Vestal Conference: 1988
Table of Contents
Acts 20:7-16
Reading
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We feel it's profitable to take up some verses in the 20th chapter of Acts.
Thinking of Versus 7 and on in the chapter, nothing could be time for more than just a little bit of it. But, uh.
Nice, perhaps to publicly read that.
The rest of the chapter that seems good to the present.
Access 22 Seven.
On the first day of the week.
Disciples team together to break thread. All faced, some of them ready to depart tomorrow and continue to speak until midnight.
With any light in the upper chamber where they're gathered together, and they sat in the window of certain young man named being fallen with each seat fall as long preaching. He sunk down the streets and fell down. He's very lost and taken off dead. Fall went down and fell on him and embraced him. Troubled not yourself for his life as in him.
But he therefore was come up again, and broken bread and eaten and talked a long while. He was still breaking date, and they brought the young man alive, and we're not a little confident.
We went before ship until they thought they're intending to take them all so.
When men's leadership did not be cooking and it came to my lithium.
And we failed. Then came the next day ever against heels, and the next day we arrived in OLS and carried it Providian. The next day we came to my list. Paul had determined to sail by emphasis because he would not spend time in Asia free Asians out and be at gruesome David Pentagon. And so my latest intent to call the elders of church and when they were coming to seven of them.
You know from the first day that I came in Asia, after what manner I have been with you all season.
With many peers temptations, which you could tell me by the lying wave foods. Now I kept back nothing. It's profitable to me and I showed you and I thought you publicly in the house testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greek defendants toward God, safe for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now before I go down the spirit of Jerusalem, I'm on the Finland, so they call me there. David Cole goes in every city and found me. So nothing's moving either how I my life here and myself so I might finish my course with joining the industry which I have received the Lord Jesus sacrifice, the gospel of the grace of God. And now behold, I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching, the human of God shall see my face no more.
Wherefore I take you to the records this day, that I am pure from the blood fall in. For I have not shown to declare you the gospel of God.
Take either for themselves as a clock over the witch holy toast may be overseas to see the 55 which he had purchased in his Golden Globes. For I know this, that after my departments the greatest world.
Both of your own self shall men arise speaking perverse things are all the way to type of acronym. Therefore watch and remember by the state of three years I see not to warn everyone. Nice day with tears now bright enough commend you to God and the word is great. Is able to build you up to give you an inheritance along all families to sanctify. I have coveted no man's silver or gold or peril yourselves. No, that he can't administer to my necessity.
With me, I have showed you all things how to so laboring the office support the leaks.
Remember the words that the Lord changed his tongue said it is more blessed to give and receive when he had not spoken to kneel down, prayed with them all, they all went sword from all to that consistency saw. And most of all for the words that you say, they should keep in Faith No More, and they accompany him in the ship.
OK.
00:05:05
My exercise present is that we might like it versus 7 through 12 and then if the Lord.
Reads in this time, perhaps to look on Converse. Umm.
We're at verse UH-25 on that seems good.
Thanks.
A little incident that we read at the beginning is.
First of all, in historical event it happened.
It's not that so much that it occupies our thoughts, I believe as we read it together, rather that there are lessons in the incident that help us. And I believe also perhaps just a little prophetic glimpse of things that we're going to occur during the period of church's history.
Not that the church is the subject of prophecy, I think we're all clear on that. But we know that God embraces giving us a.
Uh, both Revelation two and three and another little incident such as we have here, something of a little prophetic picture of things.
I would notice that when the disciples gathered together on the first day of the week at the opening of the incident.
It was with the express purpose.
Of breaking bread.
Brethren, we have that blessed privilege of gathering together for the breaking of bread. We'll notice a little later in that.
The uh.
There there are events that come in that perhaps we can learn from, but I believe this first point here is so important when we gather together.
The 1St and primary.
Exercise of those whom the Lord has gathered through the name of the Lord Jesus is the breaking of threat.
Nothing can replace that in importance.
And I believe that all other things that we might do as Christians together, including.
That wonderful privilege of preaching the gospel, everything takes second place to that first primary purpose. I know this was the meeting that they gathered together for the breaking of bread, and I believe it's important to remember that too. It wasn't the song service. It wasn't the, umm, a prayer meeting.
It wasn't a preaching meeting. I believe all those things occurred at that meeting, but with purpose for which the Saints were gathered together was to break bread. And I wonder, brethren, I don't press it, but I wondered when we come together on the Lord's Day morning, if it isn't so that we sometimes lose sight of that when we look up at the clock and it's almost 5 minutes to 12 or whatever customary time.
Our meeting is is that no one has got enough to give thanks for the bread because we do not break thread, so we break Fred even though that's our purpose in being you've got her. I don't press that blood, but I just suggested God has put this year, I believe to exercise our hearts.
Uh, we need not pretend to what we're not. That is, if our state of soul is such that it takes us until 5 minutes to 12, let's not pretend that it's anything else. But I believe we should be before the Lord as to that, are we really come together? Do we live all the week in anticipation of that blessing moment when we're going to sit down in His presence to honor Him in that way?
00:10:03
Hey brother, Armstead buried in his statement from time to time.
I wanted to get into some private meeting or conference. It may have been conference.
He said it's it's not possible to live in the world all week.
And they get expressed, trained to remember the Lord and listen. What have we been gathering up through the week? What has our lifestyle been?
As Christ in the absence of our hearts.
Are we filled with the person and the working Christ and when we come together on birthday. There's that craze that goes out. We remember him. We break the bread in his membership that I I think that's a good point that we don't really we don't break the body of Christ, but in the world and woke. It speaks of his death. How to own it is broken. Didn't know that, but he speaks of his death. I was thinking too. Is it not so that this event that we're reading here in Acts chapter.
20 and verse seven was approximately I may be brought my standing corrected about 26 years after the church's birthday and the second of acts.
And we see there that it said they in the second of Acts, they continued, did vastly on the apostles doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread, and bread breaking bread.
For that thought was breaking bread and prayers and then my chapters amidst, amidst the time of the church's birthday, the second class and the time that we're reading about here. Many things didn't come in to discourage it. Uh, there had been many things that had come in, but.
They were still going on. They came together, as it says, upon the first day of the week, and the second came together. Great. I think that's very blessed and encouraged into us too, and all that. There are many things that come in to disrupt the truth of God is to set aside that which God has instituted and bring in many thoughts. Yes, I think Brother Jim had mentioned today and he felt that there will be a testimony.
Of those gathering is precious leads are very dangerous here to stop and I believe to myself I'm firmly convinced of that about the question always arises, will I be there? Will I be there?
So we might mention that speaking to those around the house, any of the churches things believe in Christ saying well, what's all this about the first day of the week in the Old Testament we read so much about the 7th day, the 7th day. Well, it makes us a little bit in the relations chapter 3.
Verse of 24.
Galatians 324 I've been signed here right for the law of Moses that is with our schoolmaster to bring it from the court that we might be justified all in faith and schoolmen and verse 25 and then after the faith has come, we are no longer.
I'm doing the school. So the law houses has, uh, has no more direct, uh effect on this dot currently because there are ones that they.
Have in our verse here on the first day of the week and the flight was came together. Great thread. It wasn't the 7th day and they were no longer under the schoolmaster law and now I'm great.
Migraine war first day they they resurrection.
That's very important business because the first day of the week, the Lord's Day, isn't the Christian Sabbath, is it? You sometimes hear it referred to in that way, and yet I enjoy what it says in Matthew chapter 28.
And verse one, it says in the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week. Well, this was a new beginning, wasn't it? This was the resurrection morning. It was the end of the Sabbath that had been set aside, that will be taken up, we know, again in a future day. But.
Now in Christianity, it's the first day of the week. It's that resurrection, uh, morning. And so I, I think that's important to see that it's a whole new beginning. And I think sometimes we refer, I hear those, I don't say we, but I hear those refer to the Christian Sabbath or Lord's Day as a Sabbath and feel it's a day of rest. Well, it's not, is it? Umm, we find, umm, that in Christianity, the first day of the week is the day when, as we have here, there was preaching, going on ministry, uh, activity. And so it's a day when we can, umm, set aside. I enjoy a little pamphlet, perhaps some of red, the most of red. Uh, the Lord says that we devote it to him. So I, I'd just like to echo what Matt said. It's the.
00:15:37
First day of the week is not a Christian Sabbath. It's a whole new beginning. And so they they come together on the first day of the week to break bread.
It's very touching too, to notice. I, I don't know that I noticed this until last summer where it was down in, in uh, Bolivia at the conference in Montero and one of the brethren remarked it and I guess it was amazed. I hadn't seen this before that, uh, they, they spent seven days there. Why do you think they spent seven days there?
Well, I'd like to the brother explained it this way. He said they arrived perhaps on a Monday morning and they had missed the privilege of remembering the Lord there. And so they waited monthly Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, seven days and tomorrow it says they departed. We read that right in this chapter. Tomorrow they departed, but they they stayed there just to break friends with the brethren, I believe.
And I enjoyed that. I've indebted. I don't remember what brother it was, it's a conference in Monterrey. But I I took that away as a little treasure.
Dear brother, digging in there and they, they, uh, I just got that from the Lord.
Sometimes we talk about themes at the breaking of bread, and I recognize and have enjoyed that the Lord sometimes brings a particular aspect of things before us. All the hymns seem to to suggest a certain line of things. But you know, I believe we can become too occupied with a theme such as that and forget that God has given us the theme. My Father reminds us of that in Chattem every once in a while.
That we have that thing. That is the thing. We're there to break bread. And the theme is given to us in Scripture, isn't it? It's to show forth his death. Now I, I, I with you with delight in how the Spirit of God does take and just so to speak, want him after another seems to bring before us a certain line of things, but perhaps it becomes too occupied. We gotta forget that we're there to break friends.
That's what we're there for.
I remember years ago that the notion came up, but the first time we'd get the theme of the meeting.
Well, I'm a little hilarious.
Because I think sometimes we see it the first time, it's hardly and according to the reason we're there, it may be a fine.
Uh, humor? The gospel aspect to it or, or an encouraging one for the pilgrims.
In his practice. But I don't think that's a good way to work it out, Stelara.
No, there are. It's uh, we don't exhaust it with one meeting. We haven't gone through all.
The beauty is like there are different beauties and the angles and all that.
Processing, we don't want to take away from that, but the thing that, uh, just by chance, uh, a brother is giving out of him and he may not be at all one that's been occupied. It's hard to get a good rule of it.
So we have a scripture insurance here. I don't know what is that for, because the big activity wasn't the breaking of bread, I'm sure.
Struggling, at least to the point I got it. This is a long meeting, wasn't it? So much so that mom fell out about her story out of the office. It was pro practice. That didn't take away from the reason why they came together.
Well, that wasn't the prime thought, wasn't breaking the bread, wasn't it? And then there was a discourse thing by Ivaso ready to depart on the Morrow. And I think as a marvelous lesson here in looking at the whole picture. I'm sure that's what you have in my brother did that. Are we? Are you a little more about this truth?
00:20:21
OK, look at it, see what happens.
You're dead, but he was taken up all he lives in and I believe that there's a lesson here in it. Are we willing all teaching as to the truth of God that has been revealed by the Spirit of God, a revelation of God. Are we weary of that? Are we like beautiful? Are we on a window? Are we asleep as to the truth of God? I believe the Lord has a real lesson in here in this course.
I, I remember your brother Robert Kaiser, senior Kaiser, many, many years ago during Columbus, and he expounded on these versions and gave us some lovely thoughts. And I, I wish I could remember, but I can't. But it was a very, very true picture of the church here. And I really see it. And it's, it's taking the tax those that linger.
Or pulling back. Or say, well, that's what they say. This is what we'd rather teach.
I don't know. It's what the Word of God teaches. Umm, I think so it's Utica's here, but I just think the worst Deuteronomy and we see umm.
I think Deuteronomy 25. Interesting verse there.
Concerning.
Those that linger and you know, I think I'm hearing connection. You're around 25.
Find it here and, uh, first one of the first, uh, well, I'll begin with verse 17.
I request something interesting there, he says. Remember what Amalek did unto me, by the way, when you were coming forth out of Egypt.
How we met thee, by the way, and smoked the foremost. No, no, no, that's not it. We spoke behind you. Most of these, those that were unsure, those had faltered.
There's an interesting point there, I believe it says how he, he he smoked. Even in all that were the people behind me.
Are we lingering? Are we on a window as to the truth of God. I can challenge you on that. I asked my own soul the same question or am I firmly established, but the fact that I can gather to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ and we see the sad result. He says you and all that was people behind me when thou was sent angry.
Any beard, I think there's a, there's a lesson here for us. Uh, and I, I think of it in relation to Eunicus in his sleepy condition, he was the Lord. He'd say, well, people say to us, well, aren't they below? Yes. Could you use the laws? Did he get into a very sweet condition? He was on a fence. He was on that. Well, we say on the fence, he was on the he was, he was on the window. He wasn't, he wasn't sure he was, he was, he fell asleep.
And I think sometimes we fall asleep as to the teachings of the apostle Paul concerning the revelation that God had given.
To jump ahead, but just in connection with you, if it's in the window having been exercised by a couple of very practical points that you said, brother gorgeous. There's some very practical things in this chapter as well. And for those of us who are young, I think first of all of Utica and his name means well off and surely he was in a well off position. And we think that we sit here this afternoon of how well off we are. How the grace of God has not only reached down to us in our need of sinners, opened our eyes to see beauty in Christ, brought us to the Savior, but now has gathered up to the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
Not only put us on the beach, but as it were brought us to the end. And here we have in our hands this afternoon the Word of God. We have the Spirit of God to reveal it to us. What a position we have. We want to realize your value. What we have brethren, to be able to sit here in quietness and have the precious truth revealed it to us. Learn more of Christ and His view and see more of him. But apparently He was just didn't really value this position.
00:25:11
He wanted to look at the inside and outside at the same time. He wanted to see what was going on inside as well as enjoy what was going on in the street below. But, you know, I often think of those who find himself in this position. And what about you and I? Do we seek to go and draw them out of the window? You know, I think of sitting in a meeting like this, you know, we're never wide awake one minute and sound asleep the other. Are we? We sort of doze and our heads nod a couple of times and and then maybe after a while we we fall asleep for a few moments. And, you know, I wonder, was there not somebody there who saw you because sort of dozens off a couple of times.
And I wonder why somebody didn't drive and say, you know, you're sitting in a dangerous position. Come, come over here and sit by me. Now I know better and I I speak to my own heart. It takes real grace and real wisdom before the Lord to to encourage and and draw back. And sometimes perhaps we feel our hands are a little bit tight, but I often wonder what they're not someone who could have gone over and drawn me if it's in warned them of the dangerous position that he was in. And so I said to my own heart, if I see my brother get away.
If I see my sister get away, do I seek to encourage that one Do I seek to draw them back You never just all of a sudden leave the the assembly. It's it's a court S patriot discernment to real third being before the Lord to discern of course like that in our brethren. But do we seek to encourage them and draw them back How how different it would have been if someone had gone over here and stopped to encourage them and ask them to come and sit by his not to excuse you if it's his responsibility either because the girl replaces the responsibility on me as as an individual. So whether it's me getting away wanting the best of as they say of both worlds.
Or whether it's increasing those that we see getting into that path. We have, I believe, but a privilege too, a blessed privilege of encouragement and all how we need encouragement in these days. There's so much to discourage, so much to divide. And how we need to encourage one another is along in the pathway to say.
When I was in the Army in 1952, I can't pick it whether Charles will remember this because we were just two weeks apart facing training. They got us up real early in the morning.
And for foolish things, sometimes, they used to say.
And, uh, then they send us to class when we were good and tired in a hot building and somebody would give a lecture on field sanitation and the prevention of disease or something like that. And, uh, I'd say good. Half of us were dozing and nodding up, but there was danger in it. And, uh, they, uh, they said, I have a Sergeant standing around and taking names down of anybody, right? Charlotte would fall asleep.
That didn't happen to him, but did to me and, uh, extra duty for those who did. Well, we developed the system very quickly. We saw our buddy dozing off. We say they come, they come. And I feel that was done out of a maybe a loyalty to one another. But this work that Brother Jim is speaking about is a spiritual exercise and it's important. We haven't noticed the fact that there were many lights in the upper chamber, but.
Brethren, there's a lot of light that God has given in that upper room, and there's plenty of help. And there's good reason to keep our eyes inside the room and not out on the street below. We're called.
To a separated position as away from the world. And if we're choosing the window, it's because our hearts are are not undivided.
We have a divided heart and, uh, we need to be stirred in our souls. And I appreciate our brother's exhortation that somebody should have noticed Eunicus where he was. It's too late when you have to put somebody out of fellowship because they've fallen. I don't say that's what the fall here really brings out, but that fall can happen. It's too late then. That isn't discipline.
I think it's JMD says that's a confession, that discipline is bail. And what we need to do is to be interested enough to care about this sleepiness that overpowers us so easily and to care about those that may be having a whip, a look and they're attracted by the world. Now the word gives a little indication of that for the discerning brother or sister, and it doesn't have to be a brother that notices it.
00:30:16
In fact, uh, uh, sisters have been a great help to me in my pathway. And I thank God for discerning sisters who have noticed things and spoken to me about things and in my life. And, uh, we need to be exercised to help one another, but there are lights in that upper chamber and it is a blessed place. There's a lot of light there.
The street below is dark bread and it may look glittering when the neon lights that the world offers, but it's a dark place and we are in that lesson separated place where there are many lights in that upper chamber. Plus the fact that we have the ministry of the Apostle Paul that has gone on until the midnight hour.
One of us too, uh, thinking of calling attention to that. I think that's a verse and very precious verse. Uh, as you've already called our attention through, there were many lights in the upper chamber, but notice the end of the verse where they were gathered together.
Let me think of that Matthew 1820, where two or three are gathered together. Again, we see the gathering. It wasn't they they saw in the sense of which we're reading out of themselves.
It was gathered together and they were both lengths. There were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together. It's supposed to gather again, the same thought as we have someone thought we have imagine 1820 and I believe that. And as you say, the the.
Uh, many lightens in that. And is there not much light? Uh, you say you take all the years of the ministry of those that have gone before that, that we, as we read that ministry, they direct dark thoughts. The light of that ministry directs our thoughts to Christ. That's the whole thing, isn't it? And but again, doing this sort of looking out the window and it was looking in and he, he listened and he was, he was, he became weird. He came sleeping.
Uh, and I think this is a very good, a marvelous lesson, of course, to realize that.
Having fallen into a deep sleep and has fallen long, preaching well has fallen, reaching along to us. Oh man, for 1900 years, over 1900 years. Are we listening? Do we hear what we have to say? Are we doing all the revelation of God through the apostles?
Umm, that's the purpose of interview, Sir. An object before, Yeah.
Uh, this is the first seven, my brother said. When we came together to make prayer, we came together, uh.
Brother had mentioned about the birth of the Church back in the second Catholic.
And can you confirm that, that?
3:40.
4546 Where is that brother? Chapter 246.
Back.
So they continue daily with one, of course.
They were gathered together for one person and one thought in mind will not get to work. And that's remember.
Lord, and we'll get her.
Uh, the last part of that.
Same verse.
A little out here, Brother Bob, if you will, please. We're glad that the last part of that verse with gladness and single is the part.
All right. I like to think of the singleness is the one object before us. Everybody gathers together for one purpose and that's and that's we remember going through the same.
00:35:01
There there is, uh.
A desire, the object before we have instilled a desire in each one's heart.
To do that which orders something.
To also encourage.
No. Who said maybe?
Faxman or falling away?
It seems to be the hardest job that we have.
Today.
Been trying to keep everyone in that.
And that one field, so that, uh, and and one accord.
Joseph said to his brethren, as he sent them back to tell his father that he was alive. He said to proceed if he pull not out by the way, or I think the new translation is don't quarrel by the way. Why did he say that?
Well, he knew what was in the heart of his brethren. And I believe the Lord would say that to us not to fall out. By the way, that's one of the hardest things for us is not to fall out, but if we have our eye on the word Jesus and we're truly gathered by the Holy Spirit in Christ.
Brother was disturbed not long ago, and I think rightly so because.
He heard of her brother giving up a certain line of things and and that's not fundamental, but which is important in the word of God. And I remarked to him that perhaps the Lord allowed this to test our hearts as to whether we're gathered to that doctrine or to Christ.
However important the doctrine is, is Christ is the center of our gathering. And, uh, I noticed that, uh.
Uh, the fact here the word is used in both places, both of these, uh, seventh verse and in the eighth verse is the word assembled, assembled. And that's of course reminds us of the assembly as well. Why we use the word assembly instead of church? We could use the word church, but assembly gives us the idea of it and I think that's why we use it.
But what brings us together is Christ.
And his name as our center, the Holy Spirit being the power of it. But the principle act that unites us is the breaking of bread. And it's selling. For a person to talk about being in fellowship but not breaking bread, that is the act of celibate.
We cannot be in fellowship and not break breath. We have this question recently in our own assembly whether someone could be in fellowship and not break bread with us. That's the act of breaking bread is the act of fellowship among us. There's no other fact that God has chosen. And in First Corinthians that's made very plain that the fellowship of the body of Christ is the breaking of bread.
The bread which we bring, is it not the communion, the fellowship of the body of Christ? So that that that is what unites together those who are gathered on the ground that there's one body. So if a person is able to be there and chooses not to be there, that's not being your fellowship, is it?
Enjoy this little expression in your 7th birth not to go back, but ready to depart on the moral. Paul's ministry always had that character about it didn't it always brought before us that everything was in view of the Lord's coming and I've really been impressed with that lately and I just challenge you to go through the New Testament and follow through a little part that says till I come. You find it several times through the New Testament and I've been struck in following it through to find how everything.
00:40:08
In our Christian life is to be in view of the Lord's coming, whether it's individual faithfulness, whether it's remembering the Lord Jesus in death or whether it's holding fast in revelation, whether it's reading God's word in Timothy, it's all till I come. It's all with that in view. And brethren, the privilege of remembering the Lord Jesus and his death is something we can only carry out while we're here in this scene only carry out. Isn't that striking to just to stop and think of that? That's a privilege.
Of remembering the Lord Jesus in his death is something that we can only carry out in the scene of His rejection. And you know, sometimes we think of our joy on the worthy morning as we rise up from every member of the Lord and death. We think ourselves blessed being and how it brought joy to honor. But think of his heart. Think of the joy, His joy as far seeded out as finding a few of his own gathered in a simple manner to remember Him in death.
And I know that in the coming day, all will be fullness of joy and there will be no regrets, no disappointment. But Reverend Lucia thinks that there will be just that special understanding between your heart and his, that while we were here in the scene of his rejection, you responded to his dying request. You remember him in death. You responded to that request. This too, in remembrance of me. I say again, it's something that he's given us to carry out in this team. When we're pulling, glory will be occupied with a lamb freshly exclaimed. There'll be no hindrances there. We'll have that work before us for all eternity. But here in the scene of his rejection.
He desires that we would remember him in death and we've had before the coming of the Lord and how near it is. And, uh, it wouldn't be wonderful if he just responded well before he come to that request. Just do and remember. To me, I say it brings infinite joy and the light to the heart of the Lord Jesus. Mindy, what time does the meeting finish?
4:45.
I wonder if we couldn't just, uh, notice in a few minutes that remain what the remedy was to this problem of Utica. I think we see the problem.
What is it that?
Uh is done for him.
Go down and scold him for falling out of the window.
Is that what we do? I mean, it might sound like we've been doing that this afternoon. I don't believe we have been. Have we been a drought? If we have, shame on it, but we haven't been. Uh, what was it that Paul descending fell upon him and unfolded him in his arms? That's a new translation. I like that.
He embraced it more, folded them in his eyes, and uh, what is it that's going to restore such a one? It's a fresh appreciation and getting hold of where the truth of God will get a hold of them, particularly what the apostle Paul has brought out in his ministry. I see two aspects of it. I used to think of it as one, but the first thing is life is in it.
Umm, I believe that was if we look at it typically.
The whole church really fell out of the window, didn't it? In the in the dark ages, the whole church fell out of the window. They went to sleep to Paul's doctrine. You don't find it emphasized at all. And then there came a wonderful time when the word of God was printed in in Holland and in Germany and in England and the men like Luther and Erasmus and and umm and the lifetime and.
We could name all of these great reformers, uh, resigned in the book of Romans and into Galatians and, uh, Luther's commentary on Galatians. All of that just, uh, was so refreshing to a church that had gone to sleep to the teaching of the Apostle Paul and then over 95 theses up on the church in Wittenberg. I just love to think of that and in that sense light.
Life giving truth was ministered to the Church. The just shall learn.
Thus shall lose by faith. Something else had to happen.
They had to go upstairs and break bread. They had to go back up to that upper chamber. That did not happen at the time of the Reformation. We thank God for the Reformation. Where would we be without it? We thank God for those courageous men like Martin Luther and Zwingli and others who would stand up and say, here I stand, I can do no other. God help me, I'm going to stand for the truth of the gospel. And we praise God for that. But we're also glad for the dear men of God that led them up, back upstairs to the upper room where they were able to break bread.
00:45:37
And.
98.
And.
They continued on until when?
The Daybreak. Oh, that's another script, Your brother Jim, that just gives me the assurance You didn't need to be at all apologetic about believing with all your heart there's going to be a place until the Lord comes. There was here until the Daybreak. They were together until the Daybreak. And I believe we can thank God that the Lord used men like our brother Mac Davis. A little word up at Worcester on the three men Mr. Hale used to call the three originals.
JMD uh, Mr. Wigram and beloved Brother Valid and his ministry, really, I believe, and others like them. Let them back up to the upper room where they break bread in accordance with the mind of God on the ground of the one body. And it isn't going to be long, brother. The Daybreak is coming.
All this is in relation to the apostle Paul not to fear or not said of you know, John's ministry went on 3:00 AM. But that was the revelation that was given the impossible. And it's always been interesting to me that God didn't record this record this account in connection with John or Peter or James or.
Whatever, he recorded it in commotion of the Apostle Paul, who received that marvelous revelation, who was caught up to the 3rd heaven and relayed this this message now to the sleepy church.
And you get that in the 27th of the book of Acts, I believe it's a very, very profitable chapter to read the whole chapter, long chapter, but read it sometime in view of the of the picture of the of the decline and of the of the church and how they will be brought safely home to the shores, but on broken pieces of the of the ship. But quite a chapter, isn't it? And that was way interesting. Awesome.
I want to mention what you say. What you say is a broken hole. Colossians chapter one.
There's 25.
Most of all, the last part of the birth, this sensation of God which is given to me to you to fulfill or complete the word of God and the Eucharist here in order to determine a little bit of Wi-Fi in him as there was, but it was necessary for wealth and the truth that combined grace and truth.
God is love and God is life.
But to call doc able to reserve whether or not there was light.
I wondered about the fact that it says that Paul embraced him. I mean, we might think of it that the remedy is for him to embrace Paul. But it reminds me of something when when Roy Hibbert first came to chat and I remember he brought it back saying this to him.
Right. He says what we need is for God's truth to get out the truth of the one body to get a hold of us. He said I have no doubt that the truth that you have the truth and he says what, what? And really reminded me of that several times afterwards how much it meant to him that Mister Beck said to God's truth of the one body has to get a hold of you.
And I think that's the thought here that Paul's doctrine gets a hold of us. It's not so much that we get a hold of it. The truth gets a hold of us. And it's a wonderful thing when God's truth gets ahold of it.
00:50:10
A practical aspect and that connection too, uh, I think of the infinite corner where they had to act in discipline, uh, because of evil that was allowed. But when there was true attempt, then Paul said, confirm your love to us. You brought them back. You bring them back. There's been that work. And so the assembly had a responsibility.
Didn't they So when we put someone out bread. It's not to just leave them there to get rid of them as it were. I I think plain but so that there will be a work in that in their heart and conscience. There will be a work in their soul and then when we see that work to to bring them back. I think of Miriam. You know, she had to be put outside the camp for seven days and then there was a responsibility. The Lord said Jehovah said to Moses that they were responsible now to bring her back in and so I just a little.
Bit they didn't go anywhere while we were waiting for it. You know, we that's a gracious thing, but I believe it's important to remember.
You know, I was visiting a dear couple a couple of weeks ago and told me that in all the years they had been in fellowship in their particular assembly, there had been many.
Cases of discipline that they never remembered. A case of restoration. And I almost left as they told me that. Shameless. Rather shameless.
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Malachi 3:10
Continue Thou
Acts 20:17-38
Reading
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7/20 for 17.
From ideas he sent to me all the others in the church.
When they were come to him, he said under them, you know, and after from the first day that I came in Asia, at what manner I have been with you for all seasons, serving the largest off humility of mine, with many tears and temptation, which befell me by the lying wait for Jews, and how I kept back. Nothing is profitable unto you, but it showed you, and it taught you probably from house to house, testifying both the Jews and also to the Greeks attempts toward God.
Faith toward our own piece of pride.
And now because I go bound in the spirit of Jerusalem, not knowing the things that they call me there, save as the Holy Ghost in every city, and seeing the bombs and quick surviving. But none of these things moved me, neither count I my life here and myself, so that I might finish my courses, joy and the ministry which I have received Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the great God. And now behold, I know that we are all in one whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God.
He might take no more work, or I take you to record this day, because I am pure from the blood of all men. So I have not shown him to declare unto you all the counsel fraud for yourself, and to all the flocks over the which of the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, and be the search of God, which He has purchased on His own blood. So I know this was after my parties to agree with wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flocks also of your own self drive.
Reverse things, draw away the cycle bathroom. Therefore, watch and remember that by the space of three years I cease not to warn everyone. 9 days here and now, brother and I commend you to God. The word is straight, which is able to build you up among all them to sanctify. I have covered no man's silver or gold or apparel. They yourself know that these hands administered by necessity.
And then that were with me. I have showed you all things how that so labour and you ought to support the weak and remember the word the Lord Jesus is how he said it's more blessed to give or receive the money has not spoken to yield down and trade with them with them all and they all went sore and fell on Paul's neck and system saw why most of all the birds keep faith. They should be safe no more. They accompanied him.
Something of the responsibility here of those those in a place of responsibility and the apostle here draws the elders together there, doesn't he? And he brings before them the great responsibility that is there and I believe it is a solid responsibility for those that are older to seek to guide the other. I think of that from the thing you mentioned that they.
Leadership or really we should be guides of those that are younger guide them in the direction and I'm very, very I know we're not going to touch every verse in these verses that we've read, but just just kept as a verse 20. It's been a promising before me how that the apostle well versus 19 and he was here and he said serving the Lord with all humanity of mind with many tears.
There was a reality with the apostle. It was a tearful thing. It was, it was there was things coming in that were going to disrupt the testimony and he sought it with tears, he said.
And temptations which befell me by the lying in weight of the Jews. And then verse 20, how I kept back nothing that was profitable on you, but has showed you and have taught you publicly and from house to house. And they tell us what he had taught them. But I, I think of this, uh, the, the, the need also of, uh, because the great media platform ministry, there's a need, need of house to house visiting.
That's pastoral care and he brought this before them, didn't he? He said he he acted in both categories. He said I kept back nothing that was profitable to you. I think that's like is an emphasis put upon profitable statements. You only hear many things that are unprofitable. If you hear many things that are disrupt, you hear those things that you divide. That's the work of the enemy, the the work of one who was.
00:05:21
Had a real care and concern for the people of God who brought before them languages profitable or there might be times where there's a need of acclamation, but it's their to their profits that it might be solved at Microsoft.
And I, I believe again, I, I, I guess that's just.
No, uh, truth to me that he said I showed you and it taught you publicly. He showed them in his manner of life. He just didn't say, well, now you do this and you do that, but he, he acted it out. He lived what he taught. I have showed you and taught you publicly and from hospital. In other words, he wasn't, he wasn't different on the platform than he was when he came into their homes to visit.
I think it's very vital truth, isn't it?
I think it might be well enough.
In a general way, what we have in these versions that we read and I believe it's this well what our provisions are for.
Umm, a post Apostolic age, right on to the end, I believe. I believe this is an extremely important scripture for that reason. This uh, portion here would show us that much of what has come into Christmas is not what God has provided for us. We get a very clear, uh, expression here. I don't mean to anticipate, but just to notice it.
So this is a vital point here to juncture because there's an apostle, uh, chief relay in many ways as much as possible, to whom the most wonderful revelations were given. But he sort of in his own, uh, statements sort of merges into that the, uh, post that Apostolic, umm, period, which, and so we, we have instruction here. We can, we can, umm, rest assured that God has shown us.
What our resources are.
And encourages us and in view of great evil now here it's just touched on it to amplify Timothy and Jude and second Peter. We get much that would show us indeed that they're going to be very difficult days on accounts. But here we have all the pavilions and I think it's encouraging.
Many ways it reminds us of the 24th of Joshua where?
Joshua is about to be part, and he calls the elders of Israel together with a similar burden on his heart, the provisions of.
Umm the umm uh. The points brought out are not exactly the same, but the provision is the same.
And, uh, we have all that we need in order to go on until the coming of the Lord.
The emphasis that our brother little was putting on house to house aspect of things. I think sometimes brother we take it brother who God has specially gifted in that way.
And uh, we spoil that effectiveness by forcing them under the platform.
In order to earn his bread.
And that isn't God's way. We ought to value a brother who can go into homes. And perhaps it doesn't have much to say in the meeting, but.
That was brought home to me.
Years ago with my wife's great uncle and some of you probably remember UMM.
So it's crossed he wasn't really a platform man, but he could really go into a home and visit and do a work for God in a home. And I remember Clipper Brown saying to me, you know, the brethren, they just, they don't let the poor brother alone. If we'd only leave him alone, he'd do what God had given him to do.
That's, I believe, uh, a danger that we have. We don't value that house to house visitation. There are other brothers that, that do that do it well. They go into the home and it's such a blessing when they come in and you can get things across to your brethren you could never get across in a public meeting. And you can touch on things that shouldn't be touched on in a public meeting, but are just suited to the need of that particular home.
00:10:15
No, I believe God has specially gifted the apostle Paul in both ways. And I think the point our brother Little brought out is very, very important. There was no dichotomy here between the two. There was. It was the same thing that he preached publicly, he thought from house to house, and he lived it too. That's important to see. But I believe that we can ruin the effectiveness of a good pastor sometimes.
By assuming that because he's giving his full time to the Lord's service and moving around among the Saints that he has that special meetings. And I think it's a mistake some.
The Lord is called to that and somebody hasn't. And let's not, uh, despise the brother and sister because they open our team in that way. And, uh, there are brothers and sisters that we've had in our home that I've maybe had some doubts about the public ministry, but boy, I was less when they visited our home and I said, Lord, there's a place for that brother and I enjoy it.
Take the real shepherd's heart to do that kind of a work, doesn't it? And I remember a brother who came through Smith Falls some time ago, and they asked the brother when he came if he would like to have some meetings while he was there. And he said, and this brother was very capable, too, as administering on the platform. And he said, he said my exercise in coming to this area this time was not so much to have special meetings, but to visit the Saints in their homes. And he did that. He spent several days there. And, you know, that's still talked about today.
The Saints really value and appreciated that extra time that he took to come into their home. And, you know, sometimes we have things that we just like to pour out, uh, to, to our brethren. And he took that time to, to come into the home and, and to listen and to encourage. And it really encouraged the Saints far more. And he never did have a, a special meeting the whole week or so that he was there. And they really value that. And I, I was just thinking of a verse too, while we're speaking about.
These things just to encourage my dear older brethren to bring, continue to bring before us, uh, the truth of God. I, I say this because I had a brother come up to me one time and he said, you know, he was an older brother. And he said, you know, sometimes I feel like I'm just repeating myself in the meeting, bringing before the same things that they already know. And he, he said, what, how do you feel about it? Well, I turned them to this verse in second Peter.
I think this is a very good verse to keep in mind.
Uh, any who do take a, a part either in public ministry or visiting from house to house, uh, any way we encourage the Saints says in first Peter one a second Peter one verse 12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things and notice what he says, though ye know them and be established in the present truth. And so Peter said, if I have an exercise before the Lord to bring something before you, maybe I've repeated myself 1000 times, but I'm going to bring it before you again. And we need that, don't we?
We need to have the truth brought before us and one of the other epistles that said exhorting one another daily. Well, we need that. And I just encourage my older brother bring before those of us who are younger. Those things, those principles, those fundamental truths. We need to hear them over and over and over again. And you know too, I, I can say this, the sword cut and dope sheep it when you use it, let it cut, let it cut. And so I, I just say that it an encouragement to my older brother bring before it.
We need the truth of God before it's a fundamental principle of the Word of God. And what an encouragement it is when we when we hear those things like a time like this, we hear things drop before we've heard them over and over and over again. And yet, what a refreshment it is to exhort one another daily.
I just like to turn the First Timothy floor to show that things can be fairly, that our work can be fairly simple.
First Timothy 44 lines of Timothy in verse 12 Says Let no man despise by you.
But be now an example of the believers.
In Word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith and purity. Now, there's no platform here. Yeah. I just thought for a moment. I want to read a few more verses. Be now an example of a believers. Is there anyone here in this room that can't serve God in this way? Now, this is incredible. I think there's a great tendency to look for umm, well, the set apart was in the early days of the Nicolaitans. I see.
00:15:29
With those that rose up set up, we have a great tendency to look to others, a few brethren to carry away and do the job well. I think as we read here now, Timothy did have a special gift. What? The word here is very simple. Be thou an example. That's what you can do and don't despise it. It's powerful. I think I can prove that.
In Word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit.
In faith this is reality and purity. Till I come give a tennis to reading.
This is part of it, to hesitation, to doctrine. Well, we don't all engage in education, neglecting off the gift that is in me, which was given thee by prophecy with laying on the hands of the presbytery, and that was particularly verses 15 and 16. Meditate upon these things.
Give myself wholly to them, never mind if somebody said here could create here a bit off.
Let's Scripture show you what's normal for a Christian. Meditate upon these things. Get myself holy to them.
And that property may appear to wall. Take heed unto thyself.
And on to the doctor, and particularly continue in, the Beloved continued. Come on faithfully. You can all do that for what I'm doing. You think this is ineffective?
Let me check when I'm doing this, I can both save myself and then I hear it now isn't that blessed? You say you don't have a work for God. I say you do, I do.
But umm, but in doing this also our salvation is complete below. We need daily salvation. That's what we get here. Then that they would surely say.
We're all eternity.
But day by day he needed salvation and by continuing to save himself. But I think it's wonderful I wasn't here that his relatives in the assembly.
No, there is salvation for them to We help one another, we sustain one another. I just say this because we look so easy. Look for the prominent thing, you know.
Serving the Lord.
Really includes everything from picking up the hymn books after the gospel meeting and sweeping the floor at the tea meeting, the preaching the gospel and ministering the word of God. And I say that to echo what our brother has brought before us because it's an encouragement because all those even to the children, every I liken it to the natural body. Every member of that natural body has a particular function in connection with the with that with the body. Some of those functions aren't even seen or realized. Epipress labored in prayer and little did he realize that it would be written down in God's eternal record.
To abide for eternity. And if you lose one hand in the natural body, well, the other hand can take over and you can get through life, but not as well as with two, not as well as with two. And I really believe that there's assembly that are suffering a lack because there are those in the assembly that are not carrying out the little function that God has given them to do. Have often used an illustration, A brother at home in Smith's fall. He's been with the Lord several years, but I remember him as a child. He never took a public part.
Never said anything in the meeting, Uh, but every large day for years and years, all the years I grew up, that brother, uh, arrived half an hour early for the gospel. He got the books out, he handed them out. And when the meeting was over, he made sure that the books were collected and put away. And I think of the, of that brother, there was a brother who was carrying out the function that the Lord had given him in the assembly. Maybe he wasn't really appreciated, maybe he didn't get much thanks, but he was serving the Lord.
And uh, I think of Paul when he wrote to the Saints of Colossi, he said, say to Archippeth, take heed to the ministry that thou hast received to the Lord that thou fulfill it. Apparently it's Archibald had been given some little work to do and he wasn't carrying it out. And so just as he stirred Timothy up not to neglect the gifts that was in in him, he could tell our kippers you carry out that function, whatever it may be. The Lord sometimes gives us great things to do, but sometimes they're little hidden services.
00:20:14
Uh, but we can carry out and we can do them for him. The Levi's who went around and picked up the pin, he didn't look at the one who carried the boards and say I wish I was doing that. No one could say I'm doing this for the Lord. This is the work He's given me to do and his well done in the coming day will make it all worthwhile.
There was an example the the apostle himself set here. I was just going back a little bit here and just thinking about, he says. I have showed you showing someone as an example. Isn't it a living example and it's just noticing first, umm.
Umm verse 19 you see this, the apostle was ministering not in a a very agreeable situation.
He was haunted by the Jews, as it says, serving the Lord, verse 19, with all humility of mind, many tears and temptations which befell me by the lying weight of the Jews. But that didn't stop it. He went on. And not only so, but if you notice in verse 21, this is the first, those are the first ones. Those were, they were, they became his enemies. But what is he? What is his testimony? He says?
Testifying both of the Jews and to the great repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. That was his title and it was amidst adverse circumstances that we will never, never understand the apostle. I wouldn't read about his his humility of mind of many tears and temptations. They were real. They were real. They sought his life and yet he didn't say he didn't give up and say, well, I'll, I'll testify and I'm supposed to go to the general and I'll forget my brother. He didn't do that.
I think this is a very a very a very blessed truth as to his showing them and then teaching them.
He was thought he was, he was, he was it was not an ideal circumstance. I know I have to confess that many times that I want to speak to someone and and perhaps the circumstances aren't for a very, uh, agreeable and I find I, I refrain. I don't, I don't always go through with it, but I'm I'm looking at circumstances fault and wasn't looking at that. He was looking at the Lord testifying to the Jews and also the Greeks, repentance for God and faith.
Lord our Lord Jesus Christ, and I think further down by I have further thoughts on that too. This is the order very instructive in that repentance toward God.
I don't have any need for faith in our Lord Jesus Christ if I don't have repentance towards God. That is, Repentance is a turning around of my thoughts.
I've got to have my thoughts reversed. I have very high thoughts of myself as a natural man. And if you and I are called to preach the gospel or to just to testify to those that we come into contact with from day-to-day, let's not forget the order of this because a soul doesn't see his need to put faith in the Lord Jesus Christ until he's seen his his condition before God is God sees it.
And that's what repentance towards God is. It's it's to turn it out in such a way that I see that instead of thinking highly of myself, I realize I'm lost and ruined Sinner before God. And I believe part of the reason there's such a shallow working oh insoles today is that there's a lot of preaching faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ without preaching first in the practice towards God.
The conscience isn't reached, there isn't the plowing of the ground that needs to be done. And, uh, it's, it's maybe not as pleasant a part of preaching the gospel, but it's important the two things go together.
Repentance towards God, a change of thought and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance brings the conscience and reproach, doesn't it? I was thinking we sometimes, you know, I I get that done it myself. We use those verses in the in the concerning the jailer. You know when we say believe on somebody says well, how do I get sick believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that thou shalt be saved and we use that. But really there was repentance with the jailer first.
00:25:08
He said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
He was, he was, there was repentance with him and then the apostle said it believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in thy house. So there was repentance with that man. Uh, and, and I believe that's the order here, isn't it, that the true, uh, the true order of true salvation is repentance for God. Some have said it's repentance, some say repentance toward the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is that? Why does he say that? Because.
Man gets sinned against God.
And God is a holy, righteous God, so it's repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ because he is the one who accomplished it all in his own blessed person, but he was God. I read that, so I don't mind.
Example of that repentance might be in the.
Sermon was 15. He says, Father, I sinned against heaven, and in thy sight to know nobody could call thy son.
See another contrast for the trails in the 18th chapter. Luke with the two that went up to the temple to pray, the one that went just down to his house. Justified. He was the one that owned his true condition before God. He wouldn't so much as lift up his head, his eyes unto heaven, but slow himself upon his breath, saying, God, be merciful to me, a Sinner. What did the other man do? Well, he tried to justify his position, didn't he? He tried to tell God he was a pretty good fellow, uh, after all, and even pointed out this other one.
As a an example. But the one that was justified was the one that I often said when I preach the gospel, probably every time I preach the gospel.
I'd say there'll be. There'll be no blessing in your life until you get into the presence of God and realize your true condition as a Sinner.
I used to wonder about that in the parables of sewer, you know, when the ones that fell on the, uh, Stony ground, it sprung up for a little while. And when the Lord was explaining the parable to the disciple, uh, he said those were ones that Anon received the word with joy. And I used to marvel at that because that sounded good in itself to receive the word with joy. But then I realized that the problem was there was no repentance. There was no root, no work in the soul. They because.
There when there's repentance, there's no joy initially that comes after, but repent repenting itself. It isn't joy, it's get, it's realizing my true condition before a holy God. And so that helped to clear it up for me that there has to be that work of repentance, that deep rooted work in the souls before, before the joy comes.
We've seen the reverses there from 17 and 21.
That the hostel all services.
Umm, I guess we could use the word the the perfect surgeon. Uh, except that, uh, only we can say that for the war of Jesus. But up until the verse 21, why we just this example, everything that we have today and the prayers ministry visiting was perfect, but even the apostle Paul.
You must remember, but whether worthy of heart Apostle Paul, or the waste of the breadth of the bread, why we cannot go against the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 22 Now it's fine, but impossible to play with hope. I drove out in the spirit of the Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall be following me. Now remember 2120, first chapter in verse.
4.
It was trifles on the tribals. We carried there seven days, except to fall through the spirit that he should not know to Jerusalem.
I don't know at this point. Go on my uh.
Go to the comments and I feel so unworthy to even mention.
The Apostle Paul had a good reason for going to Jerusalem. He wanted to testify and grace to God. He wanted to be an example for the Jews and children what the grace of God had done in his heart and with his life. Thus, the main thing is that it was not according to the Spirit of God.
00:30:13
Levemir of the apostle Paul or the least percent. Uh, we should uh, be very careful not to go against we spirit of God, even the sounded so good to us serving the Lord and everything about it seems to be a real nice thing the apostles to do. But at this point here, I believe that the impossible to have a flight.
Failure and that he was so determined and bound to go to Jerusalem and he failed take the leading spirit of God. The result will see the regarding the all kinds of difficulties that he was forced to make statements that was below his column and.
The Lord sent him to Rome, and he was down. But we find that Romans were kept to 11 and.
Where, umm, it was the apostles of the gentleman.
At the moment where where he spoke that umm, uh, the Lord and the all right, verse 13.
The last time I am the apostle of the Gentile, I magnifying my magnifying my office.
Chapter one, verse 11, when you leave lies with where? Until I'm appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of a Gentile, and that was the position the Lord gave to him.
The Spirit of God was not leading and no matter how right or how faithful, service is dead or they need to take heed.
There we go. It's important, brother Mike, to see that scripture, uh, verse, uh, uh, 22 in the light of the verse you read in verse in chapter 21, because otherwise it might look as if he was bound in the Holy Spirit. Uh, but it, it, uh, Mr. Garvey's translation makes it very clear. He says, I'm found in my spirit to go. And uh, so as you point out, it was, uh, uh.
Really his own spirit, But it had led him there. Now the motives are wonderful.
And his willingness to say that I don't count my life here. I believe God valued that part of it. But a good man with good motives isn't even the whole story, is it?
Uh, we've got to have God's direct word, or if we have God's direct word, we're not to go against it. And he had a direct word from the Lord. Umm, the Lord was in all of these circumstances and worked them out for our blessing and for the apostles. Good. But it took him quite a while and he had quite an experience. It took him quite a while. We recently went through this in our reading meetings in Chatham and, and we were, umm, somewhat amazed at how long it took him really to get back into.
Into the total.
Communion with the Lord on this. And uh, we need to be careful about that If we have a direct word from the Lord. I believe that's the lesson of the old prophet of Bethel, isn't it, that he had a, uh, uh, the young man that got out of Judah had a direct word from the Lord as to what he was doing. And here comes the prophet when he told me he had a word from the Lord's word, but it went against what he knew, complaining from the Lord.
And so he, umm, he was, uh, uh, met by that lion because of his disobedience. So I'm sure the apostle, uh, was met by the lion too, in regard to that, uh, not slain, thank God too. But uh, at least he was, he was, uh, taught a very difficult lesson. So we need to be careful with good motives, praiseworthy motives and, uh, a good man with a good ministry.
00:35:13
Still has to have God's direction for his path and.
See the impossible receive it. You might say the two sides of the apostle here, don't we? We see his love for his brethren, that dangerously his heart was filled, and he says in Romans 10, My heart, desire and prayer to God for Israel is what they might be saying. We see his heart's desire, and so much so that in heart it took him, you know, in his own spirits, his own desire.
But when I think about it, I think also on the other side of it, that which God gave him as through the truth of repentance toward the Greeks or to the Jews, repentance. This was what he was He wanted to bring before them. He loved them. And also repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And then verse 24, he says, I for none of these things move me either, count by my life here under myself.
So that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that you are whom I gone preaching. Can you see my face somewhere? Apparently he had some premonition of this, that it was the end of the course. But his, his, the nature of Paul was such that he loved his presence, he loved them, and his desire was that there might be that true repentance amidst all their adverse adversities against him.
And yet what he had, he received it of the Lord that I, I, I don't know what I'm making it clear, but what he received, what he brought, what he wanted to bring to them was a bank which he received of the Lord. So I think I, I really see two sides of the apostles. They see him as a man with a heart desire naturally for his presence. We see him also as a man who was directed by God.
MMM And is there a, uh, sorry, no, I, I was just thinking too that in here in this 24th verse, umm, uh, one of the old writers said that it's one of the most comprehensive titles given here because he speaks about, he says, I have received of the Lord of Jesus, uh, and testify the gospel of the grace of God. What, what focus there is in that And that, you know, Paul really, he had his eye upon the, uh, that is upon the person of Christ as before him. And, uh.
His his ear was open to the will of God, and I believe that's too, so I'm sorry.
Mr. Along that same line, that uh, the 20, uh, fifth verse and the 26th verse, uh, our 24th and 25th verses really give us two aspects of the apostles ministry, He testified of the, uh, gospel of the grace of God.
But they also went about preaching the Kingdom.
And I, I, uh, recently was talking with a brother who was come under, uh, performed, uh, theology as, uh, under the influence and record theology. And he was, uh, pointing this out as an example that the apostle Paul had taken, also taken up, uh, what we would call reformed theology. But, uh, I don't believe it's so I believe that you have to remember who the author of this book is. The author is Luke.
And the aspect of the Kingdom that we get in Luke is moral.
Tomorrow and I believe what the Apostle Paul was saying here, he not only preached the gospel of the grace of God, but he went about and preached the rule of God in the believers life. Now that takes in an awful lot and I believe that there is that aspect of our preaching that is important that we're not only to preach the gospel of the grace of God.
But we're going to remind the Saints that God has a Kingdom and that that Kingdom is moral and there are principles that govern our lives.
And they they were insisted upon by the apostle. I believe we get that the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but what is it? Anybody know where that verse is?
00:40:05
Isn't that Romans? Romans. Yes, yes, Romans. Might be helpful to read that.
Because I believe that's the sense in which we have it here.
1417 Would you read it, Brother Phil?
Where the Kingdom of God is not need and drink, but righteousness and seed and joy in the Holy Ghost. That's it brethren. That's what the Kingdom of God is in the sense. I believe that we have it here. Now there's many aspects to the Kingdom. Harvey Vedder has translated a very nice article on the Kingdom of German, which umm, he has in a form in his computer. If you get a hold of him, he'll send it to you. I'm sure it's a very helpful article.
There are a lot of aspects of the Kingdom.
And I believe the Saints have perhaps have not had as much ministry as they need on the Kingdom. There are future aspects of it. There's the, the, uh, the, uh, Matthew aspect, the rule of the heavens with an absent king and.
There's, uh, there are other, there's John's gospel, which is of course reality and, and, uh, uh, there's, there are many aspects of it, but here I believe would be possible is telling us is that it's righteousness.
And.
Peace and joy is the Holy Spirit and that really is takes in the whole pathway of the believer. So I believe our ministry needs to be.
Balanced between simply presenting the gospel of the grace of God and also preaching the Kingdom now, we can preach the Kingdom in its future aspect that brings joy to our hearts too. But I believe the apostle also brought before them the present aspect of the Kingdom of God.
As God's moral government in this state, which gospel is it that says the Lord Jesus says the Kingdom of God is among you?
The Lord, I believe it's in one of the golf, I don't remember which one it is. And that's another little aspect of the person of Christ. They are wondering when they did not recognize it and said the Kingdom of God is among you, but they wouldn't accept it. They wouldn't accept it. I think, however, that would be good now if we could.
Move along a little bit because there's very important to help for us in the first follow. I just make this remark. I I just only struck me that we've noticed that the apostles failed. Well, I hope we I think we all know that it's not with feeling that we would do any better and we I think we also noticed a little we can perhaps mention it now, isn't it even with with the apostles failing.
God overruled him. Wonderful. And this is encouraging to us, isn't it?
No, I don't that's no excuse for uh, letting our, our feelings, our stairs, uh, supersede the meeting of the Spirit of God. But as we go on here, we're going to see that we're, we're to be dependent at this time on the Spirit of God, not only apostles, he failed. We just noticed it, didn't we? And that surely is my observation is not that fail to see the school was outstanding. You could say follow me as I follow the Lord. There's no one.
Other could say that no other nearer humans a wonderful service, but now I think it would be well if we would first, though noticing verse 27. I have not shown to declare onto you all the counsel of God. Now this is a good word, I think, because if we if we know our hearts at all, we're after shape our ministry a little bit.
To please man.
Well, it didn't have any behind me.
And one of the reasons is what is is 1St 27 he did not shun to declare all the counsel of God. Some of the council of God. We we accept readily because it maybe doesn't Pinterest or it's not against our notions that we require and nurture whatever we all did not show him to be clear on to them. All accounts were gone.
Strippers lump.
00:45:01
And we've got, uh, it's well for us not to have favorite lines of things, specialties, I call it, And I think, you know what I mean, become, uh, obsessed with one. One thing is very dangerous if one can't be broken. And so we know that there all the council is gone. That's blessed. But then I just diverse money. I do, he says for me.
It's interesting that the apostles first admonition to the elders here is to take either themselves. It's no good to talk about helping others if we don't pay attention to ourselves. And that has the aspect of it is that was brought out in connection with being a model.
For the believers or an example to the believers?
If we're not watchful concerning ourselves, well, there's no function in connection with others. But there's nothing more obnoxious than someone who's very carefully watching over others and pays no attention to himself. And so for that reason, I believe it's brought up technique there for two years. Be careful inserting our own wall our own way.
And then there's a flock of God, all the flock. Brethren, I feel we need to understand what it means when it says all apply.
What is oil with blood?
Who are the block of God?
Every believer, every time, not just the guy who changed.
Everybody.
And he realizes, too, that there are special needs. We don't all have the same needs, do we? I've enjoyed that. Don't need to turn to a verse in Isaiah 40.
It says, uh, he shall feed his flock like a shepherd. He shall gather the lambs in his arms, He carried them in his bosom and shall gently leave those that are with young. And so the writer here realized that in that flop there were different needs, there were different stages of growth. And so here this afternoon, there are those of us who are at different stages in our spiritual growth. We all have different circumstances, different needs. And I enjoyed what you said, uh, in mentioning Peter.
In the address.
Uh, brother did because when the Lord gave that special Commission to Peter, he could have just said feed my flock and that would have included the sheep and the lamb. But he didn't. He said feed my lamb, feed my sheep. He knew that there were special needs, that there were lamb.
And that there were sheep and that there are those that sometimes need to be carried and sometimes we need to be LED. And so he entered into all that. And if we're willing, then he can more than meet that need. And I was thinking too, in connection with this again, you don't need to turn to it. A progression. Paul said that I was fully known. My doctrine and manner of life. Those two things went so necessarily they were so vital together. And I think of Ezra, we've often mentioned, uh.
Ezra in this connection, for Ezra had prepared his heart, first of all to seek the law of the Lord. Secondly, to do it, and then we find to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. So there seems to be that necessary progression there.
Yeah, that's very important to see here that the he's speaking that he says those that which had which he had purchased by the blood of his own that is not.
Thanks for word of God, but it's the blood of his own one, his own Son. And who are they? Every child of God on the face of the earth.
They've been purchased by the death of Christ, by the blood of Christ. So this is what this is written to and the.
Of course, not all filings are there, not all hearing to it, but this is what it's written to. And he's, he's, uh, he's declaring this to those that are responsible for his position and, umm.
And then I think too, I know the time is going here, but I think in verse 29 he says I know this, that after my department shall grieve the world entering among her, not staring the flock also of your own self shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away not exactly just disciples, but the disciples from after them. That is, we find those leaders that will have team up, since he says, I know that that's a mighty party.
00:50:28
When the apostle was here.
Uh, he had a special care and he, he was, he umm, uh, umm, by the leading the Spirit of God, he, he had a special care and I trust God, I care for the Saints of God. But now that he is going to leave them, who does he commend them to?
He doesn't commend them to another great man, and she commended to God and the Word. But I, I think that this is important. Here is the 29th verse. Umm again, it's probably a repeat to me. No doubt everyone here knows it perhaps better than I do. But we see that there were grievous wounds that entered in, and then there were those that rose up and left. And I think we have the two. We have the Epistle of June for one.
They they, that is, that there were those, there were those that crept in.
And then John's epistle tells us that there are those that may help.
So we find those two things now as after Paul has left the scene, you see, Jude, let me see John. And that's exactly what has happened. And they have drawn away the disciples, that is the Lord's followers after them. That this doesn't mean they're lost, as some people like to bring in the profit. They're not lost, but they have lost the sense of the Lord's presence. They have lost the sense of the leadership of the Holy Ghost.
They're following a man, I hear. Just thinking about that downstairs a little bit, you find that in the days of the apostles.
And I'm at the Corinthians, there were there was, there was the Lord's table and there was a table of demons. But I believe this, these scriptures here and I bear correction, but I believe these scriptures here show us that this was the beginning of man's table and.
I just noticed this, that we have a kind of a queue here, I think how to regard a Sherman if he preaches himself.
Yeah, it should be on our door because God-given uh, help in discerning conspiracy. A man draws a cycle after himself. I think we need to be on our guard. This is not a boss. Also, I think with bosses we preach not ourselves to Jesus Christ. This is the half of the truth. He will not magnify himself and uh, he will not go a disciples there for him and make a plan to follow him.
This is a sign that we need to be careful about.
It says, too, that there's not so much of they're going to speak perverse things.
Perverse says bad things, but this is perverted things. It's taking the truth of God.
And giving it a little twist, my unique twist to it. And I illustrated it this way. It seemed to help some down in Bolivia this way. Here comes a brother in the meeting and he, he gets a little twist on me. You know, what I've got is different. I've got a little something that's different. He gives it out in the meeting. And, you know, Saints are not too sure about it. And a couple of young brothers go up to him.
After the meeting and in the back of the room and he says, yeah, let me show you how. And the and he spends 20 minutes with this little goof in the back. That's a bad sign, brethren. It's a bad sign.
That it shows what Spirit is at work. God never uses the truth.
To make parties among his people. And I think it was Mr. Wigram's helpful little paper on heresy, a word for the poor of the plot, that was printed, uh, some years, reprinted some years ago by Mr. Willis, and says that the very worst heresy is not founded untrue.
Oh, let us be careful of that. If we've got something to bring out that the Lord has given us, bring it out in the assembly and let the Lord deal with it in the assembly. And if the brethren aren't quite ready to receive it, why don't you just go quietly and commend it to the Lord?
00:55:07
And if it's of God, it'll, it'll, uh, it'll be accepted. And if not, if the brethren don't accept it, we'll just be quiet and wait on the Lord about it. Don't go off and take a little group in the back of the meeting room and say, well, now here I, I'd like to explain to you just how I got to that point, you know, Oh, it's such a danger. It makes you feel good, You know, here comes a group of little studious young people that have been digging into the word and they come back and they stand around me and I open up the scriptures like this. So good about it because here's something I got.
I want to show them that, that, uh, in Revelation 13 that the brethren haven't understood it quite right. And, and the reason I've got a little group and they've, I've got their confidence and they bring something else out and then I begin to be their gurus spiritually.
And then they lost the eye on cranks, They lost the iron cranks. Those who went out and drawn I guess were never really part of the Christian testimony where they, that is, they were not in hard part of it. I would judge Brother Charles, or perhaps those who were real true children of God that have been used by Satan to draw away the disciples after themselves instead of after Christ.
A good man can do that and I sobers my heart brother to look back over the history of the testimony and read about men like CE Stewart. I don't. They called him the saintly CE Stewart. He spoke at Mr. Darby's funeral.
And there were others like that.
There were studious men, but they threw away the brethren. They gave A twist of things, and threw away the brethren afterwards. Mr. Stewart was fundamental, but Mr. Grant well instructed the word of God.
It's done a lot of helpful writing on Old Testament types, but he drew away the Saints after himself.
What a sad history. That's so resist, doesn't it?
Now, what can we do in doable at least and I think we should not miss that even if we go one minute over something because we've seen a situation here that we face.
Well, it's all about them after his departure. Certainly that brings us where we are. Well, first of all, it says watch.
You got to be alert.
Happy and take it in with everybody wind of darker or anything fast darker that comes along or smooth or whatever and our real resources are given that and operator.
I can measure it on.
Now to stop there, we could be right one side and I've run into some people I I got into a meeting one time where they deprecated the scriptures and emphasized the Holy Ghost.
They could say they were leaning upon God, but they didn't get scripture much place. Well, that doesn't occur with what we have here.
I think it's very important to say there are two sides here.
It says.
Nonsense. Yes there is. There are people who can emphasize and I say I've not seen it. There are groups that go on and make much of and the first they can almost bring anything in and find itself the spirit.
But it goes on, Paul says, under the word of his grace.
And it has to be then. Then you can be a Korean.
And go to the Scriptures and see if these things are so well, you say, if that's the case, maybe you could just lean on the word of God. No, you can go haywire here. There are people that say that they can take their bottles and go off by themselves and you can go right. You can go way off even with the word of God right in front of you. We need the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is in the assemblies in US individually.
But the Holy Spirit has come to me and they dwell in the assembly, and a lot of these are important fundamentals.
It's a pillar and face of the truth the Church doesn't teach.
But it's still a pillar and base of the truth. And there the Holy Spirit takes up the things of the word of God, makes them known to us. Well, I mean, this is our remedy for this very serious and solemn thing, that this attack from without and from within Satan would go out either way.
01:00:16
Uh, repeating, uh, one of the old writers said here, he says, I commend you Brett, and I commend you to God in the word of his grace, one whose love is infinite and whose wisdom is unearthed and whose power is omnipotent and whose resources are exhaustible.
The word of God, the grace of God the the the God and the word is grace and just going back to the earlier verse which Paul says over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. Have you forgotten that that the Holy Ghost is the one who is amazing. Does the Holy Ghost bring anything other than the word of God If it is if it if it's not a God, it's a man. So I believe these are very.
As you say.
Like to read the last two verses of June, uh.
Because it's only the grace of God that defeats anyone of us. We leave these meetings, uh, today and go back to our home assembly. And then he says now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to prevent you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God, our Savior, the glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Predator, I think we ought to notice one other thing too, and that is at the end of this thing. It says they sorrowed most of all, that they would see his face no more. And, brethren, there was something wrong there, and God calls attention to it. What was the sorrow of our heart?
Departures will come in among Godspeed.
And instead of that, they were occupied with the side of it that was very real to them, meant a lot to them. But they sorrowed most of all that they would see his face no more. What to have sorrowed their heart was the departure that was going to come in.
May the Lord give us a proper.
Understanding of that so that we could feel with the Lord.
The sorrow that we ought to feel for what is the minimum, God's people.
One more little word on the on the floor that we've had 2828.
9 and 49 John answered and said that's what we call on casting out devils and by name and with the basement because he follows not with us.
Jesus said unto him, Forgive him none for the for he that is not against us is for us. Well then in John the last chapter Peter being spoken to by the war umm.
Chapter 21 and then Peter 21 verse 21 Peter saved him.
Lord, what shall this man do? Jesus said unto him, if I will, but he's Harry till I come. What is that to be? Follow thou name. And we do have different funds, roundabouts that are preaching when they're done at school and perhaps doing good work in the name of the war. And uh, for these particular ones in the loop, they were doing that, but they weren't falling. And Jesus and his cycle.
Of the, the lightweights, you know, I'm calling the Lord Jesus and, uh, they weren't to disturb these lovers. And I feel that's what the word is for us not to, uh, speak to disturb others who are, uh, speaking to follow the war, but not to, uh, uh, join in with them either because we have the, the statement. What is that to be call us thou mean believe that where it was as we continue on and on our journey.
And build this pathway to just fall over the water and leave everything something of him.
Open Mtg. 2
Open—J. Gorgas, J. Hyland
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And just to follow along with the thoughts our brother was bringing before us, we could look at a couple of scriptures. First in Second Timothy.
Second Timothy, chapter 3.
In verse 14, thinking particularly of just the 1St 3 words of the verse. But I'll read the whole verse. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned.
And that's been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And then in first John one further verse.
First John chapter 3 and I'll read verse 2, verse three. I was particularly thinking of beloved. Now are we the sons of God? And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as he is, and every man that has this hope in him.
Purify himself even as he is pure. Well, as her brother was speaking, I thought of this verse in Second Timothy. Because here in Second Timothy we find similar circumstances. We find the parallel between what we have in Malachi and what we have when Timothy wrote this, when Paul wrote this final letter to Timothy at the end of his life, we noticed in Malachi that there was the last days in Israel. There was weakness, there was failure, there was a breakdown of everything.
And, you know, I've been impressed to notice in the word of God how the last day, whether it's in the history of Israel or whether it's in the history of the church, are always characterized by individual faithfulness. We find at the end of the judges, we find everything had been given up. Every man was doing that which was right in his own eyes. But there were still some that were faithful in much weakness, no doubt. But we read of Deborah and Barrett, two who were faithful, two who went on despite all the difficulties against tremendous odds, and who?
Obtained the great victory.
We find at the end of Malachi, even though we have this condition of things that we have spoken about there we find those that were faithful, those that were thinking upon His name, those that did fear the Lord and always find how He valued it, how the Lord values that, and how that book of remembrance was written of which we have been speaking. And now we come to the history of the church and we find in Timothy, in Second Timothy, here we find the breakdown of everything.
We find the breakdown in government, the breakdown in the home, the breakdown in the assembly. And yet amidst all this, isn't it beautiful that Paul says to Timothy, continued out, continued out and brother, and I say this and I say to my fellow young believer, I say we can never excuse our giving up on the days in which we live. I say this because I have spoke to fellow young believers who have been discouraged and who have said, well, you know, it's impossible to go on like they did years ago. It's impossible to really be faithful in days like this when there's so many trials both in the home and in the assembly.
When everything is being given out and we have to go with the flow a little bit, we have to let down the bear. Oh, Paul, when he wrote these things to Timothy, he said, continue thou. And to my own soul, it's just as if Paul was saying, Timothy, despite all the failure around, despite every other breakdown of everything, you as an individual can continue. There is no excuse for giving up because brethren, we've been given.
All things that pertain unto life and godliness. We have been equipped with everything we need to live the Christian life. We've been given a divine life. We've been given the Holy Spirit of God who indwells us as the power for that light. And we've been given God's word, and we have too, One who's living for us at the Father's right hand. We have all these things. And so we can go on, despite the difficulty. All it may call for individual faithfulness.
And I believe, brethren, as we're left here, if the Lord in his wisdom leaves us here, uh, the longer he leaves us here, the more we're going to see the breakdown of these things because we're told that things in this world are going to get worse and not better, worse and not better. And anything that depends upon man will always break down. And so we're going to see the breakdown more and more of, of things in the world, things in the assembly, all these things. And yet we can go on. We're exhorted in revelation to strengthen.
00:05:10
The thing that remains, we're to be aware of the difficulties, aware of the failure on our part in it, So let's not be overwhelmed by it. I talked to a brother not long ago and he just seemed so overwhelmed with the things that have been allowed in the assembly and the failure that's going on. And I said, brother, isn't there a cause for Thanksgiving? Don't we still have much to be thankful for? Think of this time together, a little Oasis in the desert, as it were. We can come together. No man forbidding the laws of the land. The government allow us to meet in this way, to be over God's word for and for prayer and for the preaching of gospel. Isn't that something to rejoice in? Can't we rejoice that God, the Lord Jesus in grace is maintaining a testimony?
Gathered to his precious name, even in these dark and difficult days. Oh, Brennan, we have so much to be thankful for. If we could only, you know, meditate on these things. If we could only look at Christ.
And see his beauty that we were only occupied with him. Oh, we wouldn't need be aware. We're indeed, I'd say to be aware of the failure and we're to own our card in it. But let's not be overwhelmed by it. And you know, I think of Daniel. Daniel was taken from his home and he and the three Hebrew children wasn't very nice, wasn't to think this young man. They were ripped from their home and taken to a strange and idolatrous land. But we find there that Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not eat, defile himself with the King's meat. And I'm going to say to your heart and mind, it does take purpose apart to live in days like this.
Carnival went down and made sort of the early brethren. So with purpose of heart they should plead unto the Lord and so it does take purpose apart. It does take energy. It does take diligence. It does take being before the Lord, but all he's the one that gives all the strength that we need if we're willing that he's more than willing. And I think of Daniel, you know, early in his life there he purposed in his heart. And it says at the end of that chapter. And Daniel continues and Daniel continues even to the reign of Darius. Isn't that beautiful that rejoice with my heart. There was a young man.
Who was had all kinds of things against him. He, he might have said, well, there's no use. I might as well just go along and, uh, do my part. And he had great potential to. He could have been, uh, and he was, we know great in that Kingdom, but he could have had more, I'm sure. But no, he purposed in his heart that he was going to be faithful to his God. And we find that he continues. And so I say to my own heart, are we going to continue? We can, we have everything like today. I want, if we get nothing else out of what I say this afternoon. Remember this year, fellow young believer, we have.
Everything to live the Christian life we have been given everything to walk a pathway of faithfulness through this world, despite all the darkness, all the things that come in. And I don't underestimate what life is in a world like this. I know it's hard. I know when you go to school and when you go to work and when you go to the factory in the office, I know there's things there and it's so easy just to give you in a little bit. I know it's hard. But oh, if you seek to follow him, to follow the Lord, you know, it says of Caleb that is holy, follow the Lord. He had a desire.
And he holy followed the Lord, and often just read the history of any of those men who were faithful, Caleb, Daniel, Moses.
These men, did they lose? Oh, they lost in this world perhaps, but they didn't lose in the world to come. Think of Moses. You know what I think of standing beside Moses in a coming day and saying, are you sorry, Moses, that you gave up all the treasures of Egypt? You could have been the next Pharaoh in Egypt. You could have been perhaps a ruler of the greatest empire of the day. You think Moses is going to stay until the point of falling out, one dead? He's going to say it was worth it all. Even even when they spoke of stoning him, even when they spoke against them.
Uh oh, and what, what will it be in comparison to glory? And I say to your heart in line, what will any faithfulness to the Lord Jesus or anything we give up here be in comparison to what's ahead? I often said we could have one glimpse of glory.
Things down here with loose all their glitter bread. I say this to my own heart. I don't want you to think I'm pointing the finger. If I point the finger this afternoon, it has to be at my own heart. I think of Paul, you know he was caught up to the 3rd heaven.
I didn't hear it. Unspeakable words that it was not lawful for a man's water. He couldn't describe. He couldn't put into human language the glory and the things he saw and heard there. How did he give up so much in this world? Oh, he had a vision of what was ahead. He's been there. He knew what was waiting for him. We were just saying this morning, Brother Charlie and I, when we were having a reading this morning, we're just talking about the children of Israel. You know, when they came out of Egypt, they were redeemed people, and they were a very short time into the wilderness and they began to murmur and complain.
00:10:25
And Moses cried unto the Lord, And what does the Lord say to Moses? He said, Tell the people to turn around. They're looking in the wrong direction. They're looking back. And so when they turned around, they saw the glory of the Lord in the clouds. In some way Jehovah would please to reveal himself to them in the cloud. And so when they looked at it over the wilderness, it wasn't to see all the hindrances, the sagebrush and all the things that no doubt were there, but they saw the glory of the Lord in the clouds, and they could take heart and say, what's going on?
There's something far better. Oh, I'd say if we could catch a glimpse of the coming glory, what a difference it would make. And that's why I read these verses, uh, in 3rd in, uh, first John chapter 3, because it speaks there of that time when we will be with them like the Lord Jesus. And then it says everyone that has this hope in him purify of himself even as he is pure. And, uh, what that means, brethren, is that.
If we're enjoying what's ahead, if we're looking for the Lord's coming, if we are living in the imminence of the Lord's return, if we have a vision of what's ahead not it should make a difference in our lives, but it will. In the measure in which you and I enjoy in our soul what's ahead, it will make a difference in your life and mind. It will.
Make a difference. Why do we so often come become so attached to those things of this world? Why do we settle down all we live outside of what's ahead? Because it says in Proverbs where there is no vision.
The people perish and I say again, that's what's going to preserve it. It's looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith of sometimes said for the younger, you know, perhaps you've read the book Pilgrims Progress. Perhaps most of us have have read it. And there in John Bunyan writes of two who were on their way to the Celestial City and they come to a place you'll remember called Vanity Fair. And as they pass through that city of Vanity Fair, there's one attraction offered to them here.
Come and join us in this. Come and indulge in this, uh, just stop a while and enjoy this. And you find those two men, Christian and faithful, they keep on the King's Hwy. They don't turn to the right, hand to the left. They go on through that city.
And they're not attracted by all the things around them. And I used to wonder why, Why couldn't those things fall at their heart? Why didn't they stop for just a little while? Oh, they had a vision of the Celestial City. They could say, we're going on to the Celestial City. And so those things in Vanity Fair had no attraction for them. And so I just say to your heart and mind, if we keep before us the fact that the Lord Jesus is coming, perhaps today, perhaps before these meetings are concluded, we have perhaps before supper time.
Well, brethren, we talk about it, you know, it's become such a familiar thing with us. But do we really, do we really believe in our soul? Do we have it before? As we get up every morning, as we go up, uh, as we go to bed at night, do we think, oh, perhaps before another sunrise, perhaps before another sunset, we'll be caught away to be with and light our blessed Savior. Oh, you know, he's longing for that day. He's longing for that day when he has his own around himself.
When that day when He sees of the travel the soul, and it's satisfied, so for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame. What was that joy? Well, first of all, it was to do His Father's will, and secondly, what? So that He could have a bride, so that He could have you and I in His company for all eternity. He could express in the 17th of John in prayer to His Father. Father I will that they also whom Thou hast given me, be with me.
Where I am, there was no other way that you and I could be brought into a place of relationship except you go to Calgary. And so he had that before him as he went. And I say he's longing for that day. But what about you and I? He longs too for a response in your heart and mind. He longs for that response. I sometimes think in the last chapter of Revelation, there you read, behold, I come quickly, no response. Again you read a few verses down, Behold, I come quickly, no response.
00:15:06
You come to the end of the chapter, to the end of the book. He says, behold, I come quickly. Even so come more Jesus and he closes the book and my own soul is just as if he said that's the response I've been waiting for. That's the response I've been waiting for. And he closes the book. Oh, you know, he wants that response and he often stirs things up so that we give him have that response. He often allow circumstances in our lives.
So that there will be that response, but he wants that response not out of circumstances, not out of trial so much as out of a heart failed infection filled with love for the blessed Savior. You and I really longed for that day. Do we really realize what it's going to be brethren, we were thinking about it at the beginning of the meeting to be caught away to be with and like Jesus that time when they we hear that voice and we meet him on the cloud and wherever.
With the Lord, I say in the measure in which we enjoy this truth in our soul, it will, it will make a difference in our lives. But you know, he hasn't come. He's left us here. I often say to the children, you know, wouldn't it be wonderful if when we were saved, the Lord Jesus took us right home to glory? And all the children will say, Oh yes, that would be wonderful. Wouldn't have to go to school, wouldn't have to do all the things we we have to do, all the chores we have to do at home. Oh, they think that would be wonderful.
But you know, the largess doesn't do that. He's left us here. He's left up here for a purpose. He's left us here. But you know, I say he hasn't left us to our own devices. And I say again, we can continue, He exhorted. Timothy continued out. Daniel continued. And so we can continue. And may I say this, he has a path marked out for each one of us, no matter how young we are the smallest one here who belongs to the Lord Jesus.
He has a path of faith marked out for us in his precious word and we can go on in this world in that path. He's given us all and He hasn't just told us the pathway, but He's given us everything we need to follow in that path and that's what He wants. Those were about the last words that the Lord Jesus said to his disciples. He just simply said follow me. That's what He wants. He wants a response flower left in the scene He wants.
A response from our heart, What is the hindrance? You know, I had a young brother say to me some time ago, I said, well, I'd like to know the Lords mind, but just doesn't seem to reveal it to me. Well, I said to him, he said he wants you to know, you think he wants you to know if there's any hindrance. The hindrance is on our part. If any man will do his will, he shall know. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct my path. And so that our brother was bringing before us the beginning of the meeting if we seek to be faithful.
Then he takes care of the rest. He takes care of the rest. If we're faithful, then the Lord Jesus takes care and he's one that brings us all the way home. When Israel started out on their journey to the promised Land, did he leave? Did he just redeem them out of Israel and leave them to their own devices? Oh no. They had the pillar filed by day, the pillar of fire by night. He said, my presence shall go with thee, and I will give you rest. And so he brought them safely into the land. And I say fear, heart and mind. We're just like that sheep that he picked up in this gospel, puts it on his shoulder and he brings it safely home to glory. He wants to take care of. He will take care of it. Every one of us, we know who.
Love the Lord Jesus who have been cleansed in His precious blood. We will come safely home to glory and all. How better to have what the Scripture speaks of as an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior. I think of Him, as you know, in contrast to Daniel and Timothy in these ones.
Demas was listed with the, uh, fellow workers of the Apostle Paul and Paul gave him a commendation on occasion. And yet at the end of Paul's life, he had to say, deem is hath forsaken me, having loved his present world. Oh, how sad. He started out well, but you know, the Lord doesn't want us just to start out well, but he wants us to continue. I say it to my own heart. Are we speaking grace to go on each day?
Strength from him to continue in the path of faith. And may I say this to just enclosing that I believe, brother.
00:20:00
That the Lord Jesus in His grace will maintain a testimony gathered to His precious name until He comes. You don't have to read the 20th of Act and other scriptures to see that He will. I believe with all my heart, despite how feeble.
Yet there will be a testimony gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus in the scene of his rejection till he calls us away. But the challenge to my own heart is will I be found there when he calls me away when he when he calls his own joy, will I be found there when he comes? Oh, I say, may we seek grace. It's all a grace. We spoke of grace this morning in the prayer meeting. It's all of grace. If there's any desire in our hearts to go on it. He's not worth it in you supposed to do as a whale and to do if his good pleasure. It's all great and yet we do have a responsibility.
As our brother brought before us to go on the purpose in our hearts. You know, I like that expression because I've heard people say, well, so and so has a nice desire. That desire isn't enough love your desire isn't that nothing? But it takes purpose apart to live in days like thee. Oh brother, may we keep our eyes on Christ, may we look more in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.
Down 272 Seven OH.
My Grace.
I'm here who I am delayed for all that.
Till 412 nights Grace.
And, umm.
To my front and thy.
And thyroid to get out of it in my heart and sleep. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Everything is fairly strong.
Thy glory and I have a friend itself from.
Nsnoise.
00:25:18
Also sign #183.
Savior come from life, save our way.
Before.
Nostrils Grace.
And frog and glory day with me, Oh my God, where are my grades from our place?
Go for anything, come long flying, ready to play anything alone among brides.
God started.
Lost my brain and.
Larry, Missouri.
No, no, no, no, no. Thank God. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Wait a minute, where are the emails?
Let's turn them out.
Malachite.
Give us a picture of things, man, at the end of Israel's history, your account.
Jude gives us a similar picture of what it is at the end of the Christian age and.
Uh, this period gone in.
00:30:01
Now in Malachi, what we was referred to particularly was this verse that I love with you, but I want to say something about it. It was umm.
The middle of verse 10, Malachi 3.
And Chrome me down here with saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing.
That there shall not be room enough to receive it. And we read more than that, and I'll refer to more than that.
And now I love this portion, but I think we love it in all faithfulness. I should ask you to turn back a little in the chapter because this is only a conclusion.
Of a proposition.
How far back do we need to go? Just to the 8th 1St I think.
There's a context here. A lot of people does not forget the context.
It says will a man rob God? And if you read Malachi carefully, he says rob him and then have any sensibility as to the fact that they were robbing them.
Look, if we're doing all well.
And so it is imprisonment. There's a great deal of robbing God and a great deal of feeling that we're all doing well.
Will a man rob God? Yeah, yeah, rob me.
But he said where? When have we run off this?
Ties and orphans.
Your curse with a curse we have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Now notice what it says that bring ye all the ties into the what storehouse that there may be meat in my house and now we have proven and this is connected. This is how you approve God, not by just saying I want lots of blessing. You all don't mind how I'm going.
A lot of it. We don't want to take that position. I mean, that's that's monstrous. Doesn't matter how we're doing, but we want the blessings.
Now this is we're not under ties, we're not under this rigorous system of the law. We're under a period of grace, but God has his dues.
Now I want to temper my remarks by saying that we also read further in that chapter.
MMM, verse 16.
Then they that fear of the Lord spake often one to another. The Lord hearkened and heard it in a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them a man, spare his own son that serveth him. And I think I'll read one more verse. Things got to return and discern between the right the wicked.
Between him and the service gone and him that service is not. When things are dark, you don't even know what's what.
That's what I think it means here. The sermon is muddled, and it's muddled today. There's a great deal of noise in Christendom, and you have to leave it with dogs sometimes as to who's really serving them.
But you're into your privilege and mine. Many of us here today, I'm sure are the good of it is to enjoy what we have in verse 16. I think these in that we meet up in verse 16 talking to these things hearken to the to what Malachi was raised in so faithfully to Israel faithful words and that's blessed to know that there are those that care and they respond. But I'm 40 now all is not going to shower us with blessings unconditionally.
And so all you have to do is say, let's have it.
It has something to do with the way we're going on now. I'll tell you why. I'm sure of that. Turn to how you guys at least I feel pretty sure.
The Book of Time you got there's just a little bit before this one.
00:35:03
MMM.
Verse three of chapter one, the Budapest you are there any kind of word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet saying, is it time for you, oh, you to dwell in your sealed house, and this house lies.
Now therefore, thus saith the Lord of Hosts, consider your ways.
I think God will have us to consider our ways.
You have so much.
And bring in a little.
I'm going to some of you know that I'm pretty well longer here. I'm going to quite a few conferences.
I'm awfully disappointed not to see great blessing. You seem to be a lot of sewing fine gospels and you go home and there's good singing after this.
No, it's certainly, you hear a real bucket.
But there's something wrong, and I think there's something that is wrong is that we haven't given God his due. God could overwhelm us with pleasure.
There's power in the Word of God. The Holy Spirit is still here when he's taken out of this, and it'll be terrible. You strangle me alone and I believe that the the ground ever on is God giving ground.
You know that there's one body and there's one name which we're gathered.
But here it says you so much and bring in little, you eat, but you have not enough, and so on.
And uh.
The Lord says, conceive your ways.
And I said the reason I'm convinced is that God will not shower us with blessings. Now he, he's our God, He likes to bless. But this shower of blessings that we sometimes ask more without thinking carefully. God is faithful. And here we see that God blew on things and I got something.
Well, I'm blue on it. He saw that they weren't doing well. They brought them up sharply, didn't they?
And then harken, I don't know, wonderful change came out. It was playfulness to hearken to his word, and that made God would have that.
I say it's all tempered by the fact that I know there are those.
So who may have harm because there's a general condition?
Now turn to look Chapter 21.
Before I perhaps before that, let me let's enlarge this much on uh, it says, uh, instead of uh, caring about gauze now, each one went to his own steel now, and I believe that's going to be fair rendered wainscoted.
That sounds like a pretty nice house, doesn't it? Up their houses and looking after their rent.
No, I don't know his house. I haven't. I didn't. I didn't know all that when I got through somehow. I like to see a nice house, but there's a danger in it and I think it's a symbol too. It isn't just a house, it's the whole business. We like to live nicely and there's pressure on us. And I feel to the young in this respect, if I want to please God and really be oriented towards heaven.
And not forget that they're only strangers and pilgrims here. Am I wrong about that? Are we strangers in total? I don't believe I'm this is what we should be. This is how Peter addressed the laws of the dispersion.
Let me see, she was strangers in films.
So, umm, one of the things I think is this, that we're all living well. There's a fear pressure to live well.
And by and large, brethren are well equipped to do that right energetic.
And they often get a good education to help them and they are on their way in the dangerous that this will take an awful lot of energy.
So that that's a danger. Now let's turn to Luke 21, as I said.
00:40:12
Verse 34. Some of you have heard me speak about it on the university before, but I feel constrained.
And take heed to yourself, unless at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting.
No, I don't want to.
In, uh, insult you. But I think it's just as well to ask the question, what does circling mean? Because I don't think we use it in our everyday language so much means having more than me. Say she's getting yourself. Maybe that's a good way to be.
And here I believe that if you examine the context here, you'll find that it's in view of the fact that the time of this age is running on and a bunch of things are just before us.
And that they could overtake you.
Perhaps. And for those answers, we're going particularly for us, too.
Take heat in your heart, be not overcharged with surgery now as I observe things.
Around me I find that this generation is given a certain.
Just indulging themselves in on every hand. You can see what your name is that I am online and I've been somewhat exercised.
No, I don't believe that. Uh, we need to be fanatical, but it's a good exercise. Am I living a life of indulgence as this generation is? If it is, my heart could be overtaken and that day could come upon me and I just could lose a lot.
And it goes on to say I'm drinking. I haven't settled that. There's plenty of literal drinking and that's a real danger.
Take heed that your heart.
Is not overcharged with surfing and drinking and I want to emphasize the last and care of this world. What's wrong with that?
With young people that learn they're going to have cares and certainly God isn't going to recruit them for having care and meeting those carers, but your heart can be overcharged with cares. And this shows me the very fact there's a nice rotation here, it shows me you can do something about it.
That you don't have to let it pile up.
You can actually go on to help you take care of this world on ground that you have, so you lose out on the things that really count for alternative.
Well, these are a couple of aspects, but there are lots of other ways.
I said why I'm quite impressed with the the the abilities of my fellow believers.
Maybe I'm, uh, too easy on them, but I find that there are many of them that are quick to get along in this world to be successful.
Then right you're energetic. The very fact that they come from Christian households gives them a big advantage.
Because the atmosphere is convinced.
And then you can look down towards as long as it looks pretty fair.
And actually, you don't literally do that or you would, You would be checked right away. You don't know what's going on, but you're going to get a certain core of educational program just to your liking. And you get into, umm, ambitions for higher and higher physicians. Sometimes, frankly stated, this is our goal.
One and lose and lose spiritual. This is another way in which one can rock on.
I don't know much about where they stand today as to pleasures and amusements, but I know one of the biggest danger in this generation is having children. 54 television sets and hardly are literate.
Reading is becoming a lost part in this in our country. I don't know about Canada.
And the educators are started out, but they really aren't going to do much about it. Those forces of loving pleasure, lots of pleasure there. This place. I couldn't take it and tell you practical, I couldn't take it. It was I would begin with nice programs, but I graduated into others, I'm sure, and I'd lose out and I wouldn't be reading. I don't read enough. The beloved. These are the things that I think within which we can rob.
00:45:17
Our homes ought to be where the Word of God, first of all, is that.
And where reading is cultivated, and I mean good reading, is awful because of what is available today.
When I come back to my and I say umm, we like to think of lessons such as mentioned here and therefore.
Umm.
Where we read.
Prove me now here we said, the Lord opposite Bible.
Not open to you know, the widows of heaven and pour you out bless you. I don't know whether we know what this is to have. I've read about something like that.
In certain places there's been marvelous openings of the windows of heaven, and we desire that, don't we?
11 Naughty is not going to do that. He's going to be faithful. He's a faithful father who loves us and he's going to correct our ways and he's going to shut up things to us as it was in Haggai last time.
The labor brought in nothing, and it was of God.
And they missed the blessings. Oh my God, speak to us about this. And I would just suggest this too. When you think of this verse, go back a few verses and read earlier and get the content. See the picture. And if you happen to be sending out an invitation to a conference, I've seen many invitations go out over here proving now here with just come to the conference. You have four out of blood. Never mind, I have been.
With his daughter's head is due or whether your house is in order.
Like a lot of dogs, that isn't what God's word says. It says just 54. That little man brought God. He had robbed me and pulled me out here. Bring the time, give me my due and see what. And we can still count on how to do that. Now again I say this is all tempered by the fact that in the midst of all this general condition, there is this sweet communion of those that really care.
And I I value that I call it that someone I know you do too.
And I think we're sharing some of that at the meetings, but there's no constraint when we when these things were mentioned to get a broader picture before us.
Let's not try to be rosy eyed about it. You know, and, and God's word is true and that picture of the of the legacy in Revelation is searching, isn't it? It's so easy to say I'm I'm doing well.
I'm rich.
I'm increasing, but then I need a number in, uh, Isaiah 58. I just glance at that in clothing. I want to show you something here that's very remarkable to me.
Well, I read a few bases verses and make a few comments, but I want to show you how we can be deluded.
Isaiah 58 verse one cry aloud, spare out, lift up my voice like a trumpet, and show that my people, their transgressions, and the House of Jacob, their sins, nothing. There's no word on the way through the prophet.
Right on our house, they're not.
Lift up my voice like a trumpet and show my people they're transgressing in the House of Jacob their sins.
So you say, what's new about that? The old custom is full of, uh, through his promise, charging the people what they're saying. But no, what's remarkable is what follows you.
Yeah, they speak to me daily.
And delight in all my ways. Is this a surprising context?
As a nation that did righteousness, what's wrong with this?
00:50:04
And for some, not the ordinance of their God. They asked of me the ordinances of justice. They take delight in approaching it on.
They say, wherefore have we passed it? Say they and now see us now. Wherefore have we afflicted and blown through these things? And we're part of their ritual. And the key to it all is there was no reality to it.
God is looking for reality.
And He wasn't so, uh, concerned as we sometimes in our early experience think about all these sacrifices and ordinances. They had their purpose with God behind it all, as the Lord brought out for one sacrifice and offering our own is not for the body. And then we see in His life and His devotion even unto death, we see what God was really delighted in.
Before they pass for stripe and debate and so on. And then later on in verse 6, is not this the fact that I have chosen to lose the bands of Wiccans, to undo the heavy burns and to let the oppressed go free, and that the great every yolk? Is it not to deal thy bread in the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house One Now see, it's the negative that I'll cover them.
And that they're high enough. I saw from my own life. Is this revealing below? God is looking for reality.
And of course, this is the Old Testament and it submits to that. It shows the heart of God is not looking for external they did everything right.
And I, I just suggest that we all search ourselves. We might just, uh, in a sense do everything right according to the traditions, you might say, right.
It's a lot of money was from the atom. He wants us to care for the poor of Mr. Morris and not to be so taken up with the with the ceremony that we have. That's the poor and the sick and the naked and all get lost in the shovel.
Well, I just leave it with you.
That, uh, we live in a time when there's great dangerous, when there's only getting into the latest instrument.
Saying aren't we doing things correctly? Regularly to the meetings, regularly to the conference for whatever you think is the course of things. God is looking for reality. Indeed, He's looking for those that we see in the 16th that really fear the Lord and thought upon his name. That's everything.
I may have mowed this a little bit. When you think about his name, that'll say anything.