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General Meetings, Toledo, November 1973. Third reading meeting.
174.
Colonians, the chapter 219 verse.
First Thessalonians, chapter 2, verse 19.
For what is our hope or joy or crown or rejoicing?
Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ that is coming? For ye are our glory.
And joy and in the third chapter.
And verse 12.
The Lord make you to increase and abound and loved one toward another.
And toward all men, even as we do toward you to the end, he may establish your heart unblameable.
In holiness before God, even our Father, is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His Saints.
Chapter 4 and verse 13.
For I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, Even so them also asleep in Jesus, will God bring with him?
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout for the voice of the Archangel.
And where the trump of God, the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remains to be caught up together with them in the clouds.
To meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Yeah.
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Brothel says in the preceding verse.
Says therefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again. But Satan hindered us. Satan was determined to keep the apostles away from Thessalonica.
But often we find that Satan defeats his own purpose by his persecution because the result of his keeping fall from continuing there.
That the gospel was spread to other cities and the work went far beyond.
That's Venica.
As a matter of interest, we saw that happened just recently in one of the villages in Oaxaca.
Was a dear man there who was a tailor, and in the center of the town he had a little shop where he sold the goods that he had made, along with quite a few other lines.
And it was quite a strongly Catholic community.
And one night in the Gospel meeting, he very brightly accepted the Lord Jesus at his Seder. And of course it was very soon known in the community.
And his business began to drop until it faded away completely and he had to close up the shop. But instead of carrying on his business from the shop, he took his tailored goods and went out from village to village and took the gospel, of course, along with the Taylor goods.
And the Lord, has you said, really by His grace, to the blessing of those in villages that I don't think would otherwise hear the Gospel? So instead of closing the man's mouth and discouraging him, he just sent him out from this center to other areas to preach the gospel.
The 19th verse would certainly introduce us to some of the joys of heaven.
For what is our hope for joy or crown of rejoicing? Or not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
So the Apostle says, oh, I may not be able to visit you as I long to.
The days coming when I'm going to be with you.
In a scene where the enemy can never interfere.
Can never prevent the fellowship that we long for. Oh, what a wonderful quantitative of being together in that glorious scene where sin and all its where awful results will be gone forever.
Show that there's going to be a definite enjoyment with one another.
When we are in glory. But you notice this too, it says. Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ?
That was mentioned yesterday. The fullness of that name very precious here. And while we'll enjoy one another's company and glory, yet it will be in his presence. He'll be with him.
Our Blessed Lord, when we will gaze on his wonderful face.
And see him at all his beauty, but there with him were to enjoy.
One another's company and brethren, the more we enjoy the Lord together down here.
The more we'll enjoy the Lord together when we're at home. And we need to remember that you're very young people. If you get out with worldly people and waste your time and your life and have your pleasures with those that have no heart for Christ, you're robbing yourself now and and in glory, there'll be a loss that you can never remedy.
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The time will have passed and our brethren, we think of the little meeting.
Or whatever size it may be from which you come that little meeting represents.
A circle of fellowship that is most blessed and wonderful and find your enjoyment and your fellowship with those that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Never miss a meeting if it's possible. And isn't it lovely when we see the Saints together, perhaps after the meeting, enjoying one another and talking with one another.
They found their companionship among the Lord's people, and it will be something like this when the Lord comes with a shout in the air. We'll just change world to go on and enjoy more perfectly what we have begun down here.
Mr. Potter was asked if we would know one another in glory and he very cutely remarked, he said you think we'll know less?
There that we know now. Yes, we certainly shall.
There we certainly shall know. There's a thought there that comes home, Brother Barry. It's fully no, there's a fullness there. How full that will be, I don't know. But we noticed that in translation, that we shall fully know as we are fully known.
So there'll be no end to it in that day.
But don't you see this too?
That the Thessalonians Saints will be a special.
Crown for the Apostle Paul, and not in the same way for any other servant of Christ, where he says are not even.
Hope or joy or crown of rejoicing. So when we get to heaven we can fully expect to see the Apostle Paul.
Surrounded by his Thessalonian brethren that he was used to bring.
To the knowledge of Christ as you instruct and lead them on in the right ways of the Lord. They'll be his crown.
Nope, My crown. Not any other brothers crown.
As one way the crown is brought before us where we get different Crowns in scripture. But.
That's a very encouraging thought of a crown to those that we have helped on and the things of the Lord.
Of course, we never want to compare ourselves with the fossil Falls and the many that he was used in blessing too, but in our little measure, those that we seek to lead into a closer enjoyment of Christ and following Christ.
They become AI believe, a crown that we'll find when we get home to glory.
Will be. Would this be a for winning souls? Brother? There is this particular joy here, isn't it? The crown of rejoicing? And yet we never can count heads.
I was mentioning once that a young man came to see me in one of the Indian centers and I said, what brings you here? He said. My grandpa sent me.
He said 22 years ago you got off your mule.
And pulled out a book out of your pocket and began to preach in the Inca tongue.
But the priest had passed through the village and said, don't you ever listen to that fellow?
Shut the doors. But he said Grandpa had the door open. He was hiding behind it, and he got saved. And now he says there are 12 of us. Won't you go? Well, that meant we had to go to 15,000 feet, and I didn't feel up to it, but I got one of the brothers who's now with the Lord.
A laborer, and that's Sesatira. Cesar went to see the little group. We can't count heads, but there is something about this, don't you think, brother? The winning of souls.
This crown of rejoicing, it's a precious thought to my own soul.
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As you say, there are many crowns. I remember taking up a series of them for the native Christians. It's really an interesting study.
I suppose there will be many who will be saved, not through the formal preaching of the word necessarily, but through the faithfulness.
Of the Saints that they observe, as we had in the first part of this.
Book, and perhaps also that there are many steps.
In the salvation of souls there might be those who have been.
Going on for years, dealing with certain souls, and finally they're brought to a gospel meeting and they make the confession. But the work was done before. Well, the Lord knows all about this, and he's a perfect judge of these things, and he rewards in righteousness, doesn't he? And so in that day, he's going to take account of everything that's done and the manner of life of his people.
So that everything that we do contributes or should contribute to the blessing of others.
An old man during 80 years of age down in Kentucky that had spoken to many times.
At last, come out and give a wonderful confession of Christ as his Savior. Well, if anyone that was conducting the meetings at that time.
Could feel that that was.
That was their convert. They were badly mistaken.
That poor old man had a wife that read the Bible to him for many, many years, faithfully and consistently. He couldn't read himself, but she read the Bible to him until at last the Lord brought the word one night in the tent so powerfully to his soul.
That he was saved and then you know his mind was full of scriptures. Where did he get it?
From that dear wife that had read the word to him all those years. So when we think of the one who will have the crown, I'm sure for this whole man it will be the faithful wife and not the preacher of the gospel.
I was going to mention, if you don't mind how I was saved, I was saved through my grandma reading the scriptures without comment to me at the age of nearly 12 years of age.
And for two nights I couldn't sleep.
The word of God, I knew I was a Sinner, and then it was born home to my soul that I was a lost Sinner. So at 2:30 in the morning I got out of bed and confessed my sins, the Lord and I said, Lord Jesus.
I'll go straight to hell unless thou does save me. And so when grandma got up, I said Grandma, she said. What is it? The Lord saved me last night. Do you know what she said? That's all she said.
Never said anymore.
As much as I hope it's real, but it was. Praise the Lord, it was. He was. But I'll never forget her grunt.
I could have gotten under the bed.
It was a good thing not to have any praise about this poor Sinner being saved by the grace of God. It's all of great.
The bed, brother. I come under a table. Once my brother came to visit my parents and he picked up the tablecloth. And boy, are you saved. And that was the beginning of my exercise. He'd been to my house before. On a spokeswoman, I said, You'll never meet me again, boy.
The last time you're going to challenge me next time I get under the table, and I did as a round table with a heavy cloth. Nearly touched the floor, so I heard him tell my dad when he was coming. I thought, well, you'll miss me next time. So I went in the other room, got on the table, sat there like a mouse.
Heard him talking, my father. All of a sudden the door handles moved.
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He walked in the room, shuffled around a little while lifted up the tablecloth. Boy, are you saved.
And then floored me. Absolutely. I was. I was on the floor already.
Thank God. But praise the man. Wonderful experience. It doesn't mean, does it, brother, that one can pinpoint one's conversion. No, we wouldn't get that legal about that. But I do remember that so well.
To this very day, I can hear Grandma's name.
She was wondering if it was real or not. Praise the Lord.
The Lord saved this Sinner. Saved by grace. That's what we are, Brown. Just poor sinners saved. But the grace of God, Dear brother Jackson used to always talk about pure sovereign grace. Remember pure sovereign grace.
Getting the first chapter, we were considering where we're waiting for God's son from heaven. Now we're taking into heaven.
At the time the Lord comes and finds ourselves there.
With all the redeemed ones.
But how the Spirit of God would have us occupied, even in connection with that scene of glory, the blessed person of the Lord Jesus Christ, you notice in the last verse, he says, For for ye are arduous crown and joy. That's in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We will give him the praise for all that he has accomplished if we're there when we're there. And that glory glorious queen, why it will be to appraise him for the fact that he has brought us there. There will not be one word raised or one note sung that will give any praise whatever.
To any but to the Blessed Lord Himself.
This is not death. This is that. He's coming, isn't it?
Quite a difference.
Some would like to use these passages in connection with the believer departing to be with Christ, but that's not the thought here, is it? It's at his coming that's before us.
There are different ways in which the coming is brought before us in these various chapters. But here actually in the presence of the Lord, I was thinking of John the Baptist when he actually got in the presence of the Lord. He said, Behold the Lamb of God.
Then we get Peter in the presence of the Lord. He says depart from me. I'm a sinful man, O Lord. There was there was real exercise on his part down here, but it'll be different up there, won't it? And the exercises should be now as to these things.
I think we could go on now to the end of the third chapter.
We find in this third chapter the somewhat of the continuation.
Of the desires and longings of the Apostles, to see his Thessalonian Brethren again.
And it's nice to notice before we get to the verses read in the third chapter.
The 10th verse, night and day, praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is racking in your faith. Well, what a prayer that was. The prayer of longing. A prayer of desire.
That he might see these paints again and be with them, and help them on for one who has been used in any way, and blessing to others.
He wants to lead them on and fall along, to lead these Saints on into a deeper knowledge of the truth and better acquaintance with the person of Christ. But I like to notice the next verse, the 11Th verse.
Now God himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you. So after having prayed so earnestly that he might be with him again, or he just leaves it all entirely in the Lords hands in our God himself, I'll leave it with God. His time is best so that he doesn't go on with any uncertainty about.
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This matter, he's left it with God and he says your time will be the right time.
Now God directs me and.
The Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. What a fullness there is there. God the fallen, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Direct our way unto you and then we get the 2 verses that were read.
The person of the Father and of the Lord Jesus are so closely connected there that the word direct, I understand is is singular, not plural.
So there is one person that was speaking.
But while he is deprived of being with him and visiting them.
His interest in them and his prayers for them have diminished in the least. He raised them in the Lord's hands to lead them on. And so he says, the and the Lord make you to increase.
And abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you, where you have he had spoken about.
Perfecting that which is lacking in your faith, I would take that further instruction in the truth of God's word and the mysteries which had been revealed to him.
Them all into a deeper of Queens with the mind of God. But there's one thing the apostle could.
Speak about and that is that to make you increase and abound in love one toward another.
At all times, that's more important than even laying hold of a great volume of truth.
Something like what you get in the 13th chapter of First Corinthians after having said desire earnestly the best gift. Or then he says, I show unto you a more excellent way than the whole chapter about love and God gathering me have little truth and be very simple in their understanding of the word.
If they're going on in that character of love that you find in the 13th of First Corinthians is far happier and is far more blessing than if they were the best instructors among the people of God, and therefore the apostle longed for here to see them going on.
In that happy.
Love for one another.
Do you think perhaps the 18 first there of the second chapter and the 11Th verse of this chapter together would show us on the one hand the hindering efforts of Satan and on the other the guiding of the Lord?
Which, for a while at least deprived the apostle of the privilege of visiting them, And therefore he wrote them this letter, one of the.
Occasions when Satan defeated himself. Perhaps if Paul had been unhindered and able to visit them, he might not have needed to write this letter. So here we sit down and read this beautiful encouraging letter and we think, well, when Paul was hindered, he didn't realize perhaps that sitting down to write them a letter instead of visiting them was going to give us the joy of sharing in the privilege legacy of God for.
2000 years, you might say, for the people of God.
That's wonderful.
I think, though, that we also can enjoy this thought which has been expressed, but perhaps you should large enlarge on it just a little.
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The end of the 11Th verse.
Direct our way unto you. That is, he was leaving it in the Father's hands. In the hands of God. The apostle had something committed to him, the mystery.
In the church, and we find in Philippians that he seemed to have the confidence that God would leave him here until he had completed that ministry.
Now I believe there's a principle there, brethren, with us.
Something to think about.
We learn in Lieu and Mark that he appointed to every man his work.
Now we may see things ahead of us that will discourage us.
And we're not able to complete the work that we feel the Lord wants us to do.
I believe the answer is here we we let God direct it.
Is God able for our circumstances? He certainly is.
Is he's able to supply all of our needs under those circumstances? He certainly is. He may test us.
But let's remember that if we're going on in communion with him, the end is going to be bright.
The work that he's given us to do is going to be accomplished. He may have to use someone else to help, like he did the Thessalonians, the Philippian Saints St. of Philippi, but he's he's going to use the apostle in prison to set forth further truth in the written word. At the same time, Now there's a verse in Hebrews that I've enjoyed in this connection.
It's in the 10th chapter.
And the 35th verse.
Cast not away, therefore your confidence.
Which have great recompense of reward. Now couple that with the next chapter.
And the six birds?
But without faith it is impossible to please him. That's God. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God never disappoints faith. He tests it, but he never disappoints it.
That striking all the way he speaks of love one for another. The Lord make you to increase.
And abound in loved one toward another.
I don't know, Just toward all men is an italics here.
Would that mean all sinners and Saints and other places included?
One would think it's a disciples for the disciples here, Brother, don't you think? Supposing we read from John 15 a moment perhaps?
Verse 12 This is my commandment that he loved one another as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this than a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if he do, whatsoever I command you. Now verse 15. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth.
But I have called you friends.
All things that I have heard of my father, I have made known unto you. Would you not think, brother, that this is the path of the disciple, not the Sinner?
Yeah.
Well, I thought so.
And Lord himself said, by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, If he have loved one toward the lover, yes, doesn't say. By this you all the Saints know. By this shall all men know, since life would manifestation of love, isn't it? I think in feet of the pistol too. And connection was thought.
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First Epistle, first chapter.
Verse 22 Seeing a purified your soul in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that she loved one another with a pure heart fervently.
Those two versions were given to my wife and me just before we married.
The laws make you to increase and abound in love one toward another.
And Thessalonians on this one freedom epistle see that she loved one another with a pure heart, fervently.
Two lovely verses to commence married life on. There are two words that we like to use in the marriage union.
One is subjection and the other affection.
Husbands, love your wives. Even as Christ loved the church and gave himself forth will. Brethren, the onus is on the man there. Sometimes we think of the wife as a more of a bump on the log and and say, well, now you've just got to obey me immediately in all this, But no, she's a health mate. And so there's the deal of.
Subjection on her part, which is always typical of a godly woman.
But there's the affection on the part of the husband. Husband, Love your wives. I believe the onus is on the man there, brethren, more than on the woman. I may be wrong, but I like to think of it that way.
Tell us in a piece that the wife is a lover husband. She is to be subject to him.
I suppose it's taken for granted that you should.
Is mentioned, is it not? The elder women teach the younger that they love their husbands. To me, it's very, very beautiful to think that submission is a delight when you know that the one to whom you're submitting truly loves you. Submission is very difficult If you're working for an employer who is a heartless sort of a man. Submission and obedience are pretty difficult, but submission and obedience to someone who truly loves you.
Is really a delight, and it should be the delight of the child of God.
To submit in thankful obedience to one whose love is perfect. And so, as our brother has remarked, if this pattern were displayed by us in family life, submission would be much more pleasant, I'm sure.
And I said in Ephesians, I'm glad you mentioned it, though.
Where are you find in the next verse?
This goes on.
Into eternity.
To the end you may. To the end He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints.
So that the.
When it's carried out to the true and sincere desire to help our brethren, sometimes it requires faithfulness. As we know. When we have to take a stand against what is displeasing to the Lord, we just encourage our brother to go on in the wrong path. Seemingly to show love to him is not what Scripture speaks of is totally love at all.
But always will the most sincere and true desire to lead on those who are the Lords to walk in love. And then you get that in Ephesians 4 speaking the truth in love. Remember, Brother Gill saying. Sometimes even the tone of one's voice makes a great difference. The same thing said in an excited.
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Or provoked voice?
My due untold harm. Whereas when it said in one feels in the way it said that it comes from one who loves.
Them with a sincere and true love. What a different effect it could have. And then, as we see in this verse, it leads on to an unblameable in holiness. Well, the Spirit of God never sets before us.
A condition that isn't perfect. So if he is teaching us about our walking ways down here, he can't give us a lower standard than what belongs to the perfect scene and glory, so that we're to have a little expression of what the fullness and completeness will be.
When we're done with this beam and or in at home with the Lord.
Yes, one of our old writers, Brother Barry says of verse 13. This is really the joy of the Lord.
Really the joy of the Lord here.
It's it's his joy. Peculiar joy. Well, I like that thought. Do you like that thought?
And you see, holiness is specially mentioned, isn't it? And that is in line with what?
Brother Grading spoke about at the first meeting. It's a purifying hope.
And as we go on, with the hope of the Lord coming before our souls.
It would need us to judge anything that would not be for his honor and his glory, something like the 10 virtue of the five wise virgins, when they awoke from their sleep. The word was the the bridegroom cometh go ye forth.
The medium go from go out to medium that is going out from everything that would not comport and agree with the meeting in the air. Then they began to trim their lamps, and that's what we need, is to trim off anything that would dim the hope of his coming before our souls. What is it? Are we connected with anything that is?
Inconsistent.
That is drawing the sins of the world that is hindering our joy.
What do we have in our homes? How do we spend our time? Are we allowing things to?
Robbers. Wow. Well, the greatest joy that's possible. Well, all that has to do with a purifying hope. Holiness at His coming.
The joyful anticipation of the 13th verse enables us to live the 12Th.
And don't you think, Brother Barry, that the more we see that character of love one toward another, not only increasing but abounding in love, it leads to that holiness that's going to be in full display when the Lord comes and wears there with him in a scene where sin can never come?
Is this the time when he will display the Church as his own coming with all the Saints?
It'll be manifested then, as it says, in another place that I have loved thee.
We all will know then.
Now there may be rejection on our part as far as formal religion is concerned, but then everyone will know, as he says, that I have loved thee.
I suppose all here perhaps are familiar with the two parts of the Lord's second coming.
The last part of the 4th chapter is clearly the Lords coming for his Saints, whereas in the end of this chapter it's the Lord coming with his faith.
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Now we might wonder how you could say that's the same coming.
I read an illustration years ago that I thought was helpful.
Posing that a king in olden times.
Has a city that's rebelled against his authority.
Here lead this army to this city and before a shot is fired, he goes outside.
And invites all his loyal citizens in that city to come to him and they immediately leave the doom city and go out and join his ranks. And then after the city has been subdued.
The king with his army and with all those that have deserted the city and loyalty to their sovereign enter the city and triumph they come with him. But it would be the same coming because he goes 1St and calls.
His own way. And then he goes with him and sets up his Kingdom.
And do you not find beloved, that whenever the subject of reward especially in view, that it has more to do with the appearing than the Lord coming in the air?
Is can we not connect the?
The appearing that we've had before us.
These the 2nd and the 3rd chapter with the.
The 14th verse.
Of the 4th chapter.
Isn't that better? Explain it a little clear, brother? Well, yes, it's a great help to see that.
The thought that is brought before us is that the Lord is going to come with His Saints.
Well, the question might have been asked by these Thessalonians, well, how are we going to be there to come back where it said, where he speaks that will God bring with him? Well, that that would present a problem. How is how are they going to be brought? How are they going to be brought down? Well, he goes on now in that explanation in the 4th chapter to explain that first of all, we're going to be caught away.
It's almost it's like in reverse, isn't it? He explains.
There in the subsequent verses that we're going to be caught away up to the glory and then we're going to be brought back with him.
So the 13th verse of the 4th chapter would be the appearing, whereas the following verses are the rapture where he comes forth first.
That puzzled me for a long, long time, I will admit, because the 14th verse so very clearly says Will God bring with him? And then when you start chapter 5, you read. But of the times and the seasons brethren, you have no need that I run under you.
And both of them seem to refer to his coming out of heaven with us. And yet I had always heard of this entire portion as referring to the Lord's coming to call us home. And what our brother Norman Berry has said, I believe is very important and very helpful. The 14th verse refers to the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ and our coming out of heaven with him.
And then Chapter 5 continues right on with that. And again.
Refers to his coming out of heaven with us to set up his Kingdom to pour out judgment. But perhaps we could say that beginning with verse 15 to the end of 18, we have the explanation, as our brother has remarked, as to how those who had passed away are going to be up there in order to come out with him. You and I perhaps now see it so clearly.
That we can't quite put ourselves in the position of the Thessalonian believers who look for who anticipated the coming of the Lord, and who were so bewildered when one of their own was taken away. Well, we know the Lord is coming. What about this one who has already passed away? Is he or she going to miss this, though I believe that to me it has been so helpful, but our brother has commented.
00:50:18
Verse 14 is the coming of the Lord with His Saints. No doubt about it. Chapter 5 carries on from there to show the signs of that coming with His Saints. But the brief and wonderful explanation between the two shows how we and those who have passed away are going to be up there in order to be able to come forth with him when He does appear. That's all. Yes, it is, Brother Hale.
And you notice in my 15th verse that really gives us the parenthesis.
For it is a ( 1516 seventeen and 18 is a parenthesis. And so he digresses from his subject at the end of the 13th verse, as you say, and takes up the subject in the 5th chapter. But when he takes up this parenthesis.
He starts out from this we say unto you by the word of the Lord.
He doesn't say. Enoch the 7th from Adam prophesied of this. Here was a revelation he received from the Lord, and I have thought this, that the apostle received the revelation at that time, for this was a real exercise. These Thessalonians Saints had lost some of their number through death. They were in great sorrow.
Would they lose out on the wonderful event when the Lord comes back? You see, they were waiting, as the first chapter tells us, for God's Son from heaven. They just looked for the Lord coming right down where they were, and there they would meet him. But oh, here's our loved ones. We buried them over there and and the grave will they share with us the joys of that time?
Well, that was they had communicated with the apostle about their their exercises, and I felt the apostle received this revelation at that time. So he says, Now we have this, we say unto you by the word of the Lord.
And that is.
An important subject, isn't it? Because.
The The appearing. The Lord's coming with his Saints is taught in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament.
We get it in Zechariah 14. The Lord my God shall come, and all the Saints William. But you can search the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi, and you'll find no hint whatever of the Lords coming in the air. For a people you may get it in tight, or they were hidden subjects that were never understood until the full revelation of the truth was given.
And then we look into the type. From there we see beautiful illustrations but no prophecy. Make it clear in that way that the truth of the church was hidden in God and not revealed until it was revealed to the Apostle Paul. And when the mystery of the secret of the church is given, we also get the secret.
About her being called.
By the bridegroom, or the coming Lord, to take her to the home which he has gone before to prepare the place for.
The in tightest 2 we get in one verse there what we're on.
That's verse 13.
Looking for that blessed hope.
And the glorious appearing of the great Gods and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Will have often thought of the first epistle, with few exceptions, of course. You can write over at 4 coming 4.
00:55:01
The bride, the first epistle across their interludes here that we've just mentioned, which have been very helpful, but then in the second epistle it's coming more with, so we get the coming for the next event. Beloved is the coming of the bride for us.
Well, what's going to take place between these coming for us and with us? The judgment seat of Christ, A brother said to me. Well, we're the Saints. Meanwhile, they're in the Father's house waiting so that the the judgment seat of Christ will follow on after the Rapture, and then the marriage supper of the Lamb will follow on that, and then we'll come back with him.
To reign over the earth.
Is that all right?
You see the perfection of scripture partners. I'd rather use it well. I'm just going to say that the, the, the.
The hope of the Church.
Is the coming of the Lord for us?
But as you've been pointing out, it's important for us to realize that the appearing of the Lord Jesus is that for which we are to look forward and to hope. I was just thinking of Second Timothy Pauls last words. These are what we've been considering are his first, but in his last words in Second Timothy 4.
It brings it into a nice focus.
Timothy 4 and and eight.
Or read from verse 6.
For I am now ready to be offered in the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me in that at that day, And not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearance. Now there's a crown of righteousness for those who who just love that day.
The day when he comes for us, but the day when he comes with us. So this must never be lost sight of that. That is the day when the Lord Jesus Christ will have his rightful place and we long for that day.
There's a point here too, that.
We might notice and that is concerning them which are asleep, and in the 13th verse and also in the 14th verse.
So them also which sleep in Jesus.
Now this refers, I believe, to the body. It does not refer to the soul. We learned elsewhere that when one departs to be with Christ.
Paul says it's far better.
And they are consciously in the presence of the Lord, enjoying His presence. Now the body is asleep. But I do not believe Scripture speaks.
Or teaches soul sleeping, some teach no, and even it's a solemn thing for those who are unsaved. We get the hint in the book of Jews, but they're already undergoing the judgment of eternal fire. Not in their bodies, but they're in a condition which is not pleasant.
Do you think that to love His appearing perhaps would have a sort of double challenge to us? On the one hand, when you love someone very much and they have been maligned and falsely accused, you look forward to the day when all will be vindicated. And we love to think that not only are we going to be taken away, but our Lord Jesus Christ.
Is going to be thoroughly vindicated and we're going to see it take place. We love to think of the time when he will have his rightful place and the name that is now. So blasphemy will be in that day honored. But I've also thought about this in connection with loving his appearing as sort of a personal challenge that it may be the apostle had in mind in connection with the Crown.
That is, as was remarked at his coming, when we are called home, we will all be called home together, with no evident distinction as to whether our walk has been one of carelessness or faithfulness.
01:00:13
We'll all go home, everyone redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ. Excuse the illustration that has, I know, been around for a long time. But in a schoolyard you'll see a lot of children playing and the school bell ring.
And they all go in together, and you can see no distinction at all as they go into the school, whether they've learned their lessons and been diligent, or whether they've been careless. But when they enter the school, then they take their places in the various classroom according to their diligence.
According to the way in which they've applied themselves to their lessons, well, when the shout comes and we're called home, there will be no evident distinction, but the judgment seat of Christ will reveal God's appraisal of our entire life. And when we come forth with him at His appearing, there will be the evidence that display the manifestation of what took place. Be thou over 10 cities. Be thou over 5 cities.
This, I believe, will be evidence that his appearing, Paul says.
I long is appearing. I believe Paul may be suggesting I'm living day by day in the view of the fact that this day is going to be manifested in that day. In fact, I read the comment one time that Paul just had those two days before him during his whole life.
One was today and the other one was that day. Well, to love his appearing is to me, a very, very searching challenge. If we look at it from that viewpoint, it's going to be manifested. I think that's a good thought, brother.
In this scene of the Lords rejection of the Lord Jesus rejection, there is the vindication of his glory. And this is something in which we can love his appearing, because we're going to see.
We're going to reign over the earth during this period and we're going to see the Lord Jesus.
Vindicate his glory in that day in the in in the very scene where he was nailed to the cross of Calvary. This is also in the thought of the Apostle, as you've mentioned the vindication of his glory. In that we can rejoice too, brother.
And 2nd Thessalonians first chapter, verse 10. Does that apply to his appearing?
Says when he shall come to me glorified in his Saints.
And to be in mind in all then, I believe.
Because our testimony among you was believed in that day. What does that refer to?
I'm awesome. Yes, go ahead, brother. I've often thought of that coming day when he says to the Father, Behold, I and the children which thou has given me. Behold, I and the children which thou hast given me. What a wonderful thing that will be. Well, that's one thought that I had there.
You're right, brother Gladding. It is definitely the appearing there. It's not just coming for us, who's coming with us? And it's lovely. We have spoken of the Earth.
Now come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.
Brown had an illustration of that. Suppose in years of very expensive diamonds and it's surrounded by a circle of.
Very beautiful pearls.
Well, a Pearl surrounding that diamond in no way detract from the beauty of the diamond. They only enhance it. And so the Lord himself is the central object there. But he's admired in all those that he returns in glory with.
What a what a prospect, brother brethren, to think about coming back with the Blessed Lord in such a way as that.
01:05:05
Is that they're somewhat the thought of 17th of John.
And the 23rd verse, I and them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hath loved them as thou hast loved me.
One in glory.
We get 3 ones, don't we, in dancing, Dean? One in testimony.
One in communion first, one in testimony that the world might believe, and one in glory.
It climaxes. It, doesn't it? And that's at that time of his appearing, isn't it? Not his coming in the air for his people.
No one and.
Rather the comments that our brother Albert made, does it not modify the what we have been saying? Someone in connection with the glory, in connection with the crown of Rejoicing and in connection with loving the Saints? It seems to me that first Timothy for instance, we have the verse that says if a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully?
So the Spirit of God could speak about the Apostle Paul having this Crown of Rejoicing because it had been earned in the path of the truth, it had been earned and walking in the path of obedience, and consequently it could be a crown of Rejoicing for him. But the the qualification of First Timothy still applies, and that is that the man is not found except he's tried lawfully.
And when we come over to the first epistle of John, it speaks about we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. And so it is that the law that we're called upon to show to the people of God and that we should show to the people of God is controlled by loving God and keeping His commandments. And these two controls, that is.
Striving lawfully.
And loving God and keeping his comments will be manifested at His appearing as to whether it has been done in accordance with the mind of God.
Verse in in Second Timothy that perhaps?
Second Timothy the first chapter.
And the 12Th verse.
Now Paul knew very definitely in the 11Th verse that he was appointed A preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles.
And yet he says in this very chapter to Timothy in the 15 First this thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me. And then he named some.
But now he says as far as his own soul is concerned in the 12Th verse.
For the which 'cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed.
For I know whom I have the margin says trusted. I believe the margin in your Bibles. I think it says trusted, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him. Against that day Paul gave up everything that had to do with this life and present advantage.
He put the whole trust as to his future and his happiness with God.
He left it all, his whole course, the path that he took. He left it all with God. He didn't expect to be justified in it by man. He simply left it with God. Now he knows he has that full confidence here.
He says in his 12Th verse. For I know whom I have trusted. It isn't. I know in whom, but I know.
Whom he knows, The person whom he's trusted he knows because.
And this is the This is the end of his course. He's had the experience. He's an old man now. He's had the experience. This is one of the things he can say. I know as a result of experience, I know.
01:10:14
Whom I have trusted, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
That very confidence.
Enabled him to be less upset by the fact that all in Asia had been turned away from him.
Than the joy that he had that one brother on a ciphers searched him out and found him diligently. Took more joy out of that than he did. Look on the dark side of the fact that all in Asia had turned away from him, because he had confidence in that one that you just pointed.
Few moments ago John 17 and verse 23 was referred to.
And the latter part of their verse, that the world may know that thou has sent me and us love them, that love that that was, loved them, that was loved me.
I have enjoyed connecting with that what we have in Ephesians one and verse.
4.
According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, the purposes of God are that we should be holy in Him. We're chosen for that very purpose.
And is that not true as far as our nature is concerned, that we are holy, but in practice the desire is that we should be without blame?
And then we were also Speaking of what we have in the fourth, in the third chapter of First Thessalonians.
And to the end that he may establish your hearts unbelievable in holiness before God.
At the appearing.
About the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints.
In that day when?
When we're going to come back with our Lord Jesus, he will be wondered at in his Saints. Will it not be that that the world is going to see those whom they have despised?
That they are the ones whom God has chosen. The Lord has chosen to be with him, and wholly and unblameable in that day. What a wonderful thing is going to be that. That is what the world is going to see.
The world is going to know in that day that he loved it.
Well, should it not exercise our hearts if that is what we are going to be in that day?
So we should be so now in practice to be unblameable before him.
It's true. We have holy natures.
That has been given to us of God as the new creation, but.
How easy it is for us to allow the flesh to have its way, and there may be those things for which we can be blamed.
I'm going to say that we should go on in the energy of the Spirit of God in the new nature, and thus to be down here more like what we're going to be when the world sees us with our Lord.
That expression.
The Lord himself, you were saying, When we see our Lord, I believe this really touches our hearts, doesn't it?
It isn't that he will send the angels.
But it's the Lord himself now to me, I think of it as his own joy.
To receive his bride.
The Lord himself shall descend.
He's coming personally.
The precious thought, just that thought I was thinking of, the Lord himself shall descend.
I like to think of the expression on the faces of love Thessalonians, when they read this epistle in the assembly. There they were their hearts bowed with sorrow and not able to understand this matter about their loved ones that have died. And now some brother rises and reads, We have a letter from the Apostles Paul.
01:15:10
For a change that must have made in their expressions as he gets to the very point that had troubled him in the 1St place, he says that we would are alive and remain as their position on the coming of the Lord. I'll read that not to prevent that's an old English word which means go before them which are asleep.
That is, instead of the ones who were living preceding those that had died, if there was any advantage whatever, it would be on the side of their departed brother who had died. They would be the first who would be affected by the power of the shout in the air.
Dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive.
And remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.
That the Lord had in mind that twofold joy, I think in 12 The Hebrews 12.
Verse 2.
Looking under Jesus, the author and finish of faith prove the joy that recessed before him.
Endure the cross. Well, that was 1 Joy, I suppose, of doing the Father's will. Would it not be I delight to do thy will, O God, And the other joy would be to have us with himself in the glory to see the travelling. I love your soul, and be satisfied.
I often think of the three occasions.
One when the Little Maid.
Waited possibly expectantly for the return of Naman, and when he finally came into the house, think of what the greeting must have been.
And similarly when.
Joseph's brethren looked at him and saw such a face that the scene so hard to them. But when he said I am Joseph, what a look they must have seen on his face. And thirdly, in the case of the prodigal son, when they sat down at the table together, think of the looks that must have been exchanged between the father and the son. What beloved ones is it going to be like when we spring to meet the Lord in the air?
Isn't that wonderful too, that in a certain way the Lord has passed through the experience?
Those that die in Christ and those who will be caught up alive without dying, the Lord has been in death. And that's an experience that those like our brother Brown have passed through. They've gone through the article of death.
They have died and has their blessed Lord and master they have gone into death, but the one who went into death forest has broken the power of death.
He's rose, risen triumphant over death. He's come out of the grave.
And he's the first truth for them that slept. So we have that wonderful encouragement.
To see for all our loved ones who have died in Christ that the Lord has preceded them, and the way he left the grave of the way that they will leave the grave. And then for those who are alive and remain, we think of the Lord going out as far as the Bethany.
Lifting up his hands to bless them, and then he goes directly into the Father's house.
Friends and the crowd received him out of their sight. So is he the Lord, as it were, having passed through the experience, both those who die in Christ, and also those who are alive and remain, who are caught up to meet him in the air. But I'm sure we may need to remember that in all things he must have the preeminence.
01:20:07
And the only reason we can go up is because he comes and gives the shout. When the Lord went up there, he went up in his own rights.
As having the perfect right to enter that scene from which he came. He doesn't need someone to come and give a shot and have an Archangel voice or a trump call him up there.
That was his home, and that's where he ascended. But as to us, it will be his coming for us.
And just as he left this scene and ascended into the cloud, so we'll go beloved in that very ways that he has gone up before us.
I've often wondered what's happened. It's recorded in Matthew 27 and verse 51. And behold, the veil of the temple is rendered twain from the tops of the bottom and the earth did quake and the rocks rent and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the Saints which left the Rose and came out of the grave after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared under many.
I'd like an explanation on what became of those things after that. Well, I believe brother, since the word of God asylum silent on that. But I the way I look at it, it was a testimony as to the power.
Of his death the earth trembled, the heavens were darkened.
And the power of death was shaken.
So that the graves were opened, darkness graves, where some had only a short time before been buried. They came out as a witness of the power of the death of Christ, proving that the power of death was broken. Or it was after his resurrection that they went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. But I look upon that company as the same as Lazarus.
Who was truly raised from the dead, but not with a glorified body, but with a corruptible body. And so Lazarus, as you might say, died twice, he died natural death twice, and later on Lazarus must have lain down and.
As he come to death again, I've enjoyed this thought about it, that there are two questions that might naturally rise in our minds about this company.
One is, who were these Saints? Could there be among them any whose names that we might recognize if we knew? There's not one hint about it. We don't know the name of one of them. They're an unnamed, unidentified company.
The next question is what our brother Gladding has raised. Did they die again or did they in some unusual way go home without it? That also is unanswered. We are not told so here you see perhaps a very interesting picture of about where we stand, do we not? Here they were a living witness to the power of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and unnamed company.
Their names are not given because I believe it's not important. Did they die again, or were they taken away again? It's not answered somehow or other. It seems to point to the very testimony that is ours today, an unnamed company bearing witness to the power of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Are we going to die, or are we going on without it? You don't know the answer to that either, do you?
And we're glad we don't. So it just seems to be a happy picture of the testimony that we ought to bear, an unknown testimony as far as the world's mighty names are concerned, and awaiting either the one or the other, whichever the Lord may choose another question.
About that verse that's referred to in the first chapter of Second Thessalonians, 10th verse, when he shall come to be admired in all his things, in all them to believe, does that contemplate the intelligence post in heaven?
01:25:04
Looking on? Yes, brother. You have to read Revelation 19 to know about that.
That's the day of the Lord, and where we haven't mentioned that, but the day of the Lord is when He comes with us in Revelation 19. I don't think there's time now to read, but.
Is very important, that is.
Let us be glad that's verse 7.
Of 19th of Revelation, let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in linen, in clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousnesses.
Of Saints.
Well, here's the bride.
And all the Saints.
From the period of Pentecost on, but we have another group here.
What about those who have been resurrected?
And to her was granted that she should be verse. 9 And she say, And he saith unto me, Right, blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he says unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Well, this is the day of the Lord.
And I fell at his feet to worship him. He said unto me, See thou do it not.
I am thy fellow servant and of thy breath that have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God for the testing of Jesus the spirit of prophecy now and I saw heaven opened.
And behold, a White Horse, a White Horse victorious power. And he that sat upon him was called.
Faithful and true and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire. On his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that no man knew but himself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. This would be the blood of his enemies, and his name is called the Word of God.
And this is the thought and the armies which were in heaven.
These are the Saints of the Old Testament and the Bride beloved.
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean and out of his mouth, going as go to sharp sword.
That with it he should smite the nations. This would be the coming with.
This is the day of the law.
Can we go along with that?
Well, the last verse of our chapter is wherefore comfort one another with these words. Lovely conclusion, isn't it, to our readings yesterday and today. Wherefore comfort one another with these words?
When we came just the last verse of #19 in the appendix.
Last verse only the 19 in the apparently.