Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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I'd like to turn first of all to a well known portion in Ephesians chapter 1.
Ephesians chapter 1.
The 9th birth.
Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him.
Well, this precious verse is well known to many of us, and it brings before us these counsels and purposes of God. How wonderful it is, beloved brethren, that God has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, that the very God who has made the universe is so interested in you and I His redeemed people, and that He has been pleased to unfold to us His counsels and His purposes.
1 is often remarked that the Christians.
Is the only one who has an intelligent outlet in what is going on in the world. How blessed it is that we, as far as the world is concerned, perhaps insignificant nobodies should know these counsels and purposes of God. And it's really not because of any special wisdom of our own, but as it says here that He has abounded toward us. That's the eighth verse in all wisdom and prudence He has made known.
To us the secret of His will. And God has this supreme purpose, that He is going to have a scene of glory of which His beloved Son will be the center and head. And there will be two parts to that. There will be the earthly sphere and the heavenly. It was my purpose this afternoon to speak about the earthly, except perhaps if you had just turned briefly with me to Isaiah and the 60th chapter.
Isaiah chapter 60.
Beginning at the 18th verse.
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting, nor destruction within thy borders, but thou.
To call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise. The sun shall no more, and shall be no more thy light by day. Neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee, but the Lord shall be unto thee in everlasting light. And thy God, thy glory, thy Son, shall no more go down, neither shall I moon withdraw itself. For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall.
Ended. My people also shall be all righteous. They shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become 1000, and a small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in His time.
All this brings before us, and if you read the whole chapter, you'll see still more of the wonderful future that God has in store for that favored land. The nation of Israel, now torn with strife and the nations interfering and trying to settle their problems, but unable to do so because God has said that he would make Jerusalem a burdensome stone to all people.
All that burden themselves with it shall be broken in pieces and isn't it true that those who.
Tried to burden themselves with the problems there in the Middle East, have only found that it brings trouble upon themselves. Boy. Well, because the Lord is the one who's going to do it. It's his land. He speaks of it as my land. And he is going to bring out bring about his own purposes in connection with that land and he is going to restore peace and blessing to this poor troubled earth.
All man's efforts won't do it.
But God has won the man of His counsels, the one who will accomplish all His purposes. But as I said, it wasn't my thought to speak of the earthly sphere. And yet it is an encouragement amid all the trouble to know that God has His purposes and counsels, that He has made these things known to us, and that He is going to carry them out in His own time. He is going to carry them out through His beloved Son and here And I, through grace, will have.
Part in the heavenly will reign over the earthly, because we shall reign over the earth. About our particular sphere is in the heavenly. And with this in mind, I had it in on my heart to speak of 6 times that we read about the work of God at Ephesus. It's very interesting to see this in the scripture because we know that the Epistle to the Ephesians is addressed and bringeth.
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Before us of this heavenly blessing. It tells us in that epistle that we are seated in the heavenlies in Christ. It shows us that our portion is a heavenly 1 To enjoy that in relation to the Lord Jesus as part of his bride forever.
And I was very interested in noticing in the Scripture that as near as I can see, there are 6, perhaps more, but at least six instances where we find mention about the assembly at Ephesus. And I believe we can learn many instructive lessons because seeing this assembly was the one to whom truth was communicated. I believe that what is brought before us in connection with them is very instructive for us who have.
In some measure, laid hold of the heavenly calling of the church. Know what it is to be a heavenly people waiting for God's Son from heaven. So let us turn first of all to Acts and the 19th chapter. And there we read about Paul's visit to Ephesus. It's too long a chapter to read it all, but I'd like to read a few parts in this 19th chapter.
This chapter of 41 verses has to do with Paul's business.
To emphasis.
Beginning at the eighth verse. And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the Kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples. Disputing daily in the school of 1 Tyrannus.
And this continued by the space of two years.
Sold it all lay which dwell in Asia, heard the word of the Lord, the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
The 18th verse and many that believed came and confessed and showed their deeds.
Many of them also, which used curious arts, brought their books together and burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them.
And found that 50,000 pieces of silver so mightily grew the word of God.
And prevailed.
On the 27th verse saw that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naughty, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised and her magnificence should be destroyed. Whom all Asia and the world worship us. This is very interesting in this chapter about Paul's visit to Ephesus. I didn't read the first part but the first ones that he met there.
Tells us where a group of people, a number of them about 12.
I just mentioned here, it's very interesting. In the Scripture, in the New Testament, God never gives us exact numbers. On the Day of Pentecost, it says there were about 3000. Here it tells us the number of the men were about 12. Surely you'd say, can't Paul count to 12? But he didn't. He didn't tell us the exact number because we should never be occupied with numbers, brethren. It's a person to whom we're gathered. And so the number of the men were about 12.
Now these men had.
The baptism of John, they had been baptized with the baptism of John. And it's important in the introduction of this blessed truth we have that we should see it something entirely distinct from Israel and Israel's blessing. So these who had been baptized with John's baptism are baptized with Christian baptism, baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, because baptism brings us into.
Fear of Christianity, and that is the sphere of profession and it's in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, because God has been fully revealed, revealed in Trinity, in Christianity. And so these people enter a new position and Christianity is a new position. It's not an extension of Judaism, it's not an improvement upon it, it's an entirely new thing. And for these ones that were baptized with John's baptism.
Are baptized with Christian baptism. And it's also very interesting to notice in this chapter 2 Things here that we might think somewhat surprising. It says they spoke with tongues. Now there's no mention of tongues in the Epistle to the Ephesians, but I believe that it is significant that it's brought in here because we're told in First Corinthians 14.
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The tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe.
Not and then it distinctly says there with men of other tongues and other lips. Will I speak to this people that was to Israel and yet for all that they will not hear. Now that is the gift of tongues was a clear sign to Israel that God was going to reach beyond that nation and reach out and bless the Gentile and that's what he's doing today.
By 1 Spirit we are all baptized into one body.
Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free. So these people with Jewish backgrounds who have been baptized by the baptism of John must see that there is something new now in Christianity. The gift of tongues in the Scripture has never, as we hear of it today, a sort of a well, not a real earthly language at all.
But if you read carefully in the second of Acts, you will see that they were languages known and spoken in the.
World and was a sign as it tells us there in first Corinthians 14 that God was going to reach out beyond Israel and so most of us this afternoon are Gentiles have proof that he has done this that he has reached out and brought blessing to us and then to it was also necessary for them to realize that this one who was now associating them.
To come into the enjoyment of heavenly blessing is the same one who's going to set everyone.
Right in the earth another day and saw there were special miracles right there. And there were those who were healed in a most miraculous way there at Ephesus to show. And it's very important that we should see that this one who is going to be the center of new creation is the one who is going to bring blessing to the earth. For it tells us in the Millennium the inhabitants shall not say in that day I am sick who forgive us all and iniquities who.
Of all eye diseases, that blessing will come to the earth. The same one that's going to bring that blessing to the earth has brought us into another sphere of blessing. That's why these sign gifts are not even mentioned in Ephesians, because we don't look for the deliverance from the results of sin and sickness. Here we wait for the redemption of the body.
Our hope is that scene where there will be no more sickness, nor sorrow, nor crying, or.
But it won't be on earth, brethren, it'll be up there in heaven. But it's the same one who is going to bring that blessing to the earth, who has promised that we are to be brought into a still more wonderful place in association with Christ, as we shall see, as part of His body and His bride. So it's very interesting to see this brought out in the beginning of the work here at Ephesus. And then we see.
At once the opposition of Satan, Satan didn't want to see this work and and we see the power of the enemy manifested that God was showing that the enemy is always opposed to everything that's of God. Let us beware of all these things that we see today. There's quite a bit about exorcism today and we need to be aware of this sort of thing that we see taking place where the enemy.
Is seeking to intrude into the things of God. But there was the evident power of God, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. How good it is to know that we have been delivered from the power of Satan. It says, Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.
Well, then, the next thing is that we see separation. We find here immediately that there was opposition from the Jews to this precious development of truth, and it tells us that Paul separated the believers disputing daily in the school of 1 Tyrannus. Again I say Christianity is a new thing.
It's outside the camp. It's not a mixing Judaism and Christianity into a.
System it's a new thing I gathered to a rejected Christ and gathered to the one who another day is going to have his rightful place, but now we're gathered to him in his rejection. So they were separated and then we see a little evidence of this first love in the 18th verse it says here and many that believed came and confessed and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious.
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Brought their books together and burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them, and found that 50,000 pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Well, when we come later, if the Lord will to the letter to Ephesus in in the Book of Revelation, we'll see how the apostle John has to say that thou hast left thy first love. But here was an evidence of first love. Here were those who had been brought to this wonderful knowledge of the Lord and of the truth. And what effect does it have?
And here comes the practical application to ourselves.
We can speak of separation from the camp, that perhaps there are things that are hindering our enjoyment of Christ. Perhaps there are things like these people had and they said we just can't give up everything. These things are very, very valuable. We can't afford to part with them. But these people, in the freshness of first love, they didn't think of the value of these things as they were to the natural man.
How about they thought of whether they were conducive?
To their growth and the things of God really harmful. Well, if they were harmful to them, they wouldn't do any good to anybody else, nor just giving them away because they would just lead others astray. So the best thing was to get rid of them all together, burn them up because they didn't want to lead others astray. They had found a satisfying portion in Christ. What they told others was not you can have what we left off, but you can have what we have in Christ.
You can share the new joys.
Is that we have, and so mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed. What a sacrifice and I speak to my own heart and to yours.
Are we holding on to something we consider very valuable? These books were valuable, there's no question. 50,000 pieces of silver is no small sum of money. But when the Lord Jesus possesses the heart, surely we can say in the words of the little hymn, where the vast world our own, with all its very store, and thou, Lord Jesus, were unknown. We still were poor.
Oh yes, without Christ we would be poor.
And brethren, He doesn't want to share our hearts. He wants to have all our hearts. He wants us to acknowledge His claims. Love that transcends our highest power demands our soul, our life, our all.
Well, and there was a great stir here. Here was something going on in Ephesus. There was this tremendous, magnificent temple to Diana of the Ephesians. And here we see that these people made a tremendous impact on the on the city of Ephesus. And I heard someone say in the early days, the Saints turned the world upside down. The trouble is now that the world turns the Saints.
Upside down, and I'm afraid it's so very often the world turns us upside down. But it wasn't so here as they made such a stir in this city. How that these Craftsman thought, oh these people are going to spoil everything here in the city of Ephesus. And isn't it so, brethren, if you and I are enjoying our heavenly portion of the world.
Knoweth us not we had in our chapter the world will hate us.
The world will oppose us, the world will say we don't want you because they didn't want our Savior, because he brought before them the love that was in the heart of God and showed them that the world was under judgment. Always say that was a grand temple. So it was, it was a grand temple. But what I feel is brought before us in this chapter is that Christianity.
Is an entirely new thing.
It brings us out of Judaism, it brings us out of worldly things that would occupy and possess our hearts, it is superior to the power of Satan, and it brings us out of the whole system of things. Why, the whole world glorified this great temple of Diana, of the Ephesians, but it was nothing to these Christians. There was nothing to them. They had seen something far better.
They were.
Part of the temple not made with hands. They were looking forward to that glorious scene which would far surpass that grand temple whom all Israel, all Asia and the world worshiped. Well, it was a great stir, but isn't it nice a God undertook? And, brethren, it's lovely to see that God is still in control. I have set before the unopened door. The devil has tried over and over again to stamp out the Christian testimony.
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But God is on the throne, and he takes care of his own, and he is the town's clerk here. He can use whoever he wishes. How? But if you and I put him first, if you and I seek to give him his place, we can safely say that he'll look after our interests, that he'll take care of Satan's. He may use unexpected people sometimes. How about we can safely trust him?
Well, this was the establishment of this happy little.
Assembly here in the freshness of first love and Ephesus. Now let's turn to the 20th chapter and the 17th verse.
And from Miletus.
He sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church.
And when they were come to him, he said unto them, You know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews. And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but I have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house.
The 24th verse.
I just have to skip because of time. But none of these things moved me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. The 26th verse. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shown to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed, therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock.
Over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock Also of your own cells shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years.
I cease not to warn everyone night and day with tears.
And now, brethren, I command you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Well, in this chapter we have the apostle greatly burdened for the dear Saints at Ephesus. There had been such a happy beginning. But you know, we can't just continue resting on our oars. There has to be constant dependence upon the Lord. And more than this, may I speak to those who seek to take the place of responsibility among the Saints, because although today we don't have official elders, I believe there are those who seek to occupy themselves with the good.
The Saints of God. And here I think we have the heart of one who cares for the Saints of God. And if there are any of us here that have a real concern for the Saints of God, perhaps this message that Paul gave to these elders at Ephesus can speak to our hearts too.
Here we see how.
The character of his service, he said, serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations. What a character for one who sought to be a servant of the Lord. You know in man's account, if you're going to be something you have to exalt yourself about it says the Lord said, I am among you as he that service. And he also said.
That.
The one who would serve must be the least. And so isn't this a beautiful thought? What humility is needed if we're going to serve What is so dear to the heart of Christ? Oh, how dear they are to Him, how much he loves them. He loved the Church and gave himself for it. And he and I think of them as dear to Him. He says he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. And oh, if we could always look upon the Saints, we think of the Lord Jesus.
Prophetically in the 16th.
In some Speaking of His own as the excellent of the earth, and so be it the most failing just to think of them as those who are dear to Christ. So there was humility, and there were tears, and there were temptations. So this lovely grace shone out in the heart and in the pathway of God's servant, and there were tears.
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There were temptations too, because I know that if in any measure we try to serve the people of God.
There are discouragement and the enemy says it's no use, they don't appreciate it. But when, when Moses felt that way at one time, the Lord said to Moses, go on before the people, go on before the people. And I want to say to those who are older, go on before the people. Remember they're dear to the heart of Christ.
He seeks their blessing.
Then he goes on and says, I kept that nothing that was profitable to you. Isn't this a little word to us too? We can do a lot of talking. Are we always thinking of the profit of those who hear? How are we always thinking of their good? Isn't this lovely to think that the apostle in all his ministry was thinking of the prophet of those who listened? That's why he could say to the ones here who were the elders in the assembly, he said feed.
Of God, not just impart knowledge to them, although that's important, but feed the flock of God. Oh how much the Saints of God need food. How many are just starved because they have lost the enjoyment of their precious portion in Christ. So he said I kept back nothing that was profitable to you. He wasn't only on the platform he said publicly and from house to house he sat there good at all times whenever.
He met them, he had something for them that was for their good because he loved them as the people of God.
And then seems to me he says something that's very serious here.
He said that he was pure from the blood of all men, because he had declared the whole counsel of God.
We know that in the book of Ezekiel, if the prophet didn't warn the people of coming judgment, he was held accountable. As for their death, it says their blood will I require at thy hand. If he didn't announce the message of warning of coming judgment faithfully, God would require it of him. But here the apostle Paul carries it a little farther. He said I have more than the gospel to give up. He said I am to give out.
The whole counsel of God. I'm not to hold back any part of the truth of God, because God will hold me responsible if I don't give out the whole truth of God. I won't be pure from your blood if I don't reveal it all to you. And that's why it's such a blessed thing, dear young people, to be gathered where the whole truth of God can be given out.
Where the whole truth of God, not part of it, but all the truth of God. I wouldn't want to occupy any platform, for I couldn't give out the whole truth of God. It's a most serious responsibility. Not one in this room would want to preach the gospel. If he had to hold back the warnings of judgment, he'd say I can't do it. As one servant said, He said I'd rather do the will of God than preach to 10,000.
Yes, the important thing is to tell out the whole truth.
God and Paul said, he said, I, I have mentioned the declare unto you the whole counsel of God.
And then he turns to these who were leaders and he says, feed not your flock. Feed the says here, feed the Church of God.
All the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you oversight.
We just spoke a moment ago about individual faithfulness, but this letter is addressed to the whole assembly there at at Ephesus, and we see that they were maintaining outward appearances. It says there was labor and patience, there were works.
They couldn't bear those that were evil. They tried those which said they were apostles and were not, and found them liars.
They did a great deal for his namesake.
And yet there was something lacking. The inward spring was lacking. And brethren, it is nice to see the outward appearance. It is nice to see that which is becoming and suited in the outward appearance. And the Lord commanded them for all that was commendable even in that. But what He desired most of all was their love.
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He said, I have against thee that thou hast left thy first love.
And so we perhaps may strive very diligently to maintain outward things. And outward things do have their importance, and I don't minimize it, but I say, when our hearts are right, it isn't long until the outward things are the result of it. And isn't it very blessed here to know that the Lord values that first love, He said to Israel.
I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espouse.
When thou windows after me in the wilderness, and a land not solemn, the Lord looked back to that freshness of love in Israel's history. He looked back here to that freshness in the history of the assembly at Ephesus. And although there were still going on outwardly, He desired that they should be restored to that first love, and He called upon them to repent.
You might say repent for what? Wasn't everything all right on the outside?
Yes, but there was something wrong inside the love for the Lord, the love for his people wasn't as it should be. And I'm afraid we have to hang our heads in shame and know how much this applies to us now that that moment of spring that should control all our actions is so often lacking. And he said that they had left their first love, and he warns them here.
That if they didn't repent and do the first works, well, weren't they doing the same things? Yes, but just like if my child goes mechanically on with things, but there's no response and affection to me, I don't call them first works. The things are being done. But if love isn't there, it's not the same. And the Lord feels that way. The Lord feels that way. And brethren, if we aren't exercised about this.
It says I'll remove the Candlestick out of its place. Remove the Candlestick, and who can tell how long the testimony will continue here and there in different places? Ottawa, Who can tell it'll continue? Is it just because we have a great knowledge of the truth of God? Oh no. It's only as we walk in communion with the Lord that there can really be any light bearing and testimony for Him. And that's what we are called upon to be.
We are a heavenly people, I say, and as I have traced these six different instances that are brought before us in connection with the work at Ephesus, I think we can see the great desire of the heart of God and the heart of the apostle. And those who had a concern for His people are that there should be a testimony here in this earth, a heavenly people here upon earth, those who are seated in the heavenlies about our manifesting the life.
Of Christ, a testimony, a place where the lambs and the sheep can be fed, a place of blessing, where the Lord Jesus has His rightful place, where He's honored, and where we seek to give Him the place that He ought to have in our affections. Well, brethren, there's one more in the name of Ephesus is not mentioned, but perhaps I could say it completes the seven, and it is the 7th and it's in the 21St of Revelation.
Revelation 21.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the 1St heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people and God.
Himself shall be with them, and be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, nor pain, and neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.
I'd like to thank brethren, this is the last view of Ephesus.
Yes, Ephesus is going to be there.
And all those who form part of that glorious bride will be there. There's nothing to find fault with here. She's seen as prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Yes, how blessed. Not just a few, but the whole company that formed that glorious bride around the Lord Jesus in that day, 1000 years in heaven have passed by as I've read the other six instances.
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I suppose perhaps we could say a period of perhaps.
30 or 40 years have passed by and a lot of changes had come in, but here the marriage had taken place in the 19th chapter and 1000 years later, she's still seen in all her freshness and beauty, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. All things are new, all the tears are gone, all the sorrows, all the disappointments, everything has come to an end.
And God himself is finding his eternal delight.
In having a people around Himself, Christ is having his eternal joy in having His bride with Himself. Well, brethren, He's seeking to form us for that place now.
And what a privilege it is to be in this world as a heavenly people seeking to go on walking in those things that have been made known to us. We look on to that glad and glorious time when Christ will have his rightful place, or may it be more so. And while we wait that day, that those things which hinder Him having his rightful place might be might be set aside from our lives, and that we might be so occupied with that.
Blessed precious Savior that we would truly be awaiting and watching people. I've often said He's more anxious to come and have us with Himself than we are anxious to be there, but He's seeking to form us for that time. It says in Ephesians 5 that He might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water, by the Word, that He might present it to Himself. A glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. And I.
That this that I brought before you would have its cleansing effect upon me, and that there might be more now that would be suited to himself as we wait that time when it'll be perfectly suited to himself. His joy, the little hymn says, He and I, in that bright glory 1 deep joy, shall share mine. To be forever with Him is that I am there.