Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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If you're young people to talk a little, little outline of God's ways in connection with man and particularly in connection with Israel and the church.
And so first of all, I'd like to look at these in chapter 1. We'll begin at the fourth verse. According as you have chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.
Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.
Or in here the bound, that toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He has purposed in Himself. That in the dispensation of the fullness of time, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him in whom also we have obtained an inheritance.
Being predestinated according to the purpose.
Them who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.
So it's been said that if we had the choice of the time when we would like to live in the history of this world, we couldn't have chosen a better time than the present. Isn't that a wonderful thing for us to think about? Because we may be discouraged as we look around and see things that are taking place in this world?
But in another sense, if we start to think if we actually did have the choice, could there be a more wonderful.
Here are several hundred others together, every one of us, with the open Bible before us. Every one of us.
Having the privilege to meet together here in peace and quietness and God mindfully.
Now and and then about all the wonderful and precious fact that the Lord's coming is near, and perhaps the consummation of our hopes might be today when we hear the joke, I say again, dear young people, could we have a better time in which to live? And so instead of being discouraged, as we see.
Darkness closing in and many things ascend to discourage.
Hello brother, Look up and lift up our heads. Our redemption draws nigh.
Is it a wonderful thing, too, that God has been pleased to make known to us His counsels and purposes?
Great man in a large business was pleased to tell me all about the plans for that business for.
To come, I would consider myself quite honored that he would take me into his counsel.
What, dear young people, the creator of the universe?
Has been pleased to bring us into his council to tell us what he has planned and purpose to do and above all has fitted us to be in a place in association.
In that day when the Lord Jesus is the center of all things in heaven and in earth, haven't we got a grand, glorious future?
Truly, it ought to fill our hearts when we think of it, and it also ought to exercise us that we would desire to walk in this world as those who are conscious of our great calling, as Paul could say, in one place, partakers of the heavenly calling.
Isn't it lovely here that?
We find that, first of all, he places us.
Before him, holy and without blame in love. Isn't it the grand thing for us to stop and consider? And I hope that there's anyone here who's not saved, that you will realize the solemnity of your possession because you're outside of all this. All these counsels and purposes of God will not have any part in sharing the blessedness of it. But oh, how dreadfully solemn, to be shut out forever from God's presence. That's why.
Better mentioned yesterday, the Word of God uses the the word destruction when it talks about the loss. Because God didn't make hell for man, he made it.
Devil and his angels, but those who don't share in the wonderful purposes of God, why they they're spoken out is destroyed. Just like we have a chair here to take an axe and smash the chair to pieces. There's still just as much material as there was before, but it's no longer usable for the purpose it was intended. You say you've destroyed the chair. We haven't annihilated it, but we destroyed it because it's no longer usable for its purpose.
You know how wonderful.
God has heard the sight. Can it be? Is anyone here who is rejecting? His love is going on without Him?
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This portion here reminds us of the cost to Himself by which He has brought us into this place. I want to say to the youngest believer here this afternoon that you're holy and without blame before Him in love. Could you have a better standing than that? God Himself couldn't give us a better standing. God Himself couldn't bless us more richly than He has, because He has blessed us in grace.
And so he has brought us into this place.
And he has made us his children. He tells us the cost, and it says in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. But he has not only brought us into this place.
Being in.
Up I say his counsel and purposes to us. He tells us what he has planned for us and for this world, and it says He's made known to us the mystery of his will. And what is the secret that God has? Well, it tells us here that in the dispensation of the fullness of time that is, there have been different ages in the history of this world when God is accomplishing.
Saying but all leading up to a grand climax at times when the man.
One of his counsels, the Lord Jesus Christ, the second man and last Adam, will be the center of new creation, and there will be two distinct spheres of blessings, and that will be the heavenly blessings for the Church.
And the earthly blessing for Israel. Oh, how wonderful that God has told us this. I've often said that the Christian is the only person who has an intelligent outlook on what is going on in the world. Isn't it nice to be able to look out on the movement of events in the world?
After read the first chapter of Ezekiel and you said what does that mean about the wheels and wheels within wheels and lights? I don't understand that chapter of what God is really telling you in that chapter, that the movement of things in this world may be a bit confusing and sometimes you hardly know what to make of things that take place. But then when you come to the end of the chapter, the man looked up and he saw on a throne above the whole thing.
There was a semblance of a man on the throne.
And I want to tell you, young people, with all the movement of events here in this world, confusing as it seems.
There's a man on the throne, and that man is my savior. I hope you can save my Savior too. And more than that, that he has planned that you and I should occupy a place in association with him when he has that place of headship, that place that he will be in over heaven and over earth.
So this is what the only times and all the dispensations were all leading up to this.
Finalist grand plan that God has that Christ is to be the center of all. And then he doesn't stop there, but he tells us in whom we also have obtained an inheritance. Now that is, Christ is not going to occupy that place alone. He is going to have beside him the one who has spoken of in Ephesians 1 as the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
Now that is where man.
Occupy the high place. His wife in a sense, shares the honors of the place that he occupies, and when the Lord Jesus takes that place, he is going to have associated.
With him, his bride one the bride that he loved. And when you and I accept Christ as our Savior, we become part of that bride to occupy that place of nearness through Christ in that coming glory.
Well, it tells us too that it's in heaven and in earth.
And we know God did have purposes and does have purposes in connection with this earth, and he called out a particular nation he called Abraham.
And he separated Abraham from the nation, and God had purposes in connection with this earth. And Israel, the nation of Israel had little nation that was now going through its throes of trouble, is going to occupy the central place upon earth. It tells us that Jerusalem is the city of the great king. Whatever confusion there may be there now, whatever unrest there may be in that land.
God has told us that He has purposes.
And the Lord Jesus is going to reign in power and glory, and Jerusalem will be the center of the whole scene of earthly glory.
Israel were picked out from among the nations separated, and God speaks of them in this way. And he said that he would put his name upon them and he would bless them. He said, I'll put my name upon you, and I will bless you. And so he put his name upon those people. He gave them that city and he placed his name there. And what a time how blessing is in store for that nation.
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And I was thinking how there were two things in connection with Israel, and that is?
They were to represent to all around that there were one nation less of God, and that God was going to.
Come in and fulfill the promises that he had made to Abraham, and to Isaac and to Jacob. So what did the enemy do? Well, he got it. He stood up. Some trouble among them, and there was a division, and 10 tribes separated.
Wasn't that bad now that is, God had intended them to be a display in this world. One nation called of him separated to be in a wonderful place of blessing and we see.
Enemy succeeded in getting them divided into two kingdoms, and so as you read through the.
And the Chronicles you'll read about those two kingdoms, 1 unspoken of Judah and the other spoken of Israel.
Why was it that God preserved that testimony in Jerusalem? Because the 2 tribes were better? Not at all.
It tells us for his servant David's sake, he would preserve a light in Jerusalem. It all depends how dear young people on God's faithfulness. He's faithful. Israel was unfaithful. We have been unfaithful, but God is faithful. God is faithfulness and goodness. He preserves the light in Jerusalem.
And then it tells it to.
That they were also to be a testimony to the nations of the holy people.
What bad to say? They failed in that character. Not only didn't display the oneness, but they didn't display the character that ought to have been seen, because God has said that that he was holy and they were to be a holy people unto himself. And so we know how.
History. God had the deal, He never forsook his people. There belongs to the Father's sake, and he's going to fulfill the counsels that he has for them. The 37th of Ezekiel tells us of the restoration of that people, and it says that he's going to bring them back into their land. And the two sticks were joined in the hands of the prophets, and he shows that there wouldn't be any longer 2 Kingdoms, that they would be 1 nation.
One thing that he would remove the.
Holy heart, and that He would bless them, and that they would be called the city of holiness. Oh, how lovely to see that God is going to fulfill His purposes. But they failed in the carrying out of theirs. And what a loss it was to them here, if we trace their history and how often they came under the governmental ways of God because of their unfaithfulness.
But God was still faithful, and we think of how.
He brought back a little company to Jerusalem, and there alone there was much weakness that God in His faithfulness preserved that little company which came back in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, and when the Lord Jesus came by, there was a light in Jerusalem. Oh, how good that God was in His faithfulness, But they had failed.
First day that has to do with God's earthly people and God is going to fulfill all the Super and there is going to be a wonderful time blessing in this earth when Christ has his rightful place here and as it tells us in Revelation chapter 12, the Kingdom to this world.
Are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.
But now God has another purpose.
Not only the last thing on earth, but there is a blessing in heaven.
And on the earth Pentecost, the Spirit of God came down to gather out obliged for Christ. And a bride is a heavenly company. We belong to a heavenly fear.
And so we see that on the day of Pentecost, it could perhaps be called the Church's birthday. It was the beginning of the Church of God on earth.
The reason I'm speaking like this to young people is because I believe it's very important for us to understand just what God is doing, that we might have understanding of the times, that we might know what He is accomplishing here in this earth. And if we know this, and then to know that there's a privilege of having some part in walking in obedience to His Word and in accordance to that plan.
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Which he has or at its present time.
The Church is not an earthly company. The Church belongs to heaven. This is very clear from Colossians One and One Peter 1.
Tells us in Colossians one about the hope which is laid up for us in heaven. Eldest in Peter we have an inheritance. Incorruptible none defiles that fade us not away. Reserved in heaven for you. The truth is a heavenly company left here on earth, left here to be a testimony. And I'd like to look at the way the church is looked at in four different ways.
And that is, first of all, is the House of God.
That was the body of Christ. Now that was the bride. And then as the city and I believe these three, these four different things ring before us. Some thoughts that could exercise us and some thoughts that could really fill our hearts with joy and rejoicing when we start to think about them. Some of us turn, first of all, into First Corinthians 12.
First Corinthians, chapter 12.
And verse 13.
For by 1 Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made.
To drink into one spirit.
Oh, we know all that. Before the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God had not yet come to earth as a divine person. In the 7th chapter of John, the Lord Jesus said.
He said that any man first let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture has spread out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And this safety is a spirit which they believe on Him should receive. And notice this, For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because of Jesus, was not yet glorified, not until Christ land and took His place as a glorified man, having accomplished redemption.
To the Spirit of God, come down.
And he's down here with it now, gathering out a blind for Christ, uniting believers to one another and to Christ beheading glory. We have a little picture of it in the Old Testament. We find in the 22nd of Genesis now that Abraham takes and offers up Isaac.
And then when we come to the 24th chapter, we find that the servant goes after this to get a bribe for Isaac. So the Lord Jesus is the one who is a sacrifice for sin, and all the servants of Spirit of God has come down to earth in order to gather out a bride or Christ.
And a third that I have read in.
Well, I hope makes it very simple. The mind is very simple and yet blessed scripture.
It shows what is taking place in this earth now, and that is that all believers are united by the Spirit to one another and to Christ, beheading glory.
Well, I did that. A little comment here that might be helpful for some now that when it speaks to the baptism of the Spirit, it is never spoken out in scripture in an individual way, is always spoken out in a collective way as always forms the body of Christ.
That is why the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost are those about 120 believers that were in that upper room were united to one another and to play by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And that was the formation of the body of Christ upon earth. And it tells us whether you are Gentiles, how we were speaking a few moments ago about God's particular purpose.
Israel, that had to do with the earth, but now the gathering of the church, it's not just the nation of Israel, it's bond. You're free. Another scripture says, male or female, anyone who receives the Lord.
Of his personal failure is indwelled by the Spirit of God, if by that made a member of the body of Christ united to every other believer on earth, and to Christ the head in glory.
Someone has illustrated it in a very simple way that if we had like on the Bay of Pentecost, 120 days sitting on the table here and they put a string through them.
Would say we're over 120 beads now there's one necklace. And so that's what happened on the day of Pentecost. Believers were united to one another and to Christ the head in glory. And if you open up the necklace and add 1 bead, it's still just one necklace. And so it tells us in that chapter after the Spirit had come, it says the Lord added to the church daily that you should be saved.
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I'm saying that's because I'm sure we meet people in the office, they often say, what church do you belong to? And perhaps you can belong to your thought. You don't know just how to answer. What church do you belong to? Well, let us be very clear to you young people what the Word of God teaches in connection with the church, and that is that the church.
That's something that man has set up at all. It is something that God is accomplishing by His Spirit.
And all believers.
United to one another and to Christ. So on the Church of God on earth and.
At the church with one, it's Elvis in Acts chapter 20, the church which he has purchased with his own blood tells us in the 12TH chapter of Hebrews how the Church of the first born whose names are written in heaven. Where is the church wrong? It's in heaven. That's the place to have your name written. And so if they ask too well what church he belongs to, why, you can say I belong to Christ, but I'm part of.
Of God or how does he join? Or you don't join, The Lord does the joining.
You don't have to join the Church of God. Often when people are saved, you're told to join a good evangelical church.
All the prescription we gathered, dear young people, the only reason we receive people is because they're they're part of the Church of God already. We don't receive them to become part of the Church of God. We desire to know that they're already part of the Church of God.
And then he received them as a scripture of choice to remember the Lord of his death. But let us be very clear of this, that the Church.
As a body of Christ is 1. It's composed of all believers upon the faith of the earth, not all. We know only too well how that the enemy was at work in Israel's history and he got the pill.
They divided the 10 separated from the two and enemy has been at work too.
On earth on the day of Pentecost, they were all together there when the Spirit of God came and he endured their bodies and filled the house where they were sitting.
And it tells us how the Lord added to the church daily such it should be saved. Tell us the multitude of the disciples were one heart and one soul. There's a great grace was upon them all, and there was great powers there was that which God had a fair place, but a blade enemy has succeeded in falling us. But I want to show you how that now there's a way that God has planned that we can express.
This and if you'll just turn back in your Bible the 1St.
Indians can and verse 17.
We being many.
Our one blood and one body, for we are all the fakers.
Of that one bread.
Perhaps you were here this morning. I think most of you were. And in order, Stephen. Lord was a large company who didn't have several rolls on the table, nor did we have something all cut up. No, there was 1 wolf. What did that one wolf represent? Did it represent the large company that were here this morning to remember the Lord? No, not just that. It represented the fact that we read here.
That we're one bread, one body.
All believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have been united to Christ in glory and to every other believer.
Is there a spiritual way of expressing this? Has God in His Word given us a scriptural way that we can express the fact that we are members of the body of Christ? Well, I believe this scripture gives us a very simple and yet blessed answer to that question.
When some people ask you what church you belong to, this fact that after you and.
Join something, but supposing I join some particular church and it's an organization of men and it has a name. Why a skater approaches Christ to a certain extent. That is, when someone asks me, how do you gather? I don't have to say, well, we're gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. I can use some name that the world recognizes, and in that way in some measure escape the reproach of grace.
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But can't you see the plan of God has?
Is to give honor to the Lord Jesus and if I want you to see that in God's plan whether it was in regard to Israel. It was that they were to be brought into this place of association with their Messiah who would take his life for place in the future day. And so how lovely here upon earth to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I know it takes courage but it is a very.
The same and I've got them said you'll never really enjoy the remembrance of the Lord and His death as you should, unless you realize that it is your privilege to break bread as a member of the body of Christ. What a grand thing that is. If I sat down at the table with my wife and just looked upon her as a friend who cared for me.
Wouldn't be half as near as looking upon her as my wife.
One for my love, one in whom I must in association with. And you know that when you break bread spiritually, that you break bread as a member of the body of Christ. Oh, that's a very blessed privilege. And dear young people, if you know the Lord Jesus is your Savior, you're already part of the church. You're already part of it. But what a privilege to give expression to it.
And I say again that one Lord represents every member of the body of Christ.
It's true that all were not pleasant here this morning, but to be scripturally gathered, they must be all represented. And they are represented in that one loaf placed upon the table in a lovely credly kiss is.
Can we see how the enemy wanted to spoil it? Because as we're going to see in a coming day, and when the Lord Jesus has his rightful place, is he going to display a number of church groups who have all worked together for a common cause? That's what people often say, but we are working for a common cause. Is that what the state of glory is going to be? Oh no, He is going to present the truth to himself. A glorious church not having.
Or wrinkle or any such thing. And so isn't it lovely to my own heart, have your young people at very practice. And I hope it will be precious to you that you can break bread, not as a member of some particular body of Christians, but as a member of the body of Christ. That is a very blessed thing if you go and join any particular church, no matter how evangelical it is.
There are much truth it stands for.
If it has become an organization, it has practically denied that which is the structural ground that we're speaking about, that we meet as members of the body of Christ.
Well, enemy.
That testimony in Israel, hasn't he spoiled us in the Christendom too? It seems to me the ruin of Christendom is far greater. And perhaps the reason for it is that I've never, never was there such a wonderful, blessed and glorious truth as being members of the body of Christ gathered through His precious name. No wonder the enemy wanted to spoil such a testimony.
No wonder he wanted to ruin us. But all God's word doesn't change.
God is faithful and all. What a privilege just to come according to His Word and meet as He would have us. Let's turn to Ephesians chapter 4.
We'll begin at the first verse. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all loneliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are called, in one hope of your calling.
Here the apostle has opened up in the 3rd chapter of Ephesians the blessed and wonderful truth of the Church as the Body of Christ.
Hello, he beseeches them here to walk worthy of that vocation. It's not so much what is brought in this chapter, the first part of it at least the practical lot, which I'll speak of in a few moments, but rather the expression of this truth endeavoring to keep.
Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
We're never told to keep the unity of the body because that has been formed and nothing can change that.
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Everyone who's indwelled by the Spirit of God is a member of the body of Christ. But there is such a thing as endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit.
That is endeavoring to gather together in such a way to express that unity which has been formed by the Spirit.
And why does it say with all loneliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love?
Well, you know, if you decided to go and identify yourself with a little group of Christians and something happens in that little group that you don't like very well, some things that perhaps upset you and trouble you.
And then you say, well, I think I'll leave and I'll go someplace else.
Why did you leave? Well, because you didn't believe that that was the place where the truth of the one body was expressed. Or if you did, why would you leave? If that was the place where they were gathered to express the truth of the one body? Then instead of saying, oh, I'm going to leave, what would you say? Well, you'd say, Lord help me in lawliness and meet.
And long-suffering and forbearance, just to go on.
Isn't this what we need in grace to go on? No, I'm not Speaking of compromising the truth of God. But often there are things that come up that that cause us problems and difficulties. What is a lowly person who I believe a low person is one who?
Takes his right place before God. And what is the right place? That we're nothing. And what is a meek person? Well, I think of it like this. He doesn't resent it when he's put in the low place.
You know, it's a we can all say I'm nothing and I'm a failure. Well, we don't like it very well when somebody else says don't pay any attention to him. He's nothing I wouldn't pay any attention to. He's just a poor player. Oh, then we find that we weren't quite as lowly as we thought. We found quite a lot of feelings of self within. But the Lord Jesus was made in lawly in heart. He took the Lord's place and when they had despised.
Gifted him, he answered not a word, only when it was something that concerned the glory of his Father. Then he spoke. And then we ought to speak to you, but in personal things. And brethren, it's the only way that we can go along. Is this lawliness and makeness and long-suffering? I remember hearing about a company of brothers that had come together to consider a certain matter, and they had quite a few other meetings, and there's been a lot of trial.
Difficulty and one brother when they stepped out of the hall said where is it all? The man brother and the holy brother said at the coming of the Lord at the coming of the Lord. It says be patient therefore, my brethren, under the coming of the Lord, and I'm saying this to you, dear young people, because.
Lord leaves us here. Some of us older ones are not always going to be with you and perhaps not always be able to try to give the kind of leadership that we should.
But the Lord is the same. And when Paul left them in Ephesus, he said, I command you to God and to the word of his grace. And I've seen young people whom I love dearly who are very close and dear to me, and they get discouraged and they leave. And what I'm trying to bring before you this afternoon is that it says here gloriness.
Lateness, long-suffering, forbearing one another in love. We have to learn this forbearance. Why? Because we believe that there is a scriptural way to gather.
Give expression to the truth that we're members of the body of Christ, and only in this way, I believe I can say can we endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in.
Bond of peace all her blessed to seek to go on in this path, and I believe as the Lord's coming draws near it, the devil is going to do his best. He smashed up the testimony in Israel. He succeeded in the church too.
And alas, he doesn't want to see any such testimony as those who recognize this wonderful and blessed truth that there is one body, that we're all baptized by 1 Spirit into one body, and that He would have us to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Well, may the Lord keep us then, if we have laid hold of this.
I believe that he would have us to see people on and as it says here there is one body, 1 spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. Why does he bring this in one hope of your calling? Well, just like that brother said, you'll have to wait till the coming of the Lord. That's how long we'll have to be patient. Be patient there for my brethren under the coming of the Lord. And so isn't it nice when he tells us about endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, He says you've got a wonderful hope ahead. What's the.
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The church is going to be presented without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
Now the Israel the Great they were to.
Manifested oneness, it will also be a practical testimony to the fact that they were a holy people to the Lord and algorithm. We're not only.
All the time to give expression to this truth of the one body. But there's also something else that is important and that is a practical walk. That is according to it. Let us turn over to.
First Timothy chapter Well, perhaps I'll turn first of all to Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the buildings that we frame together groweth unto one holy temple.
In the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God via Spirit.
Out. He'll turn over, please to First Timothy, Chapter 3.
And verse 15 But if I carry long, that thou mayest know how thou Artest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit of angels.
Under the Gentiles believed on in the world received up in the glory.
We've spoken how the church is looked at as the body of Christ, but in these two passages the church is looked upon as a spiritual building. Here we find it that as believers we're building together. Peter says. We're living soon. Build it together for an adult.
Of God through the Spirit.
When we think of the body of Christ, it goes near us, and that affection that unites us to one another and to Christ. But I believe the fraud in the house is rather conduct.
And so here we find that when he speaks of it, he calls it a holy temple in the Lord. Holiness is in nature. It's the abhorrence of evil with delight in good. And so we could be scripturally gathered.
But now a little word to my conscience and to yours. Do we know how to behave ourselves in the House of God? Now, Mark, this doesn't mean just in the meeting room when it says the House of God, it's the place. Just as you're a member of the body of Christ, whether you're in the meeting room or out of it, though, you're letting stone in God's building, whether you're in.
The leading Rd. of the meeting room.
This is what we are at all times. But the aspect of the house has to do with conduct. And so Paul is writing to Timothy and he is exhorting him how to behave himself in the House of God. And I pray for your consideration sometime. If you read through the 1St Epistle of Timothy, and with this in mind, I think you'll find many, many helpful things there.
Talks about the place of the man and the place of woman. Speaks about our attitudes to.
Authority speaks about taking care of our relatives, talks about bodily exercise, talks about how to handle money that God has given to us. All this because.
Who is going to give the display in this world of what is God's mind for a people that belong to him in the world? Well, the epistle of Timothy lays this out before us. And if you want to know the mind of God in connection with your attitude toward authorities and loved ones and the the place of man and woman and the physical exercise, all that, you'll find it all in this book because the subject is how we might behave ourselves in the House of God.
And so here is a practical side of things, having learned this lesson. Truth.
The world to look on and see a people who follow.
The truth of God's Word, whose walk is according to it. And this is most practical in dear young people. Why, just to ask you to consider it carefully, and I say it to myself too. When the nations looked on to Israel, we find it solemn, solemn word. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. Wasn't it sad? The world looked on to those people who were called the holy people and said their walk is so bad.
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Said surely they're not the true people of God, and if it's sad when we who bear the name of Christ in this world.
Or intended to be, and in the scriptural sense are a holy temple. When our lot doesn't correspond with that. The world ought to see in us the carrying out of this, because this is what gathered to the name of Christ, the members of the body of Christ. Though we are to use Christ as the pattern for our lives as Christians. That's what the next verse says.
Great is the mystery or secret of godliness.
And so I just command these thoughts to your mind. I speak to my own conscience. As one brother said, when I point a finger at you, I .3 fingers back. And I know that I need what I'm saying to you. Because we need to be exercised in these times. For how often is gathered to the Lord's name. We're not careful enough as to our walk.
First of all, he says the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And let me say this, the Assembly of God is responsible to all the deposit of truth that's been committed to it. The church does not teach, but the church is taught and is responsible to hold the truth. And if an assembly gives up that which is the truth of God, the foundation truth, it would cease to be an Assembly of God.
It's the truth of God that we are responsible to hold.
And to maintain, that's why separation is necessary in the second epistle. But I want to just speak of the practical side of it here, the 16th verse, and without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness.
And then we read these things about the Lord Jesus, and I'd just like to speak a little about these little slots that are contained here in these.
Saying the secret of godliness is the pathway of the Lord Jesus. God was manifest in the flesh.
The Lord Jesus in his pathway could say, He that has seen me hath seen the Father. And what is God seeking to produce in you and I here, young people? He's seeking to produce in us that the life of Jesus might be seen in our body. You'll read that in two Corinthians 4 that the life of Jesus might be manifest. Choose the very same word, the life of Jesus might be manifest in our body. The disciples were called Christians because they were.
Christ, and then it says.
Justified in the.
This is very important for us because in these days when people's opinions are changing and some Christians have their ideas affected by the world around, and I warn you, dear young people, make the word of God the standard, not the opinions of man. You'll find people's opinions are changing constantly and alas, they're going downward. But you and I are to be governed by the word of God.
But here it says justified in the spirit.
Sometimes we'll be condemned by the world, sometimes even other Christians will condemn us, but the important thing is justified in the Spirit. The Lord Jesus in His pathway here was always marked out by the Spirit of God as the one who always did His Father's will for you and I, content to know that we are seeking to walk in obedience to the Word of God.
This only will give peace in your soul.
Then it says here, seen of angels, yes, the angels look down. Now they see, they take a notice that such a small thing is whether a sister has a covering on her head. She was to have a covering on her head because the angels, and so here the Lord Jesus, as he walked through this world, the angels looked down and they saw one in this world to glorify God, his Father. So this is the pathway for us too. We're a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men.
Down and see the blessing that we have received, and they expect to see in us those who respond to such wonderful grace has been shown to us. And then it says, preached unto the Gentiles. Why does this come in? Well, there were a few instances in the Lord's life where He preached the Gentiles.
And spoke of their faith. Why is it mentioned here? Well, may I just give you this little thought? The Lord said, I'm not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. But when they rejected him, that grace reached over the wall and went out to the Gentiles.
You feel hurt sometime because someone said, oh, I won't listen to you and you say I give up. They don't pay any attention to me anymore. And you just, you just gave up. Well, this little word is a word of encouragement to you. The word is that when the Lord was rejected by his own people, the nation of Israel, grace went out to the Gentiles. And so don't allow discouragement to cause you to give up. That's just what the devil wants, the Lord Jesus.
00:45:28
On his pathway of love and dear young people, I want to encourage you to do this. I know there are lots of discouragements for young people. I know there are all kinds of things that make it hard in these days, but remember that when the Lord Jesus felt the rejection that was all around. There was no, shall I say there was no stint to that outlawed loud and I think it's blessed that he creeps to the Gentiles whether any results.
Believed on in the world were the results Were the results apparent?
No, when the time came that He was to be crucified, his disciples for supper and fled, the people that He healed didn't stand with Him. You say, well, it didn't look as if there were many results, but the results are manifested in resurrection. And you and I'll never go on in the path of obedience unless we're content to wait the time of manifestation as we've been having in our meetings.
But it all come out in the Lord's presence, and then he was received up in glory.
The precious saviors up there in the glory, there he is now. Well, this is the secret of godliness. How can we go on in the House of God when things get into disorder? There's a path marked out. There's a moral conduct now that can be seen no matter how dark and difficult the day Here, young people, don't get discouraged. We're living in the most wonderful time of the church's history.
It's worthwhile 1000 times, as Mr. Darby said, if the path of faith were.
1000 times more difficult than it is, it's still worthwhile because how will recompense his smile, the suffering of this little while and now just before I close this briefly in Revelation 21 in the second verse and I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride.
Adorn for her husband. I've always spoken about the church as the body of Christ. We've spoken of it as the House of God.
The Church has failed in the expression of the truth of the one Body.
We have failed a lot in that practical conduct before the world. That ought to show them that we love our precious Savior and possess His life. But here's a time when the Church comes down to be seen by the rules. What will be seen then? All that freshness of beauty. Christ has presented the church to Himself without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. There are a few of us gathered here today, but oh, don't you want to look forward to that time?
And the Lord Jesus comes out of.
We have not just a few of us here, but the whole church.
There will be nothing to be corrected then there will be no long-suffering needed. Then there'll be no forbearance than love needed up there while the church will be presented. And who will have the greatest joy? The Lord Jesus is going to fulfill His purposes. He's going to present the church. Won't you be glad that you tried to walk in the truth of this in the day of His rejection? Don't you think that David's man who followed him in his rejection?
Had a deeper rejoicing when David was crowned.
Being through all Israel came to crown David as king, but there were a few men that had meant a great deal more to their heart because they had followed Him in His rejection. May the Lord encourage us to follow Him in His rejection. There's a day coming when we won't have to have the one loaf on the table. We will be in His glorious presence. He'll have His joy in having us there. All will be with Him.
Will it be different groups up there?
Forming it one church. Oh no.
It's the bride adorned for her husband. What a place. And then just one more comment here before we close. And that is?
In the end of the ninth verse of the 21St of Revelation.
Come here, the ride will show thee to bride the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed thee that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her life was like unto the stone, most precious, even like a Jasper stone, clear as.
Crystal, Here we find another view of the church. He's seen as that city. And what is it brought in this? Well, I believe it's the thought that it says that we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.
00:50:04
When David came to the throne.
Is mighty man were given special places of honor? Who were these mighty men? Man that did great things for him in the day of his power, No.
Man that followed him in the day of Israel.
Rejection. Some of them didn't seem to do too much. One, it tells of a couple of men that just went and got some water from the well at Bethlehem. That didn't seem like a very great thing, but it was very, very dear to David that they had enough affection for him in the day of his rejection to want to do something just to please him.
So here we find that the city is seen here in its administrative position over the earth.
Perhaps you'd say, well, you don't know, Brother Gordon, in the little meeting where we go, there's just so few and it's nice to be in a big company like this, but they're just so few. And you're going to be in a big company and you're going to be in a vast number. And you say that the people in the town don't consider where anything at all, but they're going to see us. Something in those days all just think the world's going to look up.
They're the people associated with Christ, his bride.
And it says having the glory of God, her light was like unto a stone most precious, clear as crystal. Miller, young people, I just tried to give you a few thoughts about God's ways and connection with this earth. He's going to fulfill them in regard to Israel in another day, and he's going to fulfill them in regard to the church. But isn't it a privilege now, in the time of his rejection?
Here it began. As members of his body. This is also a privilege and a responsibility.
Now that He has placed His name upon us and that the world ought to look on and say to those people really have something, They have Christ. You can see it in their lives. You can see it. That's what they talk about. That's what they're looking forward to. They don't seem to be upset when things are getting worse in this world because we all talk about their glorious future. Oh dear young people, may the Spirit of God open up our eyes to see the future.
The head and give grace to walk the little time that remains for His glory and praise.