Address—J. Brereton
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Well dear young people, I would like to look this afternoon at 2 occasions in the word of God. Well known occasions I'm sure to most of us here.
Where the Apostle Peter was a leader on two occasions he led an expedition that consisted of seven men. And I'd like to look at those two occasions this afternoon and see perhaps.
A very marked contrast in the circumstances that gave rise to what Peter and those who were with him did and what flowed from it. The first time is in the 21St chapter of John's Gospel. So perhaps if you would turn there with me, we'll read a few verses. John's Gospel chapter 21. After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias, and on this wise showed he himself.
There were together Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus.
And Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee.
And two other of his disciples.
Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth and entered into a ship immediately. And that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore. But the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said unto them, Children.
Have ye any meat? They answered him No.
And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find they cast therefore. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he gird his fishers cloak unto him, for he was naked, and it cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were 200 cubits, dragging the net with fishes.
As soon then, as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coal.
And a fish laid thereon, and bred Jesus up unto them. Bring up the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes. And 150 and three, and for all. There were so many, yet was not the net broken. We have here, dear young people, a portion that I'm perhaps many of us have heard before.
There is a dispensational teaching here.
Tight for us to see how blessing is going to flow to the Gentiles in the Millennium.
But I believe, dear young people, that there is for us, for you, and for me, a very precious lesson to learn in a very practical way for our souls now.
Peter we find here.
Becomes, it seems, impatient with waiting, and he decides that he is going fishing.
Now you will recall how the Lord had called Peter from fishing. If you were to turn back to the fifth chapter of Luke's gospel, you would find there how the Lord had called Peter to be a Fisher of men.
Peter decides here that he is going fishing.
And we find that there is no waiting upon the Lord, no looking to the Lord for direction.
Nor seeking the Lord's mind. No praying about it, just a decision.
I'm going fishing. Dear young people, do we ever find ourselves making decisions like that where we decide this is what I'm going to do? I've decided that this is what I'm going to do with my life. I've decided that this is what my line of work is going to be. I have decided that this is where I'm going to live. I have decided this is the course I'm going to proceed on.
Perhaps even I have decided who my partner in life is going to be without there being first turning to the Lord and seeking.
Mine, and without there being dear young people, that submission.
To the word of the Lord, that the Lord would have seen in your life and mind. You know, if there had been a submission here on the part of Peter, the question would never have arisen as to whether he was going fishing or not. He had been called from that to be a Fisher of men. But we also learn here a very valuable lesson also.
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In that what we do effects others.
LED six other men with himself into a course.
Of his choosing. All dear young people, what a blessing, and I truly mean it. What an immense blessing dear young Saints of God can be when their feet are found in the way of right. What a blessing they can be to other young people. What an encouragement they can be. What a help they can be. Because the word of God tells us no man liveth unto himself, and no man dies unto himself.
And you know, dear young people, what you do, the course that you follow.
Effects others. So we find with the Apostle Peter that when he said I'm going fishing.
The response from six other people?
Whereas we also go with thee.
We find it affected Thomas, Nathaniel, James, and John, the sons of Zebedee and two other unknown disciples. They were affected by Peter's decision to walk in the course of his own choosing, without there being a submission, a reference to the word of God, and without there being any waiting upon the Lord in prayer. Well, we find that Peter says, I go fishing. They say unto him, We also go.
With thee they went forth and entered into a ship immediately again. We find here, dear young people, a further lesson for us, I believe. Do you know, very often, very often, the course of self will appears to be made very easy for us, very easy for us. I think of one like Jonah, Jonah who was determined to go to Tarshish, and he found a ship waiting already to take it.
Or couldn't Jonah say, I guess everything is opening up for me? Look at the way everything is opening up. Everything seems to be going so easily.
Well, dear young people, the fact that things go easily is no indication that you have the Lord's mind about your life or that I have the Lord's mind about mine. We find for the apostle Peter and these six that at the beginning everything seemed to go fine. Here was a ship, and they entered into the ship immediately. You know, they probably didn't even have to work very hard. It's quite a contrast, I might say, to the what we find in the next account when Peter LED six men.
On that occasion, they had to walk 40 miles.
But on this occasion they were able to simply get into a ship and start out. But then we find that the word of God tells us that that night they caught nothing. They caught nothing. All beloved young people. What a wasted night. What a wasted night. That which started out without any.
Reference to the Lord that which started out without any consultation.
Of the Word of God. That which started out without prayer, seeking the Lord's mind for their course, ended up in a wasted night. A wasted night, dear brother, that's here. This afternoon has often reminded us that the Word of God shows us that we can have a saved soul, but a lost life.
That is a life that has been spent for self and we find out that it catches nothing.
It becomes a waste, a lost time. The Word of God tells us to redeem the time, but sad to say, when we go in the course of our own choosing, we lose time. We waste time. Time is gone. Dear young people that can never be recovered, I can never call back yesterday.
And change the record. It has been entered into that record that will be manifested that the judgment seat of Christ.
And I cannot change it. I cannot change it. Well, for Peter and those with him, the time came when they spent this whole night and caught nothing.
And then it tells us the fourth verse. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
All beloved young people, how wonderful to realize that the Lord loves you and me too much to let us go on in our course of self will. The Lord is going to come and stand on the shore and he's going to speak to us. But the sad thing is that very often when his voice.
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Speaks to us. We don't recognize that it is Him. We don't recognize that it is He who is seeking to turn us.
Seeking to exercise our consciences, seeking to wake us up to that course of self will that is producing no fruit for God. I think it is so lovely to see how here the Lord Jesus stood on the shore. You know, I, I trust I can say this reverently because what I've enjoyed in my own soul is this. The Lord Jesus could not.
Could not. Speaking reverently, he could not join them in the ship. He could not.
Enter into that course of self will with them.
But speaking reverently, he drew as closely as he could to speak to their conscience.
To speak to their conscience. And he stood on the shore. He stood on the shore. And what he said to them that day, that morning was children.
Have ye any meat? Have ye any meat? Oh, I'm sure we've many of us have enjoyed this before, have meditated on it and profited by it. I trust you know, one thinks of how many things the Lord Jesus could have said to these seven. I often think of how many things the Lord Jesus could say to me.
If he chose to, how many times he would have to speak to my conscience about a course of self will?
About that which was disobedience to his word, about that which allowed the flesh to act, about the course, about the court, about that which was allowed that led to the failure that dishonored him.
Well, the Lord stood on the shore that day, and what He said to these disciples was, children, have you any meat? If I could put it perhaps. In other words, what He was saying to them was, have you found anything in that course of self will to satisfy your heart? Have you found anything in that course that you chose?
Have you found anything that you could there in that court?
Find to satisfy your hunger all beloved young people. How many many dear beloved young Saints of God.
Have decided out of a hunger that they have felt for something to reach out.
In that course of self will for what they thought was good.
Only to find out that there was no meat there. There was nothing to satisfy. You know, Eve tried it. She reached for what was on the tree, but it didn't satisfy her heart. All it did was give her a bad conscience so that she had to hide from God. Oh, what a tragic thing it is. Nothing to satisfy.
Had the any meat and the answer was number no, they had no meat.
They had none.
A wasted night, all beloved young people.
What are you doing with your life? What am I doing with mine? Are we looking to the Lord and asking the Lord to make the choice for us to direct our steps?
Are we asking the Lord to be the one to decide?
What our course is going to be?
Or are we like Peter here saying I'm going this way, I'm going fishing?
Only to have the Lord draw as near as he can to let us hear him say.
There's nothing to satisfy your heart in that course. We find that when he says stood on the shore, the disciples knew not.
That it was Jesus. They didn't recognize who it was.
It's even remarkable.
That they didn't even at first.
Recognize his voice when it says that he stood on the shore. The disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Then Jesus said unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No, still no indication.
That they knew this was the Lord speaking to them, the Lord who was seeking.
To exercise the conscience and to draw them back to the shore.
Where he stood to draw them back to the shore. Where he stood waiting for.
Well, we find the Lord then says, and he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find they cast therefore. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. You know, we heard a little bit this morning from our brother about grace, and I believe we have here and type a little picture of how grace works, how God overrules in blessing.
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Because Peter could not say that he had the Lord's mind about going fishing.
The Lord had called him from that, but now we see how the Lord in his grace.
Overrule.
And brings blessing out of it. And beloved young people, how many? How many a dear St. of God here this afternoon can bear testimony to the fact that they have failed?
And that there is no excuse for the failure.
But that God has in his infinite grace overruled and brought blessing out of it. God has overruled. But remember, there is never a justification.
A justification for the course of self will, I believe we see that here, brought out in a most remarkable way with Peter.
Because when he finds out.
That there is fish on the other side of the ship, on the right side of the ship.
When the next brings all these fish.
When he hears the voice of the apostle John saying it's the Lord.
And he casts himself into the sea and goes to shore. What does he find?
Dear young people, he finds a fire on which a fish was already placed. Already placed. Now, I have no doubt, as I mentioned at the beginning, that we see here a picture of millennial blessing. But for your heart and mind today I believe there's a very real lesson for us, and that is dear young people.
That the Lord did not need Peter.
Step out in a path of self will and self choosing in order to catch fish. The Lord had a fish already sitting on the coal.
And in spite of what we hear so much of in Christendom today.
We are never justified.
In stepping into the path of our own choosing, independent of the instruction of the Word of God.
Regardless, regardless of what God may do in His grace.
And bringing blessing.
What a tragic thing it is, and I mean it with all my heart. Your young people, it is a tragic thing.
To use the grace of God.
To justify disobedience.
To the word of God.
Not so very long ago, I heard a game.
I heard again of one of our dear young people.
Who had married an unconverted young man, and God in his oneness grace.
After some years in his wondrous grace, save that young man.
Save that young man and beloved young people. When I heard it, I can say truly I heard it with mixed feelings.
Mixed feelings. I found my heart thanking God for His grace.
For His grace in saving that young man. And yet there was a fear that came before my soul.
I fear that there may be those of our dear young people who will look at that instance of the marvelous grace of God.
And use it.
As an example.
To follow to use it to justify.
A course of self will and disobedience to the Word of God.
Well, we find in the case of Peter.
That when he and the other disciples have come to the shore, in the ninth verse, it says, as soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon.
And bread, Jesus saith unto them, Bring up the fish which he hath now caught, now caught. Oh dear young people, what a little word that word now is. And yet we find it comes in here so beautifully, because the Lord was in that one little word, speaking again to the consciences of these seven men you have now.
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Caught when they followed his instructions of casting the net on the right side of the ship.
The ones that they had now caught.
They could bring in beloved young people. Let us gather from this I trust, for your soul and for mine.
Let us gather from this first of all, that what we do effects others.
Secondly, the tragedy.
Of deciding our own court without reference to the word of God and prayer. Thirdly, how in that court we are going to find nothing to satisfy our hearts? Fourthly, how we lose discernment in that court so that we do not even recognize the Lord.
As he seeks to speak to her, firstly the marvelous grace of God that brings the Lord Jesus just as near as He can come to draw our hearts back to Himself.
And lastly, the reminder that we are never justified, Never. Regardless of what God overruled in His grace and blessing. We are never justified in choosing our own course. We are never justified in doing evil that good may come.
Now I'd like to turn to another account where Peter LED six more men.
And it truly is a remarkable contract. But you turn with me to the 10th chapter of Acts, The 10th chapter of Acts.
I'll read first of all the last verse of the 9th chapter. And it came to pass that he, that is, Peter, carried many days in Joppa with one Simon a Tanner. Now the ninth verse of the 10th chapter on the moral. As they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the 6th hour. And he became very hungry, and would have eaten, but while they made ready, he fell into a trance.
And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet, knitted the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein we're all man in a four footed beast of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him. Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.
And the voice spake unto him again the second time, what God hath cleansed.
That call not thou common. This was done twice, and the vessel was received up again into heaven. Now, while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called and asked whether Simon, which was surname Peter, were lodged there.
While Peter fought on the vision, the spirit said unto him, Behold Freeman, seek thee.
Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them. Then Peter went down to the man, which were sent him to him from Cornelius, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek, What is the cause wherefore ye come? And they said Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy Angel to send for thee into his house.
And to hear words of the then called he them in, and lodge them. And on the moral Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the moral after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. The 33rd verse. This is Cornelius speaking immediately. Therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come now. Therefore are we all.
Present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth, I perceived, that God is no respecter of persons. The 42nd verse. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
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While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word, and they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
And then if you'll just turn to the 11Th chapter for justice, a couple of verses.
Here we have the account of where Peter is giving a report to the brethren at Jerusalem, as to what had happened in the case of Cornelius the seventh verse. And I heard a voice saying Unto me, Arise, Peter, slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord, for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again, From heaven, what God hath cleansed that call not thou common.
And this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.
And behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was sent from Caesarea unto me, and the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover, these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. And he showed us how he had seen an Angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter.
Who shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved? Here, dear young people, we have Simon Peter again.
This is the man who led six men fishing, and now we find he leads six men to Caesarea from Joppa. That was a distance, as I say, of about 40 miles. They found no ship waiting. They had to walk, as far as we can gather from this account, and they made it, if I understand the account correctly, they made it in about one day. Well, we find Peter had been a Joppa and he had been there many days, but there was no desire now on Peter's part, and I think.
So lovely. No desire on Peter's part to go anywhere except where the Lord sends it. And so we find Peter at the 6th hour. I just suggest I perhaps some other brother will tell me afterwards that I haven't understood it right and I would welcome it. But I have enjoyed in my own soul noticing how that Peter in this chapter prays at the 6th hour.
In the third chapter of Acts, we find that the hour of prayer.
Was the 9th hour and perhaps it's a little word to our hearts that there is a time and how we can thank God for it for, can I say corporate prayer for us to come together for prayer. And dear young people, I hope you're present at the prayer meeting. You need it.
And your brethren need your presence there too.
But there is this time of seeking the Lord's mind privately. And so Peter, at the 6th hour we find him up on the rooftop, and the word of God says he went up upon the housetop to pray. About the 6th hour he went up to pray. He had been at Joppa many days.
You know, I remember years ago.
Hearing a story of our dear brother Jackson, who many of us here knew and loved dearly, and it really struck my own heart very much when I heard it. He's with the Lord now, so I can safely tell the story. But that dear brother was visiting in an assembly, and in those days those who served the Lord traveled mainly by train. And the time came when he and his wife went down to the railroad station 1 morning, and that evening some of the brethren went down to the railroad station. They were passing through the station, and they found her brother Jackson and his wife still.
Railroad station. And they asked him why, why was he still there? And his answer was that the Lord still hadn't shown him where to go. And he was waiting on the Lord or the Lord to make it clear to him. Well, here we find Peter in prayer. But you know, dear young people, the Lord answers our prayer, sometimes in very unusual ways and sometimes what the Lord allows as we're looking, as I trust you are today looking to the Lord for direction for your life.
Sometimes the Lord's answers to those prayers are not always what we would like them to be. Sometimes we find as Peter did.
That what the Lord shows him at first has no attraction for the apostle.
But Peter wanted to know the Lord's mind. Peter wanted to know.
He was hungry and he was waiting and he was praying.
And the word of God tells us that he became hungry, and would have eaten, but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven open, and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been. A great sheet knitted the four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein we're all manner of four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him. Rise, Peter.
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Kill and eat.
All beloved young people.
Sometimes.
Sometimes what the Lord shows us.
Sometimes those circumstances that the Lord brings into our lives.
Are not really what we were anticipating.
You know the Apostle Peter heard a voice.
And in marked contrast to the account in the 21St chapter of John, he had no difficulty in recognizing whose voice it was.
Now, to me it's so most remarkable because in the account that's given here.
The voice is not identified. It doesn't say the Lord said says a boy.
But Peter had no difficulty. Now Peter had no difficulty. Here was one who was in communion.
The dear beloved Apostle Peter. And he recognizes who this voice is. He recognizes who it is that is saying to him who has brought this sheet into his life, who has brought this thing that at first appears so unpalatable.
When Peter looked at that sheet and saw the four footed beasts and the wild beasts and the creeping things and the fowls of the air.
All beloved young people of you found circumstances, things that the Lord has allowed in your life that at first glance don't appear very attractive.
You really wanted to know the Lord's mind for your life, but what the Lord showed you was not really what you were hoping for.
Well, here we find with the Apostle Peter, what he's shown, I believe I could safely say was the very opposite to what he expected.
Even though, even though the Lord had told Peter.
A long time before.
That he would one day have the privilege.
Of administering that second key.
That opened up for the way for the Gentiles to come into blessing.
But this was not what the Lord, not what Peter was expecting, and what he saw gave him at first to reject it, to not so Lord, not so recognition. This is from the Lord, but the first reaction is to reject it. This isn't what Peter really at first wanted.
But the vision was repeated to him.
Three times, and then it was taken away, taken up into heaven. Now, please, dear young people, Mark Peter is a soul in communion. He shrank at first from that which was shown to him. He shrank at first from this which was brought into his life, but he recognized that it was from the war.
He recognized it was from the Lord, and now Peter had the word. He had been in prayer.
Now he had the word of God for his course. He was shown that he was not to call anything that God had cleansed common or unclean. All beloved young people, has the Lord allowed some trial or some difficulty to come into your life, into your personal life, into your family life, or into your assembly life as the Lord allowed it?
Have you seen the Lord's hand in it?
Has there been a submission to the Lord's hand in it? Has there been a recognition that it's the Lord, even though it isn't what you really longed to see, even though there was a shrinking from it, an abhorrence of it, even perhaps, as with Peter at first, get a recognition that it was from the Lord?
And the Lord was the one who was speaking to you, even though no one else knew anything about it. Perhaps you recognized in your soul that it was the Lord speaking to you.
What we find with the Apostle Peter.
That when this is done, and this sheet is taken up again, the next thing we find is that the Spirit speaks up to him. And so we find in the 19th verse, while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men, seek thee. Arise therefore and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them.
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Now, dear young people, let's go back for a moment so that in our thoughts to the 21St chapter of John.
Peter.
No prayer, just the course decided for himself. Secondly, no word, no direction from the Lord to go fishing instead.
Direction from the Lord that He had been called from it, but He chose to go anywhere. Thirdly, no leading of the Spirit, no direction, no application of the Word by the Spirit, just self, will, and six others LED with Peter into that course. Now we find that Peter the love of the apostle Peter.
Waiting on the Lord in prayer. Now He has the Word. He has this revelation to him.
From the Lord and he has the Spirit directing him, directing him and saying go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them. Dear young people, do you believe today that the Lord wants to direct your life? I can tell you He does. He wants to use you just as he used Peter. He wants your life to be for his glory, just as Peters was here. He wants your.
He wants you to be used of him to encourage others, as Peter did here.
You know, it's remarkable, but in John chapter 21, the six men said we go to and here in Acts chapter 10, in Acts Chapter 11, in the account given, six men followed Peter and on neither occasion did Peter ever invite them to go, at least not according to the word. They decided that if that was the course for Peter, then they would walk in it too this time.
This time, the apostle Peter had made straight paths for his feet.
And all how it LED those six men. I'm not suggesting for one minute that their eyes should have been on Peter, but the fact remains that his life, his course, his decision that day to submit to the word.
And to be led by the Spirit resulted in six other men too, walking in a path that was for God's glory. So we find with the apostle Peter that he has the Spirit that directs him. And the Spirit of God, using the Word of God, wants to direct your life to young people in mind. And there's only one thing that gets in the way. Just one. I can never.
Beloved young people, I can never.
Blame failure on my part, on somebody else, or what a tragic thing it is. Really. It is a tragic thing when we find ourselves blaming others for failure on our part.
Or can I say to my beloved brethren, and say to my own heart too, we are never justified in blaming our brethren for failure on the part of our children. Let's never blame anyone else. Let's never point the finger, dear young people, at anyone else. Never. Let's say that my child failed.
Because the brethren didn't treat him right or didn't treat her right, we never should point to anyone but ourselves. I've often said to my own children that whatever I see of Christ in them, I can thank God for. Whenever I see failure in them. I know where they got the example for that from. Here we find with the apostle Peter, God uses him and six men go with him.
And they have the word of God for their course, and they have the direction of the Spirit of God for their course.
And Peter has been in prayer.
And the result is that he starts out on a 40 mile walk to Joppa. You know, to me. Again, I'm sure others have enjoyed and meditated on this much more than I have. But to my own soul, it's a most remarkable thing in comparing these two accounts. Because if you look at a map, Caesarea and Joppa are both right on the seacoast. Wouldn't it have been the easiest thing in the world to just step into a ship and let a ship?
All the way down from Caesarea, from Joppa up to Caesarea. But no for the course of self will. At the first Peter found the ship. Everything was smooth sailing for Peter. Here in the course of obedience, he had a 40 mile walk. Dear young people, don't think, don't ever think for one minute that the path of obedience to the Word of God is going to be an easy one.
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But you're going to find blessed company in that path.
You're going to find the company of the Son of God in that path, even though it means a long walk through the wilderness. We find that Peter comes to the House of Cornelius.
And there are many souls waiting, waiting chest to hear the message that Peter had heard. I think it's the most marvelous thing. I've sometimes wondered. We heard a little bit about speculation this morning. I'd like to add a further speculation this afternoon. I've sometimes wondered whether there were 153 people in Cornelius's house that day.
But we find that there was a large company gathered, and they heard from the lips of the apostle Peter the message that they were waiting for all beloved brethren, here was a Fisher of men. Here was a Fisher of men and he caught a lot of fish that day. Scent of the Lord used of the Lord. You know, I love to think of Cornelius. If you notice in the 36th verse of our chapter.
It says the word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all that word. I say, you know, you know, it appears when you read this account as if Peter was telling Cornelius things that he already knew. But there was one thing, one thing at least that Cornelius didn't know. He didn't know that the wonderful message of the gospel was for whosoever. He didn't know that. And so when you come down to the 42nd verse or the 40.
Third verse. To him give all the prophets witness that through His name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. That was the point. Soon as it whosoever Cornelius and a whole room full of people, everyone in the room that day believe, and was saved, was saved.
All beloved young people, what a blessing. How God delighted to use Peter here.
In over ruling, in blessing but one cent of God, who waited upon God to be sent, Who had the word of God for his course, who was shown clearly.
That even though, even though it at first appeared so unpalatable to him, it was the Lord's choosing for Him and what blessing it resulted in. All beloved young people, when I look around at your faces this afternoon, I can't help but feel how God wants to use you for His glory. When I see young men and young women come to these meetings, sit under the Word of God.
It just thrills my soul to think of how you can be used.
Glory of God, how there are those who are waiting to hear.
The precious message of the gospel, those who are waiting to hear the truth of God that the Lord would use you to distribute, to send out, to carry. But all beloved young people, first of all, it starts with waiting on the Lord, waiting on the Lord being before the Lord in prayer for your life. Then secondly, and how this speaks to my own heart.
Comes perhaps what at first seems the hardest part of all.
And that submission?
To the will of God.
Peters It required a three fold vision from glory for him to submit, submit to the will of God and go to the Gentiles and beloved young people. When I think of how we hear from time to time in the lives of our dear young people, how circumstances come in that are sad, that perhaps are a real grief and sorrow at the time.
But always their submission to the will of God.
Is there a recognition that it is the Lord, that it's the Lord, as Peter did? Is there an acceptance of those circumstances from him? Is there a readiness to then be used as the Spirit directs by His Word? And then we find how the blessing flows. You know when Peter gives the account in the 11Th chapter?
We're then told for the first time that there were six men.
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Six men who went with Peter. Six men who had fellowship with the beloved apostle. 6 men who could bear testimony to the truth that had been revealed to them that day. Six men. Six men, dear young people, Peter, walking in the path of obedience.
Had been used of God. Not only that, a whole roomful of people should be saved.
But that also six men should be LED in the path of obedience to. May the Lord bless His word to your heart and mind, dear young people, and encourage us to seek the Lord's mind for our life and to never under any circumstances allow the grace of God to be used in our lives to encourage us to walk in a path.
That is disobedient to the Word of God. Remember, we need prayer, we need the Word.
We need the Spirit of God using the Word to direct our lives and the result will be a tale told and glory that will be for the glory of God.