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I thought of speaking a little from some of the things Jesus mentioned in the last meeting He was in with His disciples. It has been very helpful to me to let my mind dwell often on the last night Jesus was with the disciples. It was a dark night for the disciples, and a dark time for Jesus, as well. There is much strife and confusion in the religious world as well today. Even God’s children are subjected to many things to test them. This world has never been a safe place for God’s people. Jesus is praying the same for us tonight, as He prayed for those disciples. He is praying that we might be kept from the evil.

When I was young in God’s way, I did not have the right appreciation for these disciples. I had the feeling I would have done better than Peter, and the others who forsook Him and fled. Now I see it differently. They had not fully understood what it was going to mean to follow Jesus. They had followed on with Him through years or so, but now they could not understand what Jesus was saying to them. He was going to die, but they could not understand it.

A very natural thing for them to feel He was a deceiver. What was it that held those men and women? For a little while, they were shaken and upset. Those men and women, through the words He had spoken to them, their soul’s deep need was filled. This is what held them. Peter expressed it better than I could, “Lord to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” When honest hearted people come in contact with Jesus, they cannot be shaken loose from it. “The gates of hell cannot prevail against it.” The devil will make terrible attempts to shake it.

There are five chapters here in connection with the meeting Jesus had with His disciples. A long text, you might say. They mean a lot more to me now than when I first went out in the Harvest Field. Think of Jesus in the closing hours of His life. Words of advice spoken to His disciples and words spoken to His Father. As we take them right along, we can see the truth of what Jesus was expressing at that time.

John 13, in the upper room. Jesus knew that his hour was come that He should depart out of the world unto the Father having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them to the end. The feast of the Passover was coming. Jesus knew that His hour was coming. Jn13:3, Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands. He knew that He came from God and was going back to God. The greatest of all knowledge is this kind of knowledge. The kind that Jesus had. He knew that He came from God and was going back to God.

How much money would people pay to know that they were going to God? One of our friends was working for a family of rich people. This man liked our friend, because he was making the business pay, no doubt; and the wealthy man often visited and talked with our friend. One time he said to him, “I had a dream the other night and dreamt that I was dead. I got up to the pearly gates and I got no welcome there. I was waved on past them. I could see in the distance and what I could see was terrible.” He was shedding bitter tears as he told that story to our friend. He said, “I know it was only a dream, but I know next time it will not be a dream. All the things in this world are of no attraction to me.” The next time I visited our friend, he told us that this wealthy man had died.

If we measure life by eternity, think of how much better it will be. We sometimes dwell on the sufferings of the cross. The joy of what was set before Him enabled Him to endure the cross. If we knew what is ahead of us and what is at the end, it would help us to suffer.

As I listened to that man telling the story, it caused me to see the need of looking into life in such a way that we would not come to the end of it with uncertainty.

The people in the world cannot say, “I know.” They resent seeing us do this. Jesus knew God had put all things into His hands. The 15th chapter emphasized the cleansing. The 14th chapter would speak of the chapter that tells us, “We are God’s to dwell in.” I have heard this chapter spoken of in funerals, “I go to prepare a place for you.” This is not what Jesus meant. The place that you and I have has been prepared from the foundation of the world. Jesus Himself had been a mansion for God. God worked through Him. “As the Father has lived in Me, so will I live in you.” “Greater works than these will ye do, because I go to the Father.” He had reached a few people, but they would reach many people. He was telling them of the one who would come and take His place. Very conscious of their helplessness and weakness. The Comforter and others would be more to them than He had been.

Every servant of God is greatly concerned about those they labor for. Paul knew what the people at Ephesus would be exposed to as he left them. Jesus had concern, too. He loved them and they loved Him. The joy He had in His heart as He thought of it was this, “Another would come that would be more to them than He had been,” the Comforter.

I have received the most help by reading these verses in these three chapters and putting them all together. Jn14-16, we read of the Holy Spirit as being a witness. It will lead us into all Truth. Helpful for me to think of the part that the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit have in our salvation. We have this three-fold One that is working for our salvation. We think of Jesus as we hear of Him mentioned in the Gospel Meetings. He lived, He died, He was resurrected from the dead. We think of the three things that Jesus does for us. He lived to give us the example. He died to pay the debt we could not pay, and He intercedes at God’s right hand for us.

In our unsaved days, it was the Holy Spirit that was pleading for us. All that we can say can do nothing to make people feel their need. As we go forth and preach Jesus and live Jesus, the Holy Spirit is bearing witness. The Holy Spirit was working even before we met Servants of God. God’s Holy Spirit is working and we are working together. The two are working together. We may not feel capable, but if the Holy Spirit is with us, there is power. If the Holy Spirit has softened us, then the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. The true love of God comes when the Holy Spirit is shed abroad in our lives. Learn how to let the Holy Spirit control. As we learn of God’s way, we learn it is us letting the Holy Spirit guide us that is going to make us successful.

We can blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. The one sin that can never be forgiven. Some people ask us about that, fearing they have committed this sin. Those who have this fear have not committed this sin. The ones who sinned against the Holy Spirit were sure they were right. Refusing to believe in Jesus, is the sin of sinning against the Holy Spirit.

We can also resist the Holy Spirit. When we read the contest to that, the feeling we have toward our brothers and sisters can grieve the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit has come to dwell in us and we let in envy, jealousy, pride, stubbornness, etc, it is a sure way to grieve the Holy Spirit.

Then remember it says, “Quench not the spirit.” Do not put water on the fire. “The Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance the words I have told you.” I have been in a human body and could only be in one place at a time, but now the Holy Spirit can bring to your remembrance what I have told you, and meet your needs daily. When things look dark, think about this.

When the war was on and so many of our friends were cut off, one day I was thinking of that, and these words came into my mind. “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him.” The Holy Spirit can lead and guide those who are cut off from fellowship with others.

Jn17, a place where Jesus spoke to His Father. Might be called a prayer. A good deal of Jesus’ requests were for His disciples. He is giving in the report of His life’s work to His Father. Previous chapter He had been talking to His disciples. These things he could say of Himself, “I have done.” He had done what the Father had given Him to do. Fourth verse, “I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” None of us could say this to the fullest extent. A wonderful thing to have this ambition in our hearts. “I have finished the work that Thou gavest Me to do. I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I have come out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me.” In these words, we have two things that the disciples did and one thing that Jesus did. “I have manifested Thy name.” Some think the preaching of the Gospel is only words. Some try to prove they hear the voice of God over the radio, some think it is written on tracts. Paul did not think that, “It came not in words only, but in power.” The manifestation of the life of the preacher gave the words weight. He could say, “Two things give me confidence about your salvation.” When we preached unto you, the words were not in words only. Words and power together. The way we lived amongst you speaks of the power of God. The manifestation of Christ is what puts power into our lives. Jesus said, “I manifested.” The world needs to know a demonstration.

I once had to lay in a hospital on Sunday morning. Another man in the room with me, and he was a Catholic man, and he tuned in to all the preachers in that city. That is, samples of them, a number of denominations in that city. I remember lying in that bed that morning and the thought came to me, “We may not be able to present the case as well as they, but we have something more effective than that.”

When I first went out to preach, I was only out a few weeks when I got a bit discouraged. It seemed no one was coming to the meetings, etc. A man said to me, “You have got the rarest thing in this world, and that is love.” Love for God, love for souls. Honest hearts are seeking for what is real. Jesus could say, “The words that I have come from God.”

Then we read of what He desired the Father to do for them in the world. Jn17:15, “I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world but that Thou shouldst keep them from the evil.” God does not want us to be taken out of the world but Jesus said, “Give them something that will keep them from the evil that is in the world.” We might think we could live holy lives if we shut ourselves away from evil. We would still have our worst enemies, ourselves and the devil.

The difference between clean fish and unclean is that the clean have something that enables them to swim through the water and the water will not come in on them. The unclean fish do not have it. “I do not pray for the world. I can ask this for the disciples but not for the world.” Jesus is greatly interested in the world also, but He could not ask for them what He asked for the disciples. It is only for those who have received Him. We can be kept from the evil while we live in the world. He wants that we be kept as One, even as He and the Father are one. The surest way we can be one is that both of us are exercised to be one with the Father and with the Son.

In the world today, they are trying to join denominations, but not trying to do what Jesus taught. Only one way that we can be brought into true harmony with each other and that is that both of us be brought into harmony with Him.

These are a few of the thoughts I have enjoyed.

I would like to read over to you this morning the first six verses of Philippians1. This letter to the Philippians has been a favorite of mine for many years. I have spoken from it no doubt to many of you more than once, but it means more to me today than ever. I have been enjoying the Gospel in the epistles, and the epistles in the gospels. There is no conflict between what we read in the epistles and in the gospels. The epistle of Galatians speaks of the indwelling of Christ; Ephesians, the unsearchable riches of Christ; Collossians is the gospel of the all-sufficiency of Christ; Philippians, the gospel of the manifestation of Christ.

This letter was a great help to me when I was a young convert. I had said in my heart one night in the closing moments of a meeting, “It is Christ for me tonight, and it is Christ for me forever.” But the weeks that followed were weeks of great conflict, filled with doubts and fears. Some of my friends had given me a few weeks, a few months, and the devil was telling me, “You will never make it.” One night I went to a meeting and heard the verses read which I have just read to you now. The speaker paused for a moment, and then he said that this letter was written ten years after these men and women of Philippi had decided for Christ, and that the grace of Christ had kept them during those ten long years. When I left the meeting that night, I was saying in my heart, “If God by His grace kept those men and women of Philippi in the Way of Life, He will keep me. I will trust and not be afraid.” I can never forget the joy that welled up in my heart when I crossed that first ten-year mark. Then twice ten passed, three times, five times ten, and if I live just a little longer, I will be able to say, “By the grace of God, He has kept me in the Way of Life for six times ten years. I will continue to trust and not be afraid!”

Paul wrote to those men and women of Philippi and said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now.” This letter was a great help to me when I was a young worker. If ever a young worker went out filled with doubts and fears, I believe that is the worker speaking to you this morning. It was exceedingly difficult for me to believe that all the Lord was to Peter, James, and John away back at the beginning, He was willing to be to those who dared in this day to follow in their footsteps. So I was particularly glad that Paul associated Timothy with him in this letter, and I made the life of Timothy a special study. I studied his home life, and became acquainted with his mother and grandmother, his conversion, the conditions under which he went forth, and later those wonderful letters that were addressed to him by his father in the gospel. He became to me in those days the ideal of what a young worker should be. If in any measure I could play the same part in the Kingdom and Family of God that this young man played, I care for nothing else. One of the outstanding marks in this man’s life was his willingness to go anywhere with anybody at any time. It was this Spirit of willingness that was the foundation of all that we love and value in this our day. I would suggest to the young workers in this meeting this morning if they have not already done so, to make a special study of this man’s life.

This letter is a great help to me today as an older servant of God. I think I am getting to understand the writer of this letter just a little better as I grow older. I can understand a little better his headaches, his heartaches, and his tears. During those years he spent in Rome as a prisoner, we don’t find any suggestion of complaining or mourning. He made the very best out of his circumstances there. This morning I want to call your attention to just a few verses in this letter that stand out to me — verses in which Paul refers to Christ. Christ was to him everything. His life was filled with Christ, his gospel was filled with Christ, his letters were filled with Christ; so when we come to this letter, we find that it was filled with Christ. Verse 20: “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death.” The ruling purpose and passion of this man’s life was that Christ might be magnified, might be made easily seen, that Christ might be magnified in his body whether by his life or by his death. I have been greatly impressed, and I hope to some extent, influenced by the thought that the world’s great need is to see Christ. The Christian’s greatest responsibility is to give the world an opportunity to see Christ. Remember those Greeks of old who came up to the temple to worship, and after going to the temple court and were disappointed over and over, again, came to Philip and said to him: “Sir, we would see Jesus.” I believe this morning there is in many hearts the world over, this self-same cry. They are tired of synagogues, temples, and preachers, and deep down in their hearts there is one great cry. “Oh, if I could only see Jesus.” I am reminded again of the words written by Governor Long of Massachusetts:

“I would dear Jesus, I could break

The hedge which creeds, and hearsay make,

And like Thy first disciples be

In person led and taught by Thee.

”I read Thy word so pure and sweet,

I seek the footprints of Thy feet,

But men so mystify the trace,

I long to see Thee face to face.”

I believe that throughout the world today, in spite of the seeming indifference, there are those in whose hearts there is that same cry of need.

The question is sometimes asked, “What is Christianity anyhow?” Is it a belief, a creed, a system of religion, a church or a denomination, or a society of men and women held together by man-made rules and regulations? Christianity, first and last, is a life, and that is the life of Christ lived over again in Christians. No matter what men and women profess, in or out of the Way, there is no more true Christianity in the world this morning than there is of the life of Christ reproduced in the mortal lives of those who profess and call themselves Christians. Paul said, “That Christ might be made easy to see in my body.” What have we been given our bodies for? What use can we make of them? There is an inscription on the wall of the Congressional Library in Washington, D. C. which says, “The only temple in the universe today is the body of man.” I read that, and I was startled because it was such a surprise to find these words written on the wall of that great building. This isn’t a quotation from the Bible, but it is Scriptural nevertheless, and eternally true, and I am speaking to a group of men and woman this morning who were created for one purpose and one only: that someday, somewhere of their own free voluntary will, Christ will be given the right to live, to rule, to reign in and over their mortal bodies.

We sometimes sing those lines, “Live out Thy life within me, Oh Jesus, King of Kings, Be Thou Thyself the answer, To all my questionings.” Do we really grasp the meaning of these words, and are we really willing for Christ to set up His rule in our hearts and reign over our lives? If we could ask Paul, “What is Christianity anyhow?” he would give this same answer: “It is Christ living over again in Christians. Christ in you, Christ in me. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. Prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you. except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) Paul summed up the gospel which he preached in Galatians 2:20. I used to wonder years ago what was the gospel that Paul preached, because I felt I want to preach that gospel, and I was a little surprised to discover that in this verse he summarized it. He boiled it down to one wonderful statement that every child of God in this meeting should memorize. There are five things that it teaches:

l) The love of Christ for sinful men.

2) The atoning death of Christ for the sins of men.

3) The indwelling of Christ to enable sinful men to live a Christian life.

4) A changed life.

5) A complete break with the past crucified with Christ.

He wanted Christ to be manifested in his body. The body is something that we can see, but he wanted people to see more than that — he wanted them to see Christ in that body that the rule and reign of Christ was in evidence. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7. We have this treasure, this Christ, this wondrous light of the life of Christ, in earthen vessels. Verse 10, “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” What is our greatest responsibility? We feel how far short we have come, nevertheless the responsibility rests upon us, that through these bodies of ours, Christ might be magnified. “Can the world see Jesus in you, can the world see Jesus in me?” If only as the result of this convention we could scatter and have more deeply formed in our minds and hearts the purpose: “I want to so walk and so order my home life, my business life, my social life, I want my whole life to give evidence that Christ rules and reigns.” Then you won’t want to preach that negative gospel of telling people what you don’t believe. You will tell people what you do believe, and what you are really manifesting in your own life, and that the change that has been brought about in your life has been through the indwelling of Christ in your heart and life.

There was a wonderful love relationship established between Paul and Timothy and these Philippian Christians. He loved them and they loved him. They proved that love in many different ways. Today it is a very wonderful thing to see the love that exists between the children of God and the servants of God. No child of God can be very healthy who does not have a deep love for the bondservants and handmaidens of God. (Philippians 1:27-30) The people of God have always had adversaries, and don’t be alarmed when these adversaries make light of you, and make it hard for you, because it has been true all down through the ages that the people of God have had to face and overcome these adversaries. Hold your ground, don’t give in, don’t give up, keep on fighting. Napoleon said in connection with the battle of Waterloo: “The English were defeated three times at Waterloo, but didn’t know it – they just kept on fighting.” Someone else said, “There are brave men in every nation, but these English were brave ten minutes longer.” It is that ten minutes longer that really counts. Paul was anxious that the people of God would be characterized by that same spirit. When pressure is brought to bear upon you, hold your ground, be steadfast, and live in hearty fellowship with your brethren, striving together for the faith of the gospel. Verse 29, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”

Philippians 2:4-5. “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, that was also in Christ Jesus.” I can’t help but I connect these two verses together. The root of all human sin is selfishness. “Me,” “My,” “Mine,” and that little ugly pronoun with the others “I.” Our own thoughts, our own interest. A priest once said that after 40 years of hearing confessions, not a single person had ever admitted the sin of selfishness, and yet selfishness is the one outstanding characteristic of all human nature. One day Abraham Lincoln was out walking with his two boys. They were crying and someone came along and said, “Mr. Lincoln, what’s wrong with the boys?” “Oh,” he said, “The same thing that’s wrong with everyone else – I have three walnuts and they each want two!”

I Philippians 3:7, Paul’s testimony: “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss I for Christ.” Some feel they would like to be a Christian, but it costs too much. He didn’t hide from us the fact that it is a costly thing to be a Christian. The gate is strait and the way is narrow, and the men and women who enter in by that gate and walk in that Way have got to face up what it really means. You remember the man who when he received the invitation to the feast said, “I have bought a piece of ground.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of I oxen,” another said. “I have married a wife.” Three things that in every age have kept men and women outside the Kingdom: your possessions, your business, your relatives. Unless men and women are prepared to put their business, their relatives, and their possessions in the second place, they never can enjoy fellowship in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus said, “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out.” He just meant anything in your life that is keeping you outside the Kingdom of God, as dear as your right eye, it is better to cut it off, give it up, and enter into the Kingdom of God. It was a costly choice for Moses to make. He could have been heir to the throne of Egypt, reigned over the greatest empire of that day. He refused. He could say “No” to what the world, flesh and devil offered him, in order to have a place in the Kingdom of God. The choice that Ruth made was a costly one. Naomi said, “I have nothing to offer you, no material gain.” The purpose and desire of Ruth’s heart was what she expressed when she said, “Thy people shall be my people and thy God shall be my God.” That choice was forever. Thank God for the Ruths in our fellowship today! May our choice be forever. May our purpose be like Paul’s of old – that “Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death.”

I have tried to awaken a new interest in some of the wonderful letters in the New Testament, especially in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Turn to his letter and I hope this will awaken a new interest. There is more about the Ephesians church in the New Testament than any other church. Acts 19 tells of foundation work, then more reference to this church in Timothy, also in 1, 2, and 3 John, and we have a special message in Revelation 2 addressed to this church, which was not by accident. I believe the reason this church is mentioned much is because we have much to learn from them of what God wants us to be and what God wants us to do.

This letter was written while Paul was in prison in Rome but he was not mourning because of being there.

There are six chapters in this letter and it divides equally into two parts. The first three chapters deal with right teaching; the last three with right living. Right teaching and right living go together. If you are interested in right teaching and right living and read this letter over when you go home, it will be a help to you in days to come. It deals with right living in relationship with all in the church, right living in relationship with all in the home, instruction for parents and instruction for children, for servants and for masters. When we leave convention we may have in mind, “I am going to find out how I can live right so that my testimony can be a help to others.”

It wouldn’t be possible to live out what we read in the last three chapters without first experiencing what we read in the first three. No man could live a Christian life without experiencing being born into His family. The first three chapters give the foundation for living out of the last three chapters. In reference to the Sermon on the Mount, worldly men say what a wonderful world this would be if we could all live it out. It isn’t possible for unregenerate people to live it out apart from experiencing the new birth – John 3. It would be just as impossible for a man to push back the Pacific tide with a broom as it would be to live a Christian life without being born again.

There are two verses that I would like you to memorize. The first is Ephesians 3:8, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” This is a wonderful statement coming from the pen of this man. “Unto me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” This is the greatest privilege any man or woman can have; to be a minister of Christ, a servant of God, one who proclaims the Gospel of Christ Jesus to unregenerate people. It’s a privilege not a hardship. “The unsearchable riches of Christ.” I’ve tried to understand it. I read of a man in Pennsylvania who had a little farm of his own but he got very tired of doing chores, everlasting chores and he wrote to an uncle in Canada to ask if it would be possible for him to get a job in an oil field. The uncle wrote back and told him not to come until he found out about the oil. After learning about the chemical constitution of oil, he wrote again and said, “Now I know something about oil. What about a job?” The uncle wrote and told him to come so he sold his farm for eight hundred thirty dollars and left, glad to get away from chores and all the farm labour, to work in the oil fields. Not long after the new owner of the farm noticed a two by four across a creek running through the farm that had been placed there for the purpose of gathering a dirty scum away from the watering hole. He investigated the scum and the upshot of the whole matter was that this farm was the richest oil field in all of Pennsylvania and it became a notable city site. He had untold riches all around him yet he turned his back on it all. I have thought that man was something like us. We have inexhaustible wealth, unfathomable riches within our reach, and we don’t live in full, complete enjoyment of the wealth at our disposal. “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” This man’s life was filled with Christ; his ministry, his letters were filled with Christ. I remember many years ago in Toronto when John Patterson and I were having a tent mission. I spoke from Luke 12 and said that my Father was a multi-millionaire, in reference to our Heavenly Father, and my companion said that he was the son of a King. After the meeting a Scotchman came to ask about the statement. I was glad to be able to tell him that the cattle on a thousands hills belong to my Father and about all the riches that belong to Him. This man from Pennsylvania was rich and he didn’t know it. I read once of a man, found dead in his garret room, in whose rags were found thousands of dollars and yet he died of starvation. Many of God’s people aren’t living in full and complete enjoyment of the riches He has placed within our reach.

The second verse I would like you to memorize is the third verse of the first chapter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.” “Hath blessed us” – here and now; spiritual blessings. There are people who are continually chasing after material and physical blessing. Thousands and thousands of people are being deceived by men who say that God is interested in performing miracles, physical healing. This is absolutely untrue. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” In this verse Paul speaks of present blessings. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” When Peter wrote, the children of God were suffering at the hand of the Roman government and he wrote to them to assure them that there was a future awaiting them that would compensate them for all they suffer now. Paul was writing to show them there is blessing to be enjoyed in the present. You might say that this is all too hard to believe. Perhaps the prayer that should go up from your heart is, “Lord, increase my faith. Help me to trust when I don’t believe; to believe when I don’t understand, and to go forward when I don’t see.”

Ephesians 2:1-2, “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” These are two verses that help me to see what these men of Ephesus were before they heard and what they became after. It is a look back into the pit from whence they were digged. We as God’s servants find it extremely difficult to convince men of their need and convict them of their sin. Paul reminds the Ephesians of the pit from whence they were digged. The Psalmist said, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth.” I wonder how many in this meeting this morning could give the same testimony. Some were in the pit of fleshly sin, some in the pit of worldliness or religious confusion, but whatever pit we were in, we should be glad that God has delivered us from it. I tried to get out of the pit alone but fell back, more deeply mired than before. “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” who formerly were living in the condition of spiritual death because of trespasses and sin. Spiritual death is progressive, as in the case of Jairus’ daughter, the widow’s son and Lazarus where corruption was getting in more deeply every hour. People don’t grow better, but worse. There is no greater mistake than to think that the older you get, the better you become. The longer you live outside Christ, the deeper you get into spiritual death. I was further away from God at fourteen than at twelve, at sixteen than I was at fourteen.

Over there in San Francisco Bay, there’s a little island called Alcatraz where the worst criminals are sent for safe keeping. Someone once asked if there was any mark that characterized all the inmates. The man in charge answered, “Yes, they are all self-righteous. Not one will admit that he should be here but contends that he is here through injustice.” One of the most difficult things in all the world for a man to do is to admit, “I have sinned.” Three men, an Englishman, an Irishman, and a Scotchman were walking past a penitentiary. One said, “I wonder where we would be if we got everything that’s coming to us.” The Irishman said, “I’d be walking down this road alone.” It’s so hard to admit that I have been wrong. I used to say that the story of the prodigal son could be said in four words. I’ve added another: rebellion, confession, submission, reconciliation, and fellowship. There was a time when we rebelled against our Father’s will and way and wanted to take our own way just like the prodigal son who said, “Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.” He wanted to get as far away as he could. It wasn’t long until he was in want. In his need, he found that his friends had disappeared. There, when hired out, he remembered and realized what a miserable wreck he had made of his life, and he was willing to admit that he had sinned. Those three words, “I have sinned,” are the most difficult words for any man or woman to utter. There are some who are professing who are not having sweet fellowship because they have wronged another and have not been willing to go and confess that they were wrong. Next, the prodigal son was willing for submission when he said, “Make me as one of the hired servants.” When leaving home he said, “Give me,” but now being honest with himself and his father he said, “I have sinned, make me.” The father ran to meet his son when he saw him a long way off and he tried to blurt out his story but the father threw his arms around him and kissed him and said to his servants, “Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.” There was reconciliation then fellowship. There was rebellion then confession, submission, reconciliation, and then fellowship in his father’s house.

Paul said in this letter, Ephesians 2:2-3, “Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” I would like to leave these words with you, “were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” What men and women need is a new nature. Some think I couldn’t read myself into these verses. We’re not very old when this nature we have in Adam exerts itself and takes us steadily in the wrong direction. This verse reads, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us.” In spite of our condition by nature, God in His love and in His mercy has “quickened us together with Christ.”

I’ll refer to two relationships: son-ship in the family of God and citizenship in the kingdom of God. I don’t know of anything better than to be counted in, in the family of God. John in writing said, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” Then looking into the future he said, “And it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him: for we shall see Him as He is.” Did you ever really thank God that this relationship has been established? I found myself praying the Lord’s Prayer the other morning and it was wonderful. “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” It is wonderful when you can’t find words to express yourself and you take His words and make them truly the expression of your heart. Paul could write to the Ephesians of being no longer foreigners or aliens but citizens in the household or kingdom of God. Jesus spoke so much of the kingdom of God and was continually saying, “Enter ye in.” We read of one making excuse because he had bought a piece of land, another because he had married a wife and another because he had bought five yoke of oxen. By putting these things in place of entering the kingdom of God, it meant that they were shut out forever. Jesus said, “If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off.” If there is anything as dear to you as a right hand or a right foot that is keeping you outside the kingdom, the only thing to do is cut it off or out. Don’t allow anything to keep you out. People can’t be pushed or compelled in, but all have to choose for themselves. It’s good to become members in the household of God.

The life and ministry of Paul the servant of Christ. He preached the gospel for thirty years. The fourteen letters he wrote are also filled with Christ. Christ to him was fairest of ten thousand. He said, “To me, to Live is Christ.” The Christ he knew was Christ of this side of the cross, and resurrection. He did not have the privilege of Peter, James, and John to walk with Him in his flesh, yet he carried to the end this fellowship. So that in his life and ministry he answers questions of the servants today, “How can I get to know Christ as the first disciples did?” Some say it is impossible today. That is the language of unbelief. This man never saw, walked, and talked with Christ, yet as we study his life and letters, we see that he enjoyed a very wonderful intimate fellowship with Him, the risen, glorified, indwelling, all powerful, all knowing, all present Christ. The same yesterday, today, and forever. I would like to have my faith increased in this Christ. My prayer is, “Lord, increase my faith.”

I practically bury myself in the New Testament, in the letters of Paul. We all like to get a letter; many bring a great deal of comfort. There are four of Paul’s letters that mean a great deal to me: Galatians – Gospel of the indwelling Christ; Ephesians – Gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ; Philippians – Gospel of the manifestation of Christ; Colossians – Gospel of the fullness of Christ. Many people make a distinction between the gospels and the epistles. I have ceased to do this because the teachings of the gospels are found in the epistles and the teachings of the epistles are found in the gospels. Gospel means good news, good news that Christ is willing to live in us, good news of His riches are unsearchable, good news that Christ is manifested in us, good news that every need in us can be fully met in Christ.

I would like to speak of the letter to the Ephesians. This is one of the most wonderful letters ever written. It was a circular letter to the Christians everywhere. It speaks of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Immeasurable wealth that cannot be estimated is to be found in Christ. People are rich and don’t know it. Many of God’s children are discontented, want to move and get out, not knowing that within their reach is this immeasurable wealth. (He gave the illustration of a family living in poverty in the midst of a diamond field in South Africa.) This wealth is ours, but we have to wake up to the fact that we can make use of it. Paul was living in the enjoyment of this wealth in Christ. There is nothing I desire more than to share with others a little of this wealth I have begun to enjoy; we cannot exhaust it. Ephesians 3:8, this is a preacher’s verse. The servants of God are separated unto the gospel and are in the position to concentrate on one thing. This is a preacher’s testimony, of Paul, a servant in prison, in chains, not at liberty to go and preach. “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” The greatest privilege is preaching the Gospel. None ever deserve or merit it – “Who am less than the least of all saints.” The need was never greater, the harvest never whiter, the difficulties never greater. Lift up your eyes, the field is ready. Pray the Lord of the harvest that He will send laborers. I have great admiration for fellow laborers who have given their lives to preach and who do not murmur or complain when difficulties come, but face them. I wish I could dig out some of these riches and by faith lay hold on some of this wealth.

Ephesians 1:3 (a verse to memorize), “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” The verse in I Peter 1:3 is a parallel verse, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Peter was looking into the future and Paul the present. Paul had in mind blessings to enjoy now in our everyday life. There are people today who are choosing material, physical blessings. Paul is thinking of spiritual blessings which can and will enrich people of God today.

The first three chapters of this letter give two very clear pictures that are worth thinking of. First, what men and women were before the gospel came. Second, what they became after the gospel came. The first picture is given clearly in 2:11. Remember what you used to be – the pit out of which you were digged. It is 56 or 57 years ago when I said, “It is Christ for me tonight, and Christ for me forever.” Oh, what I might have been. I have been lifted out of the pit, my feet planted on the rock, and a new song in my heart. We were dead in trespasses and sin, children of disobedience. He also includes himself. There is no difference. 2:12, without God, without Christ, no hope in the world. This is an awful condition to be in. I have no difficulty in reading myself into this passage.

“And you hath he quickened who were in death” – spiritual death. This spiritual death is alarming – it is progressive. The people don’t grow better as they grow older, they grow worse. We have examples of this in the people Christ raised from the dead. The little girl was dead, the young man was on the way to the tomb, and Lazarus was in the tomb for days. Spiritual death and corruption is progressive, it grows worse. Nothing terrifies me more than when people release the brakes. There is no depth to which they can go. This is the picture of these people before the gospel came.

When the Gospel came they were quickened, made alive by God. God came to live in them, sealed them by His Spirit. Now they had understanding of the mystery of the Will of God. They were far, but now are brought nigh…Son-ship in the family of God, and Citizenship in the kingdom of God. Ephesians 2:18, 19, “For through Him, we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” Song – “I am now a Child of God.”

I John 3:1-3, John took a long look back over his life – 60 years of fellowship with God. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.” Looking into the future, he said, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” You may ask, “How can I become a son?” The door is wide open – a welcome awaits you. John 1:10-11, “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” We may say that if we lived then, we wouldn’t have treated him such. Be careful; if there is rebellion in your heart today, you are no different in the sight of God and are no better than those who cried, “Away with Him, crucify Him.” It is God that takes sinful men just as they are and makes them His children. The responsibility rests upon you.

God is now willing in Christ reconciled,

Willing to pardon and cleanse the defiled,

Willing to take you and make you His child,

God is now willing, are you?

These blessings, unsearchable riches are wrapped up in Son-ship in the family of God and Citizenship in the kingdom of God. We are members of the family of God through willingness to let God live in us. If you are outside, don’t allow possessions, business, or relatives to any longer keep you outside. Don’t allow these to take the invitation from you to sit inside the kingdom of God. Some people allow wrong things to keep them outside; the others, just mentioned, were right legitimate things. If your foot or hand would keep you outside, get rid of it. Do you want to share in these riches? We surely should be moved to settle this question.

A few months ago, I had the privilege of speaking to two groups of workers. In those two meetings, I suggested to all that were present that it would be a very helpful and profitable thing for them to make a special study of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, and to memorize the four chapters of this letter. I have been greatly pleased in seeing letters from several telling me that they had memorized each of these four wonderful chapters of this letter. I don’t know whether any of you would have the courage to memorize these four chapters, but if you do, I feel you would be greatly enriched in your thoughts.

This is one of the most wonderful letters that was ever written. It was written by a man whose life was filled with Christ, his gospel was filled with Christ and the letters which bear his name were also filled with Christ. It seems to me that in this particular letter, he was anxious to make clear once and forever the all-sufficiency of Christ — that Christ could meet the need of every sinner, of every child of God, of every servant of God. He wrote of the risen, invisible, glorified Christ. He wrote from this side of Calvary, this side of the tomb, and he had in his mind the Christ to whom all power had been given in heaven and upon earth, the Christ who was the all-knowing one, the Christ who was the ever-present one, the eternal Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. In writing this letter, he wanted to help those Colossian Christians to lay hold more firmly upon this Christ, and not be carried away by false teachers who would seek to lead them astray. There were teachers in Colossae whose teaching would tend to destroy their simple faith in Christ and wreck and ruin their lives. They would add to Christ part of their own pagan philosophy, part of the Jewish ritual, and in doing so were robbing Christ of His honor and authority over their lives. The first business of a preacher is to live Christ, then to preach Christ. The sure mark of what is evil in this world is preaching Christ AND somebody else. We value more highly with the passing years those of our fellow servants in every land whose message is characterized by this fact: that they exalt no man, nor themselves; they seek by lip and life to exalt the risen, invisible, glorified Christ – omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent – the same yesterday and today and forever. It is about this Christ as He is portrayed in this letter to the Colossians that I would like to speak to you this morning.

Colossians 1:18 – THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST, “And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Something or somebody must be first in every life. Each one of us is responsible for deciding what that thing might be, or who that person might be. God has given Christ the first place in the universe; He has given Him the first place on this planet; He has given Him the first place in His Body, the Church; and we are responsible for giving Him the first place in our hearts and home and business. The happiest children of God that I know are those whose lives are characterized by giving this Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us, the place that He purchased with His own precious blood. Every child of God is tempted to do the opposite. Like those who were invited to that great supper, our possessions, our business, our family, would take the first place. Never forget, my brother, my sister, that your possessions and your business and your family can either be a mighty help to you, or just the opposite. Paul had a great anxiety in writing to those men and women at Colosse that Christ in all things might have the preeminence, or first place. I tried to visualize how wonderful this fellowship would be, how wonderful God’s people would be, if day by day in the world their whole lives were characterized by putting Christ first. The peace of God can only be ours when this risen, invisible, glorified Christ has the place in our lives that God purposed He should have. Surely if God has given Him first place in the universe, on this planet, and in the church, it should not be difficult for us; we should not even hesitate to give Him the first place in our hearts and in our lives.

Colossians 1:27 – THE INDWELLING OF CHRIST, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” To me, the New Testament definition of Christianity is “Christ living His life over again in Christians.” It is not a sect, nor a denomination, nor a set or rules or a code of laws given for men to live by. Christianity is the risen, glorified, invisible Christ taking possession of surrendered hearts and lives, establishing His throne there and reigning over them. Hearts of Christians have learned to sing:

“Reign over me, Lord Jesus,

Make my heart Thy Throne,

It shall be Thine forever,

It shall be Thine alone.”

I have been troubled sometimes by the thought that there may be many of God’s people satisfied with the outward fellowship of God’s people and servants, worshipping in homes consecrated to Him — and lose sight of the fact that if Christ has not established His throne in their hearts and is not reigning over their lives, that they will be doomed to eternal disappointment and eternal despair. I am not very much excited about numbers, by the increase there are in numbers attending our meetings. This increase fills me with fear, and I feel more than ever the necessity of bringing people face to face with the words of this servant of God in Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Many talk glibly about the true way of God and true servants of God – “If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” In this first chapter to the Colossians, we read of the hope of the Gospel and of the hope of Heaven. The only sure hope of Heaven is based on this 27th verse – “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This was Paul’s own testimony and experience. I have asked some of you to memorize Galatians 2:20 where Paul summarizes in 44 words the Gospel he preached for so many years. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Embodied in this verse are five fundamental Gospel truths:

(1) The love of Christ for sinful men.

(2) The atoning death of Christ for sinful man,

(3) The indwelling of Christ to enable sinful men to live the Christian life.

(4) Crucifixion with Christ — a clean break from the past.

(5) A changed life.

I like to see God’s people rooted and grounded in these truths. It is good to meditate upon these words; our faith is nourished by the Word of God.

Colossians 2:6-7 – THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” The very heart and kernel of the Gospel in New Testament days was the Lordship of Jesus — Jesus the only Saviour as Lord. The battle men and women had to fight in their own hearts was: “Am I willing for Jesus, the only Saviour, to be my Lord? Am I willing to be publicly identified with Him? Am I willing to go outside the camp, bearing His reproach?” These Colossians had made this choice. They had been alienated and enemies in their minds by wicked works…outside the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. They saw Christ lived, and heard Christ preached by this young man, Epaphras, and now Paul is exhorting them to walk in Him. I want to ask you, “Have you really faced this? Are you content with a knowledge of what you speak of as the true Way? Are you willing honestly and truly for Jesus the only Saviour to be your Master and your Lord?” John 1:10-13 answers the questions, “How can I become God’s child?” Verse 10 covers the entire period or Old Testament history. “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” Verse 11 tells us of His own by creation, His own by redemption, His own by profession — it is one of the saddest verses in the Bible. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” There was no room for Him in the inn at Bethlehem when He was born; no room for Him in Nazareth where, when He preached, they rushed upon Him and would have cast Him over the brow of the hill; no room for Him in Capernaum where most of His mighty works were done; no room for Him in Jerusalem, that dreadful cry, “Away with Him, away with Him…”

It is easy for us to pass judgment on those of old who treated Him thus. Take care, my brother, my sister! The attitude of your heart today in this meeting toward this Christ determines exactly what your attitude would have been then. If you’re saying, “I will not have this Christ to reign over me,” you’re no better than the innkeeper of Bethlehem, the men and women of Nazareth or Capernaum or Jerusalem — you come under exactly the same condemnation. The Laodiceans (Revelation 3:14-22) had allowed other things and other people to push Christ off the throne of their hearts and crowd Him out of their lives. They were rich and increased with goods, and didn’t know that Christ had been crowded out of their lives. They were satisfied and content with the outward ritual and way of life. Oh, how glad we ought to be that Christ came to that group of professing Christians and said, “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear…” They had treated Him shabbily and had allowed other things and other people to push Him off the throne of their hearts, and crowd Him out of their lives. The unchanging Christ said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Do some of us recognize that this has happened to us — still counted in and numbered among the people of God, but the joy of this fellowship is gone? What has happened? Something or somebody has crowded Him out of your life — what are we going to do about it? We have come together in order that we might have dealings with God, and that there might be in every heart and life a new surrender to His claims, a new willingness for His rule and reign so that His Lordship over our lives may be a blessed reality from day to day. John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” There are five men mentioned in this first chapter of John who received Him and to them He gave power to become His sons. What happened in the lives of those five men in the long ago can happen in your life today. Throw your heart’s door widely open, and bid Him come in while you may.

Colossians 3:4 – CHRIST, OUR LIFE, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” How can we know whether we have this life or not? Thank God there is an answer to this question that ought to be a comfort to every child of God! I John 3:14, “We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.” The most dangerous thing to take root in your heart is hatred in your heart to any child or servant of God; do you know that? One who walks in light, but hates his brother, is a religious fraud, a corrupter of the Truth of God. The devil is seeking to ruin and wreck the lives of God’s children by robbing them of their confidence in the Lord’s servants and in His people. If that happens, our testimony may be different from what we had planned. Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” It isn’t possible for any child of God to be truly healthy and helpful that habitually neglects the reading of God’s Word.

I have seen Christ thousands of times in the lives of my fellow-servants, young men and women going forth to preach the Gospel, and Christ changing and transforming and manifesting Himself through these broken, surrendered lives. The men and women you should honor most in this world are those who have sacrificed their all and placed their all upon the altar of God, and are keeping it there, so that from our lives there may ascend to God a sweet smelling savor that would bring a blessing to men and pleasure to God’s heart. I have seen Christ in the lives of God’s people-sacrifice, self-denial, gentleness, meekness, and love manifested before my eyes. To men and women like these, Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” But there is a note of warning: those marks can disappear out of any life. Those who are salt today can be something else tomorrow. Matthew 5:1-16 – if these graces die out of your life, you become like savorless salt. It is more serious than that. Those who become savorless salt very soon become persecutors and revilers and slanderers of the brethren. “Ye are the light of the world …” This has to do with our attitude toward the world and the effect of our influence. May God grant that whatever salt is in our lives as the servants and people of God, that we may not lose that savor, but retain it that our contact with others would be helpful and profitable and enable them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

Leviticus 1, this chapter speaks of three offerings:

Bullock offering – suggestive of the workers

Sheep offering – suggestive of the saints

Dove offering – suggestive of the children or someone in a divided home

When I read Romans 12, I understand a little better Leviticus 1. To present our body is but a reasonable service.

Leviticus 1, three categories in which we can make our offering. God has made it possible that we can offer the best that we have and keep it a reasonable service. It is not possible for the sheep to take the place of the bullock. The bullock would never be satisfied with the sheep’s place and the sheep would never be satisfied with the dove’s place. Nor would the bullock be satisfied with the dove’s place. The Lord wants us to give Him our best. God can only give us His best as we give Him our best.

Marriage is not a 50/50 proposition. That means I will meet you half way and that is all. Marriage is only 100/100. This is the same with the Gospel. There’s only one basis on which the marriage will work. We would not get very far if we said we would go only half way.

1 John 2:19, “These went out from us…” We need to be all in it. We need to make a complete surrender. Some went out. They never were all in it. If I do give my all unto God, I put myself in the position where God can give His best to me. That is why the Lord is anxious we would give Him the best that we have. Also helps me to understand better how to be a worker together with God. There are so many things that we cannot do for ourselves. When the individual was willing to do what he could do, God had provided a priest to do what he could not do. Is this not wonderful? It is then that my offering becomes acceptable.

There are five things the individual had to do. Both the sheep and the bullock were offered in the same manner:

1) Had to offer of his own will and in the place that God said.

2) He had to put it to death.

3) He had to flay it.

4) He had to cut it into pieces.

5) He had to wash it with water.

It was then that the priest put it on the altar and it was then that God accepted it. The only offering that God will accept is a love service. We have every reason to offer a love service. We love Him because He first loved us. The Psalmist praised the Lord for daily benefits. Then he said, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits?” We have a couple in Sacramento that we were visiting one day. They made a statement that made my blood run cold. He said that there was only one fault with the truth. Then he said it was that, “God keeps us so hopelessly in debt. We have tried to show appreciation but the more we do the more God does for us.”

The first book in the Bible – Genesis, speaks of creation, Exodus speaks of the Gospel, Leviticus, how to show appreciation. God did not make them show their appreciation. What can we render unto the Lord for all He has done? The Lord did not say they had to do it. He told them how to do it.

The offering could not be accepted as long as the old life was there. It had to be killed and the individual had to do it himself. Our old life must be put to death. God will supply the knife. I have wasted time praying. I knew there were things in my life that were not good and I was asking God to remove them, when I should have been doing it myself. May we leave this convention with a greater hold on the knife.

After death comes flaying. Had to remove the hide. The hide never had a place on the altar. God was not concerned about an outward service. He wants an inward service. “A broken and a contrite heart my God will not despise.” The service God expects is the offering of the inward parts.

After the hide was removed, the individual had to cut the offering into pieces. These had to be given to the priest in a special order. So much is mentioned about the different members of the body. The first member handed to the priest was the head. Sacrifice always begins in the head. We have to lay aside our thoughts and plans. It’s good to lay this on the altar.

Romans 12 mentions first the head. In the 4th verse, “Think not of yourself more highly than you ought.” Have you ever thought your life was too good to give to the Lord? It is a wonderful privilege to tell people the Gospel but they feel that their life is too good to give to the Lord. When God calls or draws us to the Harvest Field, maybe we feel that our life is too good. We feel that this is okay for the other fellow but it is different for ourselves. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to. If you have these thoughts, then place them on the altar.

The inside parts went on the altar next. These parts were washed with water. Why the inside parts? That is where it is easy to become contaminated. Need to be washed and cleansed. People always become soft at the end of the convention. God would like me to go to the fountain and get clean.

Next, the legs. They are also washed. Why are the legs left to the last? This would speak of the walk. The Lord’s people need not worry about their walk for if the heart and the inward parts are on the altar, then we need not worry about the walk. A Jewish proverb says, “Where my heart is, thither will my feet carry me.” If my head is on the altar, then my walk will be on the altar. The priest placed it all on the altar and then God accepted it.

There is not much difference between the bullock and sheep offering. I am thankful for my privilege of taking the same message that God gave His Son, etc. Some sheep offerings cost just as much as the bullock offerings. They are giving their best and the best costs just as much from each one.

You will notice the altar is the center of this chapter. The bullock was offered before the altar – the sheep was offered on the North, the dove was offered on the East of the altar. The altar made them one. The bullock had nothing in common with sheep, etc. but as they came to the altar, they became one. When ashes were removed, they were all one. The reason we are drawn to service is because of this altar. They were placing their life on the altar. One side of the altar was left vacant. Perhaps this is the side the High Priest made the sacrifice for us. In both the sheep and the bullock offering, it had to be without blemish. We have all sinned and come short, how then can our offering be without blemish? Because Christ made the offering. God has given us the privilege of placing ourselves on the same altar that God placed His Son on. Some of us cannot make the bullock offering. Some cannot make the sheep offering but we can all make the dove offering. The dove offering would speak of the children or perhaps this could speak of the divided home. I believe this is just someone who doesn’t have as much material things or haven’t the health to promote the work of God as others have. In the New Testament, we read of the Dove descending on Christ. The dove offering would speak of the right spirit. We can all render the right spirit. This is a very useful place. If you can bring into the meeting a little more of the Spirit of Christ, my friend you are not doing a limited service. If you can offer this, then you are doing a wonderful work. Or if the spirit of God in you could speak to one soul, this is not a limited service. This may be a dove offering but give of the best that you have. Keep the spirit alive amongst God’s people. When the individual brought the dove offering, we find that the priest had to do almost everything for it. All the individual did was present it to the priest. The priest prepared it for the altar. Give unto God the very best that you have. If you give Him the best that you have, God will not let you down. He will do more for you.

Leviticus 6: 9-11, This is a picture of the end of the sacrifice. The fire had gone out and now ashes were left. These were carried out to a clean place. Long before the offering was placed on the altar, the clean place was prepared.

There is a parallel in Revelation 6: 9-11 and Leviticus 6: 9-11. White robes were given. This suggests a clean place. All that takes place at death is taking ashes to a clean place. This is far better. It is so easy to understand why God wants us to put our very best on the altar. It needs to burn until the morning. This means a little night experience. Death means not only the end of the sacrifice but also the end of the night and a dawning of a morning. May God help us to give our best – whether in the form of a bullock, a sheep or a dove, may God give us grace to give the best that we have.

Hymn, “Give of your best to the Master, Give of the best that you have.”

The outer court was 150 by 75 ft. The white linen curtain was 7.5 ft high. The pillars of the outer court were in sockets of brass. They had a silver cap on too and hooks that held the white linen up in line. God wants pillars that will hold up white linen (righteousness of Christ). The pillars were made of shittim wood. The brass sockets were a type of the judgment of God…that is a just judgment. They went into the forest and made it according to the plan, like God goes into the forest of humanity, seeking for those he can use.

The thing that made the pillars fit was the workmanship, and that is what makes us fit. God wants to find those that can be used to hold up righteousness. Every pillar was standing in line and standing upright. They held up exactly the same thing,the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness of flesh is filthy rags. He that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of God. Overcoming the world and self. Hold up something different than is found in the world.

The Priesthood camped on the East side. The tabernacle always faced East. It moved only in God’s time. When the cloud moved, everyone knew they must get ready and move. There were 3,000,000 people. They all had to be in fellowship with what was carried on the inside and outside of the court. Hebrews 9 , this was an earthly tabernacle but a divine service. It was to point to Christ.

Door – Every sacrifice had to come in at the door. Every person that came to help had to come in through the door. Jesus said, “I am the door.” Everyone had to come in through Jesus. It was blue…a type of the canopy of heaven. Scarlet – the suffering of Jesus. He came out of Edom with his garments dyed red. Purple -the priestly and kingly side of Jesus. Exodus 25 … The Priest was to be a true type of Christ, our great High Priest. Hebrews 9 – Fine twined linen…the righteousness that is seen in Jesus. There is only one door.

Altar – The brasen altar was of shittim wood overlaid with brass inside and outside. The first thing you saw was the altar of sacrifice. It had four horns. The horns are a type of the power of sacrifice.. Hebrews 3:4, this great power God has given to us, but we must give the sacrifice to bring the power into our lives.

Fire – the fire place was 77 ft. long and 7.5ft. wide. It had a grate and an ash pan. There was the pouring out of the ashes. Everything that was burned left only the ashes. The altar was carried on the shoulders of the Levites the Kohathites. They were to keep their genealogy. The first sacrifice put on that altar every morning was a spotless lamb. This reminds us of the lamb of God. He was the sin bearer and the sin offering. Laver – The brasen laver was of brass. It was made from the looking glasses of the women. The foot was 3 feet high. We would call it a wash stand. A large basin sat on the top. They could not touch anything inside till they had washed their hands and feet. They must have the cleansing of the water of the word. The need of taking clean steps. Washing their feet in John 13. It was made of looking glasses and you could see you needed cleansing. After he had washed he put a lamb on the altar the first thing in the morning. The covered part was 45 ft. long and 15 ft. wide. The holy place was 15 ft. high, 15 ft. wide, 15 ft. long. The outside covering was badger skins. In history and also in the margin it says seal skins. It was 60 ft. by 45 ft. That was the heavy curtain. No man puts new wine into old bottles.. It was perfectly water proof. It was fastened down with rings. 3rd covering – was rams skins dyed red–the suffering of the lamb of God. He had a garment dipped in blood. The 2nd curtain was goats hair. There were 11 curtains of these, one was doubled over and covered the front. The goats reminds us of the Passover offering–they were to take a lamb from the sheep or from the goats and that was the Passover lamb. There was the dual of Christ. The goat was like the human side, and no one ever put one spot on that. The lamb was the type of the divine side.

1st covering – was blue, purple, scarlet and fire twined linen (white). The goats hair is a type of the perfect humanity of Christ. The priest had to take fire off the altar, and carry it in and put it on the little altar of incense to offer every morning. This is a type of the prayers of the saints. The prayers of Jesus were the sweetest incense ever offered on any altar. There were 4 horns, which are a type of the power of prayer. Sacrifice – does bring power and prayer brings power, not only to the one praying, but also to the one he prayed for. One day every year a drop of blood was put on it–it teaches us of the power of the the blood of Christ. It was shittim wood overlaid with gold. There were rings of gold and staves through it. It was carried on the shoulders of the Kohathites.

Candlestick – was of solid gold to hold up something that was giving light. There were three branches on each side and one in the center. They were not round but after the shape of an. Almond, so a wick would fit into it. Each morning they were cleansed and only pure olive oil was used. Where do we get light? From our great High Priest. “I am the light of the world.” There was only one candlestick. God held in his hand the seven churches and every one was a light in that part where they were.

Shewbread -Table of Shewbread was made of shittim wood overlaid with gold. Also a crown of gold. Staves went through it. They carried it on the shoulders. every Saturday morning there were twelve loaves put on it. The High Priest put the bread on the table. David was not asking for bread off the table of Shewbread, but that which already had been taken off, because fresh was put on. “I am the living bread that came down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die.”

Boards – were 27 inches wide. They would have come from some very large trees There were twenty on each side and six on the West end and corner one. They were shittim wood (human), 5 covered with gold (divine), standing in silver sockets. They were standing on redemption ground. That is the only safe place to stand. They had 5 rings and staves ran through. It would be hard to get these tress cut down and over laid with gold and the rings put in. No person can work out their own salvation unless they allow God to put something in them. He has to put something in us. so as to have something to work out. If you do not put seed in the ground that ground could not work out anything. The staves were making the boards stand. They were a type of the Levites and God’s inspired ministry. The boards couldn’t have stood with out them. God makes provision to keep us in line and standing upright. They were out of the same material as the boards.

Ephesians 4, the staves are a type of Apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors or shepherds. Every board was covered with gold that all His people could see. The rings were solid gold and attached to the boards. The center ring would be divine love. The ring was wrapped about it–be wrapped up in the love of God. Not human love. Faith works by love. Another ring is faith. Be wrapped up in the faith of Jesus. They were pure gold, divine. The other rings could be mercy, truth, and grace.

Veil – the veil separated the holiest place which was 50 by 15 ft. It hung on 4 pillars. These pillars were 15 feet high and had gold hooks. They were standing in silver sockets. They held up the veil. The veil rent in twain when Jesus died and opened up the way into the presence of God.

The High Priest went in there once a year. He took the blood of a bullock and sprinkled it 7 times on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat for the sins of the Priesthood The ark was made out of shittim wood overlaid with gold. The Ten Commandments were in it. It was God’s law. The lid was the mercy seat. There were two cherubims. They had their wings over the mercy seat. The mercy seat was solid gold and the cherubims were solid gold. Under their wings their hands were folded in prayer. They took two goats and cast lots–one for the Lord and one for the scape goat. Azazel means one that beareth away. The one goat was taken and his blood put on the altar of incense. Before he did this, he had to wash and be clothed in linen clothed in righteousness. He had to wash first. He could not cover up any uncleanness.

There was the blood of the bullock for the sin of the priesthood. The blood of the goat for the sin of the people. He took the living goat, laid his two hands on his head, and laid upon him all the sin . The sin was taken into the wilderness of Gods’ forgetfulness. No man was ever fitted to do that but Jesus. Jesus was the sin offering and also the sin bearer. Micah 7:19, Isaiah 58:1, Hebrews 15:11. The body of the bullock and goat was a type of Christ and his death and how he went outside the camp. Why did He go outside the camp? Because there was no clean place on the inside. Outside the religious camp, in Mathew 23… He said, “Woe unto you” – He was dealing with the very best in the Jewish religions, but there was no clean place inside. Leviticus – the clean place. God wants to lead us out of the selfishness and all that lacks the spirit. God gave us a perfect redemption with a perfect redeemer. A perfect salvation with a perfect Saviour. Little vessels were for the supply of oil. In the Holiest place was a golden pot of manna, so that people would know He had fed the people in the wilderness. It was a type of angel’s food. There was also Aaron’s rod that budded.

Isaiah 14:12-17 gives a little picture of the devil; there is much in the world to give us an idea of his work. I think it is a good thing for a child of God to know about our enemy and his subtlety. Jesus and all the apostles and prophets had to face this same enemy. God never created a devil and He never created sinners; men and women have made themselves sinners through disobedience. God created our first parents perfect, physically, morally and spiritually, but they became sinners through disobedience. God never created a devil. He created a cherubim, an angel perfect in wisdom and beauty, and he was created for a purpose as all angels were.

Hebrews 1 speaks of the angelic kingdom, and the last verse tells us that all angels were created to be ministering spirits. God used the ministry of angels extensively in speaking to men and women in this world. If an angel could make himself a devil through sin and disobedience, don’t you think it would be possible for men and women to make themselves sinners in the same way? It is clear where sin began.

In Isaiah 14:12-14, we have the five “I wills” of the devil; he was going to run things or ruin them, and he fell through self-exaltation. These are in great contrast to the “I wills” in the life of Jesus; He always felt “My Father is greater than I.” I don’t believe the devil ever spoke those words audibly, but it was what he had in his heart, and this was the path that led him to absolute destruction.

Verse 15 gives us God’s answer to the devil. The devil ministered lies, deception, and disobeyed God. Our first parents were perfect human beings, in a perfect world, the most perfect condition that could exist, yet they fell in the first temptation. Disobedience made an angel a devil; God never made him a devil. He took a different course than Jesus took who became servant of all; very different “I wills” in the life of Jesus.

Verse 17, “that made the world a wilderness.” He made it a place of beauty to dwell in, but the devil made it a wilderness. “That opened not the house of his prisoners” – the devil never lets go his hold on men and women once he has them prisoners. Our only hope is through Christ and the Gospel that we could be brought out of the chains of sin and darkness. Jesus, because the spirit of God was upon Him, came to open the prison and proclaim liberty to the captives. (Isaiah 6:11 and again in Luke 4:18) This 12th verse we read took place when there was war in Heaven – Revelation 7:9 – and is the same instance as in Luke 10:18 when Jesus saw “Satan as lightning fall from Heaven,” and took place before in the Garden of Eden.

Ezekiel 28:2-3, the prince of Tyrus is the devil, “because thine heart is lifted up…” God has always warned against self-exaltation. Verse 3, “Thou art wiser than Daniel.” The devil is wiser than any human being in this world, except Jesus. Verse 23 and on, was God’s message to the devil through His prophet Ezekiel. This is a word picture of the devil “created in perfect angelic beauty,” “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty,” and in verse 15 “perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created until iniquity was found in thee.”

Verse 13, “thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God;” we know what he did in the Garden of Eden, that he himself made himself by pride. It was here that the devil sowed the seed of the first doubt, “hath God said…” and he told the first lie, “Ye shall not surely die.” These verses give us a very clear, vivid word picture of the devil. In connection with these verses, we must always read John 8:44. Jesus is talking to the most religious leaders of the world, people who knew the Bible from cover to cover. “No truth in him.” God, the Father of truth. The devil knows the truth but he does not love it. It was the devil who caused Cain to murder his own brother.

2 Peter 2:4, the devil had a terrible influence in Heaven and dragged down a lot of others with him. Jude 6, the judgment of the great day, God’s great day when every man, woman and angel will have to reap what they sowed. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, the devil had light, but he never had life. “If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness.”

The major battles of the devil: two of them he has already lost and the third one he will also lose completely and entirely. He paid an awful price for deceiving human beings. If he had won any of these battles, it would have been a terrible thing. The first conflict in Revelation 12: 7-9.

Luke 10:18 was when the seventy returned with joy and told of the victory they had had. Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Jesus was warning them not to rejoice in anything, but that their “names are written in Heaven.” Jesus saw Satan fall: as far as God was concerned, this finished Satan in Heaven. There was no carnal weapon in this warfare – this was a great conflict between the power of darkness and the power of light, between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error, between the mystery of Godliness (1 Timothy 3:16) and the mystery of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:7). It was a spiritual conflict.

Revelation 12:9 gives us his four names: dragon, serpent, devil, and Satan. He was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him. No wonder the devil’s spirit said to Jesus, speaking in the plural, “We knew thee, the Holy One of God…” This was a major battle and a terrible defeat. It tells us in verse 11 how we can overcome “the devil by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Our testimony is a very precious thing to preserve and cherish.

Verse 1 is a picture of the true church, the Bride of Christ. The moon suggests the clean, human wisdom God gave men to govern their human affairs, the light that governs the children of the night. Verse 4 speaks of the birth of Christ. Isaiah 9:15, speaks of the tail in the first part of this verse, look at Isaiah 9:15.

Matthew 4 and Luke 4 tell us of the second major battle that the devil lost when in all his corrupt, angelic beauty and wisdom, he met Jesus face to face in the desert temptation. Perhaps this was the weakest moment of Jesus’ life – hungry and weak; fasting forty days and nights, clothed in a body of flesh and blood, He faced the devil all alone. Jesus had the backing of all Heaven, but He stood there as an individual. It was no walk over for Jesus. If there ever was a time that Jesus needed bread, it was at this time. He answered from Deuteronomy 8, “Man shall not live by bread alone.” I thank God that we can live by every word of God.

The pinnacle of religious power was a tremendous power, and it is yet today. We have an accuser, but we also have an intercessor. You and I don’t realize how much was dependent upon that conflict that day, but Jesus knew the tremendous responsibility that was bearing down on Him. After all God promised through the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15), which pointed the human family to the virgin birth, that God could not accept a sin tarnished life as a sacrifice for sin. When Jesus died on the cross, He was the unspotted Lamb of God. The devil was not able to put a spot or blemish on Him in any way. Truth and error met that day and it was a terrible battle, but angels in Heaven, watching the conflict, saw the devil go away totally defeated.

Revelation 20:7-10 mentions a battle not yet fought. Immediately after the thousand year reign, while the devil was bound, people had every privilege of hearing the gospel. Romans 9:28, “a short work will God make on the earth” for He was speaking of the ultimate outcome of God’s work on the earth. Satan was chained for 1,000 years, but he was not changed. This was a terrible battle as the devil compassed the camp of the saints and met absolute defeat. Revelation 6:13-14 is when the devil faces that last great conflict, “The battle of that great day of God almighty.” This is that day we read about in chapter 20, when God allowed Satan to gather his power together and he met with entire defeat. He lost all, everything. He had no more place in Heaven or on earth. We are not called to fight a losing battle because he lost in these three conflicts. The nation that wins the last victory wins the war. It would have been a disaster if the devil had won this last battle. Because he lost in these three conflicts, he lost everything: he has paid an awful price for the reign he has had in this world.

It is wise to consider well the contrast of 2 Thessalonians 2:7. The mystery of Godliness in Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of Glory.” No other power could make us God-like. Worldly people talk about working for the Lord, but it is far more important for God to work in us, then we can work out what God works in. God doesn’t want to deceive people; to deceive people and to bring discord and sin is the work of the devil, the prince of this world. Romans 8:9, “Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His.”

Jesus came and fulfilled all the law the covenant pointed to. The divine love of God is the higher law given. Divine love moved Jesus to come to earth and give His life. There is no higher law visible or invisible than divine love. Romans 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” What the law of Moses could not do was done in the world through Jesus. That is the law God wants people to manifest in life. The Old Testament was types and shadows fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament.

Exodus 25-27:9, a cubit equals 18 inches.

Outer Court: 150 feet long and 75 feet wide was composed of pillars, all the same size, set in sockets of brass which were seven and one half feet above the ground and one foot set in the socket. The sockets were driven into the earth, not the pillars. Every pillar was capped with silver and had a silver hook which held up the curtain of white linen. The pillars were on the inside of the curtains. The brass sockets spoke of the Judgement of God, not human judgement. God judges by the standard of Jesus Christ. By Jesus He gave a perfect manifestation of His will. We’ll be judged by the life of Jesus. The babe Jesus was a perfect manifestation of God; never did men or devils put a blemish on Him. It cost Jesus a lot to come to this sin-cursed world and give this perfect manifestation. God gave to this world through Jesus, a perfect visible expression of His desire, and a perfect audible expression by word, and He was the only perfect visible expression of the invisible God that human eyes ever looked upon or human ears ever listened to.

There was no floor in the tabernacle, the brass sockets were driven into mother earth, and that is how God begins in our lives. The silver caps and hooks were made from redemption money which was paid in silver by parents to redeem the firstborn son. There is no other way we can stand, only by redemption. There were sixty pillars in all twenty on each side and ten on each end. Revelation 3:12, “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” Pillars were taken from the forest and much work had to be done to make them all one size, to fit into the sockets before they could hold up the curtains white curtains, the righteousness of saints. If we want to be a pillar, we must live a life of overcoming. We can’t make ourselves pillars; that is the work of God. The pillars were responsible to stay where placed and kept in line to hold up the curtains. God wants us to keep in line and hold up righteousness. God’s people don’t stoop to do certain things, not because they are held by law, but because of love. God loves to make people what they aren’t by nature, make them pillars.

There was only one door into the outer court; the door was on the east end and was a curtain. This door was where the priests and Levites came in.

Colours in the curtain:

Blue, a type of canopy of Heaven, the same as green is the type of the canopy of earth.

Scarlet, speaks of the suffering side of Christ.

Purple, speaks of the priestly and kingly side of Jesus.

Exodus 28:

Fine linen is righteousness.

This door is the type of Christ. He said, “I am the door.” Jesus was the door of the sheepfold. There is no safe place outside the fold. The sheepfold is the fellowship with God 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His son Jesus Christ.” The prophets in the Old Testament ministered from God to the people. They were responsible to obey. The priests ministered from the people to God and then offered the sacrifice God demanded. The Old Testament prophets foretold about Christ’s coming, His death, His resurrection, and the glory that would follow. The New Testament tells about the Christ who had come and they didn’t know Him. The priest came through the door into the outer court; there is only one door to the fellowship, through Christ. Every sacrifice brought in must come through the door, through Christ. The first thing the priest saw when he came through the door was the altar of sacrifice.

The Altar was seven and a half feet square outside, made of shittim wood overlaid with brass. I am safe in saying the fireplace was six feet square. There were four horns which speak of the power of sacrifice. The brass rings were placed halfway down on the sides; the staves were placed through these so it could be easily carried on the shoulders of the Levites. The grate was set down about halfway and called the brazen altar. The ashes were put in vessels and carried away. The fire was never allowed to go out. The tabernacle stood for five hundred years and God never changed one thing.

The brazen laver was called the foot. We would call it the wash basin. The priests had to wash their hands and feet before touching anything on the altar. God intends we have clean hands and feet. We must take clean steps in the world, in our business. Hands speak of our work and feet of our walk. The first sacrifice every morning, 365 days of the year, was a lamb without blemish and without spot, a type of Christ. The last thing offered every night was a lamb which pointed to the One they could get salvation through.

The Covered Part of the Building was 45 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet high. This was the only part that was covered. The last curtain on it was skins (seal skins). There were no badgers common in Palestine. Seals were common by the Red Sea. This curtain was 60 feet by 45 feet made of seal skin. How did they keep the rain out? (No man putteth new wine in old bottles) not glass bottles but bottles made from goatskin. When the goats were killed, all the meat and bones were taken out through the neck. The skin was turned inside out and cleaned. New bottles would have lots of stretch, but new wine in old bottles would not do because new wine works and would burst old bottles that have lost their elasticity. Wine inside speaks of the inside of our lives. Jesus never went around trying to patch up old lives. He showed if we become a child of God, we become a new creature, pliable enough to retain what God wants. Christianity is not a patch-up work on the outside.

The next covering was ram skin dyed red. This was a type of the suffering and sacrifice of Christ.

The next covering was made of goats hair the perfect humanity of Christ. Exodus 12, they could use a goat or a lamb for the Passover feast. This represents the two sides of Christ – God’s side and man’s side. The lamb was the type of the perfect Divinity of Christ; the goat was the type of the perfect human side of the Lamb of God. The first covering didn’t come to the floor; it was about 18 inches short, and the same colours as in the door.

The door hung on five pillars, covered with gold, stood in brass sockets, and was called the Holy Place. It was 30 feet long and 15 feet wide. The curtain divided the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place was 15 cubits equal in length, breadth, and height. Every morning, incense was burned, typical of prayer. You can’t live a Christian life without prayer. The priest took fire off the altar and put it on the altar of incense in the Holy Place. While the incense was burning, the priests had to fill the bowls of the candlesticks – which were made of solid gold with fresh oil of olives. This was the only light in the Holy Place and it burned all night. In the morning, the High Priest put out the lights, cleaned the bowls and put in fresh oil. Only the High Priest could do this. Jesus is our High Priest. He said, “I am the light of the world.” There was a large supply of oil kept in brass vessels on the south side. Others were responsible to put the oil there.

Altar of Incense Only once a year blood was put on the altar on the horns.

Table of Shewbread – Every Sabbath the High Priest put twelve loaves of bread (fresh) on the table – one loaf for each tribe of Israel. The old bread was taken away and became food for the High Priest and his family. When we gather together the first day of the week, the day Jesus rose from the dead, the day of Pentecost, the great and notable day of the Lord, we are keeping the first day of the week because the Christians kept it first, in Acts 20. Where do we get bread? Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” John 6:63 is the key verse of the chapter. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

When the tabernacle was pitched, the door always faced the east; it couldn/t face any other way. Three million people camped around the tabernacle. God led them out of Egypt, a tremendous miracle, led them through the wilderness, fed, and clothed them. It couldn’t have been done apart from God doing it. He has to have first place in our lives.

The veil that divided the Holy Place from the Holiest of Holies hung on four pillars overlaid with gold, caps of gold, hooks of gold, and stood in sockets of silver. This veil was rent in twain when Jesus shed His blood. Hebrews 9, earthly tabernacle but Divine service. The service you and I give God is carried out in human tabernacles but it’s a Divine service.

The High Priest was the only person that went into the Most Holy Place. Leviticus 16, in the Most Holy Place was the Ark of the Covenant. In the ark were the ten commandments. The ark was carried on the shoulders of the Levites. The Mercy Seat of gold covered the ark. It’s only through mercy that we can do the commandments of God. The Cherubim of Glory, one on each end looking down on the Mercy Seat. God spoke to Moses from between these Cherubim.

The Most Holy Place is a type of Heaven. The veil into the Most Holy Place was rent in two when Jesus died. Jesus opened the way to Heaven for people when He died. God typified it all in types and shadows but Jesus fulfilled it.

Boards were fifteen feet long above the ground with two tenants in silver sockets. Two tenants standing in sockets of silver – standing on redemption ground. These boards were twenty-seven inches wide and sixteen feet long. It would be hard to get a board this size in the forest. There were five golden rings in each board. Staves were put through the rings to hold the boards in line.

The silver sockets were in mother earth; that’s on redemption ground. If you and I start, we must begin at the redemption of Christ. Brass stands for judgement. The boards were covered with gold. Gold speaks of the Divinity of God. The stave along the bottom stands for faith. We begin by faith we are saved by faith. The second stave stands for hope. If were saved by faith, it brings a living hope. The third ring had to be in the dead centre of the board. That stave couldn’t be spliced and was forty-five feet long. It stands for charity, Divine Love, and it never fails. It never failed in the upper room, in the garden, or on the cross. All have failed but Jesus never failed. Love covereth all sins.

The fourth ring stands for truth and the fifth ring for righteousness. If God hadn’t made all this provision, do you think we could stand? All on the outside of the outer court had to be in full fellowship with the inside, or they couldn’t be in harmony with God.

On the tenth day of the seventh month, he brought the blood of the bullock for the sins of the priesthood. He put the blood of the bullock seven times on the horns, on the altar of incense, once every year. The blood of Christ makes it possible for our prayers to be accepted.

The Scapegoat (Azel) One that beareth away. Jesus the sin bearer. The High Priest put his hands on the head of the goat and confessed all the sins. A fit man took the goat and led him out into the wilderness. All his sins were behind him. Only Jesus can take our sins into the wilderness of God’s forgetfulness, behind His back, never to be remembered against us anymore. That goat never committed any sin but he had to die for sin. That is what Jesus did. The High Priest is a type of Jesus. Old Testament sacrifices were a type of Jesus – freewill offering and whole burnt offering. I am thankful for the same Bible they had 1900 years ago. They lived those truths then and we can live them today.

The Golden Pot filled with manna was in the Most Holy Place. Deuteronomy 31:24-26, five books of the Bible were there and also the Rod of Aaron and the golden censer. Today He teaches us through Christ who fulfilled these. Hebrews 1, angels, ministering spirits. They always did that work and we hardly give them credit.

The tabernacle was all Jewish work; the Temple to replace the tabernacle was Gentile but Jews were the overseers. The Bible was all Jewish writers. God did a lot with the Jewish people even though they displeased Him many times.

He also added:

There were two altars, the altar of burnt offerings in the outer court and the altar of incense in the Holy Place.

Horns on each altar speak of power of sacrifice and of prayer. Zechariah 1:18 gives us an idea of the horns power that scattered and destroyed. “…I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. 19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, ‘What be these?’ And he answered me, ‘These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.’” Carpenters were builders. One man was working on the wrecking crew, the others on the construction crew. Horns are the powers that grow on an animal power to protect itself and push enemies out of their way.

The large altar was seven and a half feet wide and long, outside measure. There must have been quite a thickness of wood and brass to protect the wood from burning up so that this leaves us to understand there is a difference between the inside and outside measurements. Six and a half feet measurement inside would give us six inches for thickness of the altar walls.

The reason God never gave the world a perfect expression of His eternal plan and purpose for 4000 years was because He never had a perfect channel to give it through until Jesus came. God did give many very clear and explicit expressions of His will through human channels, such as Moses and David, but they were not perfect. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Brass – a type of God’s judgment, always just.

Silver – a type of redemption, the redemption price of the first-born in Israel.

There were three million people in this camp when they left Egypt. There were six hundred thousand men, over twenty years of age. If we multiply that number by five, for the women and children, it would give us an estimate of how many people were in that camp. Every one of those people had to be in fellowship with what God had established, had to be in fellowship with everything inside that outer court.

Hebrews 9 – this was a worldly sanctuary, but a divine service. Revelation 3:12, “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God.” God wants pillars today, just as He did in that day. The only way to be a pillar is to live a life of overcoming. Every pillar was standing in line, and holding up the curtain or righteousness. The curtains of the outer court were of fine twined linen. White linen is the righteousness of the saints. All of God’s testimony was surrounded by that white linen curtain. God wasn’t teaching those people anything different in those days than what He wants to teach His people today. We can hold up this curtain of righteousness before the world; this is God’s testimony to those on the outside.

There was the door at the east end of the outer court. No sacrifice could be brought inside unless it came through that only door, and that door was Christ. Jesus said, “I am the door.” The blue stood for the heavenly, a type of the canopy of Heaven. Purple was a type of the kingly and priestly side. Scarlet was a type of the suffering, and shed blood side, of Christ. Those steps were clearly seen in Jesus, and made Him different to other people. The door was hanging on four pillars, and those pillars were standing in sockets of brass, standing under redemption. It is impossible for anyone to be in God’s testimony and not be standing under and upon redemption, and it is impossible for anyone to be in His testimony and not be willing to stand on His judgment. When the priest came in this door, the first thing he saw was the altar. It was the brazen altar, the altar of burnt offering. The grate was down about half way, it was around two feet deep, down to the grate….7 1/2 feet by 7 1/2 feet and 4 1/2 feet high, was a very large fireplace, if anyone ever asks you the size of it. The altar would remind the priest, every day, of sacrifice. The only way we can come in, morning or evening is through His own Son, the Door.

Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun camped on the east side. When the cloud moved, that was God’s way of telling His people to move on. When they moved, everything that was carried on the shoulders was carried by the Kohathites. They encamped in about fifty-four different places in their journey. The first sacrifice offered every single day of the year, regardless of anything, was a lamb, and it had to be without blemish and without spot. It is through His suffering and death that it is possible for us to come to Him as our Great High Priest. The last thing at night that they offered on that altar was a lamb.

In the 12th chapter of Exodus, when God gave the Passover Feast through Moses, He said they were to take the lamb out from the sheep or from the goats. The Lamb stood for the perfect divinity of Christ. Taking it from the goats, without a blemish or spot, was a type of the perfect humanity of Christ, from the cradle right to the time of His sufferings on Calvary. Whenever Israel had a true priest, prophet, and king, things went well in Israel. But when they were wrong, everything went wrong because of wrong leadership.

The laver – we would call it a wash-stand in our language – was made out of the brazen looking-glasses of the women. All mirrors in that day, and for a long time afterwards, were made of polished metal. The priests washed their hands and feet at the laver before they touched any sacrifice. The fire never went out on the altar, and they carried fire with them when they moved. The brazen laver speaks of the necessity of cleansing, and taking clean steps. Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, and taught His Heavenly Bride to take clean steps in His absence. It was the application of the truth that He spoke that enabled people to take clean steps nineteen hundred years ago, and the same enables us, in our day, to take clean steps, too. Our High Priest never defiled His feet in any of His walking, nor His hands either. We have a true High Priest, and Prophet, and King, and if we follow Him, there can be no wrong leadership as far as we ourselves are concerned. Our Great High Priest is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:26) made higher than the heavens. Our High Priest never went wrong.

What was the difference between the ministry of the priesthood and the prophets of the Old Testament? There was one great difference. The prophet got God’s message and brought it to the people and ministered from God to the people. The priest ministered for the people to God – he brought the cause of the people before God, and offered the sacrifice that God demanded – when the priesthood was right, things went well in Israel. That priest was a type and picture of our Great High Priest. He came down from Heaven bringing us God’s perfect message, and that has never changed. The altar speaks of sacrifice and the laver of cleansing.

The covering of the tabernacle – the last covering that went over the tabernacle is spoken of in the King James Version as badgers’ skins. I read in history that there was no such animal in Palestine in the Bible days. In the margin it always says, “Read sealskin.”

The tabernacle was 45 feet long, and 15 feet wide, and it lasted over 500 years. It was 40 years with the children of Israel and Moses in the wilderness, through the years of the judges, through the reign of Saul and David. Solomon built the temple. The curtain was 45 feet by 60 feet. The rain could not get through that roof.

We read of Jesus saying that no man puts new wine in old bottles. The bottles in Bible days were goatskin bottles. When the goat was killed, the inwards were taken out through the neck, after the head of the animal had been taken off. Then the skin was turned inside out. When they made new wine, they always put it into new bottles. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature – a new man.” The wine in the bottle is talking about the inside. The patch on the garment is talking about the outside. Those rams’ skins dyed red speak to us of the suffering side, the Lamb of God side. There were a lot of sheep that had to give their lives and had bled, died and suffered to make a covering 60 feet by 45 feet. A lot of sheep had suffered, but it was the suffering of Jesus, the Lamb of God, that has made us acceptable. The next covering was of goats’ hair. There was one curtain of that, which was doubled back over, and its covering was over the blue, purple and scarlet, and fine twined linen covering. The outside curtain was no different than the one on the door of the way into the Holy Place.Every morning, when the priest washed his hands and feet, that lamb was put upon the Altar–he took fire off the altar of burnt offering and brought it into the Holy Place and put it on the altar of incense, and he burnt incense there every morning. That altar was only eighteen inches square. There was a golden crown work around the altar, and there were four horns on it, all overlaid with gold. This gold is a type of the divine side. It was a divine service; the gold speaks of divinity, as the silver speaks of redemption, and the brass of God’s judgment. Blood was not put upon this altar every day. Only twice every year, the blood was put upon the horns of this altar. Incense is always a type of prayer. The altar of burnt offering was the heaviest piece of furniture. It would take several men to carry it, and I am sure they would change off often.

There were several bowls to the candlestick. Every morning the priest had to snuff out those lights, fill the bowls with fresh oil, and clean the lamps. That had to be done every morning. There were the seven lamps that brought light to the tabernacle in the dark hours. The Bible tells us that the shape of their bowls was like almonds. The candlestick always stood on the south side. There were lots of the vessels that were used for keeping a supply of oil. They were always filled with pure oil of olive.

Then, there was the table of shewbread. When David fled from Saul, he asked the high priest, Ahimelech, for bread and Ahimelech had nothing, only consecrated bread. David said, “It is common now, anyway.” David knew there had to be twelve loaves of fresh bread put upon the table every Jewish Sabbath day. When David said that the bread was common now anyway, he had no reference to the newest bread which was upon the table, but to the bread that had been on the table, and had been taken off to be used by the priesthood. He was not speaking about the bread that was then on the table.

On the first day of the week, where do we get oil, if we are His true church? He wants us to hold up His light in the world, because the seven candlesticks were the seven churches in Asia, and if we will hold up the light God will hold up our hands in the world. The high priest put oil in those lamps every morning. He burned incense on the altar every morning. What do we get out of that? Incense is always a type of prayer. Where do we get bread? We get it from our High Priest. He said, “I am the true bread that came down from Heaven.” Jesus spoke in John 6, “Except ye eat My flesh and drink My blood, ye have no life in you.” The 63rd verse of John 6 is the key verse of that chapter, and if you don’t interpret that chapter by the 63rd verse, you will never know what Jesus meant when He said, “I am the living bread that came down from Heaven.” What does verse 63 say? “It is the sprit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” That truth was taught in the synagogue at Capernaum. John 6 was spoken at least one year, and it might have been two years, before the Passover when Jesus was crucified. In verse 63, He said, “The flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and life, and if you don’t eat and drink of the spirit of life that is in me, you have no life in you.” That is the interpretation of the whole chapter. Peter got that – he said, “Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

The holy place was 30 feet by 15 feet, and in it there was the table, the candlestick, and the altar of incense. Incense always stands for prayer. True prayer is the best way to get in touch with the living God that I know of. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, and what to pray for.

The pillars were made of shittim wood overlaid with gold. The hooks were of gold, and that is where the curtain, or door of the holy place, was. The pillars of the holy place were exactly twice as high as those of the outer court. “James, John, and Peter, who seemeth to be pillars…” Galatians 2:9. Those men had the priestly and kingly marks of Christ in their lives. There was a veil between the holy place, and the most holy place. This most holy place was a type of heaven itself. Jesus went into the very presence of God, with His own blood, which He shed for the sins of all people. The veil was of blue, purple and scarlet, looped and attached together, and was a curtain over the entrance in the most holy place. The ark and the mercy-seat above the ark were in the most holy place. There was nothing in the ark but the Ten Commandments, written on both sides of the two tables of stone. God wants to write on your heart and on your mind. Those commandments were written by the finger of God. The box part of that piece of furniture is the Ark of the Covenant, and the lid part is the mercy seat. Those cherubim were looking down at the commandments of God through the mercy-seat. No person could ever face truth if there was no mercy. God’s mercy enables us to face truth. No person ever went inside the veil at any time, only the high priest on the tenth day of the seventh month, according to Leviticus 16, on the Day of Atonement. Fifteen times in Leviticus 16 the word “Atonement” is used. There is no remission of sins apart from the shedding of blood – see Hebrews 9:22. We need to be careful how we read Hebrews 9. Notice that the writer in verse 5 said, “Of which we cannot now speak particularly.” We are just given a general look at it. This book of Hebrews was written to people that knew all about that covenant. The gold pot that had the manna was kept in the most holy place; there was also Aaron’s rod that budded.

On the tenth day of the seventh month, the high priest took fire off the altar of burnt offering. After he had washed and put on the priestly garments, he brought the fire inside this veil, and I believe that this was the veil that typified the one in the temple that was rent in twain when Jesus died on the cross. The high priest was to take a censor of burning coals of fire, and sweet incense inside the veil. He was to take the blood of the bullock inside the most holy place, and sprinkle it seven times upon the mercy seat with his hand, and before the mercy seat he sprinkled it seven times. The blood of that bullock was for the sins of the priesthood. Then, when he had done that, he went out and got the blood of the goat and brought it inside, and did the same thing with the blood of the goat, and that blood was for the sins of the people. The high priest just did that once very year. The other goat was called the “scapegoat”. This word comes from the Hebrew, which means “one that beareth away.” The blood of the first goat, brought in and sprinkled on the mercy seat, was a type of Jesus dying for the sins of the world. The live goat was taken, the high priest put his two hands on the head of it and he confessed and laid upon the head of the goat, and then a fit man came and led him out into the wilderness. This is a type of the wilderness of God’s forgetfulness, and all those sins were cast behind God’s back, like it tells about in Isaiah. Then, the high priest washed himself and came into the camp. That high priest is a type of Jesus as our Great High Priest, and the blood of the bullock was a type of His sacrifice for His priesthood and house, the New Testament priesthood, which is His church. The blood of the goat was a type of His perfect humanity and His sacrifice and shed blood for the sins of the people. The goat, upon whose head the high priest confessed all the sins of Israel, was then led away by a fit man into the wilderness. That fit man is to us a picture of Christ. Jesus was the only man fit to bear away our sins into the wilderness of God’s forgetfulness; He was the only one fit to do it. All this was a type of Christ and His finished work of redemption – a type of His going into the presence of God. Without the shedding of blood, there could be no remission of sins, in Moses’ day. He took the blood of calves and goats and the ashes of the heifer, and sprinkled all the people and the vessels used in the service of the tabernacle. If you and I want to be a vessel God can use, we must come under the shed blood of Christ. There is no other way. The bodies of the beasts brought in on the Day of Atonement were taken out and burned in a clean place. That was a type of Jesus, who went outside the camp and suffered outside the camp in a clean place. How could He suffer inside the camp? There was no clean place inside the camp – the very best in Phariseeism was unclean. Let us therefore go outside the gate, and follow Him. There is no clean place inside the camp of the religious world today”. He was speaking about the whole religious world – there was no clean place in it where Jesus could have suffered. Phariseeism was bad; Sadduceeism was worse. The Pharisees were the fundamentalists of that day; the Sadducees were the materialists of that day.

Every one of those boards we were speaking about had to be twenty-seven inches wide and 15 feet long. At least a foot of that board had to be down into the ground. They typify the fact that we stand on redemption ground. Those boards would have to be sixteen inch boards. There would be twenty boards on each side, forty-eight boards altogether. You would have to have a three-foot tree. The boards were overlaid with gold, a type of being clothed with divine nature. What provision is made to keep the boards in line when they are standing on redemption ground? They have to carry quite a load. They have to depend on the silver sockets; they have to depend upon redemption. The staves went through golden rings – a ring is an endless thing. The redemption and salvation that we stand upon are endless – something that holds us together. That is what the prodigal got -a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. We have to begin with faith – it is impossible to begin without faith. If we are standing on redemption ground with faith, then faith brings a living hope, and that is a wonderful thing. Then comes charity which never faileth. Charity didn’t fail in the lion’s den; charity didn’t fail in the iron furnace; charity didn’t fail in the upper room. Charity is the divine love of God. True natural love is only a type and shadow of divine love. The next one is truth, and the next righteousness; divine truth and divine righteousness, and they run through the endless divinity of God and through hope and faith. If you take away those five: faith, hope, charity, truth, and righteousness–then those boards could not stand on redemption ground. God has made tremendous provision so that we can stand in line one with another. God wants natural material, taken out of this forest of humanity, that He can put His love and His finger upon. Read Jeremiah 31:31-34.

Rev.1. First verses and Rev. 22 last Chap. 22, v. 16. “I, Jesus …” notice who it was. These are the words of Jesus Christ just as were those He spoke when He was here on this earth. Satan was still in Heaven, but Satan is not in heaven now. When Jesus ascended to heaven and entered the holiest with His own blood, it says Satan’s place was then no more in heaven. When Christ was here on this earth, Satan was in heaven, but he had lost his throne in heaven. He had lost that throne before the time of Adam and Eve, but he was not forbidden to enter heaven until Christ entered with His own blood. Satan’s place was no longer in heaven. He was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him. It cost something to get him out of heaven. It says there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought and the devil and his angels fought, and Michael overcame and Satan and his angels were cast out into the earth. It says; “Woe unto the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, because the devil is coming down unto you with great anger, because he knows he has but a short time. Do you know what the devil set himself to do – to do all the harm that he could and to make war with the woman’s seed. In other words, he set himself to destroy the work Christ had done on this earth. Do you know the way that he plans to destroy it? By filling the world with religion in the name of Jesus Christ, and that is what the world is full of to-day. It is full of religion in the name of Jesus Christ and many people think that it is God’s religion and all the time it is the devil’s religion. If the devil worked in his own name, people would know it is the devil, but when he works in the name of Jesus Christ, people think it is Christ. If you read the 13th chapter of Revelation, you will see the work of the devil. It tells us in that chapter that all the world would worship the Beast. That was the devil’s religion. All the world would worship him except those whose names are written in the Book of Life? Those that hear the true gospel and allow God by His Holy Spirit to dwell in them. That is one of the best ways of expressing what salvation is – our bodies becoming a temple for God’s Spirit to dwell in. Before we got saved, there was another tenant in our house. Jesus Christ spoke of it as the unclean spirit. That is why we never have to be taught to do bad things. We all do bad things by nature because there is that old unclean spirit dwelling in us. Jesus said; “He is a strong man armed that keeps his palace, but when a stronger than he comes upon him he casts him out and spoils his goods.” Do you know who is the stronger than the strong? – God’s Holy Spirit and He is that new tenant that comes into the house. When a person becomes a new creature because there is a new tenant in that house, and nothing short of that is salvation. We must allow God’s Holy Spirit to come in to dwell in us and He will reach us and help us. All those who do not allow that to happen, will worship in the other way, but we in whom God’s Spirit dwells, will worship Him in His own way.

13th Chapter – Satan’s chapter. 14th Chapter – God’s chapter. Read chapters 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 often. They all follow each other and you cannot take one chapter away from the other, and have the right understanding of what is said.

The first 5 chapters of the book – the first chapter does not start with the birth of Christ – this was 97 years after Christ was born. The first church mentioned is at Ephesus. Paul preached at Ephesus – the last place he preached at before he became a prisoner, and Paul was not saved when Christ was crucified. Before he worked at Ephesus, he worked at many other places. This message was sent to the Church, but the Lord said that they had lost their first love. Was it the first love for God Himself, or was it the first love for one another, or was it their first love for the unsaved world? Every true child of God should have these three forms of love. A love for God and His truth and Way, and a love for one another, and a love for the unsaved people of the world. If we have a love for the unsaved people of the world, we will try and bring the gospel to them. I would encourage you to try and bring the gospel to people of your own nationality.

The 12th Chapter begins with the birth of Christ. The 14th Chapter says that this everlasting gospel was to go to every nation and kindred and tongue and people. This gospel of the Kingdom was to be preached in all the world before the end. I am glad that when I decided to begin to serve God I began to feel my responsibility towards the unsaved people around me. The night I decided to serve God, a sister of mine also decided. We had never talked together about it, but God was working in both of our hearts. Now we had an experience – the experience of old things passing away and all things becoming new. The new tenant had come into the house and the old tenant had been put out. I began to feel my need of telling other people about it and my friends saw that I was changed. If we become children of God, our friends will see it. If anyone told me that I would spend my life preaching the Gospel, I would never have believed it. One of the brothers said; “If you open your mouth wide, the Lord will fill it.” The first words I spoke were; “I will try and tell you how I got my sins forgiven.” I went on to speak that night, but I cannot tell you any other words I spoke, but I never can forget the joy that was in my heart. It was just because I had opened my mouth for Christ. While I was speaking, it came to my mind as if someone had said; “If the Lord could always help you like that, it will be possible for you to preach the Gospel.” From that time on, I began to think about preaching the Gospel.

Acts 1 – it speaks about bondmen and bondwomen. It speaks first about sons and daughters, that is the whole family of God, but it says; “On My bondmen and bondwomen I will pour out My Spirit. These are the ones that would go forth to preach the Gospel. He said; “I will pour out My Spirit on them and they shall preach the Gospel.” It was only about ten months after that I went out to preach the Gospel. I saw a letter written to another young man, asking him if he would consider preaching in Africa. He did not go, he went to America instead. He did not carry on preaching and died many years ago. I wrote to the man and told him I had seen the letter and would like to volunteer to preach in Africa. In 1907, I landed in South Africa with seven others. God opened the way for me in Cape Town. One home I went to to ask about holding meetings, the lady said to me; “Who sent you to ask our home for a meeting?” I said; “So far as man is concerned, no one sent me.” She said; “I would like to know if it was God who put it in your mind, because since my husband and I have been married a few years ago, we have been trying to serve Him.”

Only two churches were right, the church at Smyrna and the church at Philadelphia, and there were a few names in Sardis. It seems to imply that the others were not. It is the overcomers who will live and reign with Christ in the thousand years. In these messages he spoke about those who would overcome. In one place it says; “He that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment.” In the message to Smyrna He spoke along the same lines; “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” There could not be a second if there was not a first.

20th Chapter: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection … thousand years.” All the true overcomers will not only be in heaven, but they will reign on the earth for a thousand years. “The rest of the dead lives not again till the thousand years are finished.”, and this is the second death.” The punishment for those who are not true overcomers, it is not that they will not land in heaven, but they will not be resurrected to reign with Christ for the thousand years. Only the true overcomers will be resurrected to reign with Christ for the thousand years.

Chapter 3: message to Laodicea – “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am sat with my Father in His throne.” He was promising the true overcomers a place with Him in His throne.

Chapters 4 & 5, from the beginning to end, tell us about the throne. There are 2 classes of overcomers. Two classes of people in God’s service. In the Epistles we read about the saints and the servants. The saints are those who serve God in their homes and the servants are those who leave their homes and all to preach the Gospel. There are two classes of people who sat with Him in that throne, which was the throne of God. Jesus was given a place in His Father’s throne. Now He has a right to give others a place with Him in that throne, and when we read these chapters, we read about four and twenty elders that were on seats round about the throne. They were clothed with white raiment and had crowns of gold on their heads. Those were the true overcomers amongst the saints of God; the people who served God in their homes. I might make mention here that was not the life of Jesus divided into two parts. He lived as a carpenter in Nazareth as a pattern for people who serve God in their homes. At 30 years of age, He left the bench and went forth to preach the Gospel and from that time He had no home of His own. Jesus told those people who went out, that they would get fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters and houses and lands. The first home I had was the one I spoke about earlier.

On the Day of Judgement there were two classes of people there. The human race was divided into two, the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. There was another group whom He called his brethren who were with Him. It says that he will say to those groups whom He called His Brethren, who were with Him. It says that He will say to those on His right hand; “Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was thirsty and ye gave me drink…” etc. Those brethren were those who had left all to preach the Gospel. Those on the seats round about were the true overcoming saints of God.

In the midst of the throne and round about the throne he saw four living creatures – they were the true overcoming servants of God. There were 24 round the throne, but only four in the midst of the throne. The Lord’s saints are many more than the Lord’s servants.

It gives a description of those who were in the midst of the throne. It says that they were full of eyes before and behind and within. That is what is needed in every true servant of God. Paul was a man with eyes, before, looking out for where he could bring the Gospel – one of the marks of a true servant of God, anxious to bring the Gospel where it had never been preached. Paul was also full of eyes behind – looking back to the places where he had been and writing letters to those he had left. Full of eyes within – watching himself as well. He said; “I keep my body under, lest having called others to the conflict, I myself should be rejected.”

These four living creatures had a message also, that consisted of three things – the holiness of God, the omnipotence of God and the unchangeableness of God. The time came when all these people fell down before the Lamb. There was a little book in the right hand of the One who sat on the throne. Someone asked; “Who is worthy to open the Book.?” The angel said to John; “Weep not. The Lion of the trive of Juda has prevailed to open the Book.” That was Jesus. When He took the Book, John saw as it was, a lamb that had been slain. Both these animals represent Jesus. When Jesus was on earth He was the Lamb, and when He took the Book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne, He was as a lion. You can do what you like with a lamb, but the time will come when He will be the Lion.

When He opened the seals, these living creatures and the elders fell down before the Lamb, and they sang a new song – “Thou art worthy … and has redeemed us from every nation and kindred and tongue and people … and we shall reign on earth.” They tell us themselves who they are. People from different nations of the earth. God’s salvation had come into their lives and made them kings and priests and fitted them for reigning with Christ on earth in the thousand years when He reigns. The true overcomers will not only be with Christ hereafter, but they will reign with Him in the thousand years.

(4 divisions of the book Revelations; Chapters 1-5, 6-11, 12-16, 17-22)

Daniel 1:1-5. I have enjoyed reading the book of Daniel . There are some statements made in this book that I wouldn’t want to venture a guess about, as to what they might mean or when they might take place, but there are some things we do understand from the book of Daniel.

I wondered what the subject of the book was. The subject of the book of Daniel is the same subject Jesus preached about and the apostles preached about. It is the Kingdom we read about in Daniel 4:3, the same subject we read of in Luke 1:33, “of His Kingdom there shall be no end,” the same Kingdom we read of in Hebrews 12:28. “a Kingdom which cannot be moved.” It is the same Kingdom we read of in Revelations 11:15, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord.” The subject of the book of Daniel is the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of God. This book has a good effect on me when I read it. It is an encouraging book. The setting of the book of Daniel is in the land of Babylon. Babylon is like a black thread running through the Bible. There is a crimson thread that runs through the Bible from beginning to end that speaks of the blood of Jesus, but there is also a black thread running through the scriptures from beginning to end that speaks about Babylon.

Natural Babylon was a kingdom that existed 2,500 years ago. King Nebuchadnezzar was the king of it. He was ruthless and powerful and whom he would he set up and whom he put down. The city of Babylon was one of the mightiest cities in that day. It had walls 300 feet high, 80 feet thick, and 60 miles square. It had enough food in it for 20 years’ siege, had one of the 7 wonders of the world in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. They thought it was invincible, mighty and magnificent. It began with the tower of Babylon, which means confusion. God is not the author of confusion. Babylon was man taking his own way, it is the might and power of this world, men trying to get to heaven by their own means. So, through the Old Testament we read of natural Babylon, the enemy of God’s people. The fads, fashions, and learning all came out of Babylon.

In New Testament times, we read of Babylon (Ephesians 6:12), “For we wrestle…against principalities, against powers…against spiritual wickedness in high places.” That is what we wrestle against, this “spiritual wickedness in high places.” In Revelations 18:2, we read “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen” and will be “like a great millstone” that was “cast into the sea.” (Verse 21) Babylon, that dealt in “gold, and silver, … and slaves and the souls of men” (Verse 12-13). Babylon is what the enemy of God’s people consisted of in the days of Daniel and the bright spot in the Book of Daniel is the fact that there were four boys, four children of God that made history when they stood true to God against the mightiest kingdom that ever existed and God was on their side as they stood true to Him. They had the power of God at their disposal and they were able to stand firm in their faith.

Sometimes, we are overwhelmed with the thought: “What can I do?” “How can I serve God when there is so much against serving God in this world?” But those boys stood by Him and He stood by them. They proved the truth of this verse, 11 Corinthians 10:4. Those boys proved they had weapons that weren’t natural ones, God gave them to them and they were able to stand fast in the face of all that was against them as they were down there in Babylon. The time came when Babylon besieged God’s people and carried many away captive, starting with the King. Some were not captives, but were among them, it is possible to be among captives, but not be a captive ourselves.

The king wanted some that would stand and serve him. He wanted the best, so he chose (Verse 4) some that had brains and beauty to serve him. We are thankful that when God chooses people to serve Him, He is not picking out those who have brains and beauty to serve Him. God chooses men and women with an honest and willing heart. The king wanted the boys so they would be a credit to his court and kingdom. When God chooses people to serve Him, He chooses those with a willing and honest heart and always gets the best. When we take the gospel to a community, in one place, someone said to us: “I can see you are going to get the best people out of this community.” One person made her choice and she was the best in that community.

I am thankful that among the people of God are some who occupy high positions in the world, professors and doctors. We know some like that, but God didn’t choose them because of their qualifications and I am thankful that when we are in their homes, they aren’t talking about their jobs and accomplishments in this world; they are talking about the missions and what is going on in the family of God. They are humble people. The gospel has something to offer to the most unlikely, to the humble people. The king wanted some who would add to the beauty of it. Some of these marks are still found in God’s people.

“Of the king’s seed.” God wants people who are born of a noble seed. One time, Prince Charles didn’t want to do what his tutor asked him. He said, “I am the son of a king!” His tutor replied, “If you are the son of a king, behave like it!” God wants people who are the son of a King to behave like it. “His seed remaineth in him.” God’s people have a royal seed, they are born of royal seed, they cannot do certain things. Joseph, tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he said, “I cannot do that.” There was a seed in him. God’s people are born of that noble, royal seed. He wanted children in whom there was “no blemish.” They were everything they claimed to be. You couldn’t point to anything wrong in their lives they weren’t willing to deal with, not claiming to be something they aren’t.

God gives His children a wonderful wisdom that is worth more than the colleges and universities give. Stephen, making his defence before the council, they “couldn’t resist the wisdom by which he spake.” We have an elder in one of the cities in Oregon, a humble man. One day, a neighbour came knocking on his door. The lady came in, so distressed, because she had learnt that her husband was seeing another woman. That humble, simple elder listened to her and advised her. We marvelled at the advice he gave her, a lady he hardly knew. “Skilful in wisdom, cunning in knowledge,” knowledge comes by experience. A graveside service where they asked one of our elders to pray, a number of strangers were there and he prayed humbly and simply. One of the strangers there said, “That man who prayed, he knows the Lord.” That is cunning in knowledge, that is a real credit to His Kingdom.

“Understand science,” science is what nature teaches us, but revelation is what God teaches us. You dig out of nature what it has to say, by libraries and laboratories, but revelation, what God has to teach, is gotten in the closet, by communion with God. The real science is understanding the secrets of God, not the secrets of nature. “Such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace.” He wanted those who could stand fast and true and serve him. One of our friends, in the bank where she worked, one day they came to her and wanted her to cut her hair and dress differently. She quit that job. A colleague came and told her, “If you had given in, we would have been disappointed in you.” That was a real credit to the Kingdom. The King of eternity wants people who will add to the beauty and splendor of His everlasting Kingdom and He still finds those with these qualifications.

The king of Babylon had a purpose. He wanted to take those Hebrew boys and make Babylonians out of them. He wanted to teach them the tongue of the Chaldeans, change their language, diet and names. The world wants to take you and me and make worldlings out of us. They want to change our language so that we talk the language of the world. If we don’t talk the language of the world, we are misunderstood. God’s people are wanting to learn the language of heaven so they are comfortable in heaven.

He wanted to change their diet, the diet of Babylon, that is usually junk food. 1 Timonthy 6:3, wholesome words of Jesus, we are learning to love and feed on heaven’s food for our souls. Sometimes, when we were children, my mother didn’t want us to eat sweets and candies, because it took away our appetite for good food.

He wanted to change their names. He gave them new names: Daniel’s name which means “God is my judge” was changed to Belteshazzar: “Bel’s favourite;” Hananiah which means “God is gracious” was changed to Shadrach, meaning “Friend of the king;” Mishael which means “Who is like God” was changed, to Meshach meaning “The lamp;” Azariah which means “God helps” was changed to Abednego meaning “Servant of Nebo” which is a god. The world wants to take God out of our name. The purpose of this world is just to make worldlings out of you and me and then we remember that God has a purpose. Ephesians 3:11, we read of that great eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus. Romans 12:2, “Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed.” Conform means to be made like and transform means to be made different. God’s purpose is to make you and me different from this world so that we resemble Jesus, that great eternal pattern He had for us. One day, when the Lord returns, we are going to hate any resemblance we have to Babylon and we are going to cherish every resemblance we have to God’s Son and the extent to which our purpose is in line with God’s purpose.

Then we read about Daniel’s purpose. (Job 33) Sometimes, God has to withdraw man from his purpose. (verse 17-18) Sometimes, experiences come, and calamities, and they are all there because God is wanting to withdraw man from his purpose. He wants your purpose and mine to be in line with His eternal purpose. A life that doesn’t have a purpose is a wasted life. If you don’t know the purpose of a car or a stove, then it’s wasted. A life that doesn’t have a purpose is a wasted life. A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. A life is no stronger than its purpose. Our service to God won’t be any stronger than its purpose. People and businesses fail, and not because they don’t have ability, but because they don’t have a strong enough purpose. Our purpose will carry us through in this coming year. Daniel’s purpose, he had boundary lines, he would go so far and no further. He had a purpose that was strong and true.

One ship sails east and another sails west by the self same breeze that blows. It’s the set of the sail and not the gale that determines the way each goes. Ships can sail in every wind and they can sail east and west by the same wind. In this coming year, it’s not going to be which direction opposition comes from or how the winds blow that determines our success in the way of God, but it’s going to be determined by our purpose. Here, we hear some wonderful seed thoughts, some wonderful messages that reach our hearts and they create a desire in us and it’s wonderful to have right desires created, a purpose goes beyond some good desires we might have. Daniel had the purpose that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat.

Verse 10-15, pulse was a starvation diet, a slave’s diet. The prince of the eunuchs thought, “Those 4 boys will be on a starvation diet.” The world thinks that God’s people will starve, on a starvation diet, because they don’t do what they do or go where they go. When I was in school, I had a room mate who lived for the weekends. He would ask me to go where he went on weekends. On about the third weekend, he said, “You don’t do what I do, but I can see you are very happy.” The prince of the eunuchs saw those boys were, on the contrary, enriched by it, spiritually speaking. The world looks on God’s people and they see that God’s people aren’t deprived of anything because they are true to God and don’t need what this world needs in its diet.

In the area where we labour, so often the children of the friends are the best students in the class; our young couples have marriages that are stable and happy. They don’t need what the world needs in their diet. I think about old people. We have old people who are content and at peace and who are a real help where they live. It proves God’s people don’t need what the world needs in its diet, and they are far better off for it.

Verse 18-19, that is what God’s people are living for, “the end of days” when they stand before the King. To be approved of God they have learned the language of heaven, they have learned to love heaven’s food and that is what they feast upon. Daniel and his companions found the approval of the King.

I heard a story of a little girl who found she had a terminal disease. She said, “You’ve taught me how to cook and how to sew, but never how to die.”

Daniel 2, the king dreamt a dream and forgot it. He said, “You tellest the dream.” He flew into a rage and made a decree that the wise men of Babylon should be slain. Daniel 2:16, Daniel asked the king for some time. Often that is the best thing we can do, just ask for a little time. The enemy of our soul would like to press us into making decisions and taking steps, but there is nothing wrong with asking for a little time. It is often good to give these things a little time.

Verse 17-18, he prayed with them. Wonderful when we have companions we can pray with and talk about the things of God with.

Verse 19, Daniel and his friends got a vision in the night. Proverbs 29:18, it would likewise be true: where there is vision, the people are saved. “Blessed are your eyes for they see.” Daniel and his companions saw the worth whileness of living for the God of Heaven, in the darkness of Babylon, they were given vision in the night that enabled them to see the worth whileness of putting their best into the things of God. We have a man where we are who is blind, he often tells people to be careful of their eyes. God’s people depend on vision. Eli, his eyes waxed dim. The word of the Lord was rare, there was no vision. God’s people see because they are childlike.

Matthew 11:25, if the childlike spirit vanishes, then our vision vanishes. The church at Laodicea was told to “anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see.” Our eyes are being anointed with eye salve so that we have vision in the darkness of this world. If there are messages that put a greater seal on our purpose, it is like anointing our eyes with eye salve. It is hard to have a purpose if you don’t have vision.

Daniel went into the king and told the king, “The image you saw in your dream was…(Verse 31-35)…Thou art this head of gold.” (Verse 38). Around 500 BC, the Medes and Persians arose like the “arms and breast of silver,” cheaper, and overthrew the “head of gold.” A couple of hundred years later, like “the belly and thighs of brass,” the Greeks overthrew the Medes and Persians and down the image to the “legs of iron” then a couple of hundred years later the Romans arose and overthrew the Greeks and as they went down the image it became poorer and cheaper and more degraded until finally there was a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, that was God’s Son. No human planning, no conception of man, God setting up His Kingdom, the Kingdom that will fill the whole earth. That image is also like spiritual Babylon, like false religion like this world. The head was of gold. Religion has some features today that are wonderful. The heads are such great thinkers, the pageantry and pomp, but then you go down the image a little further to the arms of silver, like redemption. Some things are taught in the world you can’t find much fault with except it has feet of clay, can’t walk; belly of brass: judgment, the opinions of men. Down a little further, legs of iron: human authority and the organization that humans can devise that is strong, just founded upon feet of clay that can’t help you and me to walk and live His teaching. That stone cut out of the mountain smote the image at his feet and it became like chaff. Verse 44, it fills our whole life and there is nothing else worth putting effort into. Before Jesus comes the second time, it will be just like that image, things in this world will get more corrupt, just as they did before Jesus came the first time and God will send His Son like that stone cut out of the mountain without hands and every kingdom of this world will be brought to nothing and carried away like chaff on the summer threshing floor, a Kingdom that will never be given into men’s hands.

Daniel and his friends had a vision and could see the final triumph of the Kingdom of God. They could see what was worth putting their time and effort into, and that it was worth remaining true. “‘I am purposed naught shall hinder, God shall have my very best.” They were determined that naught should hinder and that God would have their very best. I am purposed that is what I am going to do, so we are thankful for the everlasting Kingdom God has made you and me part of. Our purpose and vision can be such that naught shall hinder.

I have been reading Paul’s two letters to the Corinthians. I have received great help from these two letters. One statement in II Corinthians 2 says, “Now thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of Hhis knowledge by us in every place.” Verses 15-16, “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish. To the one, we are the savour of death unto death, and to the other, the savour of life unto life, and who is sufficient for these things.”

I liked these two words in verse 15, “unto God.” We are unto three different things. First we are unto God, then unto them that are saved and then unto people that perish. If I am going to be anything to other people, to my brethren and the world, I have to begin at the beginning, and ask myself, “What am I to God?” It might not be in you and me to be much to other people from our lack of human ability but we could all be a great deal unto God. The old hymn says, “God in Heaven hath a treasure… God hath here on earth a treasure, Christ revealed in saints below.” Every individual human being with Christ in them is unto God a sweet savour.

In Genesis when Noah came out of the Ark, he took the clean beasts and offered a whole burnt offering and God smelled a sweet savour. The whole burnt offering always was a sweet savour. Before the flood, God smelled a savour from this earth but it was a stink in His nostrils. The earth was evil continually. They thought of nothing else but eating and drinking, buying and selling with no place for God. The earth was a mass of selfishness but God saw one man who sent off a sweet savour to God even before the flood. This sweet savour is often mentioned in the Bible when there was a whole burnt offering. I could be something unto God. I could have in my heart thoughts and desires that I could be a sweet savour.

In the human family, people don’t measure their nearest relatives by the amount of work they get out of them. Does He see Christ in me? God looked down on Jesus and said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Some of the truest and most sincere people worry themselves unnecessarily because they cannot influence their neighbours more. How many of Noah’s neighbours got saved? He saved himself and his household. If I am not much to God, I am not much to anyone else. I may be full of activity but what am I to God?

The Revised version puts it, “Now thanks be to God which always leads us in triumph.” That would be a triumphal march. It is possible that when Paul wrote this, he had in mind a certain custom the Romans had that when they fought battles with their enemies and captured the leader of their enemies, they brought him back to Rome and they would have a triumphal march through the streets, the king or general they had captured at the top of it, showing, “He is in our possession.”

Paul says, “I was one who persecuted the church. I hated the name of Jesus but He captured me, He conquered me, and He is showing forth to others His victory.” It is one thing to be a slave by compulsion and a different one to be one by love. They glory in it, “That person conquered me by love. He is leading me about now to show to others what He could do.” At the head of the procession, Paul was completely under the control of Jesus.Paul was telling them about one thing that is a great comfort to him now. In this chapter I read from he says, “I wrote to you a letter and I wrote it out of great anguish of heart.” Many of these people were a heartbreak to him. He said in chapter 1:12, “The answer of my conscience is this, ‘that in simplicity and godly sincerity I preached amongst you.’” In other words, “I did not try to impress my personality on you.” When God’s servants leave out this, there is the possibility of people getting saved.

There is the danger that I would preach to unsaved people and make it clear to their head and so the faith would stand in the wisdom of men. There was nothing of Christ living in their heart that had the manifestation of Christ. All my plans are not made after the flesh, they are made in Christ. Paul says, “My only ambition was to get you taken up with Christ and Him only. It is proof that you are carnal when some say, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos.’ ” Paul could say, “I know I am a savour of death unto death to those that perish, a savour of life unto life to those who are getting saved.”

Ephesians 1:9-23, “And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be a partaker thereof with you.” I suppose the people who are most unhappy are those that are doing most for their own sake. There is even an amount of human blessing for doing something for others. To Paul the greatest joy of his life was the love of the Gospel. When you would be in doubt about what you should do, just ask the Lord about what is best for the Gospel’s sake.

In the eighth and ninth chapters, we see some of the things Paul was doing for the Gospel’s sake. Perhaps these Corinthians were a bit more heady than hearty. There was a contrast between them and the Philippians. With the latter, God had begun to do a work in their hearts. The Corinthians wanted to get the theory make a great speech. Paul says, “I will not measure you by your speech but by the power.” That is power to get the victory over my own human nature over things I was born with that would make me destroy the Gospel. Power makes people different from what they would be naturally.

There was a controversial question to those Corinthians about whether or not they should eat meat. The heathen had a custom when killing an animal, to offer it to one of their gods. Some of the Corinthians had been brought up that way and they thought, “If we eat that meat as we used to, will we be doing as we once did?” It is not hard to start strife. Some were Jews and some Gentiles. The Jew, he ate the meat, but it caused the Gentile to stumble. Paul said that to eat meat would not affect him the least because to him the idol was nothing but a piece of stick but he said that he could see how these others brought up differently from him could stumble at it. But Paul said, “I will not eat that meat because of causing my Brother or Sister to stumble.”

It is easier to do some things than to give up our own will, and to follow the things that make for peace, it calls for dying, killing the self-will. There is a quotation, “It takes a heap of living to make a home.” But it takes a heap of dying to keep peace in the home and in the little church. We can bring in strife and confusion into the little church, but woe betide the one that does it. God pity the person that brings in strife. “Death working in me that I might work in you.” The success of my life won’t be the fine sermons I could preach, but how much of death I have let work in me. For a piece of that meat, you would offend or cause to stumble the Brother for whom Christ died.

Paul writing to the Ephesians said, “You be careful about these sheep. I know men will rise up who are not putting to death the things in them. Because it is the church of God and He gave His own blood for it.” As I have looked at my Brothers and Sisters, we may not be all we ought to be, but we can all say, “Christ died for me.”One of the things that brought terrible persecution to the early Christians was because they would insist on saying that there is only one God. I Corinthians 8:5, “For there is no other God but one, though there be that are called gods (as by gods many and lords many).” Verse 6, “But to us there is but one God.” The emperor in those days put the title on his coins that he was lord and saviour and Paul was courageous enough to come out and say there is but one God, even though they would take his head off for it. These early Christians lost their jobs if they worked for the government but they would still maintain that there was only one God.

There is a way in which we could err if we just have the theory in our hand but not the Christ in our heart. Chapter 9:14, “They that preach the gospel, should live of the gospel.” That is God’s way of helping them to keep right, and it does not fail. We know what the Gospel produces, as Paul said, “When I came amongst you, I could have taken for my needs but I didn’t do it.” Why? It was for the Gospel’s sake. “For the Gospel’s sake I denied myself.” “I am all things to all men. When I am among the Jews I keep the Jewish law. I am made all things to all men that by any means I may save some. I want nothing out of it for myself.”

In the last verse of the tenth chapter Paul says, “Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all unto the glory of God …. giving none offence either to the Jews or to the Gentiles …. even as I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved…” Paul was trying to win them saying, “I am telling you what to do in your homes, that you will be controlled with the same spirit that controls me. Give no offence to the Jews, to the Gentiles or to the church of God.”

Two truths are very clear in my mind. One is that the greatest compensation, the greatest rewards in eternity will come by the sacrifice we make for the Gospel’s sake. There is nothing that will bring greater compensation. The reward even before you get to Heaven will be, “What did I do for the Gospel’s sake?” It is a labour of love. And the most awful punishment before you even get into eternity at all, would be if you cared nothing that you brought in bad feeling, strife and things like that. If I am right I don’t need anyone to fight for me. How much does the Gospel grip our hearts? This love moves us, constrains us, keeps us from hindering others. Would it not be a terrible testimony that wherever you went, you were doing evil?

I have been meditating on the words Jesus spoke to His disciples. It is not that we would forget them but that this human nature of ours does not take so kindly to the words Jesus spoke. If we would let our human nature take control, we would gradually drift away from those words. I like to examine my own heart and see if the truths that Jesus spoke so many years ago still appeal to me today. Have they the same affect, the same power over me today? Although we grow older, we still need a lot of the same kind of food we needed as babies. We hardly ever get away from liking the same kind of food we had as children. I would never like to get away from an appetite for the spiritual food.

Luke 14, this is the chapter that tells us the principles of discipleship, the conditions we fulfill to be disciples. Those apostles, they first became disciples. The word ‘disciple’ just means, “I am listening to a teacher.” Then they went on to be apostles. All that became true disciples were married to the bride. It tells us about Jesus being invited to the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees. He must have made quite a feast and brought in some of his friends. The Pharisees’ ideas and teaching were opposite to those of Jesus, but there were some very good Pharisees. Some were better than their creed, some not as good as their creed.

Where would you get a better man than Paul? “I served God in all good conscience… I was persecuting the church of God but I was doing it zealously.” There was also the Pharisee Nicodemus. He came and identified himself with Jesus after Jesus’ death. Some Pharisees showed a good deal of the right thing.

It is a wonderful thing to have Jesus come in and have a meal with you. Jesus was just a carpenter so it meant much for that ruler to bring Him into the house. Jesus was so honest, and when He came into any company, He was very observant. He was so honest and He spoke about what He saw even when that may have been embarrassing. The first thing that happened in that house was that he saw the man with dropsy and he healed him. The second thing he noticed was that they were all struggling to see who would get the chief seat. We have not much evidence that Jesus had any cut and dried sermons to speak to people. When you find Jesus speaking, it says, “He opened His mouth.” He was Truth. If you and I have truth in our hearts, it will not be hard for us to speak the truth. If you have the thing inside you, you only need to give it opportunity and it comes out.

Jesus told them, “When you are invited to any feast or wedding, don’t rush to get the chief seat. It is wiser to take the low seat first and if the man in charge tells you to take a higher seat, you take it.” After He spoke this, He stated a great truth. “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” That is one of God’s great, eternal laws. As we sow, so shall we reap. Everyone that exalts himself shall be brought down. It begins with that thought. When you read through the Bible, you will see people that exalted themselves. You read the end of Absalom and of Adonijah who both thought, “I am the man for it.” Adonijah starts planning and scheming and he got this poor fellow Joab to take his side. Joab was jealous and God brought that out before his end.

There is nothing hidden but what it will come out; you can pretend, but it will come out; there is nothing secret, but it will be revealed. That is the awful danger of giving place to anything contrary to His will. If you see someone who has been your enemy, suffer, and you rejoice, you had better not, for God sees your heart. The thing that is inside us is bound to come out. Sometimes Joab was more right than David but it worked round till he took the wrong side. He made Adonijah king, got them all on his side, and made a big feast, but look how it ended.

God had made another man king, even Solomon. Solomon said of Adonijah, “Let him come down and show himself a man.” How could you show yourself a man if you are not a man? He had not the qualifications of a man; he was wire-pulling, getting this one and that one on his side. He got Solomon’s mother to plead for him. People with the right thing in them, they don’t need to seek the office, the office seeks the man. Those seeking place, they are the ones who won’t get it. It will go to the ones with a consciousness in themselves of their own unfitness. Is that not true of every man that God honoured?

In the world in late years, we have seen men exalt themselves. We have sometimes been foolish enough to be a little envious of those who have exalted themselves. God sees about the bringing down. It is not your business or mine. God moves, He is not in a hurry, and He gives them time to make manifest what they are. Hezekiah was one of the best kings of Judah. After God had done so much for him, Hezekiah exalted himself. He didn’t render unto God. A show-off is a terrible thing. We all desire to show off. Have you ever watched a peacock showing off its feathers? Poor Hezekiah showed off to the Babylonians. If we have ever lived in countries where there are little snakes (none in where this Convention was taking place), we would know we could get snake’s poison into our veins and it is death. We should be just as anxious not to get poison into our minds and get exalted. “Pride goeth before destruction, and before honour is humility.”

If we believe this Bible, I can tell what my future will be. If I am exalted and filled with pride, ahead of me is dishonour. A haughty spirit goes before a fall. If I know myself well enough, I can tell what is ahead of me. Humility leads to honour. “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” There is nothing that is going to benefit you and me unless it comes from God. If I had power to give you favour, it would only be a curse to you if God would not sign it.

Jesus was very wise. When they would have made Him a king, He got away and hid Himself. He would not let people fuss over Him. Sometimes God humbles us and sometimes He expects us to humble ourselves. I would rather stand before the world and say, “If there have been failures amongst us, it is not because God’s way and truth are not right; it is because of myself.” It is because I have two natures and I let the human control me too much.

Jesus spoke about these people and He says, “They don’t want the honour that comes from God. They don’t come to the light because their deeds are not wrought in God.” How much of my deeds have been wrought in God? How much have I been controlled by the love and fear of God? He measures every inmost thought. When you make a feast, you call in people that could not give you anything. What recompense at the resurrection will this bring to me? Jesus taught that you can be doing things now and you will get nothing back but you will be recompensed at the judgement where the best thing to hear will be, “Well done. I watched your every battle, your every choice. Well done.” “You made straight paths for their feet and you didn’t turn anyone away.”

It would be a wonderful thing to meet someone over there who could say, “You helped me to be here.” There will be the resurrection of the just. When Paul preached at Athens about the resurrection, they mocked him. Paul lived all his life keeping that before him. We will answer for the deeds done in the body.

At the end of this chapter it speaks about the discipleship. Verse 25, “Hating father, mother, sister, brother and his own life …. taking up their cross and following Me.” They look hard words. How am I going to hate those near to me? Jesus never meant us to hate anyone, even our worst enemy. It was an expression that means, “Unless you love Me more than you love them….” You cannot have dual loyalty. God did not make this human heart of ours that two could have a place in it. Someone has to be on top. One of the things that there is to break up a human marriage is not to put things in their right place. Love solves all problems, even human problems. We need to be keeping Him first. Your own nature can be worse than that of your friends. “Don’t go back and say goodbye to your friends at all.” “No man putting his hand to the plough and turning back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Some try to interpret this as someone going out to preach and for some reason or other, being not able to continue. There is nothing to be ashamed of in that. But when you are thinking of your friends behind you, you are not ploughing a straight score (furrow). You have got to keep the one thing before you.

“He that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be My disciple.” You have not to say, “It belongs to me.” “Salt is good but if the salt hath lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted.” You might be like salt. The reason why there could be trouble amongst God’s children it is the lack of salt. Salt shows you are dying to self.

When we think about being stewards, there is not much difference between steward and servant. He is one to whom the owner of the place has committed all. In the tenth chapter, we read about the unjust steward. “Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” Within the last year or two, I have read these verses many a time. There are things that are only human and earthly and we can use them that we might make friends in Heaven. People that use their home, the material things they have, they will have friends when these things fail and they go into the next world. Use it now and you will be making friends that will receive you.

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much.” “If you have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, how shall ye be faithful in that which is your own.” All these are things which look much to the world are least, and if I am not faithful in using them, who would give you the true riches? When we went out to preach we knew this truth, that I have got to fulfill certain conditions. I have to give away all I have, all material things, and then He will give us the true riches. I am only a steward. Suppose I could get a lot of power over people because I had a lot of money to give, and supposing I had lost it, then I would not be any more use. If you and I get power over others because of Christ being in us, because of qualities in us, that will last for all eternity.

In the twelfth chapter, it speaks of attempts in another sense. Verse 40, “Be ye also ready… who is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall make ruler of his household to give them their portion of meat in due season… blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” Chapter 18 speaks of how we are judged by what we do, how we use the material things and chapter 12 deals with how we use the spiritual things. The Lord does not ask us to worry about His business. He is taking care of it. That is His business.

We hear some say, “What will we do when all the older ones are gone?” We are only responsible for the present. ‘Servant’ suggests a bond-servant or a slave. There may be one he trusts more than another, a trusted slave. The boss tells him, “Go down and tell those other slaves I want them to work in this field today.” Suppose they turn on him and say, “We will not do it.” He does not need to worry. The only worry he has is, “I went down there and told them exactly what the master told me. I told them in the way you told me to tell them.” I am concerned that I tell my other fellow slaves exactly as God asks me to tell them. I tell it in the tones my Master wants me to tell it, with grace. One way that will help us to have grace is to keep in our mind our own weakness and what we are ourselves. I won’t talk rough to my Brothers and Sisters when I know what I am myself.

Every priest that offered the sin offering had to offer for himself. The priest did not get as much out of the sin offering as when it was a free-will offering. The priest would not say, “Why are you here with a sin offering? You are always making some mistake.” Do you know what would hinder the priest from saying that? He would remind himself, “Only yesterday I had to offer one for myself.” If we keep in mind, “I am just a servant,” it will save us from a great deal of worry. If a man had a servant or steward and he is putting on airs as if he owned the place, he would give him a shake-down.

That is what God has to give us sometimes. Our Father owns it and our Father’s business is never going to go bankrupt. God’s business is so strong, God’s way is so sure it can live and survive in spite of the wounds it receives from some of us on earth. The only thing that would convince me otherwise is if someone would tell me God has left His throne. As long as God is on the throne and we realise, “I am only a servant, a slave, a steward,” I can consult my Master, I am just concerned about a part He has asked me to do.

“Blessed is that servant when his master returns he shall find him so doing.” When He finds him on the job He will set him over the whole. It will mean more responsibility. But there is the possibility that that servant will say, “My Lord delays his coming.” It might seem that this is getting to be a long time and, “I am getting very tired of it.” Many can do things and do them well for a while, but it is the length that is going to count. It may be that people don’t appreciate the strain it is on a servant of God. Moses said, “If it is always going to be like this, with these people grumbling, it will kill me.” Elijah said, “Let me die. I can stand it no longer.”

You might be helping someone to get this bad thought in their mind. Instead of feeding them, the steward begins to beat them. The Lord will come when he is not expecting it. He will cut him off and give him his portion. Then, the one who had the greatest responsibility will have the greatest defeat. But we do not need to be defeated. Paul didn’t get like that. Peter and John didn’t get like that. There is no reason why we cannot get the victory and be what He wants us to be.

These chapters warn me against any exalted thoughts about myself. They warn me about doing things to get a present reward and warn me against anything that would hinder me from keeping Jesus first. I want to be honest in material things committed to me here in the harvest field because if I keep it for myself, I will not get the true riches of being a faithful, true servant.

Luke 22:1-21. Today has been celebrated throughout the world as the day Christ arose. Many people in the world do not know why we meet to worship on the first day of the week. There is absolutely no connection between the old Sabbath and the first day of the week. There is a connection between the old Passover (Exodus 12) and breaking of bread.

The last night the children of Israel spent in Egypt was memorial. They were to take a lamb and keep it for 4 days, then were to kill it and put the blood on the doorposts. The lamb was to be roasted and eaten — all of it. If it was too much for those in one house, they were to invite someone else. None was to be left and none carried out of the house. The Passover was always to be observed in the home. The death angel was to pass over where the blood was on the door Post. One had to be in the home to partake of the lamb. Jesus died in Calvary. He is our Passover, that the death angel might pass over us.

The Passover lamb was eaten with bitter herbs. We must eat the bitter with the sweet, but we must partake of all the lamb, with the head and the appurtenance. The reason why the N.T. Christian keeps the 1st day of the week is because Jesus instituted it. The disciples asked Jesus where shall we prepare the Passover? Jesus had no home of His own, but had already made preparation for the feast in a home.

In answer to their Question (Luke 22:9-14) Jesus said “When ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water, follow him into the house….and say to the good man of the house, where is the guest chamber…, and he shall show you a large upper room furnished. There make ready. And when the hour was come, He sat down with the 12.” It was probably on a Wednesday when this took place. Someone has said that “the water in the pitcher” was the water Jesus used to wash the disciples’ feet.

And He took the cup and gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves.” And He took bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying, “This is my body which is given for you, this do in remembrance of me.” (Thus changing the lamb to bread and wine.)

Jesus was in the grave 3 days and 3 nights. Late on the first day of the week, as 2 of His disciples were returning home to Emmaus, Jesus appeared to them and reasoned with them from the scriptures, and as they drew near the village where they were going, He made as thought He would have gone farther, but they constrained Him saying, “Abide with us for the day is far spent.” And He went in to tarry with them. And as He sat at meat with them, He took bread and blessed it and brake and gave to them, thus instituting the breaking of bread. And their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight. And they arose the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the 11 gathered together and told what things were done and how He was known in breaking of bread.

Christians gathered on the first day of the week to break bread, always in the home to remember Calvary. We are grateful He arose. Catholics did not change the day as some believe. It was not a written law. Preaching the gospel and breaking bread are two different things and true from the day the children of Israel left Egypt. Never was a Passover observed in the temple or synagogue. Jesus started the breaking of bread in the home and it has always been kept.

Romans 16:3, 5….”Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Jesus Christ. Likewise greet the church which is in their house.” The word “church” is mentioned 112 times in the N.T. and never once does it mean a building. Buildings cannot greet or salute. See also 1 Corinthians 16:19 and Colossians 4:15 and Philemon 2.

“Because the church was in infancy” or “because they were too poor” to build churches are false reasons for meeting in homes. Acts 2:41 tells us there were 3,000 souls saved in one day and they broke bread from house to house. There will always be enough homes to meet in and there is no such thing found in the N.T. as hiring a man to preach and pray for them. All who named His name had a part in the fellowship meeting on the 1st day of the week. All were to partake of the body of Christ. All to have a part in searching the scriptures and praying, not to be left entirely to preachers.

There is no connection between the O.T. Sabbath and the N.T. first day of the week. There is a connection between the Passover and the breaking of bread. There is no mention of any scheme to erect buildings to worship in. The 3 buildings God is interested in were Noah’s Ark, the tabernacle and the temple in O.T. days and since the resurrection = our bodies. Today our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Jews never had a synagogue until they returned from the Babylonian captivity. They copied from the Babylonians. Now there are preachers who will not preach without pay.

Perhaps this evening, we could spend a little time talking about some of the work in the Far East. I don’t think the time would be wasted in speaking about this thing tonight because it should be in all our interest to know how God’s work is carried on in some of those other lands. We have often been asked what caused us to want to go to Korea. That is a question that is difficult to answer. Quite a number of years before I went out to Korea, the thought was in my heart and if I had any doubts whether it was of God or not, those doubts have been banished since I have returned to this country. The reason I feel now more than ever before that God laid it on my heart is because I have a greater desire to go now than before I knew the country the people and the language but I have a deeper desire now than in the beginning.

When we decided to go to Korea, we were given two opportunities to study the language. One at the University of California or we could go to Hawaii. We chose to go to Hawaii because there were seven or eight thousand Korean people in Hawaii. We felt it would be better to go where we could talk to and be among those people.

Shortly after we landed in Hawaii, we began looking for a teacher. I visited a church. Was told there was an old lady that spoke English very fluently and we went in see her. She said, “No, l am too busy. Come in anyway, I would like to talk about your faith.” We went in and Don Garland and I gave her a little bit of our testimony. While we were in talking to her about the things we believed, her heart had become deeply interested in that thing. She had been bitterly disappointed in the Methodist church.

We sat around her table every day for about a year and three months and the only text book we had was the Bible because Korea for forty years was dominated by Japanese and they were trying to stamp out the Korean language. They did not allow any books to be printed in Korean. If any Korean was found speaking the Korean language, he was flogged unmercifully.

We had a New Testament that we studied out of. The Korean language is very easy to learn to read and write; to learn to speak the language takes a long time. About five years before one can have much liberty speaking the language. We studied the Bible chapter by chapter. The first month we could only take a few verses a day because it was so difficult. Soon we were able to take a chapter a day. We studied all the New Testament in the Korean Bible.

After about a year and three months, we were given a permit to enter Korea. We spent six days in Japan then had to take an airplane in to Korea because there were no ships. The day we landed was in August; it was very warm. That was one of the loneliest days I ever spent. We were total strangers. It is not a very nice thing to land in this country a stranger but even worse when you don’t even know the language.

We handed them our passports. I handed mine first. He asked me if I were Mr. Denio. He said there was a man here asking for us a couple of days ago. You can imagine my surprise. I learned that while I was in Hawaii about a month before, I had gone to a Korean church and while I was there, I met a man that was traveling from America to Korea and he spoke English fluently. He was a Korean. He said, “Look me up when you get to Korea.” I had forgotten but he hadn’t. He knew the exact date of our sailing and he was looking for us. That man befriended us many times. We feel we owe him a great deal. He advised these men to send us to a hotel in the center of Seoul. We got two rooms and had to stay there for eleven days while we looked for a place to stay. It is a city of one and half million people.

The second day, we were out walking and we met a young man that spoke good English. He said, “Would you care if I came to your room and you would tell me a little of the way of God?” That was the beginning of almost a continual string of young men and women coming to our room to talk about God. We learned later that we were the first missionaries that had opened their homes to the Korean people to come in. Most missionaries live in compounds with walls around where no Korean man or woman can enter without a permit.

Through these contacts, we discovered a man in the city that wanted us to come live with them. We moved over with this family and the first night we stayed there we met a young man about 25. He said, ” Would you have a little Bible study with us?” These people were Buddhists. There were about eight or nine there that night and we spoke about the Bible and the way of God. We will never forget how intently and eagerly they listened. Then we decided to have one every night for three months.

After three months, we had to leave due to circumstances they had to sell their home. They had become interested and were very anxious for us to find a place where they could go to meetings with us. We found that some of their relatives were anxious to have us come live with them. These rooms were too small for meetings so these young men tried to find a place that was big enough. They found a classroom in a girls’ high school. We started meetings in English.

From that time until we finished, about nine months later, we had an average crowd of fifty or sixty every time we had a meeting. Some of these young men and women just a week before we had to flee that city said, “We believe the things you are talking about are the truth of God and we would like to become one in this fellowship.”

Little did we know in a few days, we would be scattered to the four winds. The day the war broke out, we were walking home from our meeting and we saw trucks fully equipped for battle. We didn’t know what this was. These men seemed so deadly in earnest. I asked a passer by and he told me about a war breaking out at five that morning. It didn’t trouble us so very much. We went back to our rooms. We had a few visitors that night but the next morning when we got up we could hear the sound of the guns not so very far away. We knew the war had drawn closer in the night.

That evening, we stood on our porch and saw the sky alight in the north with those great shells. When we went to bed that night, we didn’t sleep very well. We got up early and my companion said we better get to the American Embassy. I said, “Let’s go about nine or ten.” He said, “I think we ought to go now.” Just then, one of our Korean friends came in and his face was as white as a sheet. He said, “Are you going to the American Embassy this morning?” And he said, “Please go now.” Then he walked out. We decided we better go now.

When we got out on the street, we understood why this man was troubled. I haven’t seen such confusion and panic. The street was clogged with people fleeing from this great enemy that was marching into the city. We didn’t know it then. We rushed to the Embassy building and when we got there, we found there were ten large American buses loaded with Americans ready to leave in 15 or 20 minutes. We had left the house with nothing, not even our pocket books.

The Americans tried to get us on quickly – we decided to go to our house and back again. My companion started to run. I asked him not to run because I know we could never got back without something to take us. He got lost in the crowd. I wondered if I would ever see him again. I turned and walked to the center of the city – I was struck forcibly by the fact that there were no cars on the street. It occurred to me that the South Korean army had confiscated all automobiles.

There on the street was an American jeep with a Korean driver and another man standing on the street. I asked, “Will you please take me to my house?” “NO. I don’t have time.” I pleaded with the man on the street. He said, “You better take that man to his house.” We drove off and I was looking for my companion but could never see him. We soon got to our house and rushed to pick up what I could. About two weeks before this, I had a feeling that some thing might happen that we might have to leave, quickly so I packed the things I valued most. Then I packed another suitcase with some other things. That day, I packed three suitcases with things I wanted to keep. I don’t know why I felt that way because there was no sign of the communists making a break. I didn’t say anything to my companion because I thought maybe it was just a strange feeling I had. So when I got ready to leave, I had everything ready.

When I was leaving, Don came rushing up and he was almost exhausted. He had run that mile from town. He had lost almost everything. We carried our things down to the jeep. I will never forget that scene around the jeep. Our Korean friends were gathered around weeping. They urged us to go. They knew if the communists caught us, it would be the end. When we got back, every one of the big buses had left and there was a driver only in one bus. He was using the bus just to get himself out of the city. We got into the bus and that was the wildest ride I ever had.

When we got on the highway to the airport, there was a red plane strafing the highway and shooting at buses and cars but he didn’t shoot at us. We got to the airport and they told us we would have to go down into the basement because planes were shooting at the building. Then we were told that General MacArthur was sending seven airplanes to take us out. We would have to go out on the field and take our chances. We lined up in groups of 60. These planes didn’t want to stay long.

The women and children were put in first group. Don and I were in the second. When we had just gotten organized, we saw one of those Red planes coming in. We didn’t know what to do. While we were discussing the matter, we heard strange noises and above were 35 or 40 jet war planes circling the field. I cannot tell you how much comfort that was. One of these jets dropped that Red plane in a paddy field not far from where we were standing. These planes circled the airfield until even plane had left.

There were 61 of us with quite a load of baggage. When ready to take off, they were unable to remove the steady rest from under the tail section of the plane due to the overload, so they asked us to move ahead in the plane that it might be better balanced. I was sitting there watching behind the pilots. We took off and when they turned into the wind, he open the throttles and the plane picked up to flying speed but when he pulled back on his wheels to lift it in the air, it didn’t lift.

He tried to make it go faster and was working his controls to pick it up. It didn’t lift. You can imagine how I was feeling sitting there watching this! Out ahead was a little group of Korean houses. Just maybe 100 feet before we reached the end of the runway, we felt the plane beginning to bounce and just before we got to the end of the runway we became airborne. We weren’t over 20 feet above the houses.

With every one of these planes, there was an escort of five planes that followed us clear to Japan. Our plane was attacked twice on the way to Japan. The jet shot down two of the Red planes on our trip. We were kept 6 or 8 days by the American army and then were delivered into the hands of workers in Japan. These first months were some of the darkest days of my life.

I had spent about two and half years of the hardest study I had ever had and there seemed to be people drawing near to the Kingdom and then we had to leave quickly. I could not understand why. Here we were in a country whose language we couldn’t understand one word. After a few months, we began to feel that there were no circumstances but what one could do something. So we decided to try to have meeting in English. This was something that had never been done before.

We decided to go down to 0saka, a city at four million people. I went first because I knew we would have to stay in a hotel. They are rather expensive. I stayed there three weeks walking the streets every day trying to find a place to live. During the war, there were so many homes that were destroyed that houses were at a premium. After three weeks, I had almost decided that this was not the place for us. I was packing to go to another place when they called me down.

There was a Japanese lady on the phone. I had looked at a room before but when she saw I was an American, she was afraid to let me in. She had never had foreigners in her home before. I rented the place and sent my companion a wire. The first night in that home, I was talking with the young lady in the house and I said, “Would you like to have a little Bible study with us in English?” She said yes she would. She invited a few of her friends. There were four people there besides my companion and myself.

As we talked to them, I’ll never forget the look on the face of one of these women. That woman never missed a night of those meetings for over a year. That was the beginning of the longest series of meetings that I ever conducted. It lasted a year and half. After six months, this woman professed and she was talking to me one day and said, “You will never know what your coming to this city has meant to me. One week before you came here, I was so discouraged that I thought seriously of taking my own life. I had been raised a Buddhist and that had meant nothing to me. The world had been disappointing and I felt I would take my own life. [Which is a very common thing in Japan.] For the first time in my life, I was given a hope for eternity.” With tears, she said, “This thing that I have found has meant so much to me that I want to offer my life for the Lord’s harvest field.”

We told her a little of what it means and she said, “I don’t care what it means. I want to spend the rest of my life telling those things to my country people.” She is looking forward to the time when she can join our ranks. We conducted meetings for a year and a half and after that time, we were able to establish a little church there. There were 10 or 12. That crowd started with four people and increased until our rooms didn’t contain the people who wanted to listen to the Gospel. So we got a larger place and most of those people came over and continued to come to our meetings in the second place and since then, there has been another established in that city. That has been three years ago. We have two little churches there now.

There is one thing that I would like to tell you about our work in that city. When we first came to that city, no workers had ever been there. We didn’t know one person – couldn’t speak the language. The obstacles seemed so great. The Lord opened the door for us and led us to the exact spot in that city where there were a few men and women who could understand English, and had a desire to know the mind and will of God. I feel ashamed of the smallness of my faith when I went to that city.

Another interesting thing about our work there. During the three years that we were in that city, we never invited men and women to come in to our meetings like they do here, going door to door. The reason was because we couldn’t speak Japanese. Every one of the contacts we made were made ~ seemingly by accident. We know, of course, that they were not by accident, but the eye of the Lord leading us to man and woman with honest and upright hearts.

We got on to a train one day and sat down by a woman that was doing some needle work and just to pass the time of day we said to her, in what little Japanese we were able to speak, that her work looked very nice. She answered us in almost perfect English. We talked to her and gave her a little card and said we would like to have her come to our meetings. She didn’t say much.

The next night, that woman was in our meeting. We learned that night that her home was only five minutes walk from the place we were living. You can imagine us meeting that woman in the center of four million people. The next night, she brought a man with her. The next night, she brought a young woman. We found out that those two young people were not her brother and sister as we had thought, but were her children.

For many years, she had passed these people off as her brother and sister to hide a terrible tragedy. She came to our house one day and said, “I must talk with you today.” She began to tell us about her past life and I told her we didn’t want to hear it, “We don’t care what your life has been.” She said, “I cannot enter into fellowship until I tell you all that has taken place in my life.”

She told us one of the saddest stories I have ever heard. As I told her about the love of God, we saw peace come over her face that was never there before. That woman has taken her stand and son and daughter have also taken their stand. A little later, this lady’s old mother made her choice to serve the Lord. Now, one of the churches meets in her home.

All the contacts made in that city were made in exactly the same way. Another example: this first woman that came got on a station platform and noticed the title of book a man was reading was “The Life Of Christ.” She said to the man, “May I speak to you?” This is very unusual for a Japanese woman. She asked this man if he was interested in the life of Jesus. He said, “I am intensely interested.” She gave him our address and that man walked for three hours trying to find our address but couldn’t find it. He started early Sunday evening and walked until he found it. After many months, he took his stand to serve the Lord and now one of the churches meets in his home.

We can see the hand of God leading us here and there through that great city. Our contacts were made as we rode on bus or as we stood in a street. When I got ready to leave those people, all wanted to see me off. I tried to dissuade them because I knew they would have to miss a day’s work. And a day’s work in Japan means a lot to those people. They all took the day off and went 26 miles on the train down to the port.

I found my ship was way out in the bay. I would have to take a launch out to the ship. They insisted on going out to the ship. Due to regulations, they could not board the ship. I went to tell them goodbye and they all began to sing that song, “I Have Made My Choice Forever.” They were trying to show this choice they had made had been forever.

The people over there are the most grateful people I have ever preached the Gospel to. They are all grateful to you here for having sent us over there to tell them the story of Jesus. We here in America don’t appreciate the Gospel as we should. These people’s future was so dark and so little to live for that when the Gospel shines in their lives it makes them the most grateful people. I don’t think there was ever a meeting I sat in but several times in the meeting they didn’t pray for the brothers and sisters in America. I wondered if our brothers and sisters in America pray for the Christians in Japan.

The prayers of their hearts are often that God would keep you in the faith of Christ. Remember that they are the same as you are. There is a little difference in the color and faces but under the skin they are the same as you. An author once said, “The East is the East and the West is the West and never the twain shall meet.” That man didn’t know anything about the power of God I have sat down with the people of the East and have had some of the sweetest fellowship l have ever known.

The question asked of me was, “Was I coming back?” I have just tried to tell you of a little of some of our experience as we tried to sow the Gospel. I can say I love those people just as much as I love you. I am just as willing to give my life for them as I am here in America. Most of you know I plan to go to Korea next year if there is not another war. I can say this, that if I never preach the Gospel in Japan again there will be a part of me that will ever remain in that land. I could gladly spend the rest of my life in Japan if I cannot return to Korea. I hope you will pray that young men and women will lift up their eyes to the harvest field that is white.

Over here, we have seen many things to distract us but these people appreciate and value the Gospel of Christ so much that it is easy to preach the Gospel to them. I do not know if we can return there. It is very difficult to enter that land because we have to have a military permit. In one of my last letters from there, the lady pleaded for us to return as soon as we could. Those young men that came to the meetings have kept in touch with us.

Not one of those people that took such a deep interest were affected by the war, I mean physically. Many lost their goods but their lives were left untouched. Nearly two million Korean casualties in this last war. Another thing, those two families that took us in, their home was left untouched by the bombing. Most of you know that the war swept through that city three times and it was left almost in total ruin. The first home was left untouched. We feel the Lord remembered these people for their kindness in taking us in.

I hope we can go back before too long. I feel that Korea would be a most fruitful country, if ever the door opens for workers to return there. There are several young men and women whose eyes have been lifted up to that little country and they desire to return to the country with us. We feel that there is hope for that country because God is laying it still on the hearts of men and women to go give their lives.

I hope these things will give us a better understanding of the work in these countries. Most all the other workers here have had exactly the same experience. They have been speaking in Japanese. The only drawback was that we could only reach a certain class of people. Only the educated people can speak English. Nearly all that have professed are people that are quite well educated but the other workers touch all classes of people. I hope you will be able to pray a little better for the work and workers in that land.

During the year Dulcie (Gibbs) and I have been reading through the life of David. No wonder the testimony of God of him was, “he is a man after Mine own heart.” This may not have been the opinion of others; but what does it matter what others say? It’s what God says that carries weight. The thing that made David the man he was, was how he spent his time in the wilderness.

We have a saying, “A man is known by what he does when he has nothing to do.” I suppose David had quite a bit of spare time when he was looking after the sheep. During this time, he learned to play on the harp. There are different ways of playing on the harp and, at first Saul was taken with the evil spirit, but as David kept playing, the evil spirit departed. It is a wonderful thing to be able to soften the hardness in another’s heart.

David learned to use a sling and encourage others to do the same. He killed Goliath but, beforehand, he chose five smooth stones. I am not going to say what they were but I think two of them could have been confidence and courage. His confidence in the living God was wonderful. He completely trusted God’s power and only looked at the giant as an enemy of God, an uncircumcised Philistine.

Then he had courage. How many times through God’s word are His people exhorted to have courage? It has been said, “A brave man is one who goes forward despite his fear.” In the wilderness David also killed the lion, the roaring lion in his own life, the human nature that would destroy the lamb or the Christ. We could say David thought more of the lamb than he did of his own life. He also killed the bear or those who would hug us to death and take the place God should have.

At the age of seventeen years, he was anointed king. Surely we can say the preparation of his heart was of the Lord. When God chose David, he said to Samuel, “He who ruleth over men must be just.” If anything could be said of David it is this, that he was just and he truly loved his enemy. He could have killed Saul twice and he did not glory in his death or in the death of Jonathan, but rather he mourned to think the Philistines were given such occasion to boast as to be able to kill God’s anointed. He respected his place and respected his family.

David sinned, as of course we all do, but he knew what true repentance was and after he had allowed the ark to be carried on the new cart the same as the Philistines did and saw Uzziah’s death and the mistakes he made, he turned and sought God’s counsel and had it carried in God’s way by the priests. It speaks of God’s servants handling the Gospel. The epistle of John says, “If any man sin, he has an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” But, “I write unto you that you sin not.”

Many years of toil and tears were worked into David’s life before he came into his own. Even Saul had to admit David was a better man than he was and that the kingdom would be taken from him and given to David. When David was going through some of his worst trials, it was said he behaved himself wiser and wiser; he was molded and fitted for his place. He could have become proud knowing the position he would take but he didn’t, he always leaned the right way but it is important in our youth to be molded. “The youth of today is the father of tomorrow.” For some years he had rest, then his son Absalom dealt so treacherously. Even his beloved son sought to wrench the kingdom out of his hand. David, when he heard Absalom’s plan, simply left Jerusalem. He said, “If I have found favour in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me again and show me both it and His habitation.” As they went, Shemai stoned him but David would not let anything be done to him. I think that is a sad and beautiful picture. David, in his great depth of sorrow, went up Mount Olivet bare-footed and weeping as he went, accompanied by those very loyal men of his who stood by him all through the years. Perhaps why they were so loyal was because David was loyal to them. So much depends on ourselves and what our influence is, whether we would encourage others. His final effort was to prepare Solomon to take over the Kingdom. No wonder he was called, “The sweet psalmist of Israel.” He also came from the tribe of the lion of Judah and would turn back for none. He had the marks of the Lamb of God, willing to be led, and his gentleness and his meekness which were worked into him caused him to say, “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” This mark is seen in God’s faithful all down through the ages.

Psalm 106, David’s father was a Godly example for David. We have the privilege to live so it can make it easy for others to get saved.

The blessing of God makes them feel their need for God’s favor. God only gets a small portion of all that belongs to Him. God is not partial in His favour and giving.

Salvation is a personal thing. David prayed for salvation that he might see the good of his chosen.

Numbers 23 and 24, Jude said, “Woe unto them for they have erred in the error of Balaam.” Peter said Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness. God told John in Revelation 2:14, “There were some in the church at Pergamos who held the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the Children of Israel.” The Children Of Israel were an unfaithful bride to Christ. Joshua called Balaam a soothsayer.

This doctrine can still be in the minds of God’s children. God’s people are often unaware of all the eyes upon them. Verse 9 shows them as dwelling alone, separation unto God. Verse 20, not perverse in Spirit.

God was king among them. Chapter 24: 5 and 2, the home life. Everything in the home was in order. They appeared to outsiders as gardens by the riverside. No withered plants.

Are the fruits of the Spirit all producing? Live alone with God.

Chapter 25, 24,000 were slain because of mixing with the Moabites.

Genesis 5, many names given. They were born, they lived, and they died. But Enoch walked with God and pleased God.

Proverbs 13:7, “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. The ransom of a man’s life are his riches, but the poor heareth not rebuke.”

When wanting to see more of Christ in others, we should pray for more of His Spirit in ourselves.

Philippians 3:10, love of God. Paul wanted them to know that whatever had happened had worked out for the furtherance of the Gospel.

Get to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. Don’t shun the fellowship of His suffering. In order to do this, we must die daily. If we can know the personal touch of Christ upon our lives, we can go on unto perfection.

Jeremiah 1 (backward steps of Children Of Israel), no flesh was to glory in God’s presence. Nice to be conscious of our weakness.

Chapter 2:2, seek to follow Jesus. This brings holiness. The Children of Israel went after vanity. When we hear the gospel, we become a land that is sown and tilled. Keep going after the Son of God. Don’t let other things take away the overcomer’s crown.

Chapter 14:7-10, backslidings because they had not refrained their feet from evil.

Chapter 30, alas for the day is great, it is the time of Jacob’s trouble.

In Chapter 3, even though they backslid, they could return. Easy to walk in the imagination of our heart. Israel and Judah walked together after being yielded to God.

In Colossians 1, it speaks of not holding the Lord as our Head. Then we will have jealousy, etc., but if we have Him for our Head, He guides our feet and heart. God wants to keep us. “How shall I put thee among my children?” Your backslidings may be many. Return to the Lord, take Him as your Head and follow His directions. Paul said, “Live peaceably with all men.”

Isaiah 26, “Other lords beside Me have had dominion over us.”

In Jeremiah 17, old gods were still remembered. Be like Isaiah 26, 1 Corinthians 9:9-27, Galatians 3. Danger of becoming a castaway.

In Chapter 10, God gave many warnings. As others fought, we too can fight and as others fell, we too can fall. In Numbers some lived in the uttermost part of the camp, far away from the tabernacle or place of God’s presence. The mixed multitude fell a lusting because they had a mixed heart. Don’t murmur. The people murmured and built the golden calf. Aaron listened to the people while Moses was listening to the voice of God. If we see a brother or sister going astray, have a fear of God. Levi was chosen as generation or tribe of priest because of the fear wherewith he feared God. They that turn many to righteousness shall be as the stars. The fear of God preserved Joseph when tempted in Egypt. Have the attitude of Phineas and put wrongs to death.

Acts 1, Jude’s last words tell of Jesus able to keep us from falling.

Ephesians, Paul in prison learned how to be content. God was able to teach him. Paul, a prisoner, was brought to Rome and wrote letters. Little he would think those letters would be read and studied by us nearly two thousand years later. When we get too old to preach, write, etc., we can pray. When the books are opened, the record could be there if we pray for others.

Ephesians 3:1, God’s plan.

Verse 5, His method of doing this.

Verse 10: Christ controlling all.

Verses 16-21: Paul’s prayer. The words revelation and mystery used often in this epistle. When God can reveal His will as we read we don’t need the Greek and Hebrew. It is bad to lose our Spiritual eyesight, and let our eyes get dim. Keep the eyes of faith clear. The eyes of the heart look at the things unseen. Don’t look at temporal things. The Laodiceans needed eye-salve. The eyes of faith growing dim is a real danger to any of us. What hope did God have when He called you and I in the Gospel? He wanted to conform us to the image of Christ. We have the hope of his calling. The hope for inheritance.

Verses 11-14, after the flood – God smelled a sweet savour. If our lives are only human, there is no sweet savour. We can’t make excuse of our own human weakness because we are told “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, etc.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 Christ is head of the body which is the church.

In Chapter 2, Paul speaks of the church as a building with Christ the cornerstone.

Chapter 3, Paul bowed his knees to the Father of the family on earth and the other family in Heaven. Hugh McKie, a Worker who died in Africa said in his last word. “I am now going to the other family in Heaven.”

Verse 20, “According to the power which worketh in us.” When God is working things into us, we can work it out. When death comes to you and I we pin our hope on Christ dying on Calvary. If it wasn’t for His death, we would have no hope, but we have to do our part.

Chapter 4. What we can be in the church. There is a great difference between vacation and vocation.

Verses 1 and 2, if we are high-minded, we have the opposite of meekness.

Verse 30, “Grieve not the holy spirit of God.” It is good to have a sensitive nature. The Holy Spirit is a very sensitive guest. In Romans 8 three spirits are mentioned: human, spirit of Christ, and Holy Spirit. The verses preceding, show how we could grieve the Spirit, also verses 31 and 32. God wants to share the house with other who have these marks in these chapters. If God can use us to help someone to have better feelings towards others, our lives need not be in vain.

Hymns 256, 144, 195

Words Jesus spoke to His disciples: Luke 12, all that’s in the Bible came from God.

Fifty-four years ago, I launched out in God’s harvest field. Don’t forget it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. There are many warnings of things that would hinder us from getting it.

Three things would keep you out. Verse l, beware. The past is not like a picture on a screen showing all past sins if we have been forgiven. We can’t continue in sin. Beware against living a double life. People today are vaccinated with a mild form of Christianity that makes them immune to the real thing or Gospel. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees for they say and do not.

Jesus did and then said. There is a danger of only getting truth in their heads and not in their hearts. We are convicted before we are convinced to yield to God. Wrong things in our hearts makes us hypocrites. We can be only hypocrites if we haven’t Christ inside. Sincerity is the opposite of hypocrisy. God is willing to be patient with our stupidity. Don’t aim for gloss of art in our actions but have sincerity and truth. An awful thing to be covering hatred with lying lips or words.

Verse 11, be not afraid of man. Don’t speak against the Holy Spirit.

Verse 15, a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth. The rich man felt he was boss of his own life. Good thing to write or say, “God will” when we make plans. There were a lot of poor people in that day, but the rich man lived only for self with no treasure in Heaven. The poor in God’s world can be rich in faith. It is one thing to believe God will provide, but another thing to believe when God asks them to give and do what God asks them to do. Abraham wasn’t so sure or strong on the receiving side, as he was on the giving side. “How about my account in Heaven?” is a good question to ask ourselves often.

Verse 36, servants, rich in faith, love, etc. Paul also speaks of himself as a steward. Those who keep on well doing will hear “Well done.” What we say in our hearts is important. Servants often get discouraged. Moses and Elijah are examples. Be more prayerful for them. It’s not the hardness of the Way, but the length.

Verses 49-51, God doesn’t promise peace in the home but in the heart if right with God. Get trouble between you and God stopped at beginning.

Frank Stevens – Controlled by God

Almonte Convention, Ontario, Canada – Saturday Afternoon, July 1953

Ezekiel 1. Ezekiel was given a vision of creatures who were alive, but entirely controlled by God. There was a great difference between them and the Children of Israel in chapter 2. God wanted Ezekiel to see the God above the messengers. They had four wings and four faces. They turned not when they went and as God told Moses to tell the Children of Israel at the Red Sea, these creatures went forward.

We should cooperate with God’s servants who work with God. Ephraim turned back in the day of battle. Jesus, at twelve, was about His Father’s business. Later He said, “I must work the work of Him who sent me” and continued doing this even to the end of His life. We need the face of a lion at times and the ox nature to keep plodding on and the eagle to rise above the difficulties.

Jeroboam introduced two golden calves and turned many from God’s way. The young prophet turned back when the old prophet lied to him and was slain. Get to know what the Spirit would have us to do. “A desire accomplished is sweet to the heart.” Proverbs.

“With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you.” Jesus said in verse 13. They were like burning coals of fire. John the Baptist was a burning and shining light. They were bound together. Paul said in Hebrews 13, “Remember them which are in bonds as bound with them.” Jesus felt thus to the thief on the cross. His heart was going out to others. He was the Light of the World. Let our lights shine by loving one another with a pure heart fervently.

Verse 15, one wheel was upon the earth. We have one human nature. The wheel in the middle of a wheel is the will of God. We need to be full of eyes and watch our life’s influence.

Verses: 10-21, before we got saved, we didn’t do the will of God. Our human nature, like fire is a good servant when under control of the Holy Spirit. When they stood they let down their wings and listened to the King above. Ezekiel saw His likeness. God still sits on His throne. We are a part of this kingdom. “We receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved.”

The rainbow always reminds us God’s promises are true. Our God is a consuming fire. Gold, etc. mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1 and 2, 1 Thessalonians 1 and 2; James, chapters 3 and 4. Like hay, Luke 18.

Self righteous. Abel sacrificed more excellent than Cain’s. No love of God in his sacrifice.

In Chapter 2:8, rebellion makes lamentation; mourning and woe.

Chapter 3, eat this roll. In his mouth, it was sweet.

Hymns 255, 41

Paul wrote to Timothy to “exercise thyself.” It is best to exercise a crippled member of the body even though it hurts. So it is spiritually. “Exercise thyself unto godliness.”

There is godly fear, godly sorrow, godly jealousy. The ungodly is cruel as the grave. Godly jealousy moves us to put forth every effort to become more like Christ. Good counsel or advice.

Exercise our senses hearing, eyes to see godly things, tongue to speak godly messages, all trained by God. Keep your vision clear so we can see the dangers. Keep your sense of smell clear and keen.

Mary knew what would make a sweet savour as she sat at Jesus’ feet. Have love and zeal to consume our sacrifice. Very sad when our sense of taste is lost, because of disease working within. No desire to read, pray, etc.

Hymn 283

I remember when I was about 5 years old, there was a lady that lived in one of the great mansions that are so common in County Meath. She was the mother of my father’s employer, a religious lady, and she asked my parents for their consent to her coming down to our place and give some instruction of the Scriptures to us children. She seemed to be greatly taken with me and gave me a very handsome Bible. On the fly leaf she wrote my name and a verse (John 5:39) I never forgot that kindness or that verse, but she did not understand it fully, and as many others do, she took a wrong meaning out of it. 

Although we are indebted to holy men of old who spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance, the Bible is largely a dead book unless in the hands of the Lord’s servants and people. The Lord seems to need not only the Scriptures, but also living witnesses, so that if all the Bibles were destroyed, as they were at one time, there should remain in our hearts the Holy Spirit’s power, guidance and instruction, so that there may be a witness in the world, that His Way may be known in the earth, and His saving health to all nations. 

This does not minimise the treasure that we have in the Bible these days but is rather a proof that it is the message of God for the people. John 5:39 reads thus: “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me, and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Undoubtedly this lady had in mind that in searching the Scriptures she might come to a knowledge of God and eternal life. If we look at the revised version, it is rather a rebuke to tradition-filled men like the Pharisees who knew every line, comma, and full stop, of the law of Moses. Yet they were those who had the bitterest hatred or the Saviour, and who committed the greatest sin that humanity can be guilty of in not coming unto Him that they might have life. This is the great sin that brings men to perdition and to a lost eternity. So we gather from this that the principal thing is not only to be acquainted with the Scriptures, but to follow the guidance of the Scriptures and to seek the end and purpose of God; that is, coming unto Him to receive life. All religion that does not end there, or really begins there, is only a deception of the Devil to keep men from life eternal.

“This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” So today our great treasure is Christ, Our riches eternal, that goes on increasing in the knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. This was the principal teaching of Jesus, that His own might abide in the true vine and that they might bring forth much fruit. . . his led me to think of the things in the world that we are surrounded by, that ought to bring us to Christ, ought to force upon us a thoughtfulness and a conviction that would cause us to search and be instructed, that light may come upon our darkness; thoughtfulness about our nature will force us to the conclusion that this human life is not all, and that eating, sleeping, working, worrying, carefulness and absorption in earthly things could not be the end and purpose of God in creating and bringing us into this state in which we find ourselves. So Scripture, creation, and our need, should bring us to Christ. 

We read in Galatians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. We marvel as we read the Old Testament, especially the law of Moses, at all the intricate instructions given to the people of Israel for the worship of God. We marvel at their disobedience, and how clearly it is demonstrated, that as time went on, instead of keeping the law they became worse and worse. If there had been a law that could have given life, God would have given it. He gave the law so that it could be proved through all time and eternity that men after the flesh cannot see the Kingdom of God, however well provided for and however well protected by rules and ways of worship, the law itself failed utterly to do for men what men would naturally desire—security and peace, here and hereafter. 

Undoubtedly many of those holy men saw in types and shadow the true meaning and message, but Israel as a whole failed utterly and were prone to idolatry, and to every deception and wickedness that the human heart could conceive. They wandered in darkness, being led by their own thoughts and conceptions, and were found in a wilderness of doubt and fear with nothing to sustain or comfort or deliver. We see then the state they had come to, in the New Testament. 

In Scribe and Pharisee and their reverence and idolatry of the Scriptures, when standing in their midst rejected, was the Son of God, the Deliverer, the Christ promised to them; “He came unto His own and His own received Him not.” The light shown in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not, We can wonder if we will, that so much of the Bible is taken up with those minute instructions, little regard to worship and ceremony given to Israel.

When we have a proper understanding, we see the meaning of it all, these instructions for worship, and he thoroughly understood that this wasn’t the end, but the means by which to show them the hopelessness of their human nature and their natural bent towards evil, thus forcing them to come to the source of life eternal, in Him who wanted to be their Savior, nothing is of value without life–any dead thing is repugnant to us. Life in its fulness is vigour; its movement, its power is what attracts us, and above all life eternal. The Christ life in the soul, is what attracts and blesses men, as they see its evidence in the daily life. 

So this law of God is one of the things that brings us to Christ. The law which tells us what we should be and what we ought to be, but gives us no power but forces the soul to come to Christ for salvation and life. NATURE IS INTENDED BY GOD TO BRING US TO CHRIST. We look upon this world in which we live and are amazed at its various scenes, and all the life which is so much in evidence everywhere. This lesson we have in Ps. 19. “The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth His handiwork.” Who can look up into the Heavens and not wonder? The wise men spent their whole time looking up to the stars and endeavoring to read the message of the Heavens. At last they discovered some significance that led them to Bethlehem and the manger. We do not know what spiritual promptings they had, but they followed the guidance of the Heavens to come to Christ.

In Heb. 1:10 we read “Thou Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth; and the Heavens are the work of thy hands.” Here the inspired writer points to the message of the earth and the Heavens to men; the wonder of the eclipsed moon which took place this week should have born its message of the Creator’s power and Godhead. Men with the endowments God has given them of skill and brains had calculated to a moment when the eclipse would take place. 

They knew to the second when it would begin and pass away, so that vast machinery of the Heavens which seems so wonderful to look at and which puzzles so many and which men look into and try to pierce, with all their God-endowed faculties runs so accurately to the part of a second, that nothing happens, and no calamity takes place, the Heavens continually say to our hearts GOD IS. God is the Director of this vast machinery, so wonderful, what will happen to them? What is their end? The writer to the Hebrews says, “They shell perish; but thou remainest.” 

Do we really see the beauty of that song that we sometimes sing that says, “Thou remainest.” Millions of years may pass, but thou remainest and thy years shall not fail, they all shall wax old as a garment, and as a vesture thou shalt fold them up, and they shall be changed but thou art the SAME and thy years shall not fail. So the Heavens declare the glory of God and are intended to be the message to bring us to Christ.

Then we have the message of the earth. In the first chapter of the Bible, we have the beginning of things for our instruction, that they might bring us to Christ. (Gen, 1:24, 28.) “And God said, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, and cattle after their kind, end everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind; and God saw that it was good. 

I don’t know if you have wondered sometimes at the marvel of what there is in the soil; take a handful and it is teeming with bacteria and creeping things of one kind and another. Little things busy in the earth, moving, all with their work to do. We don’t know what their usefulness may be, but they are God-created. There is a vast difference between the various forms of life; cattle and creeping things are separated by a gulf impossible to cross. “Cattle” embraces four-legged animals, clean and unclean, and they are distinct in their families, after their kind, from insets and creeping things and other varieties of nature. All has come about by the miraculous word that God spoke, “Let the earth bring forth.” From that seemingly useless bit of earth containing less than a hundred elements in themselves so dead and cold, everything has spring. But if left alone, it is without life, without movement, without evidence that it would ever come to any usefulness.

God said, “Let the earth bring forth” and it was so; the wonder of the earth, the wonder of the sea, ought to bring us to Christ. (Gen. 1:20.) “And God said let the waters bring forth abundantly by the moving creature that bath life and fowl that they may fly above the earth in the open firmament of Heaven. You can take a pail of water from the sea and myriads of living creatures are found therein. Life in all its abundance and variety fills the great deep, from the whale to the most insignificant little shellfish, all distinct and separate after its kind, all fulfilling the wise purpose of the Creator which we are at a loss sometimes to understand, but which we acknowledge to be His handiwork. Well then, the supreme wonder that ought to fill our hearts with reverence and which used to occupy a great place in my mind IS FOUND IN OURSELVES (Gen. 1:26) “And God said, let us make man in our own image and after our likeness.”

This also is referred to in Heb. 2:6. This wonderful book of Hebrews that is such a vindication of the Old Testament and in which we can always find something to explain what is a puzzle to us in the Old Testament. Well, who can look upon the handiwork of God in its supreme power as we find it, in evidence in ourselves, even in the natural man, after the flesh, and say, “There is no God.” Verily only the fool. Separate and distinct from all we have spoken about, made in the image and likeness of God, with intellect, reason, power of will and with physical frame really stronger than most animals, verily in the image of God. Well may we ask, “What is man that thou art mindful of him?” Why hast thou thoughts toward him of good will, of friendship and of love? We see him at his worst sometimes, yet that creature so debased, has powers God endowed, when if directed in another direction would bring happiness and peace. They have sought after their own works, they have decried their Creator, they will not come unto Him that they might have life. 

Nevertheless there is a three-fold power in us—body, soul and spirit—a trinity that is Godlike; the body is to function that the soul may be given the opportunity to express itself, and the spirit within the inner temple of the heart, where the real man is found; he may be a wicked man, or devil possessed, but nevertheless made in the image of God, and he is endowed with body, soul and spirit. How thankful we should be that God has visited us, that He has shown His kindness in His love towards us through Jesus our Saviour.

“Thou madest Him a little lower than the angels, thou crownest Him with glory and Honor and didst sat Him ever the works of thy hands.” No wonder God would be mindful of His creatures, so that He might fulfill His plan and ensure His own destiny accordingly. Alas, from that great creation God only gets a little, just a percentage, and even though we see the whole world lie in the lap of the wicked one, and man becoming worse and worse, yet the thoughts we have about ourselves of our need, of why we are and what we are, should bring us to Christ.

The crowning thought that should fill our minds today is that our failures and sins should bring us to Christ. Our sins bring us together today, a common inheritance of a human nature prone to evil which makes us ONE in the thought that we need a Redeemer, a Saviour, someone to succour us, someone to love us who never varies and never changes and in the consciousness of that need we come unto Christ.

THE GREAT GIFT OF GOD IS CHRIST HIMSELF. (1John 1:8) “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” We have come across people in the past who seemed to be so dead to a sense of failure and to their utter worthlessness and unrighteousness, that they were self-deceived and the truth was not in them. 1 John 1:1,9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The truly repentant and believing heart will confess its sin and the knowledge of failures which is its own private knowledge, and come to the only source of help of cleansing and of deliverance that man can ever know. “If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” It is a common thing for people to say, “We do the best we can.” “We do not do anyone harm, we hurt no one.” Excusing themselves like the Pharisee in the temple, they have a long list of their own righteousness, but the soul who says “God be merciful to me a sinner” is on pleading terms with God, and they that say they have not sinned make Him a liar and His word is not in them. 

“My little children these things I write unto you that ye sin not.” These chapters should not be divided, as the same thought continues. There is a power that God has endowed us within Christ that will keep us and restrain us and enable us to be victorious–“But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We think of that immense burden that was borne on the tree of Calvary so heavy that the Saviour had to say in His anguish, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The heavy burden not only of our sins, but the sins of all the world; this to me is the crowning reason; after we have gone through all the reasons that should bring us to Christ, this is the crowning reason that occurs to my heart, my great and desperate need, my lost and ruined state by nature, the evidence of my imperfections and my aims bring me to the feet of my Redeemer, to the Mercy Seat, to the sprinkled blood, and when we break bread today, we have in that sweet memorial of our able advocate that which speaks in the presence of God for us.

Psalm 19:12-14, there are many things in ourselves we may not know of, but God reveals them to us later so we can put them away.

Psalm 20:1, the most important thing is to have the Lord hear us. “Our defense is departed from us” is a sad condition.

We can hear God speak, often from very weak sources and we need to take heed. The only light God has these days is His people. We have need to confirm the works we have heard of these days.

“Abide in Me and I in you.” God revealed Himself to Samuel “by the word of the Lord,” and out of Zion or others in the church.

Verse 4, grant that I may be fitted to face whatever He sees is best. Live out what we have been hearing. “We will set up our banners.” Nobody so poorly, or so misrepresented as God. God’s anointing and approval are the same. If we have one we shall have the other.

Verses 7 and 8, fill the place worthily God has placed us in. We are risen up, and stand upright.

Luke 13, God called the woman in infirmity and Zacchaeus. He called Jonah.

God gives excellent things. Deuteronomy.

He is a God of Truth. Just and right is He.

God reveals to people that His is the right Way, then gives His spirit to keep us in the Way.

Hymn 55

Hannah.  It is easy to forget.

God listened to Samuel.  The spies sent to possess the Promised Land got taken up with the size of the enemy.  As we make fresh promises to God, Satan makes fresh promises to hinder.

Don’t look backward, look forward.  Caleb made it possible for those who came afterward to inherit Canaan.  “Oh keep our eyes anointed God’s best to see!”  Others who kept their eyes on the wrong things kept others from the inheritance.  We can be either a help or a hindrance to others of our day.

Hymns 181 – 203

What is God’s Way? What is our thought about it? Our conception and view concerning it? If we don’t know what it is, it would be impossible to walk intelligently, acceptably, in this Way of God. Sometimes we might be asked concerning the Way of God. We might describe clearly the servants of God, going forth without a home, and the Lord’s people meeting in a home. It means so much more than that…the outward form and doctrine of the Lord’s Way is meaningless unless it’s in the heart.

The working of God in your heart and mine — that is God’s Way. It is important that the way and truth of God would be in us, and that we would be doing unconsciously that which is the will of God, because of what is in our hearts. If the Spirit of the Lord was in us like it was in Jesus, we would not need a Bible, because the Spirit of God would lead us to everything in the Bible, through the Spirit operating in us, and holding sway.

Jesus said, “I do always those things that please the Father.” (John 8:29) It was because of the Spirit that was in him. He could not have walked or preached in any other way. Any other way would have been foreign and beneath him because of the very Spirit of the Father. It would be foreign to any of the servants of God to do it in any other way. It would never enter into their minds to preach for pay, or have a parsonage. You will read in the letter to the Romans, Paul writes that the Gentiles that did not know or have the law, were doing by nature the things contained in the law. It was because of the very Spirit of God, given them and leading them to do what was in the Law.

This spring it was necessary for some of us to go to the convention grounds and erect a new cook house. We were about to lay down a concrete floor. One of the Saints came that lived about 70 miles away. It started to rain…this man was 65 years of age. There was no other work going on, but he wanted to help. I said, “This is a very hard, dirty, wet job for you.” But he said, “I can do it.  It doesn’t make any difference. That is what I came for.” He was asked to give thanks at the dinner table  – he uttered this expression, “Lord, we thank thee for such a privilege as this.” In my heart, I said, “It must be God’s Way.” To thank the Lord for such a privilege of fellowship.

We could explain about the preachers going out two by two without a home…and the meeting in the home, but, this atmosphere of the house of God, we can not explain…this fellowship controlled by the love of God. We could have meetings in God’s appointed Way, and be very lacking in the Spirit. The mere accomplishment of this outward form and doctrine of the truth of God unless accompanied by the inner feelings – uprightness and justice in the heart – would be meaningless.

I know two men working together, professing to be children of God. One was a German, a very stubborn man. There arose some misunderstanding, and this fellow spilled over, and said some things he should not have said; nothing vile or low…but not right or good. They finished their work, and each went to their homes.

Night was over. In the morning that stubborn German was at the other man’s place and said, “I want to tell you how sorry I am about the shabby way I spoke to you yesterday morning – I couldn’t pray till I came and asked forgiveness.” That is God’s way. The thought in that man’s heart, “Until I am right in my heart with my brother, there is no use to ask God for anything.” If we are in God’s Way, there will be the thought of conscience that we must be right with God. All the time we spend on our knees is meaningless, unless we are right with our fellowmen.

God’s Way is in the heart…God’s Way is in the sanctuary. When I read this, it comes to my mind what was done in the sanctuary. Offering up of sacrifices, etc., morning and evening. When they offered sacrifices, they were to wash their hands and feet – the sin made right…the waywardness purged. Have our hands been soiled? “I will that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.” Nothing unclean, base, or low. If we offer up in that unclean condition, it means death. If we are dishonest in our offering up, like Ananias and Sapphira. They may have offered a generous offering, but because of their dishonesty, it meant death. Hands clean and walk clean. If your walk is in the sinful pleasures of this world, until that is made right, there is no use to pray. Until we’re willing to turn away from etc., no use to ask God for help or blessing. God’s way is in the conscience…clean hands and feet.

I had been reading with this thought in mind, when I read in Matthew recently. Going back over this Gospel with this candle of what was in the heart and mind of Matthew as he wrote it. Not alone the thought of preachers going out two and two meeting in the home, etc., but in these 28 chapters, for instance, he records these things…the truths of God that burned in his heart that together made up this Living Way. Some of these chapters you could spend a lot of time meditating on, but stand back, and get a picture of God’s True and Eternal way. First I thought of the right kind of beginning in this Way, in order to have, this Truth in….in order that it would bring them into fellowship with God and with his hopes. You will remember the 13th chapter, about the treasure hid in the field…the laying hold of the treasure. He sold all that he had, and bought the field.

The cost to you and to me is the same, today. No cheapen way of obtaining the treasure. It still means to sell all that we have…to let go our will, our way. Oh, so many individuals, and probably among us, who think they can get by. No, friend! Nobody gets by in this house of God. If you are holding on to things of this world, you’re not getting by. It means trueness and surrender…the will, the way…to walk in his will…willing for all the mind of God. What do you think about this way? Do you feel, “Oh, it’s too costly, or too strait, or too narrow?”  Or do you think as this man was thinking about it? Making a true surrender. This is God’s glorious Way. There never could be any other way. It cannot be changed…it never will be changed. What is your thought about God’s Way? This man saw the treasure.  Could you have known unless the Lord showed it to you? The working of God in you and me at the right time, and hiding it in the heart? We were willing for the conditions that went with it.

In connection with this 13th chapter, you will read the 16th chapter, the part about the revelation God gave to Peter and the other disciples. It wasn’t a flesh and blood revelation or human intelligence…note the wording being so proper. Each word in its proper phrasing, etc. The cleverness of the thinking can be the greatest destructors. Anyone with common intelligence and average mind is able to tell what they have seen and heard of the grace of God. That is why it wasn’t necessary for God to send men and women to college to learn how to preach. It was God doing something in the heart. Only God in heaven can give the revelation. Men and women laboring under thin delusion that someone is right in some other way would only show the lack of clarity. The God-given revelation is the only kind that will stand. That is the right kind of beginning. It will never be wider or broader, and will never appeal to any but the honest hearted.

A Methodist preacher once said, “In looking back over 1900 years, we see the mistakes of Jesus. He should have attracted better people.” Such ignorance! This revelation was given to the poor, willing for the conditions. The poor had the gospel preached to them.” We would be foolish if we would think this gospel was given to any other kind…that would not let everything go to have this treasure. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself.”  Do you feel, “Is there not a way that this could all be nice and pleasant, so we could get rid of this reproach?” Human nature always asking for some easier way.

Heard about Catholic parents and their young son, who were talking about this period of fasting. The son should give up candy, etc. The boy wasn’t easily sold on the proposition. He asked, “What are you giving up, anything?”  They said, “We are giving up liquor.” The boy said, “I saw you at dinner time, drinking wine.” They said, “Well, hard liquor.” The boy replied, “All right, I will give up hard candy.”

Do you know that God made his way as wide as he could possibly make it, in order that his work could be done to make you fit for heaven? I used to wish that this had a name, like Catholic or Presbyterian, in order to avoid embarrassment. Looking back, I can see how everything God has done was in kindness for you and me. That which we may think is difficult is designed to do something in us. Do not try to evade or avoid it. We are only robbing ourselves if we do. Let there be that denial day after day. Say no to the world…no compromise; welcome reproach for Jesus’ sake.  Oh, this separation is something people don’t like.  If there was some way to get away from it, and there would no longer be the reproach. Oh, if there is ever thoughts like this in our hearts, there is a lack of the leading of the Spirit of God. As long as we are led and taught by the Spirit of God, it is going to keep us just as far from the world as it ever did. Don’t think in the heart of worldlings, that they like God’s Way. They do not like the truth of God, unless they have that honesty of heart.

There was an old man in our part that endeavored to walk in God’s Way for a number of years.  He is 97 years of age. “I am going to make it 100 or die. The reason I read the Bible is to learn what I ought to do, and do it. When I am reading the Bible, I find out what to do, and when I find that out, I find out what not to do.”  This man has a son who professed one and a half years ago. This son was reading in Hebrews about the priesthood. He said to his father, “I have just been reading about Melchizedek…What is it all about, anyway?” This was his answer: “Never mind about Melchizedek. The way is clear ain’t it? Walk in it.” Walk in the way of sincerity, purity, and truth.

You will remember those chapters so often mentioned, Matthew 5, 6, and 7 – the attitude of heart — our thoughts — those inner thoughts about ourselves, and those inner feelings toward God. You will also read what God’s Way is not. He was telling them of another pharisaical Spirit. He was afraid of the Spirit of Phariseeism getting in them…pretending to have a love that is not there, etc. If the heart attitude is not there, we are out of the Way. We may go out two a two, without collection or salary, but we could miss the very Spirit of the work. If the humility and Spirit of self denial is gone, we are out of the Way. “Strait is the gate and narrow is the way,” but this narrow way is in the heart. Jesus wasn’t ignorant of the wiles of the adversary. To be seen, heard and getting honor from men, whether we preach the gospel, or are Christians in the home, we are in the broad way, and not in the narrow way. We are not the people in whom God has pleasure.

I can tell you of a family who was in distress in more ways than one.  There was a Child of God in that vicinity who learned about that distress, and without anyone knowing, he very unassumingly met that need. To this day, this family does not know who it was. I learned about it by accident. They thought I maneuvered the deed, but I didn’t. It’s doing what no one knows about that pleases God.

This is God’s way. When we want to be praised by others, it’s nothing more than the broad way…only advertising themselves and their service…getting the reward in this present world…nothing for the future. One of the greatest things is when, out of an overflowing heart, you are ministering in whatever capacity you can not looking for any reward…this is what makes it possible for God to reward. You are serving and ministering, because there is nothing else you can do. You serve because there is something in your heart that compels you to do so.

In the second chapter of Matthew, you will remember about the period of the birth of Jesus.  There was vengeance in the heart of King Herod when he saw that he was mocked by the Wise Men, and was exceedingly wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children in Bethlehem, and in all the coast thereof from two year-olds under, etc.  God in heaven was interested in protecting Joseph and Mary with the babe. There are those who will always seek to destroy this young child’s life, but the Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, “Arise, take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt. When the Lord says, ‘This is not a good place for you to be,’ you obey the leading of God’s Spirit – that is God’s Way. The Lord may also say to you, ‘You are in the wrong place and wrong work. You better get out of here.’”  Influences that would destroy the Christ life in you – what is your reaction? If Joseph and Mary had remained in Bethlehem, it would have resulted in the death of the Christ child.

I fail to understand how some of the children of God can enjoy the company of the world. I cannot know what they talk about – what the pleasure is. Just about all I can converse with my natural brother is to talk about the weather, the family, the work, etc., and we both run out, because he is living for an entirely different world. I am not referring to the necessary contact with the world, but the choosing of such company in preference to the Spiritual life. Some time ago, a man we knew had quite an influential position. He told me about some of his associates in business, that they would invite him to the ball game, and he would go, though he told them he attended meeting Sunday mornings. He was older than I; I didn’t say anything of rebuke. After I began to walk in God’s Way, I saw it was necessary to renounce this world and its pleasures.  I was interested in this experiment, however…I was watching. It continued until no longer is the man among the people of God. He was not overcoming, and little by little he got out of the Way. This kind of company will do you no good. One man told me some time ago that he fed him stories about God without foundation.  He said, “Every time I meet that man, he gives me a dose of carbolic acid.” That is what  it means to walk in God’s Way…the right kind of fellowship. You might, in meetings, try to say the right expressions, but you can’t do it – they could not say, “Shibboleth.” (Judges 12:6) They could not frame it right – did not have it in their heart.

Another very nice thing in this chapter of Matthew is where the Angel appeared to Joseph and said, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.” Is it not a comforting thought to you that nothing can happen to us, individually or collectively, unless God permits it? There can be no power against God’s child unless he grants it.

There was a man back where I worked, in a day of trouble…in a dark day. I was very glad for the words that man spoke. He said, “The boat is rocking, but I have seen this boat rock before. I have seen other storms that have rocked this boat and I am not afraid.”  You will recall the story about those disciples in the boat when the waves and winds were tempestuous, and, when Jesus spoke peace to the troubled waters, they said, “Truly this is the Son of God.” They realized they were never beyond the help of God. Truly this is God’s Way. All the evidences that we are yet serving a living God.

If you know that your brother has ought against you, do not offer any gift; first be reconciled with your brother. This is what it means to be in God’s Way. When His Spirit controls, we will do that automatically. Perhaps the worst sin of all is to feel we have no sin. Is the Lord able to see sin in us? No one ever got away with unforgiveness. It is God’s Way that we’re right in the heart. When Peter denied Jesus, the Lord was not looking so much on the denial as the reaction, the brokenness of  heart and Spirit. If we don’t know of the true, genuine sorrow, we know God’s Way. I have only mentioned a very few things. Read about the breaking of bread, baptism, what it means to do it in sincerity… thoughts right, God’s approval; thoughts wrong, his disapproval. I hope we will make that true Heart surrender all along the way…and know God’s approval given along the way.

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God.” During the year I have given this verse much thought, and what is the foundation of repentance. We cannot have any other foundation and when we have laid this foundation, we turn to God from our own ways. Anyone who professes and there is not this turning, then I don’t think there is ever a beginning. When we make a right start, we get power from God to walk in His way.

When the Gospel was preached in Nineveh, God looked down and saw that every man great and small turned from his own evil way. Even the king put off his robe and put on sackcloth and ashes and we would not feel very important. Some people we were trying to help and when I asked how they felt in the meeting, they said, “We feel like nothing and we feel we have no part in the things you speak about.” There may be some here who feel like that, and who are strangers to the Christ life in their own hearts.

The king, when he put off his robe, showed this repentance. Men of office always like to wear their state robes but when they put it off, they feel they have no place. When John the Baptist preached, he turned men to Christ. “Behold the Lamb of God that beareth away the sins of the world.” All true preachers turn their converts to Jesus. Two of the converts heard him speak and followed Christ. Jesus turned and asked a searching question, “What seek ye?”

We might ask ourselves, “What seek ye?” “Why are we here and what is our motive?” They answered, “Where dwellest Thou?” and He said, “Come and see.” We must have a dwelling place, somewhere to rest and refresh ourselves. The circumstances of life often bring a man home very tired and discouraged and if his wife is wise, she will be able to refresh and encourage him, so he can go back to face his responsibilities with fresh hope.

The Christ also must have somewhere to dwell and when the disciples found out where He wanted to dwell, they went and said, “We have found Him of whom the prophets wrote. Is this not the Messiah?” Can we go to others and say, “We have found Him. Come and see?” We have reason to rejoice and be glad when we find Him.

The 91st Psalm says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Where is the secret place of the most High? We can say what God wants me to do, and you to do, is a secret but as we do what He asks us to do, then we abide under His shadow. A man who has worked in the heat of the day often feels his strength waning as the day goes on, but if he can get in the shade of a wall or tree then after a while, his strength comes back again.

“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and fortress.” These verses are written in the present tense. “The Lord is my refuge.” He was that to the Psalmist. What is He to us? When I went to school, my teacher was very patriotic and he often spoke of the British Empire and especially of the fortress at Gibraltar, because it was made of rock, and then no enemy could penetrate it. The soldiers were safe on the inside.

“Surely He will deliver me from the snare of the fowler.” Many years ago when snares were used, anyone who got caught in them became helpless because they lost their liberty. The world, flesh, and devil can be a constant snare to us but the Lord will deliver. Whenever I see a hen spreading her wings and calling her little ones, I love to watch her. She does it to keep them warm and when the little chick is up against its mother under her wing, it is the nearest it can get to her heart. God wants us near to His heart. The love He has for all His children is beyond all comprehending. “His truth shall be my shield and buckler.” The truth is Jesus and as we abide in Him, He will shield us so that nothing can harm.

“Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night.” We may have fears and doubts but perhaps you have noticed they seem worse at night. He can overcome the fear we have. “… nor the arrow that flieth by day because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most high thy habitation.” Twice the psalmist speaks of the Lord as being the “most High.” The promise is that He will give His angels charge over you.

“Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder.” Satan is a lion, going about the earth seeking whom he may devour. There is always roaring before the lion springs upon its prey. This is done to frighten its victim but we can put him under our feet. “He hath set His love upon me therefore I will deliver him. He shall call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him and with long life will I satisfy him and shew him my salvation.” The long life that satisfies is His life in this world and in the world to come. This is everlasting life. One of our Friends gave his testimony and said, “I hope I can remember these things when I go home and get into working clothes.” Do you know what he means? I hope we will all remember the words of Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

I would like to speak to you this morning about our fellowship as brethren when we come together on the first day of the week. We not only have fellowship with each other, but with brethren in every part of the world. We are not an American family, a British family, a Swiss family, or a German family. We are part of a worldwide family fellowship. There is no greater privilege on earth than to have a place inside of this family fellowship, where all questions of race and nationality are forgotten, and we partake of the emblems of our Lord’s broken body and shed blood, as brothers and sisters in the same family.

There are two chapters in the Bible which ought to be read often by every child of God: Exodus 12 – where we read of the first Passover, and Luke 22 – where we read of the last Passover and the first institution of the Breaking of Bread. There is a very close connection between the Old Testament Passover Feast and the New Testament Breaking of Bread. The New Testament Breaking of Bread on the first day of the week is the perpetuation of the Old Testament Passover Feast. There are seven things mentioned in Exodus 12 in connection with the Old Testament Passover Feast that every child of God should study carefully: 1) The preparation that was made, 2) the place where the feast was kept, 3) the number that came together in any one home, 4) the appointed time for the keeping of the feast, 5) the purpose that God had in mind when He established the Passover Feast, 6) the manner in which it should be partaken and 7) those who were worthy of having a part therein. I will mention two, of these seven, in connection with the Old Testament Passover Feast and the Breaking of Bread in the New Testament

1) The Passover Feast was established in the homes of the children of Israel: it was primarily a home feast. Throughout the whole history of the Jewish people, the Passover Feast was never taken to a synagogue or temple. The New Testament Breaking of Bread was established in a consecrated home in the city of Jerusalem. It was celebrated only in the consecrated homes of the people of God in New Testament days as we said yesterday, the church in the home, and only in the home. Should we ever depart from this, we become a part of Babylon, the mother of harlots. We make no Secret of the fact that in every land we are teaching men and women how to do without the hireling minister and public buildings for the worship service of God. Our coming together in consecrated homes on the first day of the week, to remember our Master and Lord in the Breaking of Bread, is a protest against clericalism, priest craft, and churchianity – this trinity of evil which is blinding the minds of men and women the world over, from the simplicity of Truth, as it is in Jesus. It is the privilege of God’s children to consecrate their homes to be used in this way, and have fellowship with their brethren in New Testament days, who consecrated their homes so that God’s people could meet together to break bread. Even when some leave their own homes to meet in the home of another on the first day of the week, they are giving their testimony to their friends and neighbors to that which Jesus lived and taught in the days of His flesh.

2) In connection with the Old Testament Feast, all leaven had to be searched out and destroyed before it could be partaken of worthily. The head of the house, with a lighted candle, followed by members of the family, searched every room for leaven, and if any was found, it was destroyed. In connection with the Breaking of Bread on the first day of the week, in obedience to the command of Jesus: “This do in remembrance of me,” there must be an examining of ourselves, and a putting away of all that has hindered our fellowship with God and each other during the week, if we are faithful in this, we can eat and drink worthily.

Sometimes we fear there are those to whom this coming together to break bread is but a ritual, a meaningless form. I believe with all my heart this morning that when this New Testament Breaking of Bread was instituted, the purpose in the mind and heart of Jesus was that it should be a source of comfort, encouragement, and inspiration to His people until He came back again.

It was the custom in every home in Israel in celebrating the Passover Feast, for the oldest son of the family to ask his father in the presence of all, “What mean ye by this service?” There may be in some of our hearts today the question, “What mean ye by this Breaking of Bread on the first day of the week?” We would like to help you understand this a little better if we can.

Every first day of the week, when we come together to break bread, we are reminded first of all of the great foundation truth of the Gospel, that He whom we confess as Lord and Master “gave Himself” fully and utterly for our salvation and for all men. This should create a great thankfulness in our hearts – that when we could do nothing to settle the question of our sins, and no one could help us, our Master “gave Himself.” He couldn’t give any more; He didn’t give any less, to make your salvation and mine possible.

There are some verses in Paul’s letters that I would like to read over this morning in which the two words “gave Himself” (speaking of Christ) occur. I Timothy 2:6, “Who gave Himself a ransom for all.” We are reminded each first day of the week that when Christ died upon the cross, He gave Himself a ransom for all. He tasted death for every man. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” By the atoning death of Jesus on the cross, the way was opened up for men and women of every race and nationality to enter into this family fellowship, which means so much to all of us.

I would like you to turn to Galatians 1:4, “He gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” His purpose in giving Himself upon the cross was not only to make atonement for our sins, but also to deliver us from this present evil world. There are many today who would like to have their sins forgiven and names written in heaven but they are unwilling to be delivered from this present evil world. We are living in an evil world – a world becoming steadily more and more corrupt, iniquity abounding on every hand. God’s purpose in giving His Son was that the power of this present evil world might be broken in every life. When we come together on the first day of the week, we are reminded of this truth. We can examine our own hearts; we can ask ourselves before we meet together, “Am I becoming more worldly and less godly or more godly and less worldly?” It isn’t easy for God’s people to break with the world and its attractions. It never will be easy but every child of God has to decide for himself whether they will live for things present or things unseen – temporal or eternal.

It wasn’t easy for Abraham to say goodbye to his own city and people, to break forever with the world in which he lived, to go forth in obedience to the call of God, not knowing whither he went. He went forward when he couldn’t see; he obeyed God when he didn’t fully understand – be trusted God against his own feelings and Abraham became the “Father of the faithful.” He left us an example, in this our day, so that we can follow in His steps.

Moses was a man mighty in word and deed. He was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was the recognized heir to the throne of Egypt and could have lived in a great palace and reigned over a mighty empire. But we read that, “Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” refused all that he could have enjoyed in Egypt, “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” The choice that Moses made settles forever the value of all that this world has to offer in comparison to the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” It never has been easy to become God’s child. It never will be easy. There must be a turning away from all that this world offers, and a willingness to make the choice that Abraham and Moses made.

On a mountain in Moab, three women talked together: Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth. Naomi was on her way back to the land of Bethlehem Judah where God had given His people bread. Her daughters-in-law accompanied her to this mountaintop and there she told them that following any further would mean earthy loss. She had nothing to offer them materially; she advised them that if they wanted to make anything out of their lives in this world, to go back to their own people and back to their own gods. But Ruth said, “Entreat me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people and thy God, my God.” Ruth turned her back upon her own people and her own gods and accompanied her mother-in-law to the land of Bethlehem Judah where God had given His people bread. The choice that Abraham, Moses and Ruth made is the choice that we must make in our day and generation if we are to enter in to the fellowship of God’s people and God’s family.

Turn now to Titus 2:14, “Who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Every time we come together on the first day of the week, we are reminded, first of all, that Christ “gave Himself” for all, that He tasted death for every man, that He “gave Himself” for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God. In this verse, we are reminded of the fact that He “gave Himself” for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity. Iniquity is taking our own way, suiting ourselves, pleasing ourselves, unwilling to recognize Christ as our Lord and Master. Iniquity is that thing in men and women that objects to order, discipline and guidance. The word in the original means anarchy or lawlessness. The United States government refuses to admit any man or woman into the country that does not believe in order, discipline and government.

In every true human family, there is order discipline and guidance. There is an equality of relationship in the human family but there is not an equality of responsibility. The youngest babe has not the same responsibility as the oldest son or daughter. In this family of God, there is an equality of relationship but then is not an equality of responsibility. There are elders in this family, there are elders in the Work of God, and these are responsible for maintaining order, discipline, and guidance in the family of God..

I have been in some homes in America where there was nothing but confusion and disorder – no evidence whatever of any guidance or government, where it was difficult to tell whether the family was moving in or moving out. In this family of God, there must be order, there must be discipline, and there must be guidance or government. Otherwise, there will be much confusion amongst God’s people. Every first day of the week, when we come together to break bread, we should remember that Christ “gave Himself” for us that He might deliver us from all lawlessness, that He might purify unto Himself “a peculiar people” that would be manifestly His own in every land. There is no room in this family and kingdom of God for any who are unwilling to walk orderly, to be subject to discipline and the guidance that is so necessary for all of us in this family of God (Hebrews 12:5,17).

Turn to Galatians 2:29, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me, and the life, which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Paul’s understanding, of what it meant to be a Christian, was this: that Christ lived for him, died for him, and that He might live again in him. It is our privilege, to give these bodies of ours to Christ to be His temples, that He may live His life over again in us, and through us, manifest His own Spirit and His own Nature to all whom we come in contact.

Christianity is not a church or creed or a system of beliefs and doctrines – but a life! We who confess Him as master and Lord are responsible for yielding our lives to Him, that He can live His life over again in these mortal bodies of ours. Christ, enthroned in our hearts and reigning in and over our lives, is our only hope of glory. Jesus said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him and he with Me.” In other words: I will live my life over again in that man or that woman.

It is good for us to be reminded often of these great facts of the Gospel: 1) that Christ gave Himself, 2) for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world, 3) that He might redeem us from iniquity, and 4) that He might live His life over again in those who call themselves His followers.

If He gave Himself to us and for us, what can we give? I have been going to Conventions like this for many years and have come to the conclusion that a convention is an empty and meaningless thing unless we are stirred and moved to make a new surrender to God. If we, as servants and saints, leave these grounds without saying a new “Yes” in our hearts to His claims, this convention will add to our condemnation on the great day of reckoning. Let me quote the first verse of Romans 12, which tells us so simply and clearly what we can give in this our day, since He has given Himself so fully, so completely for us. Paul says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Are we willing for this, this morning? Are we willing to present our bodies to Him to live in, to be His temple so that He can through us manifest Himself to a world that knows Him not? May God grant that there may be a new “Yes” in every heart to all that He has said to us here, that we may more fully give ourselves to Him in the interests of His Kingdom.

Quite early this morning, I was reminded of what day this is and of what God’s people who are here would be doing today if they were not assembled on these grounds. I had a picture in my mind of everybody here beginning to get active, moving around and making plans for a little journey to somebody’s home, or others preparing to make a journey to your home to keep an appointment. I believe it would mean a great deal to our service and to our fellowship all through the year if God, among other things, could teach us this one thing at this convention: how to spend the day that specially belongs to God in such a manner that He can do for us and make that day mean to us all that is in His heart.

This gathering today represents a far greater amount of labour and sacrifice and tears and worn-out lives than you and I can comprehend. It represents a company of people from California and elsewhere who have been gathered out from hundreds of hard worked missions. In some of their missions, several people were won to God, but in more of them, there were one or two or a very few won. Interwoven were a great many missions that on the surface were fruitless. The same amount of labour and toil and prayer and preaching, and difficult preaching sometimes, in those meetings as the fruitful ones. I would not like to call them unfruitful meetings because they accomplished something in the lives of those who were trying to win people – His servants. If there were some of the Christians attending these missions, possibly it put something in them to see the spirit and perseverance with which God’s servants picked up and rose above their disappointment and tried again. They weren’t fruitless. They moved God’s people to pray more earnestly for their fellowmen and for His servants and for His work, and that is not fruitless.

Then, most of us this morning (with a few exceptions perhaps) would be keeping an appointment in some home; not an appointment you have arranged, or that we have arranged, but a meeting, an appointment that the Lord has arranged because He wants to meet with us there. God would desire that in those gatherings, every time we come together, something would be done in the hearts of his people. God has chosen that simple humble method of accomplishing it and nothing else accomplishes it but that. I wonder whether God’s people here have learned how to co-operate with God so as to make each of those meetings a time when God instructs and warns and comforts every one of you? A time when the Lord brings fresh cleansing and fresh hope and deepens the roots of His love, in your hearts a little more? Now, if your meetings don’t bring that about there is something the matter, there is something missing, there is something present that ought not to be present, there is something that is making it difficult for the Lord to do these things for you and for me.

The central attraction at the meeting is Jesus. He has promised to be present at the appointed place even though the number maybe as low as two people. He said, “There am I in the midst of them.” Too often, we go to the place of meeting forgetting this thought, and occupied more with who will be there, and what we will say and what we will pray than we are concerned about the thought of going by special appointment into the presence of our best friend, the One who has done more for us, and bestowed upon us, and given more, and brought us into more privileges, and opened up the way to something better than anything else in the world, and has done more for us than all others put together. Would you believe that? We come to sit together, kneel together in prayer, to sing together, to share with one another the little substance that God has given us from His Word, to be vividly reminded of one whose strength and body was all used up for others and whose blood was poured out to reconcile, to open a door, to make it possible for the people to be relieved of the guilt and condemnation of their sin and to walk in the light and in the favour of God.

I think of Jesus’ love for us as the love of One, when we were under condemnation, certain condemnation, certain death, certain separation from all that would make eternity worthwhile, stepped in and gave His life for undeserving creatures like you and me. I hope we recognize that when we come to that meeting He will be there to meet with us, minister to us, speak to us and intercede for us. I tell you, we would not go carelessly, lightly, irreverently, thoughtlessly, over the threshold of that door! What makes that a hallowed place at that hour is the One who has come by special appointment to meet you and to meet me there; the One to whom we owe far more than we can ever understand that we do owe. There is one reason why the attendance of God’s people at a meeting place ought to be our first concern and ought to grip our hearts, not only in the waking moments of the morning of the first day of the week, but it should be something we would look forward to and pray about during the other six days of the week.

I am afraid there is a kind of drought in the lives of some of God’s people just for the very reason that they fail to truly comprehend what has been done for us, what we owe to Him, and how being present and being prepared, keeping our appointments with Him is the least, just the least, that we can do in showing our gratitude. We sometimes speak of it as a “Fellowship Meeting” and the most important thing for us to bring to the meeting is the spirit that produces and fosters fellowship. The spirit that we bring with us to a meeting determines the extent of our helpfulness and the help we are going to get in that meeting. It is not the length of our prayer, the length of our testimony, the number of verses we read, how big the meeting is, or how long the meeting is; our spirit affects our meeting with Him individually and the receiving from Him of what we need.

I read two or three verses this morning that gripped me and made me realize that every time I appear before God, there is nothing in my inner or outer life that is hid form God. “All things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13) I read in Psalms 139:4-5, here the psalmist says, “Thou are acquainted with all my ways, there is not a word in my tongue but lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether.” ” Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.” I read in Ezekiel 11:5 these words, “I know the thoughts that come into your mind, every one of them.” Jesus told the Pharisees, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men but God knoweth your hearts.” (Luke 16:15) I know then that when I come into the presence of God, my mind, my heart is an open book before God, completely open. That is the reason why I say that the all important thing to bring to the meeting is a kind spirit, a gentle spirit, a loving spirit, a merciful spirit, a thankful spirit, we could go on and on. You know, it is very necessary too that we bring to the meeting a heart that has been prepared by waiting upon God and has been softened by the Spirit in the presence of God. Because, only too often, our minds are in a turmoil and our hearts are not soft enough for God to impress us as He would like.

It is very necessary when we come together, to come with a spirit of sincerity. I have been speaking about that a lot, probably because I need to have my words re-echo in my own heart. I don’t know why else. People can be sincere in any line of thought or belief or worship to which they have been accustomed or attached in life and they could become so devoted to it that they would give their lives for it, but all their sincerity in it does not make it right. It does not make it the way of God; for, there could be the deepest sincerity in something that is quite unprofitable, but, I mean those who have become little children before God, those who are His blood-bought ones, those into whose life He has condescended to come, those whose sins He has forgiven, those who have promised Him to be true till death. Those people – that is you and me, and others of His family, we must be sincere and true in our purpose. We must mean what we say. We must be genuine. God must be able to say of that prayer, that testimony, “He means every word of that, that is from his heart, that is from her heart; they are covering nothing.”

The great reason why we must be sincere in the meeting and out of the meeting is because we are wholly dependent upon God doing certain things for us that He will not do for those who are not sincere. I have learned, a good while ago, that just as the greatest need of the branches is the substance that comes from the vine (and nothing else can provide this) so the greatest need in the lives of God’s people is that which comes from God Himself, through Christ, and it can come from no other source. It is imperative, it is vital, that God should believe in us – weak as we are, undeserving as we are – believe in us and trust in us, and give to us from time to time vital things that we need. Whatsoever you do, be sincere and pray often that God will give the grace to be sincerely one whom God can trust, believe in, and give you the help that you need. If you have been keeping anything from God in the past – don’t do it any longer. It is wide open to God, and it is God “with whom you have to do.”

There are some of God’s people who soon learn what I am going to tell you about now, and some take a very long time to learn it. Those of you who have had God’s servants in your homes will know something of the time and labour that is spent in the quiet of their own room – often on their knees – because they are afraid to go forward to face the meeting without having been prepared but by God, and I could take you to some of the homes of God’s people where they have learned that their service to God has become a richer service and the meetings richer meetings because of making a practice of that very thing themselves. I don’t mean a few hurried moments speaking to God, but I mean honestly seeking His face. We are not just going to meet with each other, but we are going to meet with Him and hear Him. Sometimes we take our places in the meeting very unprepared for such an occasion, and for meeting with such a friend and we feel ashamed, and rightly so.

I have been trying to encourage God’s people to take a little time to pasture in certain fields of meditation, concerning all the wondrous things that God has done for us, that he had brought into our lives and given us a share in that we would never have known anything about, had it not been for God’s love. I find that the Bible is just full of things God does for His people. It does me good sometimes when I try to recall what my life was like when I went to that first meeting. My life was empty, the future was obscure, there was terrible turmoil in my young heart.

It means a lot to come into our meetings with a prepared heart. One of the poorest possible preparations for the Sunday morning meeting is to be out until all hours on the Saturday night. In the part where I have been labouring, in all the little towns the stores stay open on Saturday night most of the year, until a late hour. People work late, and most go into town to shop on a Saturday night. To spend Saturday night in this manner would be a very poor preparation indeed for the meeting with the Lord on Sunday morning. We encourage those who profess to sacrifice a little time to do their business some other time and so get away from the Godless atmosphere of the streets on Saturday night; otherwise, they would go home tired and weary, get up late and hustle around with that last minute rush to get off to the Sunday morning meeting. That is not the way to treat Him the one who has given us “all things that pertain to life eternal and Godliness,” the one from whom every good gift comes, who has redeemed us when we could not redeem ourselves. Is that the way to treat Him? I am not speaking of this as something compulsory, but it is good to learn that lesson – start the night before to prepare your hearts. I don’t think it was by accident that the Lord planned that the Sabbath of the Old Testament was to start at sundown the evening before. That is not a big sacrifice to make, but it pays tremendous dividends.

I found that when I decided that there were many things that had to be changed in my life, had to be reordered and rearranged. My religious views didn’t need to be readjusted; they had to be thrown out altogether because they were of the wrong kind and on the wrong foundation. What I had believed in was far from being a true continuation of that lowly humble plan of service which God sent His Son into the world to teach and to establish in the hearts of men and women, not in Palestine only, not in that age only, but to all nations and until the end of the age, (see Matthew 28:19-20) I learned through the gospel that it was regeneration I needed, in order to become one of His family. People all over the world are talking about going to Heaven and many have all sorts of views and opinions about what it means to go to Heaven. Apart from regeneration, no one has any part in Heaven. All will need to possess the divine nature, only through a new birth can anyone possess the spirit and nature and character of the Father of the family of the Elder Brother of the family, and of all the different members of that family who have gone before us.

While the purpose of the Gospel is to bring us to feel our need and to see our lost condition, and to see His Love and provision made through Jesus, that we may embrace it, and give in, in our hearts to a new Lord, a new Master, in return for that choice and for giving in to God in this way, God then begins to give us something we never had before – He gives us of His spirit, the nature and characteristics of His family and nourishes in our lives the marks that were seen in His Son. Finally, the day comes when He calls us home to have fellowship with Him and His own in Heaven. Sometimes, people say they wish the Gospel had found them ten, twenty years sooner, but I believe God sent the sower with the Gospel seed at the most opportune time. We are not going to be grieving so much that we didn’t receive it sooner, but some of us may grieve because we didn’t put more into it. We wasted so much time. Another change that had to be made in my life was regarding my habits; many of those habits were not honoring to that Name I was beginning to bear and the path I was beginning to walk in. Another thing was the kind of friendships I kept and the kind of material I read and the places I went. All those things had to be rearranged to fit into the choice that God had led me to make. I have been slow in responding when the Lord has been trying to accomplish these things.

One of the things that had to be rearranged in my life was how I spent Sunday. I would like to help God’s children to see how they could spend the Lord’s day in the way it would please Him and that would be most profitable both to themselves and to others, spiritually speaking. We must not associate the Lord’s day with sport or running around seeking our own pleasure. This is sound advice.

We have been very grieved to see and to know some of God’s people after having had fellowship on Sunday morning, with us, when we knelt together, sang, gave testimony, bowed their heads and gave thanks for and partook of something as sacred as the emblems that represent the broken body of Jesus and the wine that symbolizes His life’s blood poured out, and then, after that go home and just forget that the rest of the day belongs to God, too. Away to some place of pleasure, to some worldly throng.

A good many years ago, something happened that saddened us greatly, a young man, somewhere in his twenties, had professed; was a very nice man in many ways, but had one weakness – he was easily led by others. He got the thought into his mind (and it was not God that put it there) that if he went with the boys, he would get them to the meeting, and eventually, get them saved. I do not mean that we should not take an interest in others, we should be concerned about the salvation of others, but do you know what happened one Sunday afternoon? He went away to a lake with a number of his young unsaved friends – they went swimming together, and while taking a high dive, he struck his head on the bottom so hard that it split two of his vertebrae. They carried him out and took him home. After seven months of suffering, he passed away. There was a terrible feeling came over the Lord’s people when we learned that it happened on a Sunday afternoon.

We live in a country where there is a tendency to make Sunday a pleasure day. What happened to this boy would not have happened if he had been where he belonged and been occupied with His Heavenly Father’s business. In many countries and communities, there are homes of brothers and sisters who get few visitors, and a visit would mean a tremendous lot to those struggling souls; perhaps we could visit a home where there is sorrow, or lonely friends or a letter we could write to one of his servants far away. Lots of ways, there are sick people, sick friends. These are only some of the suggestions, but if you would look around God will show you something that could be put into the Lord’s day that would be to your account.

Ps 116 gives the key note of how all this can be brought about. “I love the Lord. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me?” I know the sinner’s greatest need is that of being led to receive Christ, God then gives the new birth and with that new birth He gives us the first experience that links us to God.

The most important contribution you can make to each meeting is the spirit which produces fellowship, which is one of the first fruits of love. Fellowship does not come because we all believe the same things, or because we believe in the same kind of preacher but it comes because of a kindred spirit; God has been good enough to give His spirit to us. This unites us to Him.

Do you know what makes happy homes, honourable homes? L-O-V-E, nothing can take its place. There are very happy homes where people have lived, very small humble homes. Love is what makes our fellowship and makes it worthwhile. A man came to Jesus and said, “Which is the first commandment of all?” (Mark 12:28) Without hesitation, Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength.” The second is like it, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” It is that love that units men to God – not the result of understanding only, not a bond of fear – it is LOVE. The second condition (verse 31) is made possible because the first is there, (verse 30) and you cannot have the second without the first. He made the astounding statement, “On these commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” The end (aim) of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart. (I Timothy 1:5) Some have swerved from this and made shipwreck. I think of the words of Paul in the well known chapter of I Corinthians 13. He uses the word “charity” there. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling symbol.” There would be no lasting benefit. “Though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” If he had not charity, his words, service, and sacrifice would be unprofitable. What is charity? Love? Yes, but it is more than love. The love that a man has for his wife and the love a wife has for her husband is not charity. That is human, natural love. Charity is a divine love that is begotten in the hearts of people when Christ comes in. True charity is not found anywhere except where Christ dwells – in the lives where He is at work and where He has come. It is something that is found where Christ is.

Then I understand why Paul wrote of some (II Thessalonians 2:10-11) “They received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion that they should believe a lie.” They did not receive the love of the Truth. They didn’t belong to His family. To be united by love to Him and His own is so essential. If God cannot unite us to Himself, we couldn’t blend or fit into Heaven. Paul also wrote to the Colossians, “Above all these things put on charity – bond of perfectness.” Peter wrote, “Above all these things, have fervent charity among yourselves.”

This man in Psalms 116 says, ” I love the Lord because He hath heard my voice and supplications.” This Psalm describes a man who had been in terrible distress. The “Sorrows of death compassed” and the “pains of hell got hold of him” and out of the depths of his heart, he prayed. He loved God because God had heard his prayer and supplication. I wonder if the 11th verse does not give us the key to the state of bondage and distress he had been in? “I said in my haste, all men are liars.” We are not told what caused him to say that, but we are given to understand that here was a man who in haste, and without thinking, transgressed, in the spirit of the second commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” It could be that he had come under the influence of an unforgiving or jealous spirit. There are a lot of traits in our lives that Satan wants to cultivate and develop, but God wants to sow and cultivate the marks of Christ in us. What we read in these verses gives us a picture of a man just terrified. He saw something coming between him and God. Suppose he couldn’t get the breach mended. Suppose his wrong was so great that God wouldn’t hear him. His heart was brought low, but when he cried to God, came in true repentance, directed his prayer to God, he found God very kind and gracious, forgiving and merciful (verse 5). God heard him and He restored something in his life that caused him to express those words, “I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications.”

Jesus meant, “I want you to love one another just like I have loved you.” He didn’t just say causally, “Love one another,” if they could cultivate the same quality, the same kind love as He had for them, then, “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples,” would be true of them. That last night, over and over again, Jesus’ words followed that theme. He told His disciples in John 13-15 the need of this love. The greatest love of all was the love manifested by Jesus – He gave His life for others. In John 17, He prayed to His heavenly Father that nothing would make a breach between His disciples, but “that they may be one as Thou, Father, art in Me and I in Thee, that they may be one in Us.” Jesus also prayed, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.” This petition in Jesus’ prayer includes us.

I can understand that after receiving such wonderful benefits, the Psalmist in Psalms 116:12 would express those words, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me?”

It is also necessary to take to the meeting a spirit of thankfulness. We ought to be the most thankful people in all the world. If He could just get us alone for one hour and could tell us all that He had done for us, including many blessings we have forgotten all about, we would never complain about our lot, nor would we be unthankful. We would say, “What can I give back to Him in the time I have left?” “I will take the cup of salvation.” There would be no more bitter feelings. So if anything has upset you in your spirit this year, don’t let it upset you this year, let it go. The devil would like us to think that we are justified in cherishing a wrong spirit, if we feel we have been wronged or neglected. It will mar our future and spoil our happiness. “I will walk before the Lord.” One thing I had to learn after I professed was that my attitude towards others had to be different. But I learned that my attitude toward God was of first importance. Our preaching and teaching, and influence would be fruitless unless we see that our first responsibility is to live right before God – ourselves. The Psalmist said twice, “I will pay my vows,” and twice, “I am Thy servant.” He also said, “I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of Thanksgiving.”

Just before I close I want to tell you something that has fed my soul. We need to “give in” and to “fit in.” As we have the attitude of “Yes” toward God and the “I will” of true submission and true resignation to His will, we will have the one thing necessary to obtain forgiveness from God. That is how we get right, and that is how we keep right. We often have to say “No” to ourselves, sometimes to others, and occasionally to our brethren, if they through lack of understanding should wish to do things not consistent with the example of Jesus, or the word of God. If this should be necessary, it needs to be said graciously and wisely, and explain why. Fathers and Mothers find their need to say, “No” to their children sometimes. Children who have always had their own way seldom grow up to honour God, or to be useful in His service. Those whom God calls for His harvest field need to learn while waiting to go forth, and also after they go forth, to say, “No” to many things that would hinder them from giving their best and their all in service to God and their fellowmen.

May God, then, give to all, grace to make the decisions that will be in the best interests of the Kingdom of God, both regarding our own spiritual welfare and the spiritual welfare of others.

Luke 16, the unjust steward. “And He said also unto His disciples.” He had been speaking to the Pharisees those parables about the lost sheep, the lost money, and the prodigal son, and there was something in this that was helpful to the Pharisees, but evidently there was something in it also that could help the disciples. The son that wasted his goods in riotous living – evidently Jesus took this opportunity of showing His disciples that there is another way of wasting our goods. “Give account of your stewardship.” The Lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely not because he had done justly. Jesus said, “Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness,” and, “He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” The Pharisees listening in are covetous and they derided Him. “That which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

The lesson of stewardship – all we are and all we possess and all that is committed to our trust – it is not our own, it belongs to another, and we will have to give account of what we had and how we have used it. If the thing belongs to me, I don’t have to answer to another person. Before I heard the gospel I felt, “If I want to spend my money, whose business is it?” When I listened to the gospel, I began to discover it is someone else’s business – don’t fool yourselves, friends, it is God’s business. After some weeks, I put up the white flag, and I surrendered my life to the Master, and I said, “I must do the will of God.”

The mistake the world makes and we as God’s children could easily make, also – they take the attitude of ownership instead of stewardship. It is no small privilege to be a steward. Stewards or stewardesses on a ship or a plane – they don’t own the ships or planes, but if you want anything, you have to get it through the stewards or stewardesses. They are held responsible to their owners and also to the passengers. They may get the feeling sometimes, “We are owners,” but they are not. We may get the feeling of ownership, and act as if we were, but best to be careful. If you act as you should as a passenger, the stewards will give you whatever you need. Paul writing to the Corinthians said they were carnal, not in a bad way – maybe some of them were – “Thou savourest of the things that be of man, not of God – I am of Paul, I am of Apollos.” “That you might learn to think of us as men, and not above that which is written.” Stewards of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of Christ. We don’t own this thing, we don’t pretend to know a lot of other things, but if we don’t know, we had better know this thing – we are stewards of whatever God commits to our trust. What is the qualification for a steward? The qualification for any person who has something committed to their trust? Trustworthy – that a man be found faithful. We will not be judged by our capacity or ability – every man according to his ability, but it is required that a man be found faithful. We can all be faithful.

Luke 19 – the pounds – a man who learned that he was to be put out of his stewardship. The day is coming when we will be put out of our stewardship – that day is coming to everyone. If we are faithful, we might get a stewardship on the other side – “Have thou authority over ten cities – over five cities.” Jesus was putting before His disciples, “You have a wonderful opportunity of changing the natural into the spiritual.” When you get to 82, you know it is not very far off. We have the privilege and opportunity of having something on the other side because of being faithful with what we have entrusted to us on this side. How could they waste their goods? By being unfaithful. They could preserve it by being faithful. Here it is another man’s, there it will be given to us permanently. Jesus did not recommend the dishonesty of this man, but his foresight, his wisdom. You take an example from that – not in being dishonest but in being faithful. He did some fast and wise thinking, and then he did some fast business – good business for himself.

Luke 12:15-21, just what this man lacked – a little foresight. He said, “What shall I do?” His crops had brought forth bountifully. He made a decision, but he did not ask counsel. How foolish human beings are! That don’t have the wisdom of God! What wonderful opportunities they could have! Make use of this capacity and ability that we have. Luke 16:9, “And I say unto you, ‘Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.’”

A man that Paul wrote about – Onesiphorus – “At my first appearing, no-one stood by me, but the Lord stood by me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.” “Onesiphorus, when he came to Rome, he sought me out diligently and found me. He was not ashamed of my chain.” Matthew 25:35, “For I was a hungered and ye gave me meat,” etc. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” II Timothy 1:18, “The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day, and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.” Many ways we can make friends with the Lord. “He that helps the poor, lends to the Lord and the Lord will lend to him again.” Would it be taking a great risk to lend to the Lord? Many ways we can lend to the Lord. He was teaching them how to be wise for themselves.

Hymn, “See the Saviour in compassion.” In this hymn, every moment of Jesus’ strength was laid down for heavenly riches. We can exchange our strength and use every opportunity of helping others. “He that loseth his life shall save it.”

For some reason the last chapters in Romans, from chapter 12 to the end of the 15th, have been a help to me in this particular sense as showing us what would be and what is the acceptable sacrifice that God requires of us. The acceptable sacrifice, the acceptable life, There are some thoughts expressed in the 11th chapter that help me to appreciate the way Paul begins the 12th chapter, when he said, “I beseech you by the mercies of God.” Jim Ratcliffe was telling us about being thankful for many things. He spoke of a few for which we are and should be thankful, and this chapter begins by beseeching us by the mercies of God that we would present our bodies a living sacrifice. We could mention many of the mercies of God, but I believe, when Paul used this word he had one particular kind of mercy in mind, because Paul was this particular part especially to the Gentiles. You know, he says in the 1 5th chapter that he received the grace of God, the favor of God and the responsibility from God to be an apostle unto the Gentiles, the minister of Christ unto the Gentiles. The Jews had their day. They had had a chance and they had come to the place where God was not satisfied with their service and with their sacrifices and the time had come now for the scriptures to be fulfilled that was going to open the door unto he Gentiles. That they were going to have their chance, their day and Paul was appointed by God, with others, he received the responsibility and that grace, that favor of ministering unto the Gentiles. That Gospel of Christ, that their sacrifice, their offering, that the offering of the Gentiles unto God might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, He was not speaking in the term of their sacrifice being something they offered, but thinking more of them being the sacrifice, the offering unto God as we are offering unto God, body, soul and Spirit. We are like those that are led captive and we have become captives of Christ.

Paul was telling about the Gentiles as a people individually and collectively being an offering to God. The Gentiles did not know what the Jews knew, did not know God, did not know what would be acceptable unto God. Their minds were darkened, hearts darkened, lives tainted with sin, having false conceptions and it meant a great deal for him to go and teach these Gentiles and bring them to obedience of the faith, so that they would submit to the service of God That was his work and that was his task which he did so very well. That is our task today. He was thinking that he did not want that to happen to the Gentiles. He was responsible that what had happened to the Jews, should not happen to the Gentiles. This part in the 11th chapter and also in the 9th chapter have been made very real to me, because of our experience in Morocco where there are thousands of Jews. I never see them without having a feeling of sadness and also guilt. You say, “Why guilt?” We are not responsible for them having been rejected as a people. But when I see those Jews, see a people standing outside the door, I see them still abiding in the unbelief and I know as well as I know I am here, that for the greater part of these Jews, those who once had the promise of God, those who gave us the Scriptures, those people from whom to us came salvation, as Jesus said to that Samaritan, “The hour is coming and now is, etc.” That is something I never like to forget, that salvation came to us from a people who themselves have been rejected as a people. The door is open unto them through Christ, through faith, but they have to come in through our door now. When I see these people and see them holding on to their old hope and feeling in their pride, “We are the people of God.” I think of these verses here were Paul said, “Have they stumbled that they should fall, etc.” It is not for ever they are all cut off. Those who are willing, those who believe, can still come in. “Through their faith etc. ” We see there as he says in another verse, “For as ye in times past have not believed God, etc.” You have obtained mercy through their unbelief. I like to remember today that we are those that were not the people of God, but now are the people of God. We are those that had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy and all through their unbelief and disobedience, It makes me feel a little shaky, a little queer, a little fearful, if I feel some other person has failed, and that through their failure I have obtained something, a place, a favor, largely through their failure, and Paul does not hide the fact that it was through their unbelief. He gives us a warning, “Don’t be high minded,” etc.

The thought that has been coming to me these last few days is this. There is still danger, there is a danger that we also may fail as did the Jews, to offer unto God an acceptable sacrifice, an acceptable service, one that would be worthy of Jesus Christ, one that would be worthy of the love that has been bestowed upon us and worthy of the mercy that we have obtained. You could also say mercy through the misfortune and loss of others. The thing that has made this real to me is as I have seen these people, I see them and I am always sad because I have a tender feeling in my heart toward the Jews. I don’t forget either Abraham and the Apostles and the Prophets and Jesus Christ Himself are the root, they are all Jews. We have been grafted in and we are enjoying the fatness of the tree and all the precious things that those prophets who were Jews, suffered for and brought unto us and that God has given unto us through them. This should make us humble and make us careful and make us grateful.

The thought to me is that we can never afford to get familiar, never afford to get careless, never afford to rest on our lees and settle down and think, “We are God’s people.” Those of us who have heard the Gospel and have believed in Jesus, in His truth, in His way, in His intercession, His sacrifices and we have accepted that wholeheartedly and unreservedly, we are on a solid foundation. That is something to be glad for. We see Mohammedans, hundreds and thousands of them, with no hope of salvation. There is a large body of Catholics. You know what they have done They are far, far from God, far from the truth, far from obedience to the faith, going through their forms, calling upon their myths.

In Algeria recently, a man took us in his car to see a large fort on a hill, overlooking the harbor. There was a Catholic church there and the mother-in-law of the man said, full of awe, “The virgin.” She almost had sacredness in her voice. Those of us who have had the great privilege of knowing and hearing the truth and have accepted it, we have something to be thankful for, we have a treasure that we will never know the value of in this world, but we should be fearful, thankful and careful and feel our responsibility first of all, to see to it as Paul said here, to offer unto God the acceptable sacrifice and service, and then our responsibility towards one another and to those outside. “I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God, ” etc. Paul was wanting them to offer the sacrifice and service that would be acceptable, so that their offering might be acceptable unto God. When I think of the sacrifice, I think of the whole burnt offering. This offering was governed by the law. There was a law that governed every sacrifice and offering brought to God. Some sacrifices were not acceptable. They were not brought according to the rule, according to the regulations. The first thing about the law is, it defines what the sacrifice should be. It could not just be anything, could not be our money. It had to be ourselves, it had to be our body, the life given, the whole thing.

The next thing about it was the condition of the sacrifice. It could not be brought in any kind of a way. It was not sufficient to have a sheep or a bullock. It had to be the right kind of sheep, the right kind of bullock, an animal in the right kind of condition, “Holy.” We cannot bring ourselves to God and expect God to accept us just in any kind of way. We know that.

Then there was the way the sacrifice should be presented. There is a way of presenting the sacrifice that makes it acceptable or unacceptable. I was a cook in the army, I don’t tell this around too much, because I might be called upon. One time in America, we were going to have some people together and we wanted somebody to cook. One of the sisters said, “You are the person.” I began to think fast how I could get out of it and said, “Not enough people for me.” One thing I always remember about our experience in the kitchen. Those of us who were regular cooks learned about the serving. Soldiers have their feeling and I have seen how they react when someone just threw something on their plate. We used to make the meal, place it on the plate and then that plate was passed down the line and those who were serving had to put things in the same position. Just the way the thing is done, makes all the difference. There is a right way to serve and there is a wrong way. There is a way that makes our life, our sacrifice, our service, acceptable unto God and unto our brethren, unto those in the body and those outside.

The next thing, “Be ye not conformed to this world but be ye transformed, ” etc. This is a verse that I have got some help from as I mediated upon it, because it speaks of the inward transformation, of being renewed in the inner man. Joe was telling us that some of these things don’t come so fast and that is true of being renewed in our mind.

The French Bible says, “Renewed in your intelligence. ” In writing to the Colossians, Paul used an expression: “and having put off all these.” The first thing to be conformed to is this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, your intelligence. I used an illustration for this sometimes to help to get folks to see what I mean. With those of us who have gone and labored in other countries among other nationalities, when we Anglo Saxons and Northern people come among the Latin people, we find that our great difficulty is our mentality, and we find we have to change a great deal, we have to change our ways of thinking, our way of looking at things and get accustomed to them, get acquainted with their mentality, before we can help them, because our mentality would criticize them, judge them and finish by condemning them. There was a brother in Switzerland at one time and he was talking with another brother, I was as I still am “small fry,” but this man said something and I took the opportunity of putting in a word. He said, “That would be a proof that there was not anything to him.” I said, “Maybe that there would be nothing to an Englishman or a American, but it would not be any proof in regard to a Frenchman, and vice-versa.” We do things that would shock them, but to us, it is normal. When we get acquainted, when we stay there long enough for that to soak in on us, it changes our way of thinking, our way of talking, and we are able to be sympathetic and we draw near to them and they open their hearts to us and that can help.

Coming to help the seed of Abraham, it behooved Him in all things to be made like unto His brethren. We heard about that this morning, even going beyond in that humility and in all things being made like unto His brethren so that He might be a faithful and merciful High Priest, He could understand their failings, sympathize in their weakness and could intercede for them, a merciful High Priest. It did not take the Son of God to know what the law said, but it took the Son of God to be a merciful and faithful high priest before God. It took the Son of God with the Son of man. We are transformed by an inward transformation. When we come from all nationalities and from all walks of life we have to begin to adjust ourselves, to adapt ourselves and we get the mind of Christ. Why is it that all these nationalities, when you meet them outside God’s family, they cannot understand each other, but in God’s family all are like one? It is because everyone that has come into God’s family has been willing to adjust themselves, to adapt themselves, and they have received the mind of Christ, and that mind of Christ has given them the mentality of the family of God. We get the inward way of thinking, it changes our way of looking on things, it changes our way of judging things. It is that mentality of the family of God that we can see in the faithful ones right down.

It is the same kind of mind that Abraham had, that the prophets had, the same mind that Jesus had, Mary and Joseph and all the others. We have entered in and we have received a little of that mind of Christ and we have now a little of the mentality, of the feeling, of the nature of the family of God, and that is why we are like one family and we are one family. And those who are not willing to adapt themselves and to fit in and accept the conditions, they can not have any part in this, but those who are willing for this have received the spirit of God and the mind of Christ and then they all have one mind, according to the measure that we yield. The more we adapt ourselves, the more we can help others. The more we can adapt ourselves to God’s way of thinking, God’s way of doing, the more of the mind and mentality of God we have. “That ye may prove what is the acceptable service, ” etc. As we get the new transformation, being transformed inwardly, then we manifest it outwardly.

The next thing that spoke to me was, “Through the grace of God given me” Romans 12:3. We come to the place where we have entered into this body and we begin to work together. One thing I learned in the army. I wrote a letter about it after being there a week or two. I began to have strange feelings and a little bit of resentment as I tried to analyze the situation. Immediately when I accepted this fact, I lost my resentment. It was this that in this army, a man loses his individuality, his own personality and finds himself part of a corps, part of a machine and he does not do what he wanted to do when he wants to do it, but they take him and find out what he is good for and fit him into a place and there he is until he gets out of it. He doesn’t have the grace we have in the Lord’s family. In France, one of the boys said, “Tough, is it not?” I said, “No, I don’t find it tough.” He used some language I can’t repeat here. I said, “I learned discipline before I came here.” Anybody who would act half decently had the respect of their superiors. We had food, clothing etc. I found my individuality had disappeared and then it was not difficult.

The first principle, the first thing necessary for us as God’s people, to work together, is first of all, for man not to have too high an opinion of himself, not to have a higher opinion of himself than God has. If he has a high opinion of himself, he is not going to be willing to serve others, Having a higher opinion of himself than he ought to have, is to forget that in this family, it is not just me and mine, I am a member of the body, I am a member even of other members. I have lost my individuality, That has gone. But on the other hand, I am benefiting, I am receiving a thousand more than I would have received in the world. Paul says: “Ye are members one of another.”

I have a hand, an arm, and my finger is not a member of the arm, it is a member of a hand, it is a member of another member. God in His wisdom put it as a member of the hand and the hand as a member of the arm. Supposing my thumb were up at the elbow! The Lord has so placed the members in the body. Fingers can do things the shoulder cannot do, but they can serve as the shoulder. The finger receives benefit from the body, just the same as the hand. “I say by the grace given unto me,” etc. Paul felt responsibility for that, but he was not talking about his authority, but he said, by the grace he had received, God had required him to teach. It was his responsibility, it was not that he wanted to be anything, “Each one according to what he is, whether minister. Let him minister.”

After he spoke about the body, he said: “Let love be without dissimulation,” let it be sincere. Love, means just like Paul demonstrated that about charity. Last year, Sam made a remark about charity, and I said, “I am going to study that this year and I am going to start practicing.” Some of them thought it was late to start, but I said, “Better late than never.” In studying these first 13 chapters, I have enjoyed seeing this charity in action, seeing that love being used. One of the great ways you see it in Paul, whatever he did, whatever he said, wherever he went, one thing uppermost in his heart, thinking of every person, doing or not doing according to how it would affect his brother, that is love, that is a man not loving himself, nor serving himself, but offering a service unto God, and his people, that will be acceptable. Whatever he does, it is with the thought of helping someone else.

14th Chapter. He that served Christ in this manner, is acceptable unto God and pleasing unto men. If we are serving the kingdom of God, if there is a difference of opinion, let this be our guide. Just act in a way that you think will help the other person. If it is going to hinder him do it not, even though it is legitimate. It is pleasing to God when we serve in that way. “In honor preferring one another.”

Two sisters in their testimonies quoted that verse, “Esteeming others better than ourselves.” It is not in human nature to do that, it is in divine nature, it is in the family of God, because we learn that others are better than ourselves and even if they are not, it is a safe thing. Two things that will help us to keep saved, one is not having too high an opinion of ourselves, being satisfied to serve how we can and where we can, and the other is learning to esteem others better than ourselves. I read an article about accidents on the road and it said, “The only way for them to be prevented is road courtesy, and in America, they have not learned that yet.” They get there and it is for every man to get out of the way, We can do that, but is it not nice to see people giving preference to others, even in little things? This will go a long way in making things work smoothly and helping to build up the family of God, and it is a service that is acceptable unto God and unto our brethren.

The letters in the New Testament have a definite message to the people of God today; they meet the needs of people in this our day as they did when they were written. The letter to the Colossians was written by Paul, not to his own converts, but to one of his fellow servants, a younger servant. The work there was founded by Epaphras. We know that in the family of God there is equality of relationship, but there is not equality of responsibility. Those who are babes in Christ have not the same responsibility as those who are older. This is the same with the servants of God; this lesson is taught very clearly in the letter to the Colossians. Here is a younger servant of God who had to deal with things that were beyond him. He made a visit to Rome to see Paul about certain matters and then this wonderful letter was written. This is the responsibility of every older servant of God the world over, to strengthen the hand of the younger fellow servants.

The key to this letter is in the 3rd chapter, verse 11. Christ is all. The theme of this letter is the all sufficiency of Christ. Christ is all the servant of God needs, Christ is all the child of God needs, Christ is all the man or woman that is not a child of God needs. Away up on the mountain slope of Galilee after His resurrection Jesus said to the disciples, “All power is given unto Me; Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” I have proved the truth of those words, “Lo I am with you always.” Christ is all that a servant of God needs, Christ is all that a child of God needs in his home life and business life. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the answer to every problem, the solution to every question.

As you read over the four chapters of this letter, remember it was written to the same kind of men and women that lived in the same world and are up against the same problems we are. Read this letter as a message to your own heart. Why did Paul put such tremendous emphasis on these things? Men crept in amongst those people who were bringing in their own thoughts. Paul warned against men who would beguile them. These Christians in Colossae were in great danger of being led astray by men who were bringing in their own philosophy.

This letter was written to supply help to this younger servant of God. Read Colossians 1:15-18. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by Him were all things created, etc. He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. The birth of Christ was not an ordinary birth; the life of Christ was not an ordinary life; the death of Christ on Calvary was not an ordinary death; it was an extra-ordinary death; the resurrection of Christ was not an ordinary resurrection, it was an historic fact.

The question often arises in our hearts, What is God like? All down through the ages men have speculated as to what God is like. Men have manufactured idols, etc. to express their understanding of what God is like. Remember when Paul was in the city of Athens, he made this statement, “For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the God-head is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device,” Acts 17:29. Years ago when we were having a convention in the city of Athens, some of us went to Mars Hill. There was a museum there and hundreds of images of God, the attempts of men to convey to others what they thought God was. I would like to answer this question simply and I hope scripturally that God is like Christ. Jesus was the visible representation of the invisible God. We think too often of Him as man. I want to speak to you about Him as Christ. He clothed Himself with a human form and manifested to the world God. To me, Christ was the human form of God in this present evil world.

In order to help you understand this, I would like you to read John 1:1. The thoughts of God and the mind of God is expressed in this one verse, “In the beginning was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Was with God and was God. Verse 14 The Word (Christ)) was made flesh and dwelt among us. Verse 18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” John 14:8-9 Philip saith unto Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” Jesus saith unto him, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father, and how sayest thou then, ‘Show us the Father?’” I believe He was hurt. Oh, how much those first disciples needed to have their faith increased.

Hebrews 1:1-3, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” All that Christ was, God is. During those years on earth He manifested the character and nature and love of God. He gave to men and women a look into the Father’s heart. This helps me to understand the awful cost of Calvary. He came unto His own. Did you ever try to determine the awful sin of those men? Christ was the Word (or God) made flesh.

In Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8:27-29) Jesus asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” He didn’t say, “What are the chief priests and Scribes and Pharisees saying?” He knew too well they said He was Beelzebub, a Samaritan, had a devil, said He was a glutton and winebibber. A glutton was one of the worst sins. They also said he was a friend of publicans and sinners. Who were the men who were saying these reports? They were the men that the people had been taught to look up to for religious guidance. Here was the Messiah, right in their midst, but these were the things they were saying about Him. He asked the question, “Whom do the common, ordinary people say that I am?” What was true then is true today.

Jesus said, “I thank Thee Oh Father, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes.” His disciples said, “Some say, ‘Elias,’ and others, ‘One of the prophets.’” He was like the prophets of old; they could see some little likeness to the men of old. Then He said to His disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” Peter answered, “Thou are the Christ.” What place are you giving to Him in your heart-life, home-life, and business-life? Is He just merely One that lived in the long ago? Some say He was a man of God. He was not a man of God, but He was the God-man. That in all things Christ might have the preeminence. Our destiny depends not on how much we know of Him, not in our knowledge of the truth that He taught, but the place we allow Him in our hearts. In all things, Christ.

One verse that is familiar to all of you that has been impressing on my mind much these weeks past: I Corinthians 15 the last verse – “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” A good many of our oldest friends have been called home in recent months – some that we have been closely associated with in past years fellow-workers that were valuable helpers in God’s way, brothers, companions. Maybe these friends being callers home has made us think a little more of what we can expect after death. Some think we shouldn’t think about the hereafter, but thinking about it helps us to live right in the present. On account of these being called home and our speaking at the funerals caused our mind to turn to some of these verses of what is beyond the grave and what does our faith mean to us. I would advise you to read this 15th chapter of I Corinthians. Seemed that some had come among these people and put doubts in their minds about a resurrection. Trying to make these people believe there would be no resurrection – no hereafter. Paul said that if Christ didn’t rise from the dead then we are false witnesses and. says if there is no resurrection why we might as well eat and drink, etc. It seems you know that in those days and in our days too, people don’t like to think of a resurrection. When Paul preached at Athens and told them about a resurrection, some mocked. They like to think that just this life and nothing to face hereafter. There is something in the human heart that tells them there is a hereafter. You can travel in any part of this world where there is no Bible and you will find that in those peoples’ minds and hearts there is some conviction that there is something after death. You will find that those people will torture their bodies, etc., to get their sins forgiven. I was traveling with a man and he was trying to make himself think that that was like fakers – trying to put something over on him. I told him that God put that in the human heart when He made them. Something tells them that, ”I have sinned,” “I have done wrong and I will have to suffer hereafter.” I enjoyed sometime ago when I was going to a funeral – that verse came into my mind in Hebrews that tells about Jesus coming here and taking on Him a body like ours. He tasted of death that He might deliver those who through all their life time were held in bondage, etc. First of all it says that He might destroy him that held them in bondage. A kind of shadow hanging over you all your life, held in bondage because of fear of death. Jesus came and tasted death and delivered us. Have we been delivered to understand that? What makes death the dread? The sting of death is sin. When there is a sting in anything you are afraid of it. If there wasn’t a sting in a hornet you wouldn’t be afraid of it. Thanks be unto God who has given us the victory over taken the sting out of death. Jesus tasted death, shed His precious blood and through this made it possible for us to be forgiven that sin. You and I can have this confidence that God is able and willing for Christ’s sake to forgive and that God looks at you through that blood if we are walking in the Light. That is a comforting thing as I look into the future realizing that I can be delivered from the fear of death, not that I am self-righteous, but because of His blood that was shed on the cross God can look on my garment that is clean.

One of my friends before they died was talking to a sister Worker. They were very weak and mind tired. Said, “I have been so worn and tired that I could hardly put my thoughts together to pray but one day when I was so tired this came to me, ‘I am now a Child of God; Christ redeemed me as His own.’ That was just like a message – not that I deserve anything, but because I heard His Gospel and received it and Christ came in, etc., now I am a Child of God.” Doesn’t that take away the sting of death? I know I have a lot of things to be ashamed of but I am a Child of God. When I have failed as these people in the Bible failed, I have sought for forgiveness, etc. That will deliver us from the fear of death. Another fear of death is taken away when we see Jesus and what He went through. Another verse that came to my mind was when Paul wrote to Timothy that Christ brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Now in this chapter in Corinthians it gives more details and tells us what we have a right to expect. He gave us the earthly body first. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. That has two meanings, by my flesh and. blood – what my flesh and. blood would teach me that wouldn’t make me a Child of God. I would have to get a new birth – get a revelation. This old body couldn’t go into Heaven. 50th verse you can read of this new body. Shows a mystery of what will happen if we should be living when He comes again. We often feel like saying those words in the last verse of the Bible: “Come quickly. even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” What will happen when He returns? He says: “We will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.“ We will not have to die at all and will be given that new body. Same kind of body that Jesus had when He rose from the dead. Suppose you die before He does come and your body put in the grave – it will not be me nor you that is put in the grave. We were singing that hymn, ”Alone with God.” One line I do not like – I won’t sing it: “When I shall sleep beneath the sod.” When God does come this thing that is in us – the spirit – It goes back to Him. If we are a Child of God the spirit goes back to be with Christ. We will not be beneath the sod. We will have gone to be with Christ which is far better. But if we don’t know Him we will go to the other place. I sometimes tell my friends I don’t want them to make much fuss when I go. If I had no choice where to end my days, it would be somewhere where not many knew me. We know that people do it for love. The last funeral I was at the undertaker came and religious people and the clergy and on the way home the undertaker said: “I never saw anything like that.” He said, “I have been to large funerals and one where thousands of people were. I never saw such love shown.“ Not because the old body is there but the love for the one that is gone.

It is not so much for what is done here but what we will enjoy there. He says, “If you do die and the body is put in the grave and when Jesus comes that will be raised. The one will be changed, in a moment and the other will be brought out of the grave and caught up together.”

Some say what kind of body will they get? One person that was cremated or one blown to bits. He said, ”Oh foolish people. Don’t you know that if you put a seed in the ground,” etc. If it is corn, it is a stalk. God gives it a body. These old bodies of ours that die they are sown in dishonor, sown in the dust, but God will raise them up an immortal body. It doesn’t say that these new bodies will have blood in them. Remember when Jesus rose from the dead, the woman in the garden didn’t hardly recognize Him. Those on the road to Emmaus didn’t recognize Him, etc. He put out His hand – does the body have flesh and bones? He wasn’t subject to the laws of this body. What causes us the most trouble? It is that blood. Human 1ife is in the blood. We hear people say: “It runs in the blood.” All these things that give us our peculiarities. These things are inherited; these tendencies whatever they might be; these things as it were are in the blood. The new body won’t have the flesh and blood. It will be fashioned like unto His glorious body. I notice that in reading the New Testament it wasn’t only the Children of God like Paul and others – it wasn’t only that in dwelling Christ, but he had truths fastened on him and in the darkest hours these came to him. Got hold of that truth that in the resurrection there is going to be rewards, etc. “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding.” I am fully convinced in my heart and mind that there will be a resurrection and that there will be rewards. I want to be steadfast in my faith. I will use everything. The devil will use everything – the failures of others. I am going to hold to that. I have found in later years very helpful to get just a little short sentence that I know is a truth and hang on to that. Sometime ago I found that little truth: “Truly God is good.” If things come, tests, etc, I will hold on to that truth – “Truly God is good.” Don’t let the devi1 rob you of’ truths. It is worthwhile to be steadfast. Abounding means “flowing over” in the work of the Lord. All have a part in the work of the Lord. As you live in your home you can be abounding in the work of the Lord. God is not unmindful to forget your labor of love. You can abound in the work of the Lord by having your home encouraging the servants. Many times we have been tempted to think it is in vain and we may be getting weary in well doing. Sometimes when you are in your home you may think it isn’t worth while Think how much it means. Think of places where there are conventions, etc. It might seem what is there to it? People say there is nothing in it. If they only knew how many hearts have been comforted and encouraged to fight the battle by the things they got there. After some of us get near to the end of the journey it is coming closer to us that it is not in vain to be abounding, doing your best in your home – it is not in vain in one Lord to sow the seed. I hope we will all have grace to always be steadfast, unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Hymn 316

(Just a few of the thoughts that Hubert Childers expressed – there were many more) Galatians. At the close of the meeting and the close of the day, there is a verse that is coming to my mind: “I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and. the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God., who loved me and gave Himself for me.” I would like that that would be my experience – to be crucified with Christ – the power and the influence that instilled the nails in the hands and feet of my Master that the same would crucify me – that I might be willing for that to be nailed to the cross. “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” I would like that everything that Jesus loved and lived for would live in me: that I would give it room and place in this life of mine.

I am going to say to you folks here in Arizona, a few of the same things that were said in San Diego and Bakersfield, and further North, about the Fellowship Meetings on the “First day of the week.” It has been said that the real test of a good convention is not exactly what takes place in the convention meetings, but to a very large extent, what takes place in your Fellowship Meetings on the “first day of the week” during the year.

I hope all of you, at the close of the convention will take your concordance and look up this word “fellowship.” I don’t know where it originated, but it seems to me that it is right and scriptural to think of our meetings on the “first day of the week” as Fellowship Meetings. The Roman Catholic Church speaks about the Mass; other church systems speak a great deal about their “Communion Service;” the Church of England speaks about the Eucharist and so on… When we think of the “first day of the week,” we remember the custom that existed in the New Testament days when the disciples of Jesus came together on the “first day of the week” to break bread. The Breaking of Bread is simply a symbolic way in which we renew our fellowship with our Master and Lord, and with each other.

There are two fundamentals of the faith of Jesus that are vital to a true understanding and interpretation as recorded in the New Testament. First, is the “Church in the home,” and in the home only, and secondly; the “Preacher without a home.” These two are Foundational. We cannot, we dare not, depart from either of them; and if we do, we become a part of that great Babylonia system that is blinding the minds of men and women the world over to the “simplicity that is in Christ.”

No preacher can be in our fellowship if he is not prepared to be as homeless in this world as his or her Master. One of the very first conditions that God’s ministers have to face is willingness to have fellowship with Jesus and His homelessness. “Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” No man or woman can share in his ministry unless they are willing to have fellowship with Jesus, the Son of man and Son of God, in His homelessness. There is another condition we might mention: fellowship with Jesus in His poverty. No man or woman can share in this ministry, unless they are willing to forsake all. There is equality in this. It matters nothing whether they have little or much, but it matters everything, that actually and literally, they “forsake all;” otherwise they can have no part in this Ministry.

While I’m speaking about the Ministry, there is a third condition that those who go forth in the Name and Way of Jesus must face. Jesus said, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” No one can enter this ministry who isn’t prepared to give as freely as He did. If we ever heard of any one in the Ministry raising a collection or making an appeal for money, we would immediately exclude them from this fellowship. God sent His servants into the world to be givers and not getters; therefore, God’s Bond Servants and Hand Maidens are characterized by their loving and giving and sacrificing and proving the promise He gave in the beginning…”seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all else will be added unto you.”

If every friend we have in this world turned their backs on us today, we could still go on, for the promise of God remains the same today as it did in the beginning. Our responsibility is to “seek ye first the Kingdom of God” and the promise He has made to his Servants is eternally sure.

Maybe there are some in this meeting today who are thinking seriously about entering into this ministry. The two fundamentals we mentioned, already, are worth making a note of: the “church in the home” and “the preacher without a home.” The men and women who have ministered to you from this platform these days have made themselves homeless and poor, for the Gospel’s sake, and are deliberately laying down their lives day by day; denying themselves of all they might have had or been and could have enjoyed, in order that they might bring the message of God to you. I hope you value and appreciate this ministry. There could be no New Testament apart from this New Testament Ministry.

The Church in the Home. 

Some years ago some of us were in the City of Rome, Italy. We were on our way to Naples to have some meetings there. One morning while in Rome, we planned to visit one of the oldest churches in the city; the Church of St. Pudenzia. When we reached this building, we found it was 16 feet below the level of the present street. The debris of hundreds of years was built up until this building was 16 feet below the level of the street. The Franciscan priest took us through this building, and afterwards he took us down to examine the foundation of another church on which the present one had been built. It was very interesting to us to examine the walls of that ancient building. The priest then said, “I’ll take you down still further. This original church was built on the foundation of a private home.” Se we went down, and there in that particular room where the floor had a beautiful mosaic pattern, he said to us, “the early church met for worship in this home, and in this room.” We were pleased to hear that. He added, “This home is supposed to be the home of Pudens that you read about in II Timothy 4:11.” That was even more interesting to us, and we enjoyed the thought that we were actually standing in the room where the first Christians in the city of Rome met to “break bread.”

From that home we went to St. Peter’s Cathedral, the largest Roman Catholic Church in the world. We wandered around that immense building, inside and outside, went up to the dome and looked down into the crypt where Peter is supposed to be buried. From there we went to the cupola and looked over the city of Rome…the city of hundreds of church buildings. One of our company, remarked that every step taken from that church to the home 50 ft. below the level of the street to give to the world St. Peter’s Cathedral was in the wrong direction, and only tended to blind the minds of men and women to the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ.

We make no secret of the fact we are deliberately and purposefully teaching men and women how to do without these great structures; these public buildings for the worship of God. We’re teaching people how to do without the priest, parson, and hired preacher, and how to do meet together every “first day of the week” in homes consecrated to God and there like those first disciples, remember our Lord and Master in the Breaking of the Bread.

No home is too lowly or too lovely for God’s people to meet in. All meet on the same level and same way, and with the same purpose in their hearts. We do not choose homes for God’s people to meet in because of their beauty. We choose homes for their convenience and the worthiness of the people who live in them.

I am not sure if I told the friends here in Arizona about an incident that took place some years ago in Vancouver. It may help you to understand why God’s people come together on the “first day of the week” in homes consecrated to God and not in public buildings. In the city of Vancouver, there was an exhibition held by the Church of England. It was really an exhibition of curios from Palestine and the East—many from Palestine. It was organized for the purpose of raising funds for the Church of England, missionaries laboring in Palestine. There was a full-sized model of the Tabernacle and its fittings. They also had a model of the home of Martha and Mary and Lazarus; that was also interesting to me. They maintained that this particular home was more than likely the kind of home that Jesus was entertained in.

Lectures were delivered on different subjects. One of them was on the Passover Feast. The lecturer was a prominent preacher of the Church of England. He was a very clever and able man, and his lectures most interesting and instructive. He told us the story of the Passover Feast. He emphasized its purpose and made one point that was of special interest to me. In his lecture, he made the statement over and over again that the Passover Feast was established in the homes of the Children of Israel, and throughout all their history, was never celebrated anywhere else but in their homes. Never taken to the Temple, never taken to the synagogue.

After it was over, the lecturer invited any to come forward and ask any questions they wished. With some others, I went forward and asked him first of all the question, “Did I understand you to say that the Passover Feast was established in the homes of the children of Israel, and never celebrated anywhere else?” He answered, “Yes, that is true and I’ll say more. To this very day, wherever the Jewish people keep the Passover Feast, it is celebrated, not in their synagogue, now in their temples, but in their homes.”

I asked, “What is the relationship between the Passover Feast and the New Testament breaking of bread, or as he would term, ‘the Communion Service?’” He answered very simple and to the point, ”The New Testament Breaking of Bread is the perpetuation of the Old Testament Communion Service established in a private home in Jerusalem.” “Where was it continued?” He said, “They broke bread from house to house.” I then asked him, “ When did the people of God cease to ‘bread break from house to house?’” He answered, “I don’t know, neither can I justify the Church in taking the Communion Service out of the homes of the people of God and placing it in the hands of a priest in a public building.” I then asked, “Don’t you think it would be a good thing to take it back to where the Lord Jesus established it?” He threw up his hands and said, “ It would be revolutionary; it would turn the world upside down,” and hurried away.

I’m not sure that all of you value as you should the privilege that is yours on the first day of the week of meeting together in a private home that has been consecrated to God. Let me remind you that in this, you are actually and literally fulfilling the scriptures. When you leave you home and go to the home of another on “the first day of the week to break bread,” the scriptures are being fulfilled. That ought to be a great comfort to you.

In the Gospel of Matthew there is that little phrase, “that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.” He Himself, deliberately sought to fulfill the scripture in His own life and ministry, and we can have a part with Him every “first day of the week” whether it’s in our own homes or in the homes of others. We can have this assurance in our hearts that we are fulfilling the scripture.

The second thing that can bring us comfort every “first day of the week” is this: we are registering a protest against that world system, christendom, churchianity, or call it what you want; that is blinding the minds of men to “simplicity that is in Christ.” We demonstrate week in and week out throughout this year that we can “ worship God in Spirit and in Truth” according to the teaching of God’s Word and without the machinery that men consider so vital and necessary today in the worship and services of God.

I have visited some of the greatest religious buildings in the world and I don’t say this boastingly. I have been to St. Peter’s in Rome, St. Paul’s in London, other buildings in Paris, Copenhagen, Brussels and British Isles. I have wandered inside and outside these buildings with a question in my mind and heart, “What was it that induced men to establish in the world these systems of religion that only blind the minds of men to the ‘simplicity that is in Christ?’”

Every “first day of the week” the Lord’s people have the privilege of coming together at the appointed place and hour to keep what we sometimes speak of as a double appointment – with each other and with our Master and Lord. That is the reason why every child of God should plan to be in his or her place on the “first day of the week” in the home where he or she is expected to be.

Some might say, “There are four or five, or twenty churches, in the city where I live and would it be all right for me to go to a different place every Sunday? I am a little bit discontented; I am a bit dissatisfied. Couldn’t I move around a little”? No, my brother or my sister! If you form that habit and practice that thing, you are walking disorderly. You are not showing an appreciation for the privilege for fellowship at the appointed time and place on the “first day of the week” and you might soon find yourself on the outside of this fellowship altogether.

It should be understood clearly by all that no leader or elder is self-appointed or elected by the church. All elders, or those who lead meetings are appointed by the Servants of God and are responsible to them.

I think it would be a very good study to look up the references to the “Church in the home” in the New Testament. Acts and the Epistles. Those of you who have the privilege of having the Church in your home can get great pleasure out of the thought that you are having fellowship with those first Christians who used their homes as you are using your home. We are very grateful to God’s people throughout the whole world, like Mr. And Mrs. Carter, who put their home and property at our disposal at a time like this. Where we can come together to hear God’s Word and spend our days in brotherly fellowship with one another.

Every meeting on the “first day of the week” consists of four parts. Each of them is important. There’s Singing, Prayer, Testimony, and the Breaking of the Bread. This is true all over the world. I have been in homes in different parts of the world and this is the order. I don’t know how it came about; the simple, natural, arrangements for us to sing, pray, testify, and Break Bread, then sing a closing hymn and go home. How different it is from the gorgeous ritual of Roman Catholicism and all related systems. How wonderful and beautiful is the “simplicity that is in Christ.”

Singing is important. We hope that all of you recognize the value of this part of the meeting. These hymns were written in order to help us express our thanks to God, our praise, our prayers, and purposes. It is a wonderful thing when we sing these hymns as the language of our hearts. I appreciated what Eldon told us about the hymn book the other day and came upon a hymn I had given out in meetings, had others sing it, but never saw the real beauty until that day. Every word of that hymn, the words of the chorus, seemed to find a response in my heart, and this could be true of all in the first part of every meeting. You can sing one or two hymns. I don’t think hymns should be selected at random. I think the person who is leading the meeting should recognize this in a serious responsibility, and should realize that the song should be an expression of the prayers and praises of God’s people who meet together. When we select hymns here on the platform, we don’t do this randomly, but select those that will best express the desires, praises, and purposes of God’s people.

The second part of the meeting is prayer. We like God’s people to kneel in prayer. There are some who can’t do this. If you can, and the home is large enough, I think it is appropriate and a Scriptural attitude …an attitude of helplessness and always appropriate in the presence of God.

I have appreciated the prayers in California the last few weeks and also here in Arizona. The prayers have been very brief and very much to the point. They have been edifying. I have been in meetings where the same prayer was offered week in and week out, each week of the year. It is a matter of repetition, repetition. It would be better if you would pray as you have been praying here…brief. The place for long prayers is in the secret place. Short prayers are more appropriate in the meeting place. I have known some young converts who go to meeting with older people and say, “I can’t pray like that. I can’t pray at all.” If from your hearts there came one or two partitions, the youngest babe in the family would feel encouraged to take part in prayer.

Now the next part in the meeting is the testimony. We’ve heard of some who actually preach for 20 minutes in the Sunday morning meeting. Think of it…20 minutes. Now, if everybody else preached for 20 minutes, how long would your meeting last? Suppose there were fifteen in your meeting and each one preached for 20 minutes. How long would it last? Five hours! That would be just a little bit too long. Out of consideration for all, and for the children, we arrange for the Sunday fellowship meeting to begin at 10:30 and be over about 12:00 noon. That is an hour and a half. I had a report after a talk of this kind, “We had a nice meeting this morning and it was over at 11:45.”

We will find that there is ample time in the meeting for each Child of God to speak in edification, without prolonging the meeting unnecessarily. We have heard of some who select a long chapter and read that chapter, commenting on every verse. That gets tiresome. The better way is to select from any chapter, maybe in the Old Testament, or the New Testament, or maybe in the Psalms, two or three verses that have spoken to your heart, and have given you more light and better understanding of God’s mind and will, and you tell how these verses have been a help to you during the week. This is the best way to be really helpful.

I hope there are none here in the habit of preaching at or to another. The last place for any to preach at or to one another s in the fellowship meeting on the “first day of the week.”

A brother was asked, “Why didn’t you take part today?” “Oh,” he said, “ the man I had my testimony for wasn’t there.” I hope none of you are like that brother.

Perhaps I should tell you another story about an Irishman in the part of Ireland where ________came from. He wasn’t behaving very well. His conduct was such that the others were getting alarmed and worried. It was a relief for them when he quit attending the meetings. He arrived one Sunday morning with Bible and hymn book in hand and sat down. They looked at him and began saying inside, “What will we say to this fellow today?” 

They sang a couple of hymns and prayed and then the meeting was open for testimonies. The man was the first one on his feet and said, “He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone!”

Wouldn’t it be a very grievous thing if, on the “first day of the week,” God’s children came together to break bread and then be guilty of saying things that would hurt their brethren and “grieve the Holy Spirit of God, wherewith we have been sealed unto the day of redemption?” On the “first day of the week,” when God’s people come together they should be careful that not a single word they speak will hurt anyone.

If strangers come, you don’t have to hurt their feelings by speaking against other religious systems. Just forget that altogether, and speak as the Lord had arranged for you to speak, from some work of God, and if you are in the Spirit, speak as God moves you to speak, and give expression to the thought God has given you and they will leave feeling that surely God is in this place. We have known of some dropping in on the “first day of the week” and when they heard simple men and women speak verses that had spoken to their hearts, said, “How wonderful this is, and how different this is from hearing one person do all the preaching.”

I have sat in meetings and heard God’s people speak and as I listened, my heart was warmed and was amazed when I summed up all the testimonies at how such had been placed that day, on the Lord’s table to edify and build up the Lord’s people. We are sorry to hear that some older and younger brethren don’t take part as they should on the “first day of the week.” Even if you only read a verse or two and give a short testimony, this would be good for you. The more we speak before our brethren, the stronger we grow in Christ Jesus.

There are three ways God speaks to His children: first, by His Spirit in their hearts; second; by His Word as they read it; third, the Lord loves to speak to His people through His people. It is a wonderful privilege and great responsibility to go to the meeting regularly on the “first day of the week” and feel that God may have some “word from my lips today that will help my brother or sister and that will encourage them to fight the good fight of faith.” We would like all, old and young, to form the habit of taking part so that you may be a channel of blessing to others and in so doing “ye may all prophesy,” or speak out God’s mind and Word. We do not believe in any one- man ministry, but when God’s people come together, each one is responsible for taking part and ministering to the other.

Now, the fourth part of the fellowship meeting is the Breaking of Bread. I wish I could help all to understand the real value, the true significance of the simple rite of partaking of the emblems on the “first day of the week.” The Breaking of Bread and the Drinking of Wine, that speaks to us of the “broken body and shed blood of our Lord.” This was never intended to be a meaningless form. I believe when we have a right understanding and true appreciation of the Breaking of the Bread, it can be one of our greatest joys to come together on the “first day of the week” and like those first disciples, remember our Lord and Master in partaking of these emblems.

The Passover Feast was to be a memorial; something to be perpetuated. Jesus said on the last night of His life, “this do in remembrance of me.” It occurred to me the other day that perhaps one of the reasons He put such emphasis on remembering Him is because it is so human to forget, forget, and forget. Week in and week out throughout the year, God’s people, when they come together are reminded of this great privilege. This partaking of the emblems of the Broken body and Shed Blood of the Lord should bring to them the comfort and assurance that they can begin each week with a clean sheet, ready to “fight the good fight of faith,” and to “follow Him whithersoever He leads.”

A man came to me up north and said, “It’s not the sins I committed before I professed that troubles me, it is the sins I have committed since I professed.” Therein is one of the real values of our coming together on the “first day of the week,” for we are reminded that sins confessed and put away can be forgiven, and the blood speaks to us of the “remission of sins.” John said, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins: not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 

Some think that it makes no difference if we sin, but John said, “Sin not.” When any of you have no sins to confess, no sins to be forgiven, then you can set aside this cup which reminds us of His “blood which was shed for the remission of sins.”

When we partake of these emblems, we think of His love for us, and our love for Him, and when we pass these emblems one to the other, we express our love for each other.

There are some things in connection with this breaking of bread that I might mention. Every home where the Church meets should have the seats arranged in a way that makes it easy for these emblems to be passed one to the other. It isn’t right or proper for the Elder to take these emblems to each one individually. That is not God’s order. Every individual present, is responsible for partaking or not, so that the one who leads the meeting should, after some brother or sister gives thanks briefly, pass the emblems to the one nearest to him. When we give thanks, first of all, for the Body given and broken for us. It doesn’t necessarily mean a long prayer, and the same is true with the cup, which reminds us that sins confessed and put away have been covered by “the blood that was shed for the remission of our sins.” 

The simple way which seems to be the best and most in order is to take the bread and pass it to the one nearest and let that one to the next and so on. First, there is the bread and then the cup, until it comes back again to the Leader of the meeting. But you say, “Suppose strangers have come in? Wouldn’t it be best to pass them by?” Some strangers come because they are friendly. When you pass the bread and wine, they may pass it on, others may possibly partake. Supposing they do, this is nothing to make a fuss about. Far better this than hurting their feelings by passing them by. We have seen some who have come to Sunday morning meetings and didn’t know what we believe and in ignorance of that partook of the bread and wine, and later came and attended Gospel Meetings, and decided for Christ and had a true understanding of the Breaking of Bread and the Drinking of the Wine. Don’t give offense to any. Act courteously to all, and especially to strangers.

We hope that this fellowship meeting on the “first day of the week” will be a source of comfort and encouragement to every Child of God. Your week evening meetings can be most helpful — don’t forget them. I have been surprised this year to hear so many speak of receiving help from the midweek meeting as portions of scriptures studied became to them as a very real source of help and blessing. May God help all of us to keep true to Him.

I have noticed between the meetings, when out and around that there are a number of boys and girls there, and when I come in here, I don’t seem to see so many. I think I understand the reason for that. I think they are here but lost. When I say you are lost, I mean you are more or less shut off by the bigger folks. Well I was asked if I would talk a little to you boys and girls this afternoon. I don’t know if you would just wish me to do so or not? You would? Very well. There are several boys I notice by the door, and perhaps you would come and sit near the front, so that I can talk to you.

Well I want to tell you something, you girls and boys. If I can’t tell you something that you will understand, you will have to help us. What I mean, you will have to listen very well, because if you don’t, I won’t be able to make you understand what I want to tell you. When I get stuck, you will have to come to my help. What I think I would like to do — during the time that we have, we must have two meetings. A two in one. We will have two meetings in one. I’ll tell you what I mean. I will try first of all to tell you something in a way that you will be able to understand it, and then after I have done that, we will then for a little while tell the bigger folks a few things. Then possibly I might be able to tell you something that you can understand, and if you can, then the bigger folks should understand it too.

Over in Port Elizabeth I was telling the people in a meeting there a little I had thought about boats and ships. But do you know what a boat or ship is? Does it run on wheels or go on land? No. Very well, it is something that has no wheels, and does not run on land, but on the water. I was reading in the Bible one day where it tells about a ship. When I read about it, there were several places where it talks about ships and boats. I thought I would find some of these places in the Bible where it talks about ships and boats and read them. I was surprised to find there were many places in the Old and New Testament and I read in a number of places. I am not going to tell you about the many places I read about, but I’ll tell you about one or two that I was reading about these boats.

It occurred to me, I think, that I myself am a little ship. I think when I say, like a little ship, in a boat or ship, that when people get into the boat or ship, they sail in it. Then I was just like a little boat, and in this boat of mine, ( I think that this body of mine that you are looking at now like a little boat ), I was sailing in it. Does anyone ever talked to you about a soul? Yes. Well, my soul is sailing in the little boat. If I have a little boat, have you one? Yes. Is your soul sailing in yours? Yes. Now, do you understand? Now a boat leaves a certain place called a port, and it leaves one port and intends to go to another one. If I am like a little boat, and my soul is sailing in it, what port did I sail from? The port I sailed from, we call the cradle. Do you know what a cradle is? It is where the baby sleeps in. Well I think I will call the port I sailed from, the cradle. What port am I going to? The grave. I am still journeying, still on the way. Is it the same with you? Yes. What will happen to my boat when I reach the grave? I will leave it. When a boat gets to port, the passengers get off. I am a passenger, and when I reach the port of the grave, I shall just get off. Will the same thing happen in your case? Yes. When you reach the port called the grave you want to go to heaven when you step out. Now think of yourself as a little boat.

Now I read a few verses of Jesus when He was here. If a boat sails from Durban to London it makes different stops or stops at different ports and then gets to London. It is the same in connection with my little boat. It sailed from the port, called the cradle, and I have called in a number of ports since then. You know what happens when it calls at a port. Some things are put off and some put on.

There are six different things. The world, flesh and the devil puts things in the boat that should not be there. Even we ourselves. There are three also that are wanting to put things into the boat: God, Jesus, and the spirit of God. They are wanting to put things in that should be in the boat. Put too much in the boat it sinks. Too much wrong, it will sink my little boat. We should be careful and not get things into the boat that should not be in. If I go to the port of bioscope. dance, fashion shops, place where they sell paint for my nails and lips, the beer shop, will I get something there that will be good and should be in the boat? No. Listen now, suppose I go to the meeting will I get something there? Yes. Suppose I read my Bible, or ask my mother or father to lend me their Bible, would I get something there? Yes. If we are going to get something that is going to sink our boat, best not to go there. If I went to a meeting I would get something good there. Jesus said, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” If I said, “Go to Johannesburg,” you would go along but if I said, “We go,” we both go together. Jesus was talking and said, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” They were all going.

I went to a meeting once, but before I was in that meeting, I called in my little boat at other ports and had a lot of the other things there. Where my mother and father were living, they did not know about the Truth. They took me to the church. There was a little boy in a meeting once and they were talking about synagogues, churches. This little boy heard this and on his way home they were passing one of these churches and the boy said to his mother, “There is a sinner’s God.” He thought that was what they said and he was right, you know. I was going to tell you I went to the church with my father and mother, I did not have the opportunity as you have of hearing and knowing the Truth, so that I had got a lot in the little boat that should not be there at all. I went to a meeting. What happened there that time had happened that day too when Jesus spoke. Let us go together. He said it to me in that meeting. Let us journey together. Take me into your little boat, Jack. I was sailing in this boat and sailing for the port called the grave and when I get there I want to step into Heaven. The Lord wanted me to take Him into my boat with me so that we might journey together. When I reach the grave, step out of the boat with Him and walk to where I particularly want to go. It tells us here that they took Him into the ship (within). They sent the multitude away. I am here and journeying and He wants to journey too.

Were there many people in that meeting? There was not a crowd. There was a crowd in my mind and thoughts. My companions. If I take Jesus into the boat what would my companions say. What would my relatives say? The clergyman in the church, what would he say? A whole lot of people in my head giving me advice. I sent that multitude away. What does it matter what the companions say if I can have Jesus in the boat. I decided to have Him in the boat. I took Him within. He was in the ship to journey with me. In this (myself) my little boat. Let us journey together. Pass over to the other side. Take Him into your little ship.

When I took Him into the little ship, He began to throw overboard a whole lot of the things that the devil and the world and I had been loading up in the ship previous to that. There were things in there that should not have been there at all. When I took Him in, He cleaned the little ship. He went with me. I am still sailing, I have not reached the port called the grave yet. I am glad that Jesus is still sailing in the ship with me. If He should leave my boat today, can I step out of it with Him? No. I am glad that I have just let Him run the little ship, not as I like and as other like. I trust He stays with me in the ship until the port of the grave so that I can step out with Him.

There arose a great storm and the waves beat into the ship so that it was full. That happened in my case also. There arose a great storm also when I took Him in. Some companions of mine and the clergyman started a storm. While my companions stormed, a whole lot of relatives stormed and a great storm arose and some of the waves began to beat into my ship that I almost felt it was going down. The Psalmist says, “They that go down to the seas in ships do business in great waters.” That is where we are, journeying across the sea. From the cradle to the grave. The sea of time. We are just going across the sea of time, and we will leave the sea of time. Journeying across the sea of time. Some that go down to the sea in ships and do business in great waters. Those who have taken the Lord into the ship with them. You are going to hear the Lord say to you, “Let us go over to the other side.” Take Him in your ship. Many of us have heard that. Say to myself and you say to yourself, don’t let us be afraid of taking our little boat, but allow the Lord to take our little ship out into great waters.

We would like to hug the shores. Not go out into great waters as the workers do. We as saints can hardly do that. We as workers leave our homes and go out into the deep. Everyone who has taken the Lord into his little boat can go out and do business in great waters. Joseph did business. He was young and he was away down there and did not have the privileges. We sometimes talk and think about and just pass our time thinking about circumstances surrounding us. Joseph surely could have done that if he wanted to. How many meetings did he have in 22 years. He could have thought of his circumstances and everything is against me – there’s nothing I could do. He did not do that. He had the Lord in his boat with him. He was carried down to Egypt, the Lord went with his little boat. Doing business, great business in great waters.

What about the little captive maid carried away prisoner? She did not forget God. She did not forget the Lord with her in her little boat. She said to her mistress that they must let salvation come unto her master. She remembered the prophet in Samaria and that he would recover her master of his leprosy.

What about Jesus? When he was 12 years old, he was listening to the educated men and asking questions. He was doing business in great waters also. Others did likewise. Joseph and the little maid and others we read about doing business in great waters. We would see the works and ways of the Lord in the deep. If we hug the shore we won’t see it. Go out into the deep and you will see it. Jesus commended it. After this a stormy wind arose that lifted the waves thereof.

I talk about taking my little boat out in the deep and it is all nice and smooth sailing and everything is alright, then when I am way out in the sea someone says there is going to be a big storm. No, Lord don’t send it, save us from the storm. I would not say send it along. Why does the Lord send a storm? It reminds me of something that happened once on a boat. On this boat were two young men and I was talking to them about God and they laughed at the idea of there being a God. “The fool says in his heart there is no God.” However we journeyed on and some days passed and on about the 18th day the same two spoke to me. The conversation finished that day by my saying to them, “Now boys you may tell me now there is no God, but one day, and when that day may be I don’t know, but one day you will know right well there is a God.” The day will come when they reach the port of the grave and step out of the boat without Jesus. Then they would find out there is a God. We then had dinner and laid down. I met the one young fellow a little later and he said, “The other man is dead. He got into his bed and I got into mine and I spoke to him but there was not a word from him.” That is what the other one told me. One afternoon it looked very black in the distance and I said to him it seems we are going to get a storm. He said, “I hope we do.” What are you saying? You are wishing for a storm and we are in mid-ocean. Why do you wish for a storm when we are here?” “This is the first time I have sailed on this ship, I shall like to see how she behaves in a storm. All ships don’t behave the same in a storm.”

The Lord commands and sends a storm to see how the boat you call “Jack” behaves in the storm. He sends the wind and the wind raises the waves for the purpose to see how we behave in a storm. Would you like to be a little ship that one can trust? Sending a storm along to see how we behave in that storm? The waves mounted up. My soul almost melted because of the trouble. They rolled to and fro. They staggered to and fro like a drunken man. They were at their wits end. The margin says all their wisdom is swallowed up. They don’t know what to do.

We were walking the other evening and saw a house. Looking at this house its name was “Worry’s End.” This man must have worried and worried until he got to that corner. When you are at your wit’s end you don’t know what to do, you will ask who is in the ship with you, and what to do, and that is Jesus. Jesus was asleep in the ship and they woke Him up. When they were at their wits end, “they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distress. He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still, then are they glad because the storm is passed.” You cry unto the Lord and the storm becomes a calm and you feel glad. So He bringeth them unto their desired haven. That would be the grave. See the same in Mark’s Gospel. They called on the Lord, woke Him up and then He woke up and spoke to the sea and there was a calm and the wind ceased. They got over to the other side. He said to them on this side, “Let us pass over to the other side.” You would like to take Him into the boat with you. The storm rose and calmed but the storm kept on till they got to the other side. I think you understand what I mean.

Our bodies are like a little boat and our souls are sailing in this boat but the devil, the world and we ourselves would like to put in what should not be there. Jesus, God and the spirit of God puts in what should be there. Jesus himself would like to come in and sail with us. When you hear Him say: “Take me into your boat,” take Him in. When you have done all you can do to keep the boat sailing, and you get to wit’s end, call on God and He will help you. Then He wants to see how we behave in the storm.

I remember in 1910, I was in a boat, and we were in the iceberg region. A very thick fog came on. That meant there was danger. The captain stopped it. He then said there was not much danger now. We drift the same pace as the icebergs drift. I fear there are more collisions now than when I was sailing. He said, “I have been sailing all my life, and when I started sailing, there were not so many accidents then. When we were sailing (and it was with sailing boats), you had to depend on the wind. There is not much wind in a fog, and we could not travel. When the fog lifted, we just went on.”

Has your boat been in a fog? What did he teach me? He taught me to lie still in a fog, lay till it lifts and then go on. When there was a fog, and I pushed my boat on, it would collide with another little boat. Then I would have a time! “What did you do that for?” and so forth.

At other times I have not done what he told me, but I learnt a little from it and have been able to do it at times. In a dense fog, let the boat lie still and wait a while. I have never seen a fog that lasted till today. The have all lifted. I have seen storms that have taken buildings away – have wiped trees up, but I have never seen a storm that lasted till today. Every storm I saw passed. Some took longer than others, but everyone passed. That gives me hope that when a storm or fog arises, I will sit still. Don’t move. Keep it still. Keep out what is around – that which will sink the ship.

There are many, many ships and certainly millions of tons of water,but this water will never sink one of them – it is the water that gets in If there is a little hole, it will get in. If there is wind blowing, have some way of getting the water out. I remember one time, two others and I wanted to cross a bay, about 3 miles across. We had a little rowing boat. We started in that bay and then saw there was going to be a storm, and we first thought of not going. But the others said we will get over before it, but we did not. It caught us in the middle of the bay. None of us knew about rowing, and the only thing we could do was to keep it facing the wind. So we did that. I was rowing and another one was sitting steering. I could see the water coming in over my head. He was steering at the back with one hand and with the other hand he was teeming out the water with a tin. It was a tomato tin on that boat, and it just kept us going. Sometimes we can’t hinder the waves coming in – jealousy, envy, bad waves. Worldliness comes along, a wave of fashion, a bad wave. There are a multitude of waves around us across life’s sea. Have some way of getting it out. Teem it out, or skip it out – don’t skip it in the boat.

When they took Jesus in the ship, there were also other ships with them. There is another ship sailing here beside me. Waves of envy get in. You think you will put it in another boat – it will help that boat to sail along. No, be careful when you skip it out, you may skip it into another boat, that may be sailing alongside you. I don’t know if I would have been here today, if it was not for that tomato tin. When I see any empty tins lying around, I feel sorry for them, because I remember that it saved our lives.

Yesterday, I asked you boys and girls a question or two. I notice today there are far more boys and girls in the meeting. Yesterday afternoon and this evening, when sitting on the platform, I have been looking at you. I asked myself if when I was your age and we went to the synagogue – you know what the synagogue is – a little boy who heard his parents speak of it, passed on one day and said, “There is one of the sinner’s gogs you spoke of.” If I had to sit for two hours or more, would I have sat as still as you have? I am sure I would not have done it as well as you have done it today.

I want to tell you boys and girls about the things of God in a way that you can understand it, and if I can do that, the big people should be able to understand it, too. Now you boys and girls, come to the empty seats near the front so that you can answer me when I question you. (At first the children were shy, but when a few moved, several came up and sat in front next and between the workers.)

Now I will tell you what we children will do. You will look at me and think, “Are you a child?” We’ll have a meeting of our own, and see if the big people will behave as well as you have done. Now tell me, “How many hours are there in a day?” (Answer: “Twenty four.”) “Have you heard of a day that has more than twenty four hours? Did your teacher ever tell you of such a day?” (Answer: “No.”) Well, I will tell you of one; it is Life’s Day, the day that begins at the cradle and ends at the grave. It has more than twenty four hours – sometimes forty, fifty, sixty years, etc.

After Life’s Day, there is another day, the Day of Death. After the Day of Death, there is the Day of Waiting, then the Resurrection Day when we will live again; all that are in the grave shall come forth. The Day of Waiting is between the Day of Death and the Day of Resurrection. Have you heard of Moses, Noah, Abraham, etc.? Are they dead? (Answer: “Yes.”) Are they living again? (“No.”) They are all waiting for the Day of Resurrection and then comes Judgment Day and then Eternal Day – a day which will never end. Six days, then there is another day, the Day of Reigning. All won’t have part in that Day. All will have part in the other six; only the people who die in Christ will have part in the Seventh Day.

Don’t you sometimes write something on a piece of paper and put it on a shelf and come back to it later on? Now, we’ll put six days on the shelf and take them up again later, and speak about the first day – Life’s Day. You have heard about people talk about humanity. That is all the people – you, me, and everyone. Have you heard of them being divided up into different classes – rich, middle class, poor? We people divide the people of the world into nations and classes; that is how we look at the world. God looks on it differently; God sees only two classes. This we see from the beginning to the end of the Bible. Now, who built the ark? Moses? (Answer: “No, Noah.”) Did a whole crowd get in? (“No.”) How many got in then? (“Eight.”) Only eight! There were only eight, the little boy over there says. There were only two classes – those in the ark and those outside. The children of Israel started on a journey. A crowd stayed behind. “Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction.” How many gates? (Answer: “Two.”) How many ways? (Answer: “Two.”) How many groups of people? (Answer: “Two.”) How many endings? (“Two.”) Life or destruction.

Now, what did we leave on the shelf – the other six days. God does not look on humanity as a whole lot of classes – He divides us into two – Life’s day – from cradle to grave. There is something God intends we should do in each of these days, what we should do in Life’s day. What day are we in? We are in Life’s day. You may not be old enough to do it, but think of it and one day, when you are old enough, you do it. God intends we should do one thing and that is to prepare and make ready in Life’s day for all the other days. If I don’t prepare in Life’s day, it will go bad with me in the Day of Death – so also in the Day of Waiting, etc. Can anyone avoid the day of death? There is nothing so sure as that; the Day of Death will come. We are sure to meet all those days. What is necessary for us to do in order to prepare? You girls, if people were coming to visit your parents’ home and your mother told you to prepare and you didn’t know how to do it, what do you do? You would ask her how to do it. If God did not tell us how to prepare, we would not know – but He has told us, “Enter in at the strait gate.” “Are there few that be saved?” Jesus did not answer straight away “Yes,” He said, “Strive to enter in.” Strive, does that mean easy? It is something difficult. Once, in a certain city where there were many trams, and just the time people were coming from their work, all were waiting to get on to a tram as soon as the tram came. Everyone was pushing. These days, people stand in queues; those days, they used to fight to get on. Everyone wants to get to a place called “Home.” Those words then came to me: “Strive to enter in,” so that we can get to our Eternal Home. In order to be in the narrow Way, we must get in by the strait gate.

I was having a meeting with some children in a place where there were a lot of mountains. There were no roads yet. People, who lived up there on the mountains, went up and down on narrow paths with mules carrying their packs. We were in a small room and there was a door, not very big, about half the size of the one over there. I asked the children if they thought that mule we saw with a big pack could come in through that door. All said, “No.” But one little boy about eleven years old said, “We could let him in.” How? “Take off the load and he’ll get in easy,” he said. That made me think of this verse, “Enter in at the strait gate.” If we are loaded like that mule, we won’t get in. Now what would you think would be the load we must leave? “Sin,” that little boy said, “all the bad things we say and do.” That’s what keeps a number of people out on the broad way where the old mule could go in with the whole pack…pride, vanity, pictures, dancing, and a whole lot of things. Would it be wise to go in with the whole pack and end in destruction? It would be a foolish man to do so. Unpack the mule, and enter in at the strait gate, and then walk in the narrow Way. Be born again. When we were born, all of us had one thing. Money? No – Life, and we eat and drink to keep alive. When we are born again, we receive another life. Born in the world, we receive human life, but born in God’s family, we receive divine life, and then keep on doing the will of God, – eating and drinking of the things of God.

All along, it is two classes: in the ark or out of the ark, saved or unsaved, those counted in or not. Read Hymn 169 (Now 337), “Counted in with the faithful, with Christ and the few.” etc. I don’t know anyone who would not like to be counted in. I know no way, and I am sure there is no way, to be counted in then, but to be counted in now. If there are any here who are outside still, don’t wait too long. Leave the load outside, enter in, and start to walk in the narrow Way.

I am going to talk to you about some things that might help during the year, in connection with the coming together on the first day of the week. In O. T. days there were regular meetings of God’s people and there were also many special gatherings. The regular gatherings, as we know, were the annual feasts, the feasts of the Passover, Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The people of God came from the north, south, east and west traveled many miles to reach Jerusalem to keep these feasts. The Children of Israel were expected to keep these feasts, the purpose of which was mainly to unite the widely scattered people of God in one Fellowship.

There were also many special gatherings mentioned in the O. T. There are regular gatherings of God’s people mentioned in the N. T. and also special gatherings. This Convention is a special gathering of God’s people and we are very grateful to those of our friends throughout the world who are willing to place their homes and property at our disposal so that God’s people can spend four days away from home reasonably comfortable and enjoy fellowship with others and with God as His word is spoken.

I don’t want to speak about these special gatherings today, but about the regular gatherings of God’s people that all of you are more intimately associated with. You’ve often heard that there are two fundamentals of the “faith of Jesus” from which we dare not depart. The first is “The preacher without a home” and the second, “The Church in the home.” No preacher in our fellowship can have a home of his own. He must be willing to have fellowship with Jesus in His homelessness.

One of the first conditions those who think of entering the ministry must face is willingness to have fellowship with Jesus, the homeless Son of man, Son of God. He Himself said, “Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” There are men and women in this meeting who have voluntarily made themselves homeless for the Gospel, in order that they might have fellowship with Jesus in His homelessness as the pattern Sent One, the pattern Servant. This is the first of these two fundamentals of the “faith of Jesus – “the preacher without a home.”

The second fundamental is “the church in the home” and only in the home. We value very highly all in this state and other states, who are willing to have fellowship with their brethren in using their homes as the early Christians did in N. T. days, in welcoming each first day of the week little groups who gather together to worship Him in spirit and in truth. We make no secret of the fact that we are deliberately and purposefully teaching men and women in the world over how to do without the hireling ministry, and the public building and to worship God in spirit and in truth as those early Christians did in homes consecrated to God, as recorded in the N. T.

When in Rome some years ago, we planned to visit one of the oldest churches in the city. We found that the present structure was 16′ below the level of the street. The foundation of the church was built on the foundation of another church still older, and that second church was built on the foundation of a private home. When we entered this home, which had been excavated, the floor of one of the rooms had been preserved marvelously. The Franciscan priest that was our guide told us that away back in the first N. T. days the church met for worship in this home. He said, “This home is supposed to be the home of Pudens, whom we read about in II Timothy 4:21.” The point I wish to make known is that this Catholic priest told us that in this home believed to be the home of Pudens, the early church met for worship in the room that we were standing in. From there we went to St. Peter, the largest Roman Catholic Church in the world. We went into several of its chapels, looked into the crypt where Peter is supposed to be buried, went up into the dome, and from the dome we went right up into the cupola from which we could look over the whole city. One of our company remarked that every step taken from that home 50′ below the level of the street to give the world St. Peters was in the wrong direction and only tended to blind the eyes of men and women to the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. We glory in this fact that God has opened our eyes, and made clear to our minds that we can worship Him in spirit and in truth, without priest, parson or church building, without the religious ritualism which is considered so necessary by all the daughters of Babylon. For this reason it is true to us as it was to those first Christians that ‘after the way that they call heresy, so we worship.’

You may wonder why we insist upon this, that the early Christians met in small groups and worshipped in homes only, and in these consecrated homes had fellowship with Him and their brethren. We all have heard quite often that there is a close connection between the O. T. Passover feast and the N. T. Breaking of bread. It would be a helpful study to read the 12th chapter of Exodus, Luke 22, and other portions of scripture concerning the “breaking of bread,” and have this fact firmly established in our minds, that there is this close connection between the first Passover Feast and the first N. T. breaking of bread.

Some years ago, in the city of Vancouver, the Church of England put on a Palestine Exhibition to raise money for their missionaries. It was very interesting and in some ways very instructive. I attended a lecture on the Passover and listened to the speaker explain very clearly and scripturally how the Passover feast was established and what it signified. After the lecture he asked some to come forward and ask any questions in connection with the Passover Feast. I asked if the Passover Feast was established in the homes of the Children of Israel and never celebrated anywhere else? He replied, “That is true, and even to this day the Jews keep the Passover Feast not in their temples nor in their synagogues but in their homes.” I asked him then, “What is the connection between the O. T. Passover and the N. T. Breaking of Bread? The N. T. Breaking of Bread is the perpetuation of the O. T. Passover Feast.” He said, “In a private home in Jerusalem, later they ‘Broke Bread from house to house.’” “When did they cease to Break Bread from house to house?” I asked. “I cannot tell you neither can I justify the church in taking the communion service out of the homes of the people of God and placing it in the hands of the priest in a public building.” I then asked, “Would it not be a good thing to take the Breaking of Bread to the place where Jesus established it?” He replied, “It would be revolutionary, it would turn the world upside down!” and hurried away. To take the Breaking of Bread out of the hands of the hireling preacher, priest, or parson out of the church building into the homes of the people of God, and place the responsibility of providing and distributing the emblem in the hands of common ordinary working men would revolutionize Christendom.

There are those who don’t value the privilege of meeting together on the first day of the week to Break Bread in a home consecrated to God. The reason is they don’t clearly understand its meaning and significance. When you leave your home on the Lord’s day to go to the home of another to keep the Feast, this memorial, you are not only obeying the scriptures, but you are registering a protest against every false system of religion that has blinded the eyes of men and women through all the ages to the glorious Gospel of Christ. All should make themselves acquainted with the scriptures that refer to the Church in the home, and only in the home. One of our brothers expressed his disappointment that so many of God’s people were unable to give a simple, clear reason of the hope that is in them. When a stranger asks questions, he is not able to give an answer that satisfies the minds and hearts of those who may be seeking for the Truth.

Read over Exodus 12, and notice the different statements that are made about the Passover Feast, and try to establish in your mind a parallel between what you read in this chapter, and so many chapters in the N. T. about the Breaking of Bread. The First day of the week is to the Child of God the most important. Jewish people and Seventh Day Advents keep the seventh day. God’s people keep the first day of the week, they begin the week with God. We are glad that on the first day of the week God’s children have the privilege of Beginning the week with God and of seeking to live in such a way that He will honor them in their homes and in their business lives. We believe that the spiritual health of the people of God, to a very great extent, depends on how they spend the Lord’s Day. Some have wrecked their health rushing here and there to places not necessary and certainly not profitable. If you are anxious to spend a day in the way that will please Him, you will find ways and means that day to bring honor and glory to His name – not for your pleasure but for His pleasure.

We are living in a strange age, everybody is in a hurry. How good it would be if God’s people would set aside some hours of the Lord’s day for quiet reading and meditating. It would be a help mentally, physically and spiritually. One of the reasons people are as nervous is because they have not learned the value of waiting patiently and quietly on the first day of the week, to get the rest of mind, body and spirit that will warm their hearts and illuminate their minds, and fit them better for the conflict in the days that follow. I have often heard workers speak of feeding the heart of God. We can bring great pleasure to the heart of God by the way we spend the Lord’s day. If we are purposeful in this we will be able to fight a better battle, and get more victory within and without on the other days of the week. We can safely leave the matter with God’s own people as they seek to spend the Lord’s day in helping others, visiting others, or trying to relieve the need of others.

Don’t let your sacrifice be limited to those inside God’s family, but allow an overflow to reach out to those on the outside who are needy. When you minister to those in need do so in the spirit of not “letting your left hand know what your right hand doeth.” The regular meeting on the first day of the week is very important. It is a double appointment. First of all with our Master and Lord; second with our brethren. None should permit anything, unless it is very serious, to hinder them from keeping this double appointment on “the first day of the week.” Don’t come too early and don’t come too late. Try to arrive on time and take you seat, quietly meditating until the time to begin. Every meeting consists of four parts and each is very important. There is singing, praying, speaking and Breaking of Bread.

I have been to meetings in many different lands, and the same plan – singing, praying, speaking and Breaking of Bread – is followed. Everything in connection with the way of Christ is simple – all can understand it, even the youngest can lay hold on this. The singing part of the meeting is important. Unfortunately I can’t sing. One of the brethren sympathized with me in this and undertook to give me singing lessons. He gave me one lesson and never offered to give me another without any explanation. I learned later that my voice isn’t baritone but monotone, whatever that means. It isn’t the music that makes singing important or helpful, but making the words we sing the language of our hearts. A number of the hymns are written by brethren. They have written these Hymns to help us express our desires, prayers, praises in song. Singing can only be helpful when we sing “in the spirit and with understanding also.”

The second part of the meeting is taken up with prayer. What shall I say about this? We have appreciated that here in convention that the prayers have been brief. Sometimes just one or two petitions from the hearts of those who prayed. The place for long prayers is in the secret place. It would be sad if God’s people prayed longer in the meeting place than in the secret place. When we come together in the meeting place we are to pray to edification. Pray so others can join in your petitions and say a hearty “Amen.” I have said that if I attended some meetings for six weeks, I would be able to memorize most of the prayers. I would hear the same prayers week in and week out – a matter of repetition. It would be far more helpful to be brief in prayer, so that the youngest babe might feel free to voice his or her petitions in true prayer on the Lord’s Day. Nothing so helpful as when the Lord’s people come together on the Lord’s Day- the first day of the week, with some fresh prayer in their heart, some fresh petition to which they gave expression audibly so that the brethren can share with them in their desires. We are not voicing any criticism, we value every voice we’ve heard praying for God’s blessing in the meetings here and in this you are having real fellowship with us. All prayers, audible and inaudible, can be of help in the meetings.

The third part of the meeting is taken up with testimonies. There are three ways which the Lord speaks to His people. First the Lord speaks to His people by His voice in their hearts. It is possible for us each day to hear His still small voice. Second, He loves to speak by His word as they read it. The real value of God’s word is they read it not to learn geography, biography or history, but to have our hearts fed as we hear His voice through His word. No child of God can be healthy that habitually neglects reading the word of God. Third – God loves to speak to His people through His people. This is the real value of a fellowship meeting on the first day of the week. God takes great pleasure in speaking to His people through His people.

I sat in some little fellowship meetings with twelve or fifteen brethren, and listened to what the Lord had been teaching them during the week, and have been amazed at how much spiritual food was placed upon the table as each one rose – one after the other – and gave expression to the thoughts the Lord had put in their hearts. What a poor substitute is this in going out to a public building and listening to a hired preacher. We are most anxious that the meeting on the Lord’s day should be most helpful to one and all, each brother and sister should feel free to take part in prayer and testimony. It isn’t wise and certainly not edifying, for someone to take a chapter and comment on every verse. Far more helpful to select a few verses that have spoken definitely to your heart, and pass these verses on kindly and graciously with comments to your brethren.

It is hurtful to a meeting (to the spirit of a meeting) to preach to, or at, a brother or sister. On one occasion a brother did not take part in a meeting and was asked, “Why didn’t you speak today,” the brother answered, “The man I had my testimony for wasn’t there.” That man came prepared to preach at his brother in that meeting, to take advantage of the liberty that is ours in Christ and knowingly sin so grievously.

There was in North Ireland a man professing who was not behaving too well and a great source of worry to his brethren. He stayed away from meetings for some time and his absence was a relief to all. One Sunday meeting he returned and was not very welcome, but was first on his feet and said, “He that is without sin amongst you let him cast the first stone.” All their ammunition was taken away and they did not know how to continue the meeting. You know when we come to the meeting on the Lord’s day, we are in the Lord’s presence and should avoid any attitude or speak any words that would “grieve the Holy Spirit of God wherewith we have been sealed unto the Day of Redemption.”

I have been surprised how much can be said in three or five minutes or less. One of President Wilson’s sons was asked how much time it would take to prepare a 20 minute address? “Two weeks hard work and study.” How long would it take to prepare a 30 minute address? “One week.” How long would it take to prepare a 60 minute address?” He answered, “I’m ready right now.” It takes more prayer and meditation to prepare a short helpful word than to give a long testimony. If we learn to be brief and to the point, we will find we will be more helpful in the church.

President Roosevelt’s son asked his father on one occasion how to become a successful public speaker. The father answered, “It is very simple – just be clear, be brief, be seated.” Don’t try the patience of your brethren by a long discourse, or taking a long chapter, commenting on every verse, or by recounting conversations with friends or neighbors. This is not profitable. Give expression to some thought that the Lord has given to you as you read His word that has given you the desire to do His will, this will edify and encourage. There are some converts who hesitate taking part because they can’t speak as long as those who are older. We would encourage those who are older to consider those who are younger.

The fourth part of the meeting is the Breaking of Bread. I sometimes feel that this fourth part of the meeting is not valued as much as it should be. To some it has become a form, a meaningless form. It was never intended to be that. The main purpose for coming together, according to the teaching of the N. T. on the first day of the week was to Break Bread and thus to express their fellowship with Him and each other in the family of God. The first disciples of Jesus came together on the first day of the week to Break Bread “To perpetuate that Old Testament feast – the Passover Feast, which was a memorial of the Children of Israel.”

Those in Christ keep a memorial of their redemption on the first day of the week in the Breaking of Bread. It is a wonderful privilege to partake of these emblems that cost so much. Everything in the way of Jesus is simple; simplicity characterizes everything in connection with the service and worship of God, just a little piece of Bread and some Wine. The Bread speaks of His broken body and the Wine speaks of His blood shed for us. We are reminded that that blood was shed for the remission of sins.

A man came to me up north and said, “It’s not the sins I committed before I professed that trouble me, it’s the sins I’ve committed since I professed.” Therein is one of the real values of our coming together on the First Day of the Week. For we are reminded that sins confessed and put away can be forgiven and the blood speaks to us of the remission of sins. John says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. These things write I unto you that you sin not. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Some think that it makes no difference if we sin, but John said, “Sin not.” When any of you have no sins to confess, no sins to be forgiven, then you can set aside the cup which reminds us of His “Blood which was shed for the remission of sins.” When we partake of these emblems it reminds us of His love for us, and when we pass these emblems on to one another we express our love for one another; as well we, above all, express our love and appreciation for Him.

After briefly giving thanks by brother or sister, the Elder takes the Bread and later the Wine to the one nearest him. The seating should be so arranged that when it comes for the time of the fourth part of the meeting, it is easy for the leader to reach for the Bread and Wine and pass it to whoever is nearest. The leader is not supposed to take these emblems to each one individually. These emblems should be passed one to another and so on until they came back to the leader of the meeting.

Each individual is responsible for partaking or not partaking. It isn’t right for the leader or any other person to set himself up as a judge who should partake or not to do so. Some occasionally come to meetings who are not of this fellowship. We leave it entirely with themselves whether they partake or not. When the emblems are passed around and they partake or not, that is their responsibility and no offense is given.

Some have the habit of speaking against other religious groups in the fellowship meetings especially when strangers are present. That is most unwise, just forget about them being there, and as they listen to you speak to edification they may leave saying, “God is with these people.” We want to manifest to all, the love and grace of God. Strangers who come to Sunday morning meeting should be treated with greatest courtesy and encouraged to come back.

We are sorry to learn that some have formed the habit of not taking part on the first day of the week. We would like all to take part. We seek to arrange the number in each meeting place so that within a reasonable time all present will have time and opportunity for a word of prayer and a word of testimony. The reason some don’t take part is because they feel they can’t speak as long or as well as some older. A short word of edification from those who are older would encourage them.

Prolonged pauses between the testimonies spoil meetings. Mid-week meetings: we have been greatly pleased that weekly evening meetings are a great help to God’s people in the studying of certain chapters and Bible characters. We would like to think that all of you value the privilege of attending the mid-week meetings. We feel that surely God’s people can deny themselves a little so that they can attend these meetings, and take part and be a help to others.

I am going to say over to you folks here in Arizona a few things that were said in San Diego and Bakersfield and further north about the fellowship meetings on the “first day of the week.” It has been said that the real test of a good convention is not exactly what takes place in the convention meetings, but to a very large extent what takes place in your fellowship meetings on the “first day of the week” during the year.

I hope all of you at the close of the convention will take your concordance and look up this word “fellowship.” I don’t know where it originated, but it seems to me that it is right and scriptural to think of our meetings on the “first day of the week” as “fellowship meetings.” The Roman Catholic Church speaks a great deal about the Mass. Other church systems speak a great deal about their communion services. The Church of England speaks about the Eucharist, and so on. When we think of the “first day of the week,” we remember the custom that existed in the New Testament days when the disciples of Jesus came together on the “first day of the week” to break bread. The breaking of bread is simply a symbolic way in which we renew our fellowship with our Master and Lord and with each other.

There are two fundamentals of the faith of Jesus that are vital to a true understanding and interpretation as recorded in the New Testament. First of all, “the church in the home, and the home only;” secondly, “the preacher without a home.” These two are foundational. We cannot – we dare not – depart from either of them. If we do, we become a part of that great Babylonish system that is blinding the minds of men and women the world over to the “simplicity that is in Christ.”

No preacher can be in our fellowship who is not prepared to be as homeless in this world as was his or her Master. One of the very first conditions that God’s ministers have to face is the willingness to have fellowship with Jesus and His homelessness. “Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” No man or woman can have any part in this ministry unless willing to have fellowship with Jesus, the Son of Man and Son of God, in His homelessness. There is another condition perhaps we might mention – fellowship with Jesus in His poverty. No man or woman can share in this ministry unless willing to “forsake all.” There is an equality in this. It matters nothing whether you have little or much, but it matters everything that actually and literally you “forsake all.” Otherwise, you can have no part in this ministry.

While I’m speaking about the ministry, there is a third condition that those who go forth in the Name and Way of Jesus must face. He said, “…freely ye have received, freely give.” No man or woman can enter this ministry that isn’t prepared to give as freely as He did. If we ever heard of any man or woman in the ministry raising a collection or making an appeal for money, we would immediately exclude them from this fellowship. God sent His servants into the world to be givers, not getters. Therefore, God’s bondservants and handmaidens are characterized by this loving and giving, the sacrificing and proving the promise He gave in the beginning “… seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all else will be added unto you.” If every friend we had in the world turned their backs on us today, we could still go on, for the promise of God remains the same as at the beginning. Our responsibility is to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” The promise He has made to His bondservants and handmaidens is eternally sure. Maybe there are some in this meeting today thinking seriously of entering this ministry. Now these two fundamentals we have mentioned are worth making a note of: the church in the home and the preacher without a home. The men and women who have ministered to you from the platform these days have made themselves homeless and poor for the Gospel’s sake, and are deliberately laying down their lives from day to day, denying themselves all they might have been and could have enjoyed, in order that they might bring the message of God to you. I hope you value and appreciate this ministry. There could be no New Testament fellowship apart from this New Testament ministry.

“The Church in the home.” Some years ago, some of us were in the city of Rome, Italy. We were on our way to Naples to have some meetings there. One morning while in the city of Rome we planned a visit to one of the oldest churches in the city – the Church of St. Pudenzia. When we reached this building, we found it was 16 feet below the level of the present street. The debris of hundreds of years was built up until this building was 16 feet below the level of the street.. The Franciscan priest took us through this building. Afterwards, he took us down to examine the foundation of another church on which the present had been built. It was very interesting to us to examine the walls of that ancient building. The priest then said, “I’ll take you down still further, for this original church was built on the foundation of a private home.” So we went down, and there in that particular room where the floor had a beautiful mosaic pattern, he said to us, “The early church met for worship in this home, and in this room.” We were pleased to hear this. He added, “This home is supposed to be the home of Pudens that you read about in II Timothy 4:21.” That was even more interesting to us, and we enjoyed the thought that we were actually standing in the room where the first Christians in the city of Rome met “to break bread.”

From that home we went to St. Peter’s, the largest Roman Catholic Church in the world. We wandered around in that immense building; inside and outside; went up to the dome, looked down into the crypt where Peter is supposed to be buried. From there we went into the cupola and looked over the city of Rome – the city of hundreds of church buildings. One of our company remarked that every step taken from that church in the home 50 feet below the level of the present street, to give to the world St. Peter’s, was in the wrong direction and only tended to blind the minds of men and women to the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ.

We make no secret of the fact we are deliberately and purposefully teaching men and women how to do without these great structures, these public buildings for the worship of God. We’re teaching men and women how to do without the priest, parson, and hired preacher, and how to meet together every ‘first day of the week,’ in homes consecrated to God, and there, like those first disciples, remember our Lord and Master in the breaking of bread.

No home is too lowly or too lovely for God’s people to meet in. All meet on the same level and same way, and with the same purpose in their hearts. We do not choose homes for God’s people to meet in because of their beauty. We choose homes because of their convenience, and the worthiness of those who live in these homes.

I’m not sure if I told the friends here in Arizona of an incident that took place some years ago in Vancouver. It may help you to understand why God’s people come together on the first day of the week, in homes consecrated to God, and not in public buildings. In the city of Vancouver, there was an exhibition held by the Church of England. It was really an exhibition of curios from Palestine and the East – many from Palestine. It was organized for the purpose of raising funds for the Church of England’s missionaries laboring in Palestine. There was a full sized model of the tabernacle and its fittings. They also had a model of the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. That was also interesting to me. They maintained that this particular home was more than likely the kind of home that Jesus was entertained in. Lectures were delivered on different subjects. One of them was on the Passover Feast. The lecturer was a prominent preacher of the Church of England. He was a very clever and able man, and his lecture most interesting and instructive. He told us the story of the passover feast. He emphasized its purpose and made one point that was of special interest to me. In his lecture, he made the statement over and over again that the Passover Feast was established in the home of the children of Israel, and throughout all their history was never celebrated anywhere else but in their homes. Never taken to the temple, never taken to the synagogue.

After it was over, the lecturer invited any to come forward and ask any questions they wished. With some of the others, I went forward and asked him, first of all, the question, “Did I understand you to say that the passover feast was established in the homes of the children of Israel, and never celebrated anywhere else?” He answered, “Yes, that is true, and I’ll say more. To this very day wherever the Jewish people keep the Passover Feast, it is celebrated, not in their synagogues, nor in their temples, but in their homes.” I asked, “What is the relationship between the passover feast and the New Testament ‘breaking of the bread?,’ or as he would term it, ‘the communion service?’” He answered very simple and to the point, “The New Testament breaking of the bread is the perpetuation of the Old Testament passover feast.” Then I asked, “Where was the New Testament communion service established?” He said, “In a private home in Jerusalem.”

“Where is it continued?” He said, “They broke bread from house to house.” I then asked him, “When did the people of God cease to ‘break bread from house to house?’” He answered, “I don’t know, neither can I justify the Church in taking the communion service out of the homes of the people of God and placing it in the hands of a priest in a public building.” I then asked, “Don’t you think it would be a good thing to take it back to where the Lord Jesus established it?” He threw up his hands and said, “It would be revolutionary. It would turn the world upside down,” and hurried away.

I’m not sure that all of you value as you should the privilege that is yours on the first day of the week, of meeting together in a private home that has been consecrated to God. Let me remind you that in this you are actually and literally fulfilling the scriptures. When you leave your home and go to the home of another on the “first day of the week to break bread,” the scriptures are being fulfilled. That ought to be a great comfort to you.

In the Gospel of Matthew, there is that little phrase, “that the scriptures might be fulfilled.” He Himself deliberately sought to fulfill the scriptures in His own life and ministry. We can have a part with Him every “first day of the week,” whether it’s in our own homes or in the homes of others. We can have this assurance in our hearts that we are fulfilling the scripture.

The second thing that can bring us comfort every “first day of the week” is this: we are registering a protest against that world system, “Christendom,” “Churchianity,” call it what you will; that is blinding the minds of men to the “simplicity that is in Christ.” We demonstrate week in and week out throughout the year that we can “worship God in Spirit and in Truth” according to the teaching of God’s Word and without the machinery that men consider so vital and necessary today in the worship and services of God.

I have visited some of the greatest religious buildings in the world. I don’t say this boastingly. I have been to St. Peter’s in Rome, St. Paul’s in London, others in Paris, Copenhagen, Brussels, and the British Isles. I have wandered inside and outside these buildings with a question in my mind and heart: “What was it that induced men to establish in the world these systems of religion that only blind the minds of men to the ‘simplicity that is in Christ?’”

Every “first day of the week,” the Lord’s people have the privilege of coming together at the appointed place and hour to keep what we sometimes speak of as a double appointment – with each other and with our Master and Lord. That is the reason why every child of God should plan to be in his or her place on the “first day of the week” in the home where he or she is expected to be.

Some might say: “There are four or five, or twenty churches, in the city where I live and would it not be all right for me to go to a different place every Sunday? I am a little bit discontented, and I am a little bit dissatisfied. Couldn’t I move around a little? No, my brother. No, my sister! If you form that habit and practice that thing, you are walking disorderly. You are not showing appreciation for the privilege of fellowship at the appointed time and place on the “first day of the week” and you might soon find yourself outside of this fellowship altogether.

It should be understood clearly by all that no leader or elder is self-appointed or elected by the church. All elders, or those who lead meetings, are appointed by the servants of God and are responsible to them.

I think it would be a good study to look up the references to the “church in the home” in the New Testament – in the Acts and the epistles. Those of you who have the privilege of having the church in your home can get great pleasure out of the thought that you are having fellowship with those first Christians who used their homes as you are using your home. We are very grateful to God’s people throughout the whole world, like Mr. And Mrs. Carter, who place their homes and property at our disposal at a time like this, where we can come together to hear God’s Word and spend our days in brotherly fellowship with each other.

Every meeting on the ‘first day of the week’ consists of four parts. Each of them is important: singing, prayer, testimony, and the breaking of the bread. This is true all over the world. I have been in homes in different parts of the world and this is the order. I don’t know how it came about; this simple natural arrangement to sing, pray, testify, and break bread, then sing a closing hymn and go home. How different it is from the gorgeous ritual of Roman Catholicism and all related systems. How wonderful and beautiful the “simplicity that is in Christ.”

Singing is important. We hope that all of you recognize the value of this part of the meeting. These hymns were written in order to help us express our thanks to God, our praise, our prayers, and our purposes. It is a wonderful thing when we sing these hymns as a language of our hearts. I appreciated what Eldon told us about the hymn book the other day and came on a hymn I had given out in the meeting. I had others sing it, but never saw its real beauty until that day. Every word of that hymn, the words of the chorus, seemed to find a response in my heart, and this could be true of all in the first part of every meeting. You can sing one or two hymns. I don’t think hymns should be selected at random. I think the person who is leading the meeting should recognize this is a serious responsibility, and should realize that the song should be an expression of the prayers and praises of God’s people that meet together. When we select hymns here on the platform, we don’t do this at random, but select those that will best express the desires, praises, and purposes of God’s people.

The second part of the meeting is prayer. We like for God’s people to kneel in prayer. There are some who can’t do that. If you can, and the home is large enough, I think it is an appropriate and scriptural attitude – an attitude of helplessness and always appropriate in the presence of God.

I have appreciated the prayers in California the last few weeks and, also here in Arizona. The prayers have been very brief and very much to the point. They have been edifying. I have been in meetings where the same prayer was offered week in and week out, each week of the year. It is a matter of repetition, repetition. How much better it would be if you would pray as you have been praying here – brief. The place for long prayers is in the secret place. Short prayers are more appropriate in the meeting place. I have known some young converts who go to meetings with older people and say, “I can’t pray like that. I can’t pray at all.” If from your hearts, there come one or two petitions, then the youngest babe in the family would feel encouraged to take part in prayer.

Now the next part of the meeting is testimony. We’ve heard (this doesn’t apply in Arizona) of some who actually preach for 20 minutes in the Sunday morning meeting. Think of it – 20 minutes! Now, if everybody else preached for 20 minutes, how long would your meeting last? Suppose there were 15 in your meeting and each one preached for 20 minutes. How long would it last? Five hours! That would be just a little bit too long. Out of consideration for all, and for the children, we arrange for the Sunday fellowship meeting to begin at 10:30 and be over about 12:00 noon. This is an hour and a half. I had a report after a talk of this kind, “We had a nice meeting this morning, and it was over at 11:45.”

We will find that there is ample time for the meeting for each child of God to speak to edification without prolonging the meeting unnecessarily. We have heard of some who select a long chapter and read that chapter, commenting on every verse. That gets tiresome. The better way is to select from any chapter; maybe, in the Old Testament or New Testament; maybe in the Psalms, two or three verses that have spoken to your heart and have given you more light and a better understanding of God’s mind and will, and you tell how these verses have been a help to you during the week. This is the best way to be really helpful.

I hope there are none here in the habit of preaching at, or to each other. The last place for any to preach at or to one another is the fellowship meeting on the “first day of the week.” A brother was asked, “Why didn’t you take part today?” “Oh,” he said, “The man I had my testimony for wasn’t there.” I hope none of you are like that brother.

Perhaps, I should tell you another story about an Irishman in that part of Ireland where I came from. He wasn’t behaving very well. His conduct was such that the others were getting alarmed and worried. It was a relief to them when he quit attending the meetings. They hoped he would never come back. But six months later, lo, and behold, he arrived one Sunday morning with his Bible and hymn book in hand and sat down. They looked at him and began saying inside, “What will we say to this fellow today?” They sang a couple of hymns and prayed, and then the meeting was opened for Testimonies. This man was the first on his feet and said, “He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone!”

Wouldn’t it be a very grievous thing if on the “first day of the week,” God’s children came together to Break Bread, and then be guilty of saying things that would hurt their brethren and “grieve the Holy Spirit of God, wherewith we have been sealed unto the day of redemption?” On the “first day of the week” when God’s people come together, they should be careful that not a single word they speak will hurt anyone. If strangers come, you don’t have to hurt their feelings by speaking against other religious systems. Just forget those things altogether and speak as the Lord had arranged for you to speak, from some Word of God. If you are in the Spirit, speak as God moves you to speak. Give expression to the thoughts God has given you. They will leave feeling that surely God is in this place. We have known of some dropping in on the “first day of the week” and when they heard simple men and women speak from verses that had spoken to their hearts, said, “How wonderful this is, and how different this is from hearing one person do all the preaching.”

I have sat in meeting and heard God’s people speak, and as I listened, my heart was warmed and was amazed when I summed up all the testimonies; at how much had been placed that day on the Lord’s table to edify and build up the Lord’s people. We are sorry to hear that some older and younger brethren don’t take part as they should on the “first day of the week.” Even if you only read a verse or two and give a short testimony, this would be good for you, as the more we speak before brethren, the stronger we grow in Christ Jesus.

There are three ways God speaks to His children: first, by His Spirit in their hearts; second, by His Word as they read it; and third, the Lord loves to speak to His people through His people. It is a wonderful privilege and great responsibility to go to the meeting regularly on the “first day of the week” and feel that God may have some word from my lips today that will help my brother or sister that will encourage them to ”fight the good fight of faith.” We would like all, old and young, to form the habit of taking part so that you may be a channel of blessing to others, and in so doing, receive help yourself. In this, you are fulfilling the scriptures “so that you may all prophesy,” speak out God’s mind and word. We do not believe in any one-man ministry. When God’s people come together, each one is responsible for taking part and ministering to the other.

Now, the fourth part of the fellowship meeting is the breaking of bread. I wish I could help all to understand the real value, the true significance of the simple rite of partaking on the “first day of the week” of these emblems. The breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine, that speaks to us of the broken body and the shed blood of our Lord. This was never intended to be a meaningless form. I believe when we have a right understanding and true appreciation of the breaking of bread, it can be of our greatest joys to come together on the “first day of the week” and like those first disciples, remember our Lord and Master in partaking of these emblems.

The passover feast was to be a memorial, something to be perpetuated. Jesus said on the last night of His life, “This do in remembrance of me.” It occurred to me the other day that perhaps one of the reasons He put such emphasis in remembering Him is because it is so human to forget, forget, forget. Week in and week out throughout the year, God’s people, when they come together, are reminded of this great privilege. This partaking of the emblems of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord should bring to them the comfort and assurance that they can begin each week with a clean sheet ready to “fight the good fight of faith” and to “follow Him whithersoever He leadeth.”

A man came to me up north and said, “It’s not the sins I committed before I professed that troubles me. It’s the sins I have committed since I professed.” Therein is one of the real values of our coming together on the “first day of the week,” for we are reminded that sins confessed and put away can be forgiven. The blood speaks to us of the “remission of sins.” John said, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Some think that it makes no difference if we sin, but John said, “Sin not.” When any of you have no sins to confess, no sins to be forgiven, then you can set aside the cup which reminds us of His “blood which was shed for the remission of sins.”

When we partake of these emblems, we think of His love for us, and our love for Him. When we pass these emblems, one to the other, we express our love for each other. There are some things in connection with this breaking of bread that I might mention. Every home where the church meets, should have the seats arranged in a way that makes it easy for these emblems to be passed one to the other. It isn’t right or proper for the elder to take these emblems to each one individually. That is not God’s order. Every individual present is responsible for partaking or not, so that the one who leads the meeting should, after some brother or sister gives thanks briefly, pass the emblems to the one nearest to him or her. When we give thanks, first of all, for the body given and broken for us, it doesn’t necessarily mean a long prayer. The same is true with the cup, which reminds us that sins confessed and put away have been covered by “the blood that was shed for the remission of sins.”

The simple way which seems to be the best and most in order is to take the bread and pass it to the one nearest, and let that one pass it to the next and so on. First, the bread, and then the cup, until it comes back again to the leader of the meeting.. But you say, “Supposing strangers come in? Wouldn’t it be best to pass them by?” Some strangers come because they are friendly. When you pass the bread and wine, they may pass it on. Others might possibly partake. Supposing they do, that is nothing to make a fuss about. Far better this than hurting their feelings by passing them by. We have seen some who have come to Sunday morning meetings and didn’t understand what we believe and in ignorance of that, partook of the bread and wine, and later came and attended Gospel meetings, and decided for Christ and had a true understanding of the breaking of bread and the drinking of the wine. Don’t give offense to any. Act courteously to all, and especially to strangers.

We hope that this fellowship meeting on the “first day of the week” will be a source of comfort and encouragement to every child of God. Your week evening meetings can be most helpful – don’t forget them. I have been surprised this year to hear so many speak of receiving help from the mid-week evening meeting, as portions of scriptures studied became to them a very real source of help and blessing.

Somehow when we speak, we speak about our feelings, and if I would express my feelings now, I would say that I feel some other than I could do what I am trying to do, but perhaps there are one or two things, perhaps I had better say thoughts, that came into my mind since Saturday that I might try and pass on to you. Some of us who are here now were on Saturday at Dockray Hall, and it was at the beginning of the first meeting when we received the wire of the departure of our brother and I just heard what the wire said, and then someone passed me the paper and I read it and I passed it back to them and when I did that, there were a few words of Solomon that immediately came into my mind where he said, “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.” Ecclesiastes 7:1

We went on with the meeting, and naturally, I did not think any more of those words at the time. Afterwards I found the words coming into my mind again and then later on they returned, especially the latter part of that verse, “The day of death better than the day of one’s birth.” I found, for some reason or other, the question arise in my mind, “Why?” and I asked myself the reason. Then my mind went to Moses, but before that, it occurred to me that there were more reasons than one, there were two reasons: one was something that can happen this side of the grave and the other was something that can happen on the other side of the grave. Then with those thoughts in my mind, I thought of Moses. I remembered the choice he made when in Egypt when he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of Egypt for a season. After those thoughts came to my mind I thought, “Well, that was a good day for Moses and a good day for many others that lived in Moses’ day.”

Then my thoughts went to the mountain of Nebo and at the top of Pisgah where Moses died, and it occurred to me that what Solomon said was true in Moses’ case that that was a better day, that if what happened in Egypt was a good day, what happened at Nebo was a better day and that which happened in Egypt helped to make what happened at Pisgah a better day. The day at Nebo was when Moses – if you will allow me to use an expression or reference to something we heard at the meetings here – when he reached his desired haven and when he stepped out of his little boat and entered into the rest that John speaks of when he said, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” He entered into rest, his works followed, and his words and influence still live.

Later on, I found Paul coming into my mind in the same connection and the thought occurred to me that it was a very good day for Paul and for many others when that day on the road to Damascus he said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me do?” and it was a much better day on that day in Rome years afterwards when in writing to Timothy of his departure he said, “I am ready to depart and the time of my departure is at hand,” and he went on to say, “I have fought a good fight” – that was a better day. Why a better day? Because of what happened, of what he himself had referred to on more than one occasion. Once when writing a letter previously he spoke of, “Absent from the body, present with the Lord,” and on another occasion in writing another letter he said, “I am in a strait betwixt two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better.” No, I think this would help us all to understand what Solomon said, “The day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”

Afterwards, my mind turned to the departure of our brother last Saturday, and my mind went back 53 years and about 8 months, if I am right in my calculations, when he with some others, shall I say, chose as Moses chose, or shall I say, spoke at least in his heart as Paul spoke when he said, “Lord what wilt Thou have me do?” That was in Rathmolyon, as many of you know a good day and a very good day, but it was a better day in Malverley. Why? Because it was the day when he left the little boat that he had journeyed in for 80 odd years, when he left the house of clay that was about to dissolve, and what? And went to be with Christ which is far better, or if you wish it, entered into rest. We could say that the same was true in Moses’ and Paul’s case as in our brother’s case, that his works will follow him, the influence will still live. That is a little in connection with the beginning that I would say was a good day, the end, that was a bettor day,

It is customary, I think, to refer to some of the things in connection with those days, but I am going to leave that, there are others here that had mingled with him much more during the years than I had the opportunity of doing, but I will say this that perhaps a better way for everyone is saying in life, and if we say it in life it is not necessary when we have left the body of clay for any other to say much. If it is said in life, it is written in a way that is not said today and forgotten tomorrow, or ten years after tomorrow, it is remembered. We are still journeying, we do not know when that better day may come for us, but I will say I would like for myself, and I think I can say for all of us, that God would help us to write a chapter in our little day so that when we step out of our little boat or leave the house of clay that chapter that we are writing today may be worthy of being read as was Moses’, as was the chapter Paul wrote, and as the chapter that our brother has written.

It is not often one is called upon to take part in a service like this, although the passing of workers gets more frequent as the years go by and no doubt will in the coming years. Some of us here some years ago had the privilege of attending the funeral of Jennie Gill, several of us also attended that of Emma Gill, and I do not think any funeral we have attended has ever meant so much to us as this funeral today,

It won’t be necessary for me to add anything much to what has been said, but I always feel that a service like this is largely conducted by the testimony of the one who has departed. We cannot add anything to it or take anything from it because it was very effective in his day, as those words that we have often heard, “He being dead yet speaketh”, and his voice is the loudest in this meeting this afternoon.

A number of us who are present here have often heard Willie speak and give his testimony, and the other day when I heard of his death or rather since then, that verse our brother spoke of has been on my mind continually, where Paul in writing to Timothy, referred to his departure, which was nigh at hand, and how he was then to be offered up and he said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, and henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness that fadeth not away.”

It seems too wonderful, really, to read the words of such a faithful servant of God and it should apply so truthfully and so fittingly to our brother who has now departed from us. We refer to him as our brother, but to many of us he was a father, and I must say this, I count it a great privilege that for over forty years it has been my lot to be associated with him – many of us also in the preaching of the Gospel, I must say that I value very highly his sacrifice – that life of self denial, and the Godly counsel and the example he was to us as a servant of God. I do not think those words have ever been brought home to me with such force as they have these days, “I have fought a good fight.”

When we think of what our brother referred to those days in Rathmolyon and as we often heard him speak of that battle – the battle when he first heard the Gospel, turning from all this world offers. Practically all of you have heard him speak of that, but there are a few of us that come from that neighbourhood and country and have a more intimate knowledge of what that meant for him. Not only that, but you have heard him speak of those days when he attended that convention and got so very little from it, but in his bedroom when he thought of Elisha taking those oxen and sacri­ficing them, and he asked himself the question would he be willing to do that. I often marvel when I think of his sacrifice in turning away from every earthly prospect, when the future was assured, and starting forth to give his life for others. That day, he fought a good fight. It is often said, “A battle well begun is half won,” but there are not so many of you standing here that know the struggle, the conflict, and the strivings that it has meant for him to keep up that fight to keep his life on the altar. I can look back on some days when in the agony of his soul, he strove to preserve that sacrifice on God’s altar, and even his tears.

We do not speak this to merely eulogize the dead, we think of it and speak of it as a great victory the grace of God and power of God in our day that has enabled him and others to sacrifice, and those words Paul used long ago are so fitting here today. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course.” I think I am expressing the feelings of my fellow labourers that are present here, as well as those that are not pre­sent, when I say we feel deeply grateful for the testimony of our brother, or should say our father, in that he began, continued and finished and left us, as it were, an in­spiration to follow in his footsteps. “I have kept the faith, I have fought a good fight, and henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of life that fadeth not away.” One can­not help but think of how different the scene would be had our brother continued to live for this world and had never forsaken his home, his kindred, and everything, to devote his life for the extension of the kingdom of God. How different it would have been but what­ever it might have been it would have faded away, but today he has a crown of righteous­ness that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven, and not only for him but for all that live righteously.

I do not want to prolong this service, but would like to say that in all my associations with our brother during the past 44 years there is not another person on this earth whom I would prefer if I could choose to live those years over again – there is not another person I have met on this earth that I would prefer to work and to cooperate with, and it has meant more to me, and I realise the debt of gratitude I owe today.

If you will pardon me prolonging this for just a moment or two, there is a portion of that 25th Matthew that to me this service would be incomplete if we did not refer to it. In that 25th chapter it says, “Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, ‘Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founda­tion of the world; for I was hungered and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave Me drink, I was a stranger and ye took Me in, naked and ye clothed Me; I was sick and ye visited Me; I was in prison and ye came unto Me.’ Then shall the righteous answer Him saying, ‘Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered and fed Thee? Or thirsty and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger and took Thee in? Or naked and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick or in prison and came unto Thee?’ And the King shall answer and say unto them, ‘Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My ­brethren, ye have done it unto Me.’”

We were hearing only yesterday that it is 47 years since Willie entered this village homeless and poor, as a messenger of the Gospel, and I think it is only fitting for us that we feel deeply grateful today for those that have ministered to his needs all those years. Whilst we rejoice in the fact that we live in days when God has been able to raise up such men and days when there have been those like our brother, that have sacrificed everything, we also rejoice and are glad that there are those who gladly opened their homes and ministered to the needs of those that give their lives, and I think that is what makes up the Gospel, the homeless preacher, and those that with homes and substance minister, and their reward is sure.

One feels grateful to be here today and it seems necessary for us to gather on occasions like this to remind us of the reality of eternity. I think it was at the last meeting here at Christmas time I heard of our brother speaking those words of “binding the sacrifice with cords to the altar,” and I hope that today it will mean that for us that the life and testimony of our brother will speak and cause us to bind more closely our sacrifice on God’s altar.

We left in your mind the last day we spoke, that the Lord said to His children, after He had shown to them their condition, He used this expression, “Fear not. I have redeemed you, I have called you, and you are Mine. You are My witnesses, you are My servants. Your sins I have blotted out, everything is forgiven, your slate is clean you are unmarred, you are Mine.”

In preparing for the meeting, my mind tried to turn in many directions, but every avenue closed but one. Though I preached that one subject in each of the past conventions, I will preach it again, and will continue to preach it, for we do not have very long. There is not much time left to make preparation for what is sweeping down over the world. Some of us have been a long time in the way, but these many years have gone like a flash. These things sweeping down over the world are running on the world with the wings of the wind. God’s children are probably quite unconscious of it.

Peter wrote, “These things I have written that I might stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that you might be mindful of the words which were before spoken by the holy prophets.” Knowing this, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” Scoffers shall arise. This was written to God’s children. There is a very solemn warning in it. Those who will not, can not be awakened to these facts, they will get nowhere. Our great High Priest has called us to be kings and priests and now we are sitting at His feet and He has a lot to say to us if we are only willing to listen. I want to speak lovingly and tenderly to you, for the Lord has tamed and broken my spirit, and brought me where I am. Many of the experiences He has brought me through have not been pleasant and I have come through a lot of trouble. But during the past 43 years, God has been wonderfully kind and patient with me and has built into my life things that I hope can be used to help others. God loves to see His children encouraged and filled with hope. He is the God of hope and as we abide in Him, joy will abound and His Way will team with hope.

Sometimes we look to the future and are filled with dread but “I know in whom I have believed, I am persuaded God will keep; deep hidden in the heart of God, His tender lambs, His chosen sheep.” God’s message to our hearts is “Fear not. Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God His Father. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Revelations 1:5, it is four-fold work. God has loved us, washed us, blotted out the past, and made us kings and priests. Two of those points are concerning our past. He has washed us from it and blotted it out forever. It will never be raised again. If God will not bring it up against us again, no one else would dare to raise from burial that which God has buried. Are we conscious that the past is blotted out and buried and that God will never refer to it again? It is His purpose that we should be rulers over these lives of ours, instead of being contaminated by things outside. (Kings to rule)

It is true that Christ loved us when we were sinners, but how much more must He love us now when we are sons and daughters and are made kings and priests? God gives us power to rule over all that is within ourselves and over the desires of our hearts. If we are wrong in the desires of our hearts, there will be a wrong effect on our lives.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” That mind was that He made Himself of no reputation and took upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That is a sample of what God wants, not what we think.

The thoughts of men, by nature tend only to things of time and sense. If the mind of Christ is in us, we will rule over our own thoughts and they will be brought into subjection to the mind and will of Christ. God wants us to know what the outcome will be if any wrong thoughts are harboured in our lives – any wrong desires – He wants us to put away wrong. God has made us kings to rule and reign. He has also made us priests. The priest has access to God’s presence. The priest’s office was to offer the sacrifices. I beseech thee, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Let us present ourselves daily to God, because when we do it daily, He can take us up and shape us and transform us and fit us to be in His Kingdom eternally. Then if you daily present your bodies on His altar, when you lay them down for the last time, you will find that God will give back to you the life you gave to Him.

Peter gave the warning, “In the last days shall come scoffers,” and he gave it to God’s own children. We need to let all the sayings of Jesus and the sayings of this Book sink down into our hearts so that in time of need, they may be recalled, and by them, we may understand and make preparation for what is coming. Turn to II Thessalonians, and there you will find written, some of these things that you need to let sink deeply into your heart. The second chapter, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto Him.” These people were not yet one year in God’s way and Paul was endeavouring to establish them and put them on their guard. The thought was in their minds, “We are going to be gathered together unto Him when He comes,” but Paul knew the enemy that would do all in his power to prevent them from being gathered unto the Lord. So he writes, “I beseech you that you be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, neither by letter as from me, as that the day of Christ is at hand.” That has a peculiar ring, hasn’t it? The revised version puts it, “The day of the Lord is now.”

There are some people professing to be in this way of God, yet there are no depths to which they will not go. Paul found it necessary to warn those new converts of such and he was implying, “They will even forge a name to my letter.” (Write a letter and forge Paul’s name on it.) “That ye be not shaken in mind by letter as from us.”

Some said, “The Lord is now present; the day of the Lord is now.” As Paul wrote to them, he had it in his mind that some would be telling them that the Lord has come. The Lord hasn’t come; there are yet things that must be fulfilled before He comes. I will speak to you of certain things that will show you where we are and what is awaiting us, so that we might be prepared.

Paul wrote to a young worker, “The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”

I Timothy 4:1, we cannot shut our eyes to this: if God’s word says that it will happen, we know that it will. In the last times, some who have been in the faith will depart from it and will work harm and evil.

What I have seen in God’s children in the last 3 conventions has appealed to my heart and I have looked into your faces and seen the fruit of the Spirit. But we cannot shut our eyes to this fact, “The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith.” There are those who have fully yielded, and Christ is in their hearts, reigning there. We don’t fear for them but the Spirit speaketh expressly, “that some shall depart from the faith.” You know, no one outside, no hireling could affect God’s children, for they know not the voice of a hireling, and he shall flee when the wolf cometh to destroy the flock, but if some were to rise amongst us to work havoc, what then?

Paul in Thessalonians 2 said, “Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there be a falling away first and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” There will be a falling away. There is something ahead that we have to meet and when we meet it, we can be fortified. God’s Word is able to warn us and prepare us; reading the Bible can fortify and arm us. You were brought into God’s Way for God’s Truth to guide you and preserve you to the end. The Word says that that day will not come except there come a falling away first. How vital that we begin to examine ourselves. We spoke in a previous meeting about the Great Physician and the operations He performs. We need to come into His presence where He can look into the inmost recesses of our minds and hearts and deal with what He sees there. It is as we do this and open our hearts before Him and apply His word to our hearts, that the wrong may be removed and we can have spiritual health and be preserved to the end.

Mathew 24:12, “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold, but he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.” Do we love Jesus? In John 17:24, Jesus prayed, “Father, I will that they all, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou lovest Me before the foundation of the world.” Jesus prayed that at the end, those who had come to love Him would be with Him where He was, but because iniquity shall abound, “the love of many shall wax cold.” This is Iniquity. Some have begun to take their own way and go astray. That is iniquity. But the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. That iniquity was laid on Jesus. Sometimes God’s children begin to take their own way and go astray. Others see it and are hindered and their faith is shaken as they see its results. The feeling “What’s the use?” is begotten in their bosom; then others are discouraged by those who take their own way and let iniquity grow in their lives. “The love of many shall wax cold, but he who endures to the end, the same shall be saved.” It doesn’t matter whose love lessens or who goes astray, your love doesn’t need to wane. Hold fast and stand fast and don’t let your love grow cold.

Revelations 1:3, “Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep the things which are written therein, for the time is at hand.” It is a three-fold proposition. If you read these things, the blessing has begun; if you hear God’s voice in what you read, it will open your heart and your eyes and change your vision. But blessing increases as you are willing to add to this, the doing. I want you to take particular notice of the 19th verse. Let it impress itself on your mind, for it is the key to the book. “Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter.” That includes the past, present and future tense doesn’t it? “The things which thou hast seen, (past tense). The things which are, (present tense). The things which shall be hereafter, (future tense).

Verses 5-6, He loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and hath made us kings and priests.

John wrote, ” I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day; I heard a voice; I turned and saw seven golden candlesticks.” All this is in the past tense. Then in chapters 2-3, there is a picture of the things that are – the present condition of the churches.

There is a message given to each of the seven churches, and to God’s people who were to come after. In the 4th chapter, there is given a picture of the things that are to be.

John saw a door open in Heaven, and heard a voice saying, “Come up hither and I will show thee things that must be hereafter.” He was shown things that are ready to be revealed. He saw a throne set in Heaven and one sat on the throne. He saw the four and twenty elders, the four beasts, and the sea of glass before the throne. In the 5th chapter, he saw the Lamb in the midst of the throne.

There was one that sat upon the throne, and in His hand was a book sealed with seven seals. John wept because there was none found worthy to break those seals and open and read the book, nor to look upon it. One of the elders said to him, “Weep not. Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals.” There were four and twenty elders before the throne and they fell down before the Lamb, and they sang 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 hast made us unto God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.”

The four and twenty elders sang the song of redemption. They represent the redeemed. There were also the four beasts before the throne – one being like a lion, another like a calf, the third with a face of a man, and the fourth like a flying eagle. All the different sides of the character of God’s children. They represent God’s finished work in humanity. We shall reign on the earth. We are brought into something better than anything that is human. All that pertains to the human life will end at the grave but the new life birth gives us an expectation beyond the grave.

God promised eternal life. Can we compare the human life with this? To reign with Him on this earth is only part of the reward that He has promised to those who love Him. The human family will still be going on even in Christ’s reign but in those days, the earth shall be filled with the knowledge and glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

There is a promised reward for God’s children and it is assured. What God has promised is bound to be fulfilled. Are we qualifying to have a part in it and to reign with Him? Are we giving Him control of our lives and allowing Him to guide us, so that we might be sealed by God’s spirit and comforted by God’s spirit? You laid your life down at His feet when you made the choice to live to glorify Jesus. You are not your own, but God’s, you have given yourself to Him. As you continue to present your body as a living sacrifice. He says, “I am going to transform you, fit you, and prepare you for something in the future. But I will give you joy while I am doing it. I will give you hope for a wonderful reward in the future – a living hope, and I will make you fit to reign with Me.”

If you are dead at the time of His coming, you will come back with Him, and you will live and reign for a thousand years. If you are not dead, now listen to this, “I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.” Those who sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. We which are alive and remain, unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with Him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; so shall we be ever with the Lord. Paul would not have them sorrow as they who were without hope, for the dead in Christ are going to be raised with a new body to meet Him in the air.

The first dead child of God was Abel. His brother slew him because, when they both brought offerings to the Lord, Abel’s was accepted and Cain’s was rejected. Abel brought the firstlings of his flock. Notice it doesn’t say firstling but it is in the plural. There were at least two, weren’t there? The first was the Lamb of God. He brought the Lamb nature to God first of all and then He added other offerings.

We have all come short of the glory of God and been disobedient to the word of God. God clothed Adam with the skin of the Lamb slain. Abel saw this, and when he understood that it was a type of the atonement of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth, he also understood that God wanted a life. When he came to God, he brought himself. Cain brought an offering of his substance. Many will bring their substance, their money, and this and that, but they won’t offer themselves. Cain brought of the fruits of the earth.

Abel brought the living offering – the lamb life. You give yourself and God is well pleased. Bring everything else and it profits nothing.

I Corinthians 13 says, “Though I speak with the tongue of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. Though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

Going back to I Thessalonians 4, “I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also, which sleep in Jesus, He shall bring with Him.” Abel is the first human who ever died. He fell asleep, killed by his brother. They who sleep have gone to be with God, which is far better. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and in their resurrection bodies shall rise to meet Him in the air. Then those who are still alive will be caught up into the clouds to meet Him in the air also, and also shall be ever more with God. This is the first phase of his coming.

Christ died more than 1900 years ago. We believe that He died and rose again, and we know He is coming back in the air – not on the earth at this stage, but in the air. Even as He died and rose again, we know that we shall do the same. It is only the body that is dead; the spirit does not die, but is alive. The dead body is in the grave. The spirit of the departed dead shall come back with Him, and then the graves will be opened and their bodies will be raised, resurrected, and they will be given new bodies that will never die. But when they first come back with Him, they will be bodiless, only in spirit form for their bodies are yet in the grave.

Those who have given their lives to the control of God’s spirit will be guided by it in the path of life, and will live forever. Hebrews 12 says, “We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” If our spirits are in subjection to the Father of spirits we shall live forever. God shall bring the dead with Him and they shall take possession of their resurrection bodies when the trump of God sounds. Corinthians 1-15, 52-53, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and they shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality.”

So in Revelation 5, the Lion of the tribe of Judah prevailed to open the seven seals of the book. These seven seals, as they were broken, brought a revelation (of the things which shall be hereafter) that which was classed in the future tense. When the Lamb (who was also the Lion of the tribe of Judah) opened the first seal, Revelations 6:1. John heard the voice of thunder, and one of the four beasts, saying, “Come and see.” “And, behold, a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” Then the Lamb broke another seal, and there came forth a red horse; and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they would kill one another, and there was given to him a great sword. This was war. Then the 3rd seal was broken and John beheld a black horse. This is very suggestive. He that sat on the black horse had a pair of balances in his hand. John heard a voice saying, “A measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” All this is pointing to the coming of the Lord. Before His coming there was war. With war comes famine, and the measuring out and rationing of food. It is followed by death. After the opening of the fourth seal, John saw a pale horse, and the name of him that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.

The passengers in ships on the sea shall hold their noses because of the dead on the land. (See Ezekiel 39: 11) This is death. and Hell comes with it. This is all in the future and it must come to pass. It is ready to break loose over the world, and we need to watch and pray lest it takes us unawares, and we are as ones taken in a snare. It is coming on the wings of the wind: it is so close at hand. When the fifth seal was opened, John saw under the alter the souls of the departed – those who were slain for the word of God and the testimony which they held. White robes were given to them, and it was said to them, “Now you rest just a little while, until the time is fulfilled when your fellow servants and brethren will be slain, even as you were.”

The sixth seal was opened, and the sun and the moon were blackened, the stars fell from Heaven, there was a great earthquake, etc. and the kings of the earth, and the mighty men, and the bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath is come.”

There are 6 seals. There is a 7th. There is something between the 6th and the 7th seal which is vital for us to know today. The 6th Chapter speaks of what happened when the great day of His wrath had come – at the time of the opening of the 6th Seal. Then follows this 7th Chapter. Then in the 8th Chapter, the 7th Seal is opened, and the first verse says, “There was silence in Heaven for about the space of half an hour.” But before this takes place, we read in the 7th chapter of the angels who had power to hurt the earth and the sea, standing on the four corners of the earth, and holding the four winds of the earth. Another angel having the seal of the living God came and cried to the four angels. “Hurt not the earth, neither the earth nor the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” John heard the number of them that were sealed, and it was 144,000 out of all the tribes of Israel, 12000 out of each tribe. These were the Jews.

After this, John saw a great multitude that no man could number, of all nations and kindreds and tongues standing before the throne, clothed in white robes and with palms in their hands. Then we are given the conversation that took place between John and the angel. The angel said, “What are these which are arrayed in white robes, and whence they come?” John said, “Sir, thou knoweth.” (I don’t know where these come in.)

In passing, I would like to mention that there are people in the world talking about this passage, and this unnumbered multitude, and speaking of them as being out of the tribes of Israel. But these are not out of the tribes of Israel; these are out of the Gentiles. Paul in writing to the Gentile saints in Rome, said, “I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits;” that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

And so shall all Israel be saved as it is written, “There shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob for this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” Paul said, “As concerning the Gospel, the Jews are enemies for our sakes but as touching the election, they are loved for the Father’s sake. The Jews are the chosen people of God, for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s sake, they are beloved. “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” God never changes. Read the 12th and 14th chapters of Zechariah 13, 6, “What are these wounds in Thine hands?” Then He shall answer, “These with which I was wounded in the house of My friends.” Jesus was taking them back to the time of His rejection.

Chapter 11, 11-14 verses tell of the day coming when all Israel will mourn for the past, when they realise how they rejected and crucified the Christ. “In that day there shall be great mourning in Jerusalem – the land shall mourn and every family shall mourn apart.” After they believe and accept Christ, the Jews will mourn for what their forefathers have done. In spite of all, the Jews are still the election. They rejected and persecuted and crucified Christ – they have done it all, for their eyes are blinded, but when the Deliverer shall come they will believe, and they will be gathered in again.

In Revelations 6, the wrath of God was ready, but not poured out upon humanity. The 7th chapter tells of all God’s people being sealed in the forehead before the opening of the 7th Seal, when the vials of God’s wrath should be opened out on all the world. There had been war, hunger, thirst, etc. before, but there was to follow something far worse than the world had ever known. The 8th chapter begins, “And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about the space of half an hour.” Why? This is ominous. The clouds have gathered – the wrath of God is at hand. It is ready to be poured out and all Heaven waiting in this silence and suspense. Then John saw the seven angels with seven trumpets. As each angel sounded his trumpet, the plagues of God were poured out upon the earth, and the sun, moon, and stars, etc. Chapters 8 and 9 tell of six of the seven plagues following the sounding of the trumpets.

The 10th chapter comes between the sounding of the 6th and 7th trumpets. In it, a mighty angel came down from Heaven and stood with one foot on the earth and one foot on the sea and he lifted up his hand to Heaven and swore by Him who liveth forever, that time should be no longer. The decree was passed, “Delay no longer.” God has delayed: He has waited. He has said that He will bring these things on the earth, and He has delayed in fulfilling them, the time will come when He will delay no longer. God won’t go back on His word. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

God has waited in the hope of getting men out of the world for Himself and delivering them from the tribulation and wrath that is to come upon the earth. Perhaps there is a soul in this meeting for whom He has been waiting. Perhaps He has been watching over your life, dealing with it, and waiting until there is no resistance left, no mental reservation left, and waiting until you are willing to lay yourself unreservedly at His feet.

After the waiting period, the word was proclaimed, “Time shall be no longer.” The mystery is finished, it is wound up now; it is the end.

In 11:15, the seventh angel sounded the seventh trumpet and there were great voices in Heaven saying, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. At this stage, every part of the world has been taken under His control. By the end of the 8th Chapter, four of the angels had sealed their trumpets, then John heard an angel flying through the midst of Heaven saying, ‘Woe. Woe, Woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other trumpets of the three angels which are yet to sound; three woes.’”

The 9th chapter tells of the time of the 1st woe when men should seek death and not find it. Verse 12, “One woe is past and behold there come, two more woes hereafter.” Then at the sounding of the 6th angel, the 2nd woe began. The four angels which were bound in the great river Euphrates were loosed, and they went forth to slay the third part of mankind with a great army of horsemen having breastplates of fire, etc. Yet those who escaped still did not repent of their evil works. Meanwhile, those who were sealed with the seal of God in their foreheads were not touched by these things.

During the period of the 2nd woe, came the two witnesses, the Beast’s persecution of them, their death, their resurrection, and ascension.

Then followed a great earthquake, and the 2nd woe was passed. Then came the sounding of the 7th Angel, and the proclamation, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord.”

There is a space between this and the third woe. 15th chapter, John saw another sign in Heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels, having the last seven plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God. Then it speaks of them who had gotten the victory over the Beast. Then the tabernacle of the testimony was opened in Heaven, and the seven angels came out, having the seven plagues. One of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels, seven golden vials full of the wrath of God. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

In the 12th Chapter, we read of there being war in Heaven and the Devil being cast out unto the earth. 12:12 verse, “Woe unto the inhabitants of the earth and the sea; for the Devil has come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he has but a short time.”

Chapter 13 tells of the rise of the beast. In the 12th chapter, it tells us that the dragon was Satan, the Devil. Now the dragon gives his power to the beast and the beast opened his mouth in blasphemy, against God.

Paul in II Thessalonians 2:3 says, “Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there be a falling away first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he as God, sitteth in the temple as God, showing himself that he is God.” Chapter 13:4, they worshiped the beast. The 3rd verse tells of the beast having a deadly wound in one of his heads, and being healed. All the world wondered after the beast. All the world came under the influence of the Beast. Some were exempted – those with the seal of God in their foreheads but they were not of the world. This world will become devil worshipers, for the dragon, that old serpent, the Devil, Satan, deceiveth the whole world. (see 12:9) 13th:11, tells of another beast rising out of the earth (from amongst men).

The first beast rose out of the sea. The 2nd beast had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like the dragon. And he exercised all the power of the first beast, and caused all the earth to worship the first Beast. And he did great wonders so that he made fire to come down from Heaven, and he deceived them that dwelt on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do. This was the rise of the false prophet.

You will notice that in connection with the first beast, the false prophet is mentioned – not the false prophets. He had the appearance of a lamb but he spoke like the Devil, and he worked by the power of the Devil. (You will find that all together in the 13th and 14th verses.) In verses 16 and 17, he caused all men to receive the mark of the Beast in their right hand and in their forehead; any man who did not have this mark could neither buy nor sell. It shows us that there were still some on the earth who refused to worship the beast or to receive his mark but they had to endure hardships and persecution because of it.

The 7th verse makes reference to those who were excluded from the worshipers of the Beast. They were the saints of God. “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them, and power was given him over all nations.” These saints are the ones, who won’t submit to the Beast, and therefore he makes war with them and they have to pass through great tribulation, and many are slain by him.

There is something else that we should look at. The first beast rose out of the sea, not the earth. All the world wondered after the Beast. Satan gave him power, and his seat, and great authority. All this is concentrated in one man. All the world worshiped the Beast and the Devil. He blasphemed against God, and all that was God, and substituted devil worship. You’ll see that kind of thing in Russia and the satellite countries. The nature of the beast will be manifested in a man. The idea is to wipe out worship for they believe that worship is only an opiate to the people. They know nothing of the true worship, and they think of the false worship as only something that drugs the masses, therefore they want to wipe it out. This is a power that will rise up against all religion, not just against the truth. It will be opposed to all that bears the name of God and all religion. The 5th Verse tells of the 3 and half years when the Beast would reign in dreadful savagery. Daniel had a vision of him (see chapters 7 and 11, Daniel) this trinity of evil had risen to rule the world – the Dragon (or Devil) the Beast, and the false prophet.

Chapter 14 speaks of the Lamb standing on Mt. Zion with the 144,000 who had His Father’s name, written in their foreheads. This was the Lamb. The false prophet had the appearance of a lamb, but spoke like the Devil.

Those with the Lamb were those who had been redeemed from the earth.

Verse 6, Babylon goes down, and her fall is declared.

15th chapter, the seven angels having the seven last plagues and the vials of the wrath of God.

16:17 tells of the last of those vials being poured out on the earth, “And the seven angels poured out His vial into the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done.’”

Chapter 17 shows Babylon going down. The 18th speaks of all the world crying out because of it and lamenting for her when they saw the smoke of her burning. “In one hour. she is made desolate.”

In the latter part of the 19th chapter, we have a record of the Beast and the false prophet. The 1st part of the 19th chapter speaks of the marriage of the Lamb.

Immediately after the marriage of the Lamb, the second phase of His coming begins. The tribulation takes place during the time of the first phase.

Revelations 19:11-21 (immediately after the tribulation of those days) tells of the 2nd phase of His coming. “I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat on him was called, Faithful and True and in righteousness, He doth judge and make war. And the armies which were in Heaven followed Him upon the white horse, that with it He should smite the nations and He shall rule them with a rod of iron – He hath on His vesture a name written, ‘LORD OF LORD AND KING OF KINGS.’”

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army. He is now coming with His army to take over. The beast and the false prophet are taken and cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone.

In the 20th chapter, an angel came down from Heaven, having the keys of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold on the dragon, or Satan, and bound him a thousand years and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled.

After the thousand years of Christ’s reign on the earth, the Devil must be loosed again for a little season and he is coming out of the pit to deceive the nations again. “Satan will be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the nations, and to gather them again to battle; the number of whom is as the sands of the sea.” The number of those who fell away to the Devil shall be as the sands of the sea. While he was in the bottomless pit for the thousand years, there was none to deceive the nations. It was the unchallenged reign of Christ.

But when he was again at large, so many who had lived in that reign of peace and righteousness fell away to the Devil. Listen, if the man of God says the human heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, he means it. Even after experiencing the reign of Christ, it was in the human heart to go over to the enemy, the Devil. The nations will fall away to the Devil as the sands of the sea.

There is that wonderful prospect of reigning with Him on this earth for a thousand years. My brother, my sister, are you going to lay that life of yours down at His feet, and so reign with Him, or are you going to use it just for yourselves, and so lose all? That short life of yours can be spent to reign with Him; or can be spent just to end at the grave. Let Him work His will in you, do His will in you, live His will in you and so you will be prepared to reign with Him through those thousand years. Or you can keep your life and live your life for yourself and lose it all. There is not much mentality needed to see which the best course to take is. This is the fulfillment of that passage when the four and twenty elders fell down before Him who sat on the throne, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive honour and power, etc.”

After the thousand years had expired, the Devil gathered the nations together to war against the saints of God, and fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the false prophets are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

After this comes the Judgment scene, when the dead small and great shall stand before God and the books shall be opened. All were judged out of their records written in these books. Another book, the Book of Life, was opened, and all who were not found written in it were cast into the lake of fire.

Chapter 21 tells of the new heaven and new earth, and the holy city – New Jerusalem, coming down from God, out of Heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband. Further on in the chapter, it speaks of the nations of them which are saved, walking in the light of the glory of God in that city. Every child of God you have ever loved will be there; all those who have been washed by the blood of the Lamb will be there.

When there comes the new heaven and the new earth, all of the people there will be God’s people. It will be a totally different world from the one we now know. In Luke 21:33-36, Jesus spoke of this time. “Heaven and earth shall pass away but My words shall not pass away,” and take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth? “Watch ye therefore, and pray always that ye be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.” I said before that in the 1st phase of His coming, the graves would be open, and those who had died in Christ would be raised with new bodies to meet Him in the air. There is no need to sorrow for those who have died in Him for they are asleep in Jesus.

When in the grave, it is only the body there, for the spirit has gone to be with God, and will return with Him, when He comes in His glory, and will take possession of their resurrection bodies – new bodies, glorious bodies. The body we dwell in here is only the tabernacle for the spirit, and we put it off when the spirit returns to God who gave it.

It is the tabernacle or tent in which we live our human lives in order to be fitted for our eternal home. Then the tabernacle is left behind, and we go to be with God, which is far better. Then when the departed dead return in spirit form with Him in the air, the graves will be opened, and their bodies will be raised in glorious form to dwell in again. When Steven was stoned, he called on God, saying, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” His body went to the grave, but his spirit went to God. God is the father of Spirits. We are not called into anything foolish, but into the precious, abounding promises of what God has for His people. These promises apply not only to life, but to life beyond the grave.

We have the comparison between Lazarus and the rich man in this life, and also their condition after death. In this life, Lazarus was a poor beggar, lying at the rich man’s gate, but he was a child of God. When Lazarus died, he was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom, but in Hell, the rich man lifted up his eyes and saw Lazarus. Being in torment he cried, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” Abraham said, “Son, remember, that thou in thy lifetime receivest good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” Friend, don’t forget that we will carry memories into Eternity. In Hell, the rich man had a tongue and eyes too, as well as memories. He saw the blessed state of Lazarus, the child of God, whom he had despised in life. He remembered how he had treated him. Perhaps, he remembered many things that he had said, and his tongue burned. But Lazarus could not cross the great gulf that was fixed between them, to so much as dip his finger in water to cool the burning of the rich man’s tongue.

Lazarus and all the others who died in Christ will return with Jesus, in spirit form – bodiless – to receive their resurrection bodies, and we who remain alive shall be caught up with Him, and our present bodies will be changed, in a moment of time. “We shall all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of time, at the last trump.” At the same time, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, with a never dying body. But we shall be changed, for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal, must put on immortality.” Then shall the saying be fulfilled, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” But there is also the other side of it. “The sting of death is sin.” Where sin has not been dealt with, there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

God would impress on our hearts, the need of letting His Word search us and try us, and deal with what is in our hearts. “The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even the dividing asunder of soul and spirit – and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Philemon 3:2-21, our citizenship is not of the earth, but of Heaven. “God hath prepared for them, a city.” Abraham looked for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. For our conversation is in Heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself. He is able to subdue all things unto Himself. Are we holding back? Are we rebellious against His Word and His dealings? Do we resist Him? But we will only be changed as we let Him subdue all things unto Himself.

Matthew 24, there are three questions asked here, in the third verse, “When shall these things be?” What shall be the sign of His coming? When shall the end of the world be? In the preceding chapter, Jesus wept over Jerusalem, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” In this 24th chapter, as Jesus was leaving the temple, His disciples came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple. Jesus said to them, “There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” Then Matthew tells us, as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, asking these three questions.

Matthew just says, “The disciples came,” but Mark 13 says, four of the disciples came and He gives their names – Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Where were the other eight? This bears a little message to my own heart. Among the followers of Christ, there are some more eager than others to learn, some are more anxious to learn all the mind and will of God, and to understand the things that pertain to God and His kingdom. Then these four disciples asked this three-fold question, “What will be the sign of Thy coming? How will we know when the time comes? When will the end of the world be?”

Matthew 24:4-14, Jesus gives a little summary of these three questions, the destruction of the temple, the coming of the Lord, and the end of the world. This is needed today. In the 15th verse, He refers again to the destruction of Jerusalem, and says, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place. Then let them which are in Judea flee into the mountains.”

Daniel 12:11 says, “From the time that the daily sacrifice be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there will be a thousand, 2 hundred and 90 days.” So Jesus said, “When ye see the abomination of desolation set up, and the daily sacrifice taken away, you will know that the time is near.”

Thirty-seven years after Jesus said this, the Roman soldiers came and besieged Jerusalem. They surrounded the city, but couldn’t get in. They became enraged when they were kept at bay and then followed the terrible siege. The people within the walls of the city were reduced to starvation. Mothers even devoured their own children. The Romans finally broke into the city and plundered it. One million, one hundred thousand dead bodies were taken out of Jerusalem.

The Romans did crucify Jews in great numbers, and ninety -six thousand were sold as slaves. But God’s children had escaped in time, so they didn’t have to go through this terrible tribulation when Jerusalem ran with blood. Jesus had said, “There shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except the days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.” What Jesus said did take place.

In the 24th and 25th verses, Jesus deals with the 2nd question, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming?” His coming is imminent, near. Jesus gave the warning that there would be false reports of His coming and that false Christs would arise. He said, “Behold I have told you before. If they say, ‘He has come,’ believe it not, for as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” Where does the lightning appear? In the sky, it flashes across the sky. So shall His coming be?

The first phase of His coming is in the sky, nowhere else. His saints shall be caught up to Him in the sky. When He comes, He comes in the air, not on the earth. He will come, bringing the spirits of the dead in Christ with Him – in the air and the living will be caught up with Him and thus be ever with the Lord. As the lightning’s flash from one part of heaven to the other part of heaven is unmistakable, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be unmistakable.

Verse 28, “For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” Jesus is still speaking on the second question. What about the eagle? Do you remember Ezekiel 1:10, where it tells of the four living creatures who each had four faces? One was the face of a man, another face of a lion, of an ox, and of an eagle. The eagle is used by God as a symbol. In Revelations 1:7, there were the four beasts before the throne again and the fourth was like a flying eagle.

Job 39:27, “Doth the eagle mount up at Thy command and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and on the strong place. From thence she seeketh her prey, and her eyes behold afar off.” She is looking into the distance, and sees afar off. What does it mean?

In Hebrews 11, we see what it means. Verse 10, Abraham looked for a city that had foundations, whose builder and maker is God. He and those who came after him all died in faith (verse 13) not having received the promises but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They saw it afar off. God’s people today, with the eye of faith, behold that which is afar off. Isn’t it like the eagle, beholding afar off? God’s people are farsighted like the eagle. God who cannot lie has promised, and they see those promises and believe.

Psalm 103:5, “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” The child of God grows younger and younger, and with the passing of the years, the spirit remains youthful and fresh. Don’t talk about getting old: He renews your youth like the eagles. Think of Simeon, coming into the temple when Jesus was brought in, in the arms of His mother. This old man was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was upon him this day in the temple. He took the babe up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord now letteth Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation – a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” This old man rejoiced in spirit.

Then an old lady came into the temple – Anna the prophetess. She had been married seven years, and then she had been eighty-four years a widow. That makes 91 years, doesn’t it? 91 years since she was married. So how old was she? She would have been at least 10 years old when she was married, wouldn’t she? The dear old soul went into the temple to see the Babe Jesus. How good to see the old ones in the meeting who have withstood the tempest of life, The weather and the storms have raged around them, the circumstances over which they had no control, have come upon them but they have stood their ground. Their testimony is valued. To all Israel who looked for redemption, this dear old lady spoke of Christ. Thy youth is renewed like the eagles. Each year, the eagle sheds its coat of feathers, and it is then an object of misery. But then it gets a new coat of feathers, and its wings are stronger and it can rise higher and stay up higher in the air. This suggests the thought of the child of God growing stronger through each experience of life and rising higher and nearer to God. From that height, our eyes behold afar off and see the prize as we look to the future.

Isaiah 40:31, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Here is the Christ. The eagles gather from all points of the compass to one central place, where their prize is found. By instinct, they gather from far and near to where the carcass is. God’s people are likened to them. When Christ comes, the Christians will meet Him in the air, and gather to Him as their prize. Christ’s nature dwelling in them guides them safely through life, and when He comes, it will lead them to where He is. Then the bodies of the dead will come forth from the grave, raised in incorruption, eternal immortal. Those of His children, who are still alive, will be caught up into the air. He doesn’t come to earth, and where He is, there they will be until the time of tribulation that follows, will be over. He doesn’t come to earth until He comes as a conqueror or subduing all things under Him, and as a king to reign for one thousand years.

Following the gathering of the saints to Him in the air, the calamity of calamities takes place. This is still the first phase of his coming. There are the times of great tribulation that we have already read about in Revelation. during this period the holy city shall be trodden underfoot for forty-and-two months, ( 3 & a half years ) and power shall be given to the Beast to continue forty and two months. (See Revelations 11:2 and 13:5) Great tribulation such as has never been known, will take place.

Immediately after this tribulation comes the second phase of His coming (See Revelations 19: 11-21 and Matthew 24:29), “Then the sun shall be darkened, the moon shall not give her light, the stars shall fall from Heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn.”

Verse 34, “This generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled.” But aren’t all these people to whom Jesus was speaking that day, now dead? Generation is used in the sense of “a race ” or ” a tribe.” The race of the Jews has been scattered and persecuted ever since, but the Jews still exist as a race.

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word will not pass away.” All that Jesus has said is being fulfilled and will go on being fulfilled until heaven and earth pass away and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. But He says, “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of Heaven, but My Father only.”

This is His answer to their third question, “When shall the end of the world be?” 37th verse, here we are told that all is not as it seems to be. “As in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, etc. People think that all seems secure and that the tragedy could not be repeated. “They knew not until the flood came and took them all away.” There is nothing wrong with them eating, marrying, buying and selling, and so on but the thing that is wrong was that they were not preparing. Verse 40, “Then shall there be two in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left.” The field is the world.

Luke, 17:36, “Two men shall be in the field: the one shall be taken and the other left.” That may speak of two brother workers out in the Harvest Field. At the time of the Lord’s return, one might be prepared and the other not. So one would be taken and the other left when He gathers His own to Himself. “Two women shall be grinding in the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left.” That would speak of two saints. The two women would be grinding corn in order to prepare a meal. That is necessary and quite alright but one of the two was not preparing for the vital thing. It is possible for the saints to get taken up with the things of everyday life, and neglect to be daily preparing for the Lord’s return. Two servants in the field – one taken and the other left. Why does God talk like this? Because he sees the end from the beginning. He sees that in this meeting, there are some who, if they don’t wake up, will be taken unawares. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. That would speak to me of two preparing for the Sunday morning meeting. The meetings are vital and necessary for God’s children, and this preparation is necessary in order to have bread. One of these two women was prepared for His coming, and the other was not prepared, so when He came unexpectedly, one was taken, and the other left.

The 42nd verse was spoken to all God’s children, “Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Then Jesus said, “If the Goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.”

This is still not very clear. So turn to the next chapter, which gives the parable of the ten virgins. This is an earthly story with a spiritual meaning. We will keep the earthly story for a while. The ten virgins took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Five were wise and five were foolish, the five wise had filled their lamps, and also taken a reserve of oil in their vessels with their lamps. The five foolish took no reserve of oil. They evidently lit their lamps and then slept as they waited for the coming of the bridegroom. The cry was made, “Behold the bridegroom cometh,” they rose and trimmed their lamps, then the five foolish said to the wise, “Give us of your oil, for our lamps (as the revised version puts it) are going out.” There has been oil in them, and they have been alight, but they are going out. The wise said, “There may not be enough in our vessels for ourselves and you, too. Go to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” That shows they knew there was a place where they could go to buy.

My brother, my sister, you have a lamp, and you have oil in it, but have you a vessel with a reserve supply of oil? Have you been buying the oil and paying the price to obtain it? If so, as you go through experiences, you will obtain the oil to replenish your lamp, so that it does not go out before His coming. You may have had the oil alright and your lamp may have been burning, but just when the day of the Lord is nigh, and you need it most, you have ceased to gain it, have ceased to be willing to pay the price.

While the foolish virgins went to the place where they could buy, the bridegroom came and the others went in with him. When they came back from buying, the door was shut, and they could not get in. They were left outside. They had not been prepared. Will you be caught unprepared? Will that day come on you unawares, and your lamp be gone out? This is iniquity. (Not equity – not equal.) “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” When love waxes cold, there is not willingness to continue to pay the price.

Remember there are two phases of His coming. He comes for his own, and then He comes again as a Conqueror, and conquers the whole earth, then reins with His people on the earth for 1,000 years. We are still dealing with what precedes His first coming. Luke 21:24, “They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Then shall come the signs in the heavens of the coming of the Son of Man, and men’s hearts shall fail them for fear and for looking to those things which shall thereafter come upon the earth,” in the tribulation period that Rev. tells us of – the period between the first and the second phase of His coming. But His children, who were prepared when He first came, will be missing that awful time, for they were caught up into the air with Him, and were delivered from it all.

But Jerusalem, the Holy City, shall be trodden down by the Gentiles until – until when? Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. The Jews have not ruled Jerusalem for 1880 years. (They have not occupied and ruled the city.)

Less than two years ago, a handful of wilful men in Jerusalem made things so hot that the British nation – that nation, which for so many years has had such power, and has ruled in such justice – had to give up their mandate. The nations involved were Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Trans Jordan, and Egypt. Britain said that they should not go to war and all these seven nations stood by it. But that band of wilful men disregarded it and started trouble. The United States sent down Con Bernadoto to divide Palestine between the Jews and the Arabs. The Jews shot him dead immediately. The United States then sent Dr. Bunche and overnight, he quietly gave the Jews practically all that they asked for, except Jerusalem. The United Nations then said, “We will internationalise Jerusalem.” The Jews reply to this was to move the capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, where they have about one-third of the city. They won’t get full possession of Jerusalem until the word of God is fulfilled, and the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Jews arose, proclaimed themselves a nation, held elections, formed a government, and proclaimed their name Israeli. They have a flag, and they have a seat among the United Nations. It is the first time in 1880 years that they have had a government and an army. But they have only a third of Jerusalem, and they won’t get full possession of it until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, and the word of God is fulfilled. Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles until God fulfills his purpose in the Gentiles. Read the 12th, 13th, and 14th chapters of Zechariah, which tell of a time in the history of Jerusalem. When you read in the papers that the Jews have taken over the whole of Jerusalem, then you look over these chapters again.

Compare Matthew 14:29 with the opening of the 6th seal in Revelations 6, 12, and 13. The sun and the moon were darkened, and the stars fell from heaven. Distress and perplexity have begun and the greatest minds on earth don’t know what to do. Men die of heart failure – fear – for looking on these things which have begun to come to pass. They have begun to come to pass. Jesus said, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” Now don’t you see why you should begin to wake up? There is nothing wrong with the common activities of life, such as eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage but these things don’t prepare you for His coming.

Jesus said, “Watch therefore and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass.” There is an avenue of escape, and it will be open to all those who are prepared at His coming. Jesus also gives a warning.

Luke 21:34, “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, so that the day come upon you unawares.” Why sound a warning if there is no danger? And remember, this warning is given to the children of God. Jesus said to Peter, James, John, and Andrew, “What I say to you, I say unto all. Watch. Take heed lest at any time you indulge in gluttony of heart, surfeiting, and overcharging, and drunkenness.” All these things are said of the heart; it does not mean the material things and natural drunkenness, etc. – so much as a condition. What is it that is filling your heart and taking up your time? Is it caring for the things of this life, and being taken up with the things of time so that that day will come upon you unawares? He would try to awaken us to anything that is in our hearts that would prevent us from being ready when the Son of Man comes. A drunken man does not talk plainly, but the truth of God is very plain. You are drunk if you think there are two ways to Heaven. A drunk man often sees double. But if you are watching and your heart is prepared and waiting for His coming, you won’t be in any confusion. Jesus said, “As a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” The next verse is still being spoken to the children of God, “Watch.” There is need for diligence. Solomon said, “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” The seeds of all the things mentioned before are in the heart of man – surfeiting, drunkenness, gluttony for the things of earth and flesh. We need to keep our hearts with all diligence. “Watch ye therefore” – and something else – and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things which shall come to pass. Does it make any difference to pray? Yes, prayer changes all things. So Jesus said, “Watch and pray that ye don’t have to go through these days of tribulation. But if you don’t watch, you may be caught unawares.” You may not be able to make the grade today, and you may not be prepared and watching when He returns. After the deliverance, when those who are prepared have been caught up into the air, you may be one of those who are left, on the earth, and you may have another chance in the tribulation period.

I’m not going to say that you will or that you might. But if you can’t make the grade today under favourable circumstances, how are you going to make it under unfavourable circumstances, in that time when there will be so much persecution of the saints? I don’t want to stake my future on such a hope. When you pray always, you are brought into contact with God, and are drawing strength to preserve you and keep you watchful and prepared.

Isaiah 41:1, “Keep silence before me, O islands, and let the people renew their strength.” Get quiet in the presence of God, and there change your strength. Weakness can give way to strength; you can go from strength to strength – change your strength as you wait in quietness in the presence of God. Watch and pray that you may be accounted worthy to escape all there things that are coming on the earth.

You don’t have to go through them; there is a way of escape. But if you are a professing child of God, yet are caught unprepared, you will be left when your brother or sister is taken from your side and then you will have to face the tribulation of those times. “Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcome.” You might be quite steady and faithful, but take heed lest at any time things creep into your heart. Be careful, be prepared that you may be preserved, caught up, and linked to the Son of God.

Verse 31, “When ye see these things begin to come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” His coming is drawing near; He is ready to take over. Let us guard our hearts and watch and pray, that we may change our strength for God’s strength and so be found enduring to the end, and counted worthy to escape all things that shall come to pass, and to stand on that day.

Hymn 322, “Our God, Our Father, Grant Us Grace”

Hymn 8, “Wash Me, O Lamb of God” Hymn 312, “Our Blest Redeemer”

I will read you some verses in 2 Samuel 23. This chapter begins, “Now these be the last words of David” and it mentions those words and in verse 14, it says, “David was in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. And David longed, and said, ‘Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!’ And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord. And he said, ‘Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?’ Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.”

I am not very sure if I am speaking out of my order this morning, but if I consulted my own feelings, I would keep my seat. I often have a fear, in coming to the last Convention, lest a number of things would hinder God’s voice being heard. One thing I have a fear of lest those of us who have been to another or other conventions would grow weary or even familiar with our privileges. There is another factor to be considered, too. There are many workers here this morning, and we are very apt to depend on one another instead of each bearing our share of the burden. But last night, we were listening to our sister speaking of this man, David, and these two instances in that man’s life are amongst the deepest impressions that have been made on my heart during the year. Our sister was talking about that passage last night, and it was spoken of at special meetings at Christmas time, and just immediately after that, some of us were gathered together in a home and happened to have that same chapter that she was speaking about where David went to that city of Nob, fleeing from Saul, and he asked for bread, and that man Ahimelech said, “There is no common bread here but it is hallowed bread,” and then he reminded David that those who partook, those who were qualified to partake of that hallowed bread must be clean. I think at every meeting I have been in since, especially a Sunday morning meeting, those words have kept coming to my mind. Sometimes I am afraid as we come together at a time like this, especially at the last convention, that people in our midst do not have that hunger for hallowed bread and do not have any cry in their hearts like David, “Oh that I had a drink of the well of Bethlehem.” I am afraid some people go away and are very easily satisfied; they think it is very successful if the beds are comfortable, if the food is good and arrangements go all right, but nothing is of any account if there is not some hallowed bread broken in our midst.

I am glad that I have learned in the course of many years, and every doubt in my mind has been dispelled long ago, about God’s one and only way in this world, I do not have any doubt on the first day of the week that a home is the right place for God’s people to meet; I have not a single doubt in my mind that the only way to preach is as Jesus sent His disciples; I do not have any misgivings as to the way to worship God as far as the outward is concerned, but I have often, and I include myself, very serious doubts with regard to fulfilling the conditions in our own lives and complying with all that God requires from us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. It would be a sad day if we could just be satisfied with the fact that we are the only people and this is the only way, and so far as the outward is concerned we conformed to it; but worshipping God is a spiritual thing and every meeting where you and I appear, we have an individual responsibility not only to be present – that is a necessary thing, and those that do not go never prosper – but it is a great thing to meet on the first day of the week, and like David met that day those priests in the City of Nob and asked for bread, and when Ahimelech said there is no common bread but it is hallowed bread and only those that are clean or whose lives are hallowed may partake of that. If I could hallow my life once and for all, if I could cleanse my life once and for all, it would be comparatively easy, but God in His wisdom has so arranged it that this is a continual process in our lives that we have to keep up to the day of our death, and sometimes I think the part of convention that helps me most is the secret exercise of heart and mind it gives me to cleanse myself and consecrate my life, to yield to God’s claims. I would not like to be here this morning, to take any part in this meeting, if I did not have some little hunger for hallowed bread. One gets tired of common bread and I am afraid we are often guilty, every one of us, of offering common bread, putting common bread on God’s table, but it is a rare thing, and it is a costly thing to either present hallowed bread, and it means a lot to partake of it. Not only did David hunger that day for bread but here on this occasion he thirsted, “Oh that I had a drink of the waters from the well of Bethlehem.” On both occasions, David was in dire distress; he was fleeing from the face of Saul when he asked for bread, and he was in the Cave of Adullam, a fugitive, an outcast from God’s people, when he cried for that drink. We think we are fortunate when things go smoothly and everything seems to prosper but every child of God in this meeting knows that God often has to bring adverse circumstances and difficulties into our lives to make us pray and cause us to hunger and thirst for that living bread and water.

I like very much in that chapter how it talks of God’s mighty men in the Kingdom of God. I must confess that I have had the idea in my mind that these mighty men had something to do with fighting mighty battles in conflict, but here it tells us some of the marks of these mighty men. One of the things it mentions at the beginning, how they came to David in harvest time – they did not come to him when he was on the throne; it was not when he was popular, but it was in the darkest days of his life when he was despised and rejected. The first mark that they were mighty was that they arose above their natural claims. Harvest time is a time when farmers would not naturally arise, but these men were mighty in putting God’s interests before their harvest, and we could do a lot along that line. We enjoyed listening to a brother at one of the conventions who was over from Canada. It was at harvest time that the mission was worked in his district and he got saved. We are very apt to say, “Are there not three months and then cometh the harvest,” but these men put the interests of God’s Kingdom before the harvest when they heard that cry from the lips of David. It is a callous, cold-hearted person, either saint or servant, who in our midst today have never been stirred by the cry from the lips of those that thirst for living waters or hunger for the living bread, and I think one of the sweetest experiences in the lives of us who preach the Gospel is when amongst unsaved people and see them desiring to hear God’s Word that moves us to pray and labour, to fetch this water from the wells of salvation and the living bread from God’s storehouse. That is your privilege and opportunity also in your little meeting. These three mighty men showed their devotion and courage that day because they arose that day and broke through the host of the Philistines. That is not history; this is not something that applied only 2,000 or 4,000 years ago. The Philistines, you know as well as I do, means “wanderers,” and it takes a very might person to arise and break through the host of the Philistines sometimes – the wandering thoughts, wandering desires, and sometimes wandering feet

I hope I will be forgiven for expressing in meetings some of my observations of God’s people; they are many miles away from here – but some of you can carry it back if you want to! One Sunday evening, during the year, I noticed a certain person in the locality where we were working, just making a Saturday evening an occasion to visit their friends to have a good gossip. One would not mind it once, but when you see them at it again and again, you wonder do they know anything of the evening before the first day of the week, breaking through the host of the Philistines to get the water and the bread.

That is not all that is mentioned in that chapter, because when those three men brought back that water at the cost of their lives, they faced death and danger, and David showed the quality of the heart he possessed when he would not drink it. He said, “Is this not the blood of those who have jeopardized their lives?” and he poured it out before the Lord. David recognized this was a costly thing; this water was brought at the cost of men’s blood, as it were, and he refused to drink it. When I was thinking of this, this morning, my mind went over to the New Testament and I thought of that servant of God we heard of last night, Saul of Tarsus who was afterwards Paul. There was one thing I admired much in that man as a servant of God. In his letter to the Corinthians, he tells us of different things he was entitled to do. (Excuse me if I mention one thing that may be a delicate subject.) He said had he not power to lead about a sister, or marry, but he said he would not do it for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. That is one thing we would always keep before our minds. It is a poor thing to be always claiming the very limit and say what am I entitled to, but Paul denied himself that for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake, but you remember how he writes to those Corinthians and told them he would not allow them to minister to his needs for the sake of example. There are a number of us here as God’s servants. I do not know of anything that is more hateful, even outside of God’s Kingdom, than selfishness. It is uglier still amongst us as servants of God, and it must be an abomination to God. There must be nothing that would unfit a person, especially as a servant to represent Jesus, more than selfishness. One has to admit in this life of ours, especially in a preacher’s life, there is more opportunity for selfishness than in any people in the world, and there is more opportunity and possibilities of unselfishness, self-denial, and sacrifice.

I’ll tell you one thing that came to my mind this morning in the course of conversation with one of my brothers. We were talking about a verse in Proverbs; neither of us was very sure that it was there, but this morning I took a concordance and found it in the 18th chapter. It speaks in the one before about mighty men – and it is good for us to try to adjust our thoughts to the Scriptural interpretation. It says, “A brother offended is harder to win than even a city.” It goes on to say that contentions are like the bars of a castle – something that has a very practical application to all our lives. Jesus said one day, “It is impossible, but that offences will come.” As He looked at the material that those disciples were made up of, He knew that it was simply impossible but that offences would come, and in God’s family we know that offences still arise. I was going to say a person is fortunate if they get through life without offending somebody or being offended, but I do not know now if I would desire a life without difficulties, and I must say that the things that have done most for my soul have been in facing up difficulties that arise even inside the Kingdom, in days of sacrifice and suffering. Some have spoken about the bright days of adversity and the dark times of prosperity, and there is a lot of truth in that. When I talk about this, it is not to preach about it, but you know and I know what it means to appease or make peace with a brother offended.

I thought of some in the Bible. Abraham: when the herdsmen strove over the pasture, and Lot and he had cattle without number, Abraham proved himself to be one of God’s mighty men by denying himself of an ideal farm, so to speak, to preserve the unity of spirit. I thought of Jacob. When he came back from his Uncle Laban and met his brother Esau with 400 trained men, he feared but he did not spend his time in sharpening weapons or training the men for war; he crossed the river, and alone with God, he prevailed in prayer. That is the way to prevail with men. When God blessed him, he could face his brother, and he knew how to appease him. It takes a person who is mighty, as Paul speaks, “Strengthened with might in the inner man: to have a meek and quiet spirit and to turn away wrath by a soft answer.” That is something I have a lot to learn, but I would like in the remaining days of my life to try and put those things into practice.

Some of these mighty men in God’s kingdom are not always the rich people or big people or those with most ability. I don’t know why, but this morning I was thinking of an old man that was lying in hospital way up on the East coast – an old man and his wife older still – and just as the meeting started, a telegram was handed in to say the man was dead. He just died yesterday – or it may be last night. He was a very insignificant man in appearance, never was rich, just a common farm labourer, and his wife a very ordinary woman, too. The reason why those people have remained in my mind is that I have a lot of respect for them. It must be well over 40 years ago when that couple professed up in the County of Lincoln, and very shortly afterwards – I did not know them, but I and my companion were in that county. Those were the days when there were very few open homes and there was very little money. If we had a dinner of a turnip, that fell off a farm cart and we picked it up in the road, and also a bit of bacon, we almost thought it was Christmas. The home of Billy and his wife was like a haven – two little rooms, one up and one down – and a back kitchen. We slept very comfortably, but I do not know where they slept. Billy and his wife moved out of that place, with no other reason but for the furtherance of the Gospel, and went to a County where there was no one professing.

A long while since, I happened to be in the village where Billy and his wife lived. I called, quite unexpectedly, and saw that old couple sitting there by the fireside reading their Bible, all alone. The scene has ever remained in my mind, and I went away from that home that day with a feeling that if the Gospel can do that for people, it is well worthwhile. Neither Billy nor his wife was ever rich, but they were very faithful. Times when we have stayed in their home, we never had a very soft bed or a very sumptuous table, but it was a very clean home and a very peaceful home and they spent their lives with one purpose and that was to cooperate in the furtherance of the Gospel in fellowship with God’s servants. These are some of the mighty people that are in God’s Kingdom. I hope the day will never come when we would value a rich home in preference to a poor home, but that we would measure people by their worthiness and faithfulness.

Some of us have been to several Conventions and there is one thing I want to tell you people – I nearly forgot. I remember the Conventions of 1950 by one message I heard anyway. At the last meeting we were in, a sister, who had some knowledge of nursing, spoke. She was speaking of her experience of wounds she had seen dressed, and she said that wounds might be quite large or deep, but if they are kept clean, it is wonderful how quickly they heal and a comparatively small wound, even a pin-prick, if it gets infected, can be very dangerous. I did not miss that, and I hope I will never forget that. I hope we will remember that when wounded in the fray, that we will not let the wound get infected with resentment or any malice or bitterness, but if we could keep the wound clean, it would soon heal. However small the wound may be, a little wound can often fester and cause a lot of trouble.

Now, these are some of the things that those that are mighty in the Kingdom attend to. Forgive me if I have trespassed on the meeting.

The most important words ever spoken on earth fell from the lips of Jesus. He was preeminently the “teacher who came from God.” Hebrews 1, “God hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son.” He, Himself, said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away.” His Father from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.” Your hope of heaven and mine too, depends on our attitude towards the words and sayings of Jesus. If we love Him, we will keep His words. He said, “He that loveth Me not keepeth not My words.”

There are seven of these words of Jesus I would like to leave with you this morning. They are easy to remember and will help us every day of our lives as they find a place in our hearts. You will find these words in Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.” Something or somebody is first in every heart and life. We are responsible as individuals for deciding who that person is or what that thing may be. In the days of Jesus, some were hindered from entering the Kingdom because of not being willing to put the Kingdom first. One said, “My farm has the first claim on my time and affection;” another said, “My business has the first claim on my time and affection;” another said, “My wife, my family, my home have the first claim on my time and affection.” None of those who excused themselves entered the Kingdom of God.

Some have been hindered from following in the pathway of discipleship by permitting their relations, or business, or possessions to take the first place in their hearts and lives. If we are to enter this Kingdom and to follow in the pathway of true discipleship, we must be willing under every condition and circumstance to put first things first. It is a good wholesome spiritual exercise for all of us as the servants and people of God to ask ourselves frequently the question, “What am I really seeking? What is the ruling purpose and passion of my life? Can I honestly say that I am seeking ‘first the Kingdom of God?’” To ask God to search our hearts when on our knees is good for all of us, so that we may be moved – no matter what it may cost – to put God’s interests first in our hearts, first in our homes, and first in our business.

Those of us who are the servants of God need to examine ourselves frequently and ask God to search our hearts. We who are older in the work are tempted more often than those who are younger to “seek our own things not the things of Jesus Christ.” If those of us who are older in the work and service of God fail in this, we are giving to those who are younger an example which will produce a dreadful harvest in years to come. I know nothing more vital, more important, to the servants and people of God today in this land, and every other land, than to have this matter settled once and forever in our hearts that in every choice we make, and every step we take, the Kingdom’s interests are first.

Those words of Jesus, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God” throughout the years, in every land, have saved many of God’s servants and God’s people from making wrong choices and taking wrong steps. During the last fifty years, I have seen some of God’s servants, and God’s people too, taking wrong steps and making wrong choices. The root reason for this is unwillingness to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” Jesus Himself lived out before His own disciples and before the World what those words were intended to mean. In every word He spoke, in every act of His life, in every journey that He undertook, the interests of the Kingdom of God were first in His mind and in His heart. In this, He left a good example for every child of God, young and old.

His first recorded words were these, “Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” From an open heaven at the beginning of His ministry, His Father spoke and said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” For eighteen years, His Father’s business and interests were first in His heart and life. Three years later, His Father from heaven spoke and said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him!” Well pleased with the words that fell from His lips; well pleased with every act of His life, Jesus Himself said, “The Father has not left Me alone because I do always those things that please Him.” On that last night, He could look into His Father’s face and say, “Father, I have glorified Thee on earth, I have finished the work Thou gavest Me to do.” If we want to understand the real meaning of these words of Jesus, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God,” we should study carefully the record of His life and ministry and hear again those words He spoke to the disciples of old,”Follow Me!”

We have in the life of one of His servants another example of what it means to “seek first the Kingdom of God,” the Apostle Paul. In his life and ministry, from beginning to end, he demonstrates before the servants and people of God what it really means to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” We might read a few verses in his own words, which will help us to understand the purpose and passion of his life: Romans 1:14-16, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.” Acts 20:24, referring to bonds and afflictions awaiting him he wrote, “None of these things move 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.” Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” 20th verse, the purpose of his life was that “Christ be magnified in his body whether by life or death.” Philippians 3:7-8, “…but what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. I have suffered the loss of all things that I may win Christ.” At the end of his life, in II Timothy 4:6-8, he gives his last testimony, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”

The need of the world, the need of Germany this morning, the greatest need of all, is Gospel preachers with the same spirit and purpose as this man, who, in the long ago, made so clear what it meant to “seek first the Kingdom of God,” as he followed closely in the footsteps of his Master and Lord. This is our responsibility today as the bondservants and handmaidens of the Lord, but it is also the privilege and responsibility of the people of God to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” Read John 12:1-8, we have here a four-fold picture of the children of God who were willing to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” These verses tell of a feast in the home of Simon, the father of Judas Iscariot, to which Jesus and His disciples were invited. There were two homes in the village of Bethany to which Jesus was welcome: the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus and the second home, the home of Simon, whose son dishonored his father’s name and disgraced his father’s home.

There are four things we see in this home on this occasion; first, a home that was consecrated to God; we see in Martha consecrated service (she might have preferred to serve in her own home, as she had done on other occasions, but she was willing to serve gladly in the home of another); we see in Lazarus a picture of consecrated fellowship (he sat at the table to eat and drink with Jesus); we see in Mary consecrated sacrifice (she was willing to give all to anoint the body of Jesus for His burial). I have been in homes in different parts of the world where this scene was lived out. God’s people willing to consecrate their homes to His Service, willingly glad sometimes to serve in the homes of others, having true and hearty fellowship with Jesus, and willing to sacrifice for His sake. We would like to think that the homes of the people of God represented here this morning have these marks of consecration, service, fellowship and sacrifice. “Seeking first the Kingdom of God” is not limited to the servants of God. His people too can share in this privilege and responsibility. The happiest homes I have ever visited are homes after the pattern of Simon, in that little village of Bethany.

What then is this Kingdom of God we are to seek first? The phrase itself occurs over one hundred times in the Gospels. Every word that Jesus spoke, every act of His life, every journey that He undertook, had just one purpose: the extension of God’s Kingdom in the world. That is the reason why He could say on that last night of His life, “I have glorified Thee on earth and finished the work Thou gavest me to do.”

There are three characteristics of this Kingdom that I would like to leave with you this morning. It is, first of all, a Kingdom of sacrifice, founded by sacrifice and can only be maintained by sacrifice. This sacrifice began in the very courts of heaven when the Father gave His Son, and continued on earth when the Son gave Himself so fully, so utterly, for your salvation and mine. During those three and a half years of His public ministry, He not only “gave Himself” but called others and taught them to give themselves in the service of God and man. It was this spirit of sacrifice in the lives and ministry of the servants and people of God in those days that enabled the Gospel to be carried to the “uttermost parts of the earth” in the first thirty years after the resurrection. There were no railroads in those days, no steamboats, no printing presses, and yet the Gospel spread in those first thirty years more quickly than ever since.

What we need in this land, and in every other land today, is the same spirit of service and sacrifice that characterized these first Gospel preachers. If the spirit of self-seeking and self-pleasing takes the place of the spirit of self-denial and self-sacrifice for the Gospel’s sake, we may have a name to live, but we are actually and literally dead. We must never forget, as the servants and people of God, that the salvation of men, the spread of the Gospel, the extension of the Kingdom of God in the world depends upon the mutual sacrifice in this our day of the servants and people of God.

If the world is to see Jesus in this generation, it can only be through the fulfillment of John 12:24-26 in our lives and ministry. We might read these words over together, “Verily, verily I say I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it: and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me.” Those words of Jesus should be read over often. All would be helped by memorizing and meditating upon them.

A few years ago, a young worker came to me at the beginning of Convention. I knew that he and his companion had had a hard time during the year. I knew that their hearts were well nigh broken. As I looked into this young man’s face, I knew he was discouraged and felt almost like giving up. Mentioning his name, I said, “I will speak to you when the Convention is over.” When the Convention was over, he came to me and said, “I see it all now! What I need most is a deeper death and greater sacrifice for the Gospel’s sake, and I am willing for this.” This morning, he is eight thousand miles from home, preaching the Gospel in another land and to people of a different colour, and rejoicing in the privilege of “a deeper death and greater sacrifice” for the Gospel’s sake.

I would like to think that those of us in the work and service of God, whether young or old, are willing for this “deeper death and greater sacrifice.” These verses which we have just read prove that the law of the natural harvest is the law of the spiritual harvest. Wheat must be scattered, must be sown, must die, if a harvest is to be produced. By example and precept, Jesus taught clearly and unmistakably that this Gospel which we love, and which means so much to us, can only be preached by dying men and dying women, men and women who are willing for death to work in them so that life might be brought to others.

Every servant of God in this meeting is free to choose to lose or to save his life; in other words, we can choose to be this corn of wheat that falls into the ground and dies, or we can keep and save our lives, suit ourselves and please ourselves.

Paul said, in writing to his friends, “I die daily.” He wrote, “Death worketh in me but life in you.” There never was and never will be any other way of bringing the Gospel to the sons and daughters of men. It is not easy for the bondservants and handmaidens of the Lord to “die daily.” They have taken steps which have blighted and blasted every earthly prospect. In their first consecration and first love, they have renounced everything that naturally men and women would enjoy in this world. We would like to think that every servant of God here today is willing to maintain this first consecration and first love, and have purposed in their hearts that they will not allow anything or anybody to hinder them from being as this corn of wheat that dies.

(1) It isn’t easy to die to a “certain dwelling place,” I Corinthians 4:11. Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head,” Luke 9:58. The homelessness of the servants of God is as vital to the Kingdom of God as the church in the home, and only in the home. These two truths are part of the foundation of all that we teach – the church in the home and the preacher without a home. When we depart from these two foundation truths we are taking steps in the direction of Babylon, the mother of harlots. Paul died to a certain dwelling place, to a home of his own.

(2) It is not easy to die to earthly possessions, to make oneself poor for life for the Gospel’s sake. Luke 12:33, “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.” Matthew 19:22, “But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”

(3) It is not easy to die to the claims of our earthly relatives and friends. Luke 9:59-62, “And He said unto another, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.’ Jesus said unto him, ‘Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.’ And another also said, ‘Lord, I will follow Thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.’ And Jesus said unto him, ‘No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’” Mark 3:31-33, “There came then His brethren and His mother, and, standing without, sent unto Him, calling Him. And the multitude sat about Him, and they said unto Him, ‘Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren without seek for Thee.’ And He answered them, saying, ‘Who is My mother, or My brethren?’”

(4) It is not easy to die to the natural inclinations of our own flesh and our own hearts. I Corinthians 9:24-27, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

If we are to follow heartily in the footsteps of our Master and of Paul, the servant of God, we must be willing for this “daily dying.” Apart from this, no true foundation can be laid in any land. I would like to think that in this meeting, we in particular, as the servants of God, are willing to be true to our first consecration and our first love, and give ourselves heartily unto death – as the corn of wheat – so that life may come to men and women who are “dead in trespasses and sins.”

During the Revolutionary war in America, one of the American patriots was arrested as a spy. He was sentenced to death and before his execution he was asked the question, “Have you anything to say?” He replied, “I have but one regret, that I have only one life to give for my country.” Some of us feel that way, too. We would like to have more lives than one to lay down for the Gospel’s sake and for a perishing world.

There are two other characteristics of this Kingdom I would like to mention before closing. It is a Kingdom of service, where every citizen of the Kingdom lives to serve and not to rule. Jesus said to those first disciples, on that last night of His life, “I am among you as One that serveth.”

In the Old Testament, we see leadership and service united in the life and ministry of Moses. In the New Testament, we see leadership and service perfected in the life and ministry of Jesus. The truly great in this Kingdom of God are those who serve. It is the spirit of service in the lives and ministry of the people and servants of God that will enable them to be truly great in the Kingdom. This Kingdom of God is one in which all serve and none rule.

Third: it is a realm of love and not of law. The citizens of this Kingdom are expected to obey the law of love — the love that includes all the graces and excludes all the vices; the love that is so beautifully defined in the 13th chapter of I Corinthians. As we live in obedience to this law, Jesus Himself said, “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples.” I hope you will remember these characteristics of the Kingdom of God. It is a Kingdom of sacrifice; it is a Kingdom where all serve and none rule; it is a realm of love and not law. This love includes all the graces and excludes all the vices. May God grant that every one of us in the work and in the church will “seek first the Kingdom of God” in coming days.

Hebrews 12:22, “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.” It is this “innumerable company of angels” that we would like to speak about this evening. You will notice that these included amongst the things that we have been “brought into” – when one first begins to walk in the Truth, we seem to be concerned more with the things we have been “brought out of” the separations that take place, the sacrifices that we are called upon to make, etc. One does not walk in the Lord’s Way very long though, until we begin to see the other side of the picture – what we have been “brought into.” “Ye are come unto Mount Zion.” Zion means a sunny place. The top of the mountain generally extended above the clouds…the clouds of fear, of confusion, of unbelief and many other clouds that weigh so heavily over the hearts of people. It is a wonderful awakening to feel I am now above the clouds. One lady who decided recently said, “Everything seems brighter now.”

City of the living God, mentioned next, embodies all that church stands for. Walls of salvation, protecting us from enemies without, God from His Mercy Seat meeting the needs of all who dwell within. But while it is wonderful to find ourselves above the clouds and to be within the walls of that eternal city, it is equally wonderful to know that we have been brought into fellowship of angels. The religious world misses a great deal of comfort along this line. They think of an angel as a winged being they will meet after death. They do not realize that God intended for us to be comforted by the help of angels now, and that they are given to help us prepare for death. Hebrews 1:14, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Notice words “Innumerable company of angels”(Hebrews 12:22)..an unlimited source of help. The time when Peter cut off the ear of the man in the garden Jesus rebuked him by saying (Matthew 26:53), “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” In the Roman army, a legion consisted of more than 6000 fully equipped soldiers. Think of it – more than 72,000 fully equipped angels at Jesus’ disposal, and if you would like to know the comparative strength of an angel, think of that time when Jesus was praying in the garden facing the greatest test man could possible face in life – so great was the conflict that sweat from His brow was like drops of blood. In His agony, He prayed and how many angels did God send to help Him? Only one! (Luke 22:43, “And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him.”) That one angel gave Jesus all the help He needed in facing this great test of all tests. It is good to remember though, that there were 71,999 others waiting to help had He needed them. I hope we can grasp the fact that this same unlimited host is at our disposal. There isn’t such a thing as “can’t” in our picture. God has placed at our disposal, our side, the help of those angels so that even the weakest make it………..if they want to.

According to Luke 15:10, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” The help of these angels begins when we repent and obey this Gospel. The Lord’s servants also rejoice at such a time. I am sure there is no joy known to men like the joy that fills the heart of a servant of God when they see a sinner brought to repentance. They rejoice because they know what it will mean to that person to be lifted above the clouds and to know the security of the walls of that City, etc. This verse, however, speaks of joy amongst the angels of God, suggesting that their joy is even greater than ours. I believe it is because they not only know what this will mean to persons now, but they also know what this will mean to people throughout eternity. They are there in the presence of God – they see things that our eyes have not seen, they hear things that our ears have not heard, therefore they are in a position to rejoice even more fully over that person who comes to repentance.

Isn’t it nice to know that God has given this charge to the angels that never die, that never change? Isn’t it comforting to also know that they who most fully realize the wonderfulness of this salvation are the ones who God has placed at our disposal to help us? Psalms 91:11-12, “For He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep Thee in all Thy ways. They shall bear Thee up in their hands, lest Thou dash Thy foot against a stone.” You can think of this in the light of an individual or the church as a whole. God has placed very responsible work in the hands of His servants. On their shoulders rest the care of the Lord’s people. We are responsible to see that people understand Truth and fit into the Truth. (Hebrews 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”) We cannot be grateful enough for the workers who brought us the Truth, and the workers whose health is practically shattered because they put more than they were able to put into it for our sakes. Only eternity will reveal the vastness of this. However, no servant of God, old or young, would consider for a moment changing one iota of Truth. Sometimes the question arises, “Will Truth ever change?” It could never change, because God has put it into the hands of angels who never change. Jesus spoke of His church as something that the gates of Hell would never be able to prevail against. Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Peter remembered this later on and he passed on this great assurance to Christians, reminding them that their inheritance in Truth could not be defiled, could not be corrupted, could not fade and could not be taken from them. 1 Peter 1:4, “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” Don’t worry for a single moment about the future of the Truth. All we need to worry about is our own future. Let us see that it is invested in the Truth. There is a verse that has often frightened me – Romans 11:25, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” This could easily be said of us. We could see the Truth all right, that is the only way God sanctions today, but we could be blind to the worthwhileness of that Way. The purpose of this meeting this evening is not to reveal more of the Truth – none here are perishing for lack of knowing the Truth. Our great need is to see more clearly the need of putting our best into this Truth. If we do this, God will take care of the rest. He has placed our future in the charge of angels that never change – angels that never die.

Just how do these angels help us? We have a good example in the case if Elijah. 1 Kings 19:18, “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” Elijah was very discouraged but we have a reminder here that discouragement is not always connected with defeat. We often do become discouraged with our faults and failures. At such times it would be good for us to read Zechariah 3:1-5, “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, ‘The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?’ Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, ‘Take away the filthy garments from him.’ And unto him, He said, ‘Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.’ And I said, ‘Let them set a fair mitre upon his head.’ So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.” Of an angel who interceded for him and of that man being cleansed and sent on his way rejoicing. But going back to Elijah, his discouragement was not because of his failures. He was discouraged because he was weary of faithful battles he had been fighting alone. He was beginning to wonder if it was worthwhile to keep on or not. The crucial battles of God’s people have always been secret, when we are alone before God. God sent His angel to Elijah assure him of two things – first, that He knew what he was up against, that the journey was too great for him in his own strength – that through His angel He was making a provision for him which would be more than enough to meet his needs. This is the double assurance we still have today.

God said to the church of Pergamos, “I know where thou dwelleth,” (Revelations 2:13, “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.”) Don’t ever be discouraged with the thought that no one understands what you are up against or what you have to contend with. Maybe the brethren don’t, maybe the workers don’t, but God understands fully and the provision He still sends by the hands of His angels is always more than enough to meet our needs. Isn’t it comforting as we look into the future that is clouded in mystery to know there is no position we will be found in or be called upon to face but what the Lord will understand and send help accordingly? We also have a wonderful picture in the case of Daniel 6:22, “My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him, innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.” Daniel, like Elijah, was in trouble, not because of his unfaithfulness, but because he was loyal. Satan often tries to hinder when we are most faithful. Daniel found himself in a den of lions this night, but he also found an angel there that stopped the lions’ mouth. This isn’t purely history, but this is something the Lord’s people are proving constantly. We often find ourselves facing the “roaring lion.” (1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”)

Satan is an old “bluffer.” A lady who decided in our meeting a while ago proved this. Her husband was 20 years her senior, which was bad – but he was jealous too, which was worse. He was a habitual drunkard which made it tragic. For years, she had lived in fear of her life. In fact, it was this fear for her safety and that of her children that caused her to turn to the Lord. At first he did not mind, but when he saw that she was getting a happiness that he was never able to give her, his jealous rage knew no bounds. This night he told her if she went to meeting she would never see her children again and that when she came home the door would be locked. She went anyway in fear and trembling. After the meeting, she asked us if we thought she should return home and try to get in, or wait until the next day. We assured her she had done no sin in coming to the meeting but that he might make a real issue if she stayed away all night, so we encouraged her to return home. I knew that God would not let her down. When she got home the house was in darkness but the door was not locked. She was afraid to go into the room where he was sleeping so slept in another room with her little girl – that is she spent the night there, but did not sleep much. In the morning, she got up and started breakfast – ever once in awhile casting an anxious eye at his door, wondering what moment the old lion would come out of his den. Finally the door opened and out he came, and do you know what he said? “Darling, is breakfast ready? I must have overslept!” The “old bluffer.” She could hardly contain her joy. She told me afterwards that no one could ever convince her that God did not intercede, because her husband had always carried out his threats before. We assured her that she would have lots in common with Daniel in Heaven because of that experience. Don’t be afraid of that “old bluffer.” Peter wrote that he goeth about as a roaring lion. He really isn’t one, but is an imitator. Remember that Christ, “the Lion of Judah,” is on our side.

There is another work the angels do for us. We read of it in the death of Lazarus. (Luke 16:22, “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried.”) He was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. Angels who had strengthened him in times of discouragement, that had closed the mouth of lions in the way, now were carrying him into that place of rest. “Underneath are the everlasting arms.” You may soon pass through the experience of death. We do not want to dread the thought of it. God has planned that death, to His people, should be the most glorious experience of all. I don’t think that Lazarus found it such a dreadful hour when suddenly he felt those tender hands lifting him out of his old aching body and carrying him to the place where pain and tears will never be known.

We talked once with a woman who believed in the doctrine of the sleeping soul. She told us she did not fear death, but she was terrified at the thought of spending so many years in the cold dark grave. We told her we had a better hope than that. All that goes to the grave is the old worn-out body that we will need no more. Would you like verses that prove this? In Genesis 35:18, “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.” we read of Rachel’s soul departing when she died. In 1 Kings 17:21-24, “And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, ‘O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.’ And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, ‘See, thy son liveth.’ And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now by this, I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.’” We read of this lad that died. His soul departed from his body and when Elijah prayed his soul came into him again. In 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Paul spoke of being absent from the body at death and going to be with the Lord. Peter also spoke of death as a time when he would put off his old tabernacle, not go to the grave with it. 2 Peter 1:14, “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.” Don’t be afraid of being put in the cold, dark grave. God has something better for you at death than that. Your angel will see to it that God’s plan for you is carried out.

Romans 8:13, no enemy is as great to fight as ourselves. God cannot help us until we come to the place that we realize that in ourselves dwells no good things. Joseph made choices to deny himself and to allow God to work in his life. Stephen said of Joseph, “But God was with him.” This was what enabled him to face the many things in Egypt. When he let God overrule, it was to him eternal benefit. It would be nice if we could face every experience in life with the thought in mind that it would be to our eternal good. It would be good if we had hearts that would smite us when we take false steps. Some say that we are only young once, and why not have a good time when we can, but it is nice if we can think that we are only young once and years of wasted life will come no more. Our years of usefulness are passing by.

If we get the victory in the secret place, the outside battles are easily won.

When Saul was coming to the end of his life, he was fearing the enemy and he had no God to help him. How sad it would be if we were in this condition.

There is a fear in my heart lest I would say anything that would hinder the work of God in the lives of any of the children of God because they are a very precious people to Him.

Luke 5:16, we read in the Bible that “when I was musing, the fire burned” but sometimes, when we are musing, the fire goes out. We should try to get the best of what the Lord is seeking to tell us by meditation between meetings. 5:17

The power of the Lord works in those who are as little children before Him. If we are as little children, the Lord can teach us. We know that we need the healing of God, but we know that it is not easy to lie down and be let down before others outside.

The Lamb nature is the one who was willing to sacrifice. This sacrifice becomes more real to us as we are willing to follow Him.

“Jesus, though I may not understand, in childlike faith I put forth my hand, etc.” (Hymn 122). Although we know not what lies before us, we can go on by allowing Him to lead and guide us. The grace of God can help a person to overcome no matter what circumstances they may have to face.

My brother who was not professing said to me one time when I tried to talk to him, “I have neglected to read and pray and when I go out with the other men, I cannot withstand the influence.” Many simple little things would cause the fire of God to go out in our lives and a person can get so far away from the influence of God that they lose their desire for those things.

1 Corinthians, Paul had joy in writing to many of the people of the different churches, but, in this book, he had great sorrow. The people in God’s true way are not all perfect. The worst man that ever lived on earth was in God’s way (Judas). The most important thing is what we are in ourselves before God. God’s way is right because we seek to follow after Jesus, not because everyone in the way is perfect – they’re not. It is a great help to us to look to the goodness, mercy, grace, and kindness of God, but it is also good to look on ourselves. What would produce the worst thing of all in us is when we start looking on the failures and faults of others. If our mind is looking on the word of God, it will be well for us and will have a good effect on us. We make no progress if we take an unhealthy interest in the way.

In these two letters that Paul wrote, we see a picture of Paul himself. He makes strong statements about himself in order to stir up the people to whom he was writing.

It is not in human nature to keep on loving those that don’t love us. “The more I love you the less I will be loved.” It is not a good thing to measure ourselves by how many people love us, but by how much we have loved.

1 Corinthians 8 and 9, “This I do for the gospel’s sake.” “For His name’s sake.” Look up the phrases in the Bible that mention this. It is a great thing to value the name of God. How many things have I done for the gospel’s sake? How many things have I not done for the gospel’s sake? What did I not do because I was thinking of the gospel? Paul said that if I knew that something I was doing would stumble someone else, I would never do it again. Are we like this?

Men that are in training for sports (racing, boxing, wrestling, etc.) have to do without many things – many kinds of food – in order to win in the race and to gain the crown. Do we eat things that would hinder us from winning the race in which we are running? Do we keep the desires and appetites of human nature under? “Whatsoever you do, do to the glory of God.” The learning to say “No” is what gives strength.

“If any man boast, let him boast in the Lord.” All that we have comes from the Lord. We shouldn’t tell others what they have to do without taking the piece that we have to do ourselves. Do we see someone that fails and use them to make excuses for our failures? Those that talk about the failures of others are not in a very healthy condition themselves.

No one will ever be a loser for what they suffer “for the gospel’s sake.” The world today wants to see something lived and something manifested – very practical. Don’t worry about whether anyone should tell the workers about any of us, but make sure that there is nothing for anyone to tell.

We can be in God’s way, but have a mind that is more carnal than spiritual (more like the minds of those of the outside world).

The world can say that they got saved by reading the Bible, or got something direct from heaven, but just ask them to show you someone in the New Testament that got saved like that. This is the worst form of spiritual pride that has ever been known.

1 Corinthians 3:21, Paul wanted to be looked on as a channel, not to be gloried in as a man. All the servants of God are ours to be a channel for us and to be a help to us regardless of how they preach to us.

It is the love of God that makes us value the truth today.

2 Corinthians, it would take a long while for us to just copy these letters to the Corinthians. It must have taken Paul a great deal of time and effort before he even started to write them, but it was something that stood the tests of time. They are just as real and helpful today as the day he wrote these letters. Are we spending time these days to write or speak something that will live after we are dead and gone? What am I getting into the time here and what am I living for? Paul, in his experiences, uses the words, “I am determined” and “I purpose.” We need a great deal of purpose and determination in our lives these days. It is possible for us to speak words that will live if God can speak through us. They will be like seeds that will live and grow in the hearts of men and women.

We spend our health in search of wealth,
We scheme and toil and slave.
We spend our wealth in search of health,
And all we have is a grave.

2 Corinthians 2:4, 13, in days gone by, when armies went out to battle, they tried to capture the leaders of the enemy and then they paraded them through the city to show that they had conquered. Can we truly say that we have been conquered and that God is leading us? Are we showing through our lives what it means to be conquered? Have we given in, given up and surrendered? Is there a resistance, an unwillingness and a fighting against in us? The experience in every child of God that was useful is that “He leads me.” Colts have to be broken to lead and then broken to plow, to work by themselves and to work with others. It is nice to be able to work anywhere and to be broken to lead. Are we in the condition of heart, mind, and spirit that we can be led? It is nice to be broken to lead but also nice to be broken to work. If we are not able to do a certain task, it is nice to be in the place that we help someone else to do it. Are we like Martha—in the condition to serve no matter where we are? Paul just had one title. We read “Paul, a servant” or “Peter, a servant” or a bond servant or a slave. They were slaves by choice. We have an opportunity to become slaves by choice and be led by God the master. It is a good thing to be a slave if you have a good master. We are all slaves to whom we yield ourselves, whether to sin unto death or obedience unto life.

2 Corinthians 3:2-3, in Moses’ day, laws were written on tables of stone. Very few ever saw the tables of stone written upon by the finger of God. Today God wants to write on our hearts instead of on tables of stone. There is something written on our hearts and in our minds that people are going to read, that is going to be made open to everyone. It wouldn’t take long to write on the tables of stone, but God kept Moses in the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights without food and drink. What God had to tell Moses was more important than food or drink. Is what God has to tell us this important? Is it more important to us than food and drink? It isn’t always God’s will to do things in a hurry. He wants to try us to see how long we will stay with him because we have said that we love him more than anything else by yielding to his claim. Do we wait on the Lord or do we say, “Excuse me Lord I have to go to look after the chickens?”

When Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone and he had to put on a shield. If we can get victory as Moses did, people will see something different in us. The kind of company we keep will have a very great effect on our lives – the wrong as well as the right. If we live very much with the world, we will begin to savour of the world.

What is written on me? What do people read in me that has been written by the hand of God and by the spirit of God? We have a great effect on others. Do we love the company of the dead or do we want the company of the Lord? We don’t go to shows or ball games, etc. because we don’t feel at home there, not because we are not allowed to go.

When we turned to the Lord, the veil was taken away from our face. It is not a matter of turning to the Lord once, but a matter of turning and turning and turning.

2 Corinthians 3:18, we will become like what we look at. We can be like a mirror that when people look at us they can see the glory of the Lord. The Lord desires that we would reflect His glory in our lives, that He would see it.

II Corinthians 4:2, the worst things are hidden things. The hidden rocks are the ones that sink the ship. Things that are covered up are the things that will bring shipwreck.

If a man or woman is dishonest, they can get scripture for anything. They handle the word of God deceitfully. You can get scripture that will bring eternal life or you can get scripture that will destroy you eternally. If our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost.

The first thing that God said was, “Let there be light.” God desires that there be light in our hearts which gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God and an understanding of His will.

This salvation is so great that the angels desired to look into it.

Jeremiah 9:24, it is nice to come to the place that we know that God has given us an understanding of His mind and will for us. We can have so much in this world of change and disappointment, “If thou preparest thy heart and stretch out thy hands toward Him.” “If iniquity be in thy hands put it far away.” “Let not iniquity dwell in thy tabernacle, etc.

Job 11:12-18, this security is better than houses and land or any bank account. We have a treasure in an earthen vessel – the understanding that God has given to us. This earthen vessel doesn’t count but it is what we have in it that will count for us. There will be difficulties, troubles and opposition as long as we are in this body of clay.

“We are like sheep appointed for meat and for thy sake we are killed all the day long.” What are sheep used for? Sheep can be used for meat, wool and to bring others into the fold. The wool keeps us warm in this cold world and can be compared to letters of encouragement and comfort. A sheep is no good unless there is sacrifice. There must be a dying, too. “The outward man perishes, the inward is renewed day by day.” What does it matter about the old earthen vessel if the inward man is being renewed. We have a building of God eternal in the heavens, something not made by hands. These difficulties, trouble and opposition and persecution are working for us and will pay or bring a treasure for us.

We should try to value more this letter to the Corinthians that cost so much.

God be not silent unto me.  My desire is to overcome the things that would hinder my walk with God and hinder me from having the favour of God and God’s people.

1 Kings 3, an understanding heart or a hearing heart.  What Solomon asked was pleasing in the sight of God.  If God is not able to speak with us, we will soon lose out and lose the fellowship of God and His people.

The palm tree produced a berry and, when the berry went through the crushing mill, it produced an oil that gave a very brilliant light.  We must go through crushing experiences in order to bring forth light in the world.

Psalm 78, we may have all the outward weapons of warfare but not be faithful in our inward relationship with God.  David knew that only what he had proved of God in his own life would help him as he went forth to face fresh tests and fresh difficulties.  “Except the Lord buildeth a house, he labours in vain that buildeth.”

(You will find this a very helpful message. It assures us also that the standard of the Lord’s people was the same then as it is now.)

I do not have to remind you that this is the first day of the week. It is the Lord’s Day; it is not your day or my day. It is not for your pleasure, but for His pleasure. We have no hesitation in saying this morning that the spiritual health of the people of God depends largely on how they spend the hours of the Lord’s Day. We would like to think that everyone here, the youngest as well as the oldest will remember that the way in which they live on the first day of the week will affect the way in which they live on the days that follow.

God in His wisdom has arranged that His children should begin the week with Him. The Jewish people and the other seventh day keepers give the Lord the last day of the week. The Lord’s people throughout the world give Him the first day. A good beginning will help us to live the other days of the week in a manner that will be well-pleasing unto Him. What would you think of a child of God who, on the first day of the week, went fishing or hunting, or to a baseball game, or engaged in other games? Such behavior “becometh not the Gospel of Christ.”

We need this first day of the week because we are a trinity. We are a spirit, soul and body, 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Our spirit needs to be refreshed, our soul needs to be refreshed, and our body needs to be refreshed. We do not have to always be on the go. There are chores in connection with farm work, etc., that need to be done, but we do not like to see a child of God planning any extra activity on that day. I would like to think that we would all endeavor to so spend the Lord’s Day so that we would be refreshed in spirit, soul, and body.

It was the custom, as we know, for the first Christians to come together on the first day of the week to break bread. They came together in homes consecrated to God. The “church in the home and the preacher without a home” are vital to a true understanding of the New Testament teaching. Those first Christians, then, came together to break bread. I wonder, do you value this privilege of leaving your own home to come to the home of another, and there to have fellowship with your brethren in the breaking of bread? We often read of Jesus doing certain things “that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” He deliberately sought to have the Scriptures fulfilled in His life and ministry. The Scriptures are still being fulfilled today as God’s children, in simple childlike faith, carry out the mind of Christ in coming together on the first day of the week to break bread.

I wish this morning that I could establish in your minds the direct parallel that there is between the Old Testament Passover Feast and the New Testament breaking of bread. Every child of God should read Exodus 12 over carefully. Notice especially the necessary preparation for that feast in verse 19, in putting away of the old leaven; the place where the Passover was to be kept, verse 3; and those who should partake, verse 43. I would like to emphasize one point in connection with the Passover night in the homes of the children of Israel–it was celebrated in their homes, and only in their homes.

I am anxious to impress, this morning, on every mind and heart here that Jesus Himself established the breaking of bread in a private home in the city of Jerusalem. It was not in a synagogue nor in the temple, but in a private home. Throughout the pages of the New Testament this fact is clearly taught: that God’s people continued to meet on the first day of the week in homes that were consecrated to God. There they remembered their Master in the breaking of bread.

We make no secret of the fact that we are teaching men and women all over the world how to do without the hireling ministry and the public building. If, in any measure, the veil that has blinded your minds for years has been removed and you are beginning to see clearly, there will be in your heart a great gladness for the simplicity that is in Christ. I hope none of you look lightly on the breaking of bread on the first day of the week–that it is not a meaningless ritual that you go through and are glad when it is over. This would be very sad indeed!

In connection with the Passover Feast, it was customary for the oldest son to ask his father, the head of the house, “What mean you by this service?” The father would tell the story of that first Passover when the blood of the slain lamb was sprinkled on the doorpost and lintels of every such home where the destroying angel passed over. You can imagine how those children in the home would listen to this story and when they took part later of the feast, their minds would be filled with thoughts that thrilled and nourished their spiritual lives.

It may be there are some in our midst this morning that are not clear in their minds with regard to the meaning and significance of the “breaking of bread.” There are two words in Paul’s letters that have helped me in this connection. He wrote that Christ “gave Himself.” He did not give any less; He could not give any more; He “gave Himself” fully, utterly, for your salvation and mine. Without that giving, there is no salvation for any human being. I believe that Paul was anxious that this truth should grip the minds of the people to whom he wrote. We owe everything to Him. Without Christ, we have no hope; with Christ, there is hope. Christ gave Himself in order to make this hope possible.

These two words, “gave Himself,” occur in 1Timothy 2:4-6. When our Lord died on the middle cross of Calvary, He tasted death for every man. It was for the world of humanity, regardless of race or color. The door of Salvation was opened wide that “Whosoever will, may come.” In Galatians 1:4, we read that Christ “gave Himself for our sins.” He opened up a way of salvation for every man–for the good, the bad, the rich, the poor. Do we appreciate, as we should, our forgiveness of sins? Paul wrote, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Also, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission.”

We are reminded, every first day of the week when we come together to break bread, that sins confessed and sins forsaken can be forgiven. If you are willing to confess and forsake your sins, “there is forgiveness with God that He may be feared.” When we partake of the cup, we are reminded that His blood was shed for the remission of sins. Should that not make you glad that the awful crushing burden of sin can be taken away, removed, buried, forgiven, forgotten forever?

He gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this evil world. I do not have to remind you this morning that we are living in an evil world. Iniquity abounds. Rebellion against God is seen everywhere. Society is corrupt. The social life of men and women today is more corrupt and defiling than it was twenty years ago. This age is fast ripening for judgment. We have only to read the first page of any newspaper to become aware of the ever-increasing corruption that exists.

What would you think of a child of God who would attend a Bible Study on Wednesday evening and a movie picture of Thursday evening? We hope that nothing like that will creep in amongst God’s people. Remember every first day of the week, when we come together to break bread, that He gave Himself for us, not only that He might deliver us from our sins but also from this present evil world, from the dance hall, from the roller-skating rink, from every place that would rob us of the peace of God. We know that the world can be very attractive. It offers so much to entice especially the young people. We also know how one person in a little group can exercise a defiling influence over others, and the company of such a person should be avoided. Will you give this verse a place in your heart? Will you let this truth so influence your daily living that you will hesitate in going any place where the presence of the Lord would not go with you? Moses said that he would not go; he dared not go any place “if Thy presence go not with me.” In Hebrews 13:5, the Lord promised, “I will never leave thee, or forsake thee.” Can you see, then, the need of abiding in His presence? This promise is made to every child of God who values His presence above all others.

Titus 2:14, we would like for everyone to memorize verses 11 – 14. In verse 14, we read that Christ “gave Himself for us.” The main thought of redemption is the possession of that which has been purchased. He gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity. The word iniquity means lawlessness–taking our own way. Most men and women outside of the family of God are rebels. They say in their hearts, “I want to live my own life; I want to go my own way and be my own master.” That is the language of the rebel. When Christ gave Himself on Calvary for us, His purpose was that this spirit of lawlessness might be forever broken–that we would manifest before the world that we are “a people for His own possession, zealous of good works.”

There are some people inside this family of god who believe that this is a “free-for-all.” They feel that they are at liberty to do what their minds and hearts desire. They imagine that there is no discipline, no order, and no government inside God’s Kingdom. This is not so. The mark of a good government is that it is not seen until it is needed. Someone said, “The less government, the better governed.” There is no room in the family of God for lawless men or women.

There is order, there is discipline, and there is government inside this fellowship of God’s people “that He might purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works”–a people for His own possession, those whom He could look down upon with pride and say, “These people are Mine, they belong to Me.” Every first day of the week, in the breaking of bread, we are reminded that we “are not our own.” Don’t you think that if you endeavored to bring some of these things to remembrance every first day of the week when you come together in that home consecrated to God that you would be helped and strengthened, and this breaking of bread would be a source of great peace and joy?

Galatians 2:20, this is Paul’s own personal testimony. “Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” If God could love, if Christ could die for a sinner like Saul of Tarsus, there is hope for any sinner. He said Himself, 1Timothy 1:15, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ‘of whom I am chief.’” We would like to assure you upon the authority of God’s Word and upon the authority of these emblems that the love of Christ goes out to all; there is room in the family of God for all. Has it ever gripped your heart that Christ loved you and that Christ died for you? His love cannot be measured. The “love of Christ passeth knowledge.” We are reminded of this in the breaking of bread.

Ephesians 5:1-2, these two verses are connected with verses that go before in the fourth chapter. Here we have what was symbolized by the whole burnt offering of the Old Testament–pointing forward to the fully consecrated life of Christ, that gave us a headline, a pattern and showed to us how we can walk in love as He did. I recognize this morning that it is not easy always to walk in love. It is difficult for us to love people we don’t like. There are some people naturally that we find it difficult to love. If you went out of your way once in a while to manifest the love of Christ to people you don’t like, it would prove a healthy spiritual exercise.

There are none of us but who grate oft-times on the nerves of other people. We should try to walk carefully and not tramp on other people’s corns. I owe much to my brethren. Their patience and forbearance and love amaze me. It says of Jesus, “Having loved His own, He loved them unto the end.” He knew that night that one would betray Him, another would deny Him, all would forsake Him and glee, but He kept on loving them just the same. When we partake of the emblems of His broken body and shed blood on the first day of the week, we pledge ourselves once again to love each other, and especially those we do not like.

What, then, should our reaction be to this fact, that “He gave Himself” fully, utterly, for our salvation? He could not give more, He did not give less. Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Daily obedience to the teaching of these two verses is the only way we can express our appreciation of His mercies, and the real significance of the Breaking of Bread. “He gave Himself”–we give ourselves! May we, each and all, be willing for this regardless of consequences “for His Name’s Sake.”

Exodus 23:29-30 .. There was a time after I professed to be a child of God when I thought the promised land was a type of heaven, but I found that position was one that no person as far as I could see could really hold because that land was full of enemies. After a time I got to see that land was a very clear picture of this human soil. As Paul said in writing to the Corinthians, 3rd chapter, “know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?” As the margin says, “ye are God’s house, ye are God’s tilled land.” We are God’s dwelling place and what was in that land where the children of Israel had to go in and fight battles and bring nations into subjection and destroy certain things in that land is just what we find in this human soil.

There were the Philistines in that land and they were terrible enemies of the Israelites. There were some terrible struggles to keep them in subjection and they would always rise up every generation. The word Philistine means ‘ wanderer. ‘ I don ‘ t know of a more desperate enemy in this human soil than the Philistine enemy. Wandering thoughts and desires is an enemy that every child of God finds in this human soil and we have to battle against. Paul said, “Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Bringing our bodies under is not as hard for me as it is to bring my thoughts and desires under and bringing them in subjection and obedience to Christ. I have always found that a hard battle and I believe every child of God has this in our human soil. When they fought the battles in that land, it made it possible for them to subdue certain enemies and they began to inherit things God wanted them to inherit. It is in these human lives where the fruits of the spirit must be produced as far as we are concerned individually and collectively.

Then there were the Canaanites. Canaanite means a low dweller, I don ‘ t know how you feel about this enemy in your life and experience. It is always natural for us to dwell on the human level and bring things down to the human level. That is easy for us. It is a battle every child of God has had in every age of history. We will never face any temptation that wasn’t common to God’s people in the ages past. We have all lived in the same world and have the same kind of human body to live in. The same tests and troubles are common to all men and women.

There were enemies on the outside, too, but they were on the very border. They were deadly enemies. Remember the Midianites and the Amalekites would try to take away from God’s people what they had fought for. The word Midianite means ‘ strife-ite.’ If there is any deadly enemy that could be on the outside of our lives for a while and still be inside and that can rob us of the fruits of the spirit, it is this deadly enemy of strife. Remember how Abraham dwelt with this enemy. “Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen for we be brethren.” In the last days of Jesus before He went to the cross, it tells us in the various gospels that there was a strife amongst the disciples as to who would be the greatest. This is in the human soil and it doesn’t take much to encourage it to grow and rob us of a lot that could make our lives fruitful and acceptable to God. The Amalekites were a very good type of the flesh. The Lord said, “I will have war with the Amalekites from generation to generation until I blot out the remembrance of them from heaven.” It is what we would like to be naturally and the flesh lusts against the spirit and spirit against the flesh and they are contrary one to the other so we cannot do the things that we would naturally want to do if we want to please God.

I want to take a little line of thought that has been very helpful to me the last three or four months of my life. That is the side of our bodies service to God. As Paul puts it in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” ‘By the mercies of God ‘ – if we leave that out of that verse the whole thing would be hopeless. There is no service that God has called us to that God could ever accept any other sacrifice than a living, wholly acceptable sacrifice. The religious world like for God to accept a dead, unholy sacrifice.

I like to think of this body that God has given me. I am well satisfied with it. The old and the new Testaments teach about the body God gave Jesus. “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened……….Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me. I delight to do thy will O my God; yea thy law is within my heart.” God gave Jesus a body and Jesus came into the world in that body to do the will of God. God has given you and me a body. Have we come to do the will of God in this body? I am quoting from Psalms and Hebrews 10 and other places where it is referred to “sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire etc.” One time Jesus was talking to the Jewish people and said, “Destroy this temple (meaning His body) and in three days I will raise it up again.” When he was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered Him saying this. There was never a human body in this world where God’s will was so completely and perfectly done as in the body of Jesus. That little babe that was born in a stable and laid in a manger, that was the human side of Jesus. That was the body God prepared. He came down from heaven, not in a measure, about in His fullness. That human body was the humanity of Christ. That was the temple in which were offered the most pleasing sacrifices that were ever given in this world in a human life. We often think of Jesus as our high priest, our prophet and our king. The service of the priest was to present the people’s cause before God. The prophet’s part was to present God’s part before the people and He gave the sacrifice on calvary’s cross to make it possible. He died for the sins of the whole world. We can have a perfect sacrifice because God provided a perfect Saviour.

There are four miracle births in the bible. The birth of Isaac. No possibility of his ever being born into that family. There was a miracle from the hand of God. The birth of John the Baptist was a miracle birth and then the birth of Jesus was the greatest miracle of all times when God was reincarnated in the flesh. And then there is the other miracle birth of ANY person being born into God’s family.

Did you ever think of John 17, that prayer of Jesus a few hours before his agony? Did you ever think of the incense that was ascending up to God was the sweetest incense ever offered by any priesthood this world has ever know? Did you ever think of Jesus hanging between those two thieves on the cross of Calvary and saying, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” Did you ever think of that sweet incense? Did you ever think of the time He said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

For years I never gave too much thought to the visible temple that Jesus ministered to God in, the temple of His own body. It was in His own body that he died on Calvary’s cross. Think of the visible temple Jesus ministered in. God has given us a body and we can minister in this temple. We are responsible for keeping this body clean. An old thought came to my mind yesterday as I was driving along the road. I thought what if I should stand flat against a wall and tell someone to draw a line around my body with a pencil. Everything within that line is what should concern me. It’s not a real large space but every thing within this body is my chief concern. I am responsible for what is done in this temple. I can be a help to others, that is true, but personally I am responsible for keeping right within this body and keeping this body what God intends it to be. It wouldn’t matter where I was put or where other men and women were put, what others thought or what the world teaches; all they can do is kill the body. We could have victory because we kept right within ourselves. The right thoughts in the mind, taking the right steps in the world. God has not given us a great big field but it is just in this life of ours.

I have lived in this world for over 70 years and I have always had another tenant in this life of mine. I always had a wrong spirit, a spirit of rebellion and a spirit of selfishness and a spirit that wasn’t under the control of God. A wrong spirit had access in this body for over 30 years. I have to keep my spirit in subjection to the spirit of Christ. If I do not, God will not dwell in a divided home. The greatest privilege I have today is the privilege of saying yes to another and submitting to the will of another and whenever I do that, I have a lot of satisfaction.

One of the greatest days for me was the day when I recognized my past was forgiven and blotted out through the precious blood of Christ. I still have that same consciousness. I am not worrying about the past. I have the present to be concerned about. I am not worrying about the future. I am responsible for this body that God gave me, the kind of seed sown in this life and the kind of fruit produced. Paul said that we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be judged for the deeds performed in our bodies. This service of God is not scattered out in a great big area. The kingdom of God is within you. I thank God for that. If I had a great big area I wouldn’t know what was going on throughout the area. One member wouldn’t know what was happening to the other member. I never murmur any more about the body God has given me.

Did you ever think of the dual purpose of the body? It is the material body that God gave to a life to support life itself. It is true in the material body life makes itself felt. Life is an inward power, an internal power. You cannot see it. It makes itself felt through the material body. That is true in the animal kingdom and in the plant kingdom and in the human kingdom. You never saw any human being clothed with any other body but this human body. When God created sheep, He gave that sheep a visible body and it has dwelt in that kind of a body ever since the dawn of creation. That is a wonderful thing in itself. Every seed bringing forth according to its own kind. That is a wonderful thing in the natural universe and in the spiritual universe.

One of the most wonderful things to think of is God in heaven coming down and dwelling in these human bodies to make His power known and visible and understandable to men and women in the world. Not only is it a temple for human life but that very body through the choice of the tenant within, through my own choice when I hear the Gospel, as I am willing to repent and be open before God, I can get forgiveness and cleansing and the wrong tenant can be cast out and my spirit can come into subjection to the spirit of Christ, this body becomes a servant and Christ becomes Lord and Master in this temple. I think that is a wonderful thing, the dual purpose of these bodies. Wouldn’t it be a terrible thing if we murmured against our bodies and wished we had another body? When I think of the 30 years of my life I lived without God and I think of what a perfect servant this body was to serve sin. When it served sin it was free from righteousness. As it says there in Romans, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, His servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.”

It is a hard thing for a person to yield their will to the will of another. I find it a hard thing to do and did in the first place and there is nothing else could have gotten me to do it but the power of the Gospel. I think of this body, what a faithful servant it was to sin and now I think of this body what a faithful servant it can be to do the will of God and to obey the tenant who is on the inside. There is one thing that if you and I give to God, that is the will, the willingness to do, God will give us the grace and power to do it. Ye will always have to go across the will of nature.

When I think of Jesus on that last fatal night in the garden of Gethsemane when He said, “Not my will Lord, be done, but Thine,” there was His will struggling. Why wouldn’t I have to struggle with this will when He had to struggle with it. That was God’s purpose. “Come boldly before the throne of grace that ye might obtain help in the time of need.” That means to come with courage. God will give us the power to help us in the needy days.

God will never take untested material into heaven. He will test every bit of material before we enter into the Heavenly Jerusalem. In the natural Jerusalem every bit of material was made ready and fit before it ever landed on the ground. This was God’s workmanship.

I thank God that even though I was born into this world and lived without God for years, without hope, I thank God for the day the gospel came and I thank God I had the grace to struggle against my own will. I would have missed a lot if it had been any other way. There are just these two eyes, these two ears, etc. that are channels through which wrong things can come in. They can be put out or they can be allowed to work inside and bring about wrong things inwardly. Jesus did not allow one single thing to come into that God-given temple, He did not let anything defiling or any blot or blemish to have any place in that God-given temple. We sometimes say Jesus was tempted in all points as we are. That is very true. We say He has the very same body as we have…. He did have the same body as we have but don’t force that point too far. Our body is different in this sense. We were victims of sin and did allow wrong in these lives of ours. It could not be said of Jesus what David, who is a form of Christ, said about himself. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” He fought a good battle in spite of weakness. That could never be said of Jesus. The fact that Jesus died for us shows that from Adam on we were all dead in trespasses and sins. Whether weak or strong, great or small, God has a great love for each of His children.

The blood of Christ made it possible for God to put away our sins. “As far as the East is from the West, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” Into the sea of forgetfulness, He puts them behind His back never to remember them against us any more. I thank God for that. I thank Him for these bodies.

Daniel and the other three kept right regardless of what others were doing. The victory was in themselves. I think of Joseph in the home and being sent out after his brethren and put in the pit and then sold as a slave and carried down to Egypt and prospering in spite of everything and then innocently being put into prison. In spite of all this, everything he did, God made it prosper. It was that rightness inside. It was that battle inside, no matter where he was, no matter where God put him, he fought the battle inside. Paul said in Romans 8, “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

Victory is within each of our lives.

Second, this is a Fellowship of shepherds and sheep in the same fold. This is part of His Fold. There are 50 or more undershepherds in this gathering, there are many whom we think of as lambs and sheep of His Flock, and maybe some in our midst not yet shepherded, not yet in the Fold, whom we hope will enter before this convention closes. 

Jesus Himself is the Good Shepherd. John 10:11

Jesus Himself is the Great Shepherd. Hebrews 13:20-21

Jesus Himself is the Chief Shepherd. I Peter 5:4.

Third, this is a Fellowship of ambassadors and citizens in the same kingdom. In writing to the Ephesians in Chapter 6:19, Paul speaks of himself ”as an ambassador in bonds,” and in 2:19 of the children of God as “no longer strangers and foreigner ~ but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”

Then there is a fourth line of thought–that we are a Fellowship of members of the same Body, Christ our Head and every member of the Body fitting into its appointed place “arid seeking to fill that place worthily.”

You will have noticed I have used the word Fellowship several times. This is one of the most wonderful words in the N.T. a Fellowship of brethren in the same family; a Fellowship of shepherds and sheep in the same fold, a Fellowship of ambassadors and citizens in the same kingdom, a Fellowship made up of members in the same body. I would like to ask you this afternoon, “Do you value this fellowship? Are you honestly seeking to contribute your share towards making this fellowship all God intended it should be?” If you understand and appreciate this four-fold fellowship, you will be able to give a clear answer to the question–What do you people represent in the world?

The word Fellowship in the Bible means partnership, comradeship, companionship – three wonderful words. We are called by the gospel into this fellowship. It is not a fellowship–it is THE FELLOWSHIP.” If you read carefully Acts 2:42, you will notice those that gladly received his words were baptized, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, etc.” In the original, the definite article “the” is used. In Ephesians 3:9 we find the definite article “the” again. “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things, by Christ Jesus.” I would like to say that God’s purpose was that this Fellowship should be the sweetest that can be known on earth. If our fellowship is no sweeter, no better than the fellowship found in the worldly religious systems, then we are no better than they are. I would like to impress upon you today that each of us, whether we are in the work giving our lives, or whether meeting together in little groups throughout this state, we are individually responsible for contributing our share towards making this wonderful fellowship all God intended it should be. That is God’s purpose for each one of us as individuals and we hope that there is a sincere desire to honesty fulfill that purpose so that we may help to bring about that wonderful ideal described in Psalm 133. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Now in reading over these letters in connection with the church at Ephesus, I would advise you to follow each of these lines of thought separately, get firmly fixed in your minds this four-fold fellowship into which we invite men and women, it will not only help in giving your testimony, or in ministering to each other, but also as the servants of God, it will help us in preaching the gospel in the world.

In N.T. days this fellowship was attacked by the enemy, Satan, the adversary of God and man, who knew then, and knows now, that if he can take any step or make any move that will influence any individual to so act that this fellowship, which means so much to us, be disturbed or wrecked, then that is what he will seek to do. His purpose is to wreck our relationship with each other as individuals in the little church, or our relationship with each other as a whole in this world. Might I say here, when we speak of this fellowship of brethren in “THE” same Family, we do not mean a state-wide fellowship, or a country-wide fellowship, but a world-wide “Fellowship in the same great family of God.”

Henry has been speaking about our brethren in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Some of us have been in these countries and enjoyed the same fellowship there which we are now enjoying in Bakersfield. Some of us have been in different parts of the world where men and women were not only of a different race but a different color and speaking a different language, yet we were deeply conscious of the fact we were enjoying the same fellowship as we are enjoying here today. So when we use the word “fellowship,” we do not use it in any limited sense, but use it in the N.T. sense, because the servants of God in those first days recognized they were responsible in their ministry to aim at bringing about an answer to the prayers of Jesus in John 17 in a world-wide sense. In attacking the church at Ephesus, Satan adopted two main lines of attack. If you will open your Bibles now and turn to Acts 20, we have in the last part of this chapter a talk Paul gave to the elders of the church at Ephesus. In verse 28 we read, “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.” He was warning the elders of the church at Ephesus and the Christians that made up that church that the time would come when grievous wolves would enter in among them, scattering the sheep, not sparing the flock. And that actually happened before he, as their shepherd, was executed in Rome in A.D. 64.

For a long period the time church grew up and prospered under the shadow of the synagogue system. What we mean by that is that the synagogue system was licensed by the Roman government, there were many sects in connection with that synagogue system. At first as the gospel was preached, the Romans believed that Christianity was simply another Jewish sect, and they looked upon the Christian religion as being included in the Jewish system and therefore a legitimate religion. The Jews were anxious to convince the Romans that this was not so, and were continually charging that the Christians were preaching another King, and another Kingdom, and they ultimately succeeded in convincing the Romans that Christianity was entirely distinct from the synagogue system and not entitled to recognition or government protection.

As a result, in Nero’s day grievous wolves entered in among the Lord’s people. Many were put on trial and condemned to death. If you are familiar with the history of Nero’s crimes, you will know many of our brethren were chained to iron stakes and oil poured on their bodies and ignited, thus illuminating the gardens of this monster. Grievous wolves sought to destroy this fellowship at that time. But outward suffering and outward persecution will always tend to deepen and increase the sweetness of this fellowship. These suffering children of God were brought nearer to each other, their witness for Christ became more real to them, and if we read the 1st Epistle of Peter, written at that particular time when this persecution was sweeping over the Roman Empire and reaching out wherever little groups of God’s people were meeting together, you will notice that the key-word of that letter is “suffering” and “sufferings of Christ” and the “sufferings of Christians.” The whole letter of Peter was written to brace those Christians up so that they would know the trial of their faith even by fire, was precious in the sight of God, would only separate the dross from the gold, and make manifest all that was true and real in their lives.

Outward persecution is not the most dangerous to this fellowship. We have often said that we would welcome outward persecution because it would help us to be more what God intended us to be. There are countries where our brethren risk much to meet together in His name. They are in continual danger of arrest and punishment. But here in this land, we thank God for the liberty that is ours where none can interfere with the children of God in the matter of worshipping and serving Him how, when, and where we please.

In the verse which follows, we read of a more dangerous attack, more subtle. In writing to this church at Ephesus, he says in verse 30, “Also, of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.” More deadly, and more dangerous than any outward enemy that secret foe, that enemy who once was within, and is now without. and who would seek to come in amongst the lambs and sheep of God’s Flock, speaking perverse, things ,that he might draw away disciples after himself. This actually happened to the little church at Ephesus. In 1 Timonthy 1:18-20 you will read of this condition. “This charge I commit unto you, son Timothy…of .whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan. that they may learn not to blaspheme.” They were excluded from the fellowship of God’s people. They arose from within. They were speaking perverse things and their purpose in doing so was to draw away disciples after themselves. So as a result of their attempt to wreck the fellowship of God’s people, they were excluded from the fellowship.

In 2 Timothy 2:15 – 19 we read much the same thing. What I want you to get this afternoon is this – that the enemy of our sou1s is ever on the alert, he doesn’t sleep day or night. He will attack God’s people in either of these two ways, from within or from without and God’s people need to be on the watch always lest any creep in amongst us, and by their influence seek to disturb or shake the faith of the weakest lamb in the flock of God. Roman 16:l7 – 18 In I John 2:19, John had these same enemies, in his mind. He said, “They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

What is the attitude, that John encouraged God’s people to take under these circumstances? Turn to II John 9-11, and you will get the definite instructions which God’s people were guided by then. and should be, now and until the Lord returns. So in connection with this fellowship, the people of God were asked to recognize these two methods of attack, from without or from within, and they were given the clearest possible instructions as to how to act, under such circumstances. Read over carefully Acts 20:29-30, Romans 16:1-18;1 John 2:10, II John 10.

The attack from within is more subtle and more dangerous than the attack from without. We need to be on guard and, especially those who have responsibility in the matter of shepherding the lambs and sheep of the flock of God in this our day. There is another way that, this enemy attacks: the people of God. He brings to bear certain influences that will cause them to do, just exactly what the Lord Jesus charged this same church at Ephesus with. “Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love,” If we read over this message carefully, you will notice that He commends them for many things, for their liberality, their works, and orthodoxy, their ability to deal with those who claimed to be apostles and were not. “Nevertheless,” even with so much in their favor, to their credit, He said, “I have somewhat against thee…thou hast left thy first love.” You might ask, “What does it mean?” Perhaps I can help you understand.

There are at least three characteristics of this “first love” in our hearts: first, devotion to our Heavenly Bridegroom as the “fairest among ten thousand the altogether lovely One.” Second: devotion to His interests in the world. Third: devotion to the interest of God’s people with whom we have fellowship. I do not know anything more sad that could happen to a child of God than to retain the outward marks of fellowship and orthodoxy, to be counted in among God’s people and servants, when in reality this is not true; “Thou hast left thy first love.” You no longer love Me as you did at the beginning. You no longer love His interests in the world as you did at the beginning. You no longer love your brethren as you did at the beginning.

It would be helpful for each of us to look into our hearts and ask ourselves this question, “Have I the same love in my heart for my heavenly Bridegroom as I had at the first?” Have I the same love in my heart for my brothers and sisters as I had at the first? Have I the same love for the spreading of the gospel, for the lost world, that I had at the first, at the beginning? It would be very wonderful if, as a result of this convention, whatever measure of this “first love” has been lost in our lives, if it could be recovered and we could leave with a deeper, truer love for our heavenly Bridegroom, our brothers and sisters, and a lost world.

This piece called “A Worker’s Life” was composed when I was a young worker, and now after 30 years, I see no need to alter it whatsoever:

A worker’s life viewed through unregenerate eyes is a foolish one, consisting of fanatical ideas, such as becoming poor and homeless, dependent, whose greatest desire is to melt into oblivion, unseen, unnoticed, and unknown. In other words, “a nobody going nowhere on a dark night without a lantern.”

A worker’s life as seen by a Christian is one of unadulterated love. Nothing demands more or greater sacrifice than a continual dying. This is the most beautiful life and its beauty becomes more and more evident as the realization comes that it is being spent for others, and for us. A worker’s life is all the name implies–work, labor, toil for others in order to bring men to Christ and Christ to men–its one and only objective.

A worker’s life as seen through the eyes of a worker is first and foremost, the greatest privilege God ever granted to men, and one of serious responsibility. It is a life mingled with joy and sorrow, ups and downs, encouragement and discouragement, life and death, failure and victory, loneliness and friendship, friends and enemies, smiles and tears, heart-aches and heart throbs–all these and more, which in heights rise higher and in depths sink lower than in any other occupation on the face of the earth.

A worker’s life is a candle lit on both ends, and while it doesn’t last so long, it gives a brighter light.

It may be there are some here who have been wondering: Just what do you people represent, anyhow? This morning, I would like to help you understand just a little of what we claim to represent as the professed people of God. There are three Bible words familiar to all of us that may help answer this question. These three words are: Fold, Kingdom, Family. These three words are used in connection with the Fold of God, the Kingdom of God, the Family of God. God’s people in the world, in every age, are spoken of in the Bible as His Fold – the lambs and sheep of His Flock. The fact of the matter is, if we were to study the Bible as a whole from this viewpoint, we would be amazed to discover how from the very beginning of history the Bible is filled with teaching about the lambs and sheep of His Flock. So this morning we claim, however feebly we may support that claim, that we represent a fellowship of under shepherds and sheep in the Fold of God, under the care and guidance of the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd. John 10:11,14; Hebrews 13:20-21, I Peter 5:4.

I would like to dwell for a moment on the word fellowship. It is one of the most important words in the Bible. It means companionship, comradeship, and partnership. We represent, then, a fellowship, a comradeship, a companionship, a partnership of under shepherds and sheep in this great Fold of God, under the care of the Good Shepherd who left an example for all under shepherds, who for the sake of the sheep laid down His life as the Great Shepherd; who made an atonement to settle the sin question for all the lambs and sheep of His Flock; and the Chief Shepherd, who will reward all who have shared in this great business of shepherding.

It is rather unfortunate that in Ephesians 4:11, speaking of the New Testament ministry, the translators used the word “pastors.” In speaking of God’s gift to His people, His sheep, it says: “He gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” The word “pastor” is the Latin word for shepherd. If the Greek word for pastor had been rightly translated it would have been shepherd. I like that word. The Lord Himself declares that He is the Good Shepherd. The writer to the Hebrews speaks of Him as the Great Shepherd; and Peter, an under shepherd, speaks of Him as the Chief Shepherd.

There are in the meeting this morning about fifty young men and women, and some older, who are under shepherds. They are responsible not only for going out into the world to seek after lost sheep, but they are responsible also for caring for, feeding, guiding, and protecting those who have already become the lambs and sheep of His Flock. It might be a matter of surprise to some of you to be told that these under shepherds of whom I am now speaking have taken steps that Jesus Himself appointed; and which, as far as this world is concerned, have blighted and blasted all their earthly prospects. Just as truly as Peter, James, and John in the long ago actually “forsook all,” this is as true today of the men and women in this meeting who have made themselves homeless and poor, who have said “No” to the claims of their own flesh and blood, and have gone forth into the world to be “as the corn of wheat that falls into the ground and dies.” They are dying to much of that which is honourable and legitimate to others in the Fold of God, so that they might have a share in this Business of shepherding, under the care and guidance of the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd.

One of the outstanding characteristics in the life of the Good Shepherd was His willingness to lay down His life for the sheep. He gave himself fully and utterly, even to the shedding of the last drop of His life’s blood, in order to prove His love for the sheep of His flock.

We feel there are in this meeting men and women who have drunk somewhat of His Spirit, and are just as willing in this our day to lay down their lives unreservedly in order to prove their love for the lambs and sheep of His Flock. There were no hireling shepherds in the Fold of God in Jesus’ day. In fact this question of hire, pay, or salary could never enter into the mind or heart of any true under shepherd in the Fold of God. There were no hireling preachers then. There are no hireling preachers now in this Fold of God. As I have said, there are fifty at least under shepherds in this meeting this morning, and the question of pay or hire or earthly reward for their labours in shepherding never has, and never can, enter into their minds as they seek to follow in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life and gave it fully and utterly in order to prove His love.

The relationship which exists between under shepherds and the lambs and sheep of the Flock of God is not an official relationship. It could not be. It is a love relationship. Those under shepherds love the sheep, and the sheep love their under-shepherds. You will remember the story of the great day of reckoning described in Matthew 25. The Lord is sitting upon the throne of His glory and all nations gathered before Him. The sheep are to be set on His right hand, and the goats on His left hand. He will say to those on His right, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, enter the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.” In their surprise, some will say, “Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? Or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? Or naked, and clothed Thee? We lived in California in 1947. It couldn’t be so.” And yet that Good Shepherd, that Chief Shepherd of the sheep, seated upon the throne will say to them, pointing to those of His under shepherds seated with Him about His throne, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My Brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” The Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd, that tender Shepherd, that wonderful example Shepherd, shall say, “Inasmuch as ye have done it to the youngest, the weakest, the least of these My under shepherds in their days of shepherding, ye have done it unto Me.” As it was then, so is it now.

The same Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd, is watching and taking account of this business of shepherding and ministering. Very humbly we claim to represent a fellowship of under shepherds and sheep, a fellowship of love, in this great Fold of God. Then we make another claim. We claim that we represent a fellowship of citizens and ambassadors in the Kingdom of God. “The Kingdom of God” is a phrase that occurs many times in the Gospels. The word “church” only occurs three times in the Gospels.

Jesus was not interested in establishing a church system, or many church systems. He came to establish the Kingdom of God, and only those who are citizens of that Kingdom are eligible for membership of His church. He was continually speaking about the Kingdom of God. He simply meant God’s rule and reign here and now in and over the hearts of men and women. He manifested this reign in His own life and ministry.

If you have read the Gospels you will notice how frequently He invites men and women to share in this same reign and enter this wonderful Kingdom of God. It might surprise you to notice how often this word “enter” occurs. (51) In speaking to Nicodemus about being born again, He said, “Verily, verily I say unto you, except a man be born again he cannot see – cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3-5. “Except ye become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3. On another occasion He said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate.” Matthew 7:13. Later He said, “Strive to enter in.” Luke 13:24. Don’t allow anyone or anything to hinder you from taking your place inside the Kingdom of God.

During the three and a half years of His public ministry, Jesus made clear that there are just two sides to this Kingdom, the outside and the inside. There were some still on the outside, and some who had fulfilled the conditions and had stepped inside this Kingdom of God. In looking into the faces of the men and women to whom He spoke, He did not ask them if they belonged to this sect or that, this race or that. He saw men just as they really were in the sight of His Father, as being either inside or outside this Kingdom which His Father had sent Him into the world to manifest, proclaim, and establish.

We are gathered on this hillside this morning, and the same Father looking down from Heaven sees us just as He saw men and women then, either inside or outside His Kingdom. You can be inside a church or a lodge; you can be a member of many honourable institutions, and yet can be outside this fellowship of citizens and ambassadors in the Kingdom of God. There were just two classes inside the Kingdom of God in New Testament days. There were those who were spoken of as citizens, and those who were spoken of as ambassadors.

Not every citizen of the United States is qualified to leave this land and represent this country and government in another land. Ambassadors are specially selected and have to have special qualifications. This is equally true in the Kingdom of God. Not every citizen is free or could fulfill the conditions in order to become an ambassador. But out of the rank and file of the citizens of the Kingdom, there are those who have counted the cost, and have fulfilled the necessary conditions, and are laying down their lives as His ambassadors in the world as their rightful King and sovereign. Their only interest now is in living for His sake, and for His Kingdom, living with eternity’s values in view. Ephesians 6:19; II Corinthians 5:20-21; II Timothy 2:15.

Let me ask you a question: Where do you stand? Are you still outside the Kingdom of God? Or have you crossed the threshold and entered the Kingdom? We have been reminded that sometimes to enter the Kingdom is a very costly thing. Jesus said, “If thy right hand offend thee, cut if off. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out. If thy right foot offend thee, cut it off. For it is better to enter into life halt and maimed than having two hands, and two feet, and two eyes to be cast into hell fire.” You may say in your heart this morning that entering this Kingdom of God is a very costly thing. We admit this is true, but it will cost infinitely more if you do not face now in this life this matter of entering, and go out into eternity still outside the Kingdom.

Once up North we were having dinner at the close of a day’s meetings. There were ten or twelve under shepherds in the home where we were guests. We had chicken supper. There was a boy of about 10 present, and before dessert was served one of the company picked out the wishbone and asked Dale to wish. He wished, and they pulled the bone, and got the longer end. Someone asked him, What did you wish? And Dale very seriously and soberly replied, “I wished I was inside the Kingdom of God.” Everyone was silent for a little while, but two weeks later Dale, as a boy of 10, surrendered his life to Christ and entered the Kingdom of God. Later he went to serve his country, and while in Italy he took a special interest in boys in different camps who had made a similar choice. When he returned home it was not long until he found a place in the ministry, and he is now laying down his life for Christ as an ambassador of this Kingdom of God.

We claim, then, however weakly we may manifest this, that we represent a fellowship of citizens and ambassadors in this Kingdom of God. The third word I wish to speak of is “family.” I like that word. It only occurs once in the New Testament, and is found in Ephesians 3:15. It is used not of the human family but of God’s Family. The phrase in which it occurs is, “Of Whom the whole Family in Heaven and earth is named.” It suggests that some members of the Family are already at home with the Father, their Elder Brother, and their brethren. Others are on their way home, but it is all the same Family.

God’s people in the world are not a sect, or a denomination, or a church. They are a Family. They are His sons and His daughters. He is their Father; Jesus is their Elder Brother, and they are brethren. This Family is also spoken of as the “household of faith.”

Some years ago we were pitching a tent in Seattle, and while I was driving in the pegs an elderly man came up and asked what was being put up? “Is it a merry-go-round?” I said, “No.” and he asked, “What is it?” I told him we planned on having Gospel services in the tent. “Gospel services,” he said, “Well, what faith is it?” I replied, “The faith of Jesus.” “Why,” he said, “I never heard of that faith before.” He had heard of the Methodist, the Presbyterian, the Catholic, and other faiths, but he had never heard of the only faith mentioned in the New Testament, “the faith of Jesus,” and he went away completely puzzled.

The Family is spoken of also as the “household of God.” Peter speaks of the Family as a “brotherhood,” a worldwide brotherhood. This was the idea in the mind of God. It is based not on our natural birth, but solely and only on a new birth, a spiritual birth, which Jesus spoke of in John 3. We claim we represent this family fellowship, this brotherhood. This is a family gathering. We are these days enjoying the family fellowship. There isn’t a hired man on the premises. We don’t hire the cooks, the waitresses, the dishwashers, or even the preachers, thank God. This is a family fellowship.

If you went into a family and saw the father taking up a collection after each meal, you would wonder what sort of a thing you had gotten into. In this family fellowship the family spirit of service prevails. If that were not so, we would fail to fulfill our claim that we represent what the New Testament speaks of as God’s Family in this present evil world. Just as there are two sides to the Fold, the outside and the inside, so there are two sides to this Family of God. There is the outside and the inside. Would it not be lovely if any of you who have been made conscious of the fact that you are still outside of this fellowship of brethren in the great Family of God would decide that no longer will you remain outside, but here and now make your choice and step inside the Family of God?

I John 1:3, this is a key verse, and to me a very wonderful verse. It speaks of a three-fold fellowship, companionship, and partnership in this great Family of God. It speaks of fellowship with the Father, with the Son, and with each other. There can be no fellowship with each other unless it is based solidly first of all on fellowship with the Father and the Son. I would like to think there are those in this meeting who have a great desire in their hearts to have a share in this three-fold fellowship with the Father, with the Son, and with each other.

It is a little difficult for me to distinguish between these three, because they are so closely related. To help you to understand better what this fellowship is, we will speak first of all of fellowship with the Father, then with the Son, and then with each other. If you wish to write down three words that have helped me in this connection you may do so. The word separation has to do with fellowship with the Father. Submission has to do with fellowship with the Son. Obedience has to do with fellowship with each other. I hope at the end of this meeting you will have a better understanding of the word fellowship.

We have been told that from the very beginning of history the Father himself has had a great hunger in His heart to have fellowship with men, with sinful men, those who have come short and who have failed. The fact of the matter is, when I read about the tabernacle, and the temple and all the sacrifices that were offered in Old Testament days, I am brought face to face with the fact that all had one purpose, and that was to help men to understand what it really means to have fellowship with God. There was the sin offering, and the trespass offering, and the peace offering. As we study these sacrifices, we see one step after another leading men to the place where they cannot only enjoy fellowship with God, but fellowship with each other.

When we come to the New Testament, we see all those sacrifices were actually and literally fulfilled when for the sins of men Christ shed the last drop of His life’s blood on Calvary. The purpose behind His sacrifice was to bring sinful men into living, loving, hearty fellowship with Himself. This clearly is still in the heart of God, and of the Lord Jesus Himself, Who shed His blood there on Calvary. We hope He will see the travail of His soul in these meetings, and be satisfied.

By nature, all of us as we grow up, take one step after another in the wrong direction. It is as natural for men to go astray like lost sheep as it is for water to run down hill. That is the bend and bias of our nature. The older we grow, the farther we get away from God. How glad I am that in my need and extremity God in His mercy by the Gospel reached men, and I said in my heart, “Whatever it means, henceforth it is ‘Christ for me forever.’” Fifty years have come and gone since I made that choice and never once in the joys and sorrows of life have I had one single regret for that first choice and submission to my rightful Lord and Sovereign.

The story of the prodigal son can be told in four words – rebellion, submission, reconciliation, and fellowship. The word rebellion covers the first chapter. The word submission covers the second period, when he said, “Father, I have sinned…” The father, knowing what was in that boy’s heart, understanding his thoughts and purpose, saw him afar off, and had compassion upon him, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The boy came to him and said, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” But the father said to the servants, “Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him: and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it: and let us eat and be merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and he is found.” Reconciliation follows submission. There can be no reconciliation apart from submission. The real reason perhaps why you are outside the Kingdom of God is because you are unwilling to submit. When the prodigal was leaving home he said, “Give me,” but when he turned his face homeward the language of his heart was, “Make me.”

Would to God there would be some here who would come to the end of their rebellion and would say, “Make me,” for that is exactly what God wants to do for you. Sometimes we sing, “God is now willing, in Christ reconciled, Willing to cleanse and pardon the defiled; God is now willing, are you?” Fellowship follows reconciliation. After we have taken the initial step into this Family of God a very serious responsibility rests upon us in order that this fellowship with God which has begun may continue. I am interested now in trying to help you to understand this responsibility. God Himself has assumed His part. Now are we willing to assume ours?

I would like you to turn to II Corinthians 6. Paul is writing to men and women who had entered this family fellowship seven years or thereabouts before. He is anxious that they would feel the responsibility that rested upon them if this fellowship was to continue. He wrote in verse 14, “Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” In chapter 7:1 he says, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

What Paul was anxious to convey to these members of the Family of God in Corinth was the possibility of allowing some things, outward and inward, to hinder their fellowship with God. It may be there are in this meeting some who have been amongst us for four days and they are very conscious as they look back over their lives that they have permitted some outward things or some inward things to hinder their fellowship with God. I am not going to make out a list for you of the things that could hinder, either outwardly or inwardly, but if you know anything of the anointing of God, you know in the depths of your own heart just what is hindering you from having that fellowship with God that is your rightful inheritance. There are some people who allow wrong things to hinder them. Others allow right things in the wrong place to hinder them.

You remember the story of the three men who excused themselves from accepting an invitation to the feast, not because of wrong things but because of honourable and legitimate things. One man said he had married a wife, another said he had bought five yoke of oxen, and the third said he had bought some property. None of these things were wrong in themselves, but these men permitted honourable and legitimate things to take the place in their hearts the Lord alone should have, and as a result they were excused and excluded from the Kingdom for all eternity. – I am speaking now to God’s children.

I would like to ask you, are you allowing love for your property, for earthly things, to hinder your fellowship with God? Are you permitting your business to hinder your fellowship with Him? You say it is first in your life. Well, that is your choice, but it is a dangerous choice. You say you can’t be in your right and proper place on the first day of the week, or on Wednesday evening, because you are too busy. I say if you are foolish enough to allow your job and your interest in things material to hinder you from having fellowship with God, and in manifesting your desire by being in your rightful place on the first day of the week or in the middle of the week, then you are trifling with your soul, and unless there is some change these excuses may lead you to complete exclusion from this Kingdom, to be left outside and that for ever.

An idol is anything or anybody that takes the place in your heart and life the Lord alone should have. Are you willing to deal with these idols? Are you hiding in your heart idols that hinder you from being right with God? How good if you would settle this thing, and say,, “I will put these idols out of my heart forever. You would then enter into a closer fellowship with God, with nothing between.” “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” We cannot do this for each other. There is a cleansing by the word and by the Blood, but here is a cleansing for which we alone are responsible.

Let me ask you on this last day of this convention: are you truly and honestly willing to cleanse yourself, if you have not done so already, from everything that you know deep down in your heart is hindering you from having fellowship with the Father? I Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful; by Whom ye were called into the fellowship of His Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.” I have suggested already that the word separation has to do with fellowship with the Father. The word submission has to do with fellowship with Jesus Christ our Lord. This is a truth that is lost sight of by many truly devout people. They do not see that the purpose for which Jesus died nineteen hundred years ago was that some day, somewhere, we might be willing for Him to be our Lord, our Master, and our King. There are those who would like to think of Him as their Saviour, but they are unwilling for Him, the only Saviour, to be their Lord and Master.

Let me say this: the New Testament teaches clearly that no man can have Jesus as Saviour unless he is willing for Jesus the only Saviour to be his Lord and Master. The only way in which He can become Lord is by that inward submission to His claims, and willingness to acknowledge Him before the world as Lord. Romans 10:1-3, 9, 10. One of the most wonderful pictures in the New Testament is that of Saul of Tarsus on his knees in that home in the city of Damascus. He was brought at last to the place of submission, of absolute surrender. If I were an artist, that is the picture I would love to paint. Here was the man who thought it was his business in life to stamp out this new religion and throw in prison those who followed Jesus, a blasphemer, and a persecutor. Here at long last is this man on his knees – “Behold, he prayeth.” Acts 9:1-17.

Let me ask: have you been brought to the place of submission? I am not asking do you believe a certain creed, or have you joined some institution, religious or otherwise. I want to ask you heart to heart, in the presence of God, have you been brought to the place of submission, where you are willing for Jesus the only Saviour to be the Lord and Master of your life, regardless of cost? Thirty years later, writing to his friends at Philippi, Paul said, “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” He was still in the place of submission. Have you ever been brought there? May God grant this may be true in your experience before you leave this place.

The third word I want to speak of has to do with fellowship one with another. We have been speaking of a three-fold fellowship: 1. Fellowship with the Father – the key word separation, 2. Fellowship with the Son – the key word submission, 3. Fellowship with each other – the key word obedience – obedience to the law of love given on the last night of the life of the Lord Jesus. John 13:34-35.

You will remember in the upper room, after partaking of the last Passover feast, He said to them, “A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another. As I have loved you, even so love ye one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Some may have been asking: What keeps you people together? The secret is that this is a fellowship of love. This is a love service, a love ministry, the sweetest and most gracious fellowship and ministry that can even be known among men.

Each of us is responsible for contributing our share toward making this fellowship all the Lord intended it to be, and all He made possible it could be, by simple, childlike obedience to the law of love. On the last night of His life, looking away into the future and understanding the difficulties they would be up against, He did not give them a set of rules, He did not give the skeleton of some institution into which they could bring men. They were to go out into a world divided by racial, national, religious, cultural prejudice, and bring men into a fellowship of love. The love of God shed abroad in men’s hearts will bind and unite as nothing else ever can or will. John 17.

There might be some who are asking: Can you give me a little help in understanding what is included in this new commandment? The same Christ, living His life over again in His servant Paul and putting His thoughts in Paul’s mind, gave to us in I Corinthians 13 a definition of this new commandment. I hope at the close of this convention you will remember these three things:

1. The responsibility that rests upon you in maintaining fellowship with the Father – the key word separation;

2. The responsibility that is yours in maintaining fellowship with the Son, inward submission to His rule and reign over your life;

3. The responsibility that rests upon you in maintaining fellowship with your brethren in the Family of God, by obedience to the law of love as defined by the Lord Jesus Himself in 1 Corinthians 13.

At a convention a number of years ago, one of our fellow servants who had been preaching longer than most of us have, was to speak that afternoon. He gave us a great surprise. He stood up and read I Corinthians 13, and he preached the shortest sermon I ever read. He said, “If I could just live this out I would be a mighty good man,” and he sat down. There wasn’t one in that meeting but felt that they too, if they could only live out the teaching of I Corinthians 13, would be mighty good men. 1 Corinthians 13:1, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8. Charity never faileth: but whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

We represent then a fellowship of under shepherds and sheep in the great Fold of God. We represent a fellowship of citizens and ambassadors in the great Kingdom of God. But more than that, we represent a fellowship, the sweetest fellowship known on earth, a fellowship that begins here and continues into the great beyond. We represent a fellowship of brethren in the same great Family of God.

We recognize that each one of us is responsible for contributing his or her part toward making this fellowship more and more attractive to those who are still outside, and should seek to so walk and order our lives that men will take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus and are now living our lives as members of God’s great Family, with eternity’s values in view. May God grant that each one of us may be faithful in doing our part so that by manifestation of the Truth we may commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

From the beginning of the world God has been anxious to have a fellowship of brethren in the world. He has been anxious to have shepherds and sheep, people who will be citizens in the kingdom of His dear Son. The extent of the kingdom of God depends largely upon two things. The Christ life lived and the Christ word spoken. Our greatest responsibility is to give the world something to see. Our second responsibility is to give them something to hear. I would like to learn better how to live the Christ Life, and to speak the words of Christ, not my own words.

The kingdom of God is an inward, spiritual kingdom, established in the hearts of men and women. This kingdom can only be entered by the new birth, John 3. It begins by Christ Himself setting up His throne in our hearts. Here is the place, and now is the time to enter this kingdom. Luke 4:18 speaks of the kind of people eligible for the kingdom of God, the poor, brokenhearted, captives, blind and bruised. John 3 was preached at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. Luke 4 a little later and Matthew 5 about a year and a half later.

The sermon on the mount was preached to saints and servants, to shepherds and to sheep, to brethren in the family and kingdom of God. It was addressed to young converts, to those who were babes in Christ, to Peter, Andrew, James, and John who for a whole year had followed their occupations as fishermen, after beginning to follow Jesus, before forsaking all to go out to preach. These blesseds in Matthew 5 are within the reach of all who are willing to fulfill heart conditions. These are not outward conditions, but inward conditions. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was put on the outside. The righteousness of Christ is something God puts inside. Psalms 34:18, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a. broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Isaiah 66:2, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” The reason the Lord felt like spueing the Laodiceans out of His mouth in Revelations 3 was because there was no feeling of their need. A tragedy had taken place, Christ was dethroned from their hearts and crowded out. He was outside, knocking, desiring to come in.

In Matthew 5:3-10 are given the foundation graces in the kingdom of God. These upward steps toward blessing, and toward becoming the salt of the earth and light of the world. “Blessed are they that mourn” was never intended to be a funeral text. There are two reasons for a child of God to mourn. First, he mourns over his own weakness, second, over the failures of others. One who mourns over his own weakness will be comforted of God as a result of putting away what caused that weakness. I feel sorry for a child of God who does not mourn over his own weakness, and the failure of others. Do you advertise the weakness of others? No! There is perhaps no greater comfort than that which comes to a child of God who has mourned over and helped to restore one who has failed. I would not want the day to come when I couldn’t be touched with the feeling of the infirmities of others, even of those who failed. Lack of self-control is evidence of weakness of character. None can afford to be merciless toward any brother or sister. If we err in judgment let it be in mercy rather than in severity. We all owe much to the mercy of God. I’m glad He tempers justice with mercy.

“Blessed are the meek.” The evidence of meekness is being able to treat others right when they treat us wrong. “Pure in heart,” one with a single eye for God’s glory. “Blessed are the peacemakers.” It is much easier to be a peace breaker than a peacemaker. A sure road to becoming a peace breaker is to violate the teaching of Matthew 5. If you go down these steps, and cease to be poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry and thirsty after righteousness, merciful, and pure in heart, you’ll become a peace breaker, and cease to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. Salt has preserving and antiseptic qualities. We cannot be light to those who are outside unless we are salt to those who are inside. God wants to love men through us. God wants to save men through us.

I am very glad of being in this Convention. I have been made glad in seeing all the graces I have seen in His saints and servants. I have appreciated the spirit of service that has been evident on the grounds as I have watched my fellow servants serve in the dining room, in the kitchen, and here in the meetings – it has made me very glad and has created in my heart a desire to have the same spirit of service.

I would like to speak to you this afternoon for a little while about the importance of a true purpose in our lives. A life without a purpose is a wasted life. Many men, women, boys, and girls in the world are living aimless, objective-less, purposeless lives. They are going all the time, but never getting anywhere. They are like a ship at sea, tossed by every wave, driven by every wind, going all the time, never reaching any port. We speak of such men and women as drifters and it would be a healthy exercise to ask ourselves if we are drifting? Have we any real purpose in our life? Are we aiming at anything worthwhile?

The men and women that filled the useful places in the Kingdom of God in Bible days were men and women with a purpose. David said, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after.” It was said of Daniel, “He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the King’s meat.” Every child of God needs to have a vision of something worthwhile to live for, something they can put their best into. In Matthew 13:44-45, read of a man who found this hidden treasure, the pearl of the greatest price; that which was worthwhile living for.

In Philippians 1:21, Paul gives us in six short words, the purpose that governed his life and ministry, “For me to live is Christ.” These words were written in Jail. He was chained to a Roman soldier day and night. He was awaiting trial. He did not know whether the result of that trial would be a release or sentence of death followed by execution, but he said, “For me to live is Christ.” I would like this afternoon to help you to understand what he meant by these few words. I have studied the life of Paul. I have read all of his letters. I have followed him in his journeys and have I asked myself many times, “What did he mean by these words?”

I cannot think of any nobler purpose in any life. If each one of us as the saints and servants of God had this purpose in our hearts, it would mean much to each of us as individuals, much to others in the world. For some people to live, it is just pleasure or money or property or fame, but this man said, “To live is Christ.” For me to live is daily submission to the Lordship of Christ. Everything I have read about this man’s life, everything he wrote himself convinces me that this purpose was in his heart.

The Lordship of Christ was the very heart and kernel of the Truth in those days. Jesus the Only Saviour as Lord, was the only message that they preached in those days. They emphasized the fact that when He died on the Cross, it was for the purpose that men and women might submit to Him as Lord. Romans 14: 9, “He died for our sins on the Cross, that someday we might receive Him as our Lord and crown Him as our King.” This man’s life began not in Tarsus but in Damascus – his natural life began in Tarsus. His Spiritual life began in Damascus, and that spiritual life began by submission to the Lordship of Jesus. The greatest miracle worked in the New Testament, is the conversion of this man; the change that was wrought in this Saul of Tarsus.

I love to think of Saul of Tarsus on his knees in that upper room in Damascus in the place of submission, the place of surrender. It was a long hard road for him, but at last Saul the persecutor, the chief of sinners, the blasphemer is found upon his knees in that upper room in the city of Damascus. Saul of Tarsus becomes a child of God, a citizen of the Kingdom of God. There is no other way of salvation and there never will be. All of God’s dealings with men and women is to bring them to the place of surrender. Submission – it cost Saul of Tarsus much to make this surrender, it meant going against his own friends and relatives going against his own prospects in life, going against the church of his Fathers, but he was willing for any cost or sacrifice in order to share in the salvation of God. He began by submission. I would like to think that every soul in this meeting had been brought to the place of unconditional surrender to the Lordship of Christ and willing regardless of cost or consequences for Jesus the Only Saviour and their Lord and Master. Saul made manifest the truth in his own words. “lf any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” He began by submission; He contin­ued by submission.

Philippians 3:7-8 was thirty years after that first account of submission. He told his friends at Philippi he was willing after 30 years to live his life in complete submission to Christ as he was at the beginning. He began by submission, he continued by submission to the Lordship of Christ. He finished in complete submission to Christ. 2 Timothy 1:2, thirty years before in the city of Damascus, he submitted to the Lordship of Christ. For 30 years, he continued to submit to the Lord and now at the end, the spirit of submission is just the same as at the beginning, daily submission to the Lordship.

Paul wrote these words, “To me to live is daily manifesting the Spirit of Christ in my life.” Each one of us is responsible for manifesting the Spirit of Christ to others. Christianity is not a creed or a sect, but a life and that the Life of Christ lived over again in Christians. There is no more Christianity in the world than that which be made manifest in the lives of His people. John 12:20-21, I believe that there are men and women everywhere in whose hearts there is the same cry, “We would see Jesus.” We as individuals are responsible for giving them an opportunity of seeing Jesus. Many years ago I heard a song sung at Convention, the words of the chorus have remained with me. “Can the world see Jesus in you; can the world see Jesus in me?” Paul felt his responsibility for manifesting Christ.

Galatians 1:15-16, his understanding of what took place when he became a child of God was this: the Christ who had died for him on the Cross was now living His life over again in him. He writes this in verse 20, “Christ liveth in me.” Christ lived for him, Christ died for him that He might live again in him. Christ died for him that He might live His life over again in us. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His.” Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth that they examine themselves, whether they be in the faith, and to prove themselves to see whether Jesus Christ was in them except they be reprobates. The only sure hope of glory is Christ in control of the heart and reigning over the life is that Christ is ruling and reigning in our hearts. He cannot be hid, other men and women will see Christ living over again in us.

I have seen Christ many times during the last 50 years, have seen Him living His life over again in many fellow servants. I have seen His love, His pity, His compassion, His purity, His temperance. I have seen Christ manifested by them and what I have seen of Christ in their lives and ministry has spoken louder to me than anything they have spoken with their lips. I have seen Christ in the lives of His people, in their homes and in their business. I have seen the graces that were in His life reproduced in theirs and what I have seen of His life in them has spoken louder to my heart than anything I have heard from their lips. God’s purpose from the very beginning was that every man and woman taking the name of Christian should bear in their lives the marks of Christ.

The question may arise in some hearts this afternoon, “What are these marks?” (1 Corinthians 2:6-7) These men and women were outside the Kingdom of God when the serv­ants arrived at their city. They were walking in darkness and in danger of going to that outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. They were dead in trespasses and sins. As a result of hearing the Gospel preached by Epaphras, they received Christ Jesus as their Lord. This is just another way of saying that they were now responsible for manifesting the Spirit of Christ in the home life, in business life, and in their life out in the world. As saints, they were responsible for giving to other men and women the privilege of seeing Christ. God’s purpose is to work in our hearts to mould and fashion them and to fashion them and to the image of His Son. If our Christianity is not making us like Christ, there is something wrong; Christ-likeness is the test of true Christianity.

I will read some verses that show what it means to become like Christ, to walk in Him and to be rooted and grounded in Him. The graces we read of in Colossians 3:1-16 are the graces that were seen in Christ himself. As Christ is ruling and reigning in our hearts, these graces will be reproduced and made manifest – none of these are the product of human nature they can only be manifested by us through Christ living in us.

These are the graces that made Him the “Fairest of ten thou­sand, the altogether lovely One.” If He becomes to us the fairest of ten thousand, we will have a desire to have these graces reproduced in us and manifested by us, and men and women would be compelled to acknowledge that we have been with Jesus. When Paul wrote these words, he not only meant “daily submission to the Lordship of Christ” but “daily manifestation of the Spirit of Christ.” If we separate from this convention purposing in our hearts to submit to Christ every day and to manifest the Spirit of Christ every day, we would very soon become strong men and women in Christ Jesus.

I would like to mention what Paul must have meant, “To me to live is daily consecration to the service of Christ.” In connection with the Tabernacle and Temple in the Old Testament days, there were the morning and evening sacrifices. There was the daily offering of the Lamb. It was placed upon the altar and it was consumed by fire and there went up a sweet-smelling savour unto the Lord. And while the lamb was being consumed, the priest poured out a small portion of wine on the ground. Every day of every year this symbolized to every spiritual Israelite, what God expected of them. They were expected to begin each day by saying in their hearts, “All I am, I place upon God’s altar today. I place upon God’s altar today all I have, and all I am will be consumed in the service of God today.” It was not a sacrifice to be offered once a year or once a week – it was to be daily consecration. That is what Paul meant when he wrote to the Romans in 12:1-2. This daily consecration is a reasonable service.

If we as the people of God could begin each day by a new surrender, by a new consecration, “All I am and all I have, I place upon God’s altar today to be used in His service,” then we would be obeying Romans 12:1-2. “To me to live is Christ: to die is gain.” Death loses its sting and the grave its victory when Christ becomes our life. Paul said he was in a strait betwixt two having a desire to be with Christ, which was far better. But for their sakes, he was willing to deny himself this privilege. Death is not loss to the child of God who lives for Christ. Death is gain.

Those who have gone before and are now with Christ are living in the enjoyment of an experience better than what we are knowing now – a closer and more intimate fellowship than any know here on earth. “For to me to live is Christ.” Death is gain – to be with Christ is far better. That is the reason why at the end of his life, Paul could say, “I have fought a good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord shall give away and not to me only but to all those who love His appearing.”

May God grant that all of us may receive that crown on that day.

Philippians 3:20-21. It is the first part of verse 20 that I want to take for my text. The word “conversation” used here is the old English word for “manner of life.” Back in 1611 when this translation was made, the word conversation was used instead of manner of life. Another translation puts it this way, “Our citizenship is in Heaven.” Ours is a heavenly citizenship. That seems to be just a little better.

Some time ago I read a different translation of this phrase, which I think is better still. It reads, “For we are a colony of Heaven.” Paul says that we are a colony of Heaven. The Roman colony was just a part of the mother country in a foreign land. Paul turns this around and he says we are a part of the mother country living now in a foreign land. We are a colony of Heaven.

In Philippi, the laws of Rome were obeyed. It was a miniature Rome. The customs of Rome were practised. Paul spiritualized this, and he tells us we are a colony of Heaven. The Mother City is above, but we are a part of that Mother City or Mother Country, living now in a foreign land. But we are expecting some day to reach the Mother City and make our home in this Mother Country.

What I want to bring to your attention is this: that God planned from the very beginning to have a heavenly people on earth. HE planned to have on this earth a people that would obey the law of Heaven, and in which the customs of Heaven would be practised. It seems this thought must have been in the mind of Jesus when He told His disciples to pray, “Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.”

This last phrase is the part that makes this prayer difficult.. The Lord expected His people on earth would just as gladly do His will as those who were doing that will in the courts of Heaven. They do the will of God not because they have to, but because they love to. So it is with regard to this colony of Heaven. We do His will not because we have to do it, but because we love to do it.

We often say Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. God is too kind and too merciful to take any one to Heaven that would not be happy there. The great anxiety in the heart of God for men and women is to bring into their lives here and now that which will enable them to love the very things God’s people will love for ever in the courts of Heaven. “Thy will be done in earth today as it is being done in the courts of Heaven.” Happy today are the men and women who have been willing, with simple, childlike surrender to make the will of God the law of their lives.

True happiness can never be found in this world without that will being worked out in our lives. Men today are chasing after happiness everywhere and in all directions. But they are chasing after a will of the wisp, because God has made us so that it is absolutely impossible for any man to find true happiness, or true rest of heart, or peace of mind, outside the circle of His will. That is the reason why in every meeting of this convention we have tried to help you to whisper a fresh word of surrender to the will of God, whisper a new “yes” to His voice; so that you may leave this convention feeling as never before a deep, true purpose to make this will of God the rule and law of your life.

We are a Colony of Heaven. We are part of the Mother Country here on earth. We are often asked the question: What do you represent anyhow? You have no name. You have no organization. You have no headquarters, and no printed literature. You have no big men and women of world fame in your midst. Just what do you represent?

Well, we would like to be able to say that we represent on earth just a little part of that Heavenly Kingdom which the Lord came into the world first to manifest, and then to proclaim, and then to establish in the hearts of men.

That is why so often we read that little phrase in Matthew’s Gospel, “The Kingdom of Heaven.” There was a great anxiety in the heart and mind of Matthew to convey to all who would read that story the fact that Jesus did not come into the world to establish an outward or earthly kingdom, but He came to establish a Heavenly Kingdom – God’s rule here and now in and over the hearts of men and women.

We know that in those days the Jewish people had misinterpreted the Old Testament prophecies, and they were looking for an outward Messiah that would break the Roman yoke and establish in Jerusalem his capital, and from there would reign over all the world. That was their dream, and it was the only kind of a kingdom they desired. So it was a terrible disappointment to them when they woke up to the fact that the true Messiah had no intention whatever of establishing such a Kingdom, but rather that He was going to establish an inward and spiritual Kingdom in and over the hearts of men and women, a Heavenly Kingdom, a Kingdom after the pattern of that Kingdom already established in the courts of Heaven.

When He taught them, in the middle of the second year of His ministry, that “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” they could not understand just exactly what He meant. They could not understand that this Heavenly Kingdom would be marked by those graces He mentioned in the sermon on the mount, and that in manifesting those graces toward their fellows they would be demonstrating what it really meant to be citizens of this Heavenly Kingdom here on earth.

We sometimes say we represent what it means to be in God’s Family here on earth. That is true. Sometimes we say we represent God’s Fold here on earth. That is also true. It is a real pleasure to me to speak in terms of this great Family of God, or in terms of the Fold of God. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Great and Chief Shepherd. It is a pleasure to talk about the under-shepherds and the sheep and lambs of His Flock. We could take up ten meetings discussing the Family and Fold of God; but I want to speak mainly today in terms of the Heavenly Kingdom that Jesus came into the world to establish among men.

I want to speak about five things in particular about this Kingdom that are absolutely fundamental to a real understanding of the teaching, the ministry, and the whole purpose of Christ coming into this world. It should be easy for you to remember these five things. Last year at this convention we quoted a proverb to you – “If you want to learn anything, teach it to somebody else.” So if you want to remember anything that we say to you, the best way to help your memory is to pass on what you have heard to others.

The first thing I would like to say about this Heavenly Kingdom on earth is that it is open to all men. It is a fellowship that is open to all men and women regardless of race, or nationality, or color. There are no geographical or international boundary lines in connection with the Kingdom of God. One of the great facts of the Gospel is that the door is wide open and an invitation is given unto all, and a welcome is assured to all.

I love those words in connection with the announcement the angels made to the shepherds watching over their flocks by night – “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to ALL people.” Nobody was left out. That to me is very wonderful. John, in speaking of the ministry, said, “ALL flesh shall see the salvation of God.” At the very beginning of the ministry of Jesus, speaking to Nicodemus, He said, “God so loved the world [all humanity] that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but should have everlasting life.”

Then a year later, preaching in the synagogue in Nazareth, He gives the marks of all who are eligible for citizenship in His Kingdom when He said, “The Spirit of God is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

After His death and resurrection, He said to His disciples, “Go and teach ALL nations….” Mark puts it, “Go into ALL the world…” As the bondservants of the Lord, who have consecrated our lives to the preaching of the Gospel, we are glad we can look into the faces of men and women of any race, or every race, and assure them that as far as this Heavenly Kingdom is concerned, there is a place for them. The door is open, the invitation is given, a holy and blessed welcome is assured to all who will cross the threshold and enter in.

Away back in New Testament days, there was room in this Heavenly Kingdom for Matthew the publican. There was room for Peter the fisherman. There was room in the Heavenly Kingdom for Saul the Pharisee, and I dare to say this morning that if there was room for Peter, and Matthew, and Saul in that heavenly Kingdom in the days of long ago, there is still room in this Heavenly Kingdom for us.

There is only one barrier or difficulty. There is no difficulty on the Lord’s side, and there never was. If there is any difficulty in regard to your taking your place in this fellowship, this Heavenly Kingdom on earth, it is in that rebel will of yours. There is no barrier on God’s side. The work of reconciliation is accomplished. Now it is up to us as to what we are going to do about it.

The second thing I want to say about the Kingdom on earth is that it is a voluntary thing. There is no undue pressure put on any individual with regard to entering this Kingdom. God has given to every man a free choice. You can remain outside if you will. You can enter if you will. This convention is made up of people who belong to one of these two classes – those who are no within the Kingdom and those who are still without. God may have brought you up to the very threshold of the Kingdom; yet men and women will halt between two opinions, not realizing that they will only discover the real meaning of the purpose of life when they have entered in.

This morning before I got up, I thought of two parables spoken by the Lord Jesus and recorded in Matthew 13. Speaking of the Kingdom, He said, “It is like treasure hid in a field, which, when a man hath found it, he hideth; and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Then he says it is like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls “who when he hath found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

I wish we could get some of you to do what those two men did in the long, long ago. Those two parables were spoken to answer a question that often comes into the minds of people – what is the supreme good today? What is the most worthwhile thing in life? What is it in life that I can make my own, that will make my life worth living, enabling me to accomplish something worthwhile here and now in the present world, and enable me to lay up treasure in Heaven, “Where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal?”

Every man and woman needs something worthwhile to live for. Life would have no meaning if we had not something worthwhile to put our best into. Life can have no real meaning to any man who day in and day out, week in and week out, year in and year out, wastes time as if he were created and given a few years to waste seeking his own pleasure, sowing the wrong kind of seed. I believe these two possibilities make clear once and for ever that if we are to discover and have made real to us something worthwhile putting our very best into, we will have to discover that in this treasure.

This man was not looking for treasure when he went to look in that field. I was not looking for this treasure when I found it. I stumbled on it. I did not know there was such a thing in the world as what we represent this morning. I stumbled on it by accident, seemingly; but like the man in the parable, when I discovered in a certain measure the value of this treasure, I made up my mind that I was going to make this treasure my very own no matter what it would cost. In all the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, during the years since then, this treasure has increased in value. It is of more value to me today than it was that night I said in my heart that I would be willing to serve the Lord no matter what it would mean or cost.

The merchant man represents a different class. Men change their religion over and over again, thinking at last they have discovered this pearl of great price, only to be disappointed. But now that the pearl of greatest price has been brought within their reach, they admire it, recognizing it is better than anything else. And in spite of what it costs they are prepared to make it their own, and their own forever. This man sold all he had and brought back the pearl.

This is a voluntary fellowship. It is a fellowship of volunteers. There are no conscripts in this fellowship. Sometimes I have wished I could lay hands on men and compel them to enter the Kingdom. But there is that free will, that power of choice which God has given to every human being, and the way in which you exercise that freedom of choice will determine your destiny.

It will either mean remaining outside of this fellowship or entering in and enjoying what every citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven enjoys here and now in this present life. It is a fellowship open to all men, whosoever will my come. It is up to you to speak the word of surrender, to whisper the words of submission, to say in your heart, as others have said, “I will say ‘yes’ to Jesus, yes, Lord, forever yes; I’ll welcome all Thy blessed will, and gladly answer ‘yes.’”

The third thing I would like to mention is that this Family, this Kingdom on earth that the Lord Jesus came to manifest in His life, proclaim by His lips, and by His death – this Heavenly Kingdom on earth is a Kingdom of sacrifice. There could be no Kingdom without sacrifice. This sacrifice began in the very courts of Heaven, the sacrifice of the Father in giving His Son. That meant a great deal. God so loved the world that He sacrificed. “He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Son of God came to earth. He lived, and loved, and laboured, and ultimately He suffered on the cross. He poured out the last drop of His life’s blood on Calvary’s cross for you and for me. His whole life was a sacrifice. That sacrifice was perfected when on the cross His blood was poured out. You will remember that this fact in connection with Christ made such an imprecision on Paul that over and over again in his letters to his friends he emphasized the fact in speaking of Christ that “He gave Himself” for us. He didn’t give any less. He couldn’t give any more. He gave Himself literally and actually in sacrifice for you and for me.

I can understand just how Paul felt when in writing to his Galatian friends he said, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” He had already said in writing to others that He gave His all. Let me say, if the Lord could love Saul of Tarsus, He could love anyone. I have met men who said, “How could Christ love a man like me?“ If He could love Saul, the persecutor, the man who thought it was his business in life to stamp out this new religion, He could love, and He does love, anyone and everyone.

There is in every human heart a hunger for love. It is good when a soul awakens to the fact that Christ loves them, really loves them, that His love never weakens or wanes, but it is always the same. John tells us that, “Having loved His own, which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” It is good when we awaken to the fact that Christ loved us enough to live for us and to shed His blood for us.

He loved us well enough to send His Spirit to convince us of our need, and to bring us into touch with those who manifested Christ, and who spoke the word of Christ. If He loved us well enough to do that for us, surely the only thing we can do is to respond to that love and give Him the place in our hearts that rightly belongs to Him; and henceforth to know Him as “the fairest among ten thousand and the altogether lovely One.” This is a Kingdom of sacrifice. First there was the sacrifice of the Father in giving up His Son, and then the sacrifice of the Son in giving His life. Then there was the sacrifice of those whom He called into the Kingdom, and later into the ministry. This ministry is a ministry of sacrifice. There could be no New Testament ministry apart from sacrifice. That is the reason there is no such thing in the New Testament as a hireling preacher. There is no such thing as a preacher being hired out for a certain sum, or begging for money, or lifting collections in the name of Jesus. True preachers would rather die in their tracks than leave it open for any man to suggest they were mercenary in their motives of their ministry.

The first step into the ministry meant sacrifice. It meant the sacrifice of their home and all they possessed. Jesus did not tell all of His disciples to forsake everything. That would have made His message and ministry ridiculous. He did not ask the rank and file of those who believed in Him to enter the ministry. Many could not possibly do so, but from the rank and file of His disciples He called out those men He desired to fill a place in the ministry; and to them, and them only, did He say, “Sell that ye have.” Them only did He ask to forsake all.

None could have any place in the New Testament ministry unless they were willing to fulfill these conditions and go forth to be as homeless as He was as the Example, the Pattern, and the Good Shepherd. On one occasion a candidate for the ministry said to Him, “Lord, I will follow Thee wheresoever Thou goest.” Jesus, knowing what was in his heart, said, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” We do not read of that man entering the ministry, because he was unwilling to have fellowship with Jesus in His homelessness.

The church in the home and the preacher without a home are two of the fundamentals of the faith of Jesus. One of the strangest things in the New Testament is that we never read of God’s people building church buildings. We don’t read about it until the third century, when there had been a turning away from that which Jesus lived and taught. In the first days there were not great church institutions, but God’s people met together in every land in homes consecrated to God. The church in the home was the rule, and the preacher without a home.

How could any preacher obey the great commission to go into all the world if he had a home, or business, or farm of his own? No man could accept or obey that commission unless he was willing to obey the conditions Jesus laid down, and literally and actually fulfill all of them. The first disciples going into the uttermost parts of the earth were not worried about home, or property, or business. They were free to proclaim God’s message, proving what He promised to be eternal truth in their own experience – “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” That is God’s Way.

This is a Kingdom of sacrifice, but it is a Kingdom where there is fellowship. There is a sacrifice of God’s people as well as of His servants. There must be sacrifice, self-denial, and willingness to put first things first, in order that the Kingdom of God may be extended among men. Paul refers to this in writing to the Philippians, when he says, “I thank God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now.”

I hope I have made it clear that Jesus never expected or demanded that the rank and file of His disciples should “forsake all” or “sell all.” Those two phrases refer entirely to the ministry, and only to the ministry. One of the reasons why so many people are mixed up with regard to the teaching of Jesus is that they apply His teaching with regard to the ministry to the rank and file of His disciples, and it won’t fit in. So they say He never meant what He said, or times have changed and we have to work things out entirely different.

If I were to ask you what is the real difference between those whom we speak of as ministers and the rank and file of God’s people, what would you answer? I asked this question once – What is the difference between the servants of God and the saints of God? One man said, “The servants preach the Truth, and the saints live the Truth.” I asked the same question in another meeting, and a man said, “The difference is this, the servants of God have many homes and the poor saints have only one.” He was a little mixed, but he had the right end of it.

When the rich young ruler went away, Peter said, “Lord, we have done what that fellow is unwilling to do, what shall we have, therefore?” Then the Lord said “No man hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the Kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.”

That promise is not for the rank and file of God’s people. It is for those who have fulfilled the conditions and entered the ministry. We have many fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, homes, and much land. Mary, Martha and Lazarus had a home in Bethany where Jesus and the disciples were welcomed. It was of homes like this that Jesus speaks. He was just as welcome in that home as any member of the family.

Another friend of ours gave a different answer to this question, and I think he had the right answer. He said, “The difference is this, the servants of God sacrifice all, and the saints of God use all.” His home and everything he possessed was at the disposal of the Lord Jesus. If you have a home, and business, and family, and you say truly in your heart, “My home, and business and family are at the Lord’s disposal,” then you will have a deeper taste of that peace of God which passeth all understanding, and you will share in the joy unspeakable and full of glory.

As I look back across the years, I value the sacrifice of thee boys and girls who have started out and are now starting out in God’s service. I know what it has cost them, and the battles fought before their decision was made, but the time comes when the answer is given – I am willing to go. I think of the parents left without their boys and girls, and all their hopes for them blighted. I think of the lonely days, and weeks and months, especially when some of those boys and girls have lifted up their eyes to go to far lands arid are away for years.

I have been in such homes, and my heart has bled for the parents; but their sacrifice has brought into their lives that which has enriched them; and that is the only wealth worthwhile. I talked to a father and mother at the last convention, whose only daughter is fifteen hundred miles away from home for the Gospel’s sake, although she never had been away from home in her life before. After that girl had decided to give her life in the service of God, I was almost afraid to meet her father and mother, but I need not have been; for that sacrifice was gladly given, and their greatest joy today is to hear that she is being used in God’s great harvest field.

There could have been no Kingdom of God in this world without sacrifice. This Kingdom is founded on sacrifice, and it can be maintained only by sacrifice. If that spirit dies out we become no better than any of the daughters of Babylon. That is what Jesus meant when He said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Paul, remembering these words, wrote afterwards, “Death worketh in us, but life in you.”

There are in this meeting a group of people who are willing for death to work in them. They are willing to die to the place they might have filled in the world in order that they might have the privilege of preaching the Gospel, and laying down their lives for His sake. The people I admire most are those men and women who have taken these steps, and who, as far as the world is concerned, are more unnoticed and unknown; but whose ministry God can bless in bringing light to men and women who are now dead in trespasses and sin.

In a home a few years ago, I saw a motto that spoke very loudly to me. It said: “It’s love and giving that makes life worth living. It’s love and giving that makes life a song.” It is the spirit of sacrifice, this willingness to sacrifice all for the sake of others that enriches our lives and makes the lives of God’s servants and His people all the more worthwhile.

I am dealing with the fundamentals of the faith, and the basic truths that have to do with the Kingdom of God here and now in this world, and if the world lasts, hundreds of years from now.

The fourth thing I would like to say about this heavenly Kingdom is this: This heavenly Kingdom on earth is a Kingdom where all serve and none rule. There is no room for any who want to lord it over others. There is plenty of room for those who are willing to serve.

Jesus Himself was the Leader. He had the greater responsibility, and He had the greater authority; but in the midst of His own disciples He said, “I am among you as One that serveth.” There was the Master taking the place of the servant, the greatest taking the place of the least, the One who had the most authority willing to be the servant of all.

This heavenly Kingdom on earth is a Kingdom where all serve and none rule. There is no room for rulers in God’s heavenly Kingdom. There is no room for men or women to dominate the lives of others, or to lord it over God’s heritage. But there is plenty of room for men and women who are willing to serve; who are willing to take the place of a servant, those who are willing to do what they can and give what they can in order to meet whatever need arises in the service of God.

To emphasize this, I would like to read to you a few verses. You will remember the time when the mother of Zebedee’s children came to the Lord and made a request of Him. She was ambitious for her sons, and she had two boys who were equally ambitious. They had not a true understanding of the heavenly Kingdom, and they thought it would be a nice thing to sit one on the right hand and one on the left hand of Jesus… When the rest of the disciples heard it they were mad. They were all more or less of the same frame of mind; only these two boys used their mother to put it over on them.

The ten were moved with indignation against their brethren, and Jesus called them unto Him and said, “Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They say unto Him, ‘We are able.’” He said a little later, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight?” This Kingdom is entirely different from any other Kingdom the world has ever known. Jesus said, “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be first among you, let him be your servant.”

Almost the same words are used in Luke 22. He is here speaking about the kingdom of the Gentiles, and He said, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger: and he that is chief among you, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater he that serveth at meat, or he that sitteth at meat? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as He that serveth.” The Master had taken the place of the servant.

Philippians 2:5 reads, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” We cannot be honest with ourselves without recognizing how far we have come short, but here is the ideal. Here is the spirit of sacrifice: I want to serve. We love to see that spirit amongst God’s people. I have been humbled again and again as I have seen it in others.

I know my usefulness and my influence I might have in God’s Family depends upon my willingness and ability to serve, not in ruling or reigning. It is service and service alone that counts. Every place on these grounds that I have gone the spirit of service is manifest. I have looked here and there and have seen preachers all over the place. What are they doing? They are serving. I find them running all over the place, all with the same thought in mind – how can I minister to and make it more pleasant for others? How can I make his convention more helpful, so that God’s people will be enriched and blessed?

There is not a hired man on these grounds, as far as the convention is concerned. We don’t hire the cooks, or the waiters, or the bed makers, or even the preachers. There is not a preacher here but would rather die any day than allow anyone to suggest they were open to hire.

The only collection we read of in the New Testament was not for the servants of God, but for the saints of God. There never was a collection for preachers, but for the rank and file of God’s people who were in need in Jerusalem and Judea. That is why we feel able to suggest that you today could do what the early Christians did to meet the need in lands where God’s children today have not even the necessities of life. This Kingdom is a fellowship open to all men. It is a voluntary fellowship. It is a Kingdom of sacrifice, founded by sacrifice, and maintained only by sacrifice. It is a Heavenly Kingdom on earth, a Kingdom where all serve and none rule. It is not a worldly kingdom where there is competition between citizens and officials for position to rule and dominate over others. If there is any competition in this Heavenly Kingdom, it should be for the lowest place, the place where we can serve most. That is the Spirit of Jesus, “Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus….”

The fifth thing about this Heavenly Kingdom on earth is that it is a reign of love not of law. All earthly kingdoms and institutions need rules and regulations and laws; but this Heavenly Kingdom on earth is a reign of love and not of law. On the last night of the life of Jesus, in John 13:34-35, you will remember what He said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

You might say everything Jesus lived and taught can be summed up in that one world love. It is said that when John reached the end of his life, a group of his disciples gathered around him and were anxious that he would give them one last message. They were most anxious for him to give that message. It is said he told them what he had so often told them before, “Little children, love one another.” They asked him to add something to that, and he answered, “No that suffices, love one another.”

This fellowship of which we form a part is held together by love. That is the only thing that binds us together. WE have no official relationship with each other. It is a love relationship. This relationship is the strongest, and I believe the most lasting of any that could possibly be established. Why? Because that is what Jesus said. The Constitution is the basic law of the United States. The new commandment is the basic law of this Heavenly Kingdom. “Little children, love one another.”

There was never intended to be a sentimental law, but the very opposite. We know how easy it is for something else to creep into our hearts rather than love. I was reading 1 John 2 some time ago, and some of the phrases there startled me. “He that saith he is in the light and yet hateth his brother is in darkness even until now.” One of the most deadly things that could ever enter the mind or heart is dislike or hatred of any brother or sister, or of any man in the whole of God’s creation.

Further on in this letter it says [3:14], “We know we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” Away over in the Old Testament, in order to become a murderer you would have been obliged to take the life of another. That has become obsolete. In the new covenant hatred in the heart is the equivalent, so you can see how dangerous it is to let that dread spirit take control in any way.

1 John 4:20. The word “liar” used here is a very strong word. The original word for the English word is a little different. It makes it stronger, in fact. It says, “He is a religious fraud and corrupter of God’s Truth.”

Wherever John used the word liar or lie, it has that meaning. Down through the ages the world has been cursed by religious fraud, men who corrupt God’s Truth. In the Heavenly City there is no room for them. You can see the great responsibility that rests upon every child of God if we are to be worthy of the place that is ours in this Heavenly Kingdom.

“Little children, love one another.” You may ask, how can I understand the meaning of this new commandment? How can I understand what this love really is? One of God’s truest and best servants was used to write a whole chapter to define this new commandment. If you want to understand what it means to obey the new commandment, read over carefully 1 Corinthians 13.

If you are an honest man or woman, the reading of that chapter will search your heart, and you will discover that the word of God is sharp and quick, and like a two-edged sword. Happy will you be if there is a response in your heart, and you are willing to say, “If this is what it means to obey that commandment which the Lord gave to His own disciples, then it is up to me to obey it.”

You will notice there are certain things love never will be guilty of, and certain graces love will always manifest. If you make up your mind to turn from negative things and fulfill these graces, then you will understand a little better what it means to obey this new law of love.

This is a Kingdom that is open to all men, a fellowship open to whosoever will come. It is a voluntary fellowship. It is a Kingdom founded and maintained by sacrifice, a Kingdom where all serve and none rule, a reign of love and not of law. May God help us to set in our hearts this ideal that was in the mind of God and the heart of Jesus, and about which we read so clearly in the Gospel; and enable us by His grace to manifest to all the world what it really means to be “a colony of Heaven,” part of the Mother Country in a foreign land, for His Name’s sake.

Philippians 3:20-21, it is the first part of verse 20 that I want to take for my text. The word “conversation” used here is the old English word for “manner or life.” Back in 1611 when this translation was first made, the word conversation was used instead of manner of life. Another translation puts it this way, “Our citizenship is in Heaven.” Ours is a heavenly citizenship. That seems to be just a little better.

Some time ago, I read a different translation of this phrase, which I think is better still. It reads, “For we are a colony of Heaven.” Paul says we are a colony of Heaven. The Roman colony was just a part of the mother country in a foreign land. Paul turns this around and he says we are a part of the mother country living now in a foreign land. We are a colony of Heaven.

In Philippi, the laws of Rome were obeyed. It was a miniature Rome. The customs of Rome were practiced. Paul spiritualized this, and he tells us we are a colony of Heaven. The Mother City is above, but we are a part of that Mother City or Mother Country, living now in a foreign land. But we are expecting some day to reach the Mother City and make our home in this Mother Country .

What I want to bring to your attention is this: that God planned from the very beginning to have a heavenly people on earth. He planned to have on this earth a people that would obey the law of Heaven, and in which the customs of Heaven would be practiced. It seems this thought must have been in the mind of Jesus when He told His disciples to pray, “Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.”

This last phrase is the part that makes this prayer difficult. The Lord expected His people on earth would just as gladly do His will as those who were doing that will in the courts of Heaven. They do the will of God not because they have to, but because they love to. So it is with regard to this colony of Heaven. We do His will not because we have to do it, but because we love to do it.

We often say Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. God is too kind and too merciful to take anyone to Heaven that would not be happy there. The great anxiety in the heart of God for men and women is to bring into their lives here and now that which will enable them to love the very things God’s people will love for ever in the courts of Heaven. “Thy will be done on earth today as it is being done in the courts of Heaven.” Happy today are the men and women who have been willing, with simple, childlike surrender to make the will of God the law of their lives.

True happiness can never be found in this world without that will being worked out in our lives. Men today are chasing after happiness everywhere and in all directions. But they are chasing after a will-of-the-wisp, because God has made us so that it is absolutely impossible for any man to find true happiness, or true rest of heart, or peace of mind, outside the circle of His will. That is the reason why in every meeting of this convention we have tried to help you to whisper a fresh word of surrender to the will of God, whisper a new “Yes” to His voice; so that you may leave this convention feeling as never before a deep, true purpose to make this will of God the rule and law of your life.

We are a Colony of Heaven. We are part of the Mother Country here on earth. We are often asked the question: What do you represent anyhow? You have no name. You have no organization. You have no headquarters, and no printed literature. You have no big men and women of world fame in your midst. Just what do you represent? Well, we would like to be able to say that we represent on earth just a little part of that Heavenly Kingdom which the Lord came into the world first to manifest, and then to proclaim, and then to establish in the hearts of men.

That is why so often we read that little phrase in Matthew’s Gospel, “The Kingdom of Heaven.” There was a great anxiety in the heart and mind of Matthew to convey to all who would read that story the fact that Jesus did not come into the world to establish an outward or earthly kingdom, but He came to establish a Heavenly Kingdom – God’s rule here and now in and over the hearts of men and women.

We know that in those days the Jewish people had misinterpreted the Old Testament prophecies, and they were looking for an outward Messiah that would break the Roman yoke and establish in Jerusalem his capital, and from there would reign over all the world. That was their dream, and it was the only kind of a kingdom they desired. So it was a terrible disappointment to them when they woke up to the fact that the true Messiah had no intention whatever of establishing such a Kingdom, but rather that He was going to establish an inward and spiritual Kingdom in and over the hearts of men and women, a Heavenly Kingdom, a Kingdom after the pattern of that Kingdom already established in the courts of Heaven.

When He taught them, in the middle of the second year of His ministry, that “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,” they could not understand just exactly what He meant. They could not understand that this Heavenly Kingdom would be marked by those graces He mentioned in the sermon on the mount, and that in manifesting those graces toward their fellows, they would be demonstrating what it really meant to be citizens of this Heavenly Kingdom here on earth.

We sometimes say we represent what it means to be in God’s Family here on earth. That is true. Sometimes we say we represent God’s Fold here on earth. That is also true. It is a real pleasure to me to speak in terms of this great Family of God, or in terms of the Fold of God. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Great and Chief Shepherd. It is a pleasure to talk about the under-shepherds and the sheep and lambs of His flock. We could take up ten meetings discussing the family and fold of God; but I want to speak mainly today in terms of the Heavenly Kingdom that Jesus came into the world to establish among men. I want to speak about five things in particular about this Kingdom that are absolutely fundamental to a real understanding of the teaching, the ministry, and the whole purpose of Christ coming into this world. It should be easy for you to remember these five things. Last year at this convention we quoted a proverb to you – “if you want to learn anything, teach it to somebody else.” So if you want to remember anything that we say to you, the best way to help your memory is to pass on what you have heard to others.

The first thing I would like to say about this Heavenly Kingdom on earth is that it is open to all men. It is a fellowship that is open to all men and women regardless or race, or nationality. or color. There are no geographical or international boundary lines in connection with the Kingdom of God. One of the great facts of the Gospel is that the door is wide open and an invitation is given unto all, and welcome is assured to all.

I love those words in connection with the announcement the angels made to the shepherds watching over their flocks by night, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to ALL people.” Nobody was left out. That to me is very wonderful. John, in speaking of the ministry, said, “ALL flesh shall see the salvation of God.” At the very beginning of the ministry of Jesus, speaking to Nicodemus, He said, “God so loved the world (all humanity) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but should have everlasting life.”

Then a year later, preaching in the synagogue in Nazareth, He gives the marks of all who are eligible for citizenship in His Kingdom when He said, “The Spirit of God is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

After His death and resurrection, He said to His disciples, “Go and teach ALL nations.” Mark puts it, “Go into ALL the world.” As the bondservants of the Lord, who have consecrated our lives to the preaching of the Gospel, we are glad we can look into the faces of men and women of any race, or every race, and assure them that as far as this Heavenly Kingdom is concerned, there is a place for them. The door is open, the invitation is given, a holy and blessed welcome is assured to all who will cross the threshold and enter in.

Away back in New Testament days, there was room in this Heavenly Kingdom for Matthew the publican. There was room for Peter the fisherman. There was room in the Heavenly Kingdom for Saul the Pharisee, and I dare to say this morning that if there was room for Peter, and Matthew, and Saul in that Heavenly Kingdom in the days of long ago, there is still room in this Heavenly Kingdom for us.

There is only one barrier or difficulty. There is no difficulty on the Lord’s side, and there never was. If there is any difficulty in regard to your taking your place in this fellowship, this Heavenly Kingdom on earth, it is in that rebel will of yours. There is no barrier on God’s side. The work of reconciliation is accomplished. Now it is up to us as to what we are going to do about it.

The second thing I want to say about the Kingdom on earth is that it is a voluntary thing. There is no undue pressure put on any individual with regard to entering this Kingdom. God has given to every man a free choice. You can remain outside if you will. You can enter if you will. This convention is made up of people who belong to one of these two classes – those who are now within the Kingdom and those who are still without. God may have brought you up to the very threshold of the Kingdom; yet men and women will halt between two opinions, not realizing that they will only discover the real meaning and purpose of life when they have entered in.

This morning before I got up, I thought of two parables spoken by the Lord Jesus and recorded in Matthew 13. Speaking of the Kingdom, He said, “It is like treasure hid in a field, which, when a man hath found it, he hideth; and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Then he says it is like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls “who when he hath found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

I wish we could get some of you to do what those two men did in the long, long ago. Those two parables were spoken to answer a question that often comes into the minds of people – what is the supreme good today? What is the most worthwhile thing in life? What is it in life that I can make my own, that will make my life worth living, enabling me to accomplish something worthwhile here and now in this present world, and enable me to lay up treasure in Heaven “where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal?”

Every man and woman needs something worthwhile to live for. Life would have no meaning if we had not something worthwhile to put our best into. Life can have no real meaning to any man who day in and day out, week in and week out, year in and year out, wastes time as if he were created and even had a few years to waste seeking his own pleasure, sowing the wrong kind of seed. I believe these two possibilities make clear once and forever that if we are to discover and have made real to us something worthwhile putting our very best into, we will have to discover that in this treasure. This man was not looking for treasure when he went to look in that field. I was not looking for this treasure when I found it. I stumbled on it. I did not know there was such a thing in the world as what we represent this morning. I stumbled on it by accident, seemingly; but like the man in the parable, when I discovered in a certain measure the value of this treasure, I made up my mind that I was going to make this treasure my very own no matter what it would cost. In all the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, during the years since then, this treasure has increased in value. It is of more value to me today than it was that night I said in my heart that I would be willing to serve the Lord no matter what it would mean or cost.

The merchant man represents a different class. Men change their religion over and over again, thinking at last they have discovered this pearl of great price, only to be disappointed. But now that the pearl of greatest price has been brought within their reach, they admire it, recognizing it is better than anything else. And in spite of what it costs they are prepared to make it their own, and their own forever. This man sold all he had and brought back the pearl.

This is a voluntary fellowship. It is a fellowship of volunteers. There are no conscripts in this fellowship. Sometimes I have wished I could lay hands on men and compel them to enter the Kingdom. But there is that free will, that power of choice, which God has given to every human being, and the way in which you exercise that freedom of choice will determine your destiny.

It will either mean remaining outside of this fellowship or entering in and enjoying what every citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven enjoys here and now in this present life. It is a fellowship open to all men, “whosoever will, may come.” It is up to you to speak the word of surrender, to whisper the words of submission, to say in your heart, as others have said, “I will say ‘Yes’ to Jesus, yes, Lord, forever yes; I’ll welcome all Thy blessed will, and gladly answer ‘Yes’.”

The third thing I would like to mention is that this family, this Kingdom on earth that the Lord Jesus came to manifest in His life, proclaim by His lips, and by His death – this Heavenly Kingdom on earth is a Kingdom of sacrifice. There could be no Kingdom without sacrifice. This sacrifice began in the very courts of Heaven, the sacrifice of the Father in giving His Son. That meant a great deal. God so loved the world that He sacrificed. “He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Son of God came to earth. He lived and loved, and labored, and ultimately He suffered on the cross. He poured out the last drop of His life’s blood on Calvary’s cross for you and for me. His whole life was a sacrifice. That sacrifice was perfected when on the cross His blood was poured out. You will remember that this fact in connection with Christ made such an impression on Paul that over and over again in his letters to his friends he emphasized the fact in speaking of Christ that “He gave Himself” for us. He didn’t give any less. He couldn’t give any more. He gave Himself literally and actually in sacrifice for you and for me.

I can understand just how Paul felt when in writing to his Galatian friends he said, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” He had already said in writing to others that He gave His all. Let me say, if the Lord could love Saul of Tarsus, He could love anyone. I have met men who said, “How could Christ love a man like me?” If He could love Saul, the persecutor, the man who thought it was his business in life to stamp out this new religion, He could love, and He does love anyone and everyone.

There is in every human heart a hunger for love, and it is good when a soul awakens to the fact that Christ loves them, really loves them, that His love never weakens or wanes, but it is always the same. John tells us that, “having loved His own, which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” It is good when we awaken to the fact that Christ loved us enough to live for us and to shed His blood for us.

He loved us well enough to send His Spirit to convince us of our need, and to bring us into touch with those who manifested Christ, and who spoke the word of Christ. If He loved us well enough to do that for us, surely the only thing we can do is to respond to that love and give Him the place in our hearts that rightly belongs to Him; and henceforth to know Him as “the fairest among ten thousand and the altogether lovely One.”

This is a Kingdom of sacrifice. First there was the sacrifice of the Father in giving up His Son, and then the sacrifice of the Son in giving His life. Then there was the sacrifice of those whom He called into the Kingdom, and later into the ministry. This ministry is a ministry of sacrifice. There could be no New Testament ministry apart from sacrifice. That is the reason there is no such thing in the New Testament as a hireling preacher. There is no such thing as a preacher being hired out for a certain sum, or begging for money, or lifting collections in the Name of Jesus. True preachers would rather die in their tracks than leave it open for any man to suggest they were mercenary in their motives or their ministry.

The first step into the ministry meant sacrifice. It meant the sacrifice of their home and all they possessed. Jesus did not tell all of His disciples to forsake everything. That would have made His message and ministry ridiculous. He did not ask the rank and file of those who believed in Him to enter the ministry. Many could not possibly do so, but from the rank and file of His disciples He called out those whom He desired to fill a place in the ministry; and to them, and them only, did He say, “Sell that ye have.” Them only did He ask to forsake all.

None could have any place in the New Testament ministry unless they were willing to fulfill those conditions and go forth to be as homeless as He was as the Example, the Pattern, and the Good Shepherd. On one occasion, a candidate for the ministry said to Him, “Lord, I will follow Thee wheresoever Thou goest.” Jesus, knowing what was in his heart, said, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” We do not read of that man entering the ministry, because he was unwilling to have fellowship with Jesus in His homelessness.

The church in the home and the preacher without a home are two of the fundamentals of the faith of Jesus. One of the strangest things in the New Testament is that we never read of God’s people building church buildings. We don’t read about it until the third century, when there had been a turning away from that which Jesus lived and taught. In the first days, there were no great church institutions, but God’s people met together in every land in homes consecrated to God. The church in the home was the rule, and the preacher without a home.

How could any preacher obey the great commission to go into all the world if he had a home, or business, or farm of his own? No man could accept or obey that commission unless he was willing to obey the conditions Jesus laid down, and literally and actually fulfill all of them. The first disciples going into the uttermost parts of the earth were not worried about home, or property, or business. They were free to proclaim God’s message, proving what He promised to be eternal truth in their own experience – “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” That is God’s Way.

This is a Kingdom of sacrifice, but it is a Kingdom where there is fellowship. There is a sacrifice of God’s people as well as of His servants. There must be sacrifice, self-denial, and willingness to put first things first, in order that the Kingdom of God may be extended among men. Paul refers to this in writing to the Philippines, when he says, “I thank God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now.”

I hope I have made it clear that Jesus never expected or demanded that the rank and file of His disciples should “forsake all” or “sell all.” Those two phrases refer entirely to the ministry, and only to the ministry. One of the reasons why so many people are mixed up with regard to the teaching of Jesus is that they apply His teaching with regard to the ministry to the rank and file of His disciples, and it won’t fit in. So they say He never meant what He said, or times have changed and we have to work things out entirely different.

If I were to ask you what is the real difference between those whom we speak of as ministers and the rank and file of God’s people, what would you answer? I asked this question once – What is the difference between the servants of God and the saints of God? One man said, “The servants preach the Truth, and the saints live the Truth.” I asked the same question in another meeting, and a man said, “The difference is this, the servants of God have many homes and the poor saints have only one.” He was a little mixed, but he had the right end of it.

[Luke 18:18-30] When the rich young ruler went away, Peter said, “Lord, we have done what that fellow is unwilling to do. What shall we have, therefore?” Then the Lord said, “No man hath left house or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the Kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.”

That promise is not for the rank and file of God’s people. It is for those who have fulfilled the conditions and entered the ministry. We have many fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, homes and much land. Mary, Martha and Lazarus had a home in Bethany where Jesus and the disciples were welcomed. It was of homes like this that Jesus speaks. He was just as welcome in that home as any member of the family.

Another friend of our gave a different answer to this question, and I think he had the right answer. He said, “The difference is this, the servants of God sacrifice all, and the saints of God use all.” His home and everything he possessed was at the disposal of the Lord Jesus. If you have a home and business, and family, and you say truly in your heart, “My home and business, and family are at the Lord’s disposal,” then you will have a deeper taste of that peace of God which passeth all understanding, and you will share in the joy unspeakable and full of glory.

As I look back across the years, I value the sacrifice of the boys and girls who have started out and are not starting out in God’s service. I know what it has cost them; and the battles fought before their decision was made, but the time comes when the answer is given – I am willing to go. I think of the parents left without their boys and girls, and all their hopes for them blighted. I think of the lonely days, and weeks and months, especially when some of those boys and girls have lifted up their eyes to go to far lands and are away for years.

I have been in such homes, and my heart has bled for the parents; but their sacrifice has brought into their lives that which has enriched them; and that is the only wealth worthwhile. I talked to a father and mother at the last convention, whose only daughter is fifteen hundred miles away from home for the gospel’s sake, although she never had been away from home in her life before. After that girl had decided to give her life in the service of God, I was almost afraid to meet her father and mother, but I need not have been; for that sacrifice was gladly given, and their greatest joy today is to hear that she is being used in God’s great harvest field.

There could have been no Kingdom of God in this world without sacrifice. This Kingdom is founded on sacrifice, and it can be maintained only by sacrifice. If that spirit dies out we become no better than any of the daughters of Babylon. That is what Jesus meant when He said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Paul, remembering these words, wrote afterwards, “Death worketh in us, but life in you.”

There are in this meeting a group of people who are willing for death to work in them. They are willing to die to the place they might have filled in the world in order that they might have the privilege of preaching the Gospel, and laying down their lives for His sake. The people I admire most are those men and women who have taken these steps, and who, as far as the world is concerned, are now unnoticed and unknown; but whose ministry God can bless in bringing light to men and women who are not dead in trespasses and sin.

In a home a few years ago, I saw a motto that spoke very loudly to me. It said: “It’s loving and giving that makes life worth living. It’s loving and giving that makes life a song.” It is the spirit of sacrifice, this willingness to sacrifice all for the sake of others, that enriches our lives and makes the lives of God’s servants and His people all the more worthwhile.

I am dealing with the fundamentals of the faith, and the basic truths that have to do with the Kingdom of God here and now in this world, and if the world lasts, hundreds of years from now. The fourth thing I would like to say about this heavenly Kingdom is this: This heavenly Kingdom on earth is a Kingdom where all serve and none rule. There is no room for any who want to lord it over others. There is plenty of room for those who are willing to serve.

Jesus Himself was the Leader, He had the greater responsibility, and He had the greater authority; but in the midst of His own disciples He said, “I am among you as One that serveth.” There was the Master taking the place of the servant, the greatest taking the place of the least, the One Who had the most authority willing to be the servant of all.

This heavenly Kingdom on earth is a Kingdom where all serve and none rule. There is no room for rulers in God’s heavenly Kingdom. There is no room for men or women to dominate the lives of others, or to lord it over God’s heritage. But there is plenty of room for men and women who are willing to serve, who are willing to take the place of a servant, those who are willing to do what they can and give what they can in order to meet whatever need arises in the service of God.

To emphasize this, I would like to read to you a few verses. You will remember the time when the mother of Zebedee’s children came to the lord and made a request of Him. She was ambitious for her sons, and she had two boys who were equally ambitious. They had no true understanding of the heavenly Kingdom, and they thought it would be a nice thing to sit one on the right hand and one on the left hand of Jesus. When the rest of the disciples heard it they were mad. They were all more or less of the same frame of mind, only those two boys used their mother to put it over on them.

The ten were moved with indignation against their brethren, and Jesus called them unto Him and said, “Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They say unto Him, “We are able.” He said a little later, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight.” This Kingdom is entirely different to any other Kingdom the world has ever known. Jesus said, “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be first among you, let him be your servant.” [Matthew 20:20-28]

Almost the same words are used in Luke 22:25-27. He is here speaking about the kingdom of the Gentiles, and He said, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger: and he that is chief among you, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater he that serveth at meat, or he that sitteth at meat? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as He that serveth.” The Master had taken the place of the servant.

Philippians 2:5 reads, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” We cannot be honest with ourselves without recognizing how far we have come short, but here is the ideal. Here is the spirit of sacrifice…I want to serve. We love to see that spirit amongst God’s people. I have been humbled again and again as I have seen it in others.

I know my usefulness and any influence I might have in God’s Family depends upon my willingness and ability to serve, not in ruling or reigning. It is service and service alone that counts. Every place on these grounds that I have gone the spirit of service is manifest. I have looked here and there and have seen preachers all over the place. What are they doing? They are serving. I find them running all over the place, all with the same thought in mind – how can I minister to and make it more pleasant for others? How can I make this convention more helpful, so that God’s people will be enriched and blessed?

There is not a hired man on these grounds, as far as the convention is concerned. We don’t hire the cooks, or the waiters, or the bed makers, or even the preachers. There is not a preacher here but would rather die any day than allow anyone to suggest they were open to hire.

The only collection we read of in the New Testament was not for the servants of God, but for the saints of God. There never was a collection for preachers, but for the rank and file of God’s people who were in need in Jerusalem and Judea. That is why we feel able to suggest that you today could do what the early Christians did to meet the need in lands where God’s children today have not even the necessities of life.

This Kingdom is a fellowship upon to all men. It is a voluntary fellowship. It is a Kingdom of sacrifice, founded by sacrifice, and maintained only by sacrifice. It is a Heavenly Kingdom on earth, a Kingdom where all serve and none rule. It is not a worldly kingdom where there is competition between citizens and officials for position to rule and dominate over others. if there is any competition in this Heavenly Kingdom it should be for the lowest place, the place where we can serve most. That is the Spirit of Jesus. “Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus.”

The fifth thing about this Heavenly Kingdom on earth is that it is a reign of love and not of law. All earthly kingdoms and institutions need rules, regulations and laws; but this Heavenly Kingdom on earth is a reign of love and not of law. On the last night of the life of Jesus, in John 13:34-35, you will remember what He said, “A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

You might say everything Jesus lived and taught can be summed up in that one word ‘love.’ It is said that, when John reached the end of his life, a group of his disciples gathered around him and were anxious that he would give them one last message. They were most anxious for him to give that message. It is said he told them what he had so often told them before, “Little children, love one another.” They asked him to add something to that, and he answered, “No, that suffices, Love one another.”

This fellowship of which we form a part is held together by love. That is the only thing that binds us together. We have no official relationship with each other. It is a love relationship. This relationship is the strongest, and I believe the most lasting of any that could possibly be established. Why? Because that is what Jesus said. The constitution is the basic law of the United States. The new commandment is the basic law of this Heavenly Kingdom. “Little children, love one another.”

This was never intended to be a sentimental law, but the very opposite. We know how easy it is for something else to creep into our hearts rather than love. I was reading l John 2:9 sometime ago, and some of the phrases there startled me. “He that saith he is in the light and yet hateth his brother is in darkness even until now.” One of the most deadly things that could ever enter the mind or heart is dislike or hatred of any brother or sister, or of any man in the whole of God’s creation.

Further on in this letter it says (3:14), “We know we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” Away over in the Old Testament, in order to become a murderer you would have been obliged to take the life of another. That has become obsolete. In the new covenant hatred in the heart is the equivalent, so you can see how dangerous it is to let that dread spirit take control in any way.

1 John 4:20, the word “liar” used here is a very strong word. The original word for the English word is a little different. It makes it stronger, in fact. It says, “He is a religious fraud and corrupter of God’s Truth.” Wherever John used the word liar or lie, it has that meaning. Down through the ages the world has been cursed by religious frauds, men who corrupt God’s Truth. In the Heavenly City there is no room for them. You can see the great responsibility that rests upon every child of God if we are to be worthy of the place that is ours in this Heavenly Kingdom.

“Little children, love one another.” You may ask, how can I understand the meaning of this new commandment? How can I understand what this love really is? One of God’s truest and best servants was used to write a whole chapter to define this new commandment. If you want to understand what it means to obey the new commandment, read over carefully 1 Corinthians 13.

If you are an honest man or woman the reading of that chapter will search your heart, and you will discover that the word of God is sharp and quick, and like a two edged sword. Happy will you be if there is a response in your heart, and you are willing to say, “If this is what it means to obey that commandment which the Lord gave to His own disciples, then it is up to me to obey it.”

You will notice there are certain things love never will be guilty of, and certain graces love will always manifest. If you make up your mind to turn from negative things and fulfill these graces then you will understand a little better what it means to obey this new law of love.

This is a Kingdom that is open to all men, a fellowship open to whosoever will come. It is a voluntary fellowship. It is a Kingdom founded and maintained by sacrifice, a Kingdom where all serve and none rule, a reign of love and not of law. May God help us to set in our hearts this ideal that was in the mind of God and the heart of Jesus, and about which we read so clearly in the Gospel; and enable us by His grace to manifest to all the world what it really means to be “a colony of Heaven,” part of the Mother Country in a foreign land, for His Name’s sake.