wander, teach me soon back to thee to flee.
Well.
Our personal lives, first of all, must be in order, but then our assembly life. What about that? Let's turn now to that well known scripture in Matthew 18 and 20.
Matthew 18 and 20.
Four where two or three are gathered together.
In my name, there am I in the midst of them.
I'll turn over for one other verse to Second Timothy 2. Second Timothy chapter 2.
And verse 20.
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor sanctified, and meet for the master's use and prepared.
Unto every good work. We have all heard this scripture in Matthew 18 and 20.
Brought before us many times.
Once again, do we really believe it?
Do we really believe it?
Many years ago.
And I mean many years ago, long before my lifetime, there were some problems and difficulties in an assembly.
And one brother was very distressed about them.
Distress to the point that he was about to leave.
And as he was out in his field, plowing and turning the whole thing over in his mind and feeling very, very much cast down.
00:20:03
That verse came before him by the thief on the spoken by the thief on the cross, when he appealed to the other thief.
Who was railing on him?
And he said these words, This man hath done nothing amiss. This man hath done nothing amiss. Oh, he thought to himself, Suppose my brethren have gone wrong? Supposing I have gone wrong, This man hath done nothing in this. Why am I gathered to the Lord's name anyway? Is it to my brethren?
No, the Lord is in the midst. That's why I'm there. How can I leave if the Lord is there?
Now I speak solemnly and I speak to my own heart. When we come together, beloved young people, to the Assembly, why are we there?
Or perhaps, shall I say, why are we not there?
Do we really believe that the Lord is in the midst or is it just some doctrine that we Yes, well.
We pay lip service to it.
But yet don't carry it out in practice.
A sister once said to me, I don't like to go to meeting because there's a brother there who doesn't like me.
And sometimes he makes things difficult for me and he doesn't miss an opportunity to check me up on my ways.
While I knew the situation, I knew exactly who she was talking about.
I didn't say anything.
But I thought something like this and I speak to each one of your hearts and mind. Supposing a member of my family, my closest family, were lying sick in the hospital.
And when I went to that hospital, those that worked there gave me a very difficult time, made it hard for me to visit that dear member of my family, so that every time I went, I wondered, well, what trouble and problem am I going to have to go through this time?
In order to get to see my loved one.
What would that loved one think if I said, well, I'm not coming to visit in that hospital anymore? They give me a hard time when I come?
And I don't think I'm going to go back. I can't. I can't face that anymore.
Oh, they would say, What about me? What about me? Can't you face the difficulties and the problems for my sake? I'm here. Doesn't that make the difference? But you know very well down in your own heart, and I know in my heart that that question would never even arise, would it? Oh, no.
If anything, it would make the visit even more precious because of the fact that there were some difficulties to be encountered in getting there.
And I say to you, beloved young people, that until you see the Lord in the midst, you will never rightly appreciate the privilege of being gathered to the Lord's name. And if you come to that assembly expecting anything but the person and presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be disappointed. I speak again to my own heart how often we come together in the assembly expecting to receive something expecting.
To have a good meeting.
Expecting to enjoy the fellowship of our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ.
Expecting that there will be an atmosphere which will raise us up and give us encouragement in the pathway, and so it should be and so it should be.
But how sad when we go with only that in mind. The Lord may have to show us that our motives are not quite high enough, not quite high enough. And so the Lord may have to bring in difficulties and problems so that when I go, I say, well, what I looked for, I didn't receive, what I went for isn't there?
What is my attitude then? Oh, if I say, well, I won't go anymore then.
I am really saying that the Lord's presence in the midst means nothing to me.
When we come together to remember the Lord on what is our eye? Is it on the meeting that it might go well?
Is it that there might be harmony, and that the Spirit of God might be free to lead out various ones, and that the hymns that are given out, the prayer that is offered, and everything might be in accordance with His mind? Well, we trust that. But even over and above, beyond that, as someone has said, let us never confuse the means by which grace is brought to us with grace itself.
00:25:28
And when we come together, what should be before us?
Even when remembering our precious Savior in death is himself himself in death, not what this brother may have or that brother may have, nor how the Lord may use even me in that meeting, but rather the fact that my precious Savior is there in the midst in death when we come together at the prayer meeting on what is my eye?
Oh, first and foremost, let it be the precious Lord Himself.
When I come together to the reading meeting on, what is my eye? Is it on my brethren? Those who perhaps I am hoping to receive something? Those to whom I look to bring those truths out from the Word of God which I would like to enjoy? Those whom I would like to create an atmosphere where I can feel rejoicing and happy in the Lord? Well and good, but first and foremost, I must see Christ Himself.
And if I get my eye on my brethren.
The Lord may have to show me otherwise, even if I get my eye on the best of them.
The ones that God has used the most are in another young person to whom I look for stability and help. God may have to show me otherwise.
If I get my eye on someone else, my joy in them will perhaps carry me for a while, but if they fail, then everything fails and pretty soon I find that I can't find the Lord. If I can't, if I can't have that individual, Have we ever gotten that way?
But if my eye is on Christ, it won't lessen my love for those Saints of God, but it will perhaps be a little different. It'll be deeper, a deeper love.
If not quite as passionate, it will be more tender.
If not quite as exciting.
That brother will mean perhaps less to me in one way.
But more on another, because the attachment to him will be less needful but more useful.
Because my eye is on Christ, and when that one is there I will enjoy it, but when he is not there, it will perhaps be an even greater blessing. Because the Lord Jesus Christ Himself wants to be precious to your soul and mine.
I remember a few years ago, and you'll pardon this personal reference, but it meant a lot to me.
This is going back about 10 years and we were on a short vacation in Florida.
While I was there, I found out, to my great joy and delight, that a dear old brother, who often had been a big help to me, who is now with the Lord, was staying just a very short distance down the road from us. And so we went down to have a short visit with Him, and I can still see him sitting there.
And enjoying the Lord so much that he was just bubbling over a brother whose physical ailments were many and who was compelled to go down there for his health, and yet who was rejoicing in Christ, much like that one about whom some were speaking yesterday in the reading.
And I was struck very much. He pulled out his Bible, opened it up to the Book of Revelation, and proceeded to give me a bit of a talk on the side. But I think you young people realize that those seven churches in Revelation, as well as being individual assemblies which were present in that day and age, also give us a panoramic history of the Church of God.
Throughout the ages until the Lord comes.
And when he spoke of Philadelphia, he looked at me and he said Brother Bill.
The reason that the Lord Jesus Christ raised up Philadelphia was because he wanted to have something particularly for himself. Just before he returned. He raises up Philadelphia in order that he might have something for his own heart, something for himself.
00:30:16
Just before he returns.
All He wants our hearts, He wants our affections. And if we notice this verse in Second Timothy 2.
You'll notice that it is individual if a man therefore purge himself from these.
Not collective, individual. All that brings before us, beloved young people, that separation to Christ first of all must be individual. But then, when I have taken that step in my own heart, I find that I have the company of my brethren who are likewise minded. But first of all, I have to be prepared to take that step in my own heart.
Individually.
How often we can become discouraged if the assembly doesn't go on well, if there is funeness of numbers, if perhaps we don't see the blessing in the gospel that we would like to see, we don't see the blessing, we don't see the assembly growing well, I don't say that we shouldn't be exercised about these things. I believe that we should most definitely. But how often we are tempted to say, what can I do about it instead of saying first and foremost?
Is my eye on Christ and on Him alone?
But will it cost something? I'm afraid it will if a man therefore purge himself from these.
More than once in my lifetime.
With my head bowed with grief.
I say it sincerely, and I trusted his soul before the Lord with my heart and head bowed with grief. I have had to separate from dear ones in Christ.
Whose heart my heart went out to?
But they weren't willing to walk what I felt was the pathway of Second Timothy 2.
Beloved young person, unless you see that God's principle is always separation from evil.
Separation from that which is not according to the mind of God is revealed in His Word.
You will never see the truth of the Lord's being in the midst. How often we would like to enjoy that truth of where two or three are gathered together unto my name. They are My in the midst of them. But on the other hand, may we remember that when we come to be gathered to that name, we cannot presume to attach to that name that which is contrary to His precious word.
What if there are only a few?
Who want to take that step? Does that make the Lord's presence any less?
Many years ago in South America.
As our dear brother Eric Smith has told us, there were those who came to our dear brethren down there and said to them something like this, we are thousands and you are but a few. Why not join up with us in order that we may all be one?
And the answer of the dear brother down there was simply this. Can you have any more of Christ with your thousands than we can have with our few?
All His presence is the great thing. The great thing is to get hold of the fact that the Lord is in the midst.
So that when I come together, it is not a question of what I can receive, but a question that I come to meet my precious Savior. And if I look at it that way, oh, will the Lord ever send me away? Empty? Indeed He will not. Oh, if the Lord is in the midst, is He going to see his children come together and go away? Empty Indeed not. There may not be much gift.
There may be many things which are cause for exercise.
There may be many things which we could wish were otherwise, but His presence is always blessing, always blessing.
Well, what about service?
Communion must come first, as we have been reminded many times. What about service for him?
Let's read that verse again in John 15 that we had before us in the readings John's Gospel chapter 15.
00:35:03
And verse 4.
Abide.
In me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in Me.
Now turn over to the book of the Acts.
Acts Chapter 9.
And verse 6.
Now we're reading only individual passages here because I know that you, beloved young people, are familiar with these stories. These are not.
Obscure verses, They're all well known. Acts 9 and verse 6.
And he that is salt trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what will thou have me to do? Oh, how many difficulties would be?
Erased in a moment if this were the honest and true prayer of each one of our hearts.
We must abide in Him if we are going to do that which is pleasing to Him.
And we must remember one thing when it comes to service.
It is not what you do that counts, but what you are.
May I say that again, it's not what you do that counts.
It's what you are.
If what I am is right, then what I do will always fall into place. But if what I am is not right, then what I do can never be right. Again quoting our beloved late brother HE Hayhoe. If you did everything right, nothing would be right except the motive was right.
You'll forgive another personal reference.
As most of you know.
I earned my living working with feet.
And it has often been impressed upon me.
How that one could do a very brilliant surgical operation on the foot, the best technique?
The best operating room facilities.
The greatest care taken in every way, both before and during and after the surgery, and yet the operation be a total failure.
Why? Why?
Oh, because the mechanics of that foot.
Were perhaps not appreciated.
Another surgeon comes along. He does a simple operation perhaps.
Not necessarily, but perhaps a simple procedure.
And it works. Why? All because he, on the other hand, has appreciated.
The mechanics of that foot, he's working with that foot and not against it.
I don't presume to say which category I fall into.
But the point is this, unless we are abiding in Him, all the energy that we put forth may be for nothing. All the work that we may do may be contrary to God's mind.
We must be abiding in Christ. I don't wish to throw stones.
At those in Christendom.
But it must be evident to any exercised soul here today how much there is going on in Christendom under the umbrella of that great house that we read about in Second Timothy. That is not according to the mind of God. How much is going on in the name of Christ? That is only of man's ambition, man's design, and I fear.
Much of it contrary to the mind of God as revealed in His Word.
But even those of us who can say yes, by the grace of God, I believe we are gathered to the Lord's name and that we have the whole truth of God.
Are we doing what we do?
00:40:02
With our eye on Christ and Him alone. Oh, if that is the case, an insignificant place won't matter to me. Let's turn to a verse in First Corinthians 12 That has often impressed itself upon me. First Corinthians chapter 12.
In verse 18, One Corinthians 12 and verse 18.
But now hath God set the members, everyone of them, in the body, as it hath pleased him.
Off my eyes on Christ. I won't be seeking great things for myself. If my eye is on Christ, I'll be content to fill.
The little niche that He has for me, I won't be darting here and there looking for this and that. That I can do. I won't be looking necessarily for great things. I'll be like the apostle. Who could say, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? On the one hand, I won't be occupied with my own efforts, either the failure or the success of them.
If I'm occupied with the failure of my efforts, I'll be cast down. If I'm occupied with the success of them, the little measure of success that God may give me, I'll be lifted up with pride. But if I'm occupied with Christ, neither of those things will move me.
The apostle Paul, when he was going up to Jerusalem, he could say, neither. I count by my life dear unto myself, that I might finish my course with joy.
Now I say to you, as I say to my own heart, have I gotten down on my knees before the Lord, and have I sought before Him what He would have me to do? Whether it's a question of service for Him, whether it's a question of the life work that I should undertake, whether it's the question of where I should go tomorrow?
Even a little thing like that. Have I got down and said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Never mind yourself. We see many people today who are going around seeking to be happy, going around seeking to do that which will give them a sense of personal satisfaction before the Lord that they are doing something for him.
But the great thing is, beloved young people, to be before Him, that we might fill the place that He has prepared for us.
I can remember quite a few years ago now when I was in my first year of high school. We had a guidance book, a guidance book, and in that guidance book which brought before us various occupations that we could undertake, brought before us the pros and the cons, brought before us what one could expect in the way of the type of work, the difficulties, the problems one might encounter and so on.
I can well remember a poem.
That was written on the last page.
I wish I'd kept that book. It was a good poem, but several of its lines struck home with me.
And one of those lines was, it isn't by size that you win or you fail. Be the best of whatever you are. And then another stanza went on to say, if you can't be a muskie, then just be a bass. But the liveliest bass in the lake, well, that's worldly wisdom. But nevertheless.
It's wisdom, I believe that God's word.
Would back up fill the place that God has placed you?
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. He that is faithful and little shall be faithful also, and much. And if God has given you or me a place behind the scenes, a place out of the limelight, perhaps a place to do something for him where there isn't much recognition, there isn't much praise. Remember, the Lord is noticing. The Lord is noticing.
And that reward in a coming day will not be for success.
It will be for faithfulness and for devotedness to that blessed One who has loved us and died for us.
But our time is nearly gone. But I want to say a little bit about keeping our eye on Christ in the midst of difficulties and problems. And I trust, beloved young people, that those of us who are a little older are not immune to the problems that you face. I freely own before you. And I'm sure other brethren here would stand here and say the same thing, that we cannot rightfully appreciate some of the things that you are going through.
00:45:22
Forces have come into this world to change it so radically.
In the past few years that I suppose there has been more change in the last five, 1015 years than there has been in the previous half century or more.
And some of the things that you face in the world of today, I freely own. I never had to face.
But there is one who knows all about it.
Let's just read one verse in the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews, chapter 4.
And verse 15 for we have not an high priest.
Which 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 mercy and find grace to help in time of need. The youngest one here can go through difficulties and problems that some of us have never experienced. You children in public school are facing things that I never had to face. You young people in high school and perhaps in college.
And out in the business world are facing things.
That I never had to face, but the Lord knows all about it. Are you passing through a night of affliction? Are you passing through difficulties that almost overwhelm you?
Do you say there's no one I can go to?
And brother phoned me up.
Quite a while ago now, some years ago now, he said. There's no one I can go to with my problem.
And I wasn't the one that he could come to either. At least he didn't feel so. There's no one I can go to and discuss this problem with. It's too deep to.
Bring it out to anyone.
Oh, we have a high priest that has gone through every kind of suffering that it was possible for a man to go through in this world apart from sin.
As we had brought before us in the meetings, it can be a more blessed thing to go through a trial with the Lord.
Than immediately to be removed from that trial. And remember, beloved young people, the difficulties and problems that you are passing through. First of all, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold, that perisheth might be found unto praise and honor and glory at his appearing. First of all, the trial of your faith is precious to him. But secondly.
Let this be an encouragement to you. Sometimes he passes you through difficulties that you may be a help to others.
I was reading some ministry in an old book. Many.
Years ago. It was printed nearly 100 years ago, I suppose.
And in that a dear brother wrote a letter and he said, if I am going through problems and difficulties, he said, may the Lord commend me to a brother or a sister who has been bruised and battered a bit along the way. Why? Oh, because they would be able to enter into it.
The Apostle Paul could speak of the fellowship of his sufferings.
The fellowship of his sufferings and I fear that we have gotten away from this in this day and age.
We tend to think of Christianity as being a victorious life, and rightfully so, I suppose, but we tend to think of ourselves and our blessings, our pleasures, our joy in Christ. But when the apostle Paul was saved, you will recall that Ananias, who was told to go and visit him and baptize him, was told I must show him how great things he must suffer.
For my name's sake.
You and I aren't called upon in this day and age, at least not at this moment, to go through the kind of suffering that the Apostle Paul went through.
00:50:00
We aren't likely to be beaten with rods, to suffer shipwright or shipwreck, to be thrown in prison, to be stoned half to death, and all the rest of it, But you may go through difficulties and problems which you say you cannot understand.
The day-to-day energy that it requires, the spiritual energy to go on for Christ in a world that is increasingly against Him, may burn your heart to such an extent that you say, I can't take it any longer.
That precious savior says take my hand.
Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Have you got rest in your soul as you go about your everyday life, all with your eye on Christ? It is possible, it is possible, it's not some.
Mysterious thing.
That your older brethren talk about, but which cannot be realized by every Christian. No, the youngest child of God here can experience the joy of walking through life.
With the Lord in communion with him.
And if there are problems and difficulties, if there is a rough Rd. then let the company of that precious Savior cheer us, that we may go on until He calls us home.
Our time is up.
I don't know whether I have been able to get across to you what was on my heart.
But it has meant much to me in the last little while.
To realize that in these last days our eye must be on Christ.
Sad to say, there are those who will make shipwreck from not having the eye on him, and none of us is immune to that. And I can't stand here this afternoon and pretend to tell you these things without applying them to my own heart. And even the beloved Apostle Paul would have to say.
I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and pressing on to those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Oh, what was he looking for? His eye was on a risen and glorified Christ in glory. His whole purpose of life down here was that everything.
Might be for the glory of that blessed One.
And may it be so with your heart and mind.
Could we sing together that hymn #218?
This hymn has been very precious to me lately.
Written by Beloved Brother JG Deck and this hymn that we are going to sing. These two verses are only the last two verses.
Over him that originally had five stanzas.
And it's evident if you read that whole hymn that it was written to a young person. And so I'd like you, dear young people, especially to take note of this hymn because it's evident from the way that that hymn was written that it was written to a young girl named Mary.
Britain as a personal, personal piece of poetry, as an encouragement to her. I believe it begins something like this. Mary. Thy choices made the better part in former years. Another Mary's choice. The Lord delights to see thy youthful heart so ready now to hear the Shepherd's voice, and so on.
Referring, of course, to Mary of Bethany, about whom we read in the 10th chapter of Luke.
And referring to the fact that she had found in her young life the joy of sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus. And now thinking of these last two verses, these last two were the only two that were suitable for.
Shall we say?
Collective singing and so they were included in our Little Flock hymn book for that reason, I believe. And notice the last verse.
00:55:01
We shall behold him whom not seen we love.
We shall be with him whom we long to see. We shall be like him, fit for realms above with him, and like him for eternity.
Is now to sit at Jesus feed our choice. How will fruition then our souls rejoice. May it be your heart, the prayer of your heart and mind that we May 1St and foremost have Him before us as the object of our hearts, and then that the desire of our hearts might be to sit at His feet, as Mary did to hear His word.
And to live for His honor and glory alone until He comes.
John 15:1-6
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
After 15, I am a true Vine and my father is a husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch of bearer fruit he purchases, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you're clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you, as a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine.
No more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the friendships.
Either abideth in me, and I in him. The same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me he can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cashed forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If he abide in me, in my words, abide in you, Ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein, as my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit socially, be my disciple.
As a father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue, ye and my love.
If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends. If you do whatsoever, I commend you.
As far as I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what is Lord doeth. But I've called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go forth and go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain.
But what aware you shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it to you.
These things that command you that you love one another.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord.
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my namesake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they have not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin.
He that hateth me, hateth my father also. If I had not done among them the worsest, none other men did. They have not had sin. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father. But this cometh to pass it. The word might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause.
And when the Comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father.
Even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me, and He also shall bear witness. Because you've been with me from the beginning. We might notice the last words of chapter 14, the Lord says.
Let us go hence. Arise, let us go hence.
Where was she going and taking his disciples with him?
Well, he was on his way to the Garden of Gethsemane. He was really on the way to the cross.
And so we find these next chapters, 1516 and 17 spoken on the way to the garden, because in the first verse of chapter 18.
00:05:11
Says when Jesus has spoken these words.
He went forth with his disciples over the Brook Kidron, where was a garden, into the which he entered and his disciples.
The Lord had before him his suffering and the cross.
And all that he alone.
Could take in. I don't know how much the disciples knew about what was coming, he had told them, but it didn't seem to sink in very far.
But he knew. He knew every bit of what was before him because she although as a man, he walked. Here's a man, yet he is gone. He was gone walking there and he knew all about what was ahead of him.
And in the light of that, if you put that which is said in these chapters in that frame, as it were, I think it helps us to understand many of the things that he said.
And I think it's well for us to remember this, that he was on the way to suffering when he said these things. And if we keep this in mind, perhaps.
It will help the Spirit of God to just make it plainer to us.
And we might be unable to take it in better. Now the Spirit of God always is teaching us, and the Lord by His Spirit would teach us many things. But we know that we have to be in a certain state of soul to take in certain things.
And if we are prepared in our hearts and minds to see what the Lord has said in a framework of this nature that is is going to the cross while he's saying these things, I believe it will will help us to enter into it in view of that.
Wouldn't you say that chapter 13 and chapter 14 which precedes this?
Introduced to this chapter 15 in this way that he is.
Preparing the disciples for the place in chapter 13, that is the perhaps the work of foot washing, feet washing, but then in chapter 14 He is preparing the place for them. He has gone there now, you know, and we and has prepared the place.
And is going to bring the disciples and us to there, but now he.
Is giving that which will produce fruit for the husbandman.
In us, while we are, we might say in the way to that place, he is going to prepare. God has a right to expect that fruit and He is working to get it. He didn't get it out of the old vine in the way that he wanted. It only produced wild grapes.
But now through this abiding in Christ, there's fruit, and more fruit, and much fruit which the husbandman ought to get. He has a right to expect it, and the way is only in abiding in the vine, in Christ himself.
In the 13th chapter, he said.
Having loved his own who were in the world.
And I suppose that that's really what we have in this chapter is not his own review here in this world. He's gone back.
To the Father Jesus, knowing that he came from God and went to God, but his own are left in the world and so the this chapter on fruit bearing has.
In view the place that we.
Occupy here in this world where he was, he's gone up into the glory, but we're left behind in this world. And the desire of the of the Father is that there might be fruit for his glory, even as there was fruit for his glory in the in the life of the Lord Jesus when he was here walking to the glory of the Father.
00:10:23
And doing those things that were pleasing in his sight.
And now we in a sense occupy that place that he had. We have a place in him before God. But we're here as those who are to be for the pleasure of God and to bear fruit for God even as he. So it's really we're, we're viewed here in chapters 13 and 14. It's more the inner place that we have with him. But here it is the place that we have in this world.
As those who are left behind for a little while.
Awaiting the Lord's coming.
Sees in the believer.
As.
Life, the life of Christ himself. And so the vine then attached to the vine, that very life flows out, does it not? And in thinking of that.
The greatest thing?
In order that there might be fruit or service or whatever.
Is to have the affections.
Centered on the Lord Jesus.
I really believe is what our brother Anderson is bringing before us when he spoke of the cross in view.
And I know that the disciples did not enter in as they should.
When he spoke of the cross, because we find in various places that.
For instance, the 9th chapter of Luke where he spoke of the cross at least twice, maybe three times.
The end result was they were beginning to murmur which of them was the greatest.
And I know that it's true with us that we enter very little into what the cross really means.
But it serves, does it not, as in this chapter, to arouse the affections toward Christ. That is, it isn't how much we love the Lord, it's how much He loved us.
And there we see the measure of it in the cross.
And also we see the measure of the Father's love in the cross. Not that we can estimate that measure, but we see that the measure is there. It's the fullness of the heart of God expressed in the cross of Calvary, and it's the love of Jesus for his people.
It's a love to the father, but the love to his people as well that led him to that cross and so.
I believe that's what's in view in this chapters has been brought out, the affections aroused.
Now this is true in our lives as Christians.
There may be many things that arise and become a question mark in our minds as to what we should do.
And now we should serve.
But I really believe.
Although one can't speak for too much experience in it, I really believe that if our affections are aroused as to the love of Christ, these answers will be forthcoming without difficulty, whatever they may be.
You know, it's a wonderful thing to have the truth of God, and Scripture says that the soul.
Be without knowledge is not good.
But knowledge won't do it in itself.
It's what that knowledge brings us to, and that's the person of Christ because he's the center. Wherever you may read in Scripture, he's always the center. And the highest truths that we have in Scripture, which we find in the the third chapter of Ephesians, is to know the love of Christ.
And there we enter into the fullness of what God is not by a great deal of knowledge in our heads as to details of Scripture which are good in themselves.
But it's the it's to know the love of Christ.
Now that's demonstrated in much detail in the Song of Solomon.
00:15:06
As the as the bridegroom opens to the bride, little by little, his affections for her, her heart is drawn.
From one thing to another until she's fully in accord with him. When you come to the 7th chapter, I believe that's where the secret we have here in this chapter 2 as well. It's the affections that are in view and the Lord would having pointed to his disciples often the fact that he was going to the cross.
Now he brings in this, which is not really a gospel message as some may use it in this chapter, but it's it's fruit bearing.
If the believer seen in this position down here when Christ will leave them of fruit bearing and it isn't an effort.
It's the result.
Of the soul being taken up with the person of Christ. That's really what abiding in Him is, is it not? There may be things in us that the Lord has to correct, I suppose. And perhaps that's why the 13th chapter comes first, because it says in Isaiah chapter one, cease to do evil.
Learn to do well. If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the fruit of the land.
And so I believe the Lord washing the disciples feet was really preparing them for the ministry that He is giving in these chapters. And there may be with some of us, we would like to enjoy more of His love and of His of communion with Him. But we need to put our feet into His hands and be willing that He should wash our feet.
There are hindrances and so that we need to 1St allow him to apply the water of the word to those things.
It was because He loved them that He was washing their feet. It was because He wanted them to have part with Him. So after He had washed their feet, then He tells them of how He wants to enjoy their company forever. For that's when He comes and receives us unto Himself, and that blessed prospect is before us, that we're going to be in His presence to enjoy His company forever.
But in this same 14th chapter, He tells us that we don't have to wait until that time when we're in the Father's house to enjoy communion with Him. Perhaps we have all noticed that the word translated mansions in the second verse of the 14th chapter is the same as that which is translated abode in the 23rd verse.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loved me, he will keep my words.
And my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. So if we're really looking forward to this time when we'll be in the Father's house in His company forever, then the Lord is telling us why you can enjoy the mansions beforehand. We don't have to wait until that time to enjoy.
Communion with the father.
And with the sun. And if we are enjoying this communion with the Father and the Son, then there will be fruit bearing. Galatians Chapter 5 speaks about the works of the flesh, but the fruit of the Spirit works. Or something that is well, we might say requires energy. But fruit bearing is a very natural thing.
And brethren, if we're in communion with the Lord.
Really enjoying him and his love. The natural result will be fruit bearing. Moses wasn't aware that the skin of his face shone when he came down from the mountain, but having been in the company of the Lord for 40 days and having received some measure of knowledge about His grace to go on with those people in spite of all that they were.
Caused a reflection in his face.
And so as he came down, he wasn't aware of it, but the people were aware of it and saw it. And it says in 2nd Corinthians 3 and verse 18. And we all with open or unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. And so I say again, that fruit bearing will be the natural result of communion.
00:20:12
And I believe that's why the emphasis here is on abiding with Him, because the effort of the enemy is always to get us away from his side. And so we sing, O Lamb of God, still keep us close to thy pierced inside. And all his dealings with us are in order that we might be kept. And when he sees us begin to wander by, then he purges us that there might be more fruit.
Well, it's very beautiful, I think, to take the 13th and 14th chapters as the introduction to what we have here, because I believe we could say that subject of the 14th chapter is communion, and the subject of the 15th chapter is fruit bearing and service. And if any man serve me, let him follow me. And where I am, there shall also my servant be.
Our brother.
Mentioned about.
There was no effort in the matter of.
Bearing fruit.
Well, if we look at the vine with its branches, are the branches putting forth any effort to be attached to the vine?
They're attached. They're attached, but they're hindrances to the Fruit Prairie. That's why we get the Purging mansion.
Those who have fruit orchards or fruit vineyards, they know something about this. They have to do their spray. They have to do the necessary things to keep down the fungus or the mites or the bugs or worms or whatever they might be.
Because there are many things that can come in and hinder the tree or the vine from bearing fruit. And so all of these branches on the vine have to be taken care of properly and purged that they may bring forth fruit. Well, what's it a picture of? No doubt it's a picture of those things in this world.
The things of the flesh, the things of the world.
The things of the enemy that would come in and attach themselves to us to SAP our spiritual strength, so we cannot bear fruit for God. Well, there comes then this matter of exercise about judging those things and going to the Lord about them, and being cleansed from them, being purged, being cleansed by the washing of water, by the word, that we might bring forth fruit.
More fruit, as it says here.
Begins the chapter.
I am the true vine.
Not merely that he says I am the vine, but I am the true vine. And I take it that this is in contrast to Israel.
Israel and Isaiah 5 we know was spoken of as from the figure of being one of the choicest bond, and how that God looked that it might bear fruit, but it brought bear grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.
And so I think we we see in the very beginning here that there is no fruit for God, you might say, in the first man.
Israel would be.
Would stand representative Representative Lee of the first man and the first man with all of the privileges that God could bestow upon him and with all of the light because Israel was a people blessed of God, with light from God and a God-given religion, they, you might say they, they represent the best.
That the 1St man had to offer. But there is no fruit there, it's all found in the second man, the Lord out of heaven. And of course we know that as to the full position, he didn't take that until he went on high. But when he was here on earth, he was morally that the 2nd man, the last Adam, the Lord out of heaven.
And there was, it's only in connection with him. And I mentioned that because.
We you can take the flesh.
And you can educate it, and you can give it the best of religion.
00:25:05
And the best of morals, but it will not bear fruit for God, neither in the flesh cannot please God. There is no fruit, therefore God at all. It's all found in connection with Christ as the second man, the Lord out of heaven. And those of us who are believers we are, we are associated with him now as that second man.
And the last Adam and our life is is.
Hit with.
Christ in God we are associated with Christ and not the first man. So we want to see that the proper beginning is in our association with Christ now and and you might say new creation and not connected with the old man at all, not connected with man in the flesh.
How that the Lord Jesus comes in and the way you've spoken of and glorifies God.
In the place where the 1St man failed and Israel had been chosen and.
In the 80th Psalm you referred to Isaiah 5, but the 80th Psalm, the vine, was brought out of Egypt.
And then when we come to the second of Matthew.
The Lord Jesus out of Egypt have I called my son. He is introduced.
In the same way as Israel, but he comes in and perfectly glorifies God in everything in which the 1St man failed, whatever position it was, whether it's a vine or a servant. You can find the same things in Isaiah.
Behold, my servant, beginning the 42nd chapter in the 49th and so on, and it starts to refer to Israel.
And then finally you find it refers to the Lord Jesus. So he comes in and glorifies God perfectly in the position in which the 1St man failed. Of course, Israel was chosen out to be made an example of for the whole race. So now we have set before us immediately when we read this chapter, the one who is the true vine. He's, He's the perfect standard right before us.
Association with Christ must be a living thing though, and so we find in the second verse, Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away. And the sixth verse, If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and then gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
There were those who partook of the privileges that Israel enjoyed.
And all those privileges were given to them of God, but unless there was life in the soul, and then there was no fruit for God, even though the place of privilege they occupied was a very wonderful place and given of God. So I believe too, the Lord here is Speaking of Judas, and any other like Him who might partake of all the privileges of being associated with Him.
And there would be no fruit just by accompanying him like Judas did, unless there was really a living link. There must be that or there would be no fruit. And so I think it's important to see this. It's not the thought of some have taken it that a person could be saved and lost again. It is simply.
Israel taken up in the place of profession. There was no fruit for God.
Christianity is brought in in the person of the Son, the Lord Jesus. But just professing Christianity is not enough. There must be a living link with Him. And then, if we are truly His, only as we abide in Him, can there be any fruit for God?
So the branch taken away and those burn shows that there will be a great many who have professed Christianity who will finally come under the judgment of God. And Judas was a sample of that. And that's why when the Lord was washing the disciples feet, he could say to the 11 disciples that they were clean and as we have it here.
Clean through the word that he had spoken unto them. But he also added Angie are clean but not all.
00:30:00
And he spoke of Judas, who, although he had heard all the Lord had said, like the rest, he never had a living link with the Lord. And this is very clear from the 6th chapter of John, where long before Judas showed his true character, the Lord knew and said, Have not I chosen you? 12 And one of you is a devil? So Judas, although he was identified with the Lord in this way.
Was never a real believer. I suppose some find difficulty with the expression in verse two in me, every branch in me. But what you say is that this is an outward thing, not a living thing. It's association with the Lord in a way, but not in a living way.
And it's entering into the privileges in me really signifies that entering into the privileges of association with him.
But not being united to him in a living way. It's the same thought as in the 11Th of Romans, where we have a little different.
Theme there in connection with the olive branch, it speaks of them being the olive tree that is the place of privilege occupied in the earth and because of unbelief they're broken off and another is graphed in it isn't a believer. It's talking about the fig tree brings before us Israel nationally.
The vine, I believe, brings us before the Israel before us.
Perhaps we could say ecclesiastically and the olive tree rather the place of privilege that they occupied in the earth. And so when it speaks of the fig tree, it's no thought of particularly having divine life, but a nation chosen and blessed of God that only that didn't bear fruit. And then to all the privileges they had spiritually they had, the ordinances of God they had.
As we have in Romans 3. What advantage then half the Jew, and what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way, chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God, so ecclesiastically they were greatly privileged.
And they partook of all these privileges, but many of them were not saved. And as a nation they've been broken off. And now the Gentile occupies the place of privilege that they once occupied. And then again I say when it speaks about the olive tree in the 11Th of Romans, it speaks of the the people who are brought into all these.
Pardon me, here in this chapter I should say the vine.
We have that which ought to have produced fruit for God, but with all the privileges there was none. And the olive tree, again, it brings before us the fact that there are people on earth that are specially privileged, and that is the the Jews had this place. Now the Gentile occupies that place. But we need to remember that in these figures, as our brother said, it's not talking about a living link.
But rather a place of privilege. If there is a living link, there will be fruit.
That would be a good time to ask a question on Isaiah 18. I I think it would be helpful for the young people to hear this a good answer to these verses in Isaiah 18 because it speaks of the sour grape ripening in the flour inverse.
Five, I don't want to get off the subject, but it seems to be on the subject because we're talking about Israel.
In John 15 and those who were with the Lord and the true Vine. And here no doubt a future day, perhaps very close.
Just I'll just read verses 5 and six. I'd like to hear other brethren comment on them. For a for the harvest, when the blood is but is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flour, he shall both cut off the springs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together under the fowls of the mountains.
Under the beasts of the earth, and the fowl shall summer upon them.
And all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. I want to ask. It's been said that in our chapter it's a link with Christ, but there has to be a living link.
00:35:14
There's the link of profession, and then there's a living link. Now how would you, brethren, explain these verses 5 and six here?
Well, it seems to me that even now.
Israel is in the land.
And I believe they recognize that they have been a special people of God and no doubt are proud about it, that they are special people of God.
But.
They're establishing themselves there, or have established themselves in a way.
But oh, there's so much going on there now, and I believe that's what we have in verse 6.
They beasts, the fowls of the mountains, and are wintering or feasting upon them, The beasts of the earth and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. And further up it speaks about.
Cutting off the springs and the branches, well, they're not going to be left alone in this condition.
Because they've gone back in unbelief, no doubt recognizing in some measure at least their privileges as being a special people of God, having been God, special earthly people. They recognize these privileges, perhaps in a way, and they are privileged people, although they crucified the Lord and they've been rejected as God's people, as a nation.
Up until the present time since that day.
The day will come when they'll be recognized as God's earthly people again, but they're going to have to go through a time of self judgment, and the tribulation will be needed, the time of Jacob's trouble, and they be brought, as it were, to their knees to repentance. And then it will come to pass what we have in the seventh verse, a presence to be brought to the Lord that is a remnant of them.
Will really be in living touch with the Lord.
But those that are speaking about generally here, although they have the privileges, they recognize that they're God's earthly people. That is some time ago, but still they think they are. Well, they're in these privileges. They have a special place and we'll have a special place in the coming day, but they can't enter into it and they're only bringing forth.
A sour grapes.
There's nothing for God in it, no fruit for God. Well, God is being left out on. It's easy to see if you read any of the news at all, you find that God is being left out. They're arming themselves. They're buying arms and making arms and and getting off a great army and they can do great things. We saw that how they defeated Egypt.
They're able for these things, but it's all in the flesh, it's all in their own strength.
And the Lord is allowing them to have all kinds of troubles now, but it will be worse when the great tribulation comes. And there won't be anything for God there until they're humbled. And then those who are really in touch with God, who are livingly in touch with God, they are the ones that will bring fruit for God. And it will of course be the remnant that the Lord keeps for himself and restores.
And they become the nucleus of God's earthly Kingdom, and it's the nucleus of God's earthly people, Israel. But there won't be any real fruit until it's manifested that there are those that are in real touch with God, but the others, they're not in touch with God. And I believe that's that fits into our chapter here, that there are those who are being taken away.
When they don't bear fruit.
Well, all of these that have gotten back to the land that are not really the Lord's, what's going to happen? They're not bringing forth fruit for God, and they're all going to be taken away. There won't be anything left of them. When the Lord comes in glory, all of those unbelieving Jews will be destroyed, but a little remnant will be preserved that will bring.
00:40:01
Forth fruit for God. I believe there's a a word for the conscience here.
In the second verse, and you may not take it as an interpretation of the verse, but an application to our hearts today, and that is it is possible.
For one to be a believer.
And so put himself into the world in such a way that he may be taken out. And that's a solemn thing.
I'll read this verse in another translation.
In the second verse of our chapter.
It says.
As to every branch in me not bearing fruit.
He takes it away, and as to every branch, everyone bearing fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
No, I realize that we have Judas in the sixth verse. And what a solemn thing it was for Judas to spend 3 1/2 years with the Lord Jesus.
And still, there wasn't the slightest answer to all that grace.
But I do believe that there's a word for the conscience here of the believer in the second verse.
We're living in a day when the world makes a great appeal.
To even to the Christian and he may lose his his spiritual life, shall we say down here he may, he may turn to the world and the Lord may have to take him out.
Of this world you get that that in other scriptures that know you're going into but the principle I believe is there, although what has been said is true that Judas was one who.
It says a man, a man.
And so any man, he was one who had all the privileges, but he didn't respond to them.
An apostate Jew, we would say, one who gave up what he professed and so he goes to the fire. Just a little common connection with what our brother was asking about the 18 of Isaiah. I believe it's important to see that although the vine pictures to us, Israel ecclesiastically.
There was actually no life through the keeping of the ordinances in the Old Testament or.
Going on with the awkward things of the law, there had to be salvation. But it's a little different in Christianity. The Lord introduces himself, I am the true vine, and so there can be profession of those who profess to be an association with the true vine. For a man to say I'm a good Jew, well, the very best of Israel didn't.
Bring forth any fruit for God.
The only ones in Israel that ever produced any fruit for God were those who really had divine life in their souls. And so to profess the privileges of Judaism did not give divine life, but to profess to have received Christ as your Savior is to profess to have divine life and so.
In the 18th chapter of Isaiah, their vine is looked at as bearing some kind of fruit, but it was unacceptable fruit. But when it's in association with Christ, it's no fruit at all.
Because there's no such thing as being associated with Christ and bearing bad fruit. There could be no real association with him, only the profession. And then of course, there's no acceptable fruit for God, no fruit at all. And so that I believe there's a little difference in the vine when it figures Israel and the vine when it figures Christ.
I don't know whether I've made that thought clear, but I believe there is a distinction.
And so in John 15, the Lord Jesus is the true vine. It's impossible to be livingly associated with Him and not to bear fruit. But it would be quite possible to be known as a good Jew, like Saul of Tarsus, going on with all so that he could say concerning the righteousness which is in the law blameless. And what was he bringing forth?
00:45:12
Shall I say wild grapes? He was persecuting the Church, and that was the very zenith of his.
Going on with what he thought was for God outwardly, but without life.
I think it's interesting to think of the first two that we know of who died after the Lord Jesus. I refer to those two malefactors.
And the one of them had turned to the Lord, and said, Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, evidently looked up there, and seen that title over the cross.
And the had his hands nailed down. He had his feet nailed down, but his tongue was loose. He had just a few minutes to bear fruit. And all the fruit that has resulted from that man's confession publicly there, that gospel has been preached so many, many times with so much blessing. Well, I that has been an encouragement.
To bear fruit for the Lord while every believer does bear fruit for God, doesn't he?
I think that's an encouraging thought, brother. I was thinking as we're considering this, that first verse tells us that it's all of God. The vine is Christ our Lord himself, and the husbandman is God our Father. So it's all of him. And that second verse brings out that he's working to have fruit. God is working to have fruit, so is the Lord.
Through the Holy Spirit in US and each one of us that are real.
And we know that ourselves, whether we're real, God has given us His Holy Spirit. How wonderful it is if we're one of the branches that have a living connection with that vine. There is fruit, and it's an encouragement to realize that there is fruit. It's nothing of us, but it's all of the grace of God. And there can be more fruit. I was thinking as it was brought out, that second verse is bringing forth that.
There's fruit and at the end of it it says after purging there's more fruit. But in the 5th and 8th verse it says there's much fruit. You know, God isn't satisfied with just more. He wants much fruit from us. And in the fifth verse there's much fruit because we abide in the vine in Christ. And that's the affections that have been mentioned, going out to Christ, having our hearts.
On him and our thoughts on him. But in the eighth verse, it's much fruit, but it's we are his disciples. You know, it says in the 8th chapter of John, if you continue my word, you shall be my disciples. So it's the word of God that's important and the more we're abiding in him with our affections on Christ.
And the Word of God has its place in our hearts.
There's much fruit. And then I was thinking on the 16th verse how wonderful it is lasting fruit. It's that the fruit should remain. And why is that? Because I have chosen you. It's all of Him. And you know there's fruit from each one who is real. It may be just a little, but when one confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, that's fruit to the glory of God, isn't it?
And it's a shame and a sad thing if some go with just that much, they go to be with the Lord with just that much fruit from their life. As our brother said, it could be to the point where one's even taken out of this scene, there'd be no fruit. But how wonderful it is we can have this encouragement that we can have more fruit for him. Indeed, much fruit and lasting fruit. Little time that's left.
And it all depends on how much.
Where our affections are set on Christ and we have the word of God dwelling in US.
How blessed it is to see on verse three that now the Lord Jesus turns to his disciple.
And he encouraged them by saying, No, ye are clean to the word which I have spoken unto you. He showed to them that there was reality and they need to be encouraged. How blessed there is, isn't it brother? No, ye are clean. Why? Because of the wake that he did in the life. And it's pleasure to notice that beloved people of God, this is an encouragement that is a way for the conscience. And the 1St and the second verse.
00:50:12
Then he turns to the rest of his disciples, and they say, Now ye are clean.
That I have spoken unto you as blessed, isn't it?
And also in connection with the purging.
It's important to notice that.
There is such a thing as pruning the vine.
It's been said that I'm not a grape grower, but it's been said that.
Grapes won't grow in the same place twice.
It makes us think of the time when when David was going out against, I think it was the Philistines.
And.
He prayed to the Lord.
And he won the battle. But then the next day he prayed again. David could have gone out and said, well, I won the battle.
Last time I'll I'll use the same methods next time. No, no, it's complete dependence. And that's what abiding is, is it not? And so he, he looks to the Lord, and the Lord gives him new instructions for the next day. I use that as an illustration.
But there must be the pruning of the vine. Now one who grows grapes, he looks at the vines and he says, my, that's a beautiful line of vine. I wouldn't want to touch it.
It's so beautiful, it's spread out all over the fence. And why prune it?
Well, you won't get grapes unless you do. I was at a house where I was enjoying some grapes and I I said to the brother, I said you must have pruned this vine. And his wife said he didn't prune it enough. He would have gotten better grapes, but she was born in the area where they raised grapes and she knew, I believe that there is such a thing as.
As realizing that.
There must be the pruning and it's needed in our lives and it's been said that.
The husband men.
Is.
Never, never nearer to the vine than when he's pruning it.
And so if the if there is the pruning necessary and it is necessary with all of us, let's remember who's doing it.
Because we're in his presence and he's near us.
Sometimes we get discouraged when we go through trials and testings, but we always want to remember that the Lord has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, and it's just at that time that He's the nearest to us and can be enjoyed in that way.
During that time of the pruning from the trial.
2nd Corinthians, chapter 4.
And verse 11.
I'll read verse 10 and verse 11 always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus at the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body, For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
So we know that if the vine is not pruned, there will be plenty of leaves but not much fruit.
And there may be a great deal of outward show things that might attract attention, but the we have to be delivered unto death. And the children of Israel won that victory at Jericho. They had to get back to Jericho to get back to Gilgal or they wouldn't be able to handle a situation that AI and it wasn't until they had got back there.
And there had been a real pruning took place.
At Gilgal that then they could go forward and the Lord granted a victory. So let us remember, if the Lord has ever used us in any way and there has been some fruit in our lives for Him, he's going to have to follow it with a pruning. Just as after the season for the grapes is over, so the pruning takes place then after there has been that fruit.
00:55:05
And so we must always get into the Lord's presence and acknowledge that without Him we can do nothing.
The snare that Gideon had was after he had won that great victory over the Gideon over the.
Enemies of Israel there, why we find the Midianites, then we find that he wanted to have a remembrance of his victory, and they took off the earrings and he made an effort and it became a snare. And if we get occupied with something that we have done for the Lord.
It's going to hinder fruit bearing. There may be a lot of leaves and a lot of shell and people coming up to Gideons house will say this is a remembrance of a great victory that he won. But it was such a snare that we don't read of another victory following. And so, brethren, and this is good for us all, I believe, if the Lord ever uses us in the smallest way, in any way for him.
And then let us get into his presence, and were delivered unto death, or we bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.
We recognize that it wasn't of ourselves, it was of himself.
And when we take that place, and on our own nothingness before Him, then He can use us again.
What you're saying reminds me of something I just learned rather recently. Agrees with what you say and it's this that in Pauls epistles.
We find him praying for the Saints.
In each of them.
Accept Corinth and a Galatia.
And that is very remarkable. We do believe that he prayed for them. But if you read those epistles.
You'll find that in the Ephesus and Philippi Colossi Thessal Thessalonica where things were going on quite well, he prays for them. You find Lords prayers in in Ephesians, but search Corinthians and Galatians, you don't find him praying for them.
Doubtless he did where they were going on poorly, that surely they needed prayer.
But it goes right to their problems in those epistles. But where the Saints are going on, well, he prays for them. This is a lesson to us. When things are going on well, we need to be praying for ourselves. We're have to get lifted up with pride and get this snare like Gideon. So let's don't forget, we do pray for those who are in trouble and we want to continue doing that. But.
Saints are getting on well. Let's pray for them and ourselves. If we're getting on well, happy in the Lord, Let's keep praying.
Brother here, would you not think of Gilgal in connection with your thoughts the need to return to Gilgal?
After each victory, Israel had to always return there.
And perhaps everyone is not aware of what Gilgal stood for. It was the place of circumcision, That is, when the children of Israel were going to go out against their enemies in the land.
The Lord said to Joshua, make these sharp knives. Well, that we might have thought, surely what they're going to do is make sharp knives for the people of the Lamb, because they're enemies of God. But God said to make sharp knives first for themselves. And so they made the sharp knives. What for first to apply to themselves, then after they had done that.
Then the Lord could lead them to go out against their enemies. But we need that. It's been brought before us. We certainly need to have that.
Knife lifted upon self, and not just once. That's why they did this. They went out, they had a great victory at Jericho. But then they said, oh, AI is just a little city. We can handle that little city. We've had a victory and seemingly a kind of easy victory at Jericho's early. We can handle that little city of 3000. But they couldn't.
And so we do need to get back.
And constantly be lifting a knife upon self, putting self in the place where God has put it. It says always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be a manifest in our bodies or in our mortal flesh. So that's what Gilgal represents, its self judgment.
01:00:23
Also, isn't it true that we've been talking a lot about fruit bearing, but that we do not need to have any record of the fruit bearing now in our lives? If we just try to do His will and seek to do His will, there will be fruit. And it's just the goodness of God that He doesn't reveal a lot of the things that.
Maybe work through us because we do.
Get happy with those results and proud ourselves. And that's a terrible thing. Then what our brother's been mentioning has to be brought in. But we can leave that all with him. And if it perhaps spread the way of encouragement. If we do hear of something that is fruit. And of course, fruit takes many facets, but supposing there is some result that could be considered fruit for the Lord through us, one of us.
Well, we should remember this verse at the end of five Without me, you can do nothing.
And we'll just have to praise God for it and glorify Him and realize that he just happened to use this vessel that's unworthy. It's hard to get in that frame of mind, but I thank God if there is any fruit from me hasn't let me know because I know how I am. I'd be occupied with it thinking about it. And that isn't what we're talking about, is it?
There will be fruit because God's the husbandman, and if we are, if we are in the vine, in reality, there's going to be fruit. And we can just let that remain until the day of revealing, till the day of manifestation, and it will all be to His glory then.
Is there not a difference between the work of the Father and the work of the Lord in this chapter? Lord Jesus and fruit is really for the Father, isn't it? And the Lord Jesus is the is the instrument that would bring fruit to the Father, like as we find in Hebrews chapter 12, the chastening of the Father.
But the Lord Jesus is the channel, isn't it? Isn't it?
In order to bring fruit to the Father, it wouldn't necessarily be in connection with service, but it would be glory brought to God the Father and the Lord Jesus is the channel through which that comes about.
Read in Corinthians is the answer to what you're saying. The life of Jesus might be manifest. I believe that's the important point there, that.
That life may be seen coming out in many ways, but still it's the life of Jesus manifest. It isn't the individual.
Taking taking a vine, supposing you say I'm going to I'm just going to nourish this vine. I'm going to pour lots of nutrient nuts on it and make it so it will bear lots of fruit. No one will only turn the leaves. If you do that, you get too much food and it it won't. I believe that's the trouble sometimes with us. We think that if we.
Store up a lot of knowledge of scripture that.
There will be something for God, but that isn't the point. The point is communion. Now let's take an example.
It says our brother.
Mentioned the Mary sitting at Jesus feet.
What was the result? Well, at the time of the death of Lazarus, it says many of the Jews that have been with Mary believed.
Was was Mary doing anything? Yes she was sitting at Jesus feet and saw the Jews that were with him believed and that was the fruit really wasn't it that.
It it showed in the life of Mary that she had been with Jesus and that's really fruit bearing down here, is it not?
Has been of so much help to me for a great many years when our brother Gordon's father was still among us. I remember 1 remark he made and it was directed to the young people especially, and I would like to have directed again to them this afternoon he said this.
01:05:22
Dear young believer, every right thought in your heart about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is fruit for the Father or fruit for God. Now that's very simple. What doesn't require you to do some great things so that you can conclude that you have bore some fruit for God. But if you're occupied with the Lord Jesus in your heart. If you think of a verse like in first Peter 2 until you which believe, therefore he is precious.
You enjoy that?
You think of that from time to time or every day to thoughts in your heart. Glorify the Lord Jesus for what He has done for you. This is fruit for God and every the youngest believer can bear that fruit for him.
That has helped one so greatly all these many years. The Lord is not requiring a great thing for you to do, but simply to enjoy His beloved Son, and He's glorified in that.
Some years ago my wife and I went to visit a man that was on his sick bed.
And he had a sort of a disease that had made all of his body rigid. He couldn't even turn his head.
But he could.
Move his eyes and he had things fixed in front of him to read, and he could move his eyes back and forth to read what was before him, but he couldn't move any part of his body.
Well, we had gone there to read to him and to sing for him.
But after everything was all over and he had spoken some, who do you suppose got the blessing out of that visit? My wife and I got the blessing just to see his joy in the Lord, even though he was lying there rigid and couldn't move.
The joy in his face was from heaven, and we went away from that.
Man really helped and cheered and encouraged to see what the Lord could do, what the Lord meant to him.
It doesn't take a lot of activity to produce fruit for God, I suppose, if we read.
That list in Galatians.
About fruit.
That we would really be struck with this one thing.
That there isn't a thing there that would take activity.
Galatians, chapter 5.
And verses 22 and 23.
But the fruit of the spear is love.
Joy.
Peace.
Long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
That's the fruit of the Spirit.
And it doesn't say the fruits of the Spirit, It calls it the fruit of the Spirit. It's all fruit.
And it can be borne by a person on the sickbed. Perhaps it can't do anything but just lie there and enjoy the Lord. And to be filled with his love, the Spirit of God producing love in him. Joy and peace and long-suffering, I ask. They need long-suffering.
Gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness.
Conference. They could produce it all.
It's been said that a fruit tree, in order to produce fruit, does not jump all over the orchard. It just stands there quietly producing fruit. And those branches they just keep in touch in, tied up with the root or the vine, and they're producing the fruit. But you notice the wind comes along and blows those branches around. That's good for them.
A little tribulation.
01:10:01
Produces something in the branch to make it attach firmer to the trunk, it's needed. And of course, the purging, the fumigating, the spraying and all is needed as well. Pruning, cutting the tree back, all of this is needed.
But there doesn't need to be a lot of activity to produce fruit.
Go it was mentioned about these nine points.
First love.
And then joy. I'd just like to read the little note that I had years ago. Joy is love exulting.
Peace is love and repose.
Long-suffering is love on trial.
Gentleness is love outflowing.
Goodness is love in action, faith is love confiding, meekness is love yielding, and temperance is love in training.
These things are brought together, are they not, in Malachi?
The third chapter of Malachi.
And verse 16.
Things were in a very low state at that time.
With the nation of Israel.
Perhaps we find ourselves in a low state.
But these verses are, or this verse really.
Ties these things together and gives us real encouragement.
Malachi chapter 3 verse 16 And they that feared the Lord.
Speak often, one to another.
And the Lord hearkened. The Lord hears our conversation, does he not? That we have one with another?
The communications between us and so they that feared the Lord.
They talked about him. They speak of him together and it says.
And a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name has been mentioned. Those thoughts that we have in our hearts.
Are taken note of, and God is an account of them.
How sweet this is for each of us, because we can indeed have those thoughts of the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we can share them one with another, not only during the meetings but on other occasions as well. And that's really fruit for God.
The real fruit that he takes account of abiding.
In Him and His abiding in us. There's both sides, isn't it? We need to abide in Him, but He delights to abide in US and to fill our hearts with that joy and peace that's been spoken about.
Well, fruit would be doing his will too, wouldn't it? And so if it's his will, that one would be on a sick bed like this man, why that was? He could bear fruit for God there, but if the Lord has sent someone to serve him, by then he's bearing fruit and doing the will of God and going where the Lord would have him.
So Paul had to say in Colossians and say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry which thou has received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it. There was something that the Lord wanted archipelas to be doing, and he wasn't doing it. If he were to say, well, as long as I'm just sitting here thinking about the Lord, I am useful for him. Well, he was in a certain measure, no doubt. But if the Lord wanted him to do a service for him.
Not doing it, then he wasn't doing the will of God. And so it's very precious that if the Lord places us on a sick bed, or if he puts us in a place where there seems very little in the way of an open door, we think of the Lord Jesus.
01:15:01
When he went over into the parts of Dalmanusa and there was #1 willing to listen, it says, he sighed deeply in spirit and return.
We might say, well how could that be? If I went someplace and no one wanted to listen, I might think I had missed the Lords mind. But not so with this perfect servant. The Lord Jesus is the perfect servant and so when He went sent of His Father into the parts of Del Minutia, whether they received the message or not, the Lord felt it that they rejected it. But He had done his Father's will.
And so I just say this because.
But not any of us become discontent not to be doing anything. If the Lord has something for us to do, it's a privilege and it's a joy and it's bearing fruit to do that thing for him. But to be doing something that he hasn't told us to do, His leaves and not fruit. First Timothy.
Paul opens up to Timothy with the words According to the commandment of God.
Well, that was at a time when when both Paul was free to do the commandment of God. But it's interesting in line with what you say that the 2nd epistle of Timothy, where Paul was confined now to prison, it says according to the will of God.
Peter tells us about the holy priests.
In the sanctuary, offering up spiritual gifts.
And that's what we are. We're holy priests to be in the presence of the Lord, to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices, to be in his presence. But after that he speaks of us as royal priests, showing forth the excellencies of the Lord.
So we're ready to go out. It seems that he brings before us two things, being in the presence of the Lord and then going out in in service. Well, I believe if there's real fruit for God in our lives, it will issue in that kind of thing serving the Lord in some way and our brother was speaking about.
People not receiving the word well, the young brothers in Tampa.
They are tempting to go out on the street corner now on a Saturday night with the gospel. Well, I it, it really struck me when they told me, well, they seem to be encouraged that they found some opposition when they were preaching the gospel.
And when one was preaching why, somebody opened a window across the street and and turned up the stereo that they had. So it was blaring forth that you could hardly hear anything. Well, that was just a manifestation of opposition. And then somebody came out of a an apartment building. They stood out across the street and they were speaking.
Adverse remarks? Well, these young brothers thought, well, that's an indication that the Lord is working.
And they were encouraged by it.
With the link between abiding in the vine and going out in service, be in.
Verse 16.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that he should go and bring forth fruit.
And that your fruit should remain.
Would that link the two?
Very necessary too, isn't it? It's only as abiding in Christ that there can be doing his will. Otherwise it'll be our own will, and our own will might delight in a great deal of activity. When Saul of Tarsus was saved, he said, Lord, what will thou have me to do?
And I believe it was Mr. Darby that made the remark, he said. It isn't a need that puts us to work, it's the call of God.
And that's very important too. There are needs everywhere. The important thing is to be where the Lord wants us to be and doing the thing that He wants us to do. And sometimes it might be just to sit still, like our brother was talking about Mary. It was God's will at that time that Mary should be sitting at Jesus feet. But there were times, no doubt, when Mary was speaking for the Lord.
01:20:07
And I'm sure that the result would be that what came forth from her lips was the result of communion with the Lord. And if we are really in his presence, then it says he that believeth on me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly. That is something we've taken in, we've enjoyed. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And I'm sure we have all felt at times when we have heard someone.
Speak and that it was something that He was really enjoying in his own soul, and it flowed out in blessing to others. So we must first, brethren, be in His presence, get into the enjoyment of His love abiding in Him. Then that's a sort of an overflow that reaches out to others.
John 15:7-8
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
John's Gospel, chapter 15.
Verse 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, he shall ask what you will and shall be done unto you.
Aaron is my father glorified that you bear much fruit socially, Be my disciples.
As a father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater loveth no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servant, for the servant knoweth not what is the Lord doeth. But I've called you friends, for all things that I've heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
He have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that He should go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you.
These things that command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
Therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord.
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not Him that has sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sinned. But now they have no cloak for their sin.
He that hateth me, hateth my father also. If I had not done among them their works was none other man did. They had not had sinned. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father.
But this comes to pass, that the word might be fulfilled, that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause. And when the Comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father.
Even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth my Father, He shall testify of me, and ye also shall bear witness, because He have been with me from the beginning. The Bible is the history then, of two men, isn't it? It's the man, Adam, the man of responsibility, and consequently failure.
And the the 2nd man, the Lord from heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And everybody in the room, everybody in the States, everybody in the world is either in one or the other or either in atom. And we're still in our sins and on the way to a dark eternity, which we heard about last night. Hell forever and ever where we're in Christ before God.
Full acceptance, partakers of a divine nature indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
And that's the portion of every child of God in Christ before God the Father. But our verse seven says, if he abide in me, every believer is in Christ positionally. But this is a conditional thing, isn't it? If he abide in me, it's a it's talking about communion. It's talking about to self judgment that needs to be exercised in the life and it goes on.
Abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. It's connected with a prayer life. And so there needs to be a walk in communion. There needs to be intelligence with the word of God. And then we shall ask, and not amiss, but we shall ask because it's according to the Word of God as we walk in His presence.
00:05:05
And said that prayer.
Is the realization.
Of all that God has provided for us beside many other things.
An illustration of this is what we get in Genesis.
When Abraham.
Said to God.
What will you give me?
Saying that the steward of my house is mine heir.
He had no child, and yet he'd been made the depository of all the promises himself.
But he had no error.
So God let him out into the open, and we could see the full heavens.
And he says, Abraham, can you number them stars?
Now there we have a picture of God's answer to 1.
Who is praying He gives him the full? We might say realization at that moment, or shall I say the realization of the fullness of what God had for Abraham.
Because God had for Abraham that which would include both the earthly and heavenly blessings.
And then in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed.
So let's remember that in connection with this verse, if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Now it's true that there are those things we might ask that are not the will of God because of our ignorance.
But He's going to supply something else just as good for us, you can be sure. And the point here is that if we do abide in Him.
We'll be more in his mind so that we'll ask those things which are according to his mind.
So that we might realize more and more of the full provision that He's made for those who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus. Because really, brethren, we're not going to get any more than what we have. We have everything in Christ that we'll ever get.
Another thing in connection with prayer.
When we pray, it often indicates our state of soul.
If our prayers are connected simply with Earth and the responsibilities we have.
And the everyday life down here, we haven't gotten very far in the realization of what God has for us.
But if our prayers reach out and take in those things which are really our portion, that we would desire to enter in more and more into what He has for us in heavenly things, it'll indicate what our thoughts are in our state of soul day by day.
Because really, brethren, we're a heavenly people. And although this chapter we're considering.
Has to do with the with the fruit bearing down here still that fruit as a result of our being occupied with heavenly things. Now how can we be occupied with heavenly things? Just have that one pure object before our soul, the Lord Jesus Christ, and then we'll be occupied with heavenly things because.
He feels all things.
And in that vast eternity ahead of us, we're going to find out there will be just one theme, and that'll be the Lord Jesus and his finished work.
I'd like to suggest that brethren in connection with this verse, something that had just occurred to me that is very precious. The Lord Jesus, that precious Savior, beloved bread and tells us and this word and this verse that we have just read it that he gives us promise if we abide in him and as a glory gives us a check, a blank cheque and he puts his name on and say no, you put the price, the amount that you wanted, not necessarily of a temporal blessing.
Truth bearing, blessing our life so that be my flowing blessing to others. When we do that again, I say not necessarily temporal blessing, but blessing in our life, in our soul. So to me by being able to be of a blessing to others.
00:10:08
What an amazing contrast there is between verse six and verse 7.
Verse six starts with if a man.
And verse seven says if ye.
And then verse six goes on to the person, a man that does not have that reality, does not have that life, and it is.
He is cast forth as a branch and is withered, and men gathered them men again, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. But what a sweet contrast there is with the seven. It just lifts our hearts right up. If He abide in me and my words abide in you.
He shall ask what he will, and it shall be done unto you. What a blessed contrast between being.
A man.
And he?
We turn to the Epistle of John. We see something more in connection with prayer, First Epistle of John and the third chapter.
As the 20th verse.
Or if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
It's a very blessed thing for us to realize that God answers prayer according to the perfect wisdom.
Love of His own heart and He knows just what is best for us. But confidence in prayer is the result of obedience and communion, and that is what is brought before us in our chapter. And the two conditions are set before us here in first John chapter 3 have sometimes said, supposing I have two boys and one seeks my company.
Wants to please me.
The other one is willful and disobedient. They both come to make a request. I'm glad they come. I'm glad that they feel their need of their father, even the one who's willful and disobedient. But he's not going to have very much confidence when he makes his request because he isn't close enough to me.
Yet as I think of him and think of his needs, perhaps even though he didn't have that confidence.
Why? I grant it, because I see the answer would be for His good. We have them gathered together in the 12Th chapter of Acts and praying, and apparently there wasn't a great deal of confidence in that meeting because they were surprised when Peter stood before the gate.
But God answered that prayer because it was according to His will. He was greater than their hearts. He knew all things. He knew that Peter would be a blessing to remain with the people of God. And so he answered, and I say this to encourage everyone here in prayer, and that even the law there may not be, and often is not that confidence in God that He is greater than our hearts and He comes in according to His own.
And love. And that's why in Romans 8 we have a similar thought brought before us in connection with prayer. We know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit makes intercession for the Saints. It says, with groanings which cannot be uttered, enters into all that we're passing through. And then the next verse says he that searcheth the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because.
He maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. How blessed that is. Would we really want an answer, brethren, that was not according to His will? Would we really say that because we have asked it, we would desire to have it even though it was contrary? Surely not. We are very thankful for one who intercedes so that the answer would be according to God's will.
00:15:02
According to ours, we find that with Saul of Tarsus, he thought that if that thorn in the flesh was removed, he could serve the Lord better. But God was greater than his heart, and he knew that that was a necessary thing in the life of Paul to keep him humble. And so let us count always on the wisdom and love of God. But then on the other side. And that's what we have in our chapter.
And confidence in prayer is the result of these two things mentioned here.
That we are abiding in Him, that's communion, and that we ask according to His Word. We should never ask for anything that's not according to His Word, because we're really asking God to go contrary to that which He has revealed as His mind and His Word. And we should be well acquainted with His Word in connection with our requests. But I say again, confidence is the result of these two things.
And many, many of us often feel that we're not close enough to the Lord to have that confidence.
But we can always have this confidence that He's greater than our hearts and knows all things. We can also have the confidence of Romans 8 and 28 that says, but we do know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them that are the call according to His purpose. So how precious it is to know.
Because the many dearer Saints of God are confused. Because.
They are sort of building up on the amount of their faith instead of being exercised as to what is the will of God. Faith is the gift of God, brethren, and I was greatly helped by a remark that was made by Mr. Darby, he said.
Faith prayer is based on the privilege of having common interest with God. Is that a marvelous thing that God should bring our souls so into communion with Himself?
That we ask for those things which our fathers knows is good, are good for us. Perhaps to illustrate so we understand Supposing you're going to give a gift to someone and one day that person says.
You know what I would really like mentions the very thing that you have been planning to give to them. Isn't there a mutual joy in this that you had planned to give it? Now they come and make the request and say, oh, that's what I really want. Oh, President, isn't it a marvelous thing that God should bring our souls into communion with Himself so that we ask for those things that are pleasing in his sight?
But I just wish to add that even though we feel often that we're not as close as we should.
He doesn't tell us not to ask, He encourages us to pour out our hearts before Him. And sometimes, even if the answer is no, why, He still would have us come before him. All thou that hearest prayer to thee shall all flesh come.
Of course, we should get away from the figure that's used in this chapter.
Of the vine and the branches. We need to remind ourselves of that again.
Now it's true that when you look at a vine with the branches.
The branches are attached to the vine.
But something can happen to the branch so that it's not drawing nourishment from the vine. We spoke of that yesterday. I believe that a branch or branches can become diseased or something is troubling it, a fungus growth or maybe insects are troubling that branch.
In such a way that the branch is hindered.
And drawing nourishment from the vine, there's a it's a marvelous process that goes on in a vine, how that nourishment ever gets up from the soil way into the branches and into the grapes that are formed. It's a marvelous thing of God's creation, but things can hinder those branches from getting the proper nourishment.
And even though we are the Lords.
And we are attached to him. Vitally, we are Speaking of that which is vital now.
00:20:02
We are attached vitally to Him, yet there can be hindrances in our lives to drawing from the Lord that which we need. And really in, in the matter of communion, that is what it is, communion with the Lord, drawing upon Him, being in touch and in contact with Him and getting from Him what we need. And I believe that's what we have in the matter of abiding in Him and His Word abiding.
Us, there must not be hindrances. Those hindrances that come in must be judged and cleansed away.
We want to be clean branches, we want to be in such a condition that we can draw nourishment from the Lord whatever we need in the way of wisdom and guidance and understanding, because.
We go back to verse 5 which says without me he can do nothing.
We didn't dwell too much upon that. And yet what we were saying always pointed to that, that without the Lord Jesus we can do nothing. We need to learn that and learn it well. And I don't suppose we'll learn it completely while we're hearing this scene. And the older we get, the more we realize, realize how much, how little we have learned and how much there is still to learn of this thing of being in living contact with the Lord.
Christ and sweet fellowship and communion with him. And these things come in and they they trouble us. I think of a verse in first Peter.
First, Peter.
Chapter 2.
Verse 11.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.
Abstained from fleshly lusts. Now watch this, which war against the soul.
These things rob us, these fleshly lusts, if allowed, war against the soul.
Drag us down, keep us from drawing from the Lord Jesus Christ what we need.
And he knows what we need. And there's a wonderful supply in the Lord Jesus Christ. But we hinder ourselves sometimes. It's been said we are our own worst enemies. We stand in our own way of getting the things, enjoying the things that the Lord wants us to have and enjoy. And we need grace from the Lord. We can ask the Lord for grace to help us in that time of.
Too, that we might be able to judge these things and properly bring them before Him and confess them. That we might be finished with them and draw upon Him for grace and strength to help us to be overcomers.
Rather interesting that when the mind begins to blossom out in the spring, that.
Even as the leaves are starting to form on the vine, you will see the tiny bunches of grapes start to form at the same time.
Immediately they began to form. Now this verse that we're considering.
Here it is, my father glorified, that she bear much fruit.
That's God's intention, is it not? And those little bunches begin to form on the vine. But as our brother has said, there are various things that hinder the complete formation of those grapes.
And then we have that verse in the Song of Solomon. Take us the little foxes.
And so we have on the vines a tend roller, very delicate little thing that holds the vine up from the ground, and the foxes will come and break those delicate attachments, and so that the fruit falls to the ground and may not mature, it may rot, it may be spoiled in many ways, our brother suggested.
So we have the the purpose of God is that there might be much fruit.
And that's in view of the Father being glorified.
Because it's the one who planted the vineyard, after all, who wants the fruit.
Now if you turn again to 1St to 2nd Thessalonians, the 1St chapter, we get a thought on it.
00:25:10
2nd Thessalonians, the 1St chapter.
We have in this chapter.
Persecutions.
2nd Thessalonians, chapter one.
And we have the apostle writing to the Saints because.
Really special reason because they've been deceived by some as to the day of God, the day of the Lord. And so he's writing to help them and to comfort their hearts. But the point I want to make here is that.
In the 11Th verse.
It says, Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye and him, according to the grace of our Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now that's what we have in our verse. The ultimate object of it is that God himself might be glorified.
I'll think for a moment.
Of this.
We who are poor worms of the dust, we have been brought in through the marvelous grace of God, and then God speaks of his being glorified in this way through his people. It's a marvelous thing, and it should be a real exercise with us as Christians as to to realize really why we're here.
Why were placed here in this world, and why we have been given such high and lofty privileges as we have, so that this fruit bearing is just a natural thing for the new nature. And so I believe the exercise for us here is that we not allow anything to hinder.
The fruit bearing it's Father, the Father's desire that there might be much fruit and there will be much fruit.
Unless there's a hindrance to it Now, if we abide in Him, we have the word here. Continue. I'm glad it's inserted, although it means really the same thing, but it gives us a little more of the same thought if we continue. That is, if we are constant in our souls.
If we go on day by day constantly.
There's a lot of difference, you know, between one who makes a visit and one who continues or abides.
You'll recall the great woman in the 4th chapter, Second Kings, as the Prophet passed by.
She was He was invited into the house.
She observed the fact that he was going by.
But then, it says later, as often as he passed by, he turned in thither.
Then if we find that she made a room for him.
I believe that's what we have here. The Spirit of God is exercising us. Let it not be simply an occasional visit with the Lord, but that we we make it clear to Him that we want.
To have His presence and then to make provision that it be a constant thing with us because that's the way there will be much fruit. It isn't that we give out 1000 tracks a month or anything like that. That may be all right in this place, but that's not necessarily fruit bearing because it might be given out in a bad state of soul.
No, it's that which comes from the heart that's really fruitberry. It's that which is produced by the Spirit of God.
In one who is going on in communion, abiding, continuing in him.
I wonder, dear ones, if I might speak a word to our conscience. That is, we were speaking about prayer, and in Acts we learned that they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. And we as a group of believers, we maintain and we profess to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst of two or three gathered to his name.
00:30:14
And.
I haven't visited in all the assemblies, but periodically I have visited in different assemblies. If I show up at, shall we say, a breaking of bread, I see the representation of the assembly pretty much there. If I go on a reading meeting, I see most of the Saints there.
If I go on a prayer meeting.
Well, who do you find there?
Is this characteristic of your assembly?
There there may be reasons, there may be physical reasons, there may be the fact of working conditions.
But are there other factors involved too? We say that we believe that the Lord is in the midst. We say we believe that in collective prayer and the meat as an assembly, and to call out to God for the blessing upon His people and the needs that are around.
Do we what Why then are we so lax and so few in the collective prayer meeting President I I say this, we all are consciences should be exercised. Are we those Sunday going to meet and Christians or are we those that really believe that the Lord is in the midst and that we have a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God.
My brother London just read in 2nd Thessalonians 1.
And verses 11 and 12, what we were referring to yesterday in connection with Paul in praying for the assemblies when they were going on. Well, a very remarkable assembly at Thessalonica. And here he is praying for them while they are going on. Well, this is indeed.
A lesson for us, surely we need prayers when we are not going on well.
And.
Adversity and troubles and afflictions and assemblies in a poor state. We feel the need of crying to God about these things. But when we're going on well, we still need that prayer. And then he referred to, and let's look at it in the Song of Solomon the 2nd.
Chapter.
The 15th verse, but let's read verses 14 and 15 and Song of Solomon two, because it brings in communion, this sweet and happy communion that we have.
With God, with the Father, with his Son Jesus Christ, based upon redemption.
And all that He has given to us, I believe this we have in verse 14.
Son of Solomon 214 Oh my God, that art in the clefts of the rock, and in the secret places of the stairs. Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice.
For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is calmly. And then the verse he was quoting. Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines.
Have tender grapes. Well, it seems to me the picture here is very beautiful in this, that here is this one who is in the cleft of the rock, or it's plural.
No, it's singular, Oh my dove that are in the cliffs of the rock. It's it's us who are really sheltered in his precious side, that side that was opened up for us.
And there we have found refuge in Christ. That's where we are. But then it says in the secret places of the stairs. I've just wondered this, that perhaps it brings us communion, the picture of the stairway way of going up and down. And that's what we have in communion with the Lord who is there.
00:35:00
On high at the Father's right hand.
And we rise up to Him in prayer, and he, we might say dissents to us in his word. So we have the words before us and and the verses we're considering in John 15.
These secrets of communion, prayer and the reading of the word come before us here. And then what has been referred to, as we might say, the prayer meeting, he says to us.
Let me see thy countenance. Are we present at the prayer meeting, or even do we come into the chamber, the secret closet, and in communion with Him? And He wants to see our countenance. He wants our presence there and then He wants to hear our voice. He wants us to hear. He wants to hear our voice.
Lifted up in prayer to Him. And I believe in worship too.
Or he says, Sweet is thy voice not a question of how well you can sing here it's the Father hearing the child, or if in worship.
It's him hearing us speak well of his beloved Son, and thy countenance is comely. He wants us there. And then comes the warning. Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vine.
Tender grapes here it brings before us that necessity of which we have been speaking, keeping short accounts with him. Fox is a very clever animal, and the little foxes are play things like puppies. And to imagine them in a vineyard where our brother was picturing the grapes coming out in the spring.
Very tender. We need to keep these short accounts continually with with God.
And keeping that state of communion and be found going on well and still in prayer.
Perhaps we might just refer to First Chronicles chapter four. I've been thinking of a practical suggestion.
Sometimes we we may wonder as to what we should pray for. Of course we know that there are things in the in a practical way that we encounter in our circumstances which we feel the need of prayer. But it seems to me that in the prayer in John 15 is more in connection with with fruit bearing.
And being for the Lord.
That which is pleasing to him.
Rather than prayer for particular things as to our circumstances, and I thought the prayer of Jabez Jabez in First Chronicles 4/9.
Verse 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast. This is something that the youngest believer can pray that he that he might be enlarged.
In the things of God enlarged in his appreciation of the love of the Father and of the Son, and of the enjoyment of the things into which he's been brought, and.
Even though we may not always know how our prayer should be, it seems to me this would be an exercise in connection with our chapter at our coast, as it were, would be enlarged that thy hand would might be with me.
And then he says, And that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me well. And we've been hearing about the things that hinder the fruit bearing. And these are two things that we can always pray about, that is that we would be enlarged.
That we would enter more and more into what we have in Christ, and what God is brought to us in him, and then that we might be kept from evil, that would hinder our enlargement, that would hinder our appreciation, and dull our apprehension in regard to spiritual things.
And so I, I would suggest to to young believers that this might be an exercise in prayer when you you think of prayer.
00:40:03
And you pray about practical things in your lives, and that's good. But there it would be good if we had an exercise as this man Javis, to pray for enlargement, and not just intellectual enlargement, but an enlargement in our souls and in our appreciation, and a value of the Lord himself and all that we have in him, and then to be kept.
From the evil and we read here that God granted him.
That which he requested, well, this is something we can we can be sure that God will always answer. He wants to hear this sort of prayer from his people.
I was thinking in the in the 13th chapter we have the Lord Jesus.
Taking a place on high and washing our feet.
That we might have fellowship with Him where He is as the man in the glory, to remove all the defilements of the way. That we might have part with Him as the glorified man in heaven. And in the 14th chapter the Holy Spirit is given, that we might be brought into the enjoyment of our portion in Him. And at the end of the chapter.
14 The Lord Jesus says peace.
I leave with you my peace I give unto you.
And then we have fruit bearing in the 15th chapter. And what is fruit bearing as we've been having it before us? It's the reproduction of the life of Christ in our lives. It's Christ being formed in US and being reproduced in US. I was thinking how that in Romans 7 it says that we might be married to another, even to him that is raised from the dead.
That we might bring forth fruit for God.
If you have the thought, young people, that you have to do something, that you have to put forth an effort to bring forth fruit, as Brother Lundin was saying, it's a natural process. It's something which is produced in the life as we're occupied with an object outside of ourselves, and that object is Christ.
There's only one object that delights the heart of the Father.
And that's his beloved son.
Think of how when he was down here, he always spoke the truth.
He was the living embodiment of the truth of God. When they asked him, Who art thou? He said altogether that which I say to thee, He was the truth, He spoke the truth. And yet He was the most accessible of all men in Luke 22, after the institution of the Supper, the Lord's Supper.
Right after that we read the disciples had a discussion amongst themselves which of them would be the greatest. And I've often asked myself, because myself, because Luke gives a moral order, is it possible that we can have the remembrance of the blessed Lord before us and that and yet still be seeking great things for ourselves? Yes, it is.
Our hearts are so treacherous and I think we would lose if we didn't bring this before us. And that is.
We talk about fruit bearing, it's Christ being produced in our life, Paul said to the Corinthians, I beseech you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, meekness which does not take offence and gentleness which does not give offence.
One of the saddest things, and it really makes my soul tremble as I realize how much knowledge we have, how much truth we have. And yet sometimes you'll go into an assembly and they're divided.
There's self seeking.
There's hardness.
Unyielding this there's the lack of those moral qualities.
Which are produced in the soul when he's occupied with Christ.
The Lord Jesus was the most accessible of all men, though He could speak the firmest, and yet they always came to Him. That was an attractiveness to His person. Is that true of you? Is that true of me when someones in need and I speak to my own conscience?
00:45:04
Do they feel free to come to us, or are we hard, austere, unyielding, unbending? This is not Christ, and God wants to form Christ in each one of us.
He's looking for fruit, and that's Christ in you and me. Well, Jerusalem means a dwelling in peace and as the end of 14 ends where the Lord leaves peace and then he gives peace.
Is are our assemblies a dwelling in peace?
Brother Smith used to present to us so often how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
And all when you find factions, divisions, stripes.
Paul says, and I end with this, in Philippians 2, just before the example of the one that humbled himself even to the death of the cross, the one who always went down, down, down, that's the life of Christ being nothing. Are we content to be nothing if there be any comfort of love, if any?
Consolation in Christ if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies fulfill you. My joy that you be like minded having the same love of 1 accord of one mind.
Let nothing be done through strife or Vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, each esteeming other better than themselves. This is Christ, and this is what he'll produce in us, that we might then enter into our true portion above, not seeking great things for ourselves, but seeking him and his interests. You know the greatest hindrance to blessing in the assembly.
Is I want to be something?
And all if we're just content to be nothing, just channels only. And then Christ's life will be seen again in you and me. And what refreshment and blessing there will be in our midst. I think it's quite significant.
That the Lord should choose John.
To be given this kind of ministry.
John was the one that leaned on the Lord's bosom.
Well, I believe that's symbolic of John abiding in Christ, close to him, near him.
He could get those things that the Lord wanted him to have. The Lord could give it to him because he was close to him.
And we find that John is the one to whom revelations concerning the future are given, is given. He is given these revelations.
The Lord appeared to him and gave him these visions that we have recorded in the Book of Revelation.
He chose one.
The one that had been close to him, leaning upon his bosom. Well, Daniel really is in a similar case.
He was spoken of as the beloved of God. He was one that was close to the Lord in his day, and to him God gave revelations concerning the future. Mary Magdalene was one that wanted to stay close to the Lord. Even though the Lord might be dead, she still wanted to be close to Him. She was looking for Him.
After two and was willing to just take him away.
Even though it was only his body, she wanted him.
She was close to him.
She was the one.
That got the first word concerning God being our Father.
Heavenly things were shown to her in a very simple way.
If we want to get in, as it were, on these blessed secrets of God.
What's the clue? What's the key? Staying close to him, close to him? And when I'm saying this?
It speaks to my own heart because it's just like the Lord talking to me.
00:50:00
He wants me close to himself.
Cleaving to him with purpose of heart.
This is what Paul and Barnabas went around doing.
Telling these disciples, these new disciples, to cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart.
We're not going to get very far unless we cleave to him.
I needed, I'm sure everyone of us here feels that more or less how we need this in a day like this to stay close to him. It's the only place of safety.
Oh, how wonderful it would be to step right into the presence of the Lord, from leaning on his bosom, as it were here, cleaving closely to him all the time, not being satisfied with anything but to be close to Him and step right into His presence.
And to see him face to face, just think of it, We're going to see his face. That lovely man, the man of Calvary who died for us, we're going to see him.
I believe that the Lord was concerned about this.
As the Spirit of God was giving John these words to write down.
Concerned about being close to Him? The Lord wants us close to Him. He loves us. He loved the church and gave himself for it, Paul says. The law, the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, all these are the things that speak to our hearts and thinking upon them keep us close to Himself.
All we certainly need to pray, as has been mentioned, that we might bear fruit, and it only comes this way in being in close touch and communion with Him all the time, because without Him we can do nothing. This is what God spoke to me about first.
In Africa.
And in exercising my heart about this, without me you can do nothing. Or he burned it into my soul.
And I haven't learned it all yet.
There are still many things to learn about this. Without me, you can do nothing.
Well, when we got to that point where we saw that we were nothing without the Lord, Jesus could do nothing without Him.
Then it was the Lord began to open up the Word to show us the truth concerned the church, the truth of gathering. The Lord Jesus Christ is the center of gathering. And maybe there's some here this after this morning.
That do not really know why they are where they are. You are breaking bread, but do you know why you are at the Lord's Table?
Do you know why you are there in the assembly? Do you know why you are part of the assembly in responsible position? Do you know it?
The Lord can short to you.
He showed it to me.
And he's still showing me things we don't get through with this learning, and he can show it to you too.
Are you wondering why you are where you are? Well, go to the Lord about it. Just go to Him about it and He'll open it up to you. He'll help you understand it and be in the good of it. I think the important thing that's been already emphasized is this first part of the eighth verse. Herein is my Father glorified? That ye bear much fruit. We know that God was perfectly glorified in His beloved Son.
In every step of his pathway, he was a fragrance to the heart of God his Father.
And now what is He seeking to produce in US, brethren? He is seeking to produce in us that which is like Christ, and He is glorified when He receives Christ in US. That's what it's brought before us in 2nd Corinthians 4, where it says, we which live are all we delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies.
Now, I think it's important that we should connect this also with prayer, because very often in our prayers we're thinking of something we can get that perhaps would make life more easy or more happy for ourselves. But isn't it important that in all our prayers that we should think of God's purpose, and that is that Christ might be glorified in us?
00:55:11
So with the Apostle Paul.
He was left with that thorn in the flesh. Did God not answer his prayer? Well, he did answer his prayer because God was more glorified by him continuing with that and being kept humbled by it than if it had been removed. So God was glorified and the life of Jesus was seen in the apostle.
And I say this to the encouragement of some who are here. We may speak of it in connection with the enjoyment of spiritual things, and this is a great privilege.
About supposing there's one who has some trial and you say I've prayed and prayed and prayed about it. Well, you know, God may be glorified in your sweet submission to that trial and that difficulty more than if he should remove it. And that is His great purpose. If you read carefully in Romans chapter 8, you can see this is brought out. But we do know that all things work together for good to them.
God to them that are the called according to his purpose. And then the next verse tells us what his purpose is, whom he did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son.
That he might be the first born among many brethren. What is God seeking to produce in US brethren?
He is seeking to produce Christ likeness in US, and in that he is glorified. He finds such infinite delight in His beloved Son that whenever he sees anything in us that is like his beloved Son and that glorifies him. And so I say this to encourage each one. There may be young people here, you've had a disappointment and a frustration in life, but you know God can be glorified in the way that you take that thing.
Far more than if it's removed, your friends will look on and say.
Why? I can see how that person certainly has something I don't have. I couldn't take a situation like that without being upset. But that person shows the meekness and gentleness and loveliness of Christ in that trial. And so God is glorified.
We might say why didn't he remove it, but the purpose of God is that he might be glorified in US. And so leaving it there so the life of Jesus is seen is more for his glory. That's why the verse closes with not so shall he be saved. It's talking about those who are already saved. But so shall he be my disciples.
Every disciple is not necessarily a believer.
Because Judas was a disciple, but he was not a believer. And every believer is not necessarily a disciple. There are many who trusted in Christ who didn't follow him. But he wants us to not only be believers but also to be followers. And so how blessed for us if we realize this, that what God is seeking, that he might be glorified in US. And I think we may be very surprised when we get home to.
To find out those in whom the Lord was most glorified, we may find some invalid, some person, maybe some young person who has had a lot of frustration and yet has shown the loveliness of Christ in their character will have perhaps a greater reward than someone who seemingly was out in front and doing a great deal. I have often said the more our service puts us in the public eye.
The more danger there is of doing it for self, but to carry on faithfully for the Lord unknown, unseen perhaps by others, is often a greater testimony to Christ than to be out doing something very active. Well, I think this ought to encourage us to go on in the pathway of faith until that day when all is made manifest. What is really.
Counting that day is doing His will, what abides, what is going to abide that which is for His glory. And so let's remember this, brethren, in our request. And if we do, we won't be so upset if we don't have the answer, yes.
But what God is giving is the answer that would glorify Him.
01:00:03
And that is what we desire, is it not? That's what He desires. And so this gives us that peace that our brother was talking about. How could the Lord walk in perfect peace? Didn't He have print plenty of difficulties and trials in His blessed pathway? Yes, but no matter what came, He said Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight. And just one more thing in the 20.
Psalm. He talks about these things, and he said, In the time of trouble shall he hide me in his pavilion? And then he goes on to say, And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine, enemies roundabout me. Therefore will Ioffer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy. When will our friends, and when will others know the reality of what we have in Christ?
When we're everything is coming our way.
No, they'll say, anybody could be happy if everything comes their way. When will our head be lifted up, so to speak? When will others say, oh, that person really has a something in Christ? It'll when they see us in trial, when they see us in in trial and the likeness of Christ seen in us, that's what will glorify God our Father.
Well, May God grant that in our requests we will have this secret thought before us always, and that is the glory of God and that would be manifested in our life. And that's why it goes on in what follows, to show that this can only be so as we're in the enjoyment of His love. If there's that confidence in His love, then we'll know that what He allows is for His glory and to.
In US and this love is a God of a certain character. Here that is it's it's love just like the peace that was mentioned a little while ago in the previous chapter.
Is the kind of peace that the Lord Jesus had in his pathway down here, surrounded by all the trials.
And so he speaks of this same love that he had as my father has loved me when back in eternity. Oh yes, of course. But what about in his pathway down here is a man. That's what we have here. I believe He wants the disciples, his people to know. He wants us to know this morning that there is a certain love.
And joy down here.
In the midst of trial and testimony.
For his name.
That can only be known down here in this world in that way.
Now there's perfect love in heaven. That'll be the very element that pervades everything in heaven. Peace too. But there is a certain character known down here in trial, and he speaks of the Father here.
The Father blood as my father hath loved me and we have, let's put it this way, let's each one say as our Father has loved us because it's the same love that he wants us to realize that wherewith he was loved by the Father as a man down here walking independence and obedience.
Passing through the trials of his life now, he says, this is your path.
I'm going to leave you. It won't be long before I'll be gone and I'm leaving certain things with you. That's what's meant by the expression. These things you get the three chapters, especially the 16th, where you have persecutions. These things, that's what he's Speaking of, is peace is love.
That kind of love that he enjoyed from the father.
That kind of peace he enjoyed from the Father. These are the things he's leaving with his people and in order for for us to enter into them, we, we must take the same path, and that's dependence and obedience.
So that one is walking in dependence, and obedience is actually abiding in Him. And unless, brethren, we allow our wills to go to work.
Unless we allow sin in that way, we will be abiding in Him because that's the path that He's placed us in. And if we allow our wills to go to work, we break that communion and we cannot enjoy the Father's love in that way in our circumstances. I don't say it isn't there.
01:05:19
But I say we can't enjoy it because of our own state of soul. The reverse in the 17th chapter that I'd like.
Thought on in the 10th 1St.
All mine are thine, thine are mine and I am glorified in them. What extent does that apply?
I am glorified in them. Well, there's always a measure in which God is glorified in. Every believer body is seeking to bring it about in fuller measure. And of course in that coming day of glory, as it was read to us in Second Thessalonians chapter one and the verses before say, when he shall come to be glorified in His Saints and to be admired.
In all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day. So God is glorified in everyone who is brought to know the Lord as Savior. It's a marvelous triumph of His grace that would pick anyone from the sea and the darkness and the judgment to come and put him among the number of the redeemed.
Even in the proclamation of the gospel in Second Corinthians chapter 2 it says.
We are under God, a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish, so that God is honored when the announcement of His love is made, even if sinners reject it. But how much more when a Sinner accepts it? But of course, what he is seeking to produce in US is more and more that which is for His glory. And the first man is totally set aside, And anything that we allow in our lives, that is of the 1St.
Is not for the glory of God, but that which we seek to.
Display in our lives of Christ likeness that is for His glory, because He was so infinitely glorified in His Son that when He sees that likeness in us.
It glorifies him. So the Lord Jesus always walked in the sense of His Father's love, as we have here.
If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love. The Lord at the prayer, at the grave of Lazarus could look up to his Father and say, I knew that thou hearest me always, but for the sake of those that stood by, I said it. And that is, there was always absolute and perfect communion with the Lord Jesus between him and his Father. That is the perfect pattern for us, and He desires that it should be.
In us a seeking to produce that in US in connection with the what was said about the Mys here. I've really enjoyed the thoughts in these few verses here. Maybe it's anticipating, but in the ninth verse we have my love, the 10th verse, my commandments in the 11Th verse, my joy. And in the 15th verse he calls us friends so he could say my friends.
That's in the.
That's in the 14 first rather my friends, then in the end of the 15th verse, my father in the 16th verse he speaks of them. My choice and then my name is wonderful. The identification into which we are brought in association with Christ and God would have us to be in the enjoyment of this.
Because that will be what happened is to be a whole, to have a whole family of redeemed ones around that throne who will be just like the one who's the center of it. Of course, he occupies a place alone in deity.
But as to moral and physical likeness, we'll be there, a whole family like him, while he's seeking to produce that. Now, brethren, in US morally, then in glory, perfectly morally and perfectly physically. But when we think of this little word, my, it really touches our hearts, does it not? Brother Graham, is the question.
Might.
It might help just to mention as to the 17th of John.
In connection with the subject of.
Being glorified.
01:10:01
I believe the Lord Jesus seen there as.
The one who is on high interceding for his people, it's like a little preview of the place he now takes on high. And so he speaks in the language of the epistles of John, where the assembly down here, the people of God, I'll say, represents him. And so I'm glorified in them, that is.
The Lord Jesus no longer here.
His people, like in 2nd Thessalonians 1, they're passing through tribulations and trials. We don't all pass through the same thing, but there are various things in which we are called upon to be a witness for Him in discipleship down here.
And so whatever it happens to be, and those Thessalonians Saints.
Enjoyment of first love, I believe.
They were in communion, and so the apostle speaks of them in that way.
That the Lord would be glorified in them.
It's because they're passing through the very thing that the Lord Jesus passed through in his trials down here as he goes through this world.
And they are seen now in his people.
And so I believe that's the thought in that.
17th of John.
Glorified.
That is this people are are in that same position where God gets glory.
Through them.
And I believe that's where the Saints of God are today in this world. He's placed us here.
We belong to heaven. He's placed us here that God Himself might receive glory through His people as we pass on in discipleship down here.
Do not have the answer to in first Peter chapter one and verse six, first Peter one, verse 6, wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season if need be. You are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith being much more precious.
And of gold that perisheth, though it be found, might, though it be tried to fire, might be found.
Praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, from having not seen you love, in whom though now you see Him not yet believing, he rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. What is read in Peter is is wonderful, and it takes us on to the very end.
But I believe the thought too in John is the present as well.
That He is glorified in His people down here as we walk in in discipleship, obedience and dependence with that one object before our souls. Is it not true?
John 15:9-
Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
John's Gospel.
Chapter 15 and verse 10 if you keep my commandments.
You shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love.
These things that were spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love is no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends if you do with whatsoever I command you, henceforth I call you, not servants.
For the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. But I've told you, friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go.
And bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever He shall ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things I command you that you love one another.
If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they have kept my saying they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no clue for their sin.
He that hateth me, hateth my father also.
If I had not done among them the works which none of the men did, they had not had sinned. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father.
For this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will ascend unto you from the Father, even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me, and He also shall bear witness, because He have been with me from the beginning. Acceptance of John is.
Of life, isn't it?
That the general character, but it's really also family life.
So we see how love that is so important.
You go back to the 13th chapter.
In the 34th verse of the 13th chapter.
A new commandment I give unto you, that she loved one another, as I have loved you that she also loved one another.
By this shall all men know that she are my disciples. If you have love one to another.
Now, as long as the Lord Jesus was in the world.
It could be seen that they were his disciples as they followed him.
But when he went away and that's what he's speaking to them about.
What would be the testimony when he went away?
And this should be a real exercise for our souls because.
We should manifest that character.
Now that he's away of that family relationship, bound together in love.
That's what holds it together.
Holds the family together, and in that 13th chapter we see that heavenly family in the presence of the Lord Jesus, and he's telling them he's about to go away.
Another thing in that 13th chapter we notice that in their midst there was a betrayer.
And also in the midst there were and there was one who was to deny him. In fact, they all had the spirit of it, because thus said they all.
And the only thing that.
00:05:02
Would bind the Saints together.
Is love, That is love for the Lord Jesus and one another.
And so it's very important this portion we've come to in this chapter.
It comes just before he speaks of friends, but it's it's manifested now and keeping his commandments.
How? How will the world know? How will anybody know that we love the Lord Jesus or one another?
It's by keeping his commandments.
And that's the, that's the evidence down here that we love him so that it's very important that we consider what his commandments are. Now you might say, well, are you Speaking of the 10 commandments? No, not Ten Commandments.
We're Speaking of the the entire Word of God.
Entire word of God there is such a thing as certain commandments.
That is, in a home, you might know what your father would expect of you.
In your conduct regularly, and that read is a commandment too, although it isn't written out.
But then there are certain things that he specifically may say to you he wants you to do.
That could be a commandment in a special way.
And I believe they're both found in the Epistle of John brought out there. But it's all in connection with love, is it not? And that love is the result of a of a new nature expressing itself down here and giving evidence to whom we belong.
Love is the very atmosphere of heaven, isn't that?
By the faith, hope, love. But the greatest of these is love that goes on is the very atmosphere of heaven. And so in John we get the family, but it's in that character as being heavenly, or heaven as it were brought down to us, the proof of love.
Is not faith but obedience.
It's obedience that's the proof of love. So we have here, if a man keep my command, machi shall apply in my love. It's going on in the character of the family in heaven, brought down to us in love.
The new nature in life that we have.
As born of God.
It's not a selfish nature or life.
Because it's a very life of the Son of God himself, and he was not selfish, He gave himself.
He loved the church and gave himself for.
This was his very nature, love.
And we have that life and nature too.
And so when it speaks of commandments here, as our brother said, it doesn't refer to the law, the 10 commandments, because the law was given for man in the flesh. But there are certain principles, all of the things that are mentioned in the Scripture that give us the mind of the Lord. That's what the new nature delights to do.
And if we are doing those things that please the Lord, that are according to his mind, not only that, we have love.
That love of God should have brought in our hearts, but we're abiding in that love is that new life.
That's going on in an unselfish way and loving in the same way that the Lord loves. Of course, we come short because we're down here and we have an old nature. We have a lot of hindrances, but it's wonderful to know that it's divine love that's been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that's been given to us.
And So what spoken of his commandments are not grievous things, but the new man delights to do these things that the Lord reveals to us according to His mind in the Word.
God would have us to do where love is operative in the heart as the power of a commandment. If you love someone and that person asks you to do something, you wouldn't reply. Do I have to? If love is operative, why? Immediately the heart responds and it has the power of a command, even the laws. Our brother has been saying it's true liberty.
00:10:18
Because it's just exactly what the new life wants to do.
And the Lord Jesus found his true joy and liberty in doing His Father's will. We should never forget, though, that the character of the new man is obedience. And the Lord Jesus came into this world. He took that place here, as we have in Philippians chapter two. He was in the form of God.
Thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but he came down into this world, not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him.
And so his whole life was characterized by obedience. He said in another place I came not down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And another place I do always those things that please him. And so it's very important because.
We might distinguish perhaps between requests and his words and his sayings, but whether it's his words or his sayings, or as our brother said, some things that are very definite and clear, they all have the power of a command where love is operative. The Lord Jesus walked in that enjoyment in his pathway.
As the obedient one. And now he's exhorting us to walk in that past too.
And seeing God is a God of love, then just as the Lord could love his own, it says having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. We might love people because we see likeable features in them and we love them from a really selfish point of view. We see a lot of nice things that make them lovable, but divine love acts because of what it is in itself.
So nothing the disciples did change the love that the Lord had toward them.
It was an unchanging love. And brethren, this is very important for us, that we don't just love one another because we see likeable features, but we love one another because divine love is operative in our hearts. And that's why that verse quoted, we love him, but it's simply in the new translation, we love. We have that.
Power. More than that, we have that varying life and nature.
Saw that we love, we love the most unlovable people because he first loved us possessing his life. We're able to love without any response. That's the character of the heart of God, and I think it's beautifully brought out. And it is, as we have here, a happy path. There's nothing more unhappy than to carry an unforgiving spirit toward anybody makes you most unhappy.
Why? The Bible speaks of a person who doesn't forgive being delivered to the tormentors. And if any of us have ever held an unforgiving spirit toward anybody, we were delivered to the tormentors. We were most miserable inside. Maybe the other person didn't even care, but we were the ones that were suffering because we carried that unforgiving spirit.
Well, may the Lord help us to be so occupied with His love and how He has acted toward us.
That just without effort, just as an overflow, that love flows out to others. Now I just add here, the display of it may be somewhat restricted because it says by this we know that we love the children of God because we love God and keep his commandments.
The parent who has to tell his child to stand in the corner loves that child just as much in the corner. But the child is not enjoying the display of the father's love in the same way. But the father's heart is the same, and he's perhaps more hurt than the child that he can't display that love. So if it gives us any pleasure to have to.
Deal differently with one who is walking in disobedience.
If it gives us any pleasure, there's something wrong. We ought to feel it. Feel it more than the person.
That we cannot display the love towards and it should always be there and all its freshness.
The joy mentioned in the next verse is, is the joy that the Lord Jesus had down here in doing the Father's will and He wants to leave that joy with His people because He came here to manifest the love of God and everything He did. That was His work down here to reveal the heart of God.
00:15:23
And so he says in this next verse, these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. And so as you've just remarked, whether that it's a path of joy and it's not a path of joy otherwise, but it's a path of joy, but it's the same joy.
That the Lord Jesus had in walking in obedience.
Down here as.
The father has directed him. You get that in the.
End of the 14th chapter where it says.
31St verse. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, Even so I do.
What a commandment.
He was now starting for the cross, but.
He manifested the love to the Father in everything that He did down here.
We find that.
Really. In the same divine thing as the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because he speaks of keeping his father commandments and abiding in his love.
And the very same thing is mentioned of us, that it's expected of us that we should do that same thing. Now we know that the Lord didn't have any old sinful nature, but we do. But still we have that same divine nature, and we're in that same divine thing as it were. So we can do the same thing.
Abide in His love as we're obedient.
And.
It keeps on with that thought here. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. There it's linked together again. Love one another as I have loved you. In all of this, we cannot disconnect ourselves from the Lord Himself.
And this is important, isn't it, that we see this, that we're in connection with the Lord?
It's a it's a very important thing that we're in this thing together with the Lord and he's our pattern in this. And that helps us too, doesn't it? And he gives us the grace that we need in our time of need as well. And if the Lord has laid this upon us.
As a request.
That we should keep His commandments. Is He going to leave us alone to do it? No. He's so interested in the manifestation of this divine life down here in this way that He is going to be at our beck and call every moment. We can go to Him for grace and mercy to help us in our time of need.
To have his joyful when he wrote the epistle to the Philippians, but there certainly wasn't anything in the circumstances of Paul then to to merit it was there. It's just that he was had a sense in his soul that he was doing the will of the Lord and where he was and that it was being fulfilled in every measure in his life. And it didn't matter that he was in bonds to him.
It was the same when he was at Philip by in prison.
He could sing. He had the sense in his soul that he was doing the will of the Lord. And it's hard for us to get that thought that circumstances have nothing to do with this because we do get involved with our emotions and our thoughts and our hearts with circumstances. But really, when we realize, if we realize what we're doing is the will of the Lord, if that could be true of us, then we'd have that joy, isn't it? It's an inner thing that is.
Wonderful. And Paul exhibited it there when he wrote that epistle in prison.
Christ is spoken of and oftentimes as the Man of Sorrows, but there never was a man walked in this world that had more joy, but it wasn't the kind of joy that the world thinks about.
00:20:08
The joy he speaks of here that He's going to leave with his disciples, a joy that will lift one above all circumstances, and a joy that takes us right into the presence of God Himself. And that's what the Lord.
No doubt speaks of when He speaks of my joy. It was a continuous, flowing joy, uninterrupted, and it had its source in heaven and His end there too.
I think it's expressed in Luke 10 if you want to look at one first there just what you're saying. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, I thank the old Father Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hit these things from the wise and prudent, and hast reveal them unto faith, Even so far there, or so it seemed good in thy sight.
He rejoiced in spirit. He couldn't rejoice in the circumstances around him.
Misunderstood by the disciples and are really on the way to the cross, rejected by man. And he found his joy in communion with his father and said, I thank the old father. That was his joy as he went through the world and it never changed. It was communion.
In perfect obedience, doing the Father's will, so that we.
Need to be reminded of that, that this joy might be fulfilled in us in the same way, in obedience to Him and in full communion with Him.
I'm glad that you brought that up, Brother London, because I was sitting here wondering about that and I thought perhaps some might have a question about it. And it's really wonderful to see that, isn't it, those two things in the Lord's life. Man of Sorrows, yet the man of joy.
It's been for every child of God, even the Old Testament. When we think of Jeremiah, weeping prophet was certainly a man.
Passing through a lot of grief and sorrows, and yet the reason the 15th chapter or 16th. Thy words were found, and I didn't eat them. And Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. I am called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts.
Wasn't a matter of circumstances either, was it?
The word was found, and he rejoiced in that.
And there was a path of obedience for Jeremiah, too, wasn't it?
The question, in a certain sense is a paradox in that way, isn't he? Paul speaks of that in Second Corinthians chapter six. He says Second Corinthians chapter 6.
The ninth verse has unknown, and yet well known, has 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. So the Christian is really a paradox. And when we speak of having this joy, it doesn't mean that we're without feeling. And so the Lord could weep at the grave of Lazarus, entering fully into the results of sin that had brought this sorrow into that home. And so the Lord enters fully into all that we have to pass through here.
And I believe it was the results of sin that caused him sorrow of heart, but at the same time he found that joy in doing his Father's will.
And he knew that that the will of the Father was going to bring blessings a man. He knew that through that cross of Calvary, the river of God's grace was going to throw flow out in all its fullness and blessing to man. I say that because it's a kind of a feeling sometimes that if we're really going to have this joy, then we don't feel things. We don't feel sorrows. I've often thought what it says about the Lord.
Reproach hath broken my heart. I am full of heaviness. I look for some to take pity. And there was none, and for comforters that but I found none. So the Lord was perfect in all His feelings, feeling all the sorrows of earth here, feeling the rejection of man can get on the other side the joy of doing His Father's will. And so with us.
00:25:14
We feel things, we should feel things, but on the other hand, in the mall, we can be sustained by that joy.
Which sustained the heart of the Lord Jesus in His blessed pathway here.
Spoke of another joy of the Lord when he read there quoted in Hebrews 12/2, the joy that was set before him. Now that was a future joy for the Lord which lay on beyond the cross. And I believe the answer is very preciously put.
In Acts 228 this too is for us an example.
And something to desire, to have the joy that the Lord had as He went on toward that cross in anticipation which was before him. And in Acts 228, thou hast made known to me the ways of life. And that's beyond death, that's resurrection.
And then he says, Thou shalt make me full of joy.
With thy countenance He had left the Father, He had left that glory, and come down to do the work, and he could say, How am I straight till it be accomplished? So he went on to finish that work, and looking forward to returning with that work all done. That was the joy.
Set before him well, we know the goal at the end of our life too.
It has been told us in the Scriptures and the Lord has gone there. There is one man there. The end of the course is just as sure for us As for him, so we can go on while we're down here.
I think in anticipation of arriving there into the Father's house.
No doubt that's what in the mind of the writer here in Hebrews 12 verse two, because in that same verse it goes on to speak of.
Is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Well, he was looking forward to that, sitting down there at the right hand of the throne of God, and God being glorified in the work that he had done.
The Lord has, has, perhaps we might say, a fuller joy than we have. We'll rejoice when we're in the Lord's presence and see Him face to face. But this joy that the Lord has exceeds.
We see that the paradox that you're mentioning in the 126 song.
Verse 6.
Psalm 126 and six, He that goeth forth and weepeth.
Bearing precious seed.
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing.
Bringing his sheaves with that could very well apply to a gospel preacher, could it not?
Because the.
The force of that is in connection with.
Where it's taken from?
The.
Jew who planted the Jewish farmer would.
He didn't have the territory like the open plains, but he had the little valleys where he planted his grain and he depended on the rain from heaven.
And so after he planted his crop.
Sometimes the seed would rot under the clouds.
And he would have to take a part of that which he had reserved for his food.
That was stored away for the winter and he'd have to recede his garden again, or his farm. And so in as much as it was his own very food that he was planning.
He wept as he planted it.
It's been said that.
00:30:02
It was not an uncommon sight for some who went through that country to see farmers weeping as they planted their seed. Well, now that's a beautiful illustration of how the gospel should be given out.
And I believe that it has its force there, because it says he that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed is that which he needed for his own soul. And the one who preaches the Gospel preaches what he needs for his own soul, not exactly for salvation of his soul, but for the enjoyment.
Of the refreshment of Healy again, even though he's preaching himself.
That marvelous message of salvation, he needs it for himself.
Of the Lord weeping over Jerusalem. He came there and when He came, He came. And if you remember, they were crying about Him coming on the ***** colt coming and bringing salvation. So He had come for their blessing. He had come to bring deliverance and blessing to that city, but they rejected Him and saw He wept.
And I believe it's the same when the wonderful message of the gospel is proclaimed. Sinners are told of a full and free pardoned, offered through the work of Christ. Then to see sinners rejected, we ought to feel it. And the solemnity of sinners having to stand before God in their sins and be judged when the pardon has been offered and they've refused it. And so there is weeping, there is a sadness connected.
With the proclamation of the gospel, but as we find there are some results, just as the sowing of the seed by the Lord in the 13th chapter of Matthew, there were forecasts of seed, but only one brought forth fruit. So we shouldn't be discouraged as we tell it out.
Because there will be some fruit. And so even though we might feel at times discouraged, God is going to make manifest the results of that labor of love in the coming day. And I think it's a very precious thought that the reason that the one who serves will be.
Associated with those among whom he has served in that day of manifestation. We find that thought in connection with Paul when he writes to those at Thessalonica. He says, what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming. So just as the farmer comes back and the very.
Sheaves that he reaped he brings with him with rejoicing.
Paul said, I'm going to be identified with those Thessalonians believers in that coming day, and it's going to be a crown of rejoicing to me to see these dear ones who were saved and who have in some measure gone on for the Lord. Well, it sought to be in our hearts in serving the Lord.
I think we don't take the Lord's service seriously enough. We don't feel identified as we should file. The results are all in the hands of God, and He's the only one who can cause the seed to bear fruit or can produce desires in the heart of the believer, and nevertheless He can.
The privilege of being workers together with and for him. And in his matchless grace, he's going to identify us with the results of that labor of love. I think it should encourage us, but it also should make us very serious, whether it's in the gospel or whether it's in serving his own.
Bringing his sheaves with him, I believe that some who are older here have experienced.
What we don't see today very much.
Because there is a coldness that has come over us. I have seen souls, not one but many at one time, weeping over their sins. And I've seen those who are preaching moved in their preaching, and the souls weeping as they were confessing Christ. We don't see that, brethren, today as we should.
If we're living in a day when?
We're used to facts and all these things, and our hearts grew cold.
We hear the facts over and over again, but you know the preaching of the gospel should move our souls, each one as we hear it, and should move the speaker too. And you know it's not a shame to shed a tear.
00:35:05
His his death before us again, as often in the Gospels.
And so he says here, greater love hath no man.
Than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.
And then he says, Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
In the.
In the.
11Th chapter of Luke.
The disciples say, Lord teach us to.
Pray.
The answers in the next chapter, Which of you shall have a friend?
There was a man who was visiting a sick home.
He was no doubt of one who was working in the gospel.
And as he entered the home, he saw a little piece of paper on the on the table.
And he read it.
And he turned to the son of this mother who was sick, very sick.
And he said, could you tell me who wrote this?
And the boy said I did, Sir.
There was that little him.
What a friend we have in Jesus.
And that son wrote that him for his mother.
This man took and had it published and we've enjoyed it ever since. What a friend we have in Jesus.
This was a real thing in this home.
And it was felt by the sun.
And the Spirit of God no doubt moved him to write that which has been such a blessing to many, many souls. What a friend we have in Jesus, would you not, brother? Applied is also to ourselves, because it certainly speaks of the Lord giving His life for His friends. In the 10th chapter it was His sheep. But preceding this he says we should love one another as He has loved us.
So that this principle applies also in our relationship.
As friends, you might say those who belong to the Lord, we see the sacrificial love in David when he went to fight that giant, and while he was doing this, his motives and all were misunderstood, and he had come to see the battle, and all of this his brethren rebuked him.
But Love was willing to risk his life for the well-being of his brethren. We see that with the lion and the bear as a shepherd. The same spirit, beloved, I believe if that spirit would be more prevailing among us.
Especially in view of difficulties that we have among us in the local assemblies and so on, there isn't enough of this willingness to lay down our lives for the brethren or for our friends. Perhaps we are afraid to get ourselves into trouble, but the Shepherd's heart would desire.
Conditions of peace and happiness.
And that the flock can feed in the green pastures and besides the still waters. So there is that spirit that should characterize us, that we are willing to lose ourselves, as it were. Maybe even that scripture Brother Heho.
Rat dying yet living. You know, there is the self denial. And this spirit should characterize us, shouldn't it? But I think it's so lovely here, that beautiful hymn that's so precious to many of us. What a friend we have in Jesus. But it seems to me this is far more wonderful here. We're speaking in that hand of the friend we have in Jesus.
But here is Jesus, the Lord of glory, calling us his friends. That is something far more wonderful to our hearts.
00:40:03
Than to think that he identifies us in this way and a friend as we have here.
Here one that you pour out your heart and you tell them things that are on your heart. I think that's what is brought out here. He hasn't called us servants. We have the privilege of serving, but not serving as servants. I haven't any doubt myself that when that prodigal was received home as a son, not as a servant.
He was going to say to his father, Make me as one of thy hired servants. But his father cut him off and didn't allow him to say that he received him as a son and brought him into all the happiness and blessing of the home. But I would dare to say that he was probably the best servant his father had from then on.
I would expect that he probably was most devoted to his father and served him, but he wasn't doing it as a servant, He was doing it as a son. And you and I have been brought into this position that our precious Savior has not only brought us into the family, but the thought of friends is.
He has made known to us all that's in his heart, and here it is that we're sitting here in this room.
And justice to thank that he has made known to us all his purposes and councils and has often said that Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what is going on in the world. Men of the world are puzzled and perplexed what is going to happen? But here are a few people and we're just as far as the world concerned is concerned, we're insignificant nobodies. But why do we know these things?
Because the Lord of glory has called us his friends, and He's told us all that's in His heart. The blessing that's in store for us, yes, but also He has told us about the time when his Son is going to have his rightful place, and we'll share it with him.
And now as we seek to serve him, not just as servants but as friends, I think this is what is so lovely in this passage. And I'm sure that if that is so, then, as our brother has said, any sacrifice that we can make for one another is is nothing.
It says the verse you quoted in John's epistle. By this was known the love of God to us manifested the love of God to us, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brethren.
I suppose it's more or less a natural thing for us to want to be friends to somebody that is, have someone that takes an interest in US and makes a friend of us. Perhaps young people have that problem and sometimes maybe they don't find that there's anyone that takes them in as a friend.
Well, we have something in us that looks for someone to make a friend of us.
Well, here's the Lord Jesus says, you're my friend.
If you do whatsoever I command you.
You're my friend if you do whatsoever I command you. Well, certainly if we want the Lord Jesus to take us in as a friend, we will want to do what He asked us to do, because it will bring us into an intimate place.
The being a friend is being more intimate than being a servant and to be on intimate terms with the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's worth everything. And to think that we come into such an intimate place where He makes known to us his good things, all the precious things, oh, this is really worth something.
It's a very important thing and an added incentive to us to obey.
Ought not to be necessary, but there is a reward that goes with it, and that is the future revealed. I believe, as we have here make known in the next chapter, where the Spirit of God is sent down, and he shows things to come, but that, I believe, is given to those who do the will, God. Abraham believed God, and was counted to him for righteousness, and he was called a friend of.
And God said, shall I hide from Abraham, my friend, that thing which I do, The future was revealed to him what was coming. And I think we have seen it in the past 200 years that God has opened up to the future, to those who have obeyed the Scripture.
00:45:24
We have prophetic books on our shelves which were written 100 years ago.
Which?
Are very accurate yet, and I say this for the young people. It's a wonderful thing to know a little bit about what is God is going to do. It's a very great encouragement. It won't come to us if we're not obedient to the word. We've got to obey it. Do his wealth and be in this place of a friend where he can come in.
His spirit and make known these coming things.
That's connected with the 7th 1St that we've already had.
Having that confidence in prayer, the verse in first John 331 was read to us if our hearts condemn us.
If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And so one couldn't really be in the place of friendship.
And having confidence in prayer unless they were walking.
In.
Communion, seeking to walk in obedience to the word that they know. And so this is the confidence, but it's connected with friendship, is it not? As we have in our chapter, not only that we'll know his mind, which he reveals to one who's close to him, his friends, but also we can ask what we will and he will do it because we have that confidence when we ask.
Not to get sidetracked, but could you, Brother Lindeen?
Give us some thoughts on 3rd John the last verse. Our friends salute thee. Greet to friends by name. Like I say, I don't hope we get off the subject, but is there some special meaning, perhaps in a day of ruin or something that there would be?
Those that could be classified as friends or what is the thought there?
Well, I don't know that I can say anything particularly on it.
But I believe that this goes along with the subject we've had before us all the way and.
There is.
That line of things in the third epistle where there were those in the assembly who were going on with God, and there seemed to be one who was opposing.
But still John wants to insist on this truth about the friends that not what you feel he wanted to insist on the the fact that this is the position that believers in one in the assembly may be out of communion. He may even try to put some out of the church as it says, but.
We're friends, we're in that position, the believers in that position.
In the last days we have John's epistles that bring those particular truths before us in a special way. And as the days close in upon us, all evil around us, it makes us more realize this position we're in, drawn together in one bundle of life of the Lord our God.
That's all I can say about it.
Blessed is this verse 15, isn't he? Beloved brethren, a servant can never come in into the secret of the family, isn't he?
And so the Lord see, I have called your friend, and I say for all things that my father that that I heard that I have heard from my father, I have made known unto you my the wonders of thy grace. Not just something is Isaiah a double L all things I was thinking of Deuteronomy chapter 29 and verse 29 say the sick of things.
Belong to the Lord thy God.
00:50:00
For those things which are revealed now in the person of the Lord Jesus.
Oh, what a wonderful thing that is. Those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever. And then again there is obedience that they might do all the ways of the law. It's always in connection with obedience.
I would like to be able to greet all the friends by name, dear brother, But our brother Arthur Brown says the only way to do that is to pray for them all, every every day by name, and then you'll remember the names. But I'm not able to do that.
Is it not Who is there with the friends? I was thinking of a verse in Proverbs when it says a friend loveth at all times and I have thought when the Lord speaks to these here, He especially emphasizes of course the privilege.
They have of being brought into into an understanding of his thoughts and mind. But there's also, I believe, the thought of that he would desire that we would be as it were, a friend who would love at all times that he can count upon them by thinking of the of the woman of worth. In Proverbs, it says that her husband could safely trust in her.
Well, a friend is one really in whom we can trust.
And to love at all times. And so the I was thinking there in in 3rd John, there might be a little hint of of contrast between those who were seeking to seeking to go on in the truth like gas and others, in contrast to one who was really seeking to destroy.
And to hurt the Saints, damage them and really wasn't showing.
The true character of a friend The character of a friend is one that loves at all times, and there may be difficulties arise in a gathering, but the Lord should the Lord would look to his friends to to express that love at all times, even though there might be difficulties, rather than to to take up an attitude like the doctor fees who was was.
Really had no.
Love, not concern for the Saints, but for his own position in place.
There's some to whom you can sort of pour out your heart. There's a verse in the 119th Psalm, the 63rd verse. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. And so I believe that in the things of God, the Lord called Abraham his friend, and so he communicated many things to Abraham.
Well, he loved every one of his own, even Lot, who had taken his position in Sodom. But Lot is never called a friend.
Because he had taken up his position in Sodom. But I'm sure as far as God's love toward them, we read in the 33rd chapter of Deuteronomy. Yeah, he loved the people. All his Saints are in my hand. And we ought to have a love for all the Saints of God.
But only those who are walking in the path of obedience do we feel close enough, perhaps, to be able to speak of some things. We meet many dear Saints of God even, whom we meet from day-to-day, who are not walking in the truth. We can go so far with them and talk about things that we can enjoy just in the simple way of salvation.
But we feel a bit restrained that there are things that are precious to us that we can't talk about to them.
Because there isn't a willingness to walk in the truth. And it seems to me that that's the thought that the friend is a much more intimate connection than just loving one another. We should love all the Saints of God. There's something wrong if we don't. But there is that other side of things, and that is the importance of.
Counting those who seek to walk in the truth a little closer in our hearts and in our relationships with one another.
There's such a thing as the rebuke of a friend too, which is faithful. But I was thinking, sometimes a person best a young person may be poor, poorly taught, and they bring a problem to someone that they can rely upon.
And a true friend will be able to see their viewpoint.
00:55:03
And listen without rebuking, unless it was necessary.
I believe this is quite often the case, that one who wants to be a help, especially two younger ones, that they try to see their viewpoint because if you're judging from your own viewpoint, you're not judging or helping them at all.
You may have to bring the truth before them in a way that is necessary, but it's necessary that you try to see the problem that they have, and that's real, true friendship.
Made in name and story.
Or she exemplifies all these things, doesn't she? She was a servant there.
But she had two things. She had confidence in God that he would be able to cure Naaman of his leprosy. So she was walking close to the Lord. And she didn't only act as a servant, but in love to her Master. She spoke to him, to the wife, and then to him. But when he's cured and.
Naman returns, I'm sure we can just imagine what an embrace he would have for that little maid, and he would no longer treat her as a servant, but now as a friend.
Yes, God open to Abraham.
In a vision in the 15th chapter, The whole course of Israel.
Down.
Through their history ahead of time, he opened that to Abraham and he actually told them the the very mounds of the territory that they were to possess. Well, he didn't tell anyone else that, but he told it to Abraham because he was his friend.
And that's a wonderful thing, I believe marvelous for us to realize the same principle for ourselves, that he is made known to us, all of his councils. Now, that doesn't mean that we can enter into the the mall immediately, but little by little.
By the Spirit of God opening them to us, we can enjoy already those councils that lead us on to the very end.
A time and into the eternal state. We have not chosen me.
But I have chosen you. I have chosen you well, this is for some particular thing, and ordains you that you should go and bring forth fruit.
That your fruit should remain.
That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
This seems to be that the Lord has chosen us.
To go and bring forth fruit chosen us. We haven't chosen him. Well, we know that we haven't chosen him, but he has chosen us. But there's something added and ordained you.
We know in Christendom that word ordained is used in a.
In a way that's not according to the word of God at all.
But here's the Lord doing it. Ordaining us to what? That we should go and bring forth fruit?
Now the question is why does he say go? Why not just say that you should bring forth fruit? That word go seems to be an added word here.
I'm just wondering as I'm looking at it.
If it can be connected with that last verse of the 14th chapter.
When the Lord says, arise, let us go. Hence where was he going?
While he was going to the cross, he was going to suffering.
And as we go down in the chapter here, it begins to speak of the world.
Going into the world.
Well, we need a special.
Ordination of the Lord to do this, we couldn't do it without it. Were to go into the world, a world that hates us, to go there and bear fruit.
What do you think about that? I was thinking of the prayer in the 17th of John in that connection, what you were saying, the 17th of John and the 15th verse. I pray not that Thou should just take them out of the world, but that Thou should has keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth.
01:00:11
As thou hast sent me into the world.
Even so, have I also sent them into the world that is now He was about to leave them. They weren't to be just a little group that had no contact with the world about them. Instead of that, there was to be a manifestation of the life of Christ in the world during his absence. They were given that privilege and it says we walk in the truth.
And the enjoyment of his love and of this relationship that he calls us friends.
That there's a testimony now that's rendered to the world. We know that.
Men have set up ways where people can be set up behind walls in a place where they can be apart from the world. But he said no, that we might be in the world but be preserved from the evil and be a testimony.
And so the world ought to see, and those of us who believe the character of the one who has gone away and of that blessed one who has gone up as friends here in this world, who represent him, who show this character, I think it's very lovely the way it's brought up, brought out in our chapter.
That he's chosen us to this particular work. A young person at school might consider himself very honored if he's chosen to represent his school in connection with some particular project or something, but how much more that we have been chosen by the Lord of glory.
Representatives in his absence, not to be taken out of the world, but to be sent into it to be for him here. I I think it's very lovely. And then do we need help? Well, he said, if you need help, you can ask in my name.
The same thought is brought out in the 17th chapter of John Two, and there we find that.
The Lord says after mentioning those things that we spoke of, He said for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. How has the Lord sanctified himself? Well, He knew that we were going to be left here. And so He's gone up in the glory, just like Moses going up on the top of the mountain holding up his hands so that while Israel were in conflict with Amalek that there would be a way that they could.
Victorious over Amalek, so the Lord tells them what their Commission and position was. Then he says I'm going up, I'm setting myself apart. For what? To give you the grace and strength that you need and that we might be preserved in this world. We have this very one up on high on our behalf.
How beautiful it all is in connection with what we have here. And so we have chosen, and that we have the privilege of coming to Him, coming to the Father in His name, to ask for all that we need in order to fulfill this desire of His heart.
That ordained ordination that you're Speaking of, would that be applying to just the fossils or without the applying to to all?
The Gospel of Mark, that the Son of Man is like to a man going into a far country, and he gave authority to his servants and to every man his work, and commanded the Porter to watch. There wasn't a single Levite of all the tribes.
That of all the tribal Levi I should say, who was not appointed to some particular service. Some might seem more important than others, but in reality the importance was doing what they were appointed to do, wasn't it?
Go there.
Which seemed to me to indicate that there should be some exercise on our part, that is, there should be some move on our part to be exercised about this, to bear fruit for the Lord.
Well, it might be all kinds of fruit we can think of in connection with gospel work. Well, there has to be some movement and exercise in connection with that. We can't just go out on the street corner and start preaching as a as a sort of an automatic thing or a thing that's just done in mere motion.
01:05:02
But there has to be exercise of soul about it.
And I think perhaps we need to have more exercise about that in these days, real exercise of soul. And we've been speaking about having a love for souls and a desire to preach the gospel to people that they might be saved. Well, that there has to be that. And I believe if we see what the Lord has in mind for us.
And we are really in tune with the Lord. We want to do those things.
Now we've been speaking about bearing fruit. Perhaps the what is spoken of as a fruit of the Spirit, about fruit can be manifested in other ways. And there can be a zeal in the preaching of the gospel. And we've been connecting, connected with it as we have heard, and going forth and bearing the the seed.
Weeping. And there can be exercise too in connection.
With helping one another because it speaks of loving one another here. All of these things are brought in here, it seems to me, as part of the fruit. And of course love we know has many, many different branches to it and it's something we need to be dwell upon and be exercised about because.
As children of God, not only servants.
Friends of the Lord, we do have a great responsibility here and need to be exercised about being a help and a blessing to anyone and everyone, sinners and Saints alike.
Exodus, brother Anderson, that would go along with what you're saying. I'll read it in Exodus 18 and 23.
If thou shalt do this thing.
And God command thee, so then thou shalt be able to endure.
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able.
To endure. I believe that it's very important in serving the Lord that we have a sense in our soul that He has sent us to do it.
Otherwise, how can there be any real?
Feeling of that position that we're Speaking of friendship.
If He has set us a sense in our soul that He has sent us, I believe that's very important. Now we wouldn't go around in saying that I know this and I know that, that the Lord.
Has sent me to do this. But to have the sense in your soul between the Lord and yourself that He has sent you is a very important thing, I believe. And so I'll read this again if thou shalt do this thing.
And God command thee, so then thou shalt be able to endure. It's been said that.
If the Lord sends you to preach the gospel, you really feel that he has sent you. You can be sure.
That the message will reach where he has intended it. That doesn't mean the soul will be saved.
Or that the person will be restored. But it means they've got the message. It means that God has sent a message and they'll receive it because he has sent you together. And I believe that we should have that confidence. And this goes along with friendship, doesn't it?
Christian has the hatred of the world because the world hated the Lord Jesus and so.
19 First, if you were of the world, the world would would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. And now he says, Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord, if they have persecuted me.
They will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying they will keep yours also.
In the next chapter, he's going to speak of that persecution. And this is the this is the path that the believer can expect because.
It isn't only that He's given us to believe, but also to suffer for His sake, as we have in in the Philippians. I believe it isn't enough that we simply we believe, but we're in a path of where we may have to suffer for His sake.
01:10:15
In fact, we're told definitely that he that will live godly in Christ Jesus will have such a path and it it only makes exercise our souls that when we don't have that persecution or trial that perhaps we're not in that position.
A. Really.
Devoted to him in such a way that we're willing to bear the shame and reproach.
That comes our way.
Hatred of the world and the reproach of the world isn't because.
What a friend we have in Jesus. That's a wonderful thing we've been speaking about, that he calls his friend so he could let us know these things. But it's because He's our Lord and we're the servant. We belong to him and we shouldn't lose that character, should we? Even though we've been enjoying the fact that he calls us friend so he can let us in on all these things. His Father's faith known to him.
Servant would know that, but we should never lose the servants rule in our heart, should we? And that he's our Lord. That's the reason of the hatred of the world, and that's why he says the servant is not greater than his Lord. The friend may not have that reproach, but a servant, one who belongs to the Lord, would.
I was thinking how nice the 21St verses committee gives us the real reason when it says.
These things will they do unto you for my namesake.
You can talk to people of religion, you can even talk to them of the creator God. Bring in the name of the Lord Jesus and you'll find out the hatred goes up.
Immediately my name is.
Question is, do we want to give up that reproach and hide his name?
How he prepares them in the 16th verse by encouraging them and saying that she should bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. He shows that there would be results from this labor in the path of obedience to him. But then he follows by telling them that they must expect this kind of treatment from the world.
And so, if we do have, and we will have, the opposition of the world and its hatred, let us not be discouraged. A testimony rendered in obedience and in the name of Christ will be fruit that remains. We are under God, a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish.
And then too, I've been struck in that 20th verse. The servant is not greater than his Lord. It's often spoken to my heart. Do we really expect better treatment in this world than our Lord received? When people laugh at us and despise us, we know how it hurts, and we think they shouldn't act that way toward us. Why should they show that kind of attitude?
But do we really expect?
Better treatment in this world than our Lord received.
When people laugh at us and despise us, we know how it hurts and we think they shouldn't act that way toward us. Why should they show that kind of attitude? But do we really expect better treatment than our Savior? Well, a servant is not above his master, and if we're going to follow him, we're going to get the same kind of treatment that he received. But let's not be discouraged by this kind of thing, brethren, because.
He's telling us before this that there will be fruit that remains, and it remains to His glory and praise. Then he goes on to show that we might get much opposition because of our unlovely ways. We're not always wise. We don't always show the right spirit in the way that we do things about the Lord. Jesus was the perfect servant, and so he could say.
In the verses that follow, they hated me without a cause.
So often with us it's our lack of wisdom and the way we act and so on. But we should be careful that the opposition that we receive is not because of our unlovely ways, but because it's the name of the Lord Jesus as our brother just mentioned.
It's the name of the Lord Jesus that brings reproach, and so we can be exercised when there is opposition. Is it something about ourselves or is it just for that name? If it's for His name and then we can only expect it because we're not greater than Him.
01:15:18
Hate us if we're like him.
We've been speaking about.
Fruit. Fruit bearing.
And.
The way the Newman behaves itself in obedience to the desires, commands of the Lord, how it acts Well, if that new life is seen by the world and it will be seen when there's fruit and these other things are seen by them, that we obey the Lord and we think much of the Lord and we speak much of His name.
They just can't help but hate us.
They are very present, sometimes will just make them feel that they hate us and they don't want us around. It seems that that's what happened when the Lord was here. They just felt His presence as the presence of God and they didn't want Him.
Well, if there's that divine life and nature and activity in off bearing fruit and being obedient to the Lord and wanting to exalt the Lord.
The world is going to hate us. It's going to have its effect upon them. And still, on the other hand, there will be a good effect on certain ones.
They will be convicted. The Spirit of God will use whatever little words we might have to say to speak to them and turn them to the Lord. And there will be fruit. There will be fruit there. And I don't think the word of God could go out anywhere but what There's going to be converts.
We may not ever know who they are. We may try to count them, and maybe we will not count enough because it will all be counted up when we get up there. And we don't need to worry about counting them here, but just to be for the Lord here and be exercised in our testimony for the Lord and He's going to take care of the results.
Chapter begins with fruit bearing and it ends with testimony doesn't from the last verse. And ye also shall bear witness, because you have been with me.
From the beginning.
Song of Songs Filled with Fullness of God
Address—C.E. Lunden
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
You turn with me, please, to Ephesians 3. We'll read from the verse 16, a part of the Apostles prayer, the second prayer in Ephesians.
That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory.
To be strengthened with might by His spirit in the inner man.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able.
To comprehend rather apprehend.
With All Saints, what is the breath?
And length and depth and height.
And to know the love of Christ.
Which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the fullness.
Of God.
Now you turn with me to the.
Song of Solomon, please.
Chapter One.
I do not intend to read the book.
Or very much of it, but simply to point out a verse here and there in connection with the subject that we read in Ephesians.
The love of Christ.
I believe rather than this subject has been before us.
And I I believe we have a little pattern here that I'd like to call attention to.
You know the Song of Solomon.
Is sort of a conversation between 2:00.
That is the bridegroom and the bride.
The only thing is he's in heaven and the bride is on earth.
And so something like your pathway and mine as we go through this world.
As believers in communion.
In Communion.
We don't have anything much about sin or failure here.
But just communion.
And.
In this conversation, we know very well that the original intention was for Israel.
But the same principles apply to us.
Because there's only one love of Christ.
And there's only one object for the soul, whether it be for Israel or for the church.
It's true that our portion is heavenly, our portions in the Father's house.
But still the subject is much the same.
But we're going to speak this afternoon just briefly about.
That which applies to us as believers, that side of the application, shall we say, rather than the the real interpretation of the passage which might be for Israel.
So we'll read.
The first 2 verses of the Song of Solomon.
The song of songs, which is Solomon's Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. For thy love is better than wine.
Solomon wrote possibly 3000 proverbs and many, many songs.
But this is the song of songs.
This is a special song.
And the Spirit of God has given it to us, I believe.
To draw our hearts out to Christ.
And in a pattern that will progressively do so and cause the believer to grow.
In the enjoyment of communion and love for the Savior.
Now a kiss and scripture suggests assurance of love.
00:05:07
And that's the first thing, dear ones, that there must be if we're going to go on with God, if we're going on with our blessed Savior, there has to be the assurance in our souls of His love for us.
And here we see the bride. She's a long way off. We'll say he's up there, she's down here.
And she wants this assurance of his love.
We have the truth in the New Testament that the believer is in Christ. The Jew doesn't have that, nor did he in the Old Testament.
But you and I already know that we've been accepted in the Beloved.
But we have here experience, the experience of the bride, and she wants to know.
For sure that assurance before the path begins, that blessed path that ends in His presence.
And she says, thy love is better than wine. Now wine speaks of all earthly joys.
And may I ask my own heart this afternoon as I address you?
Is this true with you? With me?
I believe that's the real subject, isn't it?
Is his love better than anything I can find in this world?
Am I going to believe this from the start or am I going to have to prove it by experience?
No doubt the believer will learn it in the end. He may try to prove it, but no doubt he'll learn it.
That his love is better than any earthly joy.
And because of thy good savor, and the savior of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment poured, For therefore do the virgins love thee.
Now that precious name of Jesus.
Because of its character.
Is as ointment no as ointment for and forth.
Poured forth.
And so how precious it is to carry that name as we go through this world. We may not always realize this as we go on, but just to carry that precious name, it says, ointment poured forth, a sweet savour that follows the braver through this world. If he's in communion.
And now she says draw me.
Draw me. Is that the desire of your heart this afternoon?
Draw me.
We notice the plural and as soon as you decide like like Ruth or Naomi, who had gone astray as soon as she decided to return to the land, she finds she has a companion we.
And you know, beloved, when you and I take a step that's wrong, we're going to find that we'll draw others away. But.
When we take a step that's right, be sure this you're going to draw someone with you. That's a principle of the word of God.
And wouldn't you like to be a blessing to others?
The King hath brought me into his chambers, and here we have gladness and rejoicing, and now we have the remembering of that love.
They now go to the fifth verse. We won't linger. I am black. Oh, it's so important for us to realize this.
We'll never appreciate that love that He speaks of here until we realize what we are in His presence.
That shows, so she brings out here.
In this short fifth verse, I am black.
But comely.
How could this be?
Well, it says.
O daughters, Jerusalem has the tents of Kedar.
00:10:02
No. I suppose what is referred to are those tents of the children of Ishmael who live in the desert and they use the black goatskin for their tent cover.
And as others who have seen it have said, it looks like a sea, a Black Sea out over the desert.
And so she describes herself in this way.
Blackness.
Nothing but blackness. Is this the way you see yourself as you realize what you are in the presence of God?
The total depravity of man. There's nothing good in us whatsoever. This is the beginning of the path of blessing, is it not? But she had something.
Comely as the curtains of Solomon. Think of that beautiful temple in the curtains.
Now she likens herself to what Grace is brought to her, and she doesn't hesitate to speak of it either.
Do you?
Now the seventh verse.
The seventh verse we have dependence.
And.
7th and 8th versus we have dependence, and in the ninth verse we have obedience.
The two important basic principles of Christianity.
Tell me, oh, thou whom my soul lovest were thou.
Fetus, where thou makest thy flock to lie down.
To rest at noon.
For why should I be as one, I'm going to use another translation.
As one roving.
Roving.
Did you ever Rove about not knowing where to go?
Oh, there is a great deal of this today.
Going here and going there, trying to find something to feed on for your soul.
She says why should I be like such as one who's roving?
I believe this is a very important point for us to notice, especially dear young people.
I know of some who have just recently decided that they would leave the Lord's Table roving.
And there's a reason for this.
The eye is off of Christ.
She doesn't want to take this course, so she says to him, Tell me, Oh, thou whom my soul lovest?
Oh, how precious it is to go on in first love, no matter how little we know to go on in first love.
To have the object and the person before our souls.
Where thou fetus, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon? For why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions, or one that roveth?
Wanderer.
What a terrible place to be in for a Christian wandering here and there when we have a direct, absolute path laid out for us, which is known in communion with a sense of his love, and that's the only way it's known.
Now thou knowest not.
O thou fairest among women.
I want you to notice as we go on that he continually.
Gives her to see his thoughts about her and that's what's important.
Not what our thoughts are about him, but what his thoughts are about the bride. She's not yet the bride in the full sense, but she's on her way.
Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock.
And feed thy kids beside the shepherds tents.
00:15:01
Well, you'll never find a place in this world, dear parent.
Where you can bring your child, your children in safety like you will at the Lord's Table.
Among the Saints.
Where his shepherds are that feed the flocks.
Thus were.
She's to go.
Definite instructions here.
And immediately says I've compared thee.
He doesn't say I want you to be obedient to me. No, no, we don't get that in the Song of Solomon.
Because the believer, if he's rightly led, he's led by his heart.
Not by a whip.
It was once said, you know that.
That the Lord never uses dogs for his sheep.
Never.
Some may tend to their sheep with dogs, but the Lord never does.
No, he says. I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses and Pharaohs Chariots. Do you suppose that one of those horses would be out of step? Not in Pharaoh's chariot?
No, they've been trained how they've been trained.
Well, Pharaoh has seen to it that he has those that will train his horses and the believer who's in the communion.
Will be in in the stride as we have in the Old Testament those who knew how to keep rank.
Because they were in communion with the one who was leading.
Keeping in step. Oh how good this is.
Now that's obedience. And he doesn't say you have to do this. He says I've compared thee like this. I've compared this.
I want you to know this is the way I regard you as one who is walking in obedience.
And now we have.
The Table 12Th verse The King sitting at his table.
And as a result of the walk of communion.
A walk of dependence and obedience. We find the spikenard flowing out.
At the table.
You know spike nard is very costly and very hard to get.
It's produced from a plant that grows on the sides of the steep banks of the Indus River in India.
That's one of the places that's found, and also in a certain place in Palestine.
And those who who go after it will take.
Will be let down on a rope and they'll have a sharp knife and they'll cut into this plant and they'll catch the SAP or nectar as you please.
And this is what forms this spikenard or nard that is brought in the sole valuable.
And so it says here.
While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.
And so worship then is the result of one taking this path that we've followed so far.
If something as a result of a course, the enjoyment of the person of Christ and his love.
We won't take all these verses, but it says in the 14th verse.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of I believe it should read henna flowers.
A a kind of a.
A flower that.
Blossoms like the snow flowing out.
I know the margin reads Cyprus, but.
I believe it's likened to a henna flower.
And in the.
00:20:04
Vineyards event.
The other vineyards of Indeed, I was the place where David.
Would flee when he was haunted by Saul.
We have a picture all the way through of trials, but they they don't come to the surface very much.
And you know they won't in your life either, beloved, if you're really walking communion.
Those trials will be covered with that love.
Of Christ, you'll be able to go through them triumphant.
But here we have a picture, because actually the picture before us in this book is the Great Tribulation.
But we don't see much of that here, do we?
No.
It's a little remnant in the enjoyment of his love as they pass through the deep trials.
And the picture before us here in this verse.
Is like David and his band haunted of Saul and at the bottom of this side of the mountain where the vineyards going almost down to the sea.
And at the top were the caves and the rocks of the wild goats.
And that's where David was haunted by Saul. That's where he hit.
That's the picture we have here.
In the midst of trial.
The beloved was like this.
My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camper in the vineyards of Engidae.
Right in the midst of trial. Christ was precious in this way.
It was the one who who sustained the one who was being tried.
Under these circumstances.
And what's the result?
15 verse.
His answer, my beloved?
Or behold aren't fair, my love, Behold art fair. Thou hast doves eyes, that is, dies that look all the way home. That's the character of the dove.
As eyes that can see afar off.
It has other characteristics too, as we might notice, but eyes that can see all the way home, as it were, by faith.
That's the way he looks at her.
Thou art fear, my love, Behold art fear. Thou hast doves eyes.
Now she answers in the second chapter and she says.
I am the Rose of Sharon, really a Lily.
And the Lily of the city. No, the Lily of the valleys.
Oh, what a difference.
No, you and I don't belong in the city. These people belong in the valleys outside of the city, away from.
Contamination of this world. We belong outside in the valleys. She recognizes this as a result of being in His presence.
And she's now in hesitate to say what he's already told her that she is.
She doesn't hesitate.
And so he answers, and he says as the Lily among thorns. Oh, she's going through trials.
So is my love among the daughters.
He answers.
She answers again.
As the apple tree.
Or a certain tree that's in that place, that is.
As a special fruit that's most precious, she likens him in contrast to the ordinary trees.
To this, and then she sets down under his shadow, with under his shadow with great delight.
And the fruit was sweet to her taste.
00:25:03
Now we have she has his support in the sixth verse.
The support of his affections.
And as a result of all this, we find in the eighth verse.
The voice of my beloved. Behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountain, skipping upon the hills.
My beloved is like a roar, a young heart. Behold, he standeth behind our wall. He looketh forth at the windows, showing himself through the lattice. Not a clearer view yet.
No, she's down here and he's up there, but just a little glimpse of his person now and then. Oh, how precious as we go through this wilderness.
And now he's speaking to her.
And what's he's talking about? Notice.
Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.
Is it not that which is constantly before us as our hope? You get that in Ephesians the 4th chapter. One hope and that's the Lord's coming. And He would constantly remind us of this because we won't be here long.
He's coming to take us home.
And you know when the little remnant of Israel often times you'll find in Isaiah.
They don't give up, they say How long?
That's the remnant. How long? How long? Oh Lord, it won't be long. And he'll be here.
14 First has been commented on today.
Oh my God, thou art in the clefts of the rock and all. How often we need this assurance, not only of that precious blood and that pierced inside, but the constant sense that were in His hands. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. In the most trying circumstances, this is true. There's never a moment when you can say he's not near me.
Oh, there might be a time when you'll feel that he's far off.
But you can never say he's not near me.
He's at my right hand. I cannot be moved.
What scripture says.
The 15 first has been commented on.
The foxes. Oh how the slightest little thing will break communion. The slightest little thing will break communion.
And then the joy goes with it.
And now, she says, my beloved is mine.
How many things in this world do you this afternoon say, well this is mine, or that is mine, or the other thing is mine?
But the point is.
Do you put anything, any of these things ahead of the Lord Jesus? Oh, you say no, I wouldn't do that. But now just just check up for a moment and see whether you would or not.
You know, all of us here were just singing that little hymn. Have I an object, Lord, below that would divide my heart with Thee? But I asked, was I singing it from my heart? Were you?
Have I an object, Lord, the law that would divide my heart with thee?
Is this real with me?
The bride is being tested. As far as Israel is concerned, so are you and so am I.
And then we have my beloved is mine, and I am his. He feedeth Among where? In the city? No, among the lilies in the valley, of course. That's his people.
That's his people.
If you want to find him, you'll find him with his people.
So you'll find it.
He loves his people.
And then she says, until the Daybreak and the shadows flee away. Turn my beloved, or return my beloved.
00:30:01
Just keep returning, just keep coming back all the time. I don't want you to leave me. Is that the spirit of you this afternoon?
You know this is what we need and have to have because otherwise we'd get lost, wouldn't we, if he didn't return?
We could never keep ourselves.
Return, my beloved, why don't you come back again soon?
By night on my bed, I sought him.
Have you ever grown dark in your soul as to the spiritual things?
A little later we find her going to sleep, but here are things have just grown dark. It's by night and your path gets sort of hard because everything is so dark and you don't know what to do.
And besides, you get mixed up on scripture. All these things come in at once in your soul.
I know young people like that right now.
I've had several young people breaking bread have said to me, Brother London, I'm not saved.
Not saying there were.
Darkness came in.
They were upset. Why?
Oh, that bright, precious object wasn't before their soul, the love of Christ.
Something else came in.
The foxes had been to work.
Something growing dark. You ever experienced that?
Now where does she go?
Just where she shouldn't go.
Oh, I've got it here sometime, just to stand still.
As God tells us, people in Isaiah stand still and see the salvation of God. But now she goes to the city, and that's the last place she should go to the city.
She couldn't find him there, but who she find in the city? The watchman. And thank God for the watchman because the watchman will stop you from going any further.
And if the watchman stops, you'll be sure and thank God for it.
Thank God for the Watchmen.
He may employ anyone he pleases to be a watchman, but thank God for the watchman.
She finds him.
Now in the 4th chapter.
Behold art fear my love, Behold art fear thou hast dove's eyes.
Within thy locks.
We have two things here.
Dove's eyes would speak to us further.
Not only of eyes that would see all the way home as in the first chapter, but.
Eyes that would always keep their keep on their mate. Wherever he goes, follow him. That's keeping your eye upon Christ.
But coupled with it we have.
The eyes looking through the locks.
That's modesty.
And that's what becomes the child of God.
Modesty, the locks.
Couldn't do that if you didn't have locks, did you? Could you?
And you know, we have here the one who's the bride of Christ.
And may I just say this, that when God made man, he made man and woman, and each one is supposed to keep their own character.
Because it's a picture of Christ and the Church.
And you know, just as the woman was necessary for the first creation, the woman is necessary for the new creation.
That's why we have this book.
Oh, what a day that's coming, when Christ with his companion will go out over the whole scene of the inheritance.
00:35:09
In companionship.
What a day that will be.
Within thy locks.
We have two things here.
Dove's eyes would speak to us further.
Not only of eyes that would see all the way home as in the first chapter, but.
Eyes that would always keep their.
On their mate. Wherever he goes, follow him that's keeping the eye upon Christ.
But coupled with it we have.
The eyes looking through the locks.
That's modesty.
And that's what becomes the child of God.
Modesty, the locks.
Couldn't do that if you didn't have locks, did you? Could you?
And you know, we have here the one who's the bride of Christ.
And I just say this, that when God made man, he made man and woman, and each one is supposed to keep their own character.
Because it's a picture of Christ in the church.
And you know, just as the woman was necessary for the first creation, the woman is necessary for the new creation.
That's why we have this book.
Oh, what a day that's coming, when Christ with his companion will go out over the whole scene of the inheritance.
In companionship.
What a day that will be.
Thou hast doves eyes within thy locks.
Than thy locks.
Now I don't want to take too much more time, but in the sixth verse.
We have the Daybreak again.
In view, looking on, of course, to the blessed hope.
Until the Daybreak and the shadows flee away. The shadows, you know, plenty of shadows, but they're going to flee away.
The Lord says here, Bridegroom, I will get me to the mountain of Myrrh.
To the hill of frankincense. What's that? Well, I take it to be beloved as we may be privileged to gather around our blessed Savior in Lord's Day morning.
He regards it as a heel of Frank and Sense, and that's where he's going to be. Are you going to be there?
Are you going to be there?
I'll tell you what, if you're there, this is what you're going to hear from his lips.
Let's read it.
As a result of that.
Hour in his presence of worship, myrrh and frankincense, he's going to say to you.
Thou art fair. No, no, no. Thou art all fair, my love, there's no spot in me.
No spot.
Oh, he loves to come to that, to that place until the shadows flee away.
So on I will get me to the mountain of Burn, to the hill of Frankincense.
And there he is going to tell his pride.
Thou art all fair, my love.
There's no spot in.
But now there are dangers along the road.
And that great mount Hermon, with its various peaks, suggest to us the great things of this world that attract the heart of the believer as he passes through it.
But we have.
We have the Spirit of God showing us here how love draws the heart from such things. And so it says here on the part of the bridegroom, Come with me from Lebanon, from Lebanon. Come with me from Lebanon.
00:40:20
It doesn't go. It's come with me from Lebanon. He's drawing our hearts away from that which would otherwise be a danger to us.
From the lion's den and from the mountains of the leopards.
Oh, how many things there are in this world that would attract the natural heart. Because we have a nature, you know, still it can be attracted.
We suppose that there is communion.
But if the will goes to work if the eye goes after an object.
Like that, there's danger of being turned aside. That's all, he says. Come with me from.
Lebanon, my spouse.
And then he says, Thou ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thus ravished my heart with thine eyes, with one, the one chain of thy neck, and so on.
Now he gives a description of his bride, as as he a fuller description than we have elsewhere of his thoughts of his bride.
And if we went on, which we won't, you'll find that she gives a description of what she thinks about him, but only after she's been aroused after asleep.
And were the daughters of Jerusalem awakened her to realization of what he is to her, until she finally answers.
In the 16 first of the of the 5th chapter.
She says.
His mouth is most sweet. Yay. He is altogether lovely.
All together lovely.
Die. This is my beloved, and this is my friend.
All daughters of Jerusalem.
And so we see in these few thoughts how that.
The Lord Jesus is drawing us to heaven.
Not with a whip.
With our hearts.
Is drawing our hearts.
In companionship, down through this world of shadows, as we have it here until the Daybreak, He's drawing us by our hearts.
Home to the Father's house.
In companionship with himself.