Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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At the feet of the Lord Jesus, because I believe that this is the place of blessing, whether it's for the Sinner or for ourselves, or even in the coming glory. And so I just like to look at some scriptures with this in mind. And so first of all, let us turn to the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, 5th chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the 12TH verse. And it came to pass when he was in a certain city.
Behold, a man full of leprosy.
Who see in Jesus spell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he put forth his hand and touched him, saying, I will be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
Well, here we see how someone who felt his need of the Lord Jesus as the Savior, as the one who could cleanse him from that awful disease of leprosy. No doubt a picture to our souls of something far, far worse than leprosy. A leprosy, as far as was known at that time at least, was incurable about. There's something far worse than that is the awful disease of sin, and surely man cannot cure that. But here we find.
Who feels his need? A man who, as we're told here, was full of leprosy. And this is very instructive, I believe. Because if you read back in the 13th chapter of Leviticus, you find that when a man was brought to the priest and the priest looked him over and there wasn't a spot that he could find over the whole man that didn't have leprosy, he was completely covered with that awful disease.
Now, that was the man that was cleansed. The one who just had one spot was pronounced unclean, but we read nothing about his cleansing. But the man who was covered with leprosy is the one who was pronounced clean. And you know, there are many, many people, and there may be some here. And you might say, well, I know I'm a Sinner, but I don't think I'm such a bad Sinner. I don't think I am of the worst kind. There are many who are far worse than me.
Perhaps, you know, some spot, some particular sin that besets you, but you don't think that you're all bad as people say. Well, we don't read of any cleansing for a person of that kind because God must bring us, dear friends, to the point where we realize that there's absolutely nothing in us that is acceptable to him. When the priest looked him all over and found that there wasn't a single spot that was clean. Now that was the time that.
He was cleansed. That was the time that blessing came to him. And so there are many brought up in Christian homes, and perhaps there are some here. And I can say I was perhaps like you. Now, that is when we're children in a Christian home, we don't always realize our true character. We usually think that because of the protection that we have had from many of the evils of the world that somehow were a little better.
But you know, our hearts are all alike, the Bible says.
As in water, face answers to face, so the heart of man to man. If I had an egg, a rotten egg here, and I dropped it on the floor, all the horrible smell would come out. I could have another one in my hand that's just as bad, and you couldn't smell it at all. It's just as bad. But it's just the difference that the bad hasn't all come out, but it's all there. And dear friends, every one of us in God's sight are sinners, lost sinners, full of leprosy.
No hope apart from Christ. But isn't it lovely to see this man knew the right person to come to? And I just want to say here, if there's anyone who has never come to the Lord Jesus, a Savior, come to him for cleansing. What better day would there be than today, the first day of 1979? How wonderful to begin the year with the Lord Jesus as your own precious and personal Savior.
And so this man came.
To the Lord and he fell on his face and this was what I wished to speak particularly about he took his true place. You know there that is something that's very hard for any of us to do is to take the humble place, the natural snare of the human heart and in the list of things that God hates. It's the very first and that is pride a proud look and every one of us have that self importance about us and it isn't until we get into.
Of God and feel our need and that we come to the point where we're willing to take our place at His feet. But all when you're willing to take your place at His feet, like many, many others did all through the Scriptures. What I say is the place of blessing.
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But when this man fell down at the feet of the Lord Jesus, he knew that the Lord was able, but he didn't know whether he was willing.
Thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And I suppose no one would doubt that the Lord can cleanse the vilest Sinner. I hope none of us would doubt the precious truth of that verse. The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin. But there might be someone who thought the Lord wasn't willing, wasn't willing to meet them in their need.
Sometimes a person who.
Has gone far into the paths of sin thinks his case is hopeless because very often in a medical sense a case can be hopeless but there's no such thing as a person coming to the Lord Jesus and him telling that person that his case is hopeless. He says him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out and so here this man came he knew the Lord was able but he didn't know whether he was willing but all how quick was.
Response from the heart of the Lord Jesus. Isn't this beautiful? He put forth his hand and touched him, saying, I will. You know what hinders the Sinner from blessing is his own will. That is, the Lord had to say when he was here, He will not come unto me, that ye might have life. But as far as God's side is concerned, He is willing.
Indeed, it tells us in Peter the Lord is not willing that any should perish.
But that all should come to repentance. And so I want to bring before you two things about this, and that is that the Lord is willing and that He's able. He's willing because he went all the way to Calvary boy of wrath and judgment that our sins deserved in order that we might be blessed. Oh, how marvelous of that grace that made him willing, willing to take our place, willing to bear the judgment that our sins deserved. The Lord.
Jesus, I say, is not only able to say, but he is willing.
And so he went to the cross to show his willingness. We think of him in the Garden of Gethsemane there saying to his Father, If thou wilt thou canst make me clean? Was he willing? Yes. Was he able? Or there was only one who could glorify God about the question of sin and settle the matter? And thank God he's done it.
He has finished the work, and so isn't it lovely? He put forth his hand and touched him. Now in the Old Testament, any person who touched a defiled man was himself rendered unclean by doing it. But here was 1. As a little hymn puts it nicely. The one who touched the leper was undefiled by sin, as God forever holy, as pure as as man, all pure within. And so he could put forth his.
And touch that man and be undefiled. He was the Holy 1. He was the only one who could pay the price of sin. And I say again, thank God he has done it. And so immediately, this man's leprosy departed from him. Being saved isn't a process of weeks or months. It isn't a process of even minutes.
The very moment you cry out to the Lord for mercy.
That very moment he hears the cry and answers the cry. Oh, what a good thing. And so I want to start by saying, if there's anyone here who has not come, why not come today? No better time than today. Why delay? This is the very best time. And more we can't be sure of tomorrow. Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. And many of us as Christians do feel we can't help.
Feel that the Lord's coming is very near and that He is going to give that shout, and that will be the closing of the door of grace for all who have rejected God's offer of salvation.
Now let's turn to another one in the 10th chapter of Luke.
And the 38th verse.
Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house, and she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered with much serving, and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she helped me.
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And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. Well, here we find something very beautiful in connection with this household. The Lord often visited this home.
But what I wished to call attention to in this particular 1 is.
That the place to learn is at the feet of the Lord Jesus, to take our place longly before Him, as it says in the book of Job, who teacheth like Him, you know God has an individual tuition for each one of His own. There are no two of us that are alike. We all have to go through different things in life in order to learn the lessons that the Lord has for us.
Because.
In school there are certain number in a classroom, and the teacher gives a lesson to all who are there, but not so in the school of God. We must learn things individually, and I believe that we never really have truth until we have received it from the Lord for ourselves. It tells us in John, And they shall be.
All taught of God and it's a very blessed thing when we have learned something from.
Him have often said to people don't don't go away and say that's what Gordon said, but go away and say, I think I've learned something from the word of God because you know, it's important that we should be taught of God and that's the place that Mary took. She took her place at his feet. And as this new year begins, how important it is that we should.
Remember the importance of this because the world is so full.
Of all kinds of things, to turn us in another direction, shall I say, to all kinds of ideas and opinions of man.
We are all conscious of the lowering standard of morals. And why is it? Well, because people are accepting the opinions of men instead of following the word of God. Why do we see the breakdown of homes? Because men are setting up their own opinions about marriage and not following the instructions of God's Word. And so if we would know the mind of God, we must get it from God's Word. And I believe that's the force of what we have.
In Romans chapter 12, where it tells us, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, or the I believe the correct word is your intelligent service. And then it goes on to say, And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you might prove what?
That good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You notice it says an intelligent service and then it speaks about the renewing of the mind. I call attention to that because I believe what he's bringing before us is that the way to get conformed to the world is just to listen to all that they have to say and their ideas and their opinions. And how are we going to have our minds renewed? How are we going to?
Get God's thoughts well, Mary said at Jesus feet.
And she learned to get his thoughts. And in the things of God, man's wisdom is different from God's, as it tells us in Isaiah 55. My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so are my ways above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts. So it's not an extension of the wisdom of man, it's something entirely new, because man's wisdom always exalts.
Lamb and God in his wisdom brings before us that which crumbles us and exalts him in the in first Corinthians and the second chapter, he's talking to Greeks who had attained a wonderful height of of human learning in their day. But he says that the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain or empty. And so this is the importance, not just.
All those things that we hear constantly, what we're exposed to in all the publications of the day in school, they all build up man. But when God's time comes, it says the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, that no flesh should glory in his presence. He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. And so here we find Mary takes this place at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and I don't think it was ever.
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More necessary than it is today, it tells us when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. And I beseech everyone here, young as well as old, let us get our opinions about things from God's Word, not from the thoughts of men.
Because as I say, if we become too taken up with the thoughts of men, then first thing you know, we become conformed to the world. We follow their way. But as we read this precious book, then we learn things from God's side, His truth.
Well, this is a very interesting little picture here as we see the Lord Jesus coming to this home and there were two girls there, Martha and Mary. And I believe it was perhaps true that they both had learned the value of listening to the Lord Jesus. And I draw that conclusion from the 39th verse. It says she had a sister called Mary, which also.
Sat at Jesus feet and heard his words.
And also the little remark that she makes, My sister hath left me to serve alone. And I'll give you what I have thought about this passage, that when the Lord Jesus came to the house that day, and that perhaps it had been the custom of both these sisters to sit down and listen. But that was a particularly busy day.
And so Martha was saying, well, no, there are things that we have to do. We just.
Can't leave these things to listen to what the Lord has. This is the day that other things must take up our attention and our time.
But Mary said, oh, this is an opportunity we may not have again. This is an opportunity we cannot miss. And so she left whatever she was doing, and she took her place and she sat down. I've often said you'll never, never have any time for your Bible or for the meetings or for the things of God unless you leave something. You have to leave things, We all.
Know this the ones who are here today, I'm sure that a good many had things that had projects and all kinds of things that you perhaps really wanted to do and it was a sacrifice to leave it. And so this is the way I'm sure you've had the experience you you want to do something you sit down and you'd like to read the word or perhaps some precious ministry and the devil just fills your mind with all the other things that should be done and had snapped at their.
Things. Martha wasn't occupied with anything that was wrong. She was just cumbered with much serving. She was just occupied with other things that seemed so important that she didn't have that time. And I say this especially to those who are younger because, you know, some of us are getting a little bit older and we find that we don't retain things quite as well.
Our memories are not as sharp as we get older and so.
You who are younger, what a fine thing to spend your time learning more and more of God's precious Book and not just learning it in an intellectual way. Perhaps that's why it's brought before us in this way. Take the humble place, because in learning the truth of God, it requires subjection of our minds, subjection of our wills, and I believe that is what is suggested in taking.
Are placed at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
The Bible says in the 119th Psalm, I hate vain thoughts, What thy law do I love? We have all kinds of vain and empty thoughts and we just have to give those things up and take the humble place.
Remember a remark that an old brother in Canada made many years ago, Brother Dunlop. When he was a young man, he was associated in something that he knew was not according to the mind of God.
God and when he was saved, this began to exorcise him of all this association. And he started like Mary sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus and hearing his words. But he said, when I came to that verse in Second Corinthians chapter 6.
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Dinar unequally yoked together with unbelievers. He said I wished it wasn't there. Well, why did he say that? Well, he knew it was going to cost something to obey that precious portion of God's word. And why does God want us to walk in separation? All because he can't walk with this world that crucified his Son.
He he can't walk with us if we choose to walk in that company, it tells us she adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God, and so he wants our company alike. The way the truth is presented in two Corinthians 6, the apostle exhorting themselves, he spoke to them and says.
Be ye also enlarged, be ye not unequally yoked together without.
Unbelievers, an enlarged heart for Christ leaves no room for the world, and that's what he wants our hearts to be enlarged for Christ.
Well, Mary learned this secret, and Mary wasn't going to miss this opportunity. And may the Lord give us too, the value, the precious privilege that we have of living in a land where we have an open Bible where we can read it without any danger of being molested.
And then too, and that we should also value much of the precious ministry that God has been pleased to give us. I think of what Boaz said to Ruth when he brought her into the house. He said, And when thou art a thirst drink of that which the young men have drawn. And we thank God for those who have drawn things from the wells of God and have brought them out for us, so that we might profit.
And so here Mary learned this thing, and the Lord had to say to Martha, Thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. Yes, Mary had chosen the good part. She took her place at the feet of the Lord Jesus. That is the good part.
And how much we need it.
That good part? Well, may the Lord grant that each one of us may value the place at His feet as learners.
And now let's turn over to John, Chapter 11.
Says in the 19th verse. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him. But Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will.
Give it thee, then the.
32nd verse. Thirty. 30th verse. Rather now Jesus was not yet coming to the town, but was in the place where Martha met him. The Jews then, which were with her in the house, and comforted her when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily, and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth under the grave to weep there and then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him.
She fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou.
Have been here, my brother had not died.
No sorrow had come into this home. We find that Lazarus, their brother, had died. The Lord hadn't come at once to answer the desire of their hearts and make Lazarus well. He allowed him to go through death. But now the Lord comes, and I believe we could say that He came to that home, as it tells us, not only that He might raise Lazarus, but also that He might bring comfort to those sad hearts.
And there may be those who have deep sorrows today, there may be some here who are feeling deep sorrows, sorrows that perhaps are only known to yourself and the Lord until we find here that when they sent the message to the Lord, as I remarked, He didn't come at once. And this is sometimes difficult for us when we cry to the Lord about something and He doesn't come, that is, He doesn't seem to answer the desire of our hearts. And so it was.
The Lord didn't come. He allowed Lazarus to be taken away in death. And so when he finally did come, why, it tells us, when Martha heard that he was coming, she went out to meet him and said to the Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But she says, I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
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You notice here that Martha didn't seem to be so.
At home in the presence of the Lord as Mary, she didn't fall at his feet. Mary had been accustomed to sit at Jesus feet and hear His words. She had learned so much there that she had not learned, only learned about Him, but she had learned to know Him. She had learned to know his heart. She knew He cared. And it's a very wonderful thing when trials come, that there should be submission in our hearts.
I think that's the hardest thing for us.
Is to submit to the Lord's hand, to be able to accept things that happen and to be able to say that this thing is from me. And I believe that Mary, who had been accustomed to sit at the feet of the Lord Jesus, now when his trial comes, there is peace in her heart. And she waited until a message came that the Master called for her. I think that's one of the hardest things that I have to learn.
And that is to be still.
And know that I am God just to be quiet and wait for the Lord's time where Mary had learned something of that. And that's why I say to your friends, it isn't just learning in an intellectual way the truth of God, although that is important, but it's learning through the truth about the person. The person is the one of whom the truth speaks because he himself is the truth.
And so it wasn't until the Lord called for Mary that she came. And as soon as she had come, then it tells us she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Notice he took that accustomed place. And let me say, if there's anyone here, and you're passing through a time of special trial in your life, this is the place to be, to take our place at the feet of the Lord Jesus and to have the assurance in our hearts.
That he cares if we lose this all what we've lost, to lose the knowledge that he is a sympathizing and merciful High Priest. What a comfort to our hearts in the trials of life.
And then she had that confidence that if the Lord had been here, her brother had not died. But you notice she doesn't make any request here. She doesn't say, like Martha, I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Why didn't she make any request? Well, I believe she had already sent the message to the Lord that her brother was sick, and if it was the Lord's will, and that this should be as it was. And there was.
In her heart.
Oh, what a what an important thing. As I think I mentioned one time before, and I've been very much struck by it, that verse that we know so well in first Peter 5 casting all your care upon him, 40 careth for you is preceded by the words.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. And you often find, at least I have often found, that the reason we cannot cast our cares upon the Lord is because we really haven't submitted. Sometimes when I have tried to bring some care to the Lord, and I couldn't seem to leave it there, I've had to say to my own.
Perhaps something like this. Why am I saying to the Lord? Lord, unless you straighten out this thing just the way I wish to have it straightened out, then I can't have any peace. Am I really saying that to the Lord that I want Him to answer according to my mind, according to what I think is the right answer?
Well, when I am willing to say, Lord, I want to submit to thy will.
Whatever it may be, you know, I found that I was then able to cast the care upon him. And I believe Mary had learned this secret. She had learned it at the feet of Jesus, and now she could commit this care to the Lord. She didn't make any request. She had previously sent the message. As I said, the Lord had not come. So now he comes and she just says, Lord, I know if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
But now she's going to learn something and something that we learn and rather than we can only learn it here in this world. And that is the sympathy of his blessed heart. You know, we'll never learn to know God as the God of all comfort in heaven. It's down here that we learn this. There are experiences here in life that we cannot have in heaven. There will be no trials there. We'll not have to learn, I say, to know him as the God of comfort and.
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Isolation it's here that we learn this and so Mary in her submission saw one of the most wonderful things that took place perhaps in the pathway of the Lord the Lord Jesus weeping at the grave of Lazarus. What a marvelous thing Jesus wept. Then she saw him speak that word of power and Lazarus came forth What a what a comfort now to.
Heart, she had learned to know his heart. And brethren, it's in trial we learn this. And so I say the place of blessing and trial is not just saying, unless the Lord straightens it out this way, I can't have any peace to what you and I need to learn. And I say it for myself, and I often have to say it to myself, whatever way the Lord sees fit to order it.
That is the place of blessing. That is the place where we can receive.
What he sees is best for us because all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
So here we find Barry now at the feet of the Lord Jesus in her trouble, finding the Lord as a sympathizing 1 and then learning to know Him as the Deliverer. Now we find her again in the next chapter in the 12TH chapter of John.
Let's read at the very first verse.
Then Jesus, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, and Martha served. But Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him, and then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
Then said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, why was not this ointment sold for 300 pence and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag and bear what was put therein. Then said Jesus, let her alone against the day of my burying. Has she kept this for the poor.
Always ye have with you, but me have not always.
Always. Well, perhaps in this chapter we could say that we see Mary at the feet of the Lord Jesus as a worshiper. Here it tells us they made him a supper. And now we find Mary taking this place here at the feet of the Lord Jesus, anointing his feet and wiping them with her hair. Her hair was her glory. She laid her glory at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
Acknowledged that that one shall I say in his blessed pathway.
Was the one who was always anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. Every step of his blessed pathway was always in the power of the Holy Spirit of God, ever a fragrance to the heart of God, His whole pathway. And then finally at the end he offered himself without spot to God. This filled the heart of Mary, because as we were mentioning yesterday, really this is the character of our worship is to worship.
In the burnt offering character, it's presenting Christ to God. God finds all his delight in him. He was the one who sent Him. And so he delights to have us come into his presence and tell him what we think of his beloved Son and give honor and glory to him. And so Mary presented, as it were, her all 300 pence. You would have never known how costly this was if.
Judas hadn't spoken up. You know, if you or I had been there, why we would have felt very badly that Judas said a thing like that. But what did it bring out? Well, it does. It is sad that Judas said that, but it brought out something we wouldn't have known otherwise. And that is the value of that spoke Nard, that it was worth 300 pence. And so did someone say an unkind thing?
Why? If you and I meet it in the spirit of Christ, what will it bring out?
Oh, it will just bring out more of the loveliness of that Blessed 1. You think of that passage in the Psalm of Solomon. It says, Awake thou north wind, and blow thou S upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. We know very well if there's a wind blowing and there's something that is an unpleasant smell, well, the wind blows that unpleasant smell. We wish the wind would stop because it blows the unpleasant smell.
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Across the whole town.
But when there's something that's very pleasant, why then the wind just brings over that pleasant smell? And so here was the bride speaking in the Psalm of Solomon, and she wasn't distressed over the trials because it was only going to bring out more and more of the enjoyment of Christ. And isn't this lovely here to see that Mary?
Just did this in occupation with the Lord and didn't allow herself to be disturbed by what? By what Judas said, and I might say this too, that it says in another gospel likewise also said they all that is the others too, joined in to condemn her for what they called a waste.
I just wish to say a little word here too that might be an encouragement.
Sometimes we might come to the meeting and it might seem to be in a low state. There might not seem to be the praise that there should be. You know, the Scripture says none shall appear before me empty. I'm afraid we do. Sometimes, brethren, I'm afraid we come there as one brother was complaining about the lack of praise and another brother said to him.
Well, did you expect someone to be so full of Christ that you would get the blessing?
Passing, didn't you have something to bring and offer to the Lord or you know each one of us should be occupied ourselves about coming as worshippers. You began that verse. None shall appear before me empty and so we see one heart here that was full of Christ. What a blessing to the whole company. It says here the house was filled with the odor of the ointment and as we gather together.
Instead of thinking about the low state of the assembly, isn't it good to be so occupied with Christ that when we come on Lord's Day morning that our hearts would just overflow and praise to Him? What a blessing it would be to others if this were so.
And so Mary didn't even reply, but the Lord replied for her. It's good to let the Lord reply to things. Sometimes He replies far better than we do. And many times we're sorry for things that we've said. We've said the wrong thing, we can't take it back. But when we let the Lord reply for us, why He always replies according to His.
Valuation and what other valuation counts? What I think of my own actions doesn't amount to anything.
Thing it's what the Lord thinks about them. Not he that commandeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commandeth. Well, that was what satisfied the heart of Mary. The Lord gave His condemnation. He valued that overflow of the heart in praise. So when we come on Lord's Day morning, surely we ought to sit, as it were, humbly at His feet, meditating on all His wondrous love and grace, thinking of all He has done this surely would cause.
Our hearts to just overflow in worship and praise and Thanksgiving to Him for all He has done for us. Now let's turn over to another passage in Revelation chapter 1.
Revelation chapter 1 and the 10th verse. Perhaps I should read from the 9th. I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the aisle. It is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the 1St and the last.
And what thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Prudimas, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned, I saw 7 golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one, like unto the Son of Man, clowed with a garment down to.
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And go about the paps with a golden girdle.
The 17th verse Now. And when I saw here, my fell at his feet is dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not, I am the 1St and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold I am alive for evermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell and of death. Well could we think of this passage here as John on his face before the Lord at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
What was it that concerned him at this time? Well, he was called upon to write letters to 7 assemblies in Asia Minor. And the Lord was standing there in the midst of those 7 golden candlesticks representing those 7 assemblies. And He is in the character here of a judge. He's looking over what was going on in those seven assemblies.
And when John saw the Lord Jesus in that character, it tells us I fell at his feet. As Dad, you know, there are many things in these last and closing days, brethren, that surely would cause us, if we have any sense of what is due to the Lord, to indeed be in the same position as John, to be on our faces at his feet. But he didn't utterly despair.
That he did feel grieved over this responsibility that was given to him.
To write to these seven different assemblies and it doesn't speak to each one of us here and to us who through grace are gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just think, if the Lord were to walk into each one of our meetings and were to speak of what He approved of and what He did not approve of, wouldn't it stir our hearts? Wouldn't we feel just exactly like John did here? I'm sure I would.
I would just feel like falling at his feet is dead. Is there any one of us that would say, well, I can stand up because I'm really quite a bit better than the rest here? Or I think every one of us would just feel exactly like John did. And this was on the Lord's Day. This was on the Lord's Day that this took place, that John had this experience. And so he was in the presence of the one who sees all.
He was clothed with a garment down to the foot. His voice was like the sound of many waters. His face is the sun shining in his strength. And we might each individually and collectively ask, what about our responsibility as a testimony? Brethren, I'm quite sure of this. If there was more humility, if we were more in the sense of what John was in here.
How the Lord would show His readiness and willingness to bless.
He wants to bless his people. What a privilege as well as a responsibility to be light bearers in the earth. And not only was I so individually. Hello. That is a great responsibility for us as individuals to shine as lights in the world, but collectively to bear testimony because the assembly, it has those two characteristics to be the pillar and ground of the truth to maintain the whole truth of God.
And then too, to present the world, the character of the one whose name we bear, as I think we noticed before in First Timothy chapter 3 in the 15th verse, we have the assembly, the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
And then in the next verse we have the pattern, the pathway of the Lord Jesus, the secret of godliness. Oh, how great then is the responsibility. So when John saw the Lord Jesus as he stood there and looked over those candlesticks as to how the light was burning and what testimony was being rendered in The Dark World, John said, I fell at his feet as dead. But isn't this lovely? And he laid.
His right hand upon me, saying unto me, fear not, I am the 1St and the last. I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death.
If we thought of having to do with the Lord in the Catholic language, it would indeed make us afraid. But isn't it very blessed to know that the Social Security tax increases were most low and moderate income families and those with high incomes? A single person making $15,000 saves $67 in taxes and without spot or rainfall or any such thing.
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When in the midst of His own, He will have full praise, and as we have in first.
7 Thessalonians chapter 1 It says, when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day. So we could think perhaps of John here as one who felt the state of the Church as a Candlestick, and he took that humble place and so.
Lord, we can rejoice in the Lord and be encouraged in Him. I believe we should.
Feel these things and if we feel them, then we'll be in a state where we can be a help to the people of God and encouragement. And so much the more as you see the day approaching. And so we see them at this place of John at the feet of the Lord Jesus in regard to the state of things in the Church of God. May God grant in these days when the enemy is so busy that this may.
More true of us and I'm sure that if it's so, the Lord will give us grace in the midst of all that's going on to be an overcomer. What is an overcomer Well, we know how easy it is to go under the state of things to really get under things. That's awfully easy, but to rise above it and to be in the enjoyment of Christ in our souls to be like Mary. Truly we could say Mary was an overcomer. There wasn't a single person that seemed to agree with what she.
Did and even spoke contrary to her deep affection and desire to give the Lord His rightful place. But isn't it lovely that the Lord Jesus took notice of it? I believe Mary was an overcomer. And why was she an overcomer? Because she knew the same place that John knew here. She knew the place at his feet. And so she was able to be an overcomer. And if you and I would be overcomers, what a blessing we would be to God's people.
What an encouragement to them. Well, there are so many discouraged hearts, discouraged over personal trials like Mary was in John 11, and discouraged too, over perhaps the ruin of the church as a Candlestick. But oh how good to have at hand placed upon us, saying, Fear not, I am the 1St and the last. O may our hearts be taken up with Him.
Then I would just like to look at one more, and that's in the 5th chapter of Revelation.
Revelation Chapter 5, The sixth verse. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders stood a lambs that had been slain, having 7 horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and 20 elders fell down before the Lamb, having everyone of them.
Harps and golden vials full of orders, which are the prayers of Saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof. For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and has made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth or over the earth. And now the last verse.
And the four beings.
Said Amen. And the four and 20 elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever. Here we find in this last one a scene that yet awaits us. Here we find the 24 elders. I believe the 24 elders represent what we have in the Old Testament. When the temple was established in Solomon's time, it tells us there were 24 courses of priests who were singers.
The House of God and I believe these 24 elders just represent that company because it tells us in the time of the dedication of the temple that they made one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord. A little picture of the future day when the whole redeemed company. As I was just mentioning a few moments ago, we don't always rise to our place and privileges worshiping priests. How often we come and we sit and there isn't.
Praise in our hearts. There isn't that one sound and praising and thanking the Lord. But here we have a scene opened up to us and it tells us here that there were 4 and 20 elders having every one of them harps. I think this is so beautiful because everyone will enter into this praise and the praise will be perfected in that day. It will not be one who doesn't have, shall I say, a heart full of Christ.
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Overflowing.
In praise to him.
And then golden vowels full of orders, which are the prayers of Saints. No doubt these bring before us the fact that the Lord is going to set things right in this world and answer to the prayers of His people during that awful time of tribulation. But could I also make another application? And that is that during this time in how many things there are that will cause us sorrow, that ball our hearts down, and how we belong even.
For the time when the Lord Jesus will have his rightful place, we know there will be special prayers offered by the godly remnant calling upon God to set things right in the earth. But aren't there many prayers that go up as we see the increasing tide of evil, as we see how the church has failed as a Candlestick, we acknowledge our own personal failure, and all those prayers go up and say, Lord, how long? How long?
Those have all been stored there above everyone of.
Cries for deliverance will be fully answered, as a little hymn says, to find each hope of glory gain fulfilled, each precious word. Not one desire for that day when Christ will have his rightful place will be unfulfilled. All those desires is someone suffering from pain. There will be no pain there. Is there a trial or pressing yet? There won't be any such thing there.
Are there difficulties in family life? There won't be any up there, will Christ?
Have his rightful place, Yes. Will we ever hear that blessed name dishonored blasphemy not there. Oh, what a wonderful scene, brethren, when our hearts break forth in eternal praise. And they just fell at his feet, and they worship thou heart worthy. The chapter before tells us to. They cast their crowns at His feet. Because if there has been any faithfulness in our lives that He could see and that He could reward.
We'll have to say of thy.
On have we given thee nothing in ourselves at all, nothing that we could glory in, we will do, just as we have. In that 4th chapter. They cast their crowns before him, and acclaimed him as the worthy. 1 And here they all say, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof. For thou hast slain, hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation. All have notes of praise will.
I have seen above as we find that one who is the answer to every hard question of life, and surely again our place will be at his feet. Not then to ask him to comfort us in our trials, not then to feel a sad state of things in this world, in the church.
Known as a Sinner to cry out for salvation because we've been redeemed by His precious blood. But what to do just to praise Him?
That all he said, all he promised has all come true and were there in his presence all then truly how gladly, how willingly we will take our place at his feet. And now just one comment here in connection with the 14th verse and the four beasts said Amen.
Now these four beasts, it could be translated for living creatures, and we learned in other parts of the Scripture that these represent the cherry of them. That is, they represent God's governmental ways in connection with this earth. Because even alone, Satan has come in and got man's ear, and he's spoken of as the God and Prince of this world.
God is still on the throne.
Perhaps you've read and Ezekiel chapter 1, where Ezekiel looked up and, well, first of all, he saw all kinds of movements that he couldn't understand, wheels and wheels within wheels. Did you ever feel a little confused when you read that chapter? What does that mean about those lights and everything? Well, that's just the way things go in this world. There's just movements of things and they seem to be so confusing. And you see a flash of light and that seems like the Lord's coming in, and then you see some more.
It just looked very, very confusing. But at the end of the chapter he looked up and he saw a man upon the throne. And that that represents to us the fact that God is still on the throne and He is still over all his head, over all things to the church, which is His body. Now sometimes these ways of God are difficult to understand. But now perhaps this gives the thought in this verse. And the four living creatures said, Amen.
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In other words, when we get there, are we going to doubt any of these ways of God? Are we going to say, well, why did that happen and why does that have to come to me? Are we going to talk that way? Now? The four living creatures said, Amen. They said it was all right. He didn't make any mistakes. I see now how he was over everything that happened. And then it says, what did the what did the four and 20 elders do? They fell down and worshiped him.
All that day will be like Israel when they look back over their pathway, they'll have to say He led them forth by the right way that he might bring them to a city of habitation. And so I just say rather than in closing, the place of blessing for us is at his feet, the place of blessing for the Sinner, the place of blessing for the Saint, the place that we're going to occupy above is just to take our place at his feet and own.
Worthy and acknowledge that everything He did was right. As for God, His way is perfect. And then what? Praise will fill our hearts. There will be no silent voices, none will appear before Him empty. Every harp will be tuned, every prayer will be answered, and will say, like Israel are repeated again. There hath not failed one word of all His good promise.